THE CLOSING EVENTS SERIES
“CLOSING EVENTS”
Study 33 - Excerts
Gordon Collier, God’s Eternal Purpose in the Great Controversy
The following popular series of books are extremely important compilations from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy on Last-Day Events by Gordon Collier.
- The Shaking and the Sifting [of the church]
- Spiritism
- Catholicism
- Protestantism
- Agitation for a National Sunday Law
- The Results of the National Sunday Law
- The Loud Cry
- Christ Our Righteousness 1
- Christ Our Righteousness 2
- The Seal of God
- What Lies Ahead For Seventh-day Adventists?
- The Time of Trouble
- The 144,000
- The Seven Last Plagues
- The Long-expected Revival
- The Holy Spirit
- Prevailing Prayer
- We Shall Be Like him
- The Lord’s Day Alliance in the US
- Lord, Teach Us To Pray
- An Earnest Appeal From The General Conference
- The Early and Latter Rain [of the Holy Spirit]
- Prepare to Meet Thy God
- Favorite Sabbath Sermons 1
- Favorite Sabbath Sermons 2
- Antichrist Identified 1 – Daniel 7
- Antichrist Identified 2 – Revelation 13
- Television and Pub. Evang. Sermons 1
- Television and Pub. Evang. Sermons 2
- Television and Pub. Evang. Sermons 3
- The Closing Events Chart Book
- The Whole Truth About The Heavenly Sanctuary – The Great Advent Movement in Bible Prophecy
- God’s Eternal Purpose in the Great controversy
CLOSING EVENTS STUDY 15
THE LONG LOOKED-FOR REVIVAL OF THE CHURCH
Our Greatest Need
God Calls for a Revival and a Reformation
The Meaning of Revival and Reformation
An Understanding of Our True Condition is Imperative
What are some of the causes of our Luke-warm Condition which are Hindering us from Receiving the Holy Spirit with Great Power?
Realizing that many will not do these things and that we are so low spiritually, what will start the great revival that will correct the above factors so that the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon us?
Encouragement
A Great Revival Foreseen Among God’s People
Beware of Procrastination
Now Is The Time To Act
----------------------
THE CLOSING EVENTS SERIES
The following popular series of books are extremely important compilations from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy on Last-Day Events by Gordon Collier.
- The Shaking and the Sifting [of the church]
- Spiritism
- Catholicism
- Protestantism
- Agitation for a National Sunday Law
- The Results of the National Sunday Law
- The Loud Cry
- Christ Our Righteousness 1
- Christ Our Righteousness 2
- The Seal of God
- What Lies Ahead For Seventh-day Adventists?
- The Time of Trouble
- The 144,000
- The Seven Last Plagues
- The Long-expected Revival
- The Holy Spirit
- Prevailing Prayer
- We Shall Be Like him
- The Lord’s Day Alliance in the US
- Lord, Teach Us To Pray
- An Earnest Appeal From The General Conference
- The Early and Latter Rain [of the Holy Spirit]
- Prepare to Meet Thy God
- Favorite Sabbath Sermons 1
- Favorite Sabbath Sermons 2
- Antichrist Identified 1 – Daniel 7
- Antichrist Identified 2 – Revelation 13
- Television and Pub. Evang. Sermons 1
- Television and Pub. Evang. Sermons 2
- Television and Pub. Evang. Sermons 3
- The Closing Events Chart Book
- The Whole Truth About The Heavenly Sanctuary – The Great Advent Movement in Bible Prophecy
- God’s Eternal Purpose in the Great controversy
CLOSING EVENTS STUDY 15
THE LONG LOOKED-FOR REVIVAL OF THE CHURCH
Our Greatest Need
God Calls for a Revival and a Reformation
The Meaning of Revival and Reformation
An Understanding of Our True Condition is Imperative
What are some of the causes of our Luke-warm Condition which are Hindering us from Receiving the Holy Spirit with Great Power?
Realizing that many will not do these things and that we are so low spiritually, what will start the great revival that will correct the above factors so that the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon us?
Encouragement
A Great Revival Foreseen Among God’s People
Beware of Procrastination
Now Is The Time To Act
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CLOSING EVENTS STUDY 33 – Chapter 4
[ EXCERPTS ]
THE CENTRAL ISSUE BETWEEN CHRIST AND SATAN
When Jesus Came To Earth, The One Central Issue of The Great controversy Between God and Satan Was Whether or Not God’s Law Could Be Obeyed.
The Salvation of Sinners Depended Upon God Proving His Point.
Many have a very limited understanding as to the reasons which led Jesus to come to Earth, to be born of a virgin, to live a sinless life, and to die.
While it is true that Jesus came in order to die to atone for our sins and to reconcile us to God, these are only two of many reasons.
By taking human nature, and living a sinless life, and dying for sinners, He also accomplishes their complete transformation of character and restoration to their original perfection that through them He might defeat Satan, vindicate God, and secure the universe against another rebellion!
“But the plan of redemption had yet a broader and deeper purpose than the salvation of man. It was not for this alone that Christ came to the Earth; it was not merely that the inhabitants of this little world might regard the law of God as it should be regarded; but it was to vindicate the character of God before the universe.
“To this result of His great sacrifice – its influence upon the intelligences of other worlds, as well as upon man – the Saviour looked forward when just before His crucifixion He said: ‘Now is the judgement of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.’ The act of Christ in dying for the salvation of man would not only make heaven accessible to men, but before all the universe it would justify God and His Son in their dealing with the rebellion of Satan. It would establish the perpetuity of the Law of God, and would reveal the nature and results of sin.
“From the first, the great controversy had been upon the Law of God. Satan had sought to prove that God was unjust, that His Law was faulty, and that the good of the universe required it to be changed. In attacking the Law, he aimed to overthrow the authority of its Author. In the controversy it was to be shown whether the divine statutes were defective and subject to change, or perfect and immutable.” – PP 68, 69.
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p. 69
WE MUST BE CONSISTENT
Since God has made Seventh-day Adventists the guardians and exponents of his Law (Rev. 12:17), in order to be true to their trust, they must uphold ALL of His Law, including the fourth commandment.
There is no controversy in Protestant Christendom concerning the other nine commandments. Protestantism in general claims that nine of the ten commandments are binding upon Christians under grace, but that the fourth commandment has been abolished or changed.
Thus the fourth commandment concerning god’s memorial of creation, His sign of his right to rule, and His seal (Ezek. 20:12, 20) will be the focal point of the last great conflict between God and Satan over the Law of God.
“History will repeat itself. In this this age the test will be on the point of Sabbath observance. The same masterful mind that plotted against the faithful in ages past, is now at work to gain control of the falling churches, that through them he may condemn and put to death all who will not worship the idol Sabbath.” ST Feb. 22, 1910.
Revelation chapters 7 and 14 speak of the final sealing of God’s people and give the sealing message – the Three Angels’ Messages – Rev. 14:6-12. This is Earth’s last message which will perfect and seal God’s true people all over the world, prepare the world for the harvest, and usher in the second coming of Christ. Revelation 14:14 reveals that when the sealing message of Rev. 14:6-12 has accomplished its work the end of this world’s history will come and Christ will return.
The finishing of the work, the end of the world, and the second coming of Christ are all dependent upon and waiting for the perfection and sealing of God’s people out of every nation, kindred, tongue and people.
How exceedingly important then is Earth’s last warning and sealing message of Rev. 14:6-12. How tragic that almost the entire Christian world is wholly unaware of this message. What a tremendous task rests upon Seventh-day Adventists to warn the world.
p.70
GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE
THE PURPOSE OF 1) The Gospel,
2) The plan of salvation
3) The work of Redemption
4) The Incarnation
5) Christ’s Mission
6) The sacrifice of Jesus
7) Grace
8) Life – Christian Education
9) The Holy Spirit
10) The Third Angel’s Message, and of
11) The Great Controversy Is the complete restoration of man, in this life, to the original perfection in which he was created, in order that he might disprove Satan’s claim and thus vindicate God.
(See the fourth edition of Closing Events No. 22, chapter 16 – Extremely important).
TO SUM IT UP, WHAT ALL IS INVOLVED?
It may readily be seen that 1) the defeat of Satan, 2) the vindication of God, and 3) the securing of the universe is involved in 4) the perfection of God’s people!
THE MILLENNIUM AND SATAN
“Here is to be the home of Satan with his evil angels for a thousand years. Here he will be confined, to wander up and down over the broken surface of the Earth and see the effects of his rebellion against God’s Law. For a thousand years he can enjoy the fruit of the curse which he has caused”. – EW 290.
GOD’S FINAL ETERNAL TRIUMPH!
AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM, AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT OF REV. 20, “The whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of God, on the charge of high treason against the government of heaven. . . As if entranced, the wicked have looked upon the coronation of the Son of God. They see in His hands the tables of the divine Law, the statutes which they have despised and transgressed. – GC 668.
Going against God’s will is high treason against His government!
The above Spirit of Prophecy statement reveals the fact that when the Great Controversy draws to a close, Christ will be holding His holy Law – the Ten Commandments – in His hands, thus signifying its importance and central location in the great controversy and the triumph of His Law (Love, Truth, and Righteousness) over selfishness, error and sin.
p. 71
SATAN’S FINAL CONFESSION
Satan seems paralyzed as he beholds the glory and majesty of Christ. He who was once a covering cherub remembers whence he has fallen. A shining seraph, ‘son of the morning’; how changed, how degraded!
“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 question of truth and error in the long-standing controversy is made plain. God’s justice stands fully vindicated. Before the whole world is clearly presented the great sacrifice made by the Father and the Son in man’s behalf. The hour has come when Christ occupies his rightful position, and is glorified above principalities and powers and every name that is named.” – SR 427.
“God’s dealings with rebellion will result in fully unmasking the work that has so long been carried on under cover. The results of Satan’s rule, the fruits of setting aside the divine statutes, will be laid open to the view of all created intelligences.
The Law of God will stand fully vindicated.
“It will be seen that all the dealings of God have been conducted with reference to the eternal good of His people, and the good of all the worlds that He has created. Satan himself, in [the] presence of the witnessing universe, will confess the justice of God’s government, and the righteousness of His Law. – PP 338, 339.
“Notwithstanding that Satan HAS BEEN CONSTRAINED TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD’S JUSTICE, and to bow to the supremacy of Christ, his character remains unchanged. – GC 671.
GOD’S FINAL, ETERNAL VINDICATION
“The judgement scene will take place in the presence of all the worlds; for in this judgement the government of God will be vindicated, and His law will stand forth as ‘holy, and just, and good.’ Then every case will be decided, and sentence will be passed upon all.” – RH Sept. 20, 1898; 7BC 986.
“In the judgement of the universe, God will stand clear of blame for the existence or continuance of evil.” – DA 58.
GOD FINALLY [IS] COMPLETELY VINDICATED THROUGH HIS PEOPLE
The Bible (Ezek. 39:27) declares that His justice and holiness will be vindicated through His people. See the Amplified Bible. The Revised Standard Version for Ezek. 39:27 says that God’s holiness (righteous character) will be vindicated through His people in the sight of many nations.
p. 71
NO MORE SIN, SUFFERING, OR DEATH
“What do you imagine against the Lord? He will make an utter end to sin and suffering: Affliction shall not rise up the second time.” – Nahum 1:9.
“The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean.” – GC 678.
“But the day is coming when the battle will have fought, the victory won. The will of God is to be done on Earth as it is done in heaven. The nations of the saved will know no other law than the law of heaven. All will be a happy, united family, clothed with the garments of praise and thanksgiving – the robe of Christ’s righteousness.
“All nature, in its surpassing loveliness, will offer to god a tribute of praise and adoration. . . . The years will move on in gladness. Over the scene the morning stars will sing together, and the sons of God will shout for joy, while God and Christ will unite in proclaiming, ‘There shall be no more sin, neither shall there be any more death.’ “ – MH 506.
The death of Christ upon the cross made sure the destruction of him who has the power of death, who was the originator of sin. When Satan is destroyed, there will be none to tempt to evil; the atonement will never need to be repeated; and there will be no danger of another rebellion in the universe of God.
That which alone can effectually restrain from sin in this world of darkness, will prevent sin in heaven. The significance of the death of Christ will be seen by saints and angels. Fallen men could not have a home in the paradise of God without the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Shall we not then exalt the cross of Christ? . . .
The plan of salvation, making manifest the justice and love of God, provides an eternal safeguard against defection in unfallen worlds, as well as among those who shall be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Our only hope is perfect trust in the blood of Him who can save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him.
The death of Christ on the cross of Calvary is our only hope in this world, and it will be our theme in the world to come. Oh, we do not comprehend the value of the atonement! If we did, we would talk more about it. The gift of God in His beloved Son was the expression of an incomprehensible love.
It was the utmost that God could do to preserve the honor of His law, and still save the transgressor. Why should man not study the theme of redemption? It is the greatest subject that can engage the human mind. If men would contemplate the love of Christ, displayed in the cross, their faith would be strengthened to appropriate the merits of His shed blood, and they would be cleansed and saved from sin. – 5BC 1132, 1133.
The whole universe will have become witnesses to the nature and results of sin. And its utter extermination, which in the beginning would have brought fear to angels and dishonour to God, will now vindicate his love and establish His honor before the universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law. Never again will evil be manifest.
“Says the Word of God, ‘Affliction shall not rise up the second time.’ (Nahum 1:9). The Law of God, which Satan has reproached as the yoke of bondage, will be honoured as the law of liberty. A tested and proved creation will never again be turned from allegiance to Him whose character has been fully manifested before them as fathomless love and infinite wisdom.” – GC 504.
THE SEVEN-FOLD RESULT OF CHRIST’S SINLESS LIFE AND DEATH
“Through Christ’s redeeming work, 1) the government of God stands justified, 2) The Omnipotent One is made known as the God of love. 3) Satan’s charges are refuted, and 4) his character unveiled. 5) Rebellion can never again arise. Sin can never again enter the universe. 6) Through eternal ages all are secure from apostasy. 7) By Love’s self-sacrifice the inhabitants of Earth and heaven are bound to their Creator in bonds of indissoluble union.” – DA 26.
OUR LITTLE WORLD TO BE EXALTED ABOVE ALL OTHER WORLDS IN THE UNIVERSE!
“The work of redemption [Restoration] will be complete. In the place where in abounded, God’s grace much more abounds. The Earth itself the very field that Satan claims as his, is to be not only ransomed, but exalted. Our little world, under the curse of sin, the one dark blot in His glorious creation, will be honoured above all other worlds in the universe of God.” – DA 26
THUS, THE GREAT CONTROVERSY IS ENDED, WITH SEVEN RESULTS:
“But not so when the great controversy shall be ended. Then, 1) the plan of redemption having been completed, 2) the character of God is revealed to all created intelligences. 3) The precepts of His law are seen to be perfect and immutable. 4) Then sin has made manifest its nature, 5) Satan his character. 6) Then the extermination of sin 7) will vindicate God’s love and establish His honor before a universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law.
”Well, then, might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the Saviour’s cross; for though they did not then understand all, they knew that, 1) the destruction of sin and Satan was forever made certain, that 2) the redemption of man was assured, and that 3) the universe was made eternally secure.” – DA 764.
IN WHAT OTHER WAY DO OUR IMPERFECTIONS AFFECT CHRIST?
OUR SIN CAUSES CHRIST TO SUFFER
“The only satisfaction Satan takes in playing the game of life of the souls of men is the satisfaction he takes in hurting the heart of Christ.” – RH March 31, 1896.
“When we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ, we shall have no relish for sin; for Christ will be working with us. We may make mistakes, but we will hate the sin [OUR SIN] that caused the sufferings of the Son of God.” – RH March 18, 1890.
“We would not lightly regard sin, did we appreciate the fact that sin wounds our Lord.” – YI Feb. 10, 1898.
“By every sin Jesus is wounded afresh.” – DA 300.
“With such encouragement as this, how can men continue in sin? How can they grieve the heart of Christ?” – 4BC 1178.
“Through sin, you have weakened your own spirituality, grieved the heavenly angels, and wounded and bruised the loving heart of your Redeemer.” – ST Feb. 15, 1892.
“[Christ] saw the natural mind, true to the enmity of its character, daily enacting afresh the scenes of Calvary, even down to the close of this Earth’s history.” – ST June 13, 1900. This is a revelation of the nature of sin and of what sin will do.
The knowledge that every time we sin we cause Christ to suffer should cause us to shun sin like cancer!
THE SILENT SUFFERER
“Those who think of the result of hastening or hindering the Gospel think of it in relation to themselves and to the world. Few think of its relation to God. Few give thought to the suffering that sin has caused our Creator. All Heaven suffered in Christ’s agony; but that suffering did not begin or end with His manifestation in humanity.
“The cross is a revelation to our dull senses of the pain that, from its very inception, sin has brought to the heart of God. 1) Every departure from the right, 2) every deed of cruelty, 3) every failure of humanity to reach His ideal, brings grief to Him. . . . The heart of the infinite Father is pained in sympathy. – Ed 263.
“Our world is a vast lazar-house, a scene of misery that we dare not allow even our thoughts to dwell upon. Did we realize it as it is, the burden would be too terrible. Yet God feels it all. In order to destroy sin and its results He gave His best Beloved, and He has put it in our power through cooperation with Him, to bring this scene of misery to an end. – Ed 263, 264.
P. 75
CALVARY REPEATED!
BOTH THE BIBLE AND THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY teach that you and I are just as guilty of the crucifixion of Christ as anyone who has ever lived in the history of this world!
“Upon all rests the guilt of crucifying the Son of God.” – DA 745.
p. 80
WE SHALL EVER PRAISE HIM
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessings. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the Earth, and under the Earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing and honour, and glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” - Rev. 5:12, 13.
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” – Rev. 4:11
“And after this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
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“CLOSING EVENTS”
Study 33 - Excerts
Elder Gordon Collier, God’s Eternal Purpose in the Great Controversy