The Closing Scenes of this Earth's History

by Elder William Barr of California

THE CLOSING SCENES OF EARTH'S HISTORY (1 of 12 Sermons)

(A series of 12 stirring studies by the late Elder W.Barr of California. Transcribed from audio tapes by Bread of Life Ministries.

The original series of studies were given around 1950.)

 [ BRIEF OUTLINE:

Early Time of Trouble - - The Shaking - The Latter Rain (Loud Cry of the 3rd Angel) - The Sealing (Mark of the Beast vs. the Seal of God) - A WORLD UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE and the Sunday Law - Close of Probation;

The Great Time of Trouble - - the Death Decree  - Sunday Law enforced worldwide - Jacob's Trouble - Final Deliverance, Christ's Second Advent, Armageddon, the Millennium and wicked judged, Resurrection of damnation and the War of Gog and Magog, Restoration. ]

INTRODUCTION

As we start these studies a solemnity rests upon my heart when I know that 1 am going to deal with the instruction God has given us for the very last days of earth's history.

The studies will be solemn ones, but I do not want to make them gloomy.

In this first study I shall give a summary of events that bring us down to the very hour in which we live. This study will be an introduction to the studies that follow. This one will deal with events, most of which have taken place. The ones to follow will deal with future events.

I shall begin with a passage found in GC page 594:

"The events connected with the close of probation, and the work of preparing for the Time of Trouble are clearly presented, but multitudes have no more understanding of these important truths than if they had never been revealed. Satan watches to catch away every impression that will make them wise unto salvation that the Time of Trouble will find them unready. " (GC 594)

Then let us study these closing events of probation as God has outlined them in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, and God help us to be prepared for that hour.

I shall not go back in the review of the signs of the second coming of Christ any farther than the book of Revelation takes us in its wonderful list of sevens.

Firstly, there were Seven Churches given, giving the prophetic history of religious movements to take place before the second coming of our Saviour. Where are we living in this great list of churches? In the last one, the Laodicean Church of judgement-bound people, earth's last hour.

Secondly, there is brought to view Seven Seals. Where are we living in the history of these seven seals? Shall we read Rev. 6: 12-14:

"And when he had opened the sixth seal, 10, there was a great earthquake, the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood, and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heavens departed as a scroll, and every island and every mountain were moved out of their places. "

The events of verse 14 take place at the beginning of the seventh plague, nearly one year beyond the close of probation. We stand then between verses 13 and 14. Today, the last event of the sixth seal has taken place that will take place before the close of probation's hour.

Between the sixth seal of Rev.6 and the seventh seal as recorded in chapter 8 the sealing message is introduced. Seemingly this is a mix-up, but not so. These chapters follow the logical order of events happening under these seals. The 13th verse of Rev.6 ends with the falling of the stars. Between 1833 when the stars fell and the coming of Jesus, John saw the rise and development of that great advent message. He saw people 144,000 strong eternally saved, sealed with the seal of the living God. That seal as you all know, is the sign of God's creative power, His holy Sabbath day.

The Sabbath then according to prophecy was to be revived and brought prominently before the world again as the final test of loyalty after 1833.

The third message of sevens is the seven trumpets -- those seven great wars between the first and second advents of Jesus. And again here there seems to be an interruption by placing chap. 10 between the close of the 6th trumpet in Rev.9, and the sounding of the 7th trumpet in Rev.11.

In this chapter (10) we have again the Advent message brought prominently to view. Here we have a mighty angel coming down from heaven having a little book open. What is the significance of that little book -- open? It suggests that some book had been closed, but now the time had come for it to be opened and understood.

The only book that was closed from a Bible standpoint and to be opened again was the book of Daniel. Note chap.12: 4-9. What do you find in the book of Daniel of special interest to you as a Seventh-day Adventist? It is the 8th and 9th chapters containing the 2300 day period which ended in 1844, ushering in the movement that will close earth's history, God's great judgement day.

Now the latter part of Rev. 10 brings us to the bitter disappointment that was found in the little closed book that was opened—the bitter disappointment of 1844 when it was predicted that Christ would come in that year and He didn't. But notice particularly verse 11:

"And he said unto me, thou ... " John was the individual who ate the book and had the bitter experience. He represents God's movement and God's people on earth that would pass through that experience .... "thou "-the very ones who go through this bitter disappointment have a work to do after 1844 .... "thou must prophesy again ". After your disappointment you must prophesy to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. All the events, my friends, which we shall study in this series, take place during the time of God's judgement hour, from 1844 to the close of time.

Now let us come to chap. 11 for the seventh trumpet. It is called the 'woe trumpet'. It is to be a thing of sorrow. A thing to be dreaded to pass through. A thing that is going to be an awful experience for the people of earth. Verse 18 (Rev. 11) brings us to the events of that seventh trumpet.

The first expression: "The nations were angry." Brethren, all the former trumpets are given in the singular, that is, one nation rising against another single nation; one power against another single power. But when it comes to the seventh trumpet it is an uprising of the world: "The nations were angry. "

May I ask you? 'When did this uprising take place for the first time in history?' You say, 'in World War One, 1914-1918.' That's right! That's coming very close to the day that you and I are living in now isn't it.

I want to go back to chapter 10 for one text. Thrown right into the midst of the message that is going to sweep the world following the bitter disappointment God introduces verse 7 thus:

"And in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished." Not when he has half-way finished his sounding, nor when he has ended it, but when he begins to sound. Now you know what the 'mystery of God' is. It is the Gospel by which men are saved. Note what Matt.24: 14 says:

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." And in the days of the seventh angel, when he begins to sound the gospel shall be proclaimed in all the earth, and the end shall come.

Look now at this second event in Rev.11: 18. What do we have? First: The nations were angry.

Then: Thy wrath is come. What is the wrath of God? It is the seven last plagues isn't it? What comes then between these two statements? — The Close of Probation.

And there is where we stand today brethren. God focuses down to 1914 my friends and says, 'shortly thereafter the gospel is going to be finished'.

Let us note the third, fourth, and fifth events of this seal.

The third: "And the time of the dead, that they should be judged. "

The fourth: "That thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great. "

The fifth: And shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. "

Mark those events one at a time for we have been informed by the messenger of God on page 36 of Early Writings that these events follow one another in their logical order. Only the first of these, beloved, take place before the close of probation. Four of them take place afterwards.

Let me read the statement as it occurs on page 36 of Early Writings:

"I saw that the anger of the nations, the wrath of God, and the time to judge the dead were separate and distinct, one following the other. "

Now shall we look back at that passage just a moment once again?

First; the nations were angry. Second; the seven last plagues come.   [ Note: Second: Thy wrath is come ]

Third; the judging of the dead.

This judging of the dead is not the Investigative Judgement now going on in heaven, for in that judgement those judged are not all dead. It is a judgement of both dead and living. The judgement of the dead here spoken of can be nothing else than the judgement of the wicked during the thousand years of the Millennium. They are all dead when judged in that judgement.

Then what is the fourth event? "That thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets and to the saints." When does the reward of the saints come? When the New Earth is created, after the thousand years are over.

Now after the thousand years the fifth event comes; "and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." This is the destruction of the wicked in the second death.

So the seventh trumpet covers the period of time from the nations being angry before the close of probation to the time that God creates a new heaven and a new earth one thousand years later. And in the beginning of the sounding of the seventh angel, the message to all the earth is going to be finished, and Jesus is going to close the records of heaven.

Brethren, may it never be said, "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved ... (Jer. 8: 20) I hope to stir your hearts during this series of studies to let you realise that what you do you must do quickly to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

But God has brought us down to our time in another way. I suppose you have the little book called, "Country Living." I will read from page 8: (also Evangelism p.29)

"Last Friday morning, just before J awoke, a very impressive scene was presented before me. I seemed to awake from sleep, but not in my own home. From the windows I could behold a terrible conflagration. Great balls of fire were falling upon houses, and from these balls fiery arrows were flying in every direction. It was impossible to stop the fires that were kindled, and many places were being destroyed. The terror of the people was indescribable. "

Let me ask you, what was Sister White looking at—the nuclear bomb? Eyewitnesses have described this explosion in similar terms. Can you see that the God of heaven has brought us down to our very hour, warning us of what is about to take place?

Now in closing this study I want to introduce the subject of the next one. In so doing I want to call your attention to page 33 of Early Writings. Sister White says this:

At the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully." When do we proclaim the Sabbath more fully? In the Time of Trouble!! That statement caused some confusion when she first wrote it. The brethren said; 'Well Sister White, the Time of Trouble is after the Close of Probation.' So she made an explanation of what she meant, and it is found on page 85 of the same book (E.W.).

Put those two statements together and study them. Quote:

"The commencement of that time of trouble here mentioned does not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to a short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is still in the sanctuary. At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry ....  At that time the 'Latter Rain' or refreshing from the presence of the Lord will come. "

Do you get the import of this? Just a short period before the plagues are poured out the nations will be angry. And at that time while the nations are angry, while trouble is coming on the earth, but before the close of probation the Latter Rain or refreshing from the Lord must come. I ask you my brethren, just where do we stand?

The nations are angry. The whole world is in trouble. The time has come when God desires to pour out the Latter Rain. But sad to say we are not ready.

Now Sister White definitely pointed out two world wars in this connection. We find in Testimonies, vol.1, p 259, this statement:

"England is studying whether it is best to take advantage of the present weak condition of our nation (USA) and venture to make war upon her."

This message was written on Jan.2nd, 1863. The USA was in the midst of a Civil War, and up to that time the Northern armies had lost most of the battles. America was weak. England was studying whether she should go to the help of the South, and split the USA in two. It would be to her advantage to do so but: "she fears, if she should commence war abroad, that she would be weak at home, and that other nations would take advantage of her weakness .... But if England thinks it will pay, she will not hesitate a moment to improve her opportunities to exercise her power, and humble our nation. "

But she didn't. Note carefully the next statement: "When England does declare war .... there will be general war, general confusion." After 1863, when England declares war you will have general war is the statement. Look up your history brethren, and you will see that it was in 1914 that England declared war on another nation.

Still writing on the same thought, and at the same time, Sister White continued on page 268:

"[ was shown the inhabitants of the earth in the utmost confusion. War, bloodshed, want, privation, famine, pestilence were abroad in the land. ,.

Please note that it is the inhabitants of the earth that are at war — World War. Going to the next paragraph we read: "My attention was then called from the scene. There seemed to be a little time of peace. Once more the inhabitants of the earth were presented before me; and again everything was in the utmost confusion. Strife, war and bloodshed, with famine and pestilence, raged everywhere. Other nations were engaged in this war and confusion. War caused famine. Want and bloodshed caused pestilence. And then men's hearts failed them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” 

Brethren, this scene can fit nothing but World Wars I and II. Between them was a false peace when some nations frantically armed for a greater struggle. The servant of the Lord said: "There seemed to be a little time of peace, and then ...... the hearts of men “failed them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.”

May I ask you; when did the nations begin to be struck stark stiff with fear? In 1945 when the Atomic bombs* were exploded over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Sister White saw two World Wars, and then the Latter Rain. This, my friends, is the event standing between us [ in the present time ] and the Close of Probation.

[ Note: REV. 13:13 'And he doeth great wonders, * so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.'  We are now in REV. 13:14, but have not yet reached the time of REV. 13:15 which involves the coming Death Decree. ]

Oh, how good God has been to this people to reveal to us so accurately where we stand in relationship to His Second Coming. Thank God for the wonderful gift of the Spirit of Prophecy.

May this study not frighten us, but inspire us to quickly conform our lives to His will, and study to make first things first; "For in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." (Matt.24:44)

AMEN!

                                [ Sermon Series - Introduction ]

                                      THE CLOSING SCENES OF EARTH'S HISTORY [ 2 ]

THE SHAKING

We rejoice in the omens of the [Second] coming of Christ, but sometimes we forget that before He can come, Seventh-day Adventists must pass through various severe tests and severe trials.

The order of events leading to the second coming of Christ are:

1 .The Shaking.

2.The Latter Rain.

3.The Time of Trouble.

4.The Coming of Christ.

Today our subject is The Shaking. The Shaking [of the church] must take place before the Latter Rain. In Early Writings, page 269, we have the picture of many pleading with God for the overcoming of their sins. On page 270 it says: "Some, I saw, did not participate in this work of agonizing and pleading. They seemed indifferent and careless .... The angels of God left these and went to the aid of the earnest, praying ones. " God withdrew His Spirit you notice! Then it says: “I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping and praying in agony of spirit. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armour from their head to their feet. "

She calls attention to this company again on page 271: "The numbers of this company had lessened. Some had been shaken out and left by the way. The careless and indifferent, who did not join with those who prized victory and salvation enough to perseveringly plead and agonize for it, did not obtain it, and they were left behind in darkness." Then: “I heard those clothed with the armour speak forth the truth with great power. It had effect .... I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, 'It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel'"

So you notice, beloved, that before the 'loud cry' comes, the careless and indifferent are going to be left out. God is going to withdraw His Spirit from them, and they are going to drop out in darkness.

Now you remember in the last study I took you to the time when the seventh angel sounded, and the gospel was going to be finished (Rev. 10:7) ".... when he begins to sound. " That seventh trumpet is the anger of the nations. In Early Writings, page 85, Sister White tells us plainly that when the nations are angry the latter rain is going to be poured out. Brethren, that is in our day. And before the latter rain is poured out the shaking is to come. So I can safely say this; the shaking is now going on among those who are indifferent, and are not perseveringly seeking God with agonizing and prayer.

In Testimonies, vol. 9, page 15, 16 we have this statement: "Soon the battle will be waged fiercely between those who serve God and those who serve Him not.  Soon everything that can be shaken will be shaken, that those things that cannot be shaken may remain. " So you see brethren and sisters that everyone that can be shaken out is going to be shaken out.

Now Christ did that same work with His followers in His day. The day after the feeding of the 5,000 He gave that wonderful sermon on He Himself being the Bread of Life. (John 6) He told them that unless they ate His flesh and drank His blood they could have no life in them. (Vs. 54-56) Many of His disciples, when they heard this said: "This is an hard saying, who can hear it? " (Vs. 60). In verse 66 it says: "From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him. "

So brethren, you see that Christ shook out the insincere.   He said to the twelve: 'Will ye also go away? (V 67) Peter answered: "Lord to whom shall we go?  Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. " (Vs 68, 69) So Christ shook them out.

Now in Testimonies vol. 5, p. 130 it says this about that experience: "Christ sifted His followers again and again, until at one time there remained only eleven and a few faithful women to lay the foundation of the Christian church. "

Do not think though, brethren, that this shaking is going to come suddenly. The result of the shaking is going to be sudden, but the shaking is a slow process, a gradual process.

There is a shaking going on in the Protestant world today over the belief of the Bible, and it is among the schools known as modernism and fundamentalism. And the thing is over whether the Bible is inspired as a whole or not; whether God created the world in six literal days or not; whether Jesus was born of a virgin or not; whether He died and rose again and ascended bodily into Heaven or not, and whether He is coming again the second time bodily or not. They are divided over those fundamental issues. That may never touch SDA's, but brethren, there is going to be just as much of a division among this people as there is among others, and that is coming over the testimonies of the Spirit of Prophecy.

I want to go back again to page 270 of Early Writings: “I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. " Laodicea means; ' the judging of the people'. The Laodiceans then is the church during the time of the judging of the people, and you know brethren, that SDA's are the only people on the earth that teach that we are living in the time of the judgement now since 1844. So we are the Laodicean Church.

Now notice what it says; 'the testimony of the True Witness to the laodiceans'. Who is the True Witness? Why, Jesus is the True Witness. Then what is the testimony of Jesus? It is the Spirit of Prophecy. So now let me read that statement as we have analysed it, and put it this way: ‘”I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by" the Spirit of Prophecy to Seventh-day Adventists'. And she says that the destiny of the church hangs on this testimony. It has been lightly esteemed. "The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely regarded. " (EW 270)

So that is where the shaking is coming, primarily, the first and the great cause. There are other minor ones, but they all hinge on this one. Whether or not we will accept what the Spirit of Prophecy says is from God. Not only accept it, but also put it into practice in our lives.

You are not going to be shaken out of the ranks and leave the church at once. As I said, it comes gradually. Jesus said that the wheat and the tares grow together until the time of the harvest. It's step by step.

Now brethren, here is how you may know whether you are being shaken out or whether you are standing firm. In Testimonies vol. 1, page 187 we read: "God leads His people on step by step. He brings them up to different points calculated to manifest what is in the heart. Some endure at one point, but fall off at the next. At every advanced point the heart is tested and tried a little closer....If any will not be purified through obeying the truth, and overcome their selfishness, their pride, and evil passions, the angels of God have the charge: They are joined to their idols, let them alone." And brethren, when the angels of God leave you who takes possession? Now notice, it just comes step by step, but finally the angels of God leave unless we repent.

The second cause of the shaking is the lack of love for truth. In 2 Thess. 2: 9-12 is a familiar text: "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. "

Who has the truth, brethren? Seventh-day Adventists don't they? This is a SDA text. It does not apply to Baptists, Presbyterians or anybody else. How can you receive the love of the truth unless you have the truth to love? I want you to notice that it isn't because you have the truth that you will be saved, but because you have the love of it. and there is a great deal of difference. Whether you believe that giving tithes and offerings is right or whether you love it. Whether Health Reform is right or whether you love it. Whether you obey it because you have to in order to be saved, or because you have learned to love the thing for the thing itself.

You know, when we were children we received some things from our parents that we didn't like. At least I did. My mother was one who believed in not sparing the rod and spoiling the child. Now, I received it—a good, sound thrashing, but I never did get to the point where I loved it; there's a very great difference. And so, the Lord tells us we must love the truth, and this is the thing that is going to save us from the delusions.

The third cause of the shaking is the conformity to worldly practices, and worldly pleasures. In Testimonies vol. 5, page 81 I read: "The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. " Individual test!! "The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment and death. " Notice the statement; "step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs. "

Now when the time comes that the mark of the beast is going to be enforced by the death decree, then the final separation will come, but the wheat and the tares will be in the church until that time. When that time comes, the rest of the statement is: "Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness.   Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where see only floors of rich wheat. " Conformity to worldly customs!

In Great Controversy, page 608 we have something similar: "As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel's message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. " Brethren, you will do as much as you love and no more.

Now the fourth test is the rejection of knowledge or, not living up to all that we have.

In Hosea 4: 6 we read: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I also will reject thee. " 'Oh', you say, 'I haven't rejected knowledge. I haven't rejected the truth'. Haven't you? Let me read this statement that is found in Testimonies vol. 5, page 680: "To disregard light is to reject it. " May I ask you a very searching question? 'Are you living up to all the truth that you know; all the knowledge that you have. If not, you have rejected it. "To disregard light is to reject it. "

Early Writings, page 71 says this: “I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of 'refreshing' and the 'latter rain' to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. " That is; 'when the latter rain comes it will give power and then I can stand for God and overcome all my weakness.' No brethren, that's a terrible delusion. The statement continues: "Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God. "

The fifth test. The Sunday law and the death decree: This is the climax. The good and the bad; the faithful and the unfaithful; the wheat and the tares, will be in the church together up until this time. But when the death decree comes brethren, if we have not loved the truth more than we love our lives we will give up the truth to save our lives: "Yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. " Job 2:4 'Well', someone says, 'I'll keep two days. I'll keep Sunday, that is, I won't worship on Sunday, but I won't work on it. I'll keep Sabbath too.' Will you? Testimonies vol. 1, page 353-4 says: "The decree will go forth that they must disregard the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and honour the first day or lose their lives."

And so, again I say that unless we love the truth more than we love our lives we will give it up. 'Oh God help me! May the love of Thy truth grip my heart with all that there is in it.

Now, the sixth test. False theories. Remember that 2 Thess. 2: 9-12 said that unless we receive the love of the truth we would believe a strong delusion, and believe a lie? Here's where it is going to come. The false theories that are going to sweep into this movement are going to take many, many a person out of it in the end.

Testimonies to Ministers, page 112 says: "God's Spirit has illuminated every page of Holy Writ, but there are those upon whom it makes but little impression, because it is imperfectly understood. " Now note! "When the shaking comes, by the introduction of false theories, these surface readers, anchored nowhere, are like shifting sand. They slide into any position to suit the tenor of their feelings of bitterness. "

Do you know what you believe, and can you give a Bible study to prove it? We had better know. Let's examine the foundations until we do know.

Reading again in Testimonies, vol. 8, page 293: "The experience of the past will be repeated. In the future, Satan's superstitions will assume new forms. " Same old thing, but a new form! "Errors will be presented in a pleasing and flattering manner. False theories, clothed with the garments of light, will be presented to God's people. Thus Satan will try to deceive, if possible, the very elect. "

Another quotation. Life Sketches, page 92: "In later years 1 have been shown that the false theories advanced in the past have by no means been given up. As favourable opportunities come, they will have a resurrection. Let us not forget that everything is to be shaken that can be shaken. "

And then, I have saved the strongest statement until the last. Here it is. Gospel Workers, page 299: "God will arouse His people. " Thank God for that! "God will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies will come in among them, which will sift them, separating the chaff from the wheat .... God would have all the bearings and positions of truth thoroughly and perseveringly searched, with prayer and fasting. Believers are not to rest in suppositions and ill-defined ideas of what constitutes truth. Their faith must be firmly founded upon the word of God. "

No brethren, thoroughness only! So thorough that we will know there is no shadow of a doubt. Then we will love it; we will put our weight on it; we will live by it. Nothing can turn us aside.

Now, what's the remedy? What can save us? First of all, agonising prayer with God to know ourselves as God knows us. With a determination that we will give everything we have unto God for cleansing.

In the Great Controversy, page 621 she puts it this way: "The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that will endure weariness, delay, and hunger — a faith that will not faint though severely tried. The period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time .... All who will lay hold of God's promises, as (Jacob) did, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed as he succeeded. Those who are unwilling.... " Note the expression! "Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for His blessing, will not obtain it. Wrestling with God —  how few know what it is! How few have ever had their souls drawn out after God with intensity of desire until every power is on the stretch. "

Well, brethren, that is what it is going to take. With David we must cry: "Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51: 10) Search me, O God, and know my heart:...and see if there be any wicked way in me. " (Psalm 139: 23, 24)

But brethren, before we can do that, we are going to have to make a decision in our lives that whatever God shows us, we will put it away, and give it to Him. Remember, we can't fool with the Most High. He knows whether or not we are in earnest, and when our souls hunger after God, "as the Hart panteth after the water brooks," (Psalm 42:1) then, not until then, are we going to have a prevailing power with God that will make new creatures out of us.

In Early Writings, page 73, Sister White says: "I asked the angel why there was no more faith and power in Israel. He said, 'Ye let go of the arm of the Lord too soon. Press your petitions to the throne, and hold on by strong faith. The promises are sure. "

Yes brethren pray; pray earnestly for a revelation of yourself that God may give to you the power and strength to put away that which He has promised He will do if we bring it to Him. For the blessed promise in the word of God in Rev. 3:10 is this: "Because thou hast kept the word of My patience. " 'Because thou hast kept.' You have lived what I have given you. You have taken to heart what I have told you. You have put it into your life. "Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. "

Thank God for that wonderful promise, and remember brethren that the 144,000 are without fault before God. Oh, shall we not, with intense earnestness of desire, take the things that God has written to us in the Spirit of Prophecy, put them into operation in our lives that God may purify our souls and make them ready for His coming. God grant that it may be so.

Father I stretch my hands to Thee

No other help I know

If thou withdraw Thyself from me

Ah! whither shall I go

I do believe, I now believe

That Jesus died for me

And that He shed His precious blood

From sin to set me free

On Thy dear Son I now believe

Oh let me feel Thy power

And all my varied wants relieve

In this accepted hour

I do believe, I now believe.........

(The above was sung by the Kings Heralds on the original tape)

(Transcribed by Roy from the original tape recording.

One of 12 studies entitled…..

THE CLOSING SCENES OF EARTH'S HISTORY

[ Sermon 2 of 12 ]

The Closing Scenes of Earth’s History (3)

The Latter Rain (Part 1)

In our series of studies on the closing scenes of Earth’s history, we shall now study the subject of the Latter Rain. Now brethren, this subject it is too large to cover in one night, and it is too important for us to shorten it. Our connecting quotation is found in Early Writings, page 271. It reads thus: “I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping and praying in agony of spirit. The company of guardian angels around them had being doubled, and they were clothed with an armour from their head to their feet..... The numbers of this company had lessened. Some had been shaken out and left by the way. The careless and indifferent, who did not join with those who prized victory and salvation enough to perseveringly plead and agonise for it, did not obtain it, and they were left behind in darkness, and their places were immediately filled by others taking hold of the truth and coming into the ranks….. I heard those clothed with the armour speak forth the truth with great power. It had effect. Many had been bound: some wives by their husbands, and some children by their parents. The honest who had been prevented from hearing the truth now eagerly laid hold upon it….. I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, ’It is the Latter Rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the Loud Cry of the Third Angel”

So you see beloved that the Latter Rain experience; the outpouring of the Holy Spirit of God upon this people follows the shaking experience in which the indifferent and the careless are going to be left behind. The Spirit of God will never come upon the heart of a person that is careless, or that is indifferent.

In Testimonies, vol. 9, page 15, 16 we are told that the test will soon come to every soul. “Soon everything that can be shaken will be shaken, that those things that cannot be shaken may remain."

And so, my friends, the Spirit of God is going to be given to those individuals who have prepared themselves for it by standing immovable in the test that comes to them from day to day.

Now, as I introduce the subject of this study,-‘The Time of The Latter Rain,’ I want to divide it into several sections. The first section: ‘The TIME of The Latter Rain.’

In Zechariah 10:1 we have this text: “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain.” Notice please brethren that there is a time for the latter rain. “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain.” If there is no TIME for the latter rain to come, then this text is just foolishness. It was not time for the latter rain in the days of Noah. Jesus didn't tell His disciples to pray for the latter rain. It wasn't time for the latter rain in the days of Luther, but there does come a time when it is time for the latter rain to come, and in that time God bids us to pray.

In Early Writings, page 33 we have this time spoken of: “At the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with The Holy Ghost.” Please notice that brethren:-“At the commencement of the time of trouble.” When that statement was given way back there in the early days of the message it caused some comment. They said: “Well Sister White, We thought that the time of trouble was after the close of probation.” So when the book was revised she gave an explanation of what she meant by the commencement of the time of trouble. On page 85 of Early Writings you will find her comment. “The commencement of that time of trouble here mentioned, does not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is in the Sanctuary. At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel. At that time….” Notice, at the time when the nations are angry. “…..the ‘latter rain’ or refreshing from the presence of the Lord will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out."

Now brethren, let us notice this. The commencement of the time of trouble that is here spoken of begins just a little while before the seven last plagues, and in that little while just before the plagues the nations will be angry. Now, the anger of the nations, you will remember, is the seventh trumpet that is given to us in the book of Revelation. In Revelation 10:7 we have this text: “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished.” You know what the ‘mystery of God’ is my friends; it's  the Gospel: “This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end come.” (Matt. 24:14) The Gospel to all the nations is going to be finished when the seventh angel begins his sounding.

Now in Rev. 11:18 we have this seventh trumpet spoken of in this way: “And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath  is come.” Now you will remember from a previous study that the Spirit of Prophecy said that these events of the seventh trumpet come in their logical order (EW 36). Notice then: “The nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come.”

Brethren, what's the wrath of God? According to Rev. 15:1 it is the seven last plagues. Do you see the beautiful connection between the Spirit of Prophecy and these texts? Sister White says that the latter rain is going to come when the nations are angry just before the outpouring of the seven last plagues. That is what John in the seventh trumpet of Rev. 11:18 gives us brethren. Are there any of you here that doubt that the very hour that is before us is the ‘anger of the nations.’?

Now I want to read you a statement that is found in Review and Herald, November 24, 1904 (Maranatha p.25): “Soon grievous troubles will arise among the Nations—trouble that will not cease until Jesus comes.” Now the year 1904 when that was written was just a few years before the First World War. May I ask you has trouble ceased in this world among the nations since World War I? Reading further on that same page she says this: “The judgements of God are in the land. The wars and rumours of wars, the destruction by fire and flood, say clearly that the time of trouble, which is to increase until the end, is very near at hand. We have no time to lose.” (RH Nov. 24, 1904)

So you see my friends, she connects the beginning of that time of trouble here in this statement also with the time when the nations begin to go to war.

It is evident then that just before the close of probation, when the nations are angry, is the beginning of that time of trouble. It is true that the ‘time of Jacob’s Trouble’ comes after the close of probation, but we are concerned here with those events that lead up to the close of probation.

Now I want to turn to the text that is found in Joel 2:28, 29: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaidens in those days will I pour out my Spirit.”

Please note that when the Latter Rain comes brethren, it's going to come on all flesh. Not only on SDA’s. Not only on Christian people. It is going to be universal: upon all flesh. The latter rain isn't given for the purpose of getting SDA’s ready for the second coming of Christ. It's given that the work of God in the hearts of men in this world might be finished. True, the Holy Spirit rests upon God's people in a different way than it rests upon the individual of the world that has not known God as we have. It rests upon God's people with power, enabling them to proclaim the message with conviction. It rests upon the wicked world and the unbeliever in conviction, in bringing a sense of their need, a sense of sin.

Why, brethren, if the Spirit of God didn’t rest upon the individual that does not know him, and rested only on God's people, what good would it do to the world? We know that it is the Spirit of God that brings repentance: and so, the Spirit must meet the spirit. The Spirit of proclamation and conviction must meet the individual with conviction and power to cause him to turn from his sin.

Now, when the latter rain comes, every single honest hearted individual who has known the message, but who has not realised the importance of obedience to the message, will be enlightened by the Holy Spirit and accept the message in its fullness.

Brethren, why doesn't The Lord do that now? I want to read you a very solemn statement. I hope God will impress this on your heart. If the time of the latter rain is the time of the anger of the nations, and we are living in the time of the anger of the nations, then why isn't the Spirit of God being poured out? Why don't we see thousands flocking into the churches today as they did on Pentecost? May I read to you this statement in Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 371: “If the churches expect strength, they must live the truth which God has given them. If the members of our churches disregard the light on this subject (Health Reform), they will reap the sure result in both spiritual and physical degeneracy. And the influence of these older church members will leaven those newly come to the faith. (Now notice please) The Lord does not now work to bring many souls into the truth, because of the church members who have never been converted and those who were once converted but who have backslidden, What influence would these unconsecrated members have on new converts? Would they not make of no effect the God-given message which His people are to bear?

Brethren, that's a solemn and terrible charge. God cannot work because of the condition of the church, because of the unconverted ones in it, and those who have backslidden. Oh, if I should ask you the question: ‘How many of you are living up to all the truth that you know?’ If we are not, how can we expect that the God of Heaven is going to give to us the latter rain experience?

When the Holy Spirit comes down my friends, He is going to do one of two things. He is going to line up those on the outside of the church who have heard the message, but who haven't felt its importance, and they are going to unite with the church: or He is going to harden them, and they are going to rise up and fight against the message and its effect.

The Shaking is now going on. I do not mean by that, brethren that you are going to leave the church right away. Remember, The Lord said that the indifferent: those who did not persevere in seeking God for the overcoming of their sins: they are to be shaken out. The church is full of just such individuals now. Your decision is being made, day-by-day, but when the latter rain comes and power is poured out upon God's people, and following that power comes persecution, you who are indifferent and careless Will leave these seats, and these doors, never to return. It's a solemn picture that God gives to us friends.

Now in my next division I want to speak on ‘The Preparation for the Latter Rain.’ In Testimonies vol. 1, p. 261 we have this statement: “I was shown God's people waiting for some change to take place—a compelling power to take hold of them. But they will be disappointed, for they are wrong.”

Of course brethren, I wish that some power would come along and shake us all out of our lethargy—literally shake us until our teeth chattered.

God's Spirit is not going to do that, no, no! “They will be disappointed for they are wrong. They must act: they must take hold of the work themselves and earnestly cry to God for a true knowledge of themselves.” Now a compelling power is going to take hold of the world. When the latter rain comes, men will be impelled, my friends, to accept just the same as they did on the day of Pentecost: ‘Oh, what must we do to be saved.’ But it is not going to come to the church that way. We know truth brethren, we know what we ought to do, they don’t.

And so in Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 619 we have this statement given: “I was shown that if God's people make no efforts on their part, but to wait for the refreshing to come upon them and remove their wrongs and correct their errors; if they depend upon that to cleanse them from the filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and fit them to engage the loud cry of the of the third angel, they will be found wanting. The refreshing, or power of God comes only on those who have prepared themselves for it by doing the work God bids them, namely (please note), cleansing themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Brethren, if we are waiting for the latter rain to get us ready for the coming of Jesus Christ we are going to be lost. That is the experience of the ‘former rain.’

The ‘former rain’ experience must be in every individual life or the latter rain can never come.

Do you know that that expression—“latter rain” comes from the wheat harvest and planting in Palestine. The grain is sown in the autumn, and the light autumn rains cause the grain to sprout and spring up. Then the winter season comes when it lays dormant, then comes the more abundant spring season of rain, and those are known as the latter rains. It’s that latter rain that brings the crops to their completeness in readiness for the harvesting. That is the experience given here.

Let us just review a little bit. This former rain that the disciples received on the day of Pentecost is typical of that which comes into every human life. In the former rain, when the Spirit of God first came into your heart and mind you were convicted of sin. Knowest thou not…..

“that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repent-ance?” (Romans 2:4)

John tells us that the first work of the Spirit is to bring a conviction of sin. Now, that ‘former rain’ in the life of individuals that brings conviction of sin is to be constantly operating in a human life from the time we first experienced it until our life’s experience closes. God does not intend to bring the same old convictions, oh no! He brings the conviction of sin; we repent of it; we ask God to take it away; He does that. We ask Him to give us victory over that sin; He does that. No sooner have we done that than another one comes up in our life that we were unconscious of before, and we repent of that.

Brethren, that former rain experience continues in every human life until the person refuses to give him (or her) self to God any further, and when the conviction of sin comes he (or she) says, ‘no! I won’t give that up.’

Now, if that experience ever comes in any human life, and that person persists in that decision, they are cutting themselves off from the latter rain experience which brings in the harvest of The Lord, and brings the completion of perfection into every individual life. And so, in the Bible we find that the water baptism preceded in almost every case the baptism of The Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

May I just review some things with you? Jesus Christ, the sinless one did not receive The Holy Spirit in its fullness until after His water baptism. The book of Acts is full of the experience. Have you received The Holy Spirit since you believed? That’s God’s order brethren, that when we have been brought to repentance, and we have come to the point where we want our sins washed away, it is a symbol that we have surrendered ourselves to the Spirit of God, and that the Spirit of God is, from that time, to have His complete work in our lives. Do you remember the text in Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Led once in a while? Oh no! led always! Surrendered to—given up control unto, The Holy spirit. These are the sons of God. And so, my friends, no former rain—no latter rain!

Now why? What’s the trouble? Well, God is waiting for you to cleanse yourself of all filthiness of the flesh. The church is waiting for some power to come upon them to compel them, the power of the latter rain. God’s waiting, you are waiting; God’s waiting, you are waiting… Where is that going to get you? And so, my friends, the latter rain waits, and cannot come because the church is not ready for it.

In the Testimonies (1T 486), we have this statement given to us: “God’s people are not prepared for the loud cry of the third angel. They have a work to do for themselves which they should not leave for God to do for them. He has left this work for them to do.”  Well, there you have it!

Now, in receiving The Holy Spirit, we have been told that just the same as on the day of Pentecost, individuals are going to reject The Holy Spirit because He does not come in the way they expected. In Testimonies to Ministers (TM 507) we have this statement: “Only those who are living up to the light they have will receive greater light. Unless we are advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognise the manifestations of The Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.”

Brethren, let’s go back to Pentecost. When The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples—the church; I mean the church that God had recognised for 1000 years, the Jewish people, the Sanhedrin, said, ‘Hmm! These men are drunk! What! Filled with The Holy Spirit, and ‘drunk’? Rejected The Holy spirit, and called it a thing of evil? Yes, they did. They didn’t recognise that former rain did they? they were not living up to the truth that they had the privilege of living up to in Jesus Christ.

Now brethren, today there is just that same danger. We may not say that the people are drunk, oh no! but there is this danger—‘Fanaticism,’ ‘don’t be so straight laced,’ ‘don’t be so narrow-minded’—when individuals take the Testimonies just as they read. Oh yes friends, there’s the danger.

‘Fanaticism’!—Well now, there is fanaticism in the church when an individual says, ‘you have to believe just as I do, and believe only what I preach.’ But when God speaks friends, we have to obey! That is not fanaticism, that is Godliness!

I have just one more reference to read in closing this study on the preparation for The Holy Spirit. It is found in the Review and Herald (RH. Dec. 23, 1890; and Mar. 219)

“There is to be in the churches a wonderful manifestation of the power of God, but it will not move upon those who have not humbled themselves before The lord, and opened the door of their heart by confession and  repentance. In the manifestation of that power which lightens the earth with the Glory of God, they will see only something which in their blindness they think dangerous, something which will arouse their fears, and they will brace themselves to resist it.”

Notice it! Resisting The Spirit of God in the latter rain because they are not ready for it.

MY BRETHREN! this is God’s WARNING to us, that we have our own cleansing of sin to take place in our lives. He has given us the spirit of that in the former rain experience. It is with us all the time. Now is the time. Pray God that He will give us the victory—there’s strength in God! Jesus went to Heaven for the purpose—“All power is given unto Me in Heaven and earth” (Matt. 28:18), and He is waiting for us to be ready for the latter rain; He is ready to bestow it; He is eager to give it, but His church is not ready!

Amen Brethren—AMEN!

                                         [ Sermon 3 of 12 ]

                                                          THE CLOSING SCENES OF EARTH'S HISTORY [ 4 ]

                                                                                          THE LATTER RAIN (Part 2)

In continuing our study of the latter rain, I now want to take up the conditions of receiving that experience.

The first condition is the sense of need. I must feel my need of the Holy Spirit; I must feel my need of the latter rain, or else there can be no Holy Spirit or latter rain experience for me. If I don't need it, why bother?

I want to read a statement found in Desire of Ages, page 31, on this sense of need. Speaking of the Pharisees:

"They did not recognise that our great need is our only claim on God's mercy. In their self-righteousness they commended the centurion because of the favour he had shown to 'our nation.' But the centurion said of himself, 'I am not worthy. "' .... We have nothing to recommend us to God; but the plea that we may urge now and ever is our utterly helpless condition that makes His redeeming power a necessity. "

So that's the condition by which we receive the Holy Spirit. Over on page 83 of the same book (DA) we have this statement given:

"In our association with one another, we should take heed lest we forget Jesus, and pass along unmindful that He is not with us; we separate ourselves from Jesus and from the heavenly angels. These holy beings cannot remain where the Saviour's presence is not desired, and His absence is not marked. This is why discouragement so often exists among the professed followers of Christ. "

And so beloved, unless I feel my need of the Holy Spirit, unless I feel my need my need of Christ being with me constantly, there is no divine power to be had in my life's experience. In Acts of the Apostles, page 50 we have this thought: "If the fulfilment of the promise is not seen as it might be, it is because the promise is not appreciated as it should be. If all were willing, all would be filled with the Spirit. (Now note please!) Wherever the need of the Holy Spirit is a matter little thought of, there is seen spiritual drought, spiritual darkness, spiritual declension and death."

May I emphasise that again: "Where the need of the Spirit is a matter little thought of." Notice brethren, we must have a sense of need. And so, that's the first condition.

Now, feeling a sense of need what will I do? Condition No.2, I will ask for the Holy Spirit.

Luke 11 :9-1! says: "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? .... If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?"

And so, my brethren, if I don't ask for the Holy Spirit, is it just going to be given to me anyway?

No! You see, the thing that Jesus is saying; 'ask, and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened' is the knocking, and seeking, and asking for the Holy Spirit. Why, my friends, there is no other gift that is given to us that is so precious. For, when God gave Jesus, He gave everything that heaven had to offer save the Holy Spirit, and now He's giving that. Think you that it will come to us without our asking for it? Oh no!

I am turning back to that page in Acts of the Apostles, page 50 again, and I am reading this statement: "Since this is the means by which we are to receive power, why do we not hunger and thirst for the gift of the Spirit? Why do we not talk of it, pray for it, and preach concerning it? The Lord is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who serve Him than parents are to give good gifts to their children ....

Companies of Christian workers should gather to ask for special help, for heavenly wisdom, that they may know how to plan and execute wisely. Especially should they pray that God will baptise His (people) with a rich measure of His Spirit. "

In Desire of Ages, page 672 there is another statement I want to bring to you: "Christ has promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His church, and the promise belongs to us as much as to the first disciples. But like every other promise, it is given on conditions. There are many who believe and profess to claim the Lord's promise; they talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet receive no benefit. They do not surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by the divine agencies. We cannot use the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is to use us. Through the Spirit God works in His people 'to will and to do of His good pleasure. ' (Phil. 2: 3) But many will not submit to this. They want to manage themselves. This is why they do not receive the heavenly gift."

And that same page also tells us this: "This promised blessing, claimed by faith, brings all other blessings in its train." And: "The power of God awaits (our) demand and reception. "-If we will yield to it! That is true.

Again in Testimonies, vol. 6, page 175 there is this statement: "There is power for us if we will have it. There is grace for us if we will appreciate it. The Holy Spirit is waiting our demand if we will only demand it with that intensity of purpose which is proportionate to the value of the object we seek. "

Notice brethren, we are going to have to ask with that intensity which is according to the value of the gift we are to receive. Well, that's so with everything in life friends. If I want a car I am going to have to work for it with an intensity-- 'oh well, it will come sometime! If I want it this year I am going to have to make up my mind that I am going to work for it this year. And so, I must work and wait for the Holy Spirit, and He will come when I demand Him, when I make up my mind and my soul in the richness of that experience.

We are told also in Christ's Object Lessons, page 121 that the Spirit of God is to be given to us with a much richer experience than came to the disciples on the day of Pentecost.

Now the third condition of receiving the Holy Spirit is the surrender of all known sin. Isaiah 59: 1, 2:

"Behold the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither is His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear."

What separates us from God? Sin. Again I want to read the text that is found in James 4: 7-10. Here's a wonderful program brethren. Listen to it carefully:

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up."

Do you notice that?

Commit your ways to the Lord; submit to Him; resist the devil—that's what our will power is given to us for, that we should resist, and turn ourselves to Christ. He. will lift us up; He will exalt us in due time. Again in Psalm 66: 18 we read: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

Now why is it brethren that God cannot hear us? God's hand is withheld while sin is in the life. Is it because God despises us so? No! God, in mercy, withholds His Spirit from us until we are in a condition to receive it. What would happen if God placed His Spirit on a human life that has sin in it? Well, if you want to know my friends just turn to the book of Acts; to the experiences that followed the day of Pentecost. Annanias and Sapphira told the disciples that they hand sold a piece of land, and here was the money. They kept back part of the price.

The Holy Spirit spoke to Peter and said, 'Peter, they are lying.' Peter said to Annanias when he came in, 'Annanias, who has put it into your heart to lie against the Holy Spirit.' And when the Holy Spirit came upon him in Peter's presence, you know what happened, Annanias dropped down dead. His wife came in a little after that. She didn't know that her husband was dead and had been taken out for burial. When the Spirit of God touched her life, she also fell down dead.

No friends, God cannot give to us the Holy Spirit. Out of love for us He holds it back until we are free from sin, that is, known sin- 'I am not holding anything back from the Holy Spirit. He has touched my heart with this conviction; I have surrendered it. I am not rebelling against Him.' That is the thing that is necessary.

Now, in Testimonies, vol. 5, page 214 we have this statement, a very important one: "Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. "

Is there any stopping, my brethren, in the place of overcoming, from the time that we are converted until the time that we are translated? Will God add conviction to conviction in an individual life of this sin and that sin and another sin, and keep piling up conviction of sin upon an individual life that has not been repented of? God will never do it. He cannot brethren. If God would simply keep revealing sins to us, and we are overcoming none of them, we would be overwhelmed and become discouraged and give up.

Oh no, when I hesitate to give myself to God on anything that He reveals is wrong in my life, He stops revealing anything further. And He takes me over, and over, and over that same step again, and again, and again until I surrender it. Then He takes it away. Immediately, He reveals another sin in my life, and so we grow. Revelation of sin; confession; pleading with God for forgiveness; pleading with God for power to overcome. Another sin; the same experience over and over and over again. God does not pile them up brethren.

Here in Testimonies, vol.1, page 187, God tells us just exactly what He is going to do: "God leads His people on, step by step. He brings them up to different points calculated to manifest what is in the heart. Some endure at one point, but fall off at the next. At every advanced point the heart is tested and tried a little closer ....

Here they have an opportunity to see what is in their hearts that shuts out Jesus. They prize something higher than the truth, and their hearts are not prepared to receive Jesus. Individuals are tested and proved a length of time to see if they will sacrifice their idols and heed the counsel of the True Witness ....

Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation. "

And so brethren, we must surrender self to God.

Now, the fourth point is the dedication of the life to the Holy Spirit for the guidance that the Holy Spirit wants to give to us. I read this statement to you a little while ago, but I am going to read it again: (DA 672) "There are many who believe and profess to claim the Lord's promise; they talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet receive no benefit" Why? "They do not surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by the divine agencies. We cannot use the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is to use us. Through the Spirit God works in His people 'to will and to do of His good pleasure. ' (Phil. 2:13) But many will not submit to this. They want to manage themselves. This is why they do not receive the heavenly gift"

Let me repeat: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. " (Rom.8: 14) Our past must be surrendered; our sins given up. Our present way in guiding our own lives today must be given up. No plans for ourselves for our future experience, but that which the Holy Spirit plans for us. Jesus made no plans for Himself friends. His plans were laid before His Father every day, to be surrendered and given up as the Spirit indicated.

Now, in Desire of Ages, page 250, I want you to notice what it says here: "There is no limit to the usefulness of one who, by putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart, and lives a life wholly consecrated to God."

Note that brethren! We have got to make room for the Holy Spirit, and how do we do it? We make room for the Holy Spirit by laying self aside. Believe me, there is not room enough in your heart for yourself and the Holy Spirit too. The Holy Spirit is God, and God is going to be Lord of all, or He will not be Lord at all. No brethren, we must dedicate our lives to the Holy Spirit to be guided by Him.

Ephesians 4:30 tells us this: "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Now, the sealing work is the last work that God does on this earth just before probation closes, and if I am grieving the Spirit there is no possible chance for me to receive the latter rain. Now, how do we grieve the Spirit of God? In Matthew 12: 31, 32 we are told that all manner of sin shall be forgiven: "Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. "

Well, that sounds like the unpardonable sin doesn't it friends? Now, what is the unpardonable sin? I want to call your attention to Psalm 19: 13: "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. "-The sin against the Holy Ghost. Well, that sin then my friends, is the presumptuous sin, something I cling to in my life. I'm not willing to give it up. And so I hold on, and after a while I don't think it is so bad as I once did, for every time I resisted the Spirit of God on that thing His voice is weaker in my conscience. After a while I don't think I am doing anything wrong at all. It's a serious thing.

Let's go a little farther in this thought of how we grieve the Holy Spirit. In Testimonies, vol.7, 214 we have this thought brought to us: "Place your mind and will where the Holy Spirit can reach them, for He will not work through another man's mind and conscience to reach yours. With earnest prayer for wisdom, make the word of God your study."

Now notice that brethren; 'place your mind where the Holy Spirit can reach it.' Well, how do I do that? Just surrender my mind to the Holy Spirit. Have I got any pet ideas of my own? -Give them up! And that means exactly what it says.

In 2Cor.10: 5 we have this thought: "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Well, hasn't, a man got a right to his own thoughts? No, he hasn't! Our thoughts must be the thoughts of God. "God destroys no one. The sinner destroys himself by his own impenitence." (5T 120)

Now, going a little farther. How do we grieve the Holy Spirit? How do you experience the Holy Spirit in your life my friends? In Testimonies, vol. 5, page 120 again: "Conscience is the voice of God, heard amid the conflict of human passions; when it is resisted, the Spirit of God is grieved. " Yes! Do you remember what Paul said in Acts 24: 16? "And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men." Does that mean that there is a conscience exercise? Yes! Have you ever heard anybody say, when brought face to face with truth; 'my conscience doesn't bother me over that.' - It should!

Friends, any person that does not have a tender conscience, needs that conscience exercised until it is.

Now, conscience isn't your only guide, neither is it your fIrst guide, but it is the voice of God speaking within. But there is something beyond that that we must do. Reason tells you what is right and what is wrong. Conscience is your watchdog, guarding that which the mind has determined is wrong.

Isaiah 1: 18 says: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wooL"

Let reason dictate to your conscience. The word of God is truth. God speaks to you through your reason and your conscience must obey it.

Now, we can insult the Spirit of God my friends. In Testimonies, vol. 5, page 64 we have this. This is particularly to SDA's. Nobody else can wound the Spirit over this: "When I send you a testimony of warning and reproof, many of you declare it to be merely the opinion of Sister White. You have thereby insulted the Spirit of God. You know how the Lord has manifested Himself through the spirit of prophecy." 'Insulted the Spirit of God.' It was not very long ago in Sabbath school class when we were studying the spirit of prophecy that I heard an individual say; 'well not everything she wrote was inspired.' Brethren, let's not insult the Spirit of God.

Sister White was a prophet. Modernism has gripped the Evangelical churches of the world today. Methodism, Presbyterianism, and all the rest of the denominations are torn asunder by modernism over the Bible; that the Bible isn't the inspired word of God.

That will never grip SDA's, but believe me my friends, Modernism is going to grip SDA's in another way. And that is going to be over whether or not the messages that God's servant Sister E.G. White has sent to us are the inspired message from God, or rather the invention of a human voice. Whether all she has written to us in the books, magazines, papers, tracts, and sometimes in the letters that she sent to the churches; that this is the voice of God speaking to this people. That's the Modernism of SDA's today, and over that many, many SDA's are going to lose their souls.

Now, in these four different steps that I have given you, and they are all I am giving you in this study, are the conditions of our receiving the Holy Spirit. Oh may God search our hearts, and may we be honest. May we seek, and ask, and knock, that God may open up to us the secrets of the greatness of His kingdom and His glory as revealed to us through the Holy Spirit, to guide our lives into all truth is my prayer for you all. Amen.

  [ Sermon 4 of 12 ]

The Closing Scenes of Earth’s History (5)

The Latter Rain (part 3)

In our previous study on the latter rain I gave you the conditions of receiving that experience. In continuing the subject of the latter rain we will consider the result of receiving or rejecting The Holy Spirit.

Elijah is a type of the last church on earth just before it shall be translated. In 1.Kings 18 we have the experience of Elijah. After that wonderful day on Mount Carmel when The Spirit of God used Him so mightily, and all Israel were convicted of their sin of worshipping Baal, and turned back to God, then that night Queen Jezebel sent to him and said that if he did not get out of the country within 24 hours she would make him just like one of the prophets of Baal they he had slain.

So what happened? He fled into the wilderness. He was under a death-decree! He was in trouble.  Yes, Seventh-day Adventists are going to go through a time of trouble too. They also are going to go under a death-decree, and under similar conditions. Elijah slew the worshippers of Baal—the Sun god, and in this day, you and I are going to be under a death-decree because we will not worship on the Sun-day instead of the Sabbath.

Elijah fled into the wilderness just before his translation. We know, according to what God has revealed to us, that we are going to go under a death-decree. We are going to go through a time of trouble such as never was. Elijah wished he could die. I suppose, my friends, that when The Spirit of God is withdrawn from this world—I know, I do not need to suppose. I know that there will be such anguish upon our hearts as we search thoroughly our life’s experience for every sin that we are going to go through such a heart experience as the prophet went through at that time. Then came translation.

 Beloved, every honest individual will receive The Holy Spirit—the latter rain. We are going to speak the message, and the world is going to do whatsoever The Holy Spirit speaks to them through our message. Those who receive it will go through the ‘Elijah experience’. Those who reject it will be like the prophets of Baal with their hatred and animosity to place the people of God under a death-decree. We will study that death-decree a little later.

I want to read a statement in the Testimonies {7.T 140} thus…..

“In a large degree through our publishing houses is to be accomplished the work of that other angel who comes down from Heaven with great power and who lightens the earth with his glory.”

Well, what does that mean? It means just this—the arguments have been presented; the doctrines have been preached; they have been published, and hardly a home in the country, friends, does not have one or more SDA books on the shelves. They are not being read much now, but we have been told (6T 316) that angels of God watch over every page of literature that has ever been sold and placed in the homes of the people. They are on the shelves now, but when the latter rain comes friends, they are going to take down those books. They will study them over, and The Holy Spirit is going to make that conviction so strong that they will take their place among this people.

We are told that great power is going to attend the closing message. In Early Writings we read, {EW 271-2}…..

“I heard those clothed with the armour speak forth the truth with great power….. Great power was with these chosen ones. Said the angel, ‘Look ye!’ My attention was turned to the wicked, or unbelievers. They were all astir. The zeal and power of the people of God had aroused and enraged them.”

Yes friends, every individual who does not accept the message of God under the inspiration of The Spirit of God in the latter rain (loud cry) will rise up against it in intense anger. Why? Just this! If we do not surrender ourselves to The Spirit of God, who takes possession? Why, your answer must be, ‘Satan takes possession.’ That’s right, and Satan is going to take full possession of everyone who rejects The Holy Spirit in the latter rain (loud cry).

Oh, that’s going to be a time of intensity friends. Such a crisis as we cannot imagine is still before the people of God. Great power is going to be attending the final message. In Great Controversy {GC 612} we read, “Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from Heaven. By thousands of voices al over the earth, the warning will be given. Miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, signs and wonders will follow the believers….. The message will be carried not so much by argument as by the deep conviction of The Spirit of God. The arguments have been presented. The seed has been sown, and now it will spring up and bear fruit.”

I want you to notice one expression in that quotation: “Servants of God….. will hasten from place to place.”

Brethren, I would like to call your attention to one thought. Who is going to receive The Spirit of God in that last hour? It’s those who are going forth. If we are not in the work—not going forth with The Lord’s final message, will The Spirit fall on us?

In Early Writings (EW 33) I want to read this statement once more…..

“At the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with The Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully.”

Thank God friends! It says, “By thousands of voices all over the earth.” That isn’t the ministry,—that’s the laity! There are not ministers enough in this denomination to finish this gospel work my friends. Oh this wonderful laymen’s movement that has been placed in operation in this people—that’s the thing that is going to finish it. Not by argument, but by the deep convictions and moving of The Holy Spirit. “As we went forth.”

Notice again, that only those who are actively engaged in going forth and doing The Lord’s work will be the ones who will receive The Holy Spirit.

And what is the issue of the latter rain? Did you notice that? “As we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully.” Oh yes, the Sabbath issue! Either Sabbath or Sunday will be the day of worship. That’s our work!

I want you to see from the Spirit of Prophecy, that this work of God is going to have to be fulfilled by the laity—you, my friends! In the Testimonies {9T 117} we read…..

“The work of God in this earth can never be finished until the men and women comprising our church membership rally to the work.”

Over on page 126 we read this, “In visions of the night, representations passed before me of a great reformatory movement among God’s people. Many were praising God. The sick were healed, and other miracles were wrought. A spirit of intercession was seen, even as was manifested before the great Day of Pentecost. Hundreds and thousands were seen visiting families and opening before them the Word of God. Hearts were convicted by the power of The Holy Spirit, and a spirit of genuine conversion was manifest. On every side doors were thrown open for the proclamation of the truth. The world seemed to be lightened with the heavenly influence.”

Hundreds and thousands proclaiming the message! Oh, thank God friends, it isn’t going to be the educated individual from the college that’s going to finish this work so much as those who are educated in the gospel of the ministry of The Holy Spirit.

In Early Writings again {EW 33}, we have that same statement…..

“At the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with The Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully. This enraged the churches and the nominal Adventists.” — They didn’t receive it did they? And as we have studied already, not all in the SDA Church will receive the latter rain. Those who are insincere, and those who are not persistent in overcoming their sins. They are not going to receive it. They are going to be enraged when The Holy Spirit comes, and persecution comes down upon the church.

In the Testimonies {5T 463} we have a definition of what the Spirit of Prophecy means by ‘nominal Adventists’…..

“The work which the church has failed to do in a time of peace and prosperity, she will have to do in a terrible crisis, under the most discouraging, forbidding circumstances.” Now notice! “The warnings that worldly conformity has silenced or withheld must be given under the fiercest opposition from enemies of the faith. And at that time the superficial, conservative class (not “present truth” conservative—Roy), whose influence has steadily retarded the progress of the work, will renounce the faith and take their stand with its avowed enemies, toward whom their sympathies have long been tending.”

There you have it friends. There is the nominal Adventist. One who believes the doctrines with his head, but does not practice them with his heart. One who isn’t sanctified by the truth. He holds the church in one hand, and the world in the other. He has not given up the worldly pleasures—the worldly things. That is a nominal SDA…..

(We usually use the word ‘liberal’ today. These studies are from the late 1940’s when certain terms were different—Roy).

These ‘nominal’ SDA’s are going to take their place with the opposition when the issue comes, and The Holy Spirit is poured out.

Let me read that to you again in another way, as found in the Testimonies {5T 81}…..

“The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us.” That is, the worship of Sunday. “Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment and death….. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church….. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat.”

In Great Controversy {GC 608} we have a similar statement. “By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they come to see matters in nearly the same light, and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address (NOTE!) who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren.”

And so my friends, there is the result of receiving or rejecting The Spirit of the living God.

Let’s now look at the effects on SDA’s themselves. In Early writings {EW 272} we have this statement given…..

Great power was with these chosen ones…..” The zeal and power of God had stirred them up. Miracles were performed, and the sick were healed {9T 126}. But we are not going to make our decisions on those things friends, not at all. In Great Controversy again {GC 612}, I want you to notice this…..

“Miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and signs and wonders will follow the believers.” (But) “Satan also works, with lying wonders, even bringing down fire from heaven in the sight of men. {Rev. 13: 13} Thus the inhabitants of the earth will be brought to take their stand.”

In Revelation 18: 1 we have a familiar picture brought to us…..

“And after these things I saw another angel come down from Heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.”

This is the latter rain—the loud cry of the third angel. This angel adds his power to the third angel’s message; ‘and the earth was lightened with his glory.’

In Early Writings {EW 277} we have this statement…..

“I saw angels hurrying to and fro in Heaven, descending to the earth, and again ascending to Heaven, preparing for the fulfilment of some important event. Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message….. The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message as it swells to a loud cry.”

So, that is what we have under the power of God!

What is the third angel saying? Its in Rev. 14: 9, 10…..

“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation…..”

Brethren, that is the hardest phase of the entire message, to tell people that if they do not keep the Sabbath, and they continue to worship on Sunday, that they will be cursed with the seven last plagues. That’s a hard message I say, and under the inspiration of The Holy Spirit, people are either going to receive it—if they do, they will know it to be truth. If they reject it, the very fact that it is told them that they will be lost unless they accept it, will fill them full of anger. They will become furious.

Friends, sometimes we hear among our own people, ‘don’t proclaim publicly, The Beast; his image, and his mark. Don’t tell people that they cannot worship on Sunday, and they have to keep the Sabbath or else they cannot be saved. That’s going too far.’

Yes brethren, I know! Men in every age of the past did not intend to come out Luther did not intend to do what he did. When Martin Luther started his work he was a member of the Roman Catholic Church. He never intended to leave it. He was only intending to purify its doctrines. But before he got through he was proclaiming that the RC Church is the great harlot of revelation, and the abomination of desolation. Yes, he could not help himself. The spirit of God took possession of him.

I want to go to Great Controversy {GC 606} for this statement…..

“In every generation God has sent His servants to rebuke sin, both in the world and in the church….. Many reformers , in entering upon their work, determined to exercise great prudence in attacking the sins of the church and the nation. They hoped, by the example of a pure Christian life, to lead the people back to the doctrines of The Bible. But the Spirit of God came upon them as it came upon Elijah, moving him to rebuke the sins of a wicked king and an apostate people; they could not refrain from preaching the plain utterances of The Bible—doctrines which they had been reluctant to present. They were impelled to zealously declare the truth and the danger which threatened souls….. Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed. as the time comes for it to be given with greatest power, The Lord will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service. The labourers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions.”  —God takes possession!

In Revelation 18: 2 it says, “And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.”

Brethren, that is a hard, hard message, but it is going to be filled with The Holy Spirit. Thus every individual will know the truth, and all the error of the past will be unmasked.

I want to read again from Great Controversy {GC 606-607}…..

“In amazement they (the people) hear the testimony that Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and sins, because of her rejection of the truth sent to her from Heaven….. The power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it. The clergy will put forth almost superhuman efforts to shut away the light lest it should shine upon their flocks. By every means at their command they will endeavour to suppress the discussion of these vital questions….. As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment-keepers. They will be threatened with fines and imprisonment….. but their steadfast answer is , ‘show us from the Word of God our error’—the same plea that was made by Luther under similar circumstances.”

That plea is found in GC p. 160 thus…..

“I (Luther) cannot submit my faith either to the pope or the councils….. Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture or by the clearest reasoning….. I cannot and will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand, I can do no other; may God help me. Amen.”

Yes my friends, that is what is going to happen.

Now, after the latter rain, there comes the time of trouble, and believe me, it is the latter rain that hastens the time of trouble.

Let us go back to Pentecost for a moment. After the disciples had received The Holy Spirit, how long was it before they were thrust into prison?—Just a matter of a few days. They stirred up the anger of the Sanhedrin until they were seized and put into prison. Some of them lost their lives, and the church was persecuted and scattered.

In the Testimonies {5T 450-451} we have this picture brought to us…..

“With voice and pen, by boasts, threats, and ridicule, they will seek to overthrow (the) faith (of God’s people). By false representations and angry appeals they will stir up the passions of the people. Not having a ‘Thus saith the Scriptures’ to bring against the advocates of the Bible Sabbath, they will resort to oppressive enactments to supply the lack. To secure popularity and patronage, legislators will yield to the demand for a Sunday law. Those who fear God cannot accept an institution that violates a precept of the Decalogue. On this battlefield comes the last great conflict of the controversy between truth and error.”

That’s it brethren! Legal enactments, and a final division down to the very last man. 2 Thess. 2: 9-12 says this. “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Note it! Down to the last individual—the last man, woman and child living on the earth, because they do not receive the love for God’s truth; because they do not commit themselves to The Spirit of God in this last final outpouring of His power, they will believe a lie, and they will be lost.

In Testimonies {5T 451} again I want to go a bit further….. “When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when under the influence of this threefold union our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvellous working of Satan and that the end is near.

As the approach of the Roman armies was a sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, so may this apostasy be a sign to us that the limit of God’s forbearance is reached, that the measure of our nation’s iniquity is full, and that the angel of mercy is about to take her flight, never to return.”—Probation’s hour closing!

The last issue my friends, and the closing os probation’s hour is the passing of the Sunday law. Shortly after that, probation is closed. We will work my friends, as long as The Holy Spirit is on this earth Himself working but the time comes.

Please notice this in Testimonies {5T 464-465}…..

“As the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for flight to the Judean Christians, so the assumption of power on the part of our nation in the decree enforcing the Papal sabbath will be a warning to us. It will then be time to leave the large cities, preparatory to leaving the smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the mountains….. Every day that passes brings us nearer the last great important day.”

The angel of mercy is about to fold her wings, never to return, and when she folds those wings my friends, there is no more work to be done for the world. We leave the cities; God’s work is finished; every person has made their choice. May The Lord help us as we watch these signs that we may know when our hour has come. The end can come very quickly when we are ready for it.

Oh may God pour the spirit of intercession upon our hearts. Oh may God bring conviction of truth to our lives. Oh may God place His finger upon the plague spots of every human experience. May God forgive us for our backwardness—for our selfishness that we sometimes term timidity or inability. God help us to get our eyes off of ourselves and upon Him and what He can do for us when we surrender our souls to Him. Then shall ‘one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight.’ {Deut. 32: 30) My brethren, don’t you want to be in that last movement? Then let us speedily prepare for it, for Jesus’ sake. AMEN!                                                                                             

   -- [ Sermon 5 of 12 ]

The Closing Scenes of Earth’s History [ 6 ]

The Latter Rain (Part 4)

In our last study concerning the Latter Rain and the Time of Trouble I mentioned the thought that the Latter Rain hastens the Time of Trouble. That is, that the Latter Rain angers those who refuse the message, and turns them against those who give the message. It is this that brings on the time of trouble.

In this final study on the Latter Rain we will now take up the ‘sealing work.’ The sealing time is identical with the time when the third angels’ message is due. In other words, the third angel's message is the sealing message.

To make this clear, let us turn to the third angels’ message a moment, (Rev. 14: 9-10), and let us notice…..

“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God…”

The mark of the beast and the seal of God come at the same time as we shall see a little later in our study, and the mark of the beast is the Third Angel's message in part.

Let us turn now to Rev. 7: 1-4 and see that the sealing work is the last work that comes to God’s people just before Probation closes…..

“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.”

I want you to notice that the sealing work takes place while the four angels are holding the four winds of heaven. We understand that these four winds refer to the time when all the nations of earth shall be plunged into the great battle of Armageddon. This Armageddon comes after the close of probation. As the angels are beginning to let go their hold on the nations another angel comes, having the seal of God, and says, ‘hold on just a little longer, until the seal of God is placed upon the foreheads of God’s people.’

Please notice that the sealing work is the last work that takes place while the nations are angry, as Early Writings says {EW 85}

“At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, (now note please) yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel.”

So, my friends, what holds them in check—about to let them go? We realise today that the nations are angry, and that we could be plunged into a world conflict even greater than World War 2, except that the angels of God are holding the winds of strife. When the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads,—then comes the close of probation. As I said before, the sealing work is the last work of the latter rain, and it will be very, very short {EW 58).

I am calling your attention to Ezekiel chapter 9, verses 2-6. Here we have the sealing work brought to view in its fullness…..

“And behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side; and they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar. And the glory of The God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed in linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side; And The Lord said into him, ‘go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.’ And to the others he said in mine hearing, ‘Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My Sanctuary.’

Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.”

Beloved, we see here the sealing work and the close of probation brought to view in this passage of scripture. The Seal of God is placed upon the foreheads of the men and women that sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in ‘Jerusalem’—or, the church. (see 5T 207-216).

Not everyone in the SDA church is sighing and crying. Not all are intensely in earnest to get rid of all the sins that are in existence in the church. No, some are causing this sighing and crying, because they are not separated from iniquity in the church.

Notice please, that not one single individual receives the Seal of God who is not sighing and praying mightily to God to “Spare Thy people, O Lord, and give not Thine heritage to reproach.” (Joel 2: 17) ‘Hold, hold off just a little longer Father, until the sins of the church can be rectified. No brethren, these are the only ones that are going to receive the Seal of the living God.

I am calling your attention now to the Testimonies {5T 209} to clinch this a little…..

“The crisis is fast approaching. The rapidly swelling figures show that the time for God’s visitation has about come.”

Notice in Ezekiel that just as soon as the mark was sealed the angels of vengeance started their work of execution. Mercy’s door is closed as the Seal is fixed to the 144,000. That’s the last work! So God is giving us this warning. (In 5T 209-211 again)…..

“At the time when the danger and depression of the church are greatest, the little company who are standing in the light will be sighing and crying for the abominations that are done in the land. But more especially will their prayers arise in behalf of the church because its members are doing after the manner of the world….. Here we see the church — The Lord’s sanctuary, was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God….. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God’s power….. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil….. The class who do not feel grieved over their own spiritual declension, nor mourn over the sins of others, will be left without the Seal of God.”

That needs no comment brethren!

In 3T 267 I want you to notice this…..

“Who are standing in the counsel of God at this time? Is it those who virtually excuse wrongs among the professed people of God and who murmur in their hearts, if not openly, against those who would reprove sin? Is it those who take their stand against them and sympathise with those who commit wrong? No, indeed! Unless they repent, and leave the work of Satan in oppressing those who have the burden of the work and in holding up the hands of sinners in Zion, they will never receive the mark of God’s sealing approval. They will fall in the general destruction of the wicked, represented by the work of the five men bearing slaughter weapons. Mark this point with care: Those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by a mark by the man in linen, are those “that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done” “in the church.”  (Read the whole section on, ‘Duty To Reprove Sin’ in 3T 267)

And so my friends, we are connected with this church; we are identified with it, and we love our brethren, but some are weak, and some are sick—spiritually, some are erring. God’s commission is; those of you who are spiritual must bear the burdens of the weak (Gal. 6: 2)

In Early Writings (Page 58) we have this statement…..

“The sealing time is very short, and will soon be over.” Notice it please!

On pages 279-280 0f the same book (EW) we read this…..

“I was pointed down to the time when the third angel’s message was closing. The power of God had rested upon His people; they had accomplished their work and were prepared for the trying hour before them. They had received the latter rain, or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and the living testimony had been revived. The last great warning had sounded everywhere, and it had stirred up and enraged the inhabitants of the earth who would not receive the message.

I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with a writer’s inkhorn by his side returned from the earth and reported to Jesus that his work was done, and the saints were numbered and sealed. Then I saw Jesus, who had been ministering before the ark containing the ten commandments, throw down the censer. He raised His hands, and with a loud voice said, “It is done“. And all the angelic host laid off their crowns as Jesus made the solemn declaration, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Every case had been decided for life or death.”

So friends, I want you to notice that the sealing work is the last work that is to be done before the close of probation, and that it is going to be short. And when God’s people are sealed, Jesus ceases his work as our great high priest in the Sanctuary above: ‘It is done,” — the sealing work is the last work of probation.

In Early Writings, page 48 we have this…..

“Oh, let us live wholly for the Lord and show by a well-ordered life and godly conversation that we have been with Jesus and are His meek and lowly followers. We must work while the day lasts, for when the dark night of trouble and anguish comes, it will be too late to work for God. Jesus is in His holy temple and will now accept our sacrifices, our prayers, and our confessions of faults and sins and will pardon all the transgressions of Israel, that they may be blotted out before He leaves the sanctuary.”

Notice it brethren! The last work of Jesus, before He leaves the Sanctuary, just before the close of probation is the blotting out of the sins of those who are sighing and crying, and have confessed their sins and searched their hearts completely. Continuing…..

“When Jesus leaves the Sanctuary, then those who are holy and righteous will be holy and righteous still, for all their sins will then be blotted out, and they will be sealed with the Seal of the living God.”

Please notice that by that statement, and with a little reasoning you will see that the blotting out of sin and the bestowing of the Seal of God upon his people are one and the same work. That is, they come together.

Brethren, that reminds me of the text that is found in Acts 3: 19. And may I say that this is a SDA text. There are no other Protestants in the world that understand this text, and we would not either if it were not for the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy. Notice…..

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of The Lord.”

‘Times of refreshing.’—that is a SDA expression I say. The times of refreshing are the time of the Latter Rain. And the next verse (v 20) says, “And He shall send Jesus.”

Just before Jesus Christ comes—just before the close of probation, during the latter rain, comes the sealing work or the blotting out of the sins of mankind.

Let us get as near as we can to the approximate time when this sealing work is going to take place. In the Testimonies {5T450-451}, — the statement I used so much in the last study. I am going to call your attention to some other facts. The Sabbath-Sunday issue is the last great controversy, and the last great crisis of this earth’s history, and on this battleground every soul is going to seal his destiny. But I want you to notice something else…..

“When Protestantism (America) shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when under this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and Republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of Papal falsehoods and delusions Sunday Laws.” Then note this expression on page 451 (5T)

“This apostasy (will) be a sign to us that the limit of God’s forbearance is reached, that the measure of our nation’s iniquity is full, and that the angel of mercy is about to take her flight, never to return.”

So the passing of the Sunday law isn’t the close of probation, but the angel of mercy is folding her wings to depart, and when probation’s hour closes, mercy no longer pleads for sinners. The Spirit of God is withdrawn from the earth; Jesus lays down His censer; the work of God on this earth is finished, and that comes (notice) just a little while—probation’s hour closes just a little while after the Sunday law is passed in America. and it is just at that time when the Seal of the living God begins to be placed, and God begins to blot out the sins of His people.

(Note: This is also the time of the latter rain and loud cry!—RDV)

I would like to repeat to you….. the Sunday law is the signal when God begins to blot out the sins of His people and to place the seal on the foreheads of His saints. You can understand then that that will be a very short work.

I ask, what is the seal? You will say, ‘It is the Sabbath.’ That’s right! What is the mark of the beast? It is Sunday. But brethren, no one has yet received the Seal of God or the mark of the beast. On page 449 of Great Controversy we read this…..

“There are now true Christians in every church, not excepting the Roman Catholic communion, who honestly believe that Sunday is the Sabbath of Divine appointment. God accepts their sincerity of purpose and their integrity before Him. But when Sunday observance shall be enforced by law, and the world shall be enlightened concerning the obligation of the true Sabbath, then whoever shall transgress the command of God to obey a precept which has no higher authority than that of Rome, will thereby honour Popery above God…..

As men then reject the institution which God has declared to be the sign of His authority , and honour in its stead that which Rome has chosen as the token of her supremacy, they will thereby accept the sign of allegiance to Rome — ‘the mark of the beast.’ (Now notice please) And it is not until the issue is thus plainly set before the people, and they are brought to choose between the Commandments of God and the commandments of men, that those who continue in transgression will receive the ‘mark of the beast.’

So, not until Sunday becomes enforced by law will the ‘mark of the beast.’ be placed upon anyone. There is a companion statement to that, and it is found in Great Controversy pp. 604-605. I am going to sketch that just briefly…..

“All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties, and it will finally be declared  that they are deserving of death….. With the issue thus clearly brought before him, whoever shall trample upon God’s Law to obey a human enactment receives the ‘mark of the beast.’ “

You see brethren, until an individual loves the truth more than he loves his life, and until he loves the Commandments of God more than he loves his life, he can never receive the Seal of God.  And if an individual, to save his life, complies with the laws of the state and keeps on worshipping Sunday, he receives the ‘mark of the beast.’ Now continuing (p. 605)

“But not one is made to suffer the wrath of God until the truth has been brought home to his mind and conscience, and has been rejected ….. The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty ….. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. While the observance of the false Sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God’s law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator. (Now notice!) While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other, choosing the token of allegiance to Divine authority, receive the seal of God.”

You see brethren, The seal of God and the mark of the beast are imposed at the same time over the Sabbath/Sunday issue. In the Testimonies {7T 141} we read this…..

“The substitution of the laws of men for the Law of God, the exaltation, by merely human authority, of Sunday in place of the Bible sabbath, is the last act in the drama. When this substitution becomes universal, God will reveal himself. He will arise in His majesty to shake terribly the earth. He will come out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity, and the earth shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain.”

So, when the Sunday law is passed in America, then probation’s hour is drawing near. When it becomes universal, probation closes.

Brethren, that’s as near as we can get to it. We realise that America is the nation that has come to the place of leadership in the world, and the rest of the world will follow her example. In Testimonies {6T 395) we have this statement. When America shall pass this Sunday law…..

“Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Though she leads out, yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the world.”

America has come to the time now when she speaks with world authority, and we realise that. On page 18 of the same book (6T 18) we have this statement…..

As America, the land of religious liberty, shall unite with the Papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honour the false sabbath, the people of every country will be led to follow her example.”

And so my friends, that is what we are facing at the present time. We know also that the call today is a call for unity amongst Protestantism; ‘too many churches, too many doctrines. Let us get together and settle this question.’ Yes indeed! And when they unite my friends, they will not do it by giving up their differences, but they will cling to the thing on which they are all united and have in common, and that is the Sunday question.

The passing of the Sunday law is also the signal for something else. In Testimonies (5T 451) once more.  When that time comes…..

“…we may know that the time has come for the marvellous working of Satan and that the end is near.”

And so brethren, the passing of the Sunday law in America is a signal for something else. When God withdraws His hand from Satan he will be able to use all the miraculous powers that The Bible says he will use. The Bible tells us in Revelation 13: 12, 14-15. where we have the prophecy of the United  States, that he…..

“deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should (worship) the image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”

Notice! The United States is going to be the dictator of the world in the worship of the image to the beast. The image to the beast is merely this. What Roman Catholicism did in its uniting with the powers of Europe and enforcing religious doctrine, so when Protestantism joins with the United States government and enforces the Sunday law in America we have an ‘image’ or ‘likeness’ to Roman Catholicism. Also in Revelation 16: 13, 14 we have the…..

“three unclean spirits  like frogs (coming) out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits if devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world.”

There we have the same thought brought again, that when the Sunday law becomes universal, God permits Satan to work in that way. In Testimonies (5T 524), we read this…..

“God keeps a reckoning with the nations. Through every century of this world’s history evil workers have been treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath; and when the time fully comes that iniquity shall have reached the stated boundary of God’s mercy, His forbearance will cease. When the accumulated figures in heaven’s record books shall mark the sum of transgression complete, wrath will come unmixed with mercy… This crisis will be reached when the nations shall unite in making void God’s law.”

And so my friends, when the universal decree comes, God’s records with the nations are closed. We are told in 2 Thess. 2: 9, 10 that Satan is going to work ….. “with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness  of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

The latter rain brings the last opportunity for people to accept and be saved. And when they do not receive the truth, they rise up against it. Then God permits the strong delusion to come, and that strong delusion is the marvellous working of Satan with all of his power and signs and lying wonders and miracles, which to the unbeliever and rejector makes Sunday seem as the very truth of the living God. Then, The Lord says, this brings the crisis in the life, that they might be damned who receive not the truth.

Brethren! Oh may God clarify our vision of truth as it is in all of its understanding in Jesus, that when Christ lays down the censer in Heaven, closes His work as our High Priest, and says, ‘It is done,’ we might be ready to meet Him in the clouds of glory, for Christ’s sake.

AMEN!

[ Sermon 6 of 12 ]

THE CLOSING SCENES OF EARTH’S HISTORY No.7

The Time of Trouble. (Part 1)         

When God places his Seal upon the foreheads of his people at the close of probation's hour, Christ in the Heavenly Sanctuary throws down His censer and says “It is done."

I want to let you see that from Great Controversy, p. 613. "When the third angel's message closes, mercy no longer pleads for the guilty inhabitants of the earth. The people of God have accomplished their work. They have received the latter rain. They have been sealed with the Seal of the Living God.

Then Jesus ceases His intercession in the Sanctuary above. He lifts His hands, and with a loud voice says, "It is done" and all the angelic host lay off their crowns as He makes the solemn announcement: "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. Then come the Seven Last Plagues.

Now, with the beginning of the Seven Last Plagues begins the real time of trouble. you understand there is a little 'time of trouble' preceding this, before the close of probation, in which the people of God go "forth to proclaim the Sabbath more fully"(E.W.p.33.) But with the close of probation, begins the seven last plagues, and this is known as the “Wrath of God" and “The Time of Trouble."

This is mentioned for us in Dan 12:1. "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince that standeth for the children of Thy people. And there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time. And at that time Thy people shall be delivered; every one that shall be found written in the book.”

Now, my friends, again we can understand from this expression, the standing up of Michael, when this "Time of Trouble" begins. Nobody but a Seventh-Day Adventist understands what this time of trouble means, or what the standing up of Michael is, and we would not know if it were not for the Spirit of Prophecy.

But in Early Writings, p. 36, we have this statement, "I saw that the anger of the nations, the wrath of God, and the time to judge the dead were separate and distinct, one following the other. Also that Michael had not stood up, and that the time of trouble such as never was, had not yet commenced.

The nations are now getting angry, but when our High Priest has finished His work in the Sanctuary, He will stand up.”

S0, the standing up of Michael my friends. is when Jesus finishes His work in the Most Holy Place as our High Priest, the Judgement is done, the work of Salvation has finished, probation has closed.

So the 'time of trouble' begins then, with the close of probation.

Now, there is another thought that I want to speak of here in this connection. It says, "Thy people shall be delivered, every one .. found written in the book." This is the book of life of course, you all realise. May I ask beloved, who it is that is found written in the book at the time when Christ finishes his work of intercession, and probation's hour closes? "Why" you say, it is those who have received the Seal of God." That's right. So the Seal of the Living God has been placed upon the foreheads of His people when the ‘Time of Trouble' begins.

Now, in Great Controversy we have the thought given to us that when Christ closes His work in the Sanctuary, and withdraws his holy Spirit from this earth, then the entire inhabitants of this world are turned over to the complete control of Satan.

Let me read it to you from page 614 of Great Controversy. “When He (Christ) leaves the Sanctuary, darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth … God's long-suffering has ended. The world has rejected His mercy, despised His love, and trampled upon his law. The wicked have passed the boundary of their probation; The Spirit of God, persistently resisted, has been at last withdrawn … Satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great final trouble."

Notice my friends, when the Spirit of God withdraws, the spirit of Satan takes control. What will it be in that terrible time, when no individual has any "mercy for any other individual—mercy is a thing that comes from the Spirit of the Living God; no sympathy, nothing but the passions of men spurred on by the demons of Satan, to wreak their worst upon the earth.

Now, when God leaves this earth to the control of Satan, then is the time when Satan begins his great delusions of these last days.

(Note by RDV ….. Personally, I am of the opinion that these great last-day delusions of Satan come BEFORE the close of Probation, not AFTER probation closes!)

What are these delusions of Satan that the Bible speaks about? In Rev. 13: 14 we read, "And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast." Notice, miracles, not seeming miracles but real miracles.

In Rev. 16: 13, 14, we have it spoken of in these terms, "I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon (Spiritualism), out of the mouth of the beast, (Roman Catholicism), and out of the mouth of the false prophet, (apostate Protestantism). For they are the spirits of' devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world.”

Notice, my friends, that this 'time of trouble' is going to be over the entire world, when Satan begins this marvellous working of his miraculous power. Now, we have this spoken of also again in 2 Thess. 2:9-12. “Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

“They received not the love of the truth.” They turned it down. Finally, when God's Spirit is withdrawn, then Satan breaks forth with all these miraculous signs and power, and all the deceivableness of which he is capable.

Now, I wonder what s0me of these miracle-working powers are. I am going to call your attention to 2nd Corinthians, and here we find what God has spoken of as some of these means which he is going to use. 2 Cor 11:13, 14, reads thus, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ."

My friends, d0 you notice this? Paul says that when Satan comes, through his marvellous working of all his signs and lying wonders, he is going to send back the apostles,—false apostles. Of course, the twelve apostles of Jesus are dead, all of them, not to receive life again until the resurrection, but through his instrumentality of Spiritualism, and the Spiritualistic doctrines that the soul is immortal, and cannot die, is going to be prepared the way for the manifestation of Satan coming back again with all his signs and lying wonders.

I want you to see that early in the message, way back at its beginning, God gave this very instruction to us as Seventh-Day Adventists.

First of all, on page 59 of Early Writings, written way back in 1850, He put it this way. "I saw that soon it would be considered blasphemy to speak against the rapping, and that it would spread more and more, that Satan's power would increase. I was shown that by the rapping and mesmerism, these modern Magicians would yet account for all the miracles wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ, and that many would believe that all the mighty works of the Son of God when on earth were accomplished by the same power."

That is, all the works that Jesus did, and all the miracles He wrought.

The crowning miracle of Jesus of course, was the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Does it mean that Satan is actually going to raise the dead? No friends, he cannot raise the dead. But I want to assure you of this, that he is going to make it seem as if the dead were raised.

I am going to call your attention to Early Writings, p. 262, and show you what is here stated for us in this connection. It reads thus, "I saw that Satan has power to bring before us the appearance of forms purporting to be our relatives or friends that sleep in Jesus. It will be made to appear as if these friends were actually present; the words they uttered while here, with which we were familiar, will be spoken, and the same tone of voice they had while living will fall upon the ear. All this is to deceive the world and ensnare them into the belief of this delusion. I saw that the saints must have a thorough understanding 0f present truth which they will be obliged to maintain from the Scriptures.

They must understand the state of the dead, for the spirits of devils will yet appear to them professing to be beloved relatives or friends who will declare to them unscriptural doctrines”

Now, if he can make our dead friends appear to us, can he not go a step farther as the Bible says and cause the 'apostles' to come back? I read in Early Writings, p. 90, thus…..

"He who is the father of lies, blinds and deceives the world by sending forth his angels to speak for the apostles, and to make it appear that they contradict what they wrote (in The Bible) by the dictation of The Holy Spirit when on earth.

These lying angels make the apostles to corrupt their own teachings, and to declare them to be adulterated."

Again, in the next paragraph, "He instructs some of them to act the part of the apostles, and t0 speak for them."

My friends, what is going ;to happen when St. Peter comes back, and comes to the Roman Catholic Church, and just sanctions that whole great system of apostasy, and declares that the doctrines they profess are his. And he denies what he has given in the Bible? Oh beloved! Christian people know so little of their Bibles anyway. They are going t0 be deceived, the Bible says, by the marvellous working of Satan, with all of his power and signs and lying wonders.

Now, what is all this going to come to?

In Great Controversy, pp. 588, 509 we have this thought brought to us. "Satan himself is converted after the modern order of things." In other words friends, he is going to appear in the character of an angel of light.

"Through the agency of Spiritualism, miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and many undeniable wonders will be performed. And as the spirits profess faith in The Bible, and manifest respect for the institutions of the church, their work will be accepted as a manifestation of divine power." Do you notice that? He is going to be converted; he is going to sanction the work of the popular churches.

Now, the movement today is for unity of the different churches. Get together; too many different sects; too many conflicting movements in Protestantism. Let' s have one central church in every community known as the community church. Let us all worship under one banner. Yes my friends, that is going to be accomplished under the last movement of this earth's history.

Reading again from Great Controversy, pp.588/9. "Papists, who boast of miracles as a certain sign of the true Church, will readily be deceived by this wonder-working power, and Protestants, having cast away the shield of truth, will also be deluded.

Papists, Protestants, and worldlings alike will accept the form of godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world, and the ushering in of the, long expected millennium.”

But beloved, there is one little group of people that will never go in with this great combination at that time, and that is Seventh-day Adventists. And so, because they do not join in this, we are told that we are going to be accused of all the corruption that is taking place in the world after the close of probation.

Here it is, page 590 (G.C.), "And then the great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve God are causing all these evils. The class that have provoked the displeasure of Heaven will charge all their troubles upon those whose obedience to God's commandments is a perpetual reproof to transgressors.

It will be declared that men are offending God by the violation of the Sunday-Sabbath; that this sin has brought calamities which will not cease until Sunday observance shall be strictly enforced; and that those who present the claims of the Fourth Commandment, thus destroying reverence for Sunday, are troublers of the people, preventing their restoration to divine favour and temporal prosperity."

You remember beloved, that before the close of probation the Sunday law is made, and as the year of 'the time of trouble' progresses (it lasts a year) it becomes progressively more intense. They will call for stricter Sunday laws, and say that we as Seventh-Day Adventists are to blame for the corruptions, troubles and plagues that are falling on the earth.

Satan sends the ‘Apostles' from 'heaven' and they declare the same thing. Finally, he comes himself, imitating the second coming of Christ and declares the same thing himself.

I want to read again now from Great Controversy, pp. 590/1, “The miracle-working power manifested through Sp1ritualism will exert its influence against those who choose to obey God rather than man. Communications from the spirits will declare that God has sent them to convince the rejecters of Sunday of their error, affirming that the laws of the land should be obeyed as the law of God. They will lament the great wickedness in the world, and second the testimony of religious teachers, that the degraded state of morals is caused by the desecration of Sunday. Great will be the indignation excited against all who refuse to accept their testimony."

And yet it cannot be accepted, we just cannot do it. Eventually Satan himself comes into this world telling the world that he is Christ. On page 624 of G.C. we have this statement.

"As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air, 'Christ has come! Christ has come!

He lifts his hands and pronounces a blessing upon them as Christ blessed His disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, Heavenly truths that the Saviour uttered. He heals the diseases of the people, (now notice) and then he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels, sent to them with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion."

Now, my friends, that brings the climax, and that will bring us to the death-decree, and the 'Time of Jacob's Trouble.'

I want you to see what we are going to be up against when that time fully comes. On page 592 of Great Controversy we read.....

"Those who honour the Bible Sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and order, as breaking down the moral restraints of society, causing anarchy and corruption, and  calling down the judgments of God upon the earth. Their conscientious scruples will be pronounced obstinacy, stubbornness, and contempt of authority. They will be accused of disaffection toward the government. Ministers who deny the obligation of the divine law will present from the pulpit the duty of yielding obedience to the civil authorities as ordained by God. In legislative halls and courts of justice, commandment keepers will be misrepresented and condemned. A false colouring will be given to their words; the worst construction will be put upon their motives."

Are you ready for that, beloved? With the whole world united against us? Jesus said that the time would come when those who slay you will believe they are doing God's work. And that's what is coming! With that comes the death-decree.

The 'Time of Trouble' begins with the Death-Decree. That Death-Decree, just as I read to you from Great Controversy, is coming to us over the Sunday question.

I want to call your attention to Rev. 13 once more, (vs 14) and there you will find it recorded in these words, "And deceiveth them by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell upon the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had a wound by a sword and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed."

We know what the image and the mark of the beast is. When Protestantism shall unite with the powers of the land of the United States to force the Sunday law, then the image of the beast is made complete, and the Sunday law, enforced by the nation is the mark of the beast as we have always declared it to be.

      The 'Time of Jacob's Trouble' comes, as is recorded for us in Genesis 32 where Jacob, placed under a death-decree by his brother, wrestles all night with an Angel.

This ‘Time of Jacob’s Trouble’ is further described in Patriarchs and Prophets page 201 thus...

“Jacob’s experience during that night of anguish and wrestling, represents the trial through which the people of God must pass just before Christ’s second coming. When Christ shall cease His work as Mediator in man’s behalf, then this ‘Time of Trouble’ will begin.

As Jacob was threatened with death by his angry brother, so the people of God will be in peril from the wicked who are seeking to destroy them. And as the patriarch wrestled all night for deliverance from the hands of Esau, so the righteous will cry to God day and night for deliverance from the enemies that surround them.”

So you see the parallel is very close and very similar in the experiences that will come.

Again in Great Controversy, pg. 615 we read...

“As the Sabbath has become the special point of controversy throughout Christendom, and religious and secular authorities have combined to enforce the observance of the Sunday, the persistent refusal of a small minority to yield to the popular demand will make them objects of universal execration. It will be urged that the few who stand in opposition to an institution of the Church and the law of the State ought not to be tolerated; that it is better for them to suffer than for whole nations to be thrown into confusion and lawlessness.

The same argument 1900 years ago was brought against Christ by the ‘rulers of the people.’  “It is expedient for us,” said the wily Caiaphas, “that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” (John 11: 50) This argument will appear conclusive, and a decree will finally be issued against those who hallow the Sabbath of the Fourth Commandment, denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment, and giving the people liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death.

Romanism in the Old World, and apostate Protestantism in the New will pursue a similar course towards those who honour all the divine precepts.

The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress described by the prophet as the ‘Time       of Jacob’s trouble.’ ”                                   

There is one more quotation that I will give you to end this study, and this summarises what we have studied and also introduces our next study which is the real study on the ‘Time of Jacob’s trouble’.

In Early Writings, pp. 36/7 we find that this ‘Time of Jacob’s Trouble’ begins after the plagues start...

“I saw that the four angels would hold the four winds until Jesus’ work was done in the Sanctuary, and then will come the Seven Last Plagues. These plagues enraged the wicked against the righteous; they thought that we had brought the judgements of God upon them, and that if they could rid the earth of us, the plagues would be stayed. A decree went forth to slay the saints which caused them to cry day and night for deliverance. This was the ‘Time of Jacob’s Trouble’.”

Thus we see that the ‘Time of Jacob’s Trouble’ or the death-decree, come after the plagues begin, and start when the death-decree is given against God’s people.

We will begin at this point in our next study, and study thoroughly the death-decree as it is developed, through The Bible, and the Spirit of Prophecy.

May God richly bless you as you go through these vital end-time studies. AMEN.

 [ Sermon 7 of 12 ]

THE CLOSING SCENES OF EARTH’S HISTORY [ 8 ]

The Time of Trouble (Part 2)

In our last study on the ‘Time of Trouble' we closed with the thought that the ‘Time of Jacob's Trouble' begins after the plagues begin to be poured out.

In our first thought in this study, I will call your attention to "Testimonies" vol 5, p. 450…..

"The decree which is to go forth against the people of God will be very similar to that issued by Ahasuerus against the Jews in the day of Esther."

Notice please, not only “similar,” but “very similar.”

In other words, the death-decree against the Jews in the days of Queen Esther is going to parallel very closely the death-decree of the whole world against Seventh-Day Adventists at the close of time.

Now if that is so, let us turn to the book of Esther and study that decree as it went forth from the hand of Ahasuerus. Esther 3:12,13…..

"Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto  the Kings Lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing therof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the kings ring. And the letters were sent by posts into all the kings provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month."

Now friends, please note several things here.

First, when the decree was made,—the thirteenth day of the first month.

Second, when it was to go into effect,—the thirteenth day of the twelfth month.

So the Children of Israel were under the death-decree for eleven months, almost one year. Please notice now that it is universal. Ahasuerus ruled over the then known world, and the message was sent to every people people in the entire world at that time,—a universal death-decree against the people of God.

In Rev 18:8 we are told that the plagues are to come in one day. A day in prophecy is one year (Ezekiel 4: 6).

So the plagues will last one year from the close of probation to the Second Coming of Jesus, and in that time remember, the intensity of the ‘Time of Jacob's Trouble' grows worse and worse till the very climax when the Death-Decree is to be executed. I want you to notice plainly from Rev. 16 that the Death-Decree is made under the 2nd plague. I read thus, — Rev.16: 3…..

"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea, and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became as blood. And I heard. the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, 0 Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because Thou hast judged thus.

(Now note please)

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy." Now friends, how could it be said that "they have shed the blood of saints and prophets?"

Notice that the third plague comes as a result of what they have done,—“have shed the blood of saints and prophets," and "Thou art righteous 0 Lord, because Thou hast judged thus.”

In Great Controversy p.628, we have an inspired comment upon this text. After quoting just what I

have read, we read this…..

"By condemning the people of God to death, they have as truly incurred the guilt of their blood as if it had been shed by their hands."

Note,—"By condemning the people of God to death.” So sometime during the second plague, the death-decree is made against the people of God; they thirst for the blood of God’s saints, immediately God gives them blood to drink. They are worthy, because they have shed the blood of saints, and prophets.

So friends, the decree is made under the second plague and lasts till near the end of the year of the 'time of trouble,' as we shall study later.

Now I will go to Great Controversy p. 615, and let you see that the death-decree isn’t executed at the same time as it is given. I read thus…..

“Denouncing them (the people of God) as deserving of the severest punishment, and giving the people liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death."

So you see, the decree, when it is made, is to be executed sometime in the future, not at that time.

Let’s study a little this thought of the universal aspect of the decree now…..

In Esther 3:13 we read that it was to be given to every people after their own language, to every nation after their writing,—so it was universal.

In Early Writings p. 282, we read this…..

"I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages, and associating together in companies, and living in the most solitary places. Angels provided them food and water, while the wicked were suffering from hunger and thirst." The plagues are going on you see.

Now note please, “Then I saw the leading men of the earth consulting together, and Satan and his angels busy around them. I saw a writing, copies of which were scattered in different parts of the land, giving orders that unless the saints should yield their peculiar faith, give up the Sabbath, and observe the first day of the week, the people were at liberty after a certain time to put them to death."

In Great Controversy p. 631 we have another statement on this thought, “a general decree has fixed the time when commandment keepers may be put to death." That is all I am going to read of the statement, but notice,- "a general decree."

What is a general decree? It is something that covers everything and everybody. So that is the general decree that goes forth against the people of God.

We read in Esther that the decree went forth for only one day of the year, the 13th day of the 12th month: It was not to last for a week or a month, but just one day,—It was limited. In one day "to destroy, to kill, all Jews, both little Children and women.”—Just one day! I want you to notice that in the decree against the people of God the same thing will happen.

Great Controversy p. 635, "When the protection of human laws shall be withdrawn from those who honour the law of God, there will be, in different lands, a simultaneous movement for their destruction."

I'll stop there a moment.

What is a simultaneous movement? Well, just this,—a movement everywhere at the same time. So there will be in different lands at the same time, a movement for their destruction. Heading further,- "As the time appointed in the decree draws near, the people will conspire to root out the hated sect. It will be determined to strike in one night a decisive blow that will utterly silence the voice of dissent and reproof."

How long? Just one night, 'Just give us one night, that's all we want.' Yes friends, do you remember the history of the great St. Bartholomew Massacre? When did it take place?—at night! The night is fitted for Satan's work.

Now let me ask You. If a decree is made to take place on a certain day, when would that day begin? 'Oh,’ you say, ‘it begins at midnight.’ That’s right! So from midnight to morning, in just those hours, it will be determined to blot out the people of God. Now it is said of the laws of the Medes and Persians of whom Ahasuerus was King, that those laws could not be changed. When Daniel was thrown into the lion's den, the king struggled all day to try and deliver him, but the princes reminded him saying, "You know O king, that the laws of the Medes and Persians cannot be changed!"

But there was one thing that the king could do, and in the days of Esther he did do. He made a counter decree. It couldn’t be changed either.

So in Esther 8: 8 we find this counter-decree. V 8 and onwards,

"Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the kings name, and seal it with the kings ring: for the writing which is written in the King's name, and sealed with the King's ring may no man reverse. Then were the kings scribes called, and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces; unto every province according to the writing therof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their language.

And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey; upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar."

Now friends, notice please. When was the death-decree to go into effect? The 13th day of the twelfth month. When was the deliverance decree to take effect? ‘The 13th day of the 12th month also. You see, deliverance was not needed until the death-decree went into effect, and at the instant when it did go into effect, the decree for deliverance was there. I want to read now in Great Controversy concerning the death-decree, page 635-636…..

"With shouts of triumph, jeering, and imprecation, throngs of evil men are about to rush upon their prey, when lo, a dense blackness, deeper than the darkness of the night, falls upon the earth. Then a rainbow, shining with the glory from the Throne of God, spans the heavens, and seems to encircle each praying company. The angry multitudes are suddenly arrested. Their mocking cries die away. The objects of their murderous rage are forgotten. With fearful forebodings they gaze upon the symbol of God's covenant, and long to be shielded from its overpower-ing brightness." On the last paragraph of p. 636 we read this…..

"It is ·at midnight that God manifests His power for the deliverance of his people." When? Midnight! What is taking place? The wicked are rushing upon their prey, the commandment-keepers, to put them to death, when God delivers them. What happens? The Sun appears, shining in its strength." At midnight?Yes,—that's what it says!

Now friends, If you turn to Isa. 24: 1, you will find there that God has said He is going to turn the earth upside-down. Now if you turned the world upside down, what would happen? Well, where it was midnight it would be just 12 hours later wouldn’t it?  — midday.

Now notice your next statement…..

"the Sun appears, shining in its strength.” When does the Sun shine in its strength?” — At noon! So that is exactly what God does.

Now what do you suppose would happen if this world, 25,000 miles in circumference, turning at 1,000 mph or more on its axis, was suddenly turned over? …..

Turned “upside down” as it says?

Well, just exactly what is described here, "Everything in nature seems turned out of its course. The streams cease to flow. Dark heavy clouds come up and clash against each other. In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying, "It is done."

Now beloved, there is the key as to when God is going to deliver His people from the death-decree. It says it is at midnight, and He utters His voice saying, "It is done." If We turn to Rev 16: 17 we find in this text when this takes place. "And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air, and there came a great voice out of the Temple from Heaven, and from the Throne saying, It is done."

So friends, when the seventh plague begins, or at the close of the 6th plague, God delivers His people from the death-decree. Now notice that the Jews were under the death-decree for nearly one year. Again, the seven last plagues last for one year, and the people of God are delivered at the close of the 6th one.

In Early Writings we have it put this way, p.36/7…..

"A decree went forth to slay the saints, which caused them to cry day and night for deliverance. This was the ‘Time of Jacob's Trouble.’

Now note. "Then all the saints cried out with anguish of spirit, and were delivered by the voice of God."

Yes, when God says,"It is done" His people are delivered.

It is at this same time, in Great Controversy p. 637, that something else happens. I will connect this also with Daniel 12: 2. Sister White quotes the text that follows the one that says, "It is done," (when the 7th plague begins), “That voice shakes the heavens and the earth. There is a mighty earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great.” She there quotes Rev 16: 18.

Then she gives a description in one whole long paragraph of what is taking place in the earth; how the earth is broken up: the inhabited islands disappear; the seaports that are like Sodom for wickedness are swallowed up by the angry waves; the wind roars, and the shriek of the hurricane is heard; the sea is lashed into fury; the earth heaves and swells until the cities are laid waste.

Now at this time, When God delivers His people, we have this statement, "Graves are opened, and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth awake, some to everlasting life, und some to shame and everlasting contempt. All who have died in the faith of the third angel's message come forth from the tomb glorified, to hear God's covenant of peace with those who have kept His law. They also which pierced Him, those that mocked and derided Christ's dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people are raised to behold Him in His glory, and to see the honour placed upon the loyal and obedient.”

Do you remember Christ's promise to Caiaphas at His trial? When asked if He were the Son of God, He said, Yes, "but hence forth shalt thou no more see me until you see the Son of man coming in the clouds, with power and great glory." In Dan 2:12 it says plainly that "there shall be a time of trouble such as never was, and at that time, many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt."

Please note, some of both classes. Some of the wicked, and some of the righteous. This isn’t then, the general resurrection at the Second Coming of Christ, for at that time all of the righteous arise. It isn’t the resurrection at the end of the Millennium, f’or then all of the wicked arise.

No, here is a special resurrection, some of each class, and the righteous come forth glorified. They do not pass through any of the plagues; they are delivered from them all, and come up in triumph with those who have passed through that desperate experience.

In Rev 18: 6, 7 we are told plainly, "Reward her (that is, Babylon, this combination of Church and State who impose the Death-Decree upon the people of God), even as she has rewarded you; double unto her, double according to her works. In the cup which she has filled, fill to her double. How much she has glorified herself and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her." So friends, please note that the cup which she has filled for the people of God to drink (the death-decree). God says, ‘Give her back the cup she has given you.’

Now we do not do it, but Rev. 17 says that when they lift their hand against the people of God, they are lifting their hand against God Himself, and He will overcome them, for “they that are with Him are called and chosen and faithful.”

What is going to happen when this time comes?

In Great Controversy p.655/656 we find the answer. Remember that the people have been deceived by Satan into thinking that they are doing God's will, and that Sunday is really the Sabbath and that they are trying to usher in the Second Coming of Christ and the great Millennium by putting the people of God to death. Then suddenly God delivers His people and glorifies them.

This glorification is spoken of plainly in Great Controversy where it says that as the glory of God rests upon His people, their faces shine wth the glory as did Moses face when he came down from Mt. Sinai with the 10 Commandments. “The wicked cannot look upon them,” it says. The ones that they have been condemning to death as enemies of God, they now realise are the servants of God. The truth which they have condemned in these people is the truth of the living God.

The Great Controversy p.655, “The people see that they have been deluded. They accuse one another of having led them to destruction, but all unite in heaping their bitterest condemnation upon the ministers. Unfaithful pastors have prophesied smooth things; they have led their hearers to make void the law of God, and to persecute those who would keep it holy.

Now in their despair, these teachers confess before the world their work of deception. The multitudes. are filled with fury. ‘We are lost!’ they cry, ‘and you are the cause of our ruin;’ and they turn upon the false shepherds. The very ones that once admired them most, will pronounce the most dreadful curses upon them. The very hand that once crowned them with laurels, will be raised for their destruction. The swords which were to slay God's people, are now employed to destroy their enemies. Everywhere there is strife and bloodshed.”

Please note that, “The cup that she has filled to you, fill to her double.” The death-decree is not executed against us, but it is executed against the wicked and the deceivers.

In Early Writings p.290 we have another statement on this, "After the the saints had been delivered by the voice of God, the wicked multitude turned their rage upon one another. The earth seemed deluged with blood, and dead bodies were from one end of it to the other."

This agrees perfectly with texts we have in the Bible.

Jeremiah 25: 31-35 says, "A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth, for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations. He will plead with all flesh. He will give them that are wicked to the sword.

Thus saith The Lord, the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented, neither gathered nor buried, they shall be dung upon the ground."

No friends, sorrow, pity, mercy have gone from the heart of man, gone with the closing of probation.

And now that they have been deceived they slay one another until the earth is deluged with blood.

Note the next statement. “Howl ye shepherds, and cry and wallow yourselves in the ashes ye principal of the flock, for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.

A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock shall be heard, for the Lord hath spoiled their pasture. And the peaceable habitations are cut down, because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”

The same thing is given friends, in Zechariah 14: 13. "And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold everyone on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.”—General slaughter!

The same expression is given to us in Ezekiel 38: 21, "And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man's sword shall be against his brother."

So, my friends, that marks the close of the Time of Trouble. ‘Jacob’ shall be delivered out of it by the mighty hand of God, but the wicked shall fall into the snare which he has set for the servants of God.

Brethren! Let's be faithful. Let's make our preparation, that when Jesus shall close the records in the courts of Heaven and this time of trouble begins, that though Satan may come to us, he will find in us nothing.

“Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee in the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell on the earth.”

May God grant that we shall be among that faithful number at that time, for Christ's sake, AMEN.

 [ Sermon 8 of 12 ]

The Closing Scenes of Earth’s History (9)

REVELATION 17 & 18 (Part 1)

No study of the closing events of earth’s history would be complete without considering Revelation 17&18. A short sketch is given there revealing Satan’s whole programme of opposition to the church of The Living God. Especially is here revealed the collapse of the whole combined system of false religion opposing God’s people at the time when the death-decree goes into effect. At that time also you remember, God delivers His people.

The subject matter of these chapters is plainly stated in Revelation 17: 1 as the judgement of the great harlot.

Let us turn to Revelation 17 and start our study with this verse….. “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither, I will shew unto thee the judgement of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.”

Friends, if its the judgement of the great harlot, when does that judgement take place? At the close of time, of course. So we have here in chapter 17 the whole scope of the system of the false woman, or false church, from its beginning to the close of time. It says, “one of the seven angels which had the seven vials.”

In Revelation 15: 1 we are told that the seven vials have the seven last plagues. So here it is the angel that has the judgements of God in which the judgement of God of the great harlot will take place during those seven last plagues, that reveals to John this prophecy.

The angel says, “come hither”—that is, come up into Heaven where you can see the whole scope, and “I will shew unto thee the judgement of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.”

We remember that a woman is a symbol of a church. a pure woman is a symbol of the church of Christ, and a corrupt woman is the symbol of a corrupt church, or the church that Satan is using to carry out his purpose. You remember that the Bible speaks about those of the “synagogue of Satan.” (Revelation 3:9). Satan does have a church, my friends. He has always had a church, ever since God had one, for he uses his system of religion, to refute, and hinder, and stop if possible the work of God through the true church.

The Bible says, “I will shew unto thee the… harlot that sitteth upon many waters.” You are also familiar with the symbol of waters being people and nations—organised society. Revelation 17:15 gives it to us this way, “The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.”

So this woman is ruling over the nations of earth. In chapter 17 God gives us a  “bird’s eye view” of the end of Satan’s church, or the history of it from beginning to end.

I want you to notice that he has only one church. This woman is spoken of in the singular. “Come hither, I will shew thee the judgement of  the great harlot.”  Not harlot’s,—plural. There is only one system of religion that Satan has ever had in this world, so he has only one church. But my friends, that system of religion comes under more than one head.

In verse 2 we have this expression, “With whom (the harlot) the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

You are all familiar with what constitutes physical fornication, I’m sure. When a married woman leaves her husband’s support and protection, and turns to another man for her support, protection, and power, she has committed physical fornication. Let us diagnose it this way. The church is the bride of Christ—Christ being the husband of the church. The church has no business gaining any power, favours, or any support, or strength from anyone save her husband, Jesus Christ.

But this woman has turned to the kings of the earth. Turned away from King Jesus to the kings of the earth, and that is called Spiritual Fornication. Let me define it in this brief and concise way…..

A union of church and state constitutes spiritual fornication. Any union of church and state, in any age, anytime, under any circumstances, is a part of this great harlot system and this fornication which satan genders.

Ever since God has had a church, Satan has had a union of church and state to oppose Christ’s church.

When we go back into history we find that the first system of false religion was known as Paganism,—the worship of many gods instead of the worship of The One God. These Pagan gods were deified human beings, and believe me friends, no man’s mind or practice will rise any higher than the object of his worship.

Let us take some examples of this. Do you remember in Exodus 5, Moses coming in before Pharoe, and pleading for Israel to be allowed to go and worship God in the wilderness? Now listen to the words of Pharoe, (vs 2&5) “Who is The Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not The lord, neither will I let Israel go… get you unto your burdens.”

Who was Pharoe? He represented not only the state, but he was the highest manifestation in physical form also of the religion. He was  head of both the religion and the nation.

Go again to Nebuchadnezzar,—the dedication of the image in Daniel 3. When the Hebrew children refused to bow down, listen to Nebuchadnezzar when he said, “Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of … all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well, but if not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”—Who was Nebuchadnezzar? he was the combined leader of both religion and state.

Again, when Darius’s counsellors came to him to try and entrap Daniel,—‘§O king, make a law that no-one shall worship any god, or pray to any god, save thee O king, for thirty days.’ (Daniel ch. 6) ‘Save thee o king,’—who was the king? He was the head and representative of the religious system of Persia .

And so, friends, we have that Paganistic form of religion running clear back through the history of the past.

What was Jesus’ attitude to this form of worship, and what was His attitude to this form of worship, and what was His attitude to towards religion and nations anyway?

In Luke 20: 21-25 we find the Scribes and Pharisees came to try and entrap Jesus one day. They said, “Master… is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or no?”—We are the chosen people of God! We are the church of The Living God. The church of God shouldn’t pay taxes to a heathen nation should they?

Jesus said, “Shew Me a penny.” The gave Him one and He said, “Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, “Caesar’s.” Then notice what jesus said, “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.” Here Jesus places the true principles of Church and State in their proper relationship. Yes, of course Christians pay their taxes to the state. Of course they give their allegiance to the state, but they give it first to God, and they shall not ever at any time cross over the field one of another.

The state must have nothing to do with religion, and religion has nothing to do in directing the affairs of state.

The United States is the most complete example of Christ’s principle in church and state that the world has ever seen. The 2nd Amendment of the Constitution says, “Congress shall make no law regarding an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” And again, “Congress shall lay no religious rite or obligation on any man in requiring him to hold public office.” No friends, church and state forever separated. A state without a king; a church without a pope!

As long as America holds to these grand principles of religious and civil liberty she will never fall before any other nation. For these are the principles of God, and God is working for this nation.

But friends, when she turns her back upon these grand, glorious principles of God, and makes provision for the enforcing of a Sunday law, then national apostasy will be followed by national ruin.

All nations of the past, when they have opposed the people of God and the work of God have gone down.

In Revelation 17: 3 i want you to notice this, So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of the names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.”

Three times in the Book of Revelation this ten horned, seven-headed beast appears. In Revelation 12, 13, and 17. In Rev. 12: 3 it is called “a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns.” In Rev. 13: 1 it is called, “A beast… having seven heads and ten horns.” And in Rev. 17: 3 as we have just read, it is called “a scarlet coloured beast… having seven heads and ten horns.”

I want you to notice where the woman is sitting. It says she is sitting on the beast, but it does not say where. All of the charts in our denomination, as far as I know, have the woman sitting on the back of the beast. But friends, that is not true. She is not sitting on the back of the beast at all, she is sitting on the heads.

Let me prove this to you. In verse 9 of chapter 17 I read thus, “and here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.”  Then where is she sitting? If the seven heads are seven mountains, and she is sitting on the seven mountains, then where is she sitting on the beast? She is sitting on the heads! Verse 10 says, “and there are seven kings.” That is, these seven mountains, or seven heads, are seven kingdoms.

[ Note: 7 Successive Political kingdoms: Egypt, Assyrian Empire, Babylonian Empire, Medo-Persian Empire, Grecia, Roman Empire, Holy Roman Empire, and the European Union(?); together with 10 contemporaneous political kingdoms in union or alliance. The Whore is the corrupt Roman Church in union with the State - a Religio-political world power. ]

The American Revised Standard Version makes this very clear—it reads, “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth, and they are seven kings.”

All of the versions of the English language that I have been able to obtain, with the exception of the King James Version uses the words “they are’ instead of “there are”. So these seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits—seven kings, one woman.

Friends, what does that convey to you? One church, one system of religion under seven different combinations of one woman with seven kings. Do you see it? — seven combinations of Church and State!

In Revelation 12 we find Satan, or the dragon—this red beast, fighting against the the woman. In Revlation 17 the beast is supporting the woman. Its all the same thing my friends. Satan is the power behind the throne, giving authority to all seven of these combinations.

These combinations arise only one at a time, and I want you to note that Satan and Paganism are closely identified in this prophecy.

I am going to read from the Great Controversy (page 438)…..

“The line of prophecy in which these symbols are found (that is, the red dragon, the beast, and the scarlet coloured beast), begins with Revelation 12, with the dragon that sought to destroy Christ at His birth. The dragon is said to be Satan; he it was that moved upon Herod to put the Saviour to death. But the chief agent of Satan in making war upon Christ and His people during the first centuries of the christian era, was the Roman Empire, in which Paganism was the prevailing religion.

Thus, while the dragon primarily represents Satan, it is in a secondary sense a symbol of pagan Rome.”

That is very clear isn’t it? Satan is the power behind the throne, but he uses Paganism to accomplish his purposes and carry out his doctrines. Now it is easy for us to identify these individuals—these different kings, for they arise only one at a time. You notice in revelation 13: 3 we have the expression concerning this ten horned, seven headed beast, “I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death.” Only one? That’s all! Because that was the only one in existence at that time. I am going to prove that to you by going back to chapter 17 again. Verses 9&10…..

“The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth, and they are seven kings. Five are fallen, one is, the other is not yet arisen.”

That’s the way Moffatt’s translation puts it. So you see friends, only one was in existence in the day of John, one had not yet come up,—number seven, and five were already gone.

Its very easy for us to identify these in this way. Start with the combination of church and state, or Paganism that was in existence in John’s day, and by which he was being persecuted,—Pagan Rome. Pagan Rome overcame the Grecian pagan system. The Grecian pagan system overcame the Medo—Persian paganism. And so we go back through history, Medo—Persia, Babylon,—we are familiar with that prophecy, but that was the second kingdom of Babylon, and before Babylon we have Egypt, and before Egypt we have Assyria.

Friends, that takes them all, all the way through, of the combinations of church and state that oppose the people of God.

The Assyrians destroyed the ten tribes. Babylon persecuted the Jewish division of God’s people. The Medes and Persians did the same thing in the book of Daniel, and the Greeks did the same thing in the book of Macabees. Rome persecuted the child Jesus and the young church in the first centuries. That gives us six. One is yet to come, and when it comes it will endure until the Second Coming of Jesus. We are familiar with that one too. That is the Roman Catholic Church. It is pagan, I’m sorry to say it but its true.

Paganism is the worship of the dead,—deified individuals, and the Church of Rome’s system is built on the deification of the saints,—the adoration of the saints, and the worship of Mary instead of going directly to Jesus Christ and The Father. They worship the images just the same as the pagan’s did. “Oh” they say, this is just the symbol,” —that’s true, but there we have them friends. And the Roman Catholic Church will endure in this world in power until we come to the close of time, and she is to be given back her combination of being head of church and head of state. For you are no doubt familiar with the prophecy of revelation 13,—“his deadly wound was healed.”

Don’t you see friends, that the moment that God had a church organised for Himself,—as soon as He called the sons of Abraham and Jacob, and Jacob began to multiply, that Satan had a combination of church and state to oppose him,—old Egypt, then Assyria, then Babylon, then Medo—Persia, then Greece, then Rome, and at last Pagan Rome. A combination of church and state in every age.

So now we have identified the combinations of church and state, but we have not identified the woman or the harlot which rules over all of these seven kingdoms.

That will be our study next time.

[ Sermon 9 of 12 ]

The Closing Scenes of Earth’s History (10)

REVELATION 17 & 18 (Part 2)

In our last study we developed the thought from Revelation 17 of the seven heads and one woman into the truth of their being one system of religion running through all seven combinations of church and state; these being the 7 nations of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia,  Greece, pagan Rome and papal Rome. There is only one system of religion that Satan has had through all the ages past. God too has only one system, and Satan has always used the doctrines of his church to oppose the doctrines of Christ and to try to bring His work on earth to nought.

The system of satan is called, in this chapter, Babylon, and it begins as we know it today with the tower of Babel just after the flood. Here began that system of idolatry worship which is the worship of the dead, or the system which runs all through Paganism.

I would like to call your attention to a book which I wish you could all have. It is called “The Two Babylon’s” —by Hislopp. In it you will find this one system of religion traced through history in all the successive forms I have spoken of.

Let us now consider the beast that carries the woman. In Revelation 17: 6-8 (especially v. 8) we have these words…..

“I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.”

Note, it is the mystery of the beast, and the woman that he is going to show us. Here now is the mystery, “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not, and yet is about to come up out of the abyss and go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, (here’s the mystery) when they behold the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall come.”

Surely that’s a cryptic message my friends,—“he was,” he “is not, and shall come.”

When Satan started his campaign of evil in the beginning, he appeared before Eve as a serpent. Not the snake, but the most beautiful and wise creature that god had ever made. He transformed himself into that form of creature that Eve might not know who he was, and he began talking to her as she stood before the tree of knowledge of good and evil. She was not looking upon the bird called the serpent then, but she was looking upon Satan transformed into the form of that bird.

So you see my friends, he was there in person—“he was.” Now, he “is not,”  is the next expression. Satan does not now appear in person, but he uses individuals, and organisations, and nations. Yes, the seven combinations of church and state.

So today, he “is not” in existence in this earth as he was to Eve, but it says that he “shall come,”

In Great Controversy, p. 624 we read this…..

“As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, satan himself will personate Christ.”

What does “personate” mean? It means to imitate doesn’t it? He himself will be present in the end of time as he was in the beginning of time, but this time he represents himself as Christ. He appeared to eve in the most beautiful living form that could appeal to her eyes and her ears, the form of a serpent. he comes back to this earth in the end of time in the greatest possible form to deceive the people of the earth—the form of Christ.

There’s another expression in verse 8 that i want to bring to your notice…..

—he “shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition.”

This same expression is used in Revelation 20 thus, “I saw an angel come down from Heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. and he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil and satan, and bound him a thousand years.”

This is declared plainly to be satan, but in the other text (in Rev. 17) he is called the beast that carried the woman. here he is identified.

Does satan come out of that 1000 year bottomless pit? Oh yes! Verse 7 says, “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison.”

And where does he go?—verse 10, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are…”

This is the second death; this is perdition friends. And so we are certain that this beast is Satan.

In Revelation 13: 2 we find a positive statement indicating that it is  Satan that is behind these combinations of church and state. Verse 2 says, “And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” This is speaking of the 7th head. Who is behind him? Where does he get his power? Where does he get his throne? Where does he get his authority? —Satan! Yes, he runs through all of these seven combinations.

we will drop him for a moment now, and I want to come to the woman. First of all, it says she is a harlot, committing fornication with the kings of the earth. In any combination of church and state it is not a matter of the state controlling the church, but rather that the church controls the state, and gain her power from the state to enforce her doctrines and her religion.

In Revelation 17: 5 we have this woman, the great harlot, named…. “And upon her forehead was a name written written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

Here seemingly friends, is a three-fold name. “Mystery”—or Spiritualism,—that’s the great mystery. “Babylon” the mother, and her daughters—harlots like herself. Let us identify them this way: Mystery; Babylon the mother; and harlots of abominations of the earth—three parts.

Mystery is undoubtedly referring to Paganism here, or its spiritualistic rites. Babylon,—the mother church. Did you ever hear that expression? —The mother church? that refers to the Roman Catholic church, and the harlots, or her daughters, are those that come out of her—like herself.

In Revelation 17: 18 it says, “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”

with this three-fold division of her name, she has ruled over every king of the earth that has ever been in existence since the beginning of time down to the present.

I want you to see that the Bible supports the idea that this woman is divided into three parts, or that she has three divisions to her great religious system. Revelation 16: 19 says, “And the great city was divided into three parts…”

Notice, great Babylon the city was divided into three parts.

Now let’s come to the second division of this great power.

first, I will refer to those daughters for a moment. A woman is never born a harlot. She becomes so by her own act. The Protestant churches that came out of the Roman Catholic system during the time of the Reformation established other churches—other 'women', if you please. They came out of her, but they didn’t come out from her doctrines. They brought them along with them. All evangelistic churches who came direct from Rome, came forth with many of the doctrines of that church. For instance, Sunday observance for the Sabbath; immortality of the soul; some of them with Infant Baptism.—and others.

You see friends, they went back on the great war-cry of the Reformation,—The Bible, and The Bible alone, as the rule of faith. They left the tradition of Rome, which established so many of her doctrines, and came forth with these principles.

The second combination of this woman is given to us in Revelation 16: 13,—“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world. . .” Here it is again,—the dragon; the beast; and the false prophet.

You will be familiar with that passage that I called your attention to in the last study, found in Great Controversy, p. 438, “Thus while the dragon primarily represents Satan, it is, in a secondary sense a symbol of pagan Rome.”  Alright then, let’s use it in its secondary sense here…..

“I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of (Paganism), out of the mouth of (the Roman Catholic church), and out of the mouth of the “false prophet.” (Rev. 16: 3)

What then is the “false prophet?” I read in Revelation 13: 14…..

“… and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by… those miracles that he had power to do in the sight of the beast…”

I want you to notice that expression, “…miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast.”  The last half of Rev. 13 is as you know a prophecy of the development and apostasy of Protestantism  in the United States. Protestantism is going to perform these miracles under Spiritualism, “…in the sight of the beast.”

In Rev. 20 we find this expression, “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him…” — Same expression friends!  In Rev. 13, Protestantism works miracles before the beast. In Rev. 19 it is the false prophet that woks miracles before the beast. I ask you then—what is the false prophet? Stating it plainly, it is apostate Protestantism. So here is the second combination of three—Paganism, Roman Catholicism, and apostate Protestantism.

Let us now turn to the third combination given to us in Great Controversy p. 588, which reads, “The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of Spiritualism. They will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power, and under the influence of this three-fold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience.”

There you have it again, given to the servant of The Lord as Spiritualism, apostate Protestantism, and Roman Catholicism. It says plainly in Rev. 16: 14 that these “…go forth to the kings of the earth, and of the whole world…” One grand harmony of all the heathen religions in all the earth, with the Roman Catholics and the apostate Protestants—one grand complete whole. This is the woman!  Do you see it? Alright, let us now turn to the beast that carries her again. Rev. 17: 11,

“And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth , and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.”

Note friends, “the beast that was, and is not,…”—That’s Satan! We have already proved that, “even he is the eighth.”

There is to be then, in this world, before the end of time, a combination of church and state that is headed by Satan himself. I want you to notice the truth of this from this very verse, for it says, “he is of the seven.” He is not the seventh, but of the seven. Now I ask you plainly; What power is it that could be in existence in Egypt’s day, in Assyria’s, Babylon’s, Persia’s, Greece’s, pagan Rome’s, and the papacy—all through that 4,000 years of prophecy? Well, it couldn’t be Jesus Christ fighting against His own Kingdom. So there’s only one conclusion we can come to, its Satan who gives his power and seat, and great authority to all these different kingdoms.

In the Great Controversy, p. 624 again we read this, “In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation (Rev. 1:13-15), “…his voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which The Saviour uttered. He heals the diseases of the people… the shout of triumph rings out upon the air, “Christ has come! Christ has come!” ” Then the servant of The Lord makes this statement, “This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying, this is “the great power of God.” (Acts 8: 10)”

And so friends, he is coming back, and the whole world is going to be deceived by him. The world is going to unite in its three-fold great system of religion to give him the power to do this very thing.

In Rev. 17: 2 we have this expression, “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet (in John’s day these ten horns had not yet arisen), but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” Not that they are in existence for only an hour. What for? United? Yes!—verse 13, “These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb…” So that’s the purpose! What has been the purpose of the seven combinations of Church and State in the past?—To oppose the work of God and to persecute His saints. What is going to be the purpose of this eighth one, when Satan comes personating Christ? To “make war with the Lamb, (but) the Lamb shall overcome them, for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

God’s faithful people are obeying Him and not falling down and worshipping this great system that will come personating Christ. Therefore it will try to crush them, but The Lamb shall overcome them.

Friends, when does The Lamb, or Christ, overcome and overthrow the enemies of the church in this last day? As we have already studied, it happens when the death-decree goes into effect, and at that very moment Christ delivers His people.—That takes place when the sixth plague ends.

Let us now come to this “one hour” for a short study. One hour is one twenty-fourth part of a day, and a day in prophecy is a literal year, or 360 days. So a twenty-fourth part of a prophetic year (360 days), would be about fifteen literal days, and these powers give their authority to the beast for that time.

These ten horns, backed up by the three-fold religion of the world with every man, woman and child who has not been sealed with the Seal of God, give their power for one hour, or 15 days, to this beast.

[A FUTURE WORLD UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE ]

Revelation 18: 7, 8 tells us plainly that Babylon’s plagues are going to come in one day…..

“How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her; for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore her plagues shall come in one day,—death and mourning and famine…”

So friends, she is a queen now; she rules over all the kings of the earth. The three-fold religion of Paganism, apostate Protestantism, and Roman Catholicism embraces the entire world and they give their power and authority unto this beast for one hour.

In Revelation 16, we are told plainly that they are united under the sixth plague. Beginning at verse 12 it says that this is the sixth plague, and it is poured out on the great river Euphrates, and these three unclean spirits go forth unto the kings of the great day of God. This is the unit friends. Please notice that they are not inited until they come to the sixth plague, and when we come to the seventh plague in verse 17, we read this, “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of Heaven, from the throne saying, ‘It is  done.”

I have taken that up with you and shown you from the Great Controversy (p. 636), that the expression, “It is done” occurs at the end of the sixth plague when God delivers His people.

The next verse says this, “And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great (verse 19, [Rev. 16] ). And the great city was divided into three parts…”

Do you notice that? At the beginning of the sixth plague she is united, and says, “I sit a queen.” Religion has become supreme, and the nations are united under these three great forms under the head of Satan. In verse 19, at the beginning of the seventh plague they are divided, or split up again, “And great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.”

This is the judgement of the harlot. A very short period for her complete pinnacle experience of ruling over all the kings of the earth and being supreme. That is where our 15 day period comes from.

Let us now go to Revelation 18. I want to show you that this chapter brings to us this “one hour” in three different expressions. In Rev. 18: 8 it says that her plagues shall “come in one day, death and mourning and famine, and she shall be utterly burned with fire, for strong is The Lord God who judges her.”

Then in verses 9 and 10 it says, “And the kings of the earth… standing afar off for fear of her torment, saying, (now notice please) Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city, for in one hour is thy judgement come.”

Notice! She says she sits a queen, but one hour later her judgment is upon her and they bewail her. Fifteen days of supreme rule, of mighty adoration, and then comes her fall.

Again we go down to verses 16 and 17. here the merchants of the earth that were made rich by her merchandise stand afar off saying, “Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour is so great riches come to nought.”

May I ask, when will it be that the riches of this world will be counted as nought? we are told in Isaiah 2, that there is a time coming when they will cast their gold and silver “to the moles and the bats; to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks…”

When God delivers His people from the death-decree, the entire world is convinced that the SDA truth which they have rejected is the truth of the Living God, and that they have sealed away their day of destiny.

Beloved, when the time comes that the heavenly riches which they have lost are so supreme, the riches of earth will be counted as nothing. That’s when that text applies—“in one hour is so great riches come to nought.”

Again in verses 18 and 19 we read, “and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What great city is like unto this great city. And they did cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness. (note again) For in one hour is she made desolate.”

And that expression comes to us in Revelation 17: 16…..

“And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the Beast, these shall hate the Whore, and shall make her desolate, (same expression) and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.”

Friends, I have explained that terrible time in another study, when they will turn upon the church and rend it to pieces saying, “It was you who caused me to turn down this message, and said it was not the truth. Now I have lost my soul.” They turn upon her with vengeance, and “eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.”

The next verse says, “For God hath  put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.”

Friends, that one hour extends from the 6th plague to the start of the seventh, and during the seventh plague Jesus Christ is seen in the clouds of heaven.

Oh how merciful and kind God is to this people, to give to us such a detailed account of the victory that is going to be ours at the end. But beloved, remember that we are going to go through severe trial when this combination headed by Satan forces down upon us the awful, awful fact that we are to blame for all the trials, and all the afflictions, and all the sorrows and griefs of the world. Is our faith going to be able to stand?

May God help us now that we may gain that experience that “he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

I thank God for the message of this wonderful, wonderful truth. But friends, we must gain a faith that will hold firm and true unto the end.

May God bless you. Amen!

[ Sermon 10 of 12 ]

THE CLOSING SCENES OF EARTH'S HISTORY [ 11 ]

 THE SECOND ANGEL'S MESSAGE

We now study the Second Angel's message, which began shortly after 1844, and reaches its climax after the plagues begin.

In order to give its proper sctting among the three messages, to give all three of the Three Angels' messages as found in Revelation 14:6-9.

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of  heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to prcach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give gl0ry to Him; for the hour of His Judgment is come."

Beloved, when can we say that the hour of God's judgment began?  Not until 1844 when Jesus as our High Priest went into the second appartment of the Sanctuary in Heaven to open the judgment of this world. When will it close? When will the Judgment be completed? Not until that time which is familiar to all Seventh-day Adventists, -- the close of probation.

Then all three of the Three Angels' messages must evidently fall between the period of 1844 and the Coming of Jesus.

In verse 8 the second angel's message is stated thus, "And there followed another angel . . ." I want you to notice then that after 1844 this message was to go to the world. All three of these messages are to be sounded simultaneously when they reach their climax.

Now, continuing our text, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen,  that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." When does she fall? She falls when all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."

In this day in which we are living the full fornication, or adultery of the woman (Church) has not yet taken place.  I explained that in another study.

That spiritual fornication is a union of Church and State when the Church leaves her Husband, -- Jesus Christ, and and turns to the kings of the earth. When she has done that, and enforces the wine of her doctrine (and particularly the Sabbath - Sunday issue), she then comes to her complete fall.

But brethren, I that has not been done yet, therefore Babylon is not yet fallen in the full sense that this message indicates she will.

Going back to verses 7 & 9 a bit, I want you to notice the expression that is used in comparison to the expression in verse 8 to how these messages are to be given.

Verse 7 says, "Saying with a loud voice..."  Verse 9, "And the third angel followed then, saying with a  loud voice.." But you have no such expression in verse 8, where we merely have the statement, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen."

Now, there are three falls of Babylon, and I want to go into those, a bit. There is a spiritual fall, a moral fall, and a physical fall.

Babylon fell spiritually in 1844 when the message of  the Judgment hour was rejected. They have rejected it completely, and have never accepted it from that day to this.

The moral fall took place from 1844, and is going on in our day, when not only do they reject all the messages and all of present truth which God has for the world today, but they rise up against it. This is what constitutes a moral fall.

More than that, this moral fall is reflected in the churches themselves,--the lowering of the standards  of church fellowship and the lowering of the standards in allowing worldly pleasures etc. to come into the church, such as dancing, card parties, theatre going, cocktail parties that are even permitted in the homes of the people without altering in any way their membership in the church.

This moral tone, in which we can hardly distinguish the individual in the church from the one out of it, is evidence of a moral fall.

The physical fall is when Babylon disappears in this world's history as an organization, and as a force of religious influence in the minds of the people.

The Second Angel's message is to be repeated, and that repeating of it is found in Revelation 18:1-3, "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen . . ."

This time my friends, it comes up to a par with the first and third angel's messages, and is proclaimed with a mighty, mighty voice.

I want to call your attention to the fact found here as to the reason of her fall. Notice verses 2 & 3, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her..."

You see, the full union of Church and State is made at this time, which causes Babylon's fall to be proclaimed with a loud voice, "The kings of the earth HAVE committed fornication with her . . ."

In other words, the Sunday laws have been enforced. [ by the civil power of the State ]

I want to call your attention to Early Writings page 277. "I saw angels hurrying to and fro in Heaven, descending to the earth, and again ascending to heaven, preparing for the fulfilment of some important event. Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message."

Then the statement that follows is a quotation of Revelation 18: 1 which says, "Babylon is fallen."

Going further down the paragraph we read this, "The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel's message as it swells to a "loud cry."

What does this expression "Loud Cry" mean to us? Well, its the Latter Rain, the "Times of refreshing" that "come from the presence of The Lord."

So I want you to notice that this proclamation in Revelation 18, of the fall of Babylon, or that Babylon reaches her complete fall as far as morals are concerned, is when the latter rain is poured out on the earth.

Now may I ask you this? When the Sunday laws become universal, when the churches unite with the state in every nation on earth to force the people of God to break the law of God, and to keep the false Sabbath; is that a moral issue?

When people know what they ought to do, and refuse to do it, that certainly is a moral issue. Revelation 18: 2 tells us what happens to Babylon when this happens, "Babylon...is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird."

Brethren, that's terrible language, but its true! When men rise up against the Spirit of God in the time of the Latter Rain, when it is poured out in its power on these three angels messages, and refuse them, and not only refuse them but fight them, what is left in the churches?

My friends, when the Spirit of God is withdrawn from human hearts, devils take posession and there is nothing left in the churches except those whom Satan has in complete control.

When that time comes, action is going to follow, and follow quickly.

In the Great Controversy pp. 603-604, I want to call your attention to this thought. "With every rejection of truth the minds of the people will become darker, their hearts more stubborn, until they are entrenched in an infidel hardihood. In defiance of the warnings that God has given, they will continue to trample upon one of the precepts of the decalogue, until they are led to persecute those who hold it sacred.

Christ is set at nought in the contempt placed upon His Word and His people. As the teachings of Spiritualism [ or Spiritism ] are accepted by the churches, the restraint imposed upon the carnal heart is removed, and the profession of religion will become a cloak to conceal the basest iniqity."

That is the situation that is going to follow. On page 604 again, I want to call your attention to this thought...

"Fearful is the issue to which the world is to be brought. The powers of earth, uniting to war against the commandments of God, will decree that all, "both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, shall conform to the customs of the church by the observance of the false Sabbath."

On page 606 we read further, "The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority; the inroads of spiritualism; the stealthy but rapid progress of the Papal power.--all will be unmasked."

Why, surely friends, when they rise up in persecution against the Sabbath and they denounce it as an error of Satan, what is left? The people of God must come to the front, and they will proclaim it with a mighty power.

Now, on page 607, when this second angels message is given, this is going to be the result...

"In amazement they (the people) hear the testimony that Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and sins; because of her rejection of the truth sent to her from Heaven."

The honest in heart you notice are going to be amazed. What will they do? Verse 4 says that they are going to come out, for that is the call, "come out of her My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

Now, they are going to come out. I would like to ask this question to those of you who were members of other churches and have already come out. When you received these messages, what did the ministry do when you went to them? You did go to them and ask if these things were so. They told you they were not so, and that it was not necessary, and that it was fanaticism did they not?

That is exactly what the Great Controversy on page 607 says, "As the people go to their former teachers with the eager enquiry, 'are these things so?' The ministers present fables; prophesy smooth things to sooth their fears, and quiet the awakened conscience. But since many refuse to be satisfied with the mere authority of men, and demand a plain "thus saith The Lord" the popular ministry, like the Pharisees of old, filled with anger as their authority is questioned, will denounce the message as of Satan, and stir up the sin-loving multitudes to revile and persecute those who proclaim it."

Yes brethren, that is the result of the proclamation of the fall of Babylon with a 'loud cry.' On page 612 of Great Controversy we are told what the result of this is going to be. "Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from Heaven. By thousands of voices all over the earth the warning will be given...The message will be carried not so much by argument but by the deep conviction of The Spirit of God. The arguments have been presented. The seed has been sown, and now it will spring up and bear fruit.

The publications distributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence, yet many whose minds were impressed have been prevented from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding obedience.

Now the rays of light penetrate everywhere; the truth is seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God sever the bands which have held them.

Family connections, church relations, are powerless to hold them now. Truth is more precious than all besides. Not withstanding the agencies combined against the truth, a large number take their stand on the Lord's side."

Brethren, this work is going to be done by humble means. You, dear friends are going to be the ones to do this. There is not ministers enough; the Spirit of God must come upon the laity. God has said He will take them from the plough, from the shop, women from their homes who have rid themselves of every sin. Conformity of life to God in every principle and every desire. These will give the warning, impelled by the Spirit of God.

Beloved, you know the truth, you are the ones that God is going to use in this great spiritual awakening of the world. Do you know the truth well enough to explain it in its details to those who may ask you, or to whom you may be sent? If not,--study, and study now until you can give an honest reply to every heart that comes to you for it.

They will be like the thief on the cross,--these that come in at this last hour. Not rooted and grounded in the truth as you are; not able to proclaim it as you can, but they can accept it.

Remember, the thief never preached a sermon. He did only one act of missionary  work, and that was when he tried to save his fellow thief. But he was saved, -- gloriously saved at the twelfth hour. Just so, will those be who come in at this time under the last call to 'come out.' They will be saved at the last hour. This is the work that God has called us to engage in.

Oh, brethren, this is a wonderful hour, a wonderful age in which we are living. What a wonderful opportunity is given to us, and what a terrible responsibility. Great will be our condmnation if we do not embrace the oportunity that God gives us.

Now let us come to the last fall of Babylon, as it is given to us in Rev. 14; 7.

At the time of her moral fall, the second fall, during the hours when The Holy Spirit is being poured out on the earth, her moral fall is completed.

The third (physical) fall comes when God delivers His people from the death-decree at the end of the sixth plague. In considering this physical fall we must review some things that we have studied in the past.

Calling your attention to Revelation 17: 16 I read, "And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast; these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire" in their indignation.

God has not ordained that punishment should come to any system of religion in the world my friends, but when Babylon and those constituting her have gone to the point where they have rejected every truth that God gives to them, and The Holy Spirit has withdrawn at last, finally, there is only one thing, - when The Spirit of God is withdrawn, the spirit of Satan takes control. When Jesus comes the second time there will be only two classes,-no middle one, either those who have rejected the message of God, or those who have accepted it.

In Great Controversy, pp. 635-636 to which I have previously called your attention, let us note again...

"As the time appointed in the decree draws near, the people will conspire to root out the hated sect. It will be determined to strike in one night a decisive blow, which shall utterly silence the voice of dissent and reproof."  "In one night" that is from midnight (that is when any decree would go into effect) till morning, -- till daylight, will be enough to silence the voice of dissent and reproof.

God does not deliver His people until the wicked are rushing upon their prey, as we read in this passage...

With shouts of triumph, jeering and imprecation, throngs of evil men are about to rush upon their prey, when lo, a dense blackness, deeper than the darkness of the night falls upon the earth. Then a rainbow, shining with the glory from the Throne of God spans the heavens, and seems to encircle each praying company. The angry multitudes are suddenly arrested....It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the deliverence of His people" from the death-decree; that is when it goes into effect. "The sun appears, shining in its strength"-at midnight! The earth is turned upside down you see. The laws of gravity are turned out of their courses, "The streams cease to flow. Dark, heavy clouds come up and clash against each otherIn the mid  st of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying, 'it is done' (Rev. 16: 17). This is the expression when God delivers His people, as it says.

When the wicked realise at last that they have been deceived, by God's people being delivered from their power, and glorified with the glory that Moses had when he came down from the mountain.

When they see all this and realise, conscience  is awakened at last to the terrible delusions that have taken place in their lives through their system of religion, and this great religio-political combine that has taken place in these last days, that is when Rev. 17: 16 applies, when they "shall hate the whore and make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire."

This desolation comes suddenly. I have already shown you that Babylon reigns in this three-fold combination for just fifteen days.

In Revelation 18: 10, 17, 19 we find this in reviewing...

"...in one hour is thy judgement come...in one hour is so great riches come to nought...in one hour is she made desolate."

Oh yes, brethren, when the wicked are finally aroused to realise that that which now seems so wonderful and so great, and so precious,-eternal life, is taken from them for ever, when they had been promised that it would be given to them, if only they would join this great combination and exalt the false Sabbath instead of the true. And now, when eternity is forever from their grasp, what hatred overtakes the systems of religion.

Revelation 16: 19 says that Babylon falls apart, and she comes up in "remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath."

In Rev. 18: 21, we have this final, physical fall of Babylon described...

"And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all."

You notice that expression? She goes down with violence. "In the cup which she has filled (to you) fill to her double." Rev.

The death-decree is what she gave against God's people, and now the death-decree is given against her by her own subjects. "And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee ..." That wonderful music in the great cathedrals of the world is gone and gone forever. ". . . and no craftsman of whatever craft shall be found any more in thee, and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee. And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee, and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee, for thy merchants were the great men of the earth, for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived."

Verse 24 says, "And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." Just as the Jewish nation was guilty of the blood of all the prophets because they crucified Jesus, so our nation will be guilty of the blood of all the saints because they have rejected God's last message.

May we be filled with God's peace and His Holy Spirit may we be ready to meet Him when He appears in power and great glory. For Jesus sake, AMEN!

  [ Sermon 11 of 12 ]

The Closing Scenes of Earth’s History [ 12 ]

Final Scenes & Second Coming of Jesus

In our previous studies I have taken you by three different lines to the end of the sixth plague when God delivers His people from the Death-decree.

We will now study those events which transpire after the deliverance of the saints, during the seventh plague, until we come to the Second Coming of Christ, and finally to our glorious eternal inheritance.

Prophecies of triumph and glory!

As I have already shown you, after the deliverance of God’s people at the end of the sixth plague, there is a special resurrection some days prior to the general one at the Second Advent. We find this in Daniel 12: 2 thus…..

“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Not all of the righteous in this resurrection; not all of the wicked, but notice, some of both classes. There are 2 general resurrections in the Bible; one which takes place at the Second Advent of Jesus in which all of the righteous arise, and one at the end of the Millennium when all of the wicked are raised. But this one in Daniel is a special resurrection which takes place when God delivers His people.

In Great Controversy p. 637 we have it given us as follows, “The graves are opened, and many of then that sleep in the dust of the earth awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. All who have died in the faith of the third angel’s message come forth from the tomb glorified to hear God’s Covenant of peace with those that have kept His law. They also which pierced Him; those that mocked Christ’s dying agonies; the most violent opposers of His truth and His people are raised to behold Him in glory, and see the honour placed upon the loyal and the obedient.”

Notice that these in the special resurrection come up glorified after God has delivered His people from the death-decree. It is all over; they are glorified before the world, and thus they remain. I ask, just what is meant by glorification? In Testimonies vol. 3, p. 355 we read these words…..

“So will it be when the saints of God are glorified just previous to the second appearing of our Lord. The wicked will retire and shrink away from the sight; for the glory in the countenances of the saints will pain them.”

Just the same as when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, and he had to put a veil over his face before the people could look upon him. You find similar statements to this in Great Controversy, p. 640, and Early writings, p. 268, if you care to look them up.

It is at this time when the prophecy of Malachi 3: 18 is fulfilled…..

“Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.”

When God’s people are glorified; when their faces shine with the glory from Heaven so bright that the wicked cannot endure the sight. Every man, woman, and child in this world will know that these are the people of God; that the ones they were ready to put to death just a few moments before are indeed the servants of the Most High.

At this time when God delivers His people from the death-decree and glorifies His saints, God also gives to us the day and hour of Jesus’ Coming. This is recorded in Great Controversy, p. 640…..

“The voice of God is heard from Heaven, declaring the day and hour of Jesus’ Coming, and delivering the everlasting covenant to his people.”  How long it will be from the time that God delivers His people to the hour of the actual coming of Jesus I do not know. So far as I have been able to ascertain, neither The Bible nor the Spirit of Prophecy give us any revelation of this period. However short that period may be, there are prophecies fulfilled, some of which I have given to you, and some I have not.

Let us review one of these prophecies which I have mentioned. When God glorifies His people, the wicked realise at once what they have been guilty of, and there is a great spiritual awakening of the wicked as they realise that the truth of the third angels’ message which they have fought against, condemning the people of God to death, has been their undoing. We have this prophecy in the book of Amos, —Amos 8: 11

“Behold the days come, saith The Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of The lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of The Lord, and shall not find it.”

It is when they realise that they have rejected the truth given to them by the people of God. When the saints are glorified, they know then that the truth they have rejected was indeed the truth of the Living God. Then, oh how precious it seems to them. What then would they not give for another opportunity, and so, God says there is going to be a terrible thirst.

For twelve years I did nothing but evangelism. During that time there were thousands of people who heard the message and believed it. They said they believed it, but could not give up their position or other things that held them back, and so they turned it down.

Perhaps that is the only time they heard it. They do not understand the great organisation to which have perfected, and so far as truth is concerned, the only way they know it is by my voice. So when this time comes and the spiritual awakening of the wicked takes place they will cry out, ‘where is that man that taught me this truth in the east? Oh, he has gone to the west. He is in southern California.’

And so to California from coast to coast they go. ’No, he is not in southern California, he has gone north.’ But they go north and still do not find him. Why? Oh friends, let us refer back to a previous study.

The Sunday Law is the signal for God’s people to leave the cities for the small places and the country, preparatory for the mountains, and this comes just before probation closes. ‘Too late.’ The saints of God are either in the mountains or in prison. There is no place where they can be found.

In Early  Writings, p. 281 we read this…..

“The last tear for sinners had been shed, the last agonising prayer offered, the last burden borne, the last warning given. The sweet voice of mercy was no more to invite them. When the saints and all Heaven were interested for their salvation, they had no interest for themselves. Life and death had been set before them. Many desired life, but made no effort to obtain it. They did not choose life, and now there was no atoning blood to cleanse the guilty, no compassionate Saviour to plead for them, and cry, ‘Spare, spare the sinner a little longer.’ ”

No brethren! ‘Too late, too late!’ But how precious the truth is at that time. Then, we are told in Early Writings, p. 282 that they turn upon each other and say, “ ‘It was you who kept me from receiving the truth which would have saved me from this awful hour.’  The people turned upon their ministers with bitter hate and reproached them saying, ‘You have not warned us of this hour. You told us that all the world was to be converted, and cried Peace, peace, to quiet every fear that was aroused.’ ”

Yes friends, its an awful agony that comes to the world at that time. In Zech. 14: 13, also Ezek. 38: 21, 22, and Jer. 25: 31 and onward, we are told in these texts that every man’s hand in that day will rise up against his brother…..

“The slain of The Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.”

When the great spiritual awakening comes, there is no mercy, no pity, no love in the heart of any, nothing but anger, nothing but violence, nothing but death. Again in Early writings, p. 281 we read…..

“Some were denouncing God and cursing Him. Others rushed to the people of God and begged to be taught how they might escape His judgments. But the saints had nothing for them. The last tear for sinners had been shed…”

Would not the saints be willing in this desperate hour to give them the message? Have their hearts become so hardened that they would be unwilling and turn away in disdain from those who are thirsting and hungering unto death?

No friends, the people of God would be willing. Their own hearts are wrung with anguish for them. Perhaps they would try to teach the truth to them again, but its too late! They cannot understand it! No man can know the things of God, except The Spirit of God has been given to teach and instruct him. The Word of God cannot be understood without the interpretation of The Spirit.

The saints would tell it, but they cannot comprehend it; they cannot understand it, try to the best of their ability. It is a blank book to them.

Oh my friends, what a terrible thirst, and what a terrible agony is coming upon them in that day.

In Isaiah 60: 14, we read this…..

“The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The City of  The Lord, The Zion of the Holy one of Israel.”

Oh yes, you have the truth—tell us wont you? But they cannot; they cannot understand it. ‘Too late, too late.’ They sold the desire for truth for the desire of wealth, or position, or influence. And now, oh how precious is the fine gold of truth; how despised are the things of earth.

Yes friends, that was illustrated in the second World War when the Japanese forces crowded down through the Malay States and came down to Singapore. The western peoples rushed to the pier to catch the last boat, just before the Japanese came into the city. They left their cars by the wharves with the keys in them and said to the natives, ‘anybody who wants this car, take it away, for I have no use for it any longer.’

That time is coming again, when men will “cast their gold and their silver to the moles and the bats…” But oh how precious will be the gold and silver of the precious truth.

We now come to The Second Coming of Christ, a doctrine so familiar to Seventh-day Adventists. There are 5 things that transpire at the coming of Jesus…..

1. The Resurrection of the just.

2. The translation of the living that have endured the plagues, and those raised in the special resurrection.

3. The destruction of the wicked.

4. The desolation of the earth, and

5. The binding of Satan for 1000 years.

You are perfectly familiar with those two cardinal texts of 1 Thess. 4: 16 and onwards, and1 Cor. 15: 51 and onward where The Lord speaks of that first resurrection when the saints shall come forth from their graves immortalised.

You are also familiar with 1 Thess. 4: 17 which says that “we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet The Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with The Lord.”

The translating and uniting of friend with friend, of saint with saint, and the transportation into the clouds with Jesus, going home to The New Jerusalem. But before He takes us away, His glory so strikes down the wicked that they die under the agony of that terrible glory.

You are familiar with 2Thess. 2: 8 where it says to us plainly that the wicked shall be slain by the brightness of Christ’s coming, and Rev. 6: 4-17 which tells us how they will call for the rocks and mountains to fall on them in that day.

And then in Isaiah 24: 1-6, and Jer. 4: 23-27 we have a description of this old earth after the second coming of Christ, torn up by a terrible earthquake until the mountains and islands were moved out of their places. The cities are broken down, the fruitful places become a wilderness. Satan is left in this desolate, uninhabited earth for 1000 years. this is known as the bottomless pit; the great abyss; the desolated waste.

He is there for one thousand years with nothing to do but to ponder his past life of 6000 years of temptation and destruction. But The Bible tells us in Rev. 20 that he is going to be loosed out of his prison for a season. When this time comes, it will be the Third Coming of Jesus.

When Christ came the first time, He came in flesh and blood to accomplish our Salvation.

He comes back the second time to complete that Salvation in taking us away from this world into the Kingdom of Glory.

He comes back the third time, with the saints, to establish on this planet the Kingdom of Glory for ever to the family of Adam.

In Zechariah 14: 4, 5 we have this brought to us, “And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley… and The Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee.”

So you see, my friends, Christ returns with the saints to this earth. The Mount of Olives, from where He left the earth, receives Him once more, and Jerusalem of today becomes the site of the Jerusalem of the hereafter, the great, beautiful New Jerusalem. And so, when Jesus comes back this time, and He descends from Heaven, Great Controversy tells us on page 662 just exactly what this second resurrection is going to be like…..

“At the close of the thousand years, Christ again returns to the earth. He is accompanied by the host of the redeemed, and attended by a retinue of angels. As He descends in terrific majesty, He bids the wicked dead arise to receive their doom. They come forth a mighty host, numberless as the sands of the sea. What a contrast to those who were raised at the first resurrection. The righteous were clothed with immortal youth and beauty. The wicked bear the traces of disease and death.”

Oh my friends, what a difference indeed. What suffering that this old world has had during its 6000 years. Think of the cancer and other diseases that have brought so much pain. They arise with these diseases upon them, but worst of all, they arise with the same attitude towards the saints of God, and towards Jesus and His truth with which they entered the grave. We read on the same page…..

“As the wicked went into their graves, so they come forth with the same enmity to Christ and the same spirit of rebellion. They are to have no new probation in which to remedy the effects of their past lives. Nothing would be gained by this. A lifetime of transgression has not softened their hearts. A second probation, were it given them, would be occupied as was the first in evading the requirements of God and exciting rebellion against Him.”

No my friends, they take up exactly where the end of the sixth plague left them when God delivered His people from the death-decree—still eager to put the people of God to death. In Revelation 20: 7-9 we are told that they go forth upon the face of the earth to carry out the same purpose, to exterminate the saints and to take the City of God. Satan has, in that vast throng, “kings and generals who conquered nations, valiant men who never lost a battle. Proud, ambitious warriors, whose approach made kingdoms tremble.” (GC 666-667)

But my friends, that army with all the outlay of the past ages can never take the City of God as they surround it. Jesus mounts above the walls into the air, and there before the vast multitude He becomes visible holding in His hands The Ten Commandments. Then there begins that wonderful panoramic view that is described for us in GC 666-667, where every man is convicted of the sin he has been guilty of. When the eye of God looks upon him he is convinced of every sin, of every place where his feet digressed from the path of rectitude, and he began to fight the truth of God.

Isaiah 45: 23 tells us that God has taken a pledge, a vow….. “I have sworn by Myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return, that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

God cannot destroy sin my friends, as long as there is a single voice in all the universe to defend it…..

“What do you imagine against The Lord? He will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.” {Nahum 1: 9}

In that great panoramic view my friends, every wicked man realises that he has thrown away his day of opportunity. He realises that he is not prepared to stand before God, and that eternity would not appeal to him. He has educated his desires contrary to the desires of God.

And then we have “The whole wicked world arraigned at the bar of God on the charge of treason against the government of God. They have none to plead their cause; they are without excuse; and the sentence of death is pronounced against them.” They look upon the beautiful City of God and the peace and happiness of those within it and exclaim, “ ‘All this… I might have had but I chose to put these things far from me. O strange infatuation! I have exchanged peace, happiness, and honour for wretchedness, infamy, and despair.’ All see that their exclusion from Heaven is just. by their lives they have declared: ‘We will not have this Man [Jesus] to reign over us.’ ” (Pg. 668)

But as they see the saints of God within the City bow before Jesus and exclaim mightily, “Great and marvellous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints.” (Revelation 15: 3); and, falling prostrate, they worship the Prince of life.” — too late for Salvation.

The wicked no longer follow Satan in his desire to take the City of God. They realise that it is no use, for they are lost. Then, on GC page 670…..

“Satan sees that his voluntary rebellion has unfitted him for Heaven. He has trained his powers to war against God; the purity, peace, and harmony of Heaven would be to him supreme torture. His accusations against the mercy and justice of God are now silenced. The reproach which he has endeavoured to cast upon Jehovah rests wholly upon himself. And now Satan bows down and confesses the justice of his sentence.”

Every knee has bowed; every tongue has confessed that God has dealt with this old world in love and in mercy, and now there is nothing to stop God from pouring out upon this earth that second death that is described for us in 2Peter 3: 10, 13…..

“But the day of The lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up… nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for a new heavens and a New Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

Glory forever is promised us in Revelation 21: 1, 4…..

“And I saw a new heaven and a New Earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea… And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

The Lord has given us, I think, in these last few pages of Great controversy, the glimpses of future glory to strengthen us “in the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Rev. 3: 10)

Friends, we have no conception of how severe the ‘time of trouble’ is going to be for the people of God. And I believe that if our minds are filled full of the visions of future glory, realising that when the persecution breaks in all of its fullness, it is the twilight of the breaking of the new day, and we will be strengthened to stand through it.

In ending…..

The Bible tells us plainly that God has gone to prepare a place for us and to do the best He can. In GC 675-677 it says….. “The Bible inheritance of the saved is called ‘a country’ (Heb. 11: 14-16). There the Heavenly Shepherd leads His flock to fountains of living waters. The Tree of Life yields its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations.

There are ever-flowing streams, clear as crystal, and beside them waving trees cast their shadows upon the paths prepared for the ransomed of The Lord. There the wide-spreading plains swell into hills of beauty, and the mountains of God rear their lofty summits.

On those peaceful plains, beside those living streams, God’s people, so long pilgrims and wanderers, shall find a home… There the redeemed shall know even as also they are known. The loves and sympathies  which God Himself has planted in the soul shall there find truest and sweetest exercise.

The pure communion with holy beings, the harmonious social life with the blessed angels and with the faithful ones of all ages who have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of The Lamb; the sacred ties that bind together “the whole family in heaven and earth” (Eph. 3: 15) these help to constitute the happiness of the redeemed.”

THE END OF THE SERIES! GOD BLESS YOU EACH ONE

[ Sermon 12 of 12 - Elder William Barr of California, 1950s  ]

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