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The New World Order and Armageddon

Friday July 2nd, 2004

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

The purpose of this subject is to discover the inspired meaning of Armageddon. Many of you who listen will be surprised to learn that the battle of Armageddon is not exactly as you have heard it in the past. Many evangelists have endeavored to draw crowds by sensational preaching but Armageddon is not a battle between the East and West. Neither does the Bible teach that the battle of Armageddon agrees with the secret rapture theory believed by most Protestant churches of today.

Now, before we get down to some serious Bible study, let us first seek God’s wisdom that we might understand divine inspiration. Will you join me in prayer? Our loving Father, we praise Thee for giving to us in Thy Word a detailed description of what we might expect in this end time. Grant us Thy Holy Spirit that we might comprehend Thy divine predictions, for we want to be found on the winning side in the battle of Armageddon. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Let us begin this study by reading Revelation 16:13-16. “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, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” This divine instruction leads us to ask some questions. What is the cause for this battle of Armageddon? Where does this battle take place? Who are the participants? When does it begin? How will it end? Who will win? We will be satisfied with Bible answers. As we proceed, let us keep in mind that every earthly war that has ever existed on this planet has been fought by two opposing sides. The battle of Armageddon is no exception. The Bible states clearly that one army will be completely annihilated when victory is achieved so it is important that we are found on the winning side.

Let us first determine the cause of Armageddon. There is always a reason for war between two sovereign powers. We will discover that the Bible teaches that Armageddon is a great war between the eternal God of the universe and His loyal subjects, who are in a fight to the death with the devil and his army who have accepted Satan as their god. Believe it or not, the cause for which these two opposing powers are fighting is to determine who is to be worshiped – Christ or Satan. Armageddon is a fight started by Lucifer to overthrow Jehovah and to remove Christ from the throne so that Satan could sit on God’s throne. It is a battle to deify the man of sin, the devil himself.

One thing that we can learn from the history of warfare on this planet is that before a war ends in final victory there are many smaller battles. Take for example, World War II. Many of us can remember that there were a number of battles which prepared the way for the final battle, such as the battle for the English Channel, the battle of Leningrad, and the Battle of the Bulge. All of these battles led finally to the battle for Berlin and victory. In this study we will discover that Armageddon is composed of seven major battles which we will consider one by one.

Let us take the first – the battle in heaven to overthrow God’s throne . This was an actual battle that took place more than six thousand years ago. Isaiah 14:12-14 explains the cause for this war, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” Lucifer was so filled with pride and self-conceit that he attempted to cast Christ from heaven’s throne and place himself on the throne of the universe. He was determined to usurp the power of God.

In order to do this he promised the angels of God that he would change heaven’s law of love to God and obedience, and provide them with a government based on love of self in which all of his subject could obey the desires of their own heart. In order to accomplish this he demanded that they accept him as their leader and surrender to his dictatorship. One must never underestimate the seriousness of this coup in heaven. It divided all of heaven’s angels into two opposing sides. Christ and His obedient subjects consisted of some two-thirds of the angels, while Satan and the remaining one-third of the angels joined in the attempt to overthrow the government of God. This was the first of seven battles which scripture calls Armageddon.

Revelation 12: 7-9 describes how the first battle took place in heaven. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” The outcome of this first battle is very clear. Christ expels Satan and his angels from heaven, but we must keep in mind that the issues over which the first battle was fought are the same for which the next six battles took place. God does not change His divine principles on which His government is based, and neither does Satan who continued to use the same evil methods of battle which he used in heaven, namely deception, flattery, doubt and downright lies.

This takes us to battle number two. The second battle took place in the Garden of Eden . Satan having been cast out of heaven into this earth, which had recently been created, determined to capture Adam and Eve and set up an earthly kingdom in which he would be the god of this planet. The details are found in Genesis 3: 1-6, “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

The fall of Adam and Eve has changed the lives of every living person on this earth, for it brought sorrow, pain, sickness, and death to all. By capturing our first parents, Satan was able to seize control of this world and demand of his earthly subjects that they worship him as a god. Thus he became the dictator of planet Earth for hundreds of years. Satan continued to spread his evil teachings causing universal wickedness.

This brings us to battle number three. The next battle, which climaxed in a worldwide floo d, took Satan but a short time to conquer. As man multiplied on the face of the earth, millions upon millions decided to accept Satan’s counterfeit government until almost every living soul joined on the devil’s side. The Bible puts it in these words found in Genesis 6:11-13, “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, ( This brings us to battle number three – the next battle, which climaxed in a world-wide flood) The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” So when the flood came, only eight individuals could be found on earth who were still faithful to God and obedient to His commands.

In these wars, God is not concerned by numbers, for His kingdom is based strictly on love, truth and obedience. So what does God do with a world that is completely dominated by Satan? No problem. Listen to Genesis 6:5, 17, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.”

After the flood begins the next battle – number four . This battle begins to take place soon after the flood in the days of Nimrod. God now decides to develop a special people whose father would be called Abraham. His descendents where to separate from Satan’s idolatrous people and settle in the land of Palestine where Jerusalem was to become its capital. It was God’s plan that His people would be so successful that they would attract all nations who would discover that the best government for the people was based on truth, love, and obedience.

But Satan quickly developed his battle plan. He gained control of a man named Nimrod who developed a kingdom for Satan called Babel. These people defied God by building a tower so high they believed that God could not destroy it. But God dispersed these evil people by confounding their one language into the many languages now known in this world. With a mighty stroke of lightning God destroyed the tower of Babel. Satan salvaged what he could and began to build the city of Babylon on the nearby banks of the Euphrates River. He patterned this city after the Holy City of Jerusalem from which he had been cast out. Satan hoped desperately that Babylon would become the capital of Satan’s world empire.

These two warring sides each have a totally different object. God’s people, the Jews, were to display God’s government of love in which God promised to give His only Son as a sacrifice for man’s sins and to provide freedom of choice and eventual everlasting life to every obedient subject. At the same time Satan’s kingdom, composed of paganism, demanded the sacrifice of sons and daughter of all of his followers who were to be offered alive to their pagan god, called Baal, in order to appease the wrath of the devil. Satan instituted the worship of the sun as a god to be served in fear. The Bible speaks of this, Satan’s kingdom, in Isaiah 14:16,17, “Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?”

But wonder of wonders, Jesus Christ, heaven’s commander, comes down to this world in person to face the devil, revealing in person the character of His kingdom. Satan could not contain himself and he immediately revealed himself as a murderer. Revelation 12:4,5 explains it in this way, “And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” It is here that we discover that God the Son, who could not die, prepared himself with a body that could die. He comes to this earth, ruled by Satan, to live as a man, proving to the universe that God’s holy law could be obeyed in love by all of his followers.

Satan tried every temptation that he could invent to try to force Christ to sin and become his subject, but he totally failed. Infuriated, he invaded God’s Jewish church and captured its priests and rulers who, as subjects of Satan, demanded Christ to be crucified. Jesus died the death that should have been ours, proving what God had said of Satan in John 8:44, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

It was Satan’s plan to keep Christ in the tomb and then establish his throne here on this earth. But Christ arose in victory over death because He said, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Revelation 1:18. In dying for you and for me, Christ won the right to redeem man, and to recapture the ownership of this world. But the battle of Armageddon was still far from over.

This brings us to battle number five which is taking place from the day of Christ’s resurrection to that of our day. Since the Jewish church and the nation rejected their Savior and crucified Him, Jesus declared in Matthew 23: 37,38, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” Now it is Christ who attacks Satan by establishing a Christian church based on His eternal principles of love and obedience, and challenging His followers to go and make converts out of Satan’s subjects, the Gentiles. The good news of a Savior that loved man so much that He would die to save them, and promise eternal life to those that obeyed His commandments spread like wild fire among the Gentiles. Satan was stunned. The gospel spread throughout the entire world in one generation and Satan’s subjects were converted to Christianity by the tens of thousands.

Like a madman Satan now attacked the Christian church with relentless persecution, but the blood of Christians only proved as seed for new converts. So Satan decided to change his tactics and to use the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on mankind. He ordered his pagan subjects to join the Christian church – not to become Christians at heart, but to infiltrate God’s true church and thereby change the gospel of Christ. The apostle Paul warned of this danger in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-7, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.”

But this warning was overlooked by the majority of God’s people within the church. Tired of the many years of persecution and amazed at the tremendous number of pagans professing to be converts the church, now filled with unconverted pagans, demanded that the blood-bought doctrines of Christianity be compromised with their pagan traditions. Thus the false teaching that man could save himself by his works took hold in Christianity. Also the worship of images of saints now found their way into the church. As paganism gradually succeeded in planting its pagan doctrines within the church, it finally became so strong as to demand that the Christians forsake the seventh-day Sabbath and keep Sunday, the first day dedicated to their sun god. Almost every divine doctrine was compromised by the traditions of paganism. This is how the papal religion developed which God called in Revelation a mixture of Christianity and paganism.

History reveals the results, known as the Dark Ages, in which Satan almost succeeded in destroying the truth by prohibiting the Word of God to be read by the people. But God raised up some mighty men in spite of Rome’s restrictions, men such as John Wycliffe, Jerome, Huss, Luther and others who, with God’s help, began the Protestant Reformation. Eventually the Bible was restored to the common people and this brought the papacy to its knees and made it possible for Napoleon to inflict a deadly wound upon the papal institution by bringing an end to the 1260 years reign of the Pope.

Now God was in a position to give His last warning to the world. He startled the inhabitants with the great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755. This was followed by the darkening of the sun and causing the moon to appear as blood in 1780. Finally God brought about the falling of the stars in 1833, all of which He had predicted in Revelation 6:12, 13, “Lo, there was a great earthquake; and 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.” It was thus that God prepared the world for the final end-time warning message of the three angels, which you have been hearing in this series of tapes, declaring that earth’s judgment day had arrived and that Babylon is fallen. Do not receive the mark of the beast for you will be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s Second Coming.

Satan knows that it is time for Christ’s Second Coming so he is now uniting the religions of the world by a great ecumenical program which will ultimately place the pope in control of all the religions of the world. Furthermore, at the same time Satan is gaining control of the nations of the world in the United Nations government that will finally be directed by the Pope as portrayed in the woman of Revelation 18 as the papal church riding the beast and all the world wonders.

This brings us to the most decisive battle, number six, of Armageddon which will now take place as revealed in Revelation 19:11-20 when Jesus Christ comes . “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. … (Now notice) And I saw the beast (that’s the papacy), and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.”

These two great opposing armies are thus revealed fighting each other to the death. One side is led by the Creator of heaven and earth, with all those who bear His signet – keeping all the commandments of God. On the other side stands the prince of darkness, with those who have chosen to obey tradition and rebel. Each side will clearly reveal their allegiance. God’s people will bear the seal of God – the seventh-day Sabbath; the other side, the mark of the beast – keeping the first day, Sunday. Both armies consider the opposite side to be worthy of treason. Those who obey God will be considered as committing treason to the New World Order. Those who obey the pope will be considered by God as committing treason to His divine law. This battle will be fought to the finish.

I am afraid that few realize how great this coming battle will be, for each person on the face of the earth will be forced to make a decision either to fight and die for Satan, or to rather die than sin for Jesus Christ. John the Revelator was shown the enormity of this battle. He tells us that men’s hearts will fail them for fear. He saw the earth moved out of its place, its mountains thrown into the midst of the sea. He tells of the vials of God’s wrath being poured out in seven last plagues bringing pestilence, famine and death to those on the side of Satan.

This is all revealed in Revelation 19:17 – 21, “And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. … And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”

But there is also the greatest news ever to be realized. At the Second Coming of Christ all who have died in the last 6000 years in these battles of Armageddon and been obedient to Christ’s holy Word will be resurrected to live again. Those who are alive in this end time and would rather die than sin by accepting the mark of the beast will join the resurrected saints without experiencing death. Both the resurrected and the living saints will meet the Lord in the clouds and receive immortal life. Praise the Lord. However, the followers of Satan will be consumed by the brightness of Christ’s Second Coming. The Bible states in 2 Thessalonians 2:8, “And then shall the Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” Thus ends battle number six of Armageddon.

But there is still one more final engagement. This brings us to battle number seven, of Armageddon, which takes place 1000 years later. During that period of time the devil and his angels will be confined to this desolate earth with all of his wicked dead. “And 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.” Revelation 20:1, 2.

During this thousand years God will convene a judgment session in heaven to consider the fate of the wicked. Revelation 20:12 reads, “I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” At the conclusion of the judgment of the wicked the saints of God, who have been living in heaven with Jesus, will gather together in the New Jerusalem that will then descend from heaven down to this earth as we read in Revelation 21:2, 10, “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. … And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.”

With the New Jerusalem safely positioned here on this planet Earth, Christ calls forth the wicked in the second resurrection. Once more the wicked will live under the control of Satan whom they have chosen to obey. Immediately Satan organizes this vast army of the wicked in a battle array to surround the Holy City in which the saints of God are now living. His plan is to take the city, with the saints, and sit on heaven’s throne. His plans are thwarted as God unleashes the fires of hell and annihilates every one of the wicked who have been resurrected. This fire also destroys the devil and his angels. Listen as I read God’s description of this final battle of Armageddon. “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:7-10.

Satan will be no more for I read in Ezekiel 28:18,19 where God describes the end of Lucifer, “Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” Oh, how we should thank God. What a day of victory this will be.

It is then that we can expect the wonderful scene shown John the Revelator as he tells us in Revelation 21:1, “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 I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 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. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.” Praise the Lord!

Oh, beloved, I plan to be there with Jesus in this earth made new, how about you? I beg you in the name of our blessed Savior to decide this very moment that you will join God’s remnant people who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. I’ll see you in heaven.

Let us pray. Oh loving God, how we thank Thee for Thy wonderful gift of Jesus that one day soon we might live with Thee. Please help these dear listeners to be faithful in their decision to keep the commandments of God and ever remember the divine power of divinity is able to keep them from falling. For I read in Thy holy word in Jude 24, 25, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Praise God! With such a promise, we shall all meet at the feet of Jesus to ever praise His holy name.

The Scarlet Woman of Revelation 17

Tuesday June 1st, 2004

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

Our subject is the scarlet woman of Revelation 17, number nine in this series. In this message we shall deal with God’s final warning to the inhabitants of this world as found in Revelation 14:8. “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” The rejection of this warning message will bring forth the wrath of God. Revelation 14:9-10 tells us, “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; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.”

You have listened to eight of these studies, and now I ask you to pay close attention as we put these divine predictions together. Before we do this we must pray for heavenly guidance. Our loving Father, we are nearing the end of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. Please open our understanding to these inspired prophecies so we may know what is expected of each of us to prepare for Christ’s Second Coming. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Today the entire world is captivated by the Pope’s increasing political and religious dealings. This is exactly what God said would happen. Since 1929 the papal deadly wound has been healing. Revelation 13:3 tells us, “And his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” In this our day almost every nation on earth has its ambassador to the Vatican. Even the United States of America has circumvented its Constitution by appointing an ambassador to the Vatican on January 10, 1984.

For some 25 years the Catholic ecumenical movement, planned by Vatican’s two councils, has been accomplishing its deadly purpose. Today it is no wonder that it has become unpopular to preach God’s warning message which you have been hearing on these tapes. In a book The Keys of This Blood , by Malachi Martin (a Jesuit), the struggle of the papacy to regain control of this world is clearly outlined on p. 15. I quote, “It is about who will establish the first one-world system of government in the society of nations. It is about who will hold and wield the dual power of authority and control over each of us as individuals and over all of us together as a community; over the entire six billion people are expected by demographers to inhabit the earth early in the third millennium.” Then just listen to this, “Our way of life as individuals and as citizens of the nations; our families and our jobs; our trade and commerce and money; our educational system and our religions and our cultures; even the badges of our national identity, which most of us have taken for granted – all will have been powerfully and radically altered forever. No one can be exempted from its effects. No sector of our lives will remain untouched.” This is a picture of what the papacy is planning to do when it will gain control of this world.

So few people seem to realize that the Pope will become the head of the New World Order and rule the world through the United Nations. For some time it has been common knowledge that the Vatican has been asked to be seated as its world power in the United Nations. On October 5, 2003 the National Catholic Register officially took this step with the headline, “The Vatican is Open to the Full Membership of the United Nations,” p. 4. There is no question that the papacy is planning to rule the world.

                                                                   [ A future World Union of Church and State ]

Now let us look at the last universal world power of prophetic prophecy. You will find this in your visual aid – beast #8. Notice carefully the divine description as found in Revelation 17:1 – 5, “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 judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written,

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

Before we study this tremendous prophecy let us briefly review what God has already revealed in Daniel 2, in Daniel 7 and in Revelation 12, 13 and 14. This will prepare us to understand the prophecy of the scarlet woman. Now, why has God seen it necessary to reveal the dragon power in four different prophecies? Because God, the Creator of our minds, knows the learning process which is so necessary to education. Thus the Lord teaches the simple before presenting the complex. Like a child entering school, he must first learn to add and subtract before he can master algebra or geometry.

Let us quickly review the most simple prophecy of Daniel 2. God begins with the image of a man whose head of gold represented the empire of Babylon (compare beast #2), the chest of silver represented Medo-Persia (beast #3) and the belly and thighs of brass representing Greece (beast #4), the legs of iron stood for pagan Rome and the feet with ten toes a mixture of iron and clay – the division of pagan Rome into ten kingdoms (as you compare beast #5) – out of which papal Rome developed to rule the world (as you find in your visual aid #6). This prophecy of the world kingdoms comes to an amazing climax with a mighty stone destroying the entire image structure representing what will take place at the Second Coming of Christ. For the scripture states, “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” Daniel 2:44.

The second prophecy of world governments is found in Daniel 7 which gives the details of how each world kingdom developed and was overthrown by a succeeding power. For instance, the lion rose in 606 BC (beast #2) which is called Babylon, which had wings. Archeologists discovered this was the exact symbol of Babylon. Next came a bear in 538 BC (beast #3) which devoured the three ribs – or provinces – of Babylon and became lifted up on one side when the Persians overthrew the Medes. Then came the next, the leopard in 331 BC (beast #4) with wings revealing the swiftness in which Alexander the Great conquered the world. The four heads revealed that when Alexander died his four generals would rule in his stead. The next beast was known as pagan Rome in 168 BC (beast #5) which divided into ten kingdoms for it had ten horns. Three of these horns were then destroyed by a little horn, the papacy (beast #6) which spoke great words against the Most High God and wore out the saints of God with persecution and dared to change God’s eternal law by commanding all to keep Sunday sacred instead of the seventh-day Sabbath.

This power ruled the world for 1260 years. Here again God revealed the climax, for God holds a judgment session in heaven and sends Christ back to this earth to punish such wickedness as we read in Daniel 7:26, 27, “But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”

Now this brings us to the third prophetic prophecy found in Revelation 12: 13, 14 which describes in detail the beginning of this dragon power controlling this world. It reveals how this war began in heaven and now continued on this earth (see beast #1). Revelation 12:3, 7- 9 reads, “And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. .. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

This is an inspired description of the war that began in heaven and is continuing here on earth between the dragon’s church of pagan tradition and God’s true church which the Bible pictures as a pure woman. The scriptures give us the detail of how it began on earth when the old serpent (that’s Satan) beguiled Eve and Adam in the Garden of Eden. The war that started in heaven continues on this earth. God said in Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity (that’s war) between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Revelation 12 describes how the dragon used King Herod of pagan Rome (beast #5) to try to kill Baby Jesus. After some 33 years of harassing Christ finally he succeeded in deceiving the Jews to crucify their Messiah. However Christ arose victorious from His grave and returned to His Father in heaven after He had begun His New Testament church which replaced the Jewish Church. God’s true church is now represented by the woman and was continually persecuted for 1260 years during the papal reign as described in Revelation 13:1, 2. “I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” And it was given unto him to make war with the saints.

You will notice that these verses trace the devil’s kingdom back to the very beginning by naming each beast in reverse order (see beasts #5 – 1) such as the ten-horned beast of pagan Rome (beast #5). Next it takes us back to the leopard beast of Greece (beast #4), and then back to the beast of Medo-Persia (beast #3), then back to the lion of Babylon (beast #2), and finally to the dragon who is Satan (beast #1). Here God is tracing back through each kingdom revealing how Satan was able to give his great authority of paganism to the papacy.

Then inspiration adds the verse of Revelation 13:3, “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” This deadly wound took place in 1798 – the same date the United States of America was recognized as a new world power (beast #7). The papal deadly wound began to heal in 1929 when his temple kingdom was restored to the Vatican. Today the whole world wonders after the beast and the Bible predicts that the United States will enforce the papal mark of the beast. To make sure that no one could possible misunderstand who this beast is God has give us his number – 666 – that is found in his name.

These astounding facts are God’s final warning of Revelation 14:9-11. We read, “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; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

Here again the climax of this prophecy is revealed in the Second Coming of Christ who comes with a sharp sickle. I am reading in Revelation 14:14-16, “I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” This scripture plainly states those who will be saved in this final harvest. I am reading verse 12, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Now with this background of three major Bible prophesies all related to the ending of the world, let us now study the fourth prophecy of the scarlet woman of Revelation 17. I am reading verses 1-5, “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 judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written,

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

(This is beast #8 on your visual aid).

Here is brought to view the final and complete destruction of papal power. We will list these divine predictions one by one.

You will notice that inspiration declares this evil woman sits on the beast. She is in absolute control. Her deadly wound has been healed. She has control of the whole world for the waters under the beast represent the peoples of the entire world as you read in Revelation 17:15, “The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.”

The beast upon which the harlot sits is the same Papal beast as described in Revelation 13 (beast #6). However, since this prophecy is specifically dealing with its condition at the end of the world God now declares it a scarlet beast, the Biblical description used to designate her sins. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Though your sins be as scarlet,” … “For her sins have reached unto heaven,” Revelation 18:5.

Furthermore this Papal power is given the name “Mystery, Babylon.” This terminology takes us back to the beginning of pagan doctrines. It was Nimrod who built the Tower of Babel on the plains of Shinar in defiance of God. He boasted that he could build a tower so high that it would reach unto heaven. Genesis 11:4. But now God declares her sins – those of modern Babylon – have indeed reached unto heaven. Revelation 18:5. When Nimrod died, this pagan religion of Satan taught that he went straight to the sun and became the sun-god to be worshiped by keeping Sunday as a holy day. His evil wife, Samiramus, who was also worshiped because she bore an illegitimate son whom she claimed was by a virgin birth, had a child who was born on December 25 and named Tammuz. He was killed in a wild boar hunt. Since he was supposed to be a holy child they declared forty days of a weeping vigil to be held each year. This was the beginning of pagan Sunday-keeping and worship of the Virgin Mary, and Christmas on the twenty-fifth of December, and the Catholic forty days of Lent. All this is paganism.

Inspiration declares this harlot woman to be a great city in Revelation 17:18, “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” This is a religious and a political power ruling the world and commanding obedience to her spiritual doctrines of tradition.

Revelation 16:19 declares, “And the great city was divided into three parts.” This is explained in verse 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.” The dragon is the author of paganism which is spiritualistic in doctrines as visualized in beast #1. The beast here mentioned is the papal power (beast #6) and the false prophet is apostate Protestantism (beast #7) which has made an image to the beast by obeying and enforcing the commands of the beast to keep Sunday instead of the Lord’s Day, the seventh-day Sabbath.

Let us now consider the words, “Drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” Revelation 17:6. History verifies that this scarlet woman, the papacy, killed millions of Christians who would not obey the pope, and again in the very end time it will be a persecuting power.

Keep in mind the words of Revelation 17:5, “The mother of harlots.” This reveals that the ecumenical movement has accomplished its goal. Protestant churches no longer protest against the beast for they have accepted the papal invitation as “separated brethren” and have joined the papacy to enforce her doctrines.

As Christ revealed these mysteries John marveled. “And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.” Revelation 17:7. If John wondered, no wonder that all the world wonders after the beast!

Please take note: God emphasizes that this scarlet-colored beast is indeed the same beast of Revelation 13:3 (beast #6) for the wound has been healed. Revelation 17:8 clarifies this so there can be no doubt. “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” The words “the beast that was,” refers to the time period when the papal church ruled the world for 1260 years from 538 AD to 1798 AD at which time she received a deadly wound when the pope was taken prisoner and died in exile. The words “and is not” is the period of time from 1798 to 1929 when the papacy was no longer in control of the world because of its wound. The words “yet is” reveals that the wound that began to heal in 1929 when Mussolini returned the Vatican state to the pope is once again controlling the world affairs. Thus inspiration declare, “All the world wondered after the beast.” Revelation 13:3.

Revelation 17:12, 13 reveals that the United Nations would divide the world into ten sections, which it has already done. “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” This is verified by the enclosed visual aid chart of the ten kingdoms proposed by the Club of Rome. The words “having one mind” reveal the entire world has united with the papacy, but only for a short time of one hour. The Bible prophecy tells us that a year stands for a day as found in Ezekiel 4:6. Therefore one hour is about 15 days. It is at this time that Christ will pour out the seven last plagues.

As we consider Revelation 17:10,11 keep in mind the time in which this is written by the apostle John some 66 years after the resurrection of Jesus. For this scripture states, “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.” Paul who lived during this time wrote in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work.” So consider the words “five are fallen.” Now look at your chart of beasts and count them.

#1 The dragon [Satan]

#2 Babylon

#3 Media Persia

#4 Greece

#5 Pagan Rome

Thus five empires are fallen. Then Inspiration continues, “one is,” (which is papal Rome #6). Next the scripture states, “the other is not yet come,” (that’s beast #7 referring to the United States which did not exist when this verse was written). But the Scripture says, “when he cometh he must continue a short space,” (which means a little while).

Now this brings us to Revelation 17:11. “And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.” The word “the beast that was” is the papal power (beast #6). The words “is not” speaks of the time when the wound was inflicted by Berthier who took the pope prisoner in 1798 to die in exile. The words, “even he is the eighth,” reveals that this is the same power which had emerged after the healing of the wound in 1929. The words, “of the seven,” reveal that the dragon power which was manifested in the past world empires (beasts #1-7) is now again existing in the scarlet woman – but God declares not for long because this time it goeth into perdition. She will be destroyed by the very nations which she has deceived.

So it is no wonder that we have come to a time when the pope boasts that soon the world will demand that he rule over them in the New World Order. This is what God said the papacy would do. I am reading Revelation 18:7. “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.”

What made this possible? The papacy has succeeded in making all churches drink from its cup of false doctrines. Revelation 17:4 states, “Having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations … of her fornication.” Let us examine some of these lies found in her cup as time permits.

1) The papacy teaches that the soul never dies, but God says in Ezekiel 18:20, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

2) The papal church says that hell is burning now, but God says in 2 Peter 3:7, 12, “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?”

3) The Papal Church says tradition, not the scripture, is the rock on which the church of Jesus Christ is built. But God says in 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

4) The Papal Church teaches that we should pray to Mary, but God says in Matthew 6:6, “ But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”

5) The Papal Church teaches (and this is found in Development of Christian Doctrine p. 272, 273 by Cardinal Newman), “The use of temples and these dedicated to particular saints and ornamented on occasion with branches of trees, incense, lamps, candles, votive offerings on recovering from illness, holy water, asylums, holy days and seasons, the use of vestments, to tonsure (the shaving of the head), the ring in marriage, turning to the east, images at a later date, perhaps the ecclesiastical chant (and notice these words) all are of pagan origin and sanctified by their adoption into the church.” Friend, this is why God says in Matthew 15:3, “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?”

6) The papal church commands, “Keep the first day of the week and lo the whole entire civilized world bows reverent obedience to the commands of the Holy Catholic Church. It is the mark of our authority to overrule God’s law.” Father Enright, History of the Sabbath p. 802. But God says in Exodus 20: 8-10, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God.” “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. Revelation 14: 9,10.

We could present many more but time would not permit. Like the three major preceding prophecies of this dragon power this fourth prophecy of the scarlet woman ends with the battle in which Christ will be victorious by completely destroying the papal power with its United Nations. I am reading Revelation 17:14, “These shall make war with the Lamb.” But Revelation 19 describes the outcome, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS….And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

Beloved, on what side will you fight in this final battle soon to take place here on this earth? Will you be numbered with the dragon by accepting his traditions and receiving the mark of the beast or when Christ comes will He find you keeping His commandments and receive His seal of approval? How you answer will determine the difference between eternal life or eternal death. May God help you to obey Christ. Be aware, God has revealed how you can gain the victory with Him as found in Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him (that’s the dragon) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death.”

Let us pray. Our loving Father, we must each make a decision now. Please help us to so live that we may be worthy of Thy great love by obeying Thy commandments to live eternally with Jesus. Open our eyes that we may see beneath the tinsel of temporal prosperity and realize that by obeying Satan, we can only gain in this life a life that ends in death, but by saying yes to Jesus, we will live eternally. Thank thee, dear God, for Thy precious gift of eternal life given to those who obey Him. Amen.

The Mark of the Beast

Thursday April 1st, 2004

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

The authority of this presentation is found in Revelation 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; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.”

Nowhere in the entire Bible will you find a more startling warning given by God against a most grievous sin of our day. These Bible verses describe the consequences of those who refuse to heed this message and cling to the mark of the beast. Anyone in the their right mind can understand this mighty appeal of a loving God. He loves you so much that He gave His only Son to die for you and He wants you to spend eternity with Him in a glorious place called heaven. Yet, God cannot accept those who knowingly disobey His warning.

The most important question for this generation is: What is the mark of the beast? We will discover God’s Holy Scripture gives the answer – so simple that even a child can understand. Therefore, this requires a fearless presentation as we read in Isaiah 58:1, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”

My friend, this question is a life and a death issue. This is why we must ask God for His help. Please bow your head with me as I pray. Loving Father, we have now come to the most important truth in this series which requires Thy Holy Spirit to guide us as we search for the answer to the question, What is the mark of the beast. We need to know so that we can intelligently decide to have nothing to do with it and to be saved in Thy kingdom. In Jesus’ name we ask, Amen.

The mark of the beast actually identifies anyone who has decided to obey the devil and worship him. It is no wonder that God has promised to destroy those who accept Satan’s authority. This mark has to do with worship; will we obey God and worship Him as He commands or will we worship a counterfeit god that the Bible calls the man of sin. This act of worship includes all Christians and non-Christians and divides them into two distinct groups. One group worships the Almighty God in obedience to His commandments which requires us to keep holy the seventh-day Sabbath. The other group, knowingly obey the beast by their worship on a day dedicated to the pagan sun god, Baal.

I realize that this is a shocking statement, but please hear me out for I am revealing this terrible fact because I love you. During the last six sermons I have never failed to give you a “Thus saith the Lord God” to back up every statement made and this sermon will be no exception. I promise to do the same – to give you absolute Biblical proof – to back up every truth presented.

Now let us briefly review the divine prophecies that reveal this great counterfeit system which is soon to control the world. I am reading Revelation 13: 1 – 3, “I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” Please note that this beast of Revelation 13 (which you will find is beast #6 on your visual aid) is comprised of all the traditions and doctrines developed by the dragon power which you find is beast #1.

Beginning with Nimrod, Satan’s first monarch, who built the Tower of Babel in defiance of God which God destroyed, eventually the dragon passed all its pagan traditions to Babylon (beast #2), who then passed them on to Medo-Persia (beast #3), who passed them on to Greece (beast #4), who passed them on to pagan Rome (beast #5), and who finally gave them all to papal Rome (beast #6). The scriptures are very emphatic about this beast of Revelation 13. You will notice in verse 2 its horns came from pagan Rome (beast #5), its body from the leopard, Greece (beast #4), its feet were taken from the bear (beast #3), and its head came from the lion (beast #2), and the Papal authority came from the dragon as we read in Revelation 13:2, “The dragon gave him his power, and his seat, (and then note these words…) and great authority.” No one will question that the authority of the Papacy is found in its pagan traditions. [ Religio-political world power: a Church-and-State confederacy - the Papacy ]

Please consider carefully what God says of those who accept and obey the dragon’s traditions. I am reading verse four of Revelation 13, “They worshipped the dragon” (that’s beast #1), for obedience is the highest form of worship. Therefore, those who obey the beast of Revelation 13 are worshipping Satan. Let’s read all the verse to make sure, “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

God wants us to be absolutely positive so He has given us six major points of identity. These are as follows:

Blasphemy. Revelation 13:5 says, “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies.” The pope claims to be another god. “Thou art the shepherd, thou art the physician, thou art the director; finally, thou art another god on earth.” - History of the Councils, Volume 14, column 109.

It was to rule for 1260 years. The papacy was to rule the world for 1260 years. This is found in Revelation 13:5, “And power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” According to Ezekiel 4:6, a day stands for a year in prophecy. Therefore 1260 days are 1260 years. The papacy destroyed the Ostrogoths in 538 and thereby began their universal rulership of the world which continued until 1798 when the Pope was taken prisoner by Berthier, by the order of Napoleon. This was a Papal reign of 1260 years – exactly as God had said.

It would be a persecuting power. The Papal power would be a persecuting power. Revelation 13:7, “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” During the papal reign of 1260 years the Papacy destroyed from 100 – 140 million of the saints of God. The present Pope has recently admitted that they had persecuted during the Dark Ages.

It would receive a deadly wound. The Papal power was to receive a deadly wound and the wound would be healed. Revelation 13:3 says, “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” The Papal kingdom [ Papal States ] was destroyed by France in 1798 when Berthier took the Pope prisoner, but in 1929 his throne was restored by Mussolini of Italy and the deadly wound began to heal. Today it is almost completely healed for almost all governments of the world have their ambassadors to the Pope.

[ See the 1929 Lateran Treaty establishing the Vatican State ]

The number of this beast is the number of a man’s name. God has given a specific number to this Papal power. Revelation 13:18 tells us, “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” The Pope’s official title is “Vicarius Filii Dei.” [ "Vicar of the Son of God" ] The official language of the papacy is Latin and by adding up the value of each Latin letter it comes to 666. Amazingly you can also do this with the Bible languages of Greek and Hebrew. All three languages will give you the same number – 666.

Its wound is to be fully healed and once again all the world will wonder after the beast. God’s Word predicts that almost the entire world will worship (that is obey) the Papal power. This is found in Revelation 13:8, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life.” Please keep in mind that these are God’s words – they are not mine. Here are six absolute points of identity.

Now we come to the question, Where in the scriptures does God describe true worship of obedience that He will accept? In the book of Revelation chapter 14 verses six and seven, God’s final appeal is given by three mighty angels declaring in positive words that God will accept only the worship of obedience. I read, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach 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 glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: (then notice…) and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

And where is this command to worship God explained in detail? – It is found in the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:8 – 11, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” The Catholic Church has changed the fourth commandment to read, “Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day” – leaving out “the seventh day.” This makes it possible for the Papacy to command worship on the first day to honor the dragon’s pagan sun god instead of worshiping the Creator who made heaven and earth.

Now the question: How and when did the pope change God’s eternal Ten Commandments? You will be surprised at the answer. I am quoting from Pope Nicholas, “The pope has power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things even the precepts of Christ.” Decretal Dei Translet. I continue to quote, “The pope’s will stands for reason. He can dispense above the law and of wrong made right by correcting and changing laws.” DIS-96. It is in the changing of God’s holy law that we discover the mark of authority of the beast. I shall read this to you from an authentic Catholic testimony, “The Catholic Church for over one thousand years before the existence of a Protestant, by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday.” The Catholic Mirror, September 23, 1893.

“Question: Have you any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept? Answer: Had she not such power she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her; she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day. Take note: this is a change for which there is no scriptural authority.” That’s taken from the Catholic Doctrinal Catechism by Reverend Stephen Keenan, p. 174.

Again I quote, “She, the Church, took the pagan sun-day and made it the Christian Sunday and thus the pagan Sunday, dedicated to Boldar, a sun-god, became the Christian Sunday, sacred to Jesus.” The Catholic World 1894. “Nowhere in the Bible, do we find that Christ or the apostles ordered that the Sabbath be changed from Saturday to Sunday. We have the commandments of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath day – that is, the seventh day of the week, Saturday. Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the Church of Rome outside the Bible.” Catholic Virginian, October 3, 1947.

Here is a challenge by Rome: an offer that has never been taken, “I have repeatedly offered $1000.00 to anyone who can prove to me from the Bible alone that I am bound to keep Sunday holy. There is no such law in the Bible. It is a law of the Holy Catholic Church alone. The Bible says, ‘Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.’ The Catholic Church says, ‘No, by my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day and command you to keep holy the first day of the week,’ and lo, the entire civilized world bows down in reverent obedience to the command of the Holy Catholic Church.” That’s taken from Priest Enright of Kansas City, Missouri.

Does the papacy admit that she changed the Sabbath and that it is her mark? – In reply to a letter of October 28, 1895 asking the Church if it claimed the change of the Sabbath as her mark the following was received: “Of course the Catholic Church claims the change was her act and the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical power and authority in religious matters.” C. F. Thomas, Chancellor. Now these statements of fact by Catholic Church writers make it absolutely clear that the mark of the beast is the counterfeit Sunday sacredness that is commanded by the pope of Rome.

You may be further surprised to discover that the Protestant churches of the world agree with Rome. I shall now read from Protestant testimony, the Presbyterian Church: “The Christian Sabbath, Sunday, is not in the scriptures and was not by the primitive church called the Sabbath.” Dwight’s Theology, Volume 4, p. 401. From the Congregational Church we read, “There is no command in the Bible requiring us to observe the first day of the week as the Christian Sabbath.” The Mode and Subjects of Baptism by Fowler.

The Lutheran Church says, “The observance of the Lord’s Day, Sunday, is not found on any command of God, but on the authority of the Church.” Augsburg Confessions of Faith, as quoted in Cox’s Sabbath Manual , p. 287. The Episcopalian Church teaches, “The festival of Sunday, like all other festivals, was always on a human ordinance and it was far from the intention of the apostles to establish a divine command in this respect. Far [be it] from them and from the apostolic church to transfer the laws of the Sabbath to Sunday.” History of the Christian Religion of the Church, Neander, p. 186.

We read from the Methodist Church, “It is true that there is no positive command for infant baptism, nor is there any for keeping holy the first day of the week.” Logical Compends, 1902, by Reverent Amos Benny, p. 180, 181.

Now we come to the Baptists. Dr. Edward T. Hiscox, author of The Baptist Manual, in a paper read before the New York ministers’ conference held on November 13, 1893 made this candid admission before a group of ministers, “There was, and is, a commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday. It will be said however, with some show of triumph, that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week with all its duties, privileges, and sanctions. Earnestly desiring information on this subject which I have studied for many years I ask, Where can the record of such a transaction be found? Not in the New Testament – absolutely not. There is no scriptural evidence of the change of the Sabbath institution from the seventh to the first day of the week. Of course I quite well know that Sunday did come into use in early Christian history as a religious day as we learn from the Christian fathers and other sources. But what a pity that it comes branded with the mark of paganism and christened with the name of the sun-god and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism.”

Now, by comparing the Catholic testimony which reveals that they adopted Sunday-keeping from the pagan sun worshipers with that of the Protestant testimony admitting that there is no Bible authority for keeping holy the first day of the week, an honest individual discovers he must make a decision. He must choose to give his allegiance to truth or error; to God’s Holy Word the Bible or to the devil’s traditions. It’s a decision that you must make. We must keep the seventh-day Sabbath according to God’s commandments or we must obey the dragon by keeping the first day holy. By this decision you receive the seal of God or the mark of the beast.

Let us take a moment to consider the original seventh-day Sabbath which contains the seal of God. What makes a seal authentic when placed on a legal document? – The seal must contain the ruler’s name giving his title and dominion. You will find God’s genuine seal in the Ten Commandments, centered in the fourth containing His name – “The Lord thy God” – His title – “The Creator” – His dominion – “Heaven and Earth” – which makes the Ten Commandments a legal document requiring His servants to keep the seventh-day Sabbath.

Keep in mind that God has stated in Malachi 3:6, “I am the Lord, I change not.” Since these commandments were spoken by God we read in Psalms 89:34, “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” Therefore, the Bible states, “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Isaiah 8:16. Is it any wonder then that God, the Creator of heaven and earth, has given to us the greatest warning message found in the scriptures? You read this in Revelation 14: 9 – 11, “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; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” God will destroy all those who accept and obey the mark of the beast.

In the same chapter He tells of those whom He will accept. I’m reading Revelation 14:12, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Now I must read to you Rome’s challenge. Listen carefully. “I’m going to propose a very plain and serious question to which I would entreat all who profess to follow the Bible and the Bible only, to give their most earnest attention. It is this, Why do you not keep holy the Sabbath day? The command of Almighty God stands clearly written in the Bible with these words, ‘Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work.’ Exodus 20: 8, 9. Such being God’s command then I ask again, Why do you not obey it? Why do you not keep holy the Sabbath day? You will answer me, perhaps, that you do keep holy the Sabbath day for that you abstain from all worldly business and diligently go to church and say your prayers and read your Bible at home every Sunday of your life. But Sunday is not the Sabbath day. Sunday is the first day of the week. The Sabbath day is the seventh day of the week. Almighty God did not give a commandment that men should keep holy one day in seven, and He assigned a reason for choosing this day rather than any other; a reason that belongs only to the seventh day of the week and cannot be applied to any other. He says, ‘For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.’ Almighty God ordered that all men should rest from their labors on the seventh day because He too had rested on that day. He did not rest on Sunday, the first day of the week, but on Saturday, the seventh day. On Sunday, the first day of the week, He began the work of creation. He did not finish it. It was on Saturday that He ended His work which He had made. ‘And He rested on the seventh day from all his work which He had made and God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made.’ Genesis 2: 2, 3. Nothing can be plainer and easier to understand than all this, and there is nobody who attempts to deny it. It is acknowledged by everybody that the day that Almighty God appointed to be kept holy was Saturday, not Sunday.

“Why do you then keep holy Sunday instead of Saturday? You tell me that Saturday was the Jewish Sabbath, but the Christian Sabbath has been changed to Sunday. Changed? – But by whom? Who had authority to change an express command of Almighty God when God had spoken and said, ‘Thou shalt keep holy the seventh day,’ who shall dare say, ‘Nay, thou mayest work and do all manner of worldly business on the seventh day, but thou shalt keep holy the first day in its stead’? This is the most important question which I know not how you can answer. You are a Protestant, and you profess to go by the Bible and the Bible only, and yet in so important a matter as the observance of one day in seven as a holy day you go against the plain letter of the Bible, and put another day in the place of the day the Bible has commanded. The command to keep holy the seventh day is one of the Ten Commandments. You believe the other nine are still binding. Who gave you the authority to tamper with the fourth? If you are consistent with your own principles, if you really follow the Bible and the Bible only, you ought to be able to produce some portion of the New Testament in which the fourth commandment is expressly altered or at least from which you can confidently infer that it was the will of God that Christians should make that change in its observance which you have made.”

Now Rome gives you the answer. “The present generation of Protestants keep Sunday holy instead of Saturday because they received it as part of the Christian religion from the last generation, and that generation received it from the generation before and so on. Backward from one generation to another by a continual succession until we come to the time of the so-called Reformation when it so happened that those who conducted the change of religion of this country left this particular portion of Catholic faith and practice untouched.

“Now mind you, in all this you would greatly misunderstand me if you supposed that I was quarreling with you for acting in this matter on a true and a right principle – in other words, a Catholic principle – the acceptance, without hesitation, of that which has been handed down to you by unbroken tradition. What I do quarrel with you is this: For your lack of consistency in occasionally acting upon a true principle, but your adoption as a general rule of a false one. You keep Sunday and not Saturday and you do so rightly for this was the practice of all Christians when Protestantism began. But you have abandoned other Catholic observances which were equally universal at that day preferring the novelties introduced by the men who invented Protestantism to the unvarying tradition of about 1500 years.

“We blame you not for keeping Sunday for your weekly holiday instead of Saturday, but for rejecting tradition which is the only safe and clear rule by which this observance can be justified. In outward act we do the same as yourself in this matter; we too no longer observe the ancient Sabbath, but Sunday instead. But there is this important difference between us. We do not pretend, as you do, to derive our authority for doing so from a book, but we derive it from a living teacher and that teacher is the Church. We Catholics then have precisely the same authority for keeping Sunday holy, instead of Saturday, as we have for every other article of our creed – namely the authority of the Church of the Living God, ‘the pillar and ground of truth,’ (1 Timothy 3:15) whereas you who are Protestants have really no authority for it in the Bible and you will not allow that there be authority for it anywhere else.” That is Rome’s challenge to you taken from The Liberty of Christian Doctrines , p 3, 4. Also found in the book, The Pope King Again, by Alonzo Baker, p. 119 – 122.

So, it’s an undeniable fact that the fourth commandment is of God which demands that we keep holy the seventh-day Sabbath in honor of God our Creator. But this has been changed by the papal Church to honor the dragon’s Sunday, who claims that he has power to change what God commands. The dragon is commanding you to worship on Sunday, the first day of the week, to honor the ancient sun god of old Babylon.

Now in closing, there is one further question for those who have honestly thought all their lives they were honoring God by keeping Sunday holy: Will I be lost if I don’t keep the Bible Sabbath? Listen carefully. There was an owner of a country store who was a very honest man. He sold yardage to the community – to the mothers who made clothing for their families. He was a faithful believer in the commandments of God. One day a lady bought just one yard of cloth. When she got home she discovered it was a half-inch short and it could not be used after all. She had trusted the storeowner. He had never cheated her before. She measured the piece of cloth with her yardstick and found that it was a half-inch too short. She went back to the store stating that she had measured the cloth with her yardstick and found it to be less than a yard. The owner measured it once again and found it to be exactly right.

Then she had a happy thought. She went over to the hardware section and picked up a tape measure and gave it to the owner who measured the material and to his amazement he found that his yardstick was one-half inch short. Now you fill in the rest of the story. Can this honest man continue to use his old yardstick to sell cloth? He now knows that it is defective. He is an honest man. Will God hold it against him because he unknowingly used an inaccurate yardstick? – Of course not. But can he continue to use the old yardstick and be accepted by God as an honest man? – Of course not.

God has given us a divine rule to follow. In James 4:17 I read, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” The time has come, my friend, when I must ask you to make a decision for eternal life. In Joshua 24:15 we read, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” I believe you to be honest in heart and you have chosen to obey God and keep His seventh-day Sabbath holy, God helping you.

Let us pray. Loving Father, I present to you this precious child of God who has promised, with Thy help, to keep holy the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Place these dear ones’ name in Your Book of Life and give them strength that they may be faithful. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. r free subscriptions now

The United States in Prophecy

Thursday January 1st, 2004

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

This subject should be of tremendous interest to all on earth, for our loving Savior has given to us a prophecy of the most powerful nation on earth in His book called The Revelation. You will be amazed as we unfold these divine predictions.

Let me begin with a personal experience. I once lived under another flag when I was a missionary in China. The war with communism made it necessary to return to America. While crossing the Pacific Ocean by boat I became acquainted with a lady who was fleeing from Russia and looking for freedom. As we entered the Golden Gate of San Francisco I noticed that she was pushing everyone aside on the boat deck so she could be the first to disembark. When the gangplank was lowered in place she literally ran across to the ground. Tears came into my eyes as I saw her kneel down and kiss the ground of America. This country was now her land of freedom.

This experience made me proud to be an American, and I still am. The United States is the greatest nation on earth today. Surely the God of the Bible, who has named other great nations in past history, has a purpose in unfolding America’s future for us. Let us pause here to ask God for special help that we may clearly understand this prophecy. Please bow your head as we pray.

Our loving Father, Thy Son Jesus has told us to ask in His name and Thou would grant the petition. Please, dear God, send us Thy Holy Spirit to guide us in this study that we may clearly discern the truth for this end time. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Let us begin with a few questions: What was the cause for America? Why did it appear? What is so different about this country? What is a democracy? As we search for the answers let me take your thoughts back to that cold, wet December 22, 1620 when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. Why did they brave unknown seas? Why did they assume hardships in leaving their country, their homes, and their loved ones knowing full well that many of them would die before becoming established?

Each year we celebrate Thanksgiving to remember these Pilgrims, but the majority of Americans are only interested in eating a turkey and other goodies; they have long forgotten why these people came to this country. The Pilgrims had been living in a land that was totally under the control of the papacy. During the Dark Ages the Catholic Church controlled the world from 538 – 1798. These dear people wanted to worship God as the Bible taught. They lived during the time in history when a person could be burned at the stake for even owning a Bible. Never forget that. This is why they fled to America – to escape papal persecutions.

In a Catholic book, The Question Box, on p. 164 I read, “Catholic Europe before the Reformation regarded the pope as the supreme court of international law.” Another Catholic source called The American Quarterly of April 1911 tells us, “The Vicar of Christ took up the scepter of which emperors and kings of Europe were to bow in reverence through so many ages.” When this power ruled the world there were great persecutions.

You will recall that I read of such an example in our tape #2 from the book entitled The Rise of the Dutch Republic, Volume 1, p. 626, by John Motley. He writes of what happened just fifty years before the Pilgrims left for America. “On February 16, 1568 the Holy See condemned all the inhabitants of the Netherlands to death.” Can you comprehend such papal power? It was so mighty that when the people refused to obey the pope he could order a whole nation utterly destroyed. “Three million people, men, women, and children were sentenced to the scaffold.” It’s hard for us to comprehend such an evil persecution today because we live in a land of freedom. It seems that the vast majority have forgotten that the papacy was the cause of the rebellion of Protestantism and this was the reason why the Pilgrims fled to America.

As one studies the history books of this period he will discover that Protestants studied their Bibles and knew of the same events which we have been studying in these tapes. They found that the dragon was Satan. Now pause here and look at the “beast chart” that has been enclosed with this tape. Locate beast #1, the dragon. As they studied these prophecies they knew all about Babylon (beast #2) and of Medo-Persia (beast #3) and of Greece (beast #4) which was followed in 168 BC by pagan Rome (beast #5). They knew all about the little horn, for they found that it was the same as the papacy (beast #6). They studied the prophecy that the papacy was to rule the world for 1260 years and then receive a deadly wound. They read in their scripture, “I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death.” But keep in mind that this wound had not happened yet for the pope wasn’t taken prisoner until 1798 by Napoleon.

As these Protestants read the amazing verse found in Revelation 13:10 which says, “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity,” they knew from personal experience that the Papal power led into captivity. Captivity into what? – The dragon power. As they studied further they read from the scripture, “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.” You will remember in our last tape that [Alexandre] Berthier, a general under Napoleon, went down to Rome in 1798 and took the Pope prisoner.

Follow me closely. As the Papacy received its deadly wound by the Pope being taken prisoner and losing his world power, the Bible predicts another world power would arise in the world. I am reading the next verse – Revelation 13:11. “I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb.” Now take your beast chart and look at beast #7. I want you to notice that this beast appeared at the exact time the deadly wound was inflicted.

You will remember that when one of these beasts (nations) went down, there was always another to take its place. For example, when Babylon was destroyed Medo-Persia took over. When Persia ceased to rule Greece came into power. When Greece crumbled pagan Rome seized world power but was later overcome by the Papal power. In the same year that Papal Rome received its deadly wound the United States rose to world power.

Looking back in history we find that God had a plan for the United States to arise on time, for in 1492 Columbus discovered America. In 1620 the Pilgrims came to America and landed at Plymouth Rock. As the years went by the colonies began to form into a government. In 1776 the Declaration of Independence was made. In 1787 the Constitution was drawn up. In 1789 the Bill of Rights was formed. In 1791 the Bill of Rights was adopted. But now notice, in the year 1798 the French government, the very nation that brought about the destruction of the papacy in 1798, recognized the United States as now being a “world power.” Isn’t that amazing! God’s Word never fails. This nation arose exactly as foretold in Scripture.

Don’t think for a moment that we have discovered something new. Consider that great man of God known as John Wesley who studied his Bible diligently. He wrote in the fly-leaf of his Bible in Revelation 13, some forty years before the United States became a world power, these words, “He has not yet come, although he cannot be far off, for he is to appear at the end of the forty-two months of the first beast.” John Wesley knew all about the 1260 years of prophecy. He knew that in just a few years, in his time, this beast (the United States) was to appear.

Now let us notice something else about the United States. In Revelation 13:11 it tells us that it was to arise out of the earth not out of the water as all the other beasts did. Scripture states, “I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth.” The beginning of the United States was utterly different from all the other beasts of history. You will remember that “water” in prophecy stands for multitudes of people and nations as we read in Revelation 17:15, “And he said unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations and tongues.” All the other great nations like Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, pagan Rome, and papal Rome arose by destroying another nation; but not so with the United States. It developed slowly in a land with a few scattered bands of Indians where millions of buffalo roamed the prairies, not amid people of great nations. Have you ever thought that when our government decided to show a symbol of what this country is like when it began, it produced the “buffalo nickel”? You probably have one in your pocket right now.

In Bible prophecy God always gives special characteristics concerning each nation. For instance, concerning pagan Rome, that great monster (beast #5), we were told that it would have ten horns and three of them would be destroyed. The leopard beast (beast #4) would have four heads revealing that during its reign it would actually be ruled by four generals. Medo-Persia (beast #3) would lift up itself on one side revealing that the Persians would overthrow the Medes. All of these specific details were given by God years before they occurred so that we would never doubt His Word.

Likewise God has given us specific details concerning the United States (beast #7). In Revelation 13:11 it states that this beast would have two horns like a lamb. What do horns stand for in the Bible? – When you turn to Daniel 7:24 you discover that horns represent temporal and religious powers. Let me read that verse to make sure: “The ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings.” Then it states, “And another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first.” This means it would be a religious power.

Notice that the horns on the beast representing the United States were uncrowned. The papal Rome beast had a crown on each of its horns but not so with this beast representing the United States. Its horns were to be uncrowned. Why? – Because the Pilgrim fathers fled from a government governed by a monarchy controlled by the papacy. They didn’t want anything to do with this kind of government in this New World. They were determined that America would be a land of civil and religious freedom. Church and state would be separate – two uncrowned powers. This is what a democracy is all about – what the world had not seen for over a thousand years; a totally different kind of government – a state without a king and a church without a pope. Doesn’t God make it simple? It was to have two horns like a lamb and what could be more lamb-like than republicanism and Protestantism – both uncrowned.

Let me tell you something. This has been the secret of its great power and prosperity. This is why millions came from Europe to dwell in America. When the government of France saw the people of Europe fleeing to this new country of liberty they built for us the Statue to Liberty in New York Harbor. This beautiful lady represents a land of freedom – totally unlike that of Europe where church and state had been united.

Now, I have a confession to make. I don’t like to give the rest of this message. I am proud of this great country. I love my country, but as a servant of God I must preach what God has said. I read in Revelation 13:11 of the United States, “I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, (but now notice the change) and he spake as a dragon.”

From the Bible we know all about the dragon. This power came down from heaven to disrupt God’s plan here on this earth and to lead men into captivity. We shall learn that Satan is doing everything possible to change this land of liberty in our day.

Notice what it tells us about this beast, the United States (#7), and what it is going to do. We don’t have to guess for God makes it very clear. The Bible says in Revelation 13:12, “He exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” Now that’s a startling revelation! When will this change in America take place? – After the healing process which started in 1929. We studied all about this in our last tape. This was the date when the Pope received from the dictator of Italy his Vatican State. Thus in 1929 is the date when the wound began to heal.

Let me illustrate. When a person has been in bed for a long time with a wound he doesn’t jump out of bed and carry on as usual the very moment that the doctor states that the wound is beginning to heal. Usually there is a long time of convalescence until he is able to continue as he used to do.

We will now discuss what is taking place in America as the papal wound heals. Keep in mind that after this healing takes place our nation is to speak as a dragon. What is happening in America that would make such a change possible? – You will remember that it was Protestantism that caused the wound of the papacy in 1798. God was using the Protestant Reformation to prepare the people for His Second Coming. This was the time when God also produced the mighty signs of a soon-coming Savior. For example, on November 1, 1755 God shook the world with the greatest earthquake since the flood which was known as the Lisbon Earthquake. He wanted to arouse the world to the nearness of Christ’s return. On May 19, 1780 God darkened the sun. That night the moon appeared as blood. On November 15, 1833 the stars “fell.”

We read in Revelation 6:12 – 17, “There was a great earthquake; and 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 heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” This great prophecy was to let the world know that the time of the end had arrived.

These signs followed with a world-wide message that the final judgment of God had commenced in 1844 as we read in Revelation 14:6, “I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach 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 glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.” But Protestant churches could not accept these warnings from God.

In 1914 came WWI which destroyed most of Europe making it possible for the healing of the wound in 1929. In this very year a change began to take place in America. Since Protestant churches had rejected God’s three angels’ messages they once more, sorry to say, began to teach papal traditions. I found a book Present Day Trends written by Beitz (sp?) in 1934 just five years after the healing of the wound began in 1929. He discovered that Protestant churches were beginning to change their beliefs. He sent a questionnaire to the ministers which revealed that these preachers in 1934 no longer could be called fundamentalists. Why? – Because they were turning back to the traditions of Rome.

Let me read to you a little of this survey. You may find it hard to believe. Remember, this was written in 1934.

24% of pastors no longer believed that there was a devil
50% no longer believed in hell
22% of Baptist ministers didn’t even believe in heaven
37% no longer considered the Bible to be God’s book

Isn’t that amazing? Do you see that a great change was beginning to take place in Protestantism immediately after the healing of the wound began.

Let’s take the Congregational Church:
44% of their ministers no longer believed in the devil
96% no longer believed in hell
44% no longer believed in heaven
91% said they could not believe that the Bible was God’s book

Thank God for the Lutheran ministry:

Not one of them said they didn’t believe in the devil. How could they? You’ll recall that Martin Luther saw the devil. However, they too were beginning to lose their confidence in God’s Word. 20% said they could no longer believe the Bible to be God’s book.

Turning to the Methodists we find that the survey told that:
70% of their ministry did not believe in a devil
92% did not believe in hell

The total results of this survey in 1934 revealed that 65% of all Protestant preachers no longer believed the Bible was God’s Word.

It is no surprise then that some 44 years later I discovered a magazine printed in America in 1970 called The Look magazine. You will find special issues of this magazine are still appearing on the newsstand today. In this issue of 1970 they gave a report of a survey taken in all of the Protestant seminaries in North America and believe it or not, they discovered that only 1% of all the young men studying to become ministers in Protestant seminaries in America in 1970 believed that Jesus Christ would come back to this earth. That should startle your thinking for these are the men that are now the pastors of Protestant churches in our land today. No wonder God says that in the end time they would have “a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.” 2 Timothy 3:5.

Immediately after the healing of the wound in 1929 we had a president by the name of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was one of the smartest politicians to ever become president of this great nation. He recognized what was taking place. He saw that the church and state were beginning to get together. On December 6, 1933 he sent a message to Congress which said, “Churches are the greatest influence in the world today for spreading a new philosophy of government in which state and church are rightly united in a common aim.” What’s he talking about? What did he say was happening? – Notice that the Protestant churches were promoting a new program in which church and state were to be united. This was the beginning of the ecumenical movement and President Roosevelt knew what he was talking about.

Let us explore this further. Since Protestant churches were turning from the Word of God they must have some place to go for doctrine. They began to preach a social gospel of Modernism based on higher learning together with the traditions of Rome. Let me give you proof of this change. In Dr. Arnot C. Gabilians (sp?) in the book Our Hope June 1940 I read as he tells of a pastor of a large Presbyterian church in Hollywood, California who “not only denied the existence of a literal hell, but taught the remedial and corrective sufferings of purgatory where needed to save the lost.” What’s this? – A Protestant church in America preaching that we need the teachings of purgatory to save the people? Where does such doctrine come from? – Not from the Bible. Purgatory is a teaching of the dragon found in the teachings of Rome.

He continues, “…Who was shocked some time ago to read this statement from a Methodist pastor, the son of a very prominent Methodist editor wherein he states, ‘He would be happy to have a Roman Catholic priest in his pulpit to conduct the mass.’” A Methodist inviting a Catholic priest to his pulpit to conduct the mass?! Do you know that the mass is where a human being believes that he can actually take the life of his Creator? Where does such a false belief come from? – Not from the Bible. It comes from tradition. Where did tradition come from? – The Bible states that it came from the dragon. Surely you can see that a change is developing within Protestantism in America.

In another book Present Day Trends and Worldwide Apostasy by W. O. H. Garman (sp?) I read, “While in Chicago some time ago we were told of an Episcopal Church in which they had confession, burned candles for the dead, and celebrated the mass.”

In the Atlantic Monthly of January 1922, Volume 1, #51 I found the following: Dr. Charles M. Sheldon, a noted Congregational minister had this to say, “The church is looked upon as the place to go hear someone. But people want something more than preaching, they want comfort and courage and help that does not come to them when it is handed out wholesale. The confessional of the Roman Church is a recognition of a human craving so deep and eternal that it is a bewildering thing to see how it has been ignored by Protestant churches which have emphasized preaching above piety and the pulpit above the person.” Amazing!

Today we hear of the interchange of pulpits all over the land between Roman Catholic priests, Protestant preachers and Jewish rabbis. I will never forget the day when I was pastoring the Woodside Church in Sacramento, California. My telephone rang and it was the priest of the nearby Catholic church on the telephone. He said, “I would like to come over and preach in your pulpit and I will let you come over and preach in my pulpit.” You can be sure I quickly answered, “No thank you.” My friend, I am trying to show you that a religious change is taking place in America.

There are now twenty-four leading Protestant churches who have joined together in a Federal Council of Churches for the one purpose of joining hands with Rome. On the other hand the papacy is reaching out its hand to the hands of Protestant churches calling them “our separated brethren.” Day by day we can see the growth of the ecumenical movement.

In Revelation 13:14 God has told us of its purpose. It states, “He deceiveth them that dwell on the earth … saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast.” I was amazed as I watched the television of the pope’s last visit to America, in which Protestant leaders proclaimed the pope as the greatest man of this hour. Protestant America is beginning to make an image to the beast.

Let me read it to you from Revelation 13:12, 15 – 18, “And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. … 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. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” [ 666 ]

We are going to discuss these details in the coming tapes. In view of such a warning by God what should be the Christian’s attitude as we see these things developing before our eyes? I read in Romans 13:1 that “the powers that be are ordained of God,” therefore we must obey the laws of our government in every respect as a Christian until those laws conflict with God’s law. In Acts 5:29 Peter and the other apostles said, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” As a Christian we should be foremost in defending our great country, paying our taxes and praying for the President and those in Congress. Christians should honor the flag and serve in the armed forces as a Christian. Loyalty to our flag will be second only to God and to His flag. But let us remember a crisis is coming in which there will be a time of trouble such as never was. How we should thank God for the information our Savior has given to us in the book of Revelation so we will know how to conduct ourselves with the help of God.

Let us pray. Loving Father, help our minds to comprehend these great prophecies of the Bible that we will be enabled with Thy power to discern truth from error and to obey only Thee. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.s now

The Beast of Revelation 13

Wednesday October 1st, 2003

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

Welcome to “Keep the Faith Tape Ministry.” This is Evangelist Lawrence Nelson bringing to you undeniable facts that will prepare you to live forever with Christ your Savior and never die. You are about to hear some of the most dire predictions ever given by God regarding this mystery beast of Revelation 13.

Now for a warning concerning the New World Order in which every nation of our world is becoming strangely involved. In this series we are going to give you some alarming facts that you have never heard before that will lead you to understand the final battle of Armageddon. I wish this message to be preached in every church in the world, for this beast of Revelation 13 is going to completely change our lives so that the freedoms we now enjoy will be gone forever. This is why God has given us the Bible to prepare. In Daniel the twelfth chapter and the first verse it tells us that this will be a time of trouble such as never was. How few of the people living in the world today are aware of what is taking place and what is about to happen.

We will discover in the book of Revelation that Jesus has given us a clear picture of what is soon to take place. It reads, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.” Revelation 1:1. I like that, don’t you? This is all summed up in Revelation chapter fourteen which tells of three angels flying through the midst of heaven with the last message of mercy to a doomed world. We are told in these verses that anyone who worships this beast, or anyone who obeys it, God is going to cast into hell fire. That is why this alarming truth must be given.

My dear friends, I believe that the Lord is coming very, very soon. I want you to be ready because I love you. I don’t want you to come to me in the near future and say, “Why didn’t you tell me about this beast? You knew these things, but you didn’t inform us and now we are lost.” This is why you are going to hear some things you have never heard before in your life, so you can be ready.

First of all we must seek divine aid in prayer. Father, please send us Thy Holy Spirit to guide us that we may hear all about this beast and become aware of its great danger. In Jesus’ name we ask, Amen.

I trust that you have placed the visual aid before you. Locate beast #6 that God describes in Revelation 13:1 – 3 and notice the details as I read. “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”

Let us now take a closer look at this beast which the Lord has described. It is a strange looking creature, isn’t it? Notice that it has ten horns and each of them are crowned. It is a peculiar-looking beast because it has a head like a lion, the feet of a bear, and a body like a leopard. Whoever heard of anything like this? No wonder some evangelists don’t want to preach about it because it seems too difficult to understand. But we are going to make these symbols so clear that it will be as easy as learning to count.

God warns that if any man worships this beast which has a mark, a name, and a number and even makes an image to this beast that God’s wrath will be upon him. We had better know beyond a doubt what this beast is. But where are we going to find the definitions that will help us to understand? We may guess, but this means nothing. Only God’s Word will tell us exactly what each of these symbols represents – the horns, the head like a lion, feet like a bear, or the body of a leopard. I want you to know that God has an answer, a “Thus said the Word of God” for every one of these characteristics.

Perhaps it would be good to pause here and tell you that our God is a God of love. Just to think that He would take time from running the universe to show us what this power is so that we can know what to expect. Christ describes these things as a cartoonist does for He wanted to make it simple. I recall some years ago looking in a newspaper and there was a picture of a lion. It was nibbling at the tail of a bear. There wasn’t a word on it, but I knew what it meant. It was a cartoon of England trying to start a fight with Russia.

Now we could understand these deep truths if He made them simple. Those of us who have studied the Bible with much prayer and the help of the Holy Spirit have discovered a secret. If there is anything that we don’t understand in the book of Revelation we can turn to the book of Daniel and it will give us the answer. Both of these books were written by God through the Holy Spirit and He knows what this beast represents.

Let us turn in our Bibles to Daniel 7:2. We read, “Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.” Now you will recall that we read in Revelation 13 that this beast arose out of the sea. Both Daniel and John the Revelator were looking upon the same great body of water. The Bible is very clear in Revelation 17:15, “The waters which thou sawest, …are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” We are not guessing for God’s Word has told us. The waters from which these beasts were emerging represent the nations of the world.

What happens when a great wind blows upon the waters of the ocean? – The waves often reach forty to fifty feet tall and clash against one another. The wind is a symbol of what happens when there is strife among the people as representing war and bloodshed. The result – one nation goes down into destruction and another nation comes up and takes its place. I am reading this from Jeremiah 51:1 – 4. “Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, … a destroying wind. …Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, …destroy ye utterly all her host.” Winds stand for war. This is God’s way to picture wars as kingdoms are destroyed and new kingdoms arise.

Now back to Daniel 7:3. “And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.” What are these? – I am reading now from verse 17, “These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.” Isn’t it marvelous that God explains every detail. We don’t have to guess.

Another wonder that is almost unbelievable, but true, is that as we read Bible history God tells the future before it happens. God knows what is going to take place tomorrow and He knows what is going to happen a year from now. He knows the end from the beginning so He tells Daniel what is going to happen before it actually takes place.

Now let’s look at your visual aid. Note the #2 beast as I read from Daniel 7:4, “The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.” First, what does this lion represent? Let me read it to you from the Bible. We are not going to guess. It says in Jeremiah 50:43, 44, “The king of Babylon … shall come up like a lion.” It is God who explains; we don’t have to interpret by ourselves. We don’t have to guess if we will turn to the Bible and compare scripture with scripture.

Look closely at this lion that is #2 on the chart. You will notice that it had wings. I have been in the British Museum in England. Those in charge decided that they would go down to the Euphrates River in Iraq where the old kingdom of Babylon used to be to see if they could find anything. They dug in the ruins and they noticed that by every entrance to that city there was a winged lion. God used the same symbol to illustrate Babylon, isn’t that interesting? I have stood before that great winged lion some seventeen feet tall made out of stone by the Babylonians. God knew what He was talking about when He told us that it was a winged lion. God also said that a man’s heart would be given it. How strong is a lion when it has the strength of a man’s heart? It is no longer the king of beasts. Something was going to happen to this great kingdom of Babylon that came into existence in 606 BC as the first universal kingdom of this world.

Look again at your beast chart and locate beast #3. Daniel 7:5 tells us, “And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.” Now those of you who have studied ancient history know the next great kingdom that came on the scene of action arose in the year 538 BC. It was called the kingdom of Medo-Persia. Notice how God is so particular in telling us what would happen. God is revealing the future. He says that the bear would have three ribs in its mouth.

The kingdom of Babylon was composed of three provinces – Babylon, Lydia and Egypt. History reveals that Medo-Persia did exactly as prophecy predicted. It destroyed, or devoured, the three provinces of Babylon. But notice, it tells something else – the bear is lifted up on one side. When the Medo-Persia government overthrew Babylon then the Medes warred with the Persians and the Persians overthrew the Medes so Persia finally rules the world. Doesn’t God make it simple? God makes it so clear.

Then God said something else would happen. On your beast chart find beast #4. I am reading verse six, “After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.” History records that in the year 331 BC another power arose in the world. Now notice, first arose the kingdom of Babylon, then came Persia and next followed Greece. The scripture states this leopard beast had four wings. This made it possible to quickly conquer the then-known world. It is amazing as you look at the maps of how Alexander the Great conquered the world. He had no airplanes, no tanks, no modern ships – just a few wooden vessels and some camels and horses. But, in twelve short years he conquered the world. It’s amazing. That’s why God said it would have four wings; it would be done so quickly.

But this great emperor could not conquer his own appetite and he died a drunkard at 33 years of age. God also pictured this for us, for scripture says it would have four heads – not five heads or three, but four as pictured on your beast chart #4. Alexander had exactly four generals. Their names were Cassander, Lysimachos, Seleucus, and Ptolemy. When Alexander died these four generals got together and said, “Let’s not fight among ourselves; let’s rule concurrently.” So in the next year the world was ruled by four heads, or generals. Isn’t it marvelous that God told Daniel three hundred years before this took place exactly what would happen? The Bible is filled with such wonders.

Now look at beast #5 as I read Daniel 7:7. “After this I saw in the night vision, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.” Are you looking at beast #5? You will notice that this beast looks like a monster. It had great iron teeth. It was dreadful.

We all know the next great kingdom to rule this world was Rome in 168 BC. Those of you who have studied about the Roman Empire under the Caesars know that pagan Rome was ruthless. The whole world trembled under this power. In fact when you read history from Edward Gibbons’ book The History, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire you will discover that he uses these words, “the iron monarchy of Rome.” God said it simply, “It had great iron teeth.” How marvelous that God could predict these details.

This was the time when Jesus came into this world and died on a cross. It was a Roman cross. It was Pilate, under the authority of Caesar, who crucified our Lord using Roman soldiers. Isn’t it wonderful that the entire world was under bondage to Rome but that Jesus is born to bring salvation, hope and courage? Isn’t that just like our Savior? Our Lord knew when the world was in need and He came to this earth to die on a pagan, Roman cross for you and me; giving His life as payment for our sins. He died in our place that we might live. What a Savior!

Pagan Rome, like all these other kingdoms, had its problems. We find in the year 476 AD that the Roman Empire broke apart. Look again at your visual aid. Remember there was one Babylon, one Persia, one Greece and one Rome ruling the entire world. But now something different happens. The Bible says that this beast had ten horns. What do horns represent? – I am reading Daniel 7:24, “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise.” History verifies that the Roman Empire divided into exactly ten kingdoms. How amazing that God can see the future and knows what is going to happen.

Now perhaps you are saying, “You promised that you would talk about the beast of Revelation 13 and explain all about the details, but all you have told us is about ancient history.” My friend, you have been learning more than you think. Let me show you something. Look at your chart at beast #6. God wanted to show you that this beast of Revelation 13 contains all the characteristics of the past beasts of history and so our heavenly Cartoonist took the horns from pagan Rome (beast #5), He took the body from the leopard of Greece (beast #4), He took the feet from the bear Medo-Persia (beast #3), and He took the head from the lion of old Babylon (beast #2) and He put them all together. Why? – Because He wants to show you that this beast of Revelation 13 is a composite beast containing the beliefs and the teachings of paganism found in those empire of past history. This is why God hates it. I believe you are beginning to have some understanding now about the beast of Revelation 13 (beast #6).

Let me show you something else. Look at the beast chart at beasts #2 – 5. The prophet Daniel was looking forward in time and he saw a lion, a bear, a leopard, and a monster. But the prophet John as he received the revelation of Jesus Christ he was pointed back in history. This is why these beasts are in reverse order starting with the horns of the monster (#5), then the body of a leopard (#4), the feet of a bear (#3), and the head of the lion (#2). I want to tell you that these two books of Daniel and Revelation embrace each other.

Now we are ready to hear some tremendous facts that will open your understanding of Bible history. Look on your visual aid at beast #5, the monster. In Daniel the seventh chapter and verse eight it reads, “I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.”

Perhaps we should pause here for a moment. Maybe there are some Catholics listening with you to this tape, or perhaps some Protestants. I wouldn’t be surprised even some Jews or Mohammedans and maybe some atheists are listening. No matter who you are, God loves you and so do we.

Now the question: What is this power? – It is the little horn beast (#5 on your chart). We will let God’s Holy Scripture describe the little horn and what it does. Then we will turn to history and see if it actually happened. Since the little horn of this beast represents a church we will then read from the teachings of the church to see if she agrees.

What church are we talking about? – God has given us seven undeniable facts proving the little horn to be the papal power in the world today. He wants us be absolutely positive, and believe me He has not left any doubt. Listen carefully. I am reading from Daniel 7:24, “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them.” Remember pagan Rome ruled the world from 168 BC to 476 AD as you see on your chart (beast #5). But, God foretold that pagan Rome would be divided into ten separate kingdoms.

Here comes fact #1 : Pagan Rome became so corrupt that a revolution developed in which the Roman Empire was divided into ten separate kingdoms. But not for long, because God prophesied by Daniel that another power would arise which would be of a diverse nature.

Fact #2 : The papacy, claiming to be a diverse spiritual power, destroyed three of the kingdoms – the Heroli in 493 AD, the Vandals in 534 AD, and finally the Ostrogoths in 538 AD. When the seven remaining kingdoms saw what had happened to the three kingdoms by this papal power, they capitulated, making it possible for the papal power of the little horn to rule over them also.

I am reading from the book The Question Box, written by Reverend Conway, a Roman Catholic. Papal Rome has given three seals of approval on this book which means that they have checked the writings and they are correct. I read on p. 166, “The difference from Constantinople, the interrupted communications with the Exter of Vereena, the constant fighting against the Goths, the Huns and the Hunbars [these are the common names for the Heroli, the Vandals and the Ostrogoths] tended to turn the pope willingly or unwillingly into a temporal sovereign.” Isn’t that amazing? God said when the little horn came into power it would destroy three of the ten kingdoms and the church says that is exactly what she did. We are not guessing here, this is a life and death issue; we must know the truth.

Seven of these nations are still in existence in our world today. I will read the names of them for you. They are: Germany, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Switzerland. The other three are gone – they have disappeared. You see, God doesn’t want you to have any questions.

He doesn’t want you to have any doubt in your mind for He tells us more. Fact #3 : It says in the scripture that this little horn had eyes. How interesting. Every person in this world today knows that this organization, the papacy, is headed up by a man called the pope. This is something that God has made so clear that there can be no doubt. But He adds more…

Fact #4 : I am reading from Daniel 7:25, “And he shall speak great words against the most High.” How revealing! I am reading from The Authority of the Councils, Volume 2, Book 2, Chapter 17, p. 266 which says, “All names which in the scripture are applied to Christ, by virtue of which it is established that He is over the church, all the same names are applied to the pope.” You may call the pope the Savior, or the Good Shepherd. Listen, I am quoting from another Catholic source. “The pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not a mere man, but is as it were God and the vicar of God.” The Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Dictionary, the article on the Pope.

When you turn on your television, as I have done, and see the pope, who claims that he is not a mere man, but is as it were God, is it any wonder when he came to America that thousands were kneeling before him? I saw it with my own eyes. But I read in John 10:30 that Jesus said, “I and my Father are one.” He was, for He was the Son of God, but the Jewish priests said that they were going to stone Him. Why? – “Because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” (verse 33). According to the Bible this is blasphemy.

What did the scriptures say? – “That he shall speak great words against the most High.” (Daniel 7:25). I am reading from The Catholic National, July, 1905. “The pope is not only a representative of Jesus Christ, but Jesus Christ Himself.” What’s that? I read in the scriptures that in the last days false christs would come. These are undeniable facts. Paul told us that this would happen. I am reading from 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come (speaking of the second coming of Christ), except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself about all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

Fact #5: The Bible tells us in Luke 5:20 that Jesus, when he was healing a poor, sick man said, “Thy sins are forgiven thee.” Isn’t it wonderful that we have a Savior who not only can heal us, but can forgive us of our sins! What a God. But did you know that this man of Rome also claims to forgive sin? I am quoting, “The pope is the vicar of Christ, or the visible head of the church on earth. The claims of the pope are the same as the claims of Christ. Christ wanted all souls saved, so does the pope. Christ can forgive all sin, so can the pope.” That is taken by a sermon by Reverend Jeremiah Prendergast preached in The Church of St. John the Baptist Syracuse, NY on March 13, 1912 as reported in The Syracuse Post Standard March 14, 1912.

Now comes Fact #6 : Daniel 7:25, “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High.” If you will look back in history you will find that this great power has destroyed more people in this world than any other institution that has ever existed. Let me read this to you from William Edward Hartpole Lecky in his book The History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, Volume 2, p. 32. “The Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind.”

God has revealed these facts and the church admits it. I am reading from The Western Watchman, a Roman Catholic magazine of December 24, 1908. The church says, “The Church has persecuted. Only a tyro in church history will deny that. 150 years after Constantine the Donatists were persecuted and sometimes put to death. Protestants were persecuted in France and Spain with the full approval of Church authorities. We have always defended the persecution of the Huguenots and the Spanish Inquisition.” The facts are that thousands and tens of thousands were destroyed by the papal power.

Here is something else to really think about. I continue to quote, “But will the Catholic Church give bond that she will not persecute at all? Will she guarantee absolute freedom and equality of all churches and all faiths? The Catholic Church gives no bond of her good behavior.”

Here is Fact #7 : Daniel 7:25, “And he shall … think to change times and laws.” If you pick up any Catholic Catechism you will find that the second commandment is missing which reads, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” I have been in St. Peter’s Basilica of Rome and I have looked at the statues and the people kneeling before them. God says, “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them.”

But I hear someone say, “Doesn’t the church teach ten commandments?” – Why of course they do. They took the last one and divided it into two so that they could tell the world that they keep the ten commandments, but they don’t.

Now let me summarize what we have discovered. We have found undeniable proof that the beast of Revelation 13 and the little horn of Daniel 7 are one and the same. Let me review this for you. Both will blaspheme (Revelation 13:5; Daniel 7:25). Both would hold universal rulership (Revelation 13:7; Daniel 7:23). Both were a religious power (Revelation 13:8; Daniel 7:24). Both were to rule for 1260 years (Revelation 13:5; Daniel 7:25). Both would try to change God’s law (Revelation 13:5, 16, 17; Daniel 7:25). Both would persecute (Revelation 13:7; Daniel 7:25). Therefore the beast of Revelation 13 and the little horn are one and the same.

This is becoming exciting, isn’t it? Now the question: “Where did this beast get such power?” This is what our next tape is all about. This is why God warns us in Revelation 14:9, 10, “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; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.”

In this tape you have heard some alarming facts, but the next tape will bring you some astonishing facts so that you can see, without a doubt, what God is trying to tell us about this beast. Don’t miss it!

Let us pray. Loving Father, we thank Thee that Thou hast made things so clear in Thy Word so that we can decide not to have anything to do with this beast of Revelation 13. Grant us retentive memories so we will be ready for tape #2 entitled “The Beast, The Dragon and the Woman.” This we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.”

The Secret Number – 666

Monday March 1st, 2004

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

 

“We are living, we are dwelling,
In a grand and awful time – To be living is sublime.
And the prince of evil spirits,
Great deceiver of the world!
Cometh with unwonted power,
Knowing that his reign will cease
When the kingdom shall be given
To the mighty Prince of Peace.
He, alone, who thus is faithful,
Who abideth to the end,
Hath the promise, in the kingdom
An eternity to spend.”

 

So writes Arthur C. Coxe in his beloved hymn.

This war that began in heaven is soon to end in this old world. We are told in Revelation 12:7 – 9, “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

In your visual aids which came with this sermon please notice #1, the dragon, which we have just talked about. Praise God that we are not left in doubt as to the outcome for God has revealed exactly how this war will end. I am reading from Revelation 19:11 – 16, 19, 20: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.” Now listen carefully: “The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

As we come to this final showdown we must never forget there is a people that the devil is determined to destroy, for in Revelation 12:17 it tells us, “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant.” I wish that you would place the woman at the end of your beast chart (figure #8). Any lady listening to this tape knows what a remnant is – it’s the last part of a bolt of cloth. Thus Satan is making war with the remnant of her seed. Who are they? – Those “which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Thank God we can be saved by the sword of the Lord which is the Word of God.

Before we continue let us pause here to pray for heavenly guidance. Heavenly Father, As we compare Thy truth with the false doctrines of Satan, may Thy Holy Spirit clearly reveal the difference between truth and error so that there will be no doubt concerning Thy truth. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Now, in the visual aids before you, we found in our study of the Old Testament times that the dragon power of old Babylon continually fought against the God of Israel through its following governments: Medo-Persia, Greece and pagan Rome with its traditions of false teachings of pagan worship. Finally Satan was able to penetrate God’s Israel causing His very Church to become like Babylon and crucify Jesus, the Messiah.

Since the cross Satan has again infiltrated God’s Christian Church with his pagan teachings of traditions, so that today the majority of professed Christians no longer believe the Bible truths, but reject their Lord by accepting the false traditions of Babylon. This is why God has given to the world this end-time final warning message contained in the Three Angels’ Messages in which He clearly states that in both the Old Testament and in the New Testament era His professed followers are thus proclaimed to have fallen twice.

I’m reading Revelation 14:8, “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” God is saying in this verse that Babylon has fallen. In the day when Christ was upon the earth, and since many of the churches of our day no longer follow the Word of God, they too have become fallen Babylon.

The question before us is this: Where do we stand in this final battle? Shall we accept the Word of God as found in the scripture and obey its teachings, or shall we follow the majority which have accepted the traditions of Satan? Modern religion is a mixture of both scripture and traditions of paganism and God will have none of it. The Bible truth is the original and tradition is that of satanic origin and is nothing more than a counterfeit. Therefore it is very important that we understand the difference between the genuine and the counterfeit.

When I was a boy about eight years of age I went to a little church in Los Angeles where my father was the church treasurer. Every Sabbath evening when the sun went down he would gather the collection together and write the receipts. I was delighted when he gave me a little job. I was given all the nickels, the dimes, quarters and fifty-cent pieces, along with the silver dollars to count them and get them ready for wrapping. I would count forty nickels and put them in a pile and then I would count out fifty dimes and so on. Of course my Dad would check everything over. One of the things that really intrigued me was the fact that we would often find some counterfeit coins.

Back in those days loose change was worth a lot. Today evil men don’t waste their time in making counterfeit coins; they try to make $20 and $100 counterfeit bills. When I was a boy a dime was worth a dime. I remember getting three cans of Campbell soup for a dime, and believe it or not the cans were one-third larger than they are now. How times have changed! If a man could make a counterfeit fifty-cent piece he could feed his family for a whole day. I was always watching to see if I could find any counterfeit coins that were mixed with the genuine coins. When I did I would put them in a little cloth bag together with the loose change that my father took to the bank on Monday. Then we would watch as the bank teller dumped the sack of loose change on the counter to see what would happen. When the coins hit the marble slab the teller’s eyes would light up and she would say, “I hear the sound of a counterfeit.” Believe me, she would find them every time. Why? – Because she knew the sound of the original coin.

In this tape we want to see if we can tell the difference between the counterfeit and the genuine; the difference between truth and error. We are going to clarify God’s warning message. Since God loves all the people He would like to have every soul in His kingdom. This is why He has given the warning message that we may be ready to meet Him. Like the days before the flood God said He would destroy the world because the people no longer obeyed His Word. Back then, if you wanted to be saved you had to get into the ark. Today’s message is not another warning of a worldwide flood that is about to happen, but rather it is a warning message of the eternal destruction of all who worship the beast and obey its traditions. The issue before us is of tremendous consequence.

Let me read once more Revelation 14:8 – 10. “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 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.” Let us make sure as we go over some of the following teachings to see if they are God’s genuine beliefs or that of a counterfeit.

First let’s talk about the trinity. In the scriptures, in Matthew 28:19 it says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” The Bible is very clear that the Godhead is made up of three separate Beings. Now let us look at the false. The Bible tells of a counterfeit trinity in the book of 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.” You can see that the devil has his counterfeit trinity. Keep this in mind as we proceed.

Now let’s take another. What’s the difference between the devil’s government and God’s government? The government of God is based on love and this appeals to us. He tells us, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15. God never forces anyone to obey Him; He would rather have His people honor Him because they love Him. Now tell me, you who are fathers, would you find any joy if you had to take a whip in your hand and force your little son to come to you and tell you that he loves you? Why of course not! When you come home from work you are filled with pride to see your little fellow run across the room with his outstretched arms and give you a big hug as he whispers in your ear, “Daddy, I love you.”

God’s kingdom is based on love, but the dragon’s power has always been based on force. If you don’t do as he says he will kill you. Let me read it to you in Revelation 13:15, “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.” This power we are talking about in this tape has to do with the beast whose deadly wound is healed. God has pictured this counterfeit power as a woman riding the beast. Notice how God describes her with all her ornaments of gold and silver and adorned in purple. Look on your beast chart at #8. She is a harlot, an evil woman. This is God’s symbol of a counterfeit church. God is telling us this power uses force. It will force you to do what it demands and this is not God’s way with individuals.

Let’s look at another teaching. What about God’s existence? The Bible teaches that God always was. He was the Creator of everything that our eyes behold. He tells us in Isaiah 44:6, “I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” But the Bible also reveals that there is a counterfeit god in this world. Let me read this to you in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come (he’s speaking of the Second Coming of Christ), except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself about all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” There is a man in Rome today who says, “I am God,” but beloved, he never created anything.

I can hear someone say, “Surely this man, the pope, doesn’t claim to be a god.” But just listen to this: I am quoting from the Church, “All names which in the scripture are applied to Christ, by virtue of which it is established that He is over the church, all the same names are applied to the pope.” That’s taken from a Roman Catholic book The Authority of the Councils, book #2, chapter 17, volume 2, p. 266, edition 1619. I believe you are beginning to see and hear the true ring between truth and error.

Let us consider another false teaching. We find that each side in this war has a mediator, whether it is on the dragon’s side or the true woman’s side. In the Word of God in 1 Timothy 2:5 it says, “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” In our last tape (#5 of this series) we talked about Christ as our mediator. My heart was thrilled as I brought to you a spiritual presentation of what Jesus is doing for us in heaven before the Father at the mercy seat where He sprinkles His own precious blood. He says to the Father, “I died for this sinner. He has asked Me for forgiveness and I want this person to be with Me in heaven.” How wonderful it is that we have a mediator before God who is able to save us to the uttermost seeing that He ever liveth to make intercession for us. (See Hebrews 7:25). Christ is our mediator before the Father.

But there is another power in this world that claims that the pope is the mediator. Let me read it to you from a Catholic source: “Therefore an appeal is always taken from an inferior judge to a superior judge. As no one is greater than himself so no special holes (sic) when made from the pope to God; because there is one consistory of the pope himself who is the key bearer. Therefore, no one can appeal from the pope to God, no one can enter into the consistory of God without the mediation of the pope.” You will find this Catholic writing in the British Museum in London entitled, “An Appeal From a Decision of the Pope,” by Augustinus de Ancona a Roman Catholic. Let me ask you, Did the pope ever die for you? Is the pope in heaven today standing at the mercy seat pleading his blood for you? Oh friend, you can just hear the ring that this is a counterfeit. We know from God’s Word that Jesus is our mediator.

The devil has spread so much of his tradition in our world today that many find it difficult to understand the scripture. But God has provided His Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, to guide us into all truth. Sometimes when I find a passage of scripture difficult to understand I just kneel down in my study and ask for the Holy Spirit to help me with spiritual eyesight. This is why we should pray every time we study the good Book. Remember the Word of God’s promise, “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13.

But the counterfeit system does not teach this. Listen as I read from the book called Define the Church – a Roman Catholic book (p. 33) which says, “The Catholic Church recognizes that it cannot obtain a safeguard doctrine in any other way than by a living authority. This authority has always been recognized to exist in one man. Who is this man? – In the first place it was Saint Peter and since the death of Saint Peter it has been the successors, the popes, the Bishops’ of Rome.”

When you really want to find something you go to the author. No one knows more about the Bible than the author. God has revealed who the author of His Word is. Turn with me to 2 Peter 1:21. “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” But the pope says, “Listen to me. I am the only one who knows how to explain the scripture.” Surely you are beginning to hear the ring of a counterfeit.

Let’s look at another doctrine. What is the foundation of God’s true church? We find in 2 Timothy 3:16 these words, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Oh how we thank God for the Bible! What could we do without it? No wonder in the Dark Ages people died for this Book. They could be burned at the stake for possessing a few pages of scripture. Why? – Because they read in John 5:39, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” But what about the dragon’s power of tradition? Remember what Christ said, “Why do ye also transgress the commandments of God by your tradition?” Matthew 15:3. I can just hear the ring of the counterfeit.

Let’s take a closer look at tradition. God says that we are to find His doctrines in the Bible, but some want tradition to take the place of the scriptures. In the Catholic book entitled Find the Church p. 32 we read these words, “The New Testament could not have been established by Christ by which men were to become acquainted with His doctrine.” What’s that! Let me continue with the quotation: “All things being so there is one thing evident the only means by which Christ chose to have His doctrine handed down was not a writing. It is not the scriptures.” Can you sense the difference? Can you hear the ring of a counterfeit? Then I read in the book The Catholic Doctrines p. 606, “Traditions, not the scripture, is the rock on which the church of Jesus Christ is built.” There is no question about it, the Church of Rome is built upon traditions and not the Bible. Can you hear the ring of the counterfeit?

Let’s look at another doctrine – the sacrifice for sin. In our last sermon we found in scripture that Jesus died on the cross as the Lamb of God. In Hebrews 9:28 we read, “Christ was once offered.” Notice the word once. Let me read it again, “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” But the dragon, by means of his tradition, has attempted to change this scripture. Consider the mass. Let me read this from The Manual of Christian Doctrine a Roman Catholic publication, p. 417, by John Joseph McBay. “What is the sacrifice that continues on earth? The sacrifice of the cross.” Did you hear that? The Bible says that Jesus died once, but here we find that the mass continues to sacrifice. I continue to quote, “What is the sacrifice of the mass? It is the sacrifice of Christ’s body and blood in order to represent and continue the sacrifice of the cross.” Oh my friend, you can just hear the difference of the ring between the genuine and the counterfeit.

Let’s look at some other doctrines quickly. What about baptism – is it sprinkling or immersion? The Bible talks about a man being baptized as being buried with Christ. Romans 6:4 reads, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” The baptismal candidate with the help of Christ dies to his past sins, is buried by his pastor into the watery grave, then brought up out of the water into the newness of life. This is the teaching of Biblical baptism. But this false baptism which takes a little water and sprinkles the candidate is a counterfeit.

You will remember when the eunuch of Ethiopia asked Philip if he could be baptized in Acts 8:37 he said, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” Now consider this: When a little baby is brought to the priest to be baptized by sprinkling he does not yet have the ability to believe for he knows nothing about Jesus. He doesn’t know that he is innocent of known sin and was born into a sinful world, so how can an infant understand that Jesus came from heaven and was crucified for the sins of the world. What does the scriptures say? – “If thou believest with all thy heart.” I’m sure that you will agree with me that you can sense the difference between the genuine and the counterfeit. Where did sprinkling for baptism come from? – Not from the Word of God. It comes from the traditions of Babylon. This is why God calls you and me to come out of Babylon and come into God’s true church.

Here is another doctrine. God says, “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.” “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Malachi 3:8, 10. When we realize that Christ has forgiven us of our sins and that we now belong to Him He pours out His blessings by giving us the strength of life to get the things we need. Because of our genuine love for Him we will gladly give Him of our tithes and offerings because we love Him so much.

But this counterfeit system says all you need to do in order to be forgiven is to buy an indulgence. Anyone in their right mind, with a knowledge of scriptures, knows that this is not right; it is a counterfeit. We don’t buy our way into heaven. We have a Saviour that when we come to Him and repent of our sins He will freely forgive us. Salvation is a gift. This false system teaches in many countries, like Mexico where I have been, that when you come to a priest and say, “I have sinned, please forgive me,” that you must do penance. You may have to make a large wooden cross and carry it to the top of a certain hill where you must dig a hole and plant the cross in an upright position. When you have done so the priest will then say, “I will forgive you.”

Furthermore, in this false system you can buy your loved ones to heaven with money. For example, here is a wealthy family and the husband has just died leaving his wife to grieve. The priest comes in and plays upon her emotions saying something like this, “Your husband earned a lot of money in a way he shouldn’t have for he wasn’t an honest man. He is going to burn in purgatory for a long time. But if you will give the church $10,000 I will pray him out today.” Is this the kind of a God we have? My friend, you can just sense the difference.

Now let’s talk about how God is going to punish the wicked. God tells of a day when hell will burn. We read in 2 Peter 3:7, “The heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” So hell is not burning today because the judgment has not been completed. God never condemns a man unless He examines him. He is a loving judge, a caring judge; He wants to save us. He doesn’t want us to be burned in hell. This is why the Lord has done everything possible to save us. But if a man or woman or youth reject the mercy of God they will finally be destroyed in hell. This false system teaches that as soon as you die you will go to purgatory, which is burning now.

I have been in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. I was amazed as I looked at that tremendous picture of purgatory. There are pictured infants whose parents had failed to have them baptized before they died and they are now burning in hell for thousands of years and forevermore. Is this the kind of God we have? – Oh no! God is not like that. God is a God of love. Purgatory is not burning today. Let us have no fear. Such teachings are a counterfeit.

Now consider with me the teachings regarding sin. The Bible states in Ezekiel 18:4, “The soul that sinneth it shall die.” When you turn to the dragon, that old serpent called the devil and Satan as stated in Genesis 3:4 Satan states, “Ye shall not surely die.” Again you can hear the ring of a counterfeit.

What about the Ten Commandments? When we read the Bible we find that they are eternal and changeless, but most preachers in today’s world are following the traditions of Babylon and preach that the Commandments have been done away with. But what does God say? – “The works of his hand are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.” Psalm 111:7, 8. Why would anyone want to change what God has said? And yet God has told us that the dragon would actually attempt to do this for we read in His Word, he would “think to change times and laws.” Daniel 7:25.

We could go on and on about these counterfeits, but what we want to know is where did they come from. The Bible teaches that they all came from the dragon. When Satan developed his first great empire called Babylon that eventually crumbled, all of its pagan traditions were transferred to Medo-Persia and then passed on to Greece, and from Greece it was given to pagan Rome and pagan Rome passed them all on to papal Rome. (Check your beast chart which clearly reveals it).

One of these days this great beast power, whose deadly wound was healed, will eventually control the New World Order and affect your life. The Bible says clearly, “Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” Revelation 13:4. Once more may I read to you from the Church of Rome where they got their traditions? I have never found anything written so clearly as that found in Cardinal Newman’s book concerning the origin of the doctrines of this great organization. Let me read it to you from his book entitled The Development of Christian Doctrine. “Confiding then in the power of Christianity to resist the infection of evil and to transmute the very instruments and appendages of demon worship to an evangelical use.” What is he saying? – We’ve got all these doctrines from devil worship. Isn’t that amazing! Then he names them: “The use of temples and those dedicated to particular saints and ornamented on occasion with branches of trees, incense, lamps, candles, votive offerings to recover from illness, holy water, asylums, holy days and seasons, the use of calendars, processions, blessings on the fields, sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure, the ring of marriage, turning to the east, images at later date, all are of pagan origin and sanctified by their adoption into the church.” p. 371 – 373. This quotation of a cardinal reveals where Easter worship came from and the forty days of Lent, together with Halloween, the celebration of the dead coming up out of their graves honoring their father of lies when Satan said, “Ye shall not surely die.”

Now it is time in this sermon to discover the meaning of the mystery number 666. In Revelation 13:18 we read, “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” There are those today who claim that this could be a Social Security number, however the Bible plainly states that it is the number of a man that is connected with the beast of Revelation 13. (Look at your beast chart #8).

Please permit me to use an illustration to explain this number. Many of you have gone to another town in search of somebody but you did not know where they lived. Where do you start? You visit a corner grocery store and ask someone if they know where this person lives. They tell you, “Of course, just continue on down this road for two miles and you will come to a railroad crossing. Go another two miles and you will find a road that turns off to the right. Take this road and continue two more miles and you will come to a bridge. After you have crossed the bridge take the first road to the left and you will see a house with red shutters. It is a two-story house with a great veranda across the front. You will notice a mailbox up in front with the number 666 on it.”

You get in your car, follow down the road two miles, cross a railroad track and go another two miles and come to a road that turns to the right, then turn and go another two miles and cross a bridge and you’ll find a road going to the left. Immediately you see the two-story house with the red shutters and a porch all the way across the front. Out in front is the mailbox with the number 666. There isn’t any doubt in your mind that you have found the right place.

God wants us to be absolutely positive as He adds these unquestionable facts. Listen carefully. When the pope is crowned, the tiara is placed on his head representing that he is the god of heaven, the god of this earth, and the god of hell. On the crown there used to be the words “Vicarius Filii Dei” which means “the vicar of the Son of God.” But you won’t find these words there today and in a moment I will tell you why. Since Latin is the official language of the Roman Catholic Church (look at your visual aids which has these words written) you will notice that these words have different values. I’m going to discuss the values found in the different words. For your interest, I have before me a Duoy Catholic Bible. In a note explaining Revelation 13:18 it states, “Numeral letters of his name shall make up his number.” Nothing could be stated more clearly for even the Church of Rome knows what this means.

You will now discover that each letter of “Vicarius Filii Dei” stands for in the Latin language.

V = 5
I = 1
C = 100
A = 0
R = 0
I = 1
U = 5
S = 0
112

F = 0
I = 1
L = 50
I = 1
I = 1
53

D = 500
E = 0
I = 1
501

= 666

Add these up and you have six hundred and sixty-six. Could God have done anything more to reveal this truth? The Bible tells us, “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”

Let me tell you something that you won’t find in any book or library. I once worked in the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and I know whereof I speak. Many years ago the General Conference leadership wanted to publish a book about these things that we have been studying. They instructed an artist to draw the artwork throughout the book to illustrate the message. When he came to the “666” the artist sought for a picture of the pope wearing the crown with the words “Vicarius Filii Dei.” He could not find one so he did the next best thing and took a photograph of the pope wearing the crown and then with his pen placed the words “Vicarius Filii Dei” on the crown.

When this book was published it wasn’t long before one day the best lawyers in the world knocked at the door of the General Conference. They said, “You have done something illegal and we are going to sue you.” When the General Conference realized what had happened they knew that they were in big trouble. When I studied for the ministry at what is now called La Sierra University Elder Sorenson, one of my professors of religion, told me what happened. He said that our church sent men to Europe to find evidence that these words were once on the pope’s crown. Since this was before the war all the libraries and archives of Europe were still in existence. They spent many days searching and finally found a number of men and women that had actually seen these words on the pope’s crown. They were able to get their sworn statements documented by law that could be used in any court in the world. With this information the General Conference sent word to Rome that they were ready to go to court. Nothing more happened.

But, listen to this. On November 15, 1915 Rome published the following in Our Sunday Visitor, the official Catholic paper for North America. “Is it true that the words of the Apocalypse Revelation in the thirteenth chapter, eighteenth verse, refers to the pope?” And then it answers, “The words referred to are these: ‘This is wisdom. He that hath understanding let him count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man and the number of him is six hundred sixty-six.’ The title of the Pope of Rome is ‘Vicarius Filii Dei.’ This is inscribed on his miter and if you take the letters of his title, which represent Latin numerals (printed large) and add them together they come to 666.” So the Church admits these words are on the pope’s original tiara. What you have been hearing in these tapes is all based on the Word of God and it never fails.

Let us pray. Thank you God, for giving us the absolute truth so that we can make a right decision to have nothing to do with the mark of the beast. Help us to obey Thy Word, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

The Image of the Beast Repudiates it’s Constitution

Monday April 1st, 2002

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

Forgive me, but I must give away to a little reminiscing in my old age. As a boy of some twelve years I was determined to become a preacher like H.M.S. Richards. He was conducting a large evangelistic series of meetings in Los Angeles in which Henry deFluerer was his singing evangelist. I begged my father each night to take me to his five-pole-tent meeting. We would go early so we could sit near the platform for I was determined to catch every word and action of Elder Richards. During the day following the evening meeting I spent considerable time in the backyard garage where I would try to preach his sermon to my imaginary audience.

One night, as Elder Richards was preaching, an elderly man who was sitting near me to the left side of the platform, fell asleep and began to snore so loudly that it was difficult to hear the preacher. It soon became apparent that it was bothering the speaker too. Elder Richards continued to preach but he began to move slowly away from the pulpit toward the snoring, old man. When he stood directly in front of him, Elder Richards artfully worded his sermon – which was on the Mark of the Beast – that we should each realize that this mark would be a life and death issue. Pausing, he shouted with all the breath he could muster, “Wake up, before it’s too late!” Instantly the snoring man awakened and ceased to annoy the listeners. Elder Richards continued his preaching as he walked back to the pulpit.

Never have I felt such an urge in my tape ministry to awaken sleeping Seventh-day Adventists for soon, very soon, we shall find ourselves in a vastly different world than we now live in. My heart beats faster when I read these inspired words, “The scenes to be enacted in our world are not yet even dreamed of. Satan is at work through human agencies. Those who are making an effort to change the constitution and secure a law enforcing Sunday observance little realize what will be the result. A crisis is just upon us.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 753.

Let us first seek God in prayer. Oh, loving Father, open our hearts, by Your Holy Spirit, to realize how soon this final crisis is to break upon us. Pull back Thy prophetic curtain that we may discover that most of the inspired predictions of the coming crisis have already taken place. May we not be overtaken by this overwhelming surprise of a sudden national Sunday law. This we ask in the precious name of Jesus our Savior, Amen.

Every sermon should be based on scripture, so let us turn to Esther 4:14 (the last part). Here we find a very dramatic statement. Notice the words, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” There is no doubt in my mind that the book of Esther was recorded in sacred history for our admonition. In this chapter we read of the plan of King Ahasuerus to exterminate every living Jew in the then-known world. From this experience we can fully comprehend just what is about to happen to every Seventh-day Adventist in this soon-coming end-time crisis.

Consider, briefly, what happened in the day of Queen Esther. You remember Mordecai had not caused Haman any harm – he had simply refused to show Haman a worshipful reverence. This led Haman, in his anger, to give false statements to the king, who in turn issued a decree that every Jew was to be killed in a world-wide massacre upon a given date. Inspiration, however, tells us that Satan was the hidden instigator of this scheme for he wanted to rid the earth of Sabbath-keepers.

How wonderful is our God. He knows and understands the thoughts of man and Satan. For by His divine providence God arranged for Esther, a Jew who feared the living God, to be made the queen of Persia. Mordecai, a near relative to the queen, decided in this crisis to appeal to Easter that she venture into the monarch’s presence – even though this might cause her death. Listen to the words of Mordecai to Esther, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Both Esther and Mordecai realized that their future, and that of every seventh-day keeper, was absolutely hopeless unless God would intervene and work mightily.

Today God’s commandment-keeping people are seen as a Mordecai in this world who are refusing to show worshipful reverence to the idol Sunday as demanded by pagan, papal Rome. Inspiration reveals that Satan will arouse the majority to accept popular customs and traditions and join with the lawless and the vile to destroy Sabbath-keepers. Listen carefully as I quote, “Wealth, genius [and] education will combine to cover them with contempt. Persecuting rulers, ministers, and church members will conspire against them. With voice and pen, by boasts, threats, and ridicule, they will seek to overthrow their faith. By false misrepresentations and angry appeals, men will stir up the passions of the people.” Prophets and Kings p. 605, 606.

Now since these enemies of the truth have no “thus saith the scriptures” they will bring against the advocates of the true Sabbath oppressive enactments. I read on p. 606 of Prophets and Kings , “On this battlefield will be fought the last great conflict in the controversy between truth and error. And we are not left to doubt as to the issue.” Are you ready for this? Do you have any idea what is coming?

Would you permit me, at this time, to pull back the prophetic curtain and show you what God has revealed to us is about to happen? In The Great Controversy p. 605 it states, “The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty.” And then on p. 607, speaking of the Sunday-keeping churches are these words, “[They will appeal] to the strong arm of civil power, and, in this work, papists and Protestants unite.” Let me put that together for you. Sabbath-keepers will be opposed by all Protestant churches and all Catholic churches under the leadership of the man of sin. Are you ready for this?

This union is now developing before our very eyes, day by day, in what we know as the Ecumenical movement. Forced Sunday worship is its ultimate goal. Why are so many of us asleep? Its purpose is to soon pass laws to force Sabbath-keepers to worship on Sunday. Not only to make us keep Sunday sacred but I read again on p. 639 of The Great Controversy, They will “compel God’s people to profane His Sabbath.” Do you really understand what that means?

Now, I am sure that there are those who are listening to me who are saying, “Pastor Nelson, how in the world could this take place in America? Why, we have a Constitution, and the Constitution provides us with absolute protection to worship as we choose.” Let me tell you how it is going to happen. The American people are sound asleep. Few, if any, realize that we are living in the very last days and this includes Seventh-day Adventists who carry on business as usual every day. Somehow they don’t realize that we are in the end time.

Ellen White has tried to awaken us with these words, “Soon we shall be faced with an overwhelming surprise.” She tells us in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, p. 28, “Transgression has almost reached its limits. Confusion fills the world, and a great terror is soon to come upon human beings.” Are we ready for this when we are frozen with fear? Let me read it again, “A great terror is soon to come.” Maybe we would sit up and think when we are told in Malachi Martin’s book The Keys of this Blood, that Mary had told the pope that there will come a great, cataclysmic event that will bring such terror on this world that the people will arise and ask the pope to rule over them. When the devil, in the guise of Mary, says there is terror coming, and when God says that there is terror coming, we had better wake up.

Consider with me, very carefully, what I am about to bring to you. There is no greater, alarming prediction in the Spirit of Prophecy than that found in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 451. “Our country shall repudiated every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government.” I am going to shock you when I tell you that this has already happened. No, I didn’t misstate. I repeat – it has already taken place. Do you know that since 1955, we have been living in a nation which can no longer be considered as a Republican government, for the United States is now an integral part of the United Nations, which is the New World Order. As a result, the laws of the United States have been changed every day to conform with the United Nation laws.

Do I hear you say that you find this hard to believe? Well, so did I, until I recently discovered these facts. I am going to read to you now from the Constitution, Article 6. You can go to your library and read it for yourself. “This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall become the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding.” Now this tells us that our Constitution says that if we ever make any treaties with other world powers, that they supercede the Constitution. I repeat, if our nation makes any treaty with another world power that treaty supercedes our Constitution.

Now let me give you some undisputed facts. In 1945, some 55 years ago, the United States of America, under the authority of Article 6 which I have just read, signed the United Nations treaty when Harry S. Truman, our president, signed the charter of the United Nations with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. Under the terms of Article 6, the signing of the charter of the United Nations supercedes the United States Constitution. How could we be, as a nation, so stupid? I’ll tell you why – the men who were leading this nation felt that we could always keep our Constitution because we have a veto power in the United Nations Security Council. If we felt that some new law was contrary to our Constitution we could veto it and our veto could stop it.

But, what our men overlooked was what was found in Article 25 of the United Nations treaty with the United States in which it said, “Members of nations agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council in accord with (and notice the words) the present charter .” This implied that there would be other charters that would follow. Since the veto power proved to be a hindrance to what the New World government was determined to attain, a way had to be found to circumvent the veto power of the United States. So what did they do? In 1950, the General Assembly met and adopted a new resolution, which would do away with the veto power by expanding the power of the General Assembly, making it above the Security Council. Do you see what happened?

Would you believe it, that our government, the United States of America, signed this amended charter as “the law of the world” – which overrides our Constitution. So now the General Assembly of the United Nations can make any law it chooses if two-thirds of the world governments agree, thus overriding any provision of our Constitution. Let me tell you what this means. The United States must now ignore, abolish, revise, rescind, any law of our nation which conflicts with any law that the United Nations proposes. Think of it. In other words, the veto power is no more. Today, we are living in America subject to any law which is, or will, be passed by the United Nations with a two-thirds majority vote. And may I remind you that most of the nations of the world are predominately Catholic.

No wonder the following speech, which I am going to give to you word-for-word, was given before the United States Senate. This was given by Carl B. Rix who was the president of the American Bar Association. He knows what he is talking about and this is what he said. I am reading from the United States Congressional record, page A3220.

“Congress is no longer bound by its constitutional system of delegated powers. Its only test is under the obligatory power to promote human rights in these fields of endeavor: Civil, political, economic, social and cultural. These are found in Articles 55 and 56 of the Charter of the United Nations, a ratified and approved treaty. They are being promoted in all parts of the world by the United Nations. Congress may now legislate as an uninhibited body with no shackles of delegated powers under the Constitution. Our entire system of government of delegated power of Congress has been changed to a system of undelegated powers without amendment by the people of the United States.” And would you believe it, not one person in the Congress stood up and disagreed. They knew that the power of the Constitution was gone. Listen to what he said once more – a charter that has been ratified and an approved treaty. “Congress may now legislate as an uninhibited body with no shackles of a delegated powers under the Constitution.” It’s gone. The Constitution has already been repudiated. Are you amazed? Of course you are; you are startled.

This is what Ellen White said would happen. We would repudiate everything in the Constitution and it has been done. You will find a whole chapter concerning this, entitled “Treason in High Places” in a book entitled Behold a Pale Horse written by William Cooper in 1991 and published by Publishing Light Technology Publishing, P.O. Box 1495, Sedona, AZ 86336. The author, William Cooper, was a former United States intelligence officer and shortly after the Oklahoma City bombing (because he knew too much and revealed too much) President Clinton secured a FBI file and ordered all government agencies to prosecute him and shut him up. He was recently killed by a government SWAT team officer.

Now back to our subject. What is the United Nations, under papal control, waiting for to enact a Sunday Law to compel all to recognize the pope as above God? They are waiting for some cataclysmic event that will so totally strike terror to the citizens of the United States that they will say, “The only thing that can save us is to bow to the demands of papal Rome and keep Sunday holy . “ Also they are waiting for the Protestant churches to join with Catholics in demanding of Congress to make it a law. I want to tell you that this could happen at any time. You may not be awake as to what is already taking place, but this government knows that there are thousands of its citizens who, when they see their liberties coming to an end, are going to arise in revolt. There will be bloodshed. That is why President Clinton spent 32 billion dollars to add 100,000 policemen to take care of this coming situation.

But that’s not all. I read that Satan has some plans too. He is going to bring disease and disaster. I am reading from The Great Controversy p. 589, 590 in which she writes about Satan’s coming. “While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place, and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence.”

What a picture that God has given us. Why? What is Satan up to? – He is soon going to say that all these disasters are being caused by Seventh-day Adventists. Sounds unbelievable but let me read it to you in The Great Controversy p. 590. “The great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve God are causing 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 the troublers of the people, preventing their restoration to divine favor and temporal prosperity.”

Beloved, there is going to be trouble in this United States like you have never seen. I heard a man just the other day on television say we are faced with coming anarchy. That’s a frightening word but did you notice that Sister White uses the same word? Listen how she uses it. “Those who honor 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.” The Great Controversy p. 592.

If you think this is some fantasy listen carefully. While working on this sermon I received a document in the mail printed by the Vatican which was distributed by the Inter-American Division to all their workers, so it must be authentic. It is the Catholic plan to evangelize Seventh-day Adventists. There are ten points in all. I shall read only the last point under the heading of “Purpose.” I am quoting, “To make Seventh-day Adventists understand that if they do not unite with Catholics and Protestants to seek world peace they will be guilty of all the evils and/or disasters that come upon the earth.” This is exactly what God revealed will happen. Isn’t that astounding – and almost the exact words that He revealed to His prophet, Ellen White.

In just a little time it is not going to be like it is today. Are you going to be faithfully keeping the Sabbath day when the whole world is against us? Do you realize what it will take to live in this New World Order that will come under the control of the man of sin who will direct the Ecumenical movement to exterminate you? Why are we to be the brunt of all this coming trouble? We are the only people left in this world who are an obstacle for Satan to completely rule this world. Have you ever thought of that? No wonder the devil is going to go about like a roaring lion to get control of this world.

What would you do – for you will not find any help in our Constitution? It is only a memory of what it used to be; it’s gone forever. What will you do, appeal to the Supreme Court of the land? They have already publicly declared, “When religious rights clash with the government need for a uniform rule the court will side with the government.” What will you do when your own church refuses to help you – for we are told that some of our leaders will encourage us to keep Sunday? Furthermore, we are told by God’s servant they will testify against you. What will you do when you cannot buy or sell – your money will be worthless. What will you do when you are commanded to obey the pope or go to jail? Am I making this too real? I think not. There is only one thing that you can do. You must trust in God that He will keep you faithful, providing you have been a faithful servant of God keeping all of His commandments specifically keeping the seventh-day Sabbath holy week by week.

Do you realize what it is going to be when the papacy takes control of the United Nations? We are told in Revelation 17:12 that the ten kingdoms of the world are going to give their power to the beast. The whole world will be organized against you. Now I want to read again from the book entitled Behold a Pale Horse written by William Cooper, a former United States intelligence officer. This is the man that was murdered by the US government for knowing too much and speaking too much. He gives the most astonishing information beginning on page 89, which reveals that the papal power is not what it claims to be.

Listen, “The Vatican has stated at various times that the pope is for total disarmament; the pope is for the illumination of the sovereignty of the United States. The pope is also stating that the property rights are not to be considered true property rights. The pope believes that only the Vatican knows what is right for man. In the early 1940’s the I.G. Farben Chemical Company employed a Polish salesman who sold cyanide to the Nazis for use in Auschwitz. The same salesman also worked as a chemist in the manufacture of the poison gas. This same cyanide gas, along with Zyklon-B and malathion was used to exterminate millions of Jews and others groups. Their bodies were burned to ashes in the ovens. After the war this salesman, fearing for his life, joined the Catholic Church and was ordained as a priest in 1946. This salesman was ordained Poland’s youngest bishop in 1958. After a 30-day reign, his predecessor was assassinated and our ex-cyanide-gas-salesman assumed the papacy as Pope John Paul II.”

The pope has challenged the world leaders by claiming that the people of the world already recognize the absolute authority of Rome because they observe the Sunday sabbath that was ordered by the pope in the Council of Laodicea – 364 AD. The original Ten Commandments, given Moses by God, ordered that we should “Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

The seventh-day Sabbath as handed to Moses by God is Saturday. The celebration of Sunday as the sabbath is a verification that the people recognize the pope as superior to God. Did you know that the Los Angeles Times of December 12, 1984 quoted Pope John Paul II as saying, “Don’t go to God for forgiveness of sins – come to me.” The pope committed blasphemy thus fulfilling prophecy according to the book of Revelation. The pope is telling us that he is God. Remember, never worship a leader. If you worship a leader you no longer have the ability to recognize when you have been deceived.

Did you get that amazing fact? I want to tell you that we are soon to be in for a time of trouble such as never was and this time of trouble is coming to our church. Every Seventh-day Adventist is going to be persecuted. Will we submit to a New World Order and keep Sunday and receive the mark of the beast or will we give our allegiance to the divine authority of God by keeping the seventh-day Sabbath holy and receive the seal of the Eternal God? Remember what it says in Prophets and Kings p. 602, “On this battlefield will be fought the last great conflict in the controversy between truth and error.” Will we stand as did Esther and publicly say, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this,” and then say, “If I perish, I perish” – I will keep holy the seventh-day Sabbath.

Since this is the great test that is coming there must be some dramatic changes in the way we are keeping the Sabbath if we are going to die for it. The Sabbath day is not a “fun day” as most Sunday-keepers observe their day. The devil is out after us as never before to ensnare us Sabbath-keepers in turning our minds from the holy Sabbath day to that like the Sunday “sun worshipers.”

A few years ago I was pleading with an Adventist youth who was a baptized member of our church. He attended one of our colleges. I was concerned because this young man felt that the Sabbath was a “fun day.” He told me that he goes rock climbing, snow skiing, and thinks nothing of hiking eight or ten miles on the Sabbath day. These, by the way, are all perfectly excellent outdoor pleasure activities in recreation, but is it Sabbath keeping? Then I turned to the scriptures and read to this young man Isaiah 58:13, 14. “If you turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord.”

Immediately this young man became defensive. He told me the Sabbath was made to have a good time and as proof he told me that at La Sierra University the administrators are taking the young people out on Sabbath afternoons to do good things in the community. Now that sounds good, doesn’t it? Then he described the program. The young people go out with picks, shovels, saws, hammers, paint brushes, with lawnmower and rakes repairing broken windows and doors and painting the homes, to fix up the yards of poor people who are too old to go out and do this sort of thing anymore.

I know this to be true for I read of this program in the Riverside, CA newspaper, since our La Sierra University is within its confines. The paper praised these young people for doing such good things in the community, but is it Sabbath keeping when it can be done on any other day of the week? Then this young man spoke of his convictions, “If this is Sabbath keeping, so is my hiking, my snow skiing, my rock climbing and all the rest of it.” And I’m sorry to have to say he was right. If that is true Sabbath keeping. God be merciful to our young people who are being misled today by the very ministers of this denomination who are paid from the sacred tithe, who some day will face the wrath of God because they are teaching our young people to break and dishonor God’s holy Sabbath day.

Now let us consider how we keep the Sabbath day as we associate with others. The Spirit of Prophecy encourages us to gather together Sabbath afternoon to enrich each other in a time of fellowship with singing, prayer and study. But does this make it right for those attending our church in various places after the eleven o’clock service to drive to their favorite restaurants, to purchase meals and spend the rest of the afternoon socializing? Beloved, this is not Sabbath keeping – it is a sin – and sin will keep sinners out of heaven. Little by little the devil is getting Seventh-day Adventists to compromise one of the most glorious truths in the Bible – the seventh-day Sabbath.

Even our medical institutions are being entrapped. I have learned that one of our large hospitals has authorized one of its operating rooms to be fully staffed on the Sabbath day to take care of all types of surgery – (are you listening?) which have been scheduled during the week – to be preformed on the Sabbath day. Isn’t it strange when the need for money becomes the predominant factor to rationalize God’s commandments? Can we honestly give the Third Angel’s Message to the world and say, “Come out of Babylon,” and then as a church organization we don’t keep the Seventh-day Sabbath ourselves? Think it over.

In the book Medical Ministry, which was written for our medical institutions and our doctors and nurses, are these words on page 214, “Often physicians are called upon the Sabbath to minister to the sick, (then are these words) [but] ordinary treatment, and operations that can wait, should be deferred till the next day.” When will we learn, or must we wait until God’s wrath is poured out. I thank God for our godly doctors and nurses that we have in our churches. Praise the Lord for them. We have the most wonderful medical workers who are faithfully keeping the Sabbath.

As I read in Desire of Ages p. 207, “The necessities of life must be attended to, the sick must be cared for, the wants of the needy must be supplied. He will not be held guiltless who neglects to relieve suffering on the Sabbath. God’s holy rest day was made for man and the acts of mercy are in perfect harmony with its intent. God does not desire His creatures should suffer one hour’s pain that may be relieved upon the Sabbath.” And then come these words in Patriarchs and Prophets p. 307, “Acts of necessity and mercy are permitted on the Sabbath, the sick and the suffering are at all times to be cared for; but unnecessary labor is to be strictly avoided.”

What about when we get together on Sabbath afternoon to visit. We are encouraged to do this that we may sing, read and study and discuss spiritual things. But is this a time for us to get together and talk about business deals, about our farming activities or about household repairs that we have made or that we are going to make? The commandments include all within our gates. “Those who discuss business matters or lay plans on the Sabbath are regarded by God as though engaged in the actual transaction of these plans. To keep the Sabbath holy, we should not even allow our minds to dwell upon things of a worldly character.” Patriarchs and Prophets p. 307. “The example of ministers, especially should be circumspect in this respect. Upon the Sabbath they should conscientiously restrict themselves to conversation upon religious things, to present truths, present duty, Christian hopes and fears, trials, conflicts, afflictions and to overcome at last and with the reward that is to be received.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 2, p. 703, 704. By God’s grace, I am going to follow such counsel.

Let me give you some Sabbath guidelines. In the Spirit of Prophecy the Sabbath day is spoken of as a day of delight. Ellen White uses the words “a joyful day,” “a most interesting day,” “the sweetest day of all.” I like that – it is something that we should look forward to. In Ministry of Healing p. 308 are these words, “It is well, on the Sabbath, to provide something that will be regarded as a treat.” This suggests something that the family does not have every day. When you prepare the Sabbath meal do you have a treat? This will be especially helpful to teach our children that this is a special day.

Now, I want to make suggestions that the next Sabbath afternoon, after you have had the noon meal, read what Ellen White says on how to keep the Sabbath day holy. You will find the following:

1. “The Sabbath is a time for us to help the needy with food and clothing.” Counsels to Teachers p. 360.

2. It is a time to walk in the fields and the groves; to behold God’s handiwork. Testimony Treasures Volume 3, p. 24.

3. If it is cold, put on a heavy jacket and the long underwear – get out and see what God has made. She tells us to discuss the flowers, the trees, the shrubs and listen to the sound of nature. Testimony Treasures Volume 3, p. 27. Go ahead, sit down by a brook and listen to the water as it bubbles along. Listen to the wind blowing through those pinecones and needles.

4. Spend time to study the coming Sabbath School lesson. Education p. 251, 252.

5. Have you wondered what to do on Sabbath afternoon? Spend the Sabbath afternoon to review the Sabbath sermon notes you have taken. Education p. 251.

6. Spend time in meditation, counting your blessings. Contemplate God’s love in God’s great sacrifice. Desire of Ages p. 207. Sit down for thirty minutes and think about the cross and what Jesus did for you – this is true Sabbath keeping.

7. Take time for a healthful rest – she did not say a five-hour sleep – but she did say take a rest. Desire of Ages p. 207.

8. Visit the widows and the orphans. Have you ever thought on Sabbath afternoon to go and visit those who are alone or invite them home for a meal? Desire of Ages p. 207. Encourage them to pray and pray for them.

9. To parents, I read, “Entertain your children with spiritual activity.” Testimony Treasures Volume 3, p. 24. That doesn’t mean that we go outside and throw the basketball into the hoop or get on the bikes and ride around. We must jealously guard the edges of the Sabbath.

The shoes ought to be shined before the Sabbath, the baths should be taken, the food should be prepared as much as possible before the Sabbath day. “Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.” The apostle John saw in the last days a small group keeping the Sabbath day and on their foreheads was written the Father’s name which means they represent the character of God. Inspiration says, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12.

I ask you, in this coming crisis, are you going to be willing to die for the Sabbath day? Are you ready to stand up as Esther and say, “If I perish, I perish”? Now is the time when we must learn to be obedient to the Sabbath commandment. Now is the time when we must keep the Sabbath day holy if we are going to be sealed for eternity. “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14. Keep the Sabbath holy.

Let us pray. Dear heavenly Father, please forgive us for having broken the edges of Thy holy Sabbath day. Help us to keep the Sabbath day holy that we may be ready when the final test breaks upon us so Thy power will sustain us. In Jesus’ name we ask, Amen.

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

Forgive me, but I must give away to a little reminiscing in my old age. As a boy of some twelve years I was determined to become a preacher like H.M.S. Richards. He was conducting a large evangelistic series of meetings in Los Angeles in which Henry deFluerer was his singing evangelist. I begged my father each night to take me to his five-pole-tent meeting. We would go early so we could sit near the platform for I was determined to catch every word and action of Elder Richards. During the day following the evening meeting I spent considerable time in the backyard garage where I would try to preach his sermon to my imaginary audience.

One night, as Elder Richards was preaching, an elderly man who was sitting near me to the left side of the platform, fell asleep and began to snore so loudly that it was difficult to hear the preacher. It soon became apparent that it was bothering the speaker too. Elder Richards continued to preach but he began to move slowly away from the pulpit toward the snoring, old man. When he stood directly in front of him, Elder Richards artfully worded his sermon – which was on the Mark of the Beast – that we should each realize that this mark would be a life and death issue. Pausing, he shouted with all the breath he could muster, “Wake up, before it’s too late!” Instantly the snoring man awakened and ceased to annoy the listeners. Elder Richards continued his preaching as he walked back to the pulpit.

Never have I felt such an urge in my tape ministry to awaken sleeping Seventh-day Adventists for soon, very soon, we shall find ourselves in a vastly different world than we now live in. My heart beats faster when I read these inspired words, “The scenes to be enacted in our world are not yet even dreamed of. Satan is at work through human agencies. Those who are making an effort to change the constitution and secure a law enforcing Sunday observance little realize what will be the result. A crisis is just upon us.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 753.

Let us first seek God in prayer. Oh, loving Father, open our hearts, by Your Holy Spirit, to realize how soon this final crisis is to break upon us. Pull back Thy prophetic curtain that we may discover that most of the inspired predictions of the coming crisis have already taken place. May we not be overtaken by this overwhelming surprise of a sudden national Sunday law. This we ask in the precious name of Jesus our Savior, Amen.

Every sermon should be based on scripture, so let us turn to Esther 4:14 (the last part). Here we find a very dramatic statement. Notice the words, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” There is no doubt in my mind that the book of Esther was recorded in sacred history for our admonition. In this chapter we read of the plan of King Ahasuerus to exterminate every living Jew in the then-known world. From this experience we can fully comprehend just what is about to happen to every Seventh-day Adventist in this soon-coming end-time crisis.

Consider, briefly, what happened in the day of Queen Esther. You remember Mordecai had not caused Haman any harm – he had simply refused to show Haman a worshipful reverence. This led Haman, in his anger, to give false statements to the king, who in turn issued a decree that every Jew was to be killed in a world-wide massacre upon a given date. Inspiration, however, tells us that Satan was the hidden instigator of this scheme for he wanted to rid the earth of Sabbath-keepers.

How wonderful is our God. He knows and understands the thoughts of man and Satan. For by His divine providence God arranged for Esther, a Jew who feared the living God, to be made the queen of Persia. Mordecai, a near relative to the queen, decided in this crisis to appeal to Easter that she venture into the monarch’s presence – even though this might cause her death. Listen to the words of Mordecai to Esther, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Both Esther and Mordecai realized that their future, and that of every seventh-day keeper, was absolutely hopeless unless God would intervene and work mightily.

Today God’s commandment-keeping people are seen as a Mordecai in this world who are refusing to show worshipful reverence to the idol Sunday as demanded by pagan, papal Rome. Inspiration reveals that Satan will arouse the majority to accept popular customs and traditions and join with the lawless and the vile to destroy Sabbath-keepers. Listen carefully as I quote, “Wealth, genius [and] education will combine to cover them with contempt. Persecuting rulers, ministers, and church members will conspire against them. With voice and pen, by boasts, threats, and ridicule, they will seek to overthrow their faith. By false misrepresentations and angry appeals, men will stir up the passions of the people.” Prophets and Kings p. 605, 606.

Now since these enemies of the truth have no “thus saith the scriptures” they will bring against the advocates of the true Sabbath oppressive enactments. I read on p. 606 of Prophets and Kings , “On this battlefield will be fought the last great conflict in the controversy between truth and error. And we are not left to doubt as to the issue.” Are you ready for this? Do you have any idea what is coming?

Would you permit me, at this time, to pull back the prophetic curtain and show you what God has revealed to us is about to happen? In The Great Controversy p. 605 it states, “The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty.” And then on p. 607, speaking of the Sunday-keeping churches are these words, “[They will appeal] to the strong arm of civil power, and, in this work, papists and Protestants unite.” Let me put that together for you. Sabbath-keepers will be opposed by all Protestant churches and all Catholic churches under the leadership of the man of sin. Are you ready for this?

This union is now developing before our very eyes, day by day, in what we know as the Ecumenical movement. Forced Sunday worship is its ultimate goal. Why are so many of us asleep? Its purpose is to soon pass laws to force Sabbath-keepers to worship on Sunday. Not only to make us keep Sunday sacred but I read again on p. 639 of The Great Controversy, They will “compel God’s people to profane His Sabbath.” Do you really understand what that means?

Now, I am sure that there are those who are listening to me who are saying, “Pastor Nelson, how in the world could this take place in America? Why, we have a Constitution, and the Constitution provides us with absolute protection to worship as we choose.” Let me tell you how it is going to happen. The American people are sound asleep. Few, if any, realize that we are living in the very last days and this includes Seventh-day Adventists who carry on business as usual every day. Somehow they don’t realize that we are in the end time.

Ellen White has tried to awaken us with these words, “Soon we shall be faced with an overwhelming surprise.” She tells us in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, p. 28, “Transgression has almost reached its limits. Confusion fills the world, and a great terror is soon to come upon human beings.” Are we ready for this when we are frozen with fear? Let me read it again, “A great terror is soon to come.” Maybe we would sit up and think when we are told in Malachi Martin’s book The Keys of this Blood, that Mary had told the Pope that there will come a great, cataclysmic event that will bring such terror on this world that the people will arise and ask the pope to rule over them. When the devil, in the guise of Mary, says there is terror coming, and when God says that there is terror coming, we had better wake up.

Consider with me, very carefully, what I am about to bring to you. There is no greater, alarming prediction in the Spirit of Prophecy than that found in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 451. “Our country shall repudiated every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government.” I am going to shock you when I tell you that this has already happened. No, I didn’t misstate. I repeat – it has already taken place. Do you know that since 1955, we have been living in a nation which can no longer be considered as a Republican government, for the United States is now an integral part of the United Nations, which is the New World Order. As a result, the laws of the United States have been changed every day to conform with the United Nations' laws.

Do I hear you say that you find this hard to believe? Well, so did I, until I recently discovered these facts. I am going to read to you now from the Constitution, Article 6. You can go to your library and read it for yourself. “This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall become the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding.” Now this tells us that our Constitution says that if we ever make any treaties with other world powers, that they supercede the Constitution. I repeat, if our nation makes any treaty with another world power that treaty supercedes our Constitution.

Now let me give you some undisputed facts. In 1945, some 55 years ago, the United States of America, under the authority of Article 6 which I have just read, signed the United Nations treaty when Harry S. Truman, our president, signed the charter of the United Nations with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. Under the terms of Article 6, the signing of the charter of the United Nations supercedes the United States Constitution. How could we be, as a nation, so stupid? I’ll tell you why – the men who were leading this nation felt that we could always keep our Constitution because we have a veto power in the United Nations Security Council. If we felt that some new law was contrary to our Constitution we could veto it and our veto could stop it.

But, what our men overlooked was what was found in Article 25 of the United Nations treaty with the United States in which it said, “Members of nations agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council in accord with (and notice the words) the present charter .” This implied that there would be other charters that would follow. Since the veto power proved to be a hindrance to what the New World government was determined to attain, a way had to be found to circumvent the veto power of the United States. So what did they do? In 1950, the General Assembly met and adopted a new resolution, which would do away with the veto power by expanding the power of the General Assembly, making it above the Security Council. Do you see what happened?

Would you believe it, that our government, the United States of America, signed this amended charter as “the law of the world” – which overrides our Constitution. So now the General Assembly of the United Nations can make any law it chooses if two-thirds of the world governments agree, thus overriding any provision of our Constitution. Let me tell you what this means. The United States must now ignore, abolish, revise, rescind, any law of our nation which conflicts with any law that the United Nations proposes. Think of it. In other words, the veto power is no more. Today, we are living in America subject to any law which is, or will, be passed by the United Nations with a two-thirds majority vote. And may I remind you that most of the nations of the world are predominately Catholic.

No wonder the following speech, which I am going to give to you word-for-word, was given before the United States Senate. This was given by Carl B. Rix who was the president of the American Bar Association. He knows what he is talking about and this is what he said. I am reading from the United States Congressional record, page A3220.

“Congress is no longer bound by its constitutional system of delegated powers. Its only test is under the obligatory power to promote human rights in these fields of endeavor: Civil, political, economic, social and cultural. These are found in Articles 55 and 56 of the Charter of the United Nations, a ratified and approved treaty. They are being promoted in all parts of the world by the United Nations. Congress may now legislate as an uninhibited body with no shackles of delegated powers under the Constitution. Our entire system of government of delegated power of Congress has been changed to a system of undelegated powers without amendment by the people of the United States.” And would you believe it, not one person in the Congress stood up and disagreed. They knew that the power of the Constitution was gone. Listen to what he said once more – a charter that has been ratified and an approved treaty. “Congress may now legislate as an uninhibited body with no shackles of a delegated powers under the Constitution.” It’s gone. The Constitution has already been repudiated. Are you amazed? Of course you are; you are startled.

This is what Ellen White said would happen. We would repudiate everything in the Constitution and it has been done. You will find a whole chapter concerning this, entitled “Treason in High Places” in a book entitled Behold a Pale Horse written by William Cooper in 1991 and published by Publishing Light Technology Publishing, P.O. Box 1495, Sedona, AZ 86336. The author, William Cooper, was a former United States intelligence officer and shortly after the Oklahoma City bombing (because he knew too much and revealed too much) President Clinton secured a FBI file and ordered all government agencies to prosecute him and shut him up. He was recently killed by a government SWAT team officer.

Now back to our subject. What is the United Nations, under Papal control, waiting for to enact a Sunday Law to compel all to recognize the Pope as above God? They are waiting for some cataclysmic event that will so totally strike terror to the citizens of the United States that they will say, “The only thing that can save us is to bow to the demands of papal Rome and keep Sunday holy . “ Also they are waiting for the Protestant churches to join with Catholics in demanding of Congress to make it a law. I want to tell you that this could happen at any time. You may not be awake as to what is already taking place, but this government knows that there are thousands of its citizens who, when they see their liberties coming to an end, are going to arise in revolt. There will be bloodshed. That is why President Clinton spent $32 billion dollars to add 100,000 policemen to take care of this coming situation.

But that’s not all. I read that Satan has some plans too. He is going to bring disease and disaster. I am reading from The Great Controversy p. 589, 590 in which she writes about Satan’s coming. “While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place, and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence.”

What a picture that God has given us. Why? What is Satan up to? – He is soon going to say that all these disasters are being caused by Seventh-day Adventists. Sounds unbelievable but let me read it to you in The Great Controversy p. 590. “The great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve God are causing 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 the troublers of the people, preventing their restoration to divine favor and temporal prosperity.”

Beloved, there is going to be trouble in this United States like you have never seen. I heard a man just the other day on television say we are faced with coming anarchy. That’s a frightening word but did you notice that Sister White uses the same word? Listen how she uses it. “Those who honor 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.” The Great Controversy p. 592.

If you think this is some fantasy listen carefully. While working on this sermon I received a document in the mail printed by the Vatican which was distributed by the Inter-American Division to all their workers, so it must be authentic. It is the Catholic plan to evangelize Seventh-day Adventists. There are ten points in all. I shall read only the last point under the heading of “Purpose.” I am quoting, “To make Seventh-day Adventists understand that if they do not unite with Catholics and Protestants to seek world peace they will be guilty of all the evils and/or disasters that come upon the earth.” This is exactly what God revealed will happen. Isn’t that astounding – and almost the exact words that He revealed to His prophet, Ellen White.

In just a little time it is not going to be like it is today. Are you going to be faithfully keeping the Sabbath day when the whole world is against us? Do you realize what it will take to live in this New World Order that will come under the control of the man of sin who will direct the Ecumenical movement to exterminate you? Why are we to be the brunt of all this coming trouble? We are the only people left in this world who are an obstacle for Satan to completely rule this world. Have you ever thought of that? No wonder the devil is going to go about like a roaring lion to get control of this world.

What would you do – for you will not find any help in our Constitution? It is only a memory of what it used to be; it’s gone forever. What will you do, appeal to the Supreme Court of the land? They have already publicly declared, “When religious rights clash with the government need for a uniform rule the court will side with the government.” What will you do when your own church refuses to help you – for we are told that some of our leaders will encourage us to keep Sunday? Furthermore, we are told by God’s servant they will testify against you. What will you do when you cannot buy or sell – your money will be worthless. What will you do when you are commanded to obey the pope or go to jail? Am I making this too real? I think not. There is only one thing that you can do. You must trust in God that He will keep you faithful, providing you have been a faithful servant of God keeping all of His commandments specifically keeping the seventh-day Sabbath holy week by week.

Do you realize what it is going to be when the Papacy takes control of the United Nations? We are told in Revelation 17:12 that the ten kingdoms of the world are going to give their power to the beast. The whole world will be organized against you. Now I want to read again from the book entitled Behold a Pale Horse written by William Cooper, a former United States intelligence officer. This is the man that was murdered by the US government for knowing too much and speaking too much. He gives the most astonishing information beginning on page 89, which reveals that the papal power is not what it claims to be.

Listen, “The Vatican has stated at various times that the pope is for total disarmament; the pope is for the illumination of the sovereignty of the United States. The pope is also stating that the property rights are not to be considered true property rights. The pope believes that only the Vatican knows what is right for man. In the early 1940’s the I.G. Farben Chemical Company employed a Polish salesman who sold cyanide to the Nazis for use in Auschwitz. The same salesman also worked as a chemist in the manufacture of the poison gas. This same cyanide gas, along with Zyklon-B and malathion was used to exterminate millions of Jews and others groups. Their bodies were burned to ashes in the ovens. After the war this salesman, fearing for his life, joined the Catholic Church and was ordained as a priest in 1946. This salesman was ordained Poland’s youngest bishop in 1958. After a 30-day reign, his predecessor was assassinated and our ex-cyanide-gas-salesman assumed the Papacy as Pope John Paul II.”

The pope has challenged the world leaders by claiming that the people of the world already recognize the absolute authority of Rome because they observe the Sunday sabbath that was ordered by the pope in the Council of Laodicea – 364 AD. The original Ten Commandments, given Moses by God, ordered that we should “Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

The seventh-day Sabbath as handed to Moses by God is Saturday. The celebration of Sunday as the sabbath is a verification that the people recognize the pope as superior to God. Did you know that the Los Angeles Times of December 12, 1984 quoted Pope John Paul II as saying, “Don’t go to God for forgiveness of sins – come to me.” The pope committed blasphemy thus fulfilling prophecy according to the book of Revelation. The pope is telling us that he is God. Remember, never worship a leader. If you worship a leader you no longer have the ability to recognize when you have been deceived.

Did you get that amazing fact? I want to tell you that we are soon to be in for a time of trouble such as never was and this time of trouble is coming to our church. Every Seventh-day Adventist is going to be persecuted. Will we submit to a New World Order and keep Sunday and receive the mark of the beast or will we give our allegiance to the divine authority of God by keeping the seventh-day Sabbath holy and receive the seal of the Eternal God? Remember what it says in Prophets and Kings p. 602, “On this battlefield will be fought the last great conflict in the controversy between truth and error.” Will we stand as did Esther and publicly say, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this,” and then say, “If I perish, I perish” – I will keep holy the seventh-day Sabbath.

Since this is the great test that is coming there must be some dramatic changes in the way we are keeping the Sabbath if we are going to die for it. The Sabbath day is not a “fun day” as most Sunday-keepers observe their day. The devil is out after us as never before to ensnare us Sabbath-keepers in turning our minds from the holy Sabbath day to that like the Sunday “sun worshipers.”

A few years ago I was pleading with an Adventist youth who was a baptized member of our church. He attended one of our colleges. I was concerned because this young man felt that the Sabbath was a “fun day.” He told me that he goes rock climbing, snow skiing, and thinks nothing of hiking eight or ten miles on the Sabbath day. These, by the way, are all perfectly excellent outdoor pleasure activities in recreation, but is it Sabbath keeping? Then I turned to the scriptures and read to this young man Isaiah 58:13, 14. “If you turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord.”

Immediately this young man became defensive. He told me the Sabbath was made to have a good time and as proof he told me that at La Sierra University the administrators are taking the young people out on Sabbath afternoons to do good things in the community. Now that sounds good, doesn’t it? Then he described the program. The young people go out with picks, shovels, saws, hammers, paint brushes, with lawnmower and rakes repairing broken windows and doors and painting the homes, to fix up the yards of poor people who are too old to go out and do this sort of thing anymore.

I know this to be true for I read of this program in the Riverside, CA newspaper, since our La Sierra University is within its confines. The paper praised these young people for doing such good things in the community, but is it Sabbath keeping when it can be done on any other day of the week? Then this young man spoke of his convictions, “If this is Sabbath keeping, so is my hiking, my snow skiing, my rock climbing and all the rest of it.” And I’m sorry to have to say he was right. If that is true Sabbath keeping. God be merciful to our young people who are being misled today by the very ministers of this denomination who are paid from the sacred tithe, who some day will face the wrath of God because they are teaching our young people to break and dishonor God’s holy Sabbath day.

Now let us consider how we keep the Sabbath day as we associate with others. The Spirit of Prophecy encourages us to gather together Sabbath afternoon to enrich each other in a time of fellowship with singing, prayer and study. But does this make it right for those attending our church in various places after the eleven o’clock service to drive to their favorite restaurants, to purchase meals and spend the rest of the afternoon socializing? Beloved, this is not Sabbath keeping – it is a sin – and sin will keep sinners out of heaven. Little by little the devil is getting Seventh-day Adventists to compromise one of the most glorious truths in the Bible – the seventh-day Sabbath.

Even our medical institutions are being entrapped. I have learned that one of our large hospitals has authorized one of its operating rooms to be fully staffed on the Sabbath day to take care of all types of surgery – (are you listening?) which have been scheduled during the week – to be preformed on the Sabbath day. Isn’t it strange when the need for money becomes the predominant factor to rationalize God’s commandments? Can we honestly give the Third Angel’s Message to the world and say, “Come out of Babylon,” and then as a church organization we don’t keep the Seventh-day Sabbath ourselves? Think it over.

In the book Medical Ministry, which was written for our medical institutions and our doctors and nurses, are these words on page 214, “Often physicians are called upon the Sabbath to minister to the sick, (then are these words) [but] ordinary treatment, and operations that can wait, should be deferred till the next day.” When will we learn, or must we wait until God’s wrath is poured out. I thank God for our godly doctors and nurses that we have in our churches. Praise the Lord for them. We have the most wonderful medical workers who are faithfully keeping the Sabbath.

As I read in Desire of Ages p. 207, “The necessities of life must be attended to, the sick must be cared for, the wants of the needy must be supplied. He will not be held guiltless who neglects to relieve suffering on the Sabbath. God’s holy rest day was made for man and the acts of mercy are in perfect harmony with its intent. God does not desire His creatures should suffer one hour’s pain that may be relieved upon the Sabbath.” And then come these words in Patriarchs and Prophets p. 307, “Acts of necessity and mercy are permitted on the Sabbath, the sick and the suffering are at all times to be cared for; but unnecessary labor is to be strictly avoided.”

What about when we get together on Sabbath afternoon to visit. We are encouraged to do this that we may sing, read and study and discuss spiritual things. But is this a time for us to get together and talk about business deals, about our farming activities or about household repairs that we have made or that we are going to make? The commandments include all within our gates. “Those who discuss business matters or lay plans on the Sabbath are regarded by God as though engaged in the actual transaction of these plans. To keep the Sabbath holy, we should not even allow our minds to dwell upon things of a worldly character.” Patriarchs and Prophets p. 307. “The example of ministers, especially should be circumspect in this respect. Upon the Sabbath they should conscientiously restrict themselves to conversation upon religious things, to present truths, present duty, Christian hopes and fears, trials, conflicts, afflictions and to overcome at last and with the reward that is to be received.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 2, p. 703, 704. By God’s grace, I am going to follow such counsel.

Let me give you some Sabbath guidelines. In the Spirit of Prophecy the Sabbath day is spoken of as a day of delight. Ellen White uses the words “a joyful day,” “a most interesting day,” “the sweetest day of all.” I like that – it is something that we should look forward to. In Ministry of Healing p. 308 are these words, “It is well, on the Sabbath, to provide something that will be regarded as a treat.” This suggests something that the family does not have every day. When you prepare the Sabbath meal do you have a treat? This will be especially helpful to teach our children that this is a special day.

Now, I want to make suggestions that the next Sabbath afternoon, after you have had the noon meal, read what Ellen White says on how to keep the Sabbath day holy. You will find the following:

1. “The Sabbath is a time for us to help the needy with food and clothing.” Counsels to Teachers p. 360.

2. It is a time to walk in the fields and the groves; to behold God’s handiwork. Testimony Treasures Volume 3, p. 24.

3. If it is cold, put on a heavy jacket and the long underwear – get out and see what God has made. She tells us to discuss the flowers, the trees, the shrubs and listen to the sound of nature. Testimony Treasures Volume 3, p. 27. Go ahead, sit down by a brook and listen to the water as it bubbles along. Listen to the wind blowing through those pinecones and needles.

4. Spend time to study the coming Sabbath School lesson. Education p. 251, 252.

5. Have you wondered what to do on Sabbath afternoon? Spend the Sabbath afternoon to review the Sabbath sermon notes you have taken. Education p. 251.

6. Spend time in meditation, counting your blessings. Contemplate God’s love in God’s great sacrifice. Desire of Ages p. 207. Sit down for thirty minutes and think about the cross and what Jesus did for you – this is true Sabbath keeping.

7. Take time for a healthful rest – she did not say a five-hour sleep – but she did say take a rest. Desire of Ages p. 207.

8. Visit the widows and the orphans. Have you ever thought on Sabbath afternoon to go and visit those who are alone or invite them home for a meal? Desire of Ages p. 207. Encourage them to pray and pray for them.

9. To parents, I read, “Entertain your children with spiritual activity.” Testimony Treasures Volume 3, p. 24. That doesn’t mean that we go outside and throw the basketball into the hoop or get on the bikes and ride around. We must jealously guard the edges of the Sabbath.

The shoes ought to be shined before the Sabbath, the baths should be taken, the food should be prepared as much as possible before the Sabbath day. “Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.” The apostle John saw in the last days a small group keeping the Sabbath day and on their foreheads was written the Father’s name which means they represent the character of God. Inspiration says, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12.

I ask you, in this coming crisis, are you going to be willing to die for the Sabbath day? Are you ready to stand up as Esther and say, “If I perish, I perish”? Now is the time when we must learn to be obedient to the Sabbath commandment. Now is the time when we must keep the Sabbath day holy if we are going to be sealed for eternity. “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14. Keep the Sabbath holy.

Let us pray. Dear heavenly Father, please forgive us for having broken the edges of Thy holy Sabbath day. Help us to keep the Sabbath day holy that we may be ready when the final test breaks upon us so Thy power will sustain us. In Jesus’ name we ask, Amen!

A One World Religion Bible

Sunday April 1st, 2001

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

In this sermon we will make a surprising discovery. It is therefore necessary that you have read part one and part two of this New World Order series before reading this material. The two preceding sermons will clearly inform you of the antichrist power which is developing the United Nations and its ultimate one world religion.

Let’s begin this sermon with a most serious question: If (notice that I said “if”) you were Lucifer, who is fully committed to destroy God’s true church in order to become the sole ruler of this world and be worshiped as God, tell me, what would be the best attack method to obtain such a goal? While you are thinking about this I’ll give you the answer. I believe that Satan would develop a plan where by he would attempt to make God’s defense weapons so defective that they would be useless.

I also believe and trust that you will agree with me that the most powerful defense weapon God has given to His followers is the Word of God as described in Ephesians 6:17. “The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Jesus, our mighty Captain, demonstrated for us how to use this weapon when He overcame Satan by quoting scripture, “It is written…” thereby defeating the devil. Now that you have your thinking cap in operation, suppose that Satan should change the scriptures making them defective by inserting words never inspired by God, or by deleting inspired words so that you could no longer discern truth from error. In this way you could be fooled, unknowingly, to worship the dragon and wonder after the beast.

Now, I immediately hear someone say, “Why Elder Nelson, have you lost your marbles? Don’t you know that God’s Word never changes; that God will see to that?” True, true, very true, but in this warfare between God and Satan this does not stop the devil from introducing false versions of the scriptures in such a cunning manner that millions are fooled to accept such versions as the very Word of God, believing them to be genuine.

Since you are honest, you will agree with me that what I have suggested is plausible and possible. May the Holy Spirit help us to see that this is actually taking place as the antichrist prepares the way for a one-world religion Bible. And one more question, please: Could it be possible that a few apostate leaders within God’s true church are promoting false versions of the scripture that will cause many within the Adventist Church to accept the coming one-world religion?

Before we explore this possibility let us pray for heavenly guidance. Oh loving Father, as we all will soon have to meet this coming, gigantic system of false religion, the masterpiece of Satan’s power, please help us in these final hours to be able to differentiate between Thy Holy Scriptures and the counterfeit. This we ask in the name of Thy Beloved Son, Jesus. Amen.

Let us first look at the warning God has given regarding changing His Word. In Revelation 22:18, 19 we read, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

Now the question: Why do you suppose God gave such a warning to anyone who would attempt to change His Word? Because He knew that in the last days men, led by Satan, would produce a counterfeit to His Word. The NIV (The New International Version) and the New American Standard Version, together with the Living Bible and a host of other versions, have been produced as a direct result of chief conspirators of the New Age Movement working together with the United Nations and the New World Order to produce a one-world religion. And before we conclude this study we will discuss the corrupt manuscripts chosen to eventually produce a Bible acceptable to all religions of the world.

It is the aim of the spiritualistic power that the new versions being printed year by year will infiltrate the evangelical churches so that their members will accept such a false bible. By changing the words of God, they can change doctrines and eventually make it possible for a one-world, apostate church which has accepted the antichrist, his mark, his image, and who worship Lucifer.

Now that may sound a bit impossible but let me quote from the chief editor of the NIV Bible who supervised its development. Please notice the satanic plan of destroying your faith in Jesus Christ. I hope you are listening! I quote, “This [his NIV] shows the great error that is so prevalent today in some orthodox Protestant circles, namely the error that regeneration depends upon faith…and that in order to be born again man must first accept Jesus as Savior.” [ The Holy Spirit p. 83.] What an amazing admission of the real purpose of developing the NIV version, coming from the pen of its editor! Let’s make sure that we understand this quotation correctly. The purpose of the NIV version is to show that regeneration does not depend upon faith and that you do not have to accept Jesus as your Savior to be Born Again. Heaven forbid! What a devilish plan, for God’s Word plainly teaches in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

This is why the NIV version has removed so many decisive texts which state that we should worship God. Let me give you an example. I read from the King James Version in Philippians 3:3, “ For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit.” Now there can be no question as to whom we should worship – it is the Eternal God. But the NIV version, along with others, omit the word “God.” Why? – So the reader may choose for himself who is to be worshiped in spirit – be it Mother Earth, some dumb idol, or Jesus Christ, or even the devil. By deleting “God” from it the NIV version has weakened the scriptures. This is why the scripture warned, “Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word.” Mark 4:15. Here is a perfect example of the development of the NIV to prepare for a Bible that will be acceptable to all religions.

But the NIV version has not only deleted thousands of such inspired words but has also added words not found in the Holy Scriptures. But before we proceed let us stop here to clearly understand why such changes are being made in God’s Word. What is actually taking place is a semantic revolution. The word “semantic” means to change the meaning of words and this is taking place both in the western Christians religions and also in the pagan religions of the east. Both are using this revolutionary bridge to form spiritual Babylon described in Revelation 18.

Let my speak plainly. The New Age occult is working through the United Nations, as discussed in sermon number one and two of this series, to make Christian terminology acceptable to the eastern mystics; and at the same time the pagan priests of Oriental religions are changing the names of their gods from Buddha, Krishna and Lucifer to the Christian names such as “The Lord,” “The Christ,” and “The One.” Even occult initiations today are called by Christian terms such as a “baptism” and “the way to God.” How amazing!

Thus, when such names are read in these new versions the pagans can say that they refer to their pagan god and not to Jesus Christ. The New Age Dictionary by Alex Jack given definitions of occult beliefs which are compatible to the NIV version. For example, the Holy Spirit, which we know to be the third person of the Godhead, is often translated in the NIV as “the Spirit,” thus by deleting the inspired word “Holy” the word “Spirit” alone becomes acceptable to the occult as man’s spirit. By deleting the name “Jesus” from “Christ” the name “Christ” alone can be accepted by the pagans as the name of their gods. By deleting “Jehovah” in connection with “the Lord” the word “Lord” alone can refer to any pagan god. And consider this – in the NIV the name “Lucifer” has been changed to “the Morning Star” and that’s unbelievable, for any Bible student knows that the term “Morning Star” refers to only Jesus Christ. Giving this name to any other, and especially to Satan, is sacrilegious.

I believe that you are starting to see the purpose of the NIV. As the chief editor states, “It is to teach that you do not have to accept Jesus Christ to be saved.” How amazing! And just think how many Seventh-day Adventists use the NIV as their Bible.

Let’s review this once more. In the NIV Lucifer is now called “the Morning Star.” The words “Jesus Christ” and “Jehovah” are changed to “the Lord,” the name given to pagan gods. “The Holy One of Israel” becomes “the One” that’s acceptable to the pagans for the name of their god. The “Godhead” has been changed to “a divine being” which is the term used for the New Age gods. If you are honest, you will admit that the NIV version endorse what God’s holy men explicitly opposed. This version, and others, is preparing for coming new versions that will finally produce a Bible totally acceptable to all religions except God’s true church.

Clearly, the ultimate goal of the New World Order is unity at any cost. Should you still have a doubt let me further illustrate (and I’ll give only four texts from the NIV) but keep in mind there are hundreds more. The texts are Luke 24:36, Matthew 4:18, Mark 2:15, and Mark 10:52. The name “Jesus” has been omitted and replaced with the pronoun “He.” This opens the door to the question: “Who is ‘He’? Jesus Christ or Lucifer?” Again, the words, “the kingdom of God” in Matthew 6:33 is changed to “His kingdom.” To the non-Christians this is acceptable for it could mean Satan’s kingdom.

When you compare the King James Version with the New International Version and the New Age Luciferian teachings you will see that the NIV and the New Age Luciferian match word for word. Here is an example. I’ll give the King James Version first, followed by the NIV and then the New Age. God’s Word says, “The Holy One;” the NIV and the Luciferian state, “the One.” God’s Word says, “the Holy Spirit;” both the NIV and the Luciferian state, “the Spirit.” God’s Word says, “the Lord Jehovah;” both the NIV and the Luciferian state, “the Lord.” God’s Word says, “Our Father;” both the NIV and the Luciferian state, “the Father.” God’s Word says, “the Lord Jesus Christ;” both the NIV and the Luciferian state, “the Christ.” God’s Word says, “God;” both the NIV and the Luciferian state, “a God.”

I’m sure you are noticing the difference. When God speaks in His original manuscript, through Inspiration, it’s absolute; but when man speaks through the NIV and other versions you are left with the questions, “What spirit? Which Lord? Whose Father? or What God?”

In the book The Luciferian Connection , p. 145 I quote, “Most New Agers, however, teach that the new will overcome the old, by a gentle process of ecumenical unity and absorption of the religions into one another. The new-world religion will contain all the common elements of all religions.”

We need to pause here to clarify how these many new versions have come into existence. We shall see that Romanism has been able to enter the very arsenal of Protestantism and change the very words of God with a corrupt Bible. The Protestant reformation was based on manuscripts which are called “The Received -” or “Majority Greek -” text. The Roman Catholic religion was founded on the spurious Greek New Testament manuscripts known as the “ Sinaiticus “ and the “ Vaticanus .” For years the Jesuits, and other scholarly orders, tried to disprove the “Received Text” of Protestantism but they failed until the second half of the nineteenth century.

The following has been gleaned from Rosenvald Publications. I quote from The Dismantling of Adventism by H.H. Myers p. 11. “Attempts to replace Protestant Bibles with Catholic ones such as when the English were presented with the Douay Bible in the late sixteenth century, have failed. But would it now be at all possible to co-oped Protestants themselves in an attempt to have them destroy their own Bible? In the past, many a Church of England cleric had been induced to turn traitor. Why not now?”

How sad for this devilish plan to succeed. The “Received Text,” which was referred to as the “Protestant Bible” during the period of the reformation, included the Old Testament Hebrew and the New Testament Majority Greek Text which had circulated throughout the world. But in the mid-nineteenth century there were two English Anglican scholars, Drs. B. F. Westcott and F.J.A. Hort. One was a priest the other was aspiring to be a priest and both had strong leanings toward Rome.

For whatever personal reasons Westcott and Hort took part in a New Testament scheme proposed by their publisher, Daniel Macmillan. Hort referred to the Majority Greek Text as “villainous” and “vile.” Westcott declared, “I am most anxious to get something to replace them.” (That is taken from Riplinger, The New Age Bible Versions , p. 430).

Gail Riplinger, a Baptist, is an authority on the changes that have been made in the modern versions of the Bible and how these changes came about. Her book, The New Age Bible Versions , was printed in 1993. Passages from her book will be identified.

Westcott’s and Hort’s declarations clearly reveal their deep hatred of the Majority Greek manuscripts upon which the Protestant Bibles were based, including the King James Version. With such an attitude it is not at all surprising that they chose the Vaticanus and the Sinaiticus manuscripts in which to base their new Greek text.

For many years the Vaticanus had been stored in the Vatican. It was known as the “Catholic Bible.” When the large group of scholars who translated the King James Bible inspected these manuscripts they utterly refused to use them in their work because they were so filled with gross error. Thus it was that in 1853 Westcott and Hort started what was to become almost thirty years of involvement in this secret project. As they were getting started, Westcott admits the drastic changes he plans, and calls it, “Our proposed recension of the New Testament.” (p. 619).

We will briefly mention some of the personal habits, practices, and beliefs of Westcott and Hort. Riplinger, in her book, gives documentation which shows that Westcott and Hort habitually used spirituous liquors during the time they were writing their New Testament Greek Bible. In some of their written comments on their work, they freely mixed in comments about their own drinking habits. In addition to this they practiced various forms of spiritualism. (Are you listening?) Furthermore, Hort did not even believe in the infallibility of the New Testament for he stated, “If you make a decided conviction of the absolute infallibility of the New Testament I fear I could not join you.” Hort Volume 1, p.420. (622).

After Westcott and Hort had worked along secretly for about 17 years, in 1870 a committee was chosen in England to rewrite the Greek New Testament. Beside Westcott and Hort and others (now please pay attention) three Catholics were chosen to serve on the committee, including Cardinal Newman. Riplinger writes on p. 425, “The liberalism of the members was evident in their approval of Westcott and Hort’s substitution of the readings in the Vatican’s Greek manuscript “ Vaticanus “ for the original Greek. Drs. Mobiley, Pusey, and Newman were invited to join, all three, emissaries of the Roman Catholic Church. Member Dean Stanley believed, as did Westcott and Hort, that the Word of God was also in the books of the other world religions.” (Did you hear that!?)

Newman had been a prominent Anglican priest but a few years earlier he had apostatized from Protestantism and joined the Roman Catholic Church. For this defection, the pope eventually made him a Cardinal of the Roman Church. I hope that as you see the plot thicken that you are beginning to see how the Papacy has developed these new versions.

“We go back in time in order to understand what occurred in 1847 at the Vatican,” Myers explains on p. 16. “Following his open defection to Roman Catholicism, Cardinal John H. Newman, formerly a cleric of the Church of England and founder of the Oxford Movement in 1833, was invited to revisit the Vatican. While there he disclosed some details of his mission in a letter dated January 17, 1847 to his fellow traitor, Nicolas P. Wiseman. Referring to a request made by a senior member of the congregation of the index, ‘That we should take the Protestant translation, correct it by the Vulgate (that’s the Catholic Bible) and get it sanctioned here. This might be our first work if your lordship approved of it. If we undertook it I should try to get a number of persons at work, not merely of our own party. First it should be overseen and corrected by ourselves. Then it should go to a few select revisers. For instances, Dr. Tate, of Ushaw, and Dr. Whitty of St. Edmunds (who was a Jesuit).’” Ward, Life of Wiseman , Volume 1, p. 454.

And now hear this: The plan to write a new Greek Testament was actually contrived in the Vatican with Cardinal Newman in attendance. According to their instructions from the Vatican these schemers were to take the Protestant translation, correct it by the Vulgate, and then get it sanctioned “here,” (that is at the Vatican) before publication. What an eye opener!

It took about ten years for the committee to complete the project. It was to be published in 1881, together with the English Revised Version which was also translated by the committee. Meyers reveals on p. 19,20, “Yet a few weeks earlier when it was evident a revision should soon be an accomplished fact, Cardinal Wiseman could scarcely contain his exuberance. He explained, ‘We can not but rejoice in the silent triumph which truth has at length gained over clamorous error. For in fact the principle writers, who have avenged the Vulgate and obtained for it its critical pre-eminence, are Protestants.’” Wiseman Essays Volume 1, p. 104.

Now here is indisputable evidence that although the revisers worked in great secrecy, Wiseman, the primate of the Catholic Church in England, was privy to this subterfuge. He and Newman had carried out the instructions given to them by the Vatican to the very letter. Instead of a revision of the King James Version the English Protestants had been presented with a Bible that had been “corrected” by the Vulgate. Having worked in secret, Westcott and Hort, when placed upon the committee, did not reveal to anyone that they already had a new Greek Testament almost finished.

The committee who chose their work should also be done in secret. They feared that what they were doing, if made public, would be criticized. This would hinder their work. Westcott wrote that, “much evil would result from a public discussion.” Westcott Volume 1, p. 229. And sure enough, when it was published in 1881, criticism was abundant. On p. 432 Riplinger writes, “This change in the standard new Greek Testament was very newsworthy upon its publication. Scholars of that time called it ‘strongly radical’ and ‘revolutionary,’ ‘deviating,’ ‘the furtherest possible from the Received Text,’ ‘a violent recoil from the traditional Greek text,’ ‘the most vicious recension of the original Greek in existence,’ ‘a seriously mutilated and otherwise grossly depraved new Greek text.’ They further yielded, ‘the passages in dispute are of great importance.’”

On p. 433 Riplinger continues the subject, “John Burgon, who was Dean of Westminster and the preeminent Greek scholar of the day, said, ‘For the Greek text which they have invented proves too hopelessly depraved throughout. It was deliberately invented. The underlying Greek is an entirely new thing. It is a manufactured article throughout. The new Greek text is utterly inadmissible, proposing to inquire into the merits of the recent revision of the Bible we speedily become aware that the underlying Greek text had been completely refashioned throughout. It was not so much a new version as a new Greek text.’

“The new Greek text was full of errors from beginning to end; it had been constructed throughout. ‘It was no part of your instructions to invent a new Greek text or indeed to meddle with the original Greek at all. By your own confession you and your colleagues knew yourselves to be incompetent. Shame on those most incompetent men who, finding themselves in an evil hour, occupied themselves with falsifying the inspired Greek text. Who will venture to predict the amount of mischief which must follow if the new Greek text should become used.’”

How sad, for their new Greek text did indeed become accepted into use and the amount of mischief it has wrought cannot be calculated. Adventist readers of the new versions translated from the new Greek text should carefully reread John Burgon’s analysis of the new Greek Testament so that they will realize what they are actually reading are versions approved by the Vatican. Riplinger emphasizes on p. 431 how deliberate their New Testament scheme was when she sights that in the book of Luke, which contains about 1000 verses, they made 1000 changes. They made about 6000 such changes in the New Testament – that is when compared to the original Greek, the Majority Text .

Surprisingly, however, sad to say in a decade or two the Westcott and Hort New Testament was accepted by Protestants and Catholics alike. It is the Greek Testament to be used. Sorrowfully, even the Seventh-day Adventist Church accepted it very early and began to promote its use. It is being used, and has been used, for many years now in our colleges and universities as a textbook. Thus our church has approved corrupting the incorruptible.

But the apostle Peter has assured us that the Word of God was incorruptible. 1 Peter 1:23 tells us, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” Let us praise God that the King James Bible itself has not been corrupted by Westcott and Hort. God has watched over and protected His Word. The true Bible will live and abide in spite of the mischief of these wicked men. With very few exceptions, all of the new Bible versions which are flooding the market are translated from the Westcott and Hort new Greek text.

Riplinger comments, “In addition to the errors found in the new Greek text, individual publishers have felt free to make further changes in order to make their particular Bible versions acceptable to the various religions of the world. Also, in order to obtain a copyright, it is required that there be a certain number of changes. Therefore, while the modern versions are basically are unreliable, some are even worse than others. Besides making their translations from the Greek New Testament text having 6000 changes made by Westcott and Hort and their committee, many additional changes are being made.”

To illustrate, at the same time that the new corrupted Greek texts were published in 1881, the same committee also published the English Revised Standard Version of the Bible. While there are 6000 changes in the Greek New Testament text when compared with the Majority Text there are 36,000 changes made in the Revised Standard Version that differ from the King James.

Now we have a clear picture of Satan’s attempt to change God’s Word. This has helped us to comprehend how the Papacy has been able to actually corrupt the Protestant Bible with these many new versions which are totally based on the counterfeit new Greek text produced by Westcott and Hort and the corrupted Vatican manuscript. This has now made it possible for the United Nations, the political arm of the Papacy, to eventually produce a counterfeit Bible acceptable to all religions, be they pagan, Papal, Protestant, occultist, Jewish or Muslim.

Now let us recap what we have learned from this sermon:

1. First and foremost, the King James Version is the only version not corrupted by Westcott and Hort and the Vatican manuscripts. Let us make this our only Bible to study God’s Word. Amen?

2. We have seen the master plan of Lucifer to prepare for a one-world government controlled by a one world religion.

3. Many years ago this was begun by Westcott and Hort who invented a new Greek text based on the Vatican corrupt manuscripts.

4. These men personally testified that they did not even believe the Bible to be inspired by God and, still worse, all religions – even the pagans – contain God’s Word.

5. The Papacy actually directed the development of the new version which they manipulated to agree with their Catholic Bible.

6. The United Nations aims for a corrupted Bible, so completely changed by semantics, that all religions of the world will be able to use it to teach their false doctrines making possible a one world church of Babylon found in Revelation 18.

7. It is Satan’s plan to so obliterate God’s Word with these false versions that when he appears in the counterfeit coming of Christ the whole world will worship him.

Oh how careful we should be as individuals not to partake of the spirit of the antichrist. Very soon the papacy will reveal its true identity through the new-world religion. Before the real Second Coming of Jesus the deadly wound that was inflicted on the papacy in 1798 will be fully healed. The papacy will emerge to rule the world with an iron hand as it did during the Dark Ages. Except for God’s true people, the United Nations and all churches, including professed Sabbath keepers who are unfaithful to their profession, as well as the governments of the world, will be the servants of the beast ready to do his bidding.

The wicked are not the only group that is gathering. God’s true people are standing, not under the banner of the beast and his image, but under the banner of the King of kings protected and empowered by God. His people will boldly proclaim the Loud Cry to the world. They will clearly present the Sabbath/Sunday issue and proclaim the warning of the third angel with a loud voice. They will also call to the people of the world to “come out of her my people.” Will you and I be prepared to stand under the banner of King Jesus? If so, we must awaken now and get ready for soon Jesus will arise in the heavens above to come to the earth as the King of kings. At that time the righteous will be taken to their new home in heaven. Praise God!

What will happen to the wicked who have gathered to battle against God Almighty? – Their sad ending is presented in Revelation 19:19-21, “And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”

Why should I speak such a strong message as this to God’s people today? -Because we have been commissioned to do so. In Isaiah 58:1 we have been instructed to cry to God’s people today with a loud voice, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”

Let us heed the following sermon delivered by Mrs. E. G. White. “Brethren and sisters,” she admonished, “we had better come to our senses now, without delay. We had better cry for the vitalizing power of God to come upon us and cure us of our spiritual paralysis. And unless there is a thorough arousing and you begin to cry onto God and change your course of action you will be rated either with the unbeliever or you will be in that position that you have a name to live while you are dead and your influence in the world is a living curse. Just because of your profession you lead people into the road to death and hell and the account that God has to settle with you in the judgement you will not want the court to meet for it decides your case forever. We are here for a purpose. Here are souls to be saved. There is a voice to be raised among the people of God. ‘Cry aloud, spare not.’( Why? What is it? What is the matter?) ‘Show my people (it’s God’s professed people, is it?) their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.’ Isaiah 58:1.” Sermons and Talks, Volume 1, p.176.

O friend, it’s almost time for the Lord to come! And the New World Order of the United Nations is preparing for a counterfeit coming of Christ. Shouldn’t we be preparing for the genuine coming of the Kings of kings, our Lord and Savior? Let us not shirk either our own preparation or our duty toward others.

Let us pray, Dear God, may we have the courage to completely separate from Satan’s apostate church of Revelation 18, and use only the King James Version in our study in preparation for Thy coming. For we ask this in the precious name of Jesus, Amen

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A New World Religion

Thursday March 1st, 2001

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

This study begins with an undeniable fact, that the vast majority of Seventh-day Adventists are fast asleep which also includes the leadership. The Spirit of Prophecy paints a picture in words to clear to be misunderstood. “If all that appears to be divine life were such in reality, if all who profess to present the truth to the world were preaching for the truth and not against it, and if they were men of God guided by His Spirit, – then might we see something cheering amid the prevailing moral darkness. But the spirit of the antichrist is prevailing to such an extent as never before. Well may we exclaim: ‘Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.’ I know that many think far too favorably of the present time. These ease-loving souls will be engulfed in the general ruin….The days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. In the mighty sifting soon to take place we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel. The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 79,80.

Now the question; what is the spirit of antichrist that is prevailing within our church as never before? Before we seek for an answer let us pray for divine guidance. Oh, loving Father, may Thy Holy Spirit awaken us from this satanic stupor that has enveloped both the ministry and the laity; that we may become aroused to discern the working of the antichrist among us, and become spiritually alert to realize that it is now or never that we must be ready to meet the final crisis. This we ask in the name of Thy dear Son, Jesus, Amen.

In our last tape we discovered that the Antichrist has completely dominated the development of the One World Order so that the United Nations is now prepared to launch its new-world government including a new-world religion which is being developed by the demons of spiritualism. The new religion is being promoted through an environmental approach which is leading to Baal, Sunday worship – the mark of the beast.

The predictions of Revelation 13 are being enacted before our very eyes as 149 countries of this world, including the United States, have signed and given their country’s sovereignty to the UN at a recent summit meeting at the United Nations September 2000. As prophecy stated the United States would cause the people on earth to worship the beast, so President Clinton hosted this meeting in which these nations signed to obey. Thus the UN is now ready to completely restructure the world economy and political systems with a global taxation and an international army to enforce, by law, over population, the redistribution of the world’s wealth, and a new-world religion which the Bible declares will enforce the mark of the beast.

As in the previous tape, I will give only the page number for facts that I have gleaned from the book entitled, The New World Religion which was printed by Hope International Publishers, P.O. Box 899, Nobelville, IN 46061. It may surprise you to learn that Mikhail Gorbachev has become the Leninist of the New Age teachings. He is seeking to replace Christianity with a new religion of humanism which is the central teaching of communism with pantheism based on Eastern religions. (p. 142).

In order to promote this, Gorbachev has developed an environmental appeal known as a Magna Carta for Earth; a so-called ten commandments to rule humanity. Already the United Nations has 300 environmental treaties such as climate change, ozone-depleting substances, decertification, endangered species, wetlands and world heritage sites. (p. 143).

During the summit of world leaders, on September 6, 2000 a bill of rights for our planet was adopted. Al Gore has been Gorbachev’s right-hand man in getting this charter adopted. (p 144). Al Gore led the US delegates in the 1992 environmental Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In his book, Earth in the Balance , he writes that he would use every means, “embarking on an all-out effort to use every policy and program, every treaty and alliance, every tactic and strategy, every plan and course of action; to use, in short, every means to halt the destruction of the environment and to preserve and nurture our ecological system.” (p. 146).

Please be aware of where all this is leading. I quote from the United Nations Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali, “I should like to conclude by saying that the spirit of Rio must create a new form of good citizenship. After loving his neighbor as the Bible has required him to, post-Rio man must also love the world including the flowers, the birds in the trees, every part of that natural environment that we are constantly destroying. To the ancients, the Nile was a god to be venerated, as was the Rhine, an infinite source of European myths or the Amazon forest, the mother of forests. Throughout the world, nature was the abode of the divinities that gave the forest, the desert or the mountains, a personality which commanded worship.” Did you hear that!? “The earth has a soul; to find that soul again, to give it a new life, that is the essence of Rio.” (p. 147).

Now dear friend, why am I giving such detail? Because it was at this Earth Summit that it was purposed that all peoples should honor an environmental Sunday rest-day. Anyone can see where this is leading – to the mark of the beast. No wonder the papacy gave its full support. Keep in mind, throughout history, whenever man chose to worship himself or the pagan deities of nature in place of God, the consequences were severe. Humanity came under the control of false belief systems and those enforcing them. Pantheism, with its earth or gaia worship, has inevitably had the effect of enslaving man. Whether it was the version presented by the pharaohs of Egypt, the Brahmans of India, or the Caesars of Rome, the result of earth-centered religion has always been the same – the enslavement of man under a ruthless, occultic system.

Unfortunately, most leaders of today’s environmental movement hold a similar and equally militant world view. According to this view, those who believe in a personal Creator, refusing to make creation their god, are a threat to nature and must be eliminated. (p. 156, 157).

The Earth Charter, prepared by Gorbachev, with its supporting programs is now ready to be implemented. Notice what will be the result. Sovereign nations will no longer exist, at least not in the traditional sense. Private property and the ability to choose what to do with your land would be severely limited. The right to decide your child’s schooling, or what you child is taught, even at home, would be restricted.

This state control would also extend into the realm of personal beliefs. Christianity, saying that Jesus Christ is the only way of reconciliation with God, would not likely be tolerated; in fact, it might be made a crime. Why is humanity falling for this deception? The answer is simple. The majority of people have rejected the truth of God for a lie; seeking to liberate themselves from a moral God and His holy commandments.

Most of the earth’s inhabitants have embraced humanism or pantheism as their world view. These two belief systems are really quite similar; both reject the reality of a personal God inevitably resulting in the direct or indirect worship of man or nature. (p 156). Nature worship, the elevation of nature (that’s talking about the creation above God, the Creator) is nothing new; in fact it was prevalent among the Lucifer-inspired mystery religions of the Old Testament era. (p. 156).

What does God say about this? The Bible explains in Romans 1:21-25, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.” How clear God has stated this fact!

Now for a moment let us see how all of these New World Order plans are forging toward a new religion. Alice Bailey, the spiritualist medium who has for years guided the development of the UN has written, “The three main channels through which the preparation for the New Age is going on might be regarded as the church, the Masonic fraternity and the educational field.” (p. 161).

We have clearly seen how the papal church and the occult Masonic organization of the new age have guided the UN to its present acceptance by all the world leaders; but don’t overlook what has happened in the educational field. Robert Muller has spent 40 years to educate the youth to accept the New World Order. Muller grew up in a Catholic home and has stated that his Catholic upbringing has prepared him to accept the New Age view that he now holds. (p. 200). In the last twelve years he was able to introduce “Goals 2000” into the educational system of America through the Bush and Clinton administrations down to the very state and local level. The curriculum introduced was heavily influenced by Alice Bailey. (p. 180).

No doubt you have seen, as I have, in our public school the idea that mother earth is to be exalted and even worshiped. I never cease to be amazed by the artwork of students displayed in public places on Mother Earth’s Day. Muller’s curriculum teaches the youth the concept of interfaithism. When this is believed by the youth the source is recognized as beyond any Scriptural authority. (p. 183).

This underlying doctrine of interfaithism is a complete violation of God’s Word. The Bible reveals that it is impossible to accept the beliefs of other religions and simultaneously accept all the teachings of Jesus Christ. Why? – Because other religions deny the fact that Jesus is the only way of salvation. In so doing, they minimize the atoning death and resurrection of Christ, falsely teaching that there are other paths to immortality when in truth there are none. Acts 4:12 in the NIV proclaims, “Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to man by which we must be saved.” Jesus stated in no uncertain terms, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 NIV. Clearly the Robert Muller School is not based on Christianity; it is pantheistic. (p. 183).

A growing number of top educators have embraced this New Age. (p. 188). The youth are being taught that all religions are valid and are merely pathways to God. (p. 199). It is the aim of educational planners that such unity of religion will exist so that all existing religions can be molded into one synthetic whole. (p. 199).

This is Muller’s view that Catholicism and pantheistic religions of the east have the same spiritual roots as taught by the Jesuit, Teillard de Chardin. (p. 201). In his book The New Genesis , Muller writes, “If Christ came back to earth His first visit would be to the United Nations to see if His dream of human one-ness and brotherhood have come true. He would be happy to see representatives of all nations, North and South, East and West, rich and poor, believers and non-believers, young and old, Philistines and Samaritans, trying to find answers to the perennial question of human destiny and fulfillment.” (p. 203).

Thus we can plainly see the prophecy of God fulfilling as the coming antichrist will control the UN. In Muller’s book The New Genesis he calls for “the UN-based world government and a new world religion is the only answer to mankind’s problems.” Through it all Muller maintains his status as a Catholic Christian. He finally comes full circle by linking the UN’s mission to Catholicism; and John Paul II agrees. “Pope John Paul II said that we (speaking of the UN) were the stonecutters and the artisans of a cathedral.” (p. 204).

In another book My Testament to the UN , Muller favorably quotes a Hindu priest, regarding the UN’s ultimate destiny. “No human force will ever be able to destroy the United Nations, for the United Nations is not a mere building or a mere idea; it is not a manmade creation. The United Nations is the vision light of the Absolute Supreme, which is slowly, steadily, and unerringly illuminating the ignorance, the night of our human lives. The divine success and supreme progress of the United Nations is bound to become a reality. At his choice hour the Absolute Supreme will ring his own victory bell here on earth through the loving and serving heart of the United Nations.” (p. 205).

The truth of the matter is, the United Nations is not a conception of God rather, its spiritual activities are an abomination to Him. The UN and its occult-inspired cooperatives will experience the same judgment from the Lord reserved for all ungodly individuals and institutions. It is Jesus Christ who will ring the victory bell upon His return as 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 reads; and it will not be rung through the United Nations. (p. 203).

We must not overlook how the World Council of Churches has been funded by the Rockefeller Foundation. The ecumenical movement is now an integral part of the coming one-world government. (p. 206). The Seventh-day Adventist church has taken a very active part in this World Council of Churches in providing committee leadership and secretaries. But worst of all, our leadership has encouraged Seventh-day Adventist churches to participate in ecumenical activities at the lower level, even promising the papal and Protestant leaders that we will not openly preach a message that would call for the diversion in the ranks of ecumenism. Unbelievable! God help us!

Neither should we overlook what took place in the Second Vatican Council when it urged the ecumenical movement to accept interfaithism. I quote, “All Christians to act positively to preserve and even promote all that is good in other religions – Hinduism, Buddhism and other world religions. To carry out this interfaith directive the Vatican Council established the Secretariat for non-Christians which would eventually be renamed the Secretariat for World Religions.”

Years later, Pope John Paul II would take the Council’s initiative a step further by holding an actual interfaith summit in Assisi, Italy. This 1986 gathering, consisting of leaders from the world’s major religions, and initiated by the pope himself, would represent a visible transition from the traditional ecumenism to the new interfaithism. (p. 208).

In 1993 the Parliament of World Religions held from August 28 – September 5 held a nine-day session. Robert Muller delivered the keynote address. The highlight of this meeting was the awarding of the Templeton Prize for progress in religion. A gift of $1.2 million ecumenical award was given to Prison Fellowship director, Charles Colson. Other well-known Christian leaders have also received this award such as Billy Graham in 1982, and Bill Bright in 1996. (p. 211).

Perhaps we should discuss the unholy alliance when the United Nations contacted Bishop Swing of the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco to unify the world religions with the headquarters in the Presidio in San Francisco to work with Gorbachev’s Foundation which is also located there. Since then, Bishop Swing has visited most all worldwide religious headquarters throughout the world together with ambassadors, writers, politicians and Supreme Court Justices. (p. 219). It is reported he has been warmly received. One must not forget how the Vatican has formed a partnership with the UN by training all its future diplomats at its Catholic Seton Hall University. (p. 239).

Cooperation is so mutual that the UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold, has stated, “There are two popes on this planet – a spiritual pope in Rome and a civilian pope in New York, namely the Secretary-General of the UN.” (p. 239).

There can be no doubt the UN is serving as the political instrument of the Vatican. Also keep in mind John Paul II and Mikhail Gorbachev are working closely together since they are credited with bringing an end to the cold war. “Gorbachev’s relationship to the pope was made evident during his first meeting in Rome on December 1, 1989. At that time, Gorbachev knelt at the pope’s feet and asked pardon for all the crimes he had committed in his life. During that historic meeting Pope John Paul II invited the Russian leader to join him in ending global confrontation and building universal solidarity. They have been in close contact ever since.” (p. 238).

I now quote from p. 243-244 the author’s conclusion. “The growing involvement of the Vatican and its allies in politics and religion reminds one of Alice Bailey’s predictions that the New World Order would be ushered in with the help of a universally accepted church. Bailey explains that the New Age would rest upon the foundations of a newly interpreted and enlightened Christianity being universal in nature. The occult prophetess also stated that there were no major distinctions between the one universal church of Catholicism, and the sacred inner lodge of all true Masons, and the innermost circles of esoteric societies.

“She indicated that they would all be working together through a global governing body to achieve their goal. While it is helpful to understand the plans of occult leaders so that we do not succumb to their deception, we must turn to the final authority – God’s Word – to know exactly what will take place. The Bible prophecies that the antichrist and his accomplice, the false prophet, will through deception and flattery bring the world’s religions and nations together, uniting them under a new spiritual, political order. Revelation 13, Daniel 7:11.

“According to the scripture, the antichrist, and his close ally, will be in direct contact with the demonic realm having Satan’s complete power at their disposal. ‘They will be able to perform great and miraculous signs even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men.’ Revelation 13:13 NIV. Together they will lead mankind in an all out rebellion against God. Through this endeavor the antichrist, representing Satan on earth, will succeed in gaining the worship of most of the earth’s inhabitants.”

Now this is exactly what God said in Revelation 13:4-8, “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? … And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Seeing the daily fulfillment of this prophecy thrills me through and through, for soon Jesus will arise in the heavens above to come as King of kings to destroy both the beast and the dragon in hell fire. I feel like saying, “Praise God!” But what saddens my heart is that God’s church leadership of today is following in the steps of God’s church during Christ’s first advent. Back then, through apostasy, the church leaders sold out to pagan Rome, and today, our leadership has revealed by its actions that they are leading the church to papal Rome.

Now I hear someone say, Brother Nelson, how can you make such a statement? Well just listen to the following undisputed facts:

1. It all began when the General Conference authorized Bert Beech to present a gold medal to the pope in 1977.

2. When Celebration was suggested by the Vatican Council II the General Conference immediately began to promote Celebration in its meetings and encourage the members to participate.

3. The World Council of Churches requested all churches to unite in an ecumenical brotherhood. Immediately our leaders began to promote this movement, knowing full well that eventually it would lead to worldwide Sunday worship.

4. The General Conference has promoted the NIV – The New International Version – translation of the Bible knowing that it is based on the corrupted manuscripts promoted by papal Rome.

5. Former President, Neil Wilson, revealed how our church leadership has rejected the teachings of the Great Controversy when he filed a brief with the courts regarding the Pacific Press when it was located in Mountain View, California. This brief stated that what we used to preach regarding the beast and the papacy was now confined to the trash heap.

6. The display of the Vatican flag during the past two General Conference Sessions when it is an undisputed fact that we will never have a Seventh-day Adventist church or a member within the Vatican.

7. The introduction of a high-ranking officer of the United Nations to the GC Toronto 2000 assembly with remarks intended to praise the United Nations for what it stands for.

8. The church leadership has refused to take a concerted stand to uphold the Spirit of Prophecy which reveals that apostasy will become so bad that Sunday worship will be preached by some of our ministers. Review and Herald, March 18, 1884 tells us, “The Lord has a controversy with His professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to what was pursued by Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week.”

9. And I’m sad to say that this is coming upon us quicker than we think. I just received the Confessions of a Nomad , a devotional guide put out by the Ministerial Association of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. It was published in 1998 by the Pacific Press Publishing Association. Let me read just a paragraph or two regarding the title “Holy Day or Holiday – Commandment 4”. “Society has gotten caught up in a seven-day, twenty-four-hour-a-day week. Some of you work in a business where you have no control over what you do on Sunday. Some of you are managers of businesses with policies set by someone else in a distant city and you are caught. You can’t get out of it and you don’t know what to do but you know it is wrong and it violates everything you are. Thoreau said if you want to destroy the Christian faith, first take away Sunday. He was right. It is a holy day for those who know Jesus Christ as Savior; it cannot be a holiday. For those of you who have gathered around the cross and have been saved and washed clean by His blood it is a sacrilege to do anything else on that day except to celebrate what God has done. If we abuse Sunday, we are going to destroy something beautiful which God has given. No Sunday means no church. No church means no worship. No worship means no religion. No religion means no morality. No morality means no society. No society means no government. No government means anarchy. That’s the choice before us.” What a statement printed by the Ministerial Association of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and printed by the Pacific Press!

10. By idly standing by permitting new theology to be preached, disregarding the sanctuary message – a pillar of our pioneer faith.

11. In Toronto 2000 session we were told that we should no longer give any doctrinal book or any other books to people in an effort to interest them in our belief. Can you imagine? In other words, stop preaching the Three Angels’ Messages. Sounds unbelievable but its an undisputed fact.

In summary, the following was personally gleaned from the World Radio Missions Special Report #5 October 2000: “‘Transgression has almost reached its limit. Confusion fills the world and a great terror is soon to come upon human beings. The end is very near. God’s people should be preparing for what is to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise.’ Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, p. 28. The papal pent-up fury of two centuries against the United States will be soon unleashed. Every provision for this is now being laid. ‘It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal.’ Great Controversy p. 622. ‘When they should say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:3.

“A study of Rome’s history reveals that she works under cover to prepare all things to her purpose. Everything appears to be going well, even better than usual, and then suddenly she strikes without warning with breathtaking speed, with every avenue of escape cut off. This is what happened at the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre and at the 1641 massacre of Protestants in Northern Ireland where an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 Protestants were killed.

“Ellen White states, ‘If the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon-coming contest, he has but to trace the record of the means which Rome employed for the same object in ages past.’ Great Controversy p. 573,574. ‘Those who delay in preparation for the day of God cannot obtain it in the day of trouble or in any subsequent time. The case of all such is hopeless.’ Great Controversy p. 620.”

Let these inspired words be ever present in your mind. In this study we have seen the plans of the antichrist for the woman to ride the beast. It must be remembered that the devil uses the state to persecute. It is when the woman rides the beast, in church – state union, that persecution breaks out. This is why we have studied in detail the development of the UN which is nothing but the tool of the Papacy to prepare for the coming of the antichrist.

When the deadly wound of 1798 is fully healed the beast power, the papacy, will emerge to rule the world just before the Second Coming of Jesus. It will roar back to power ascending out of the bottomless pit. “The beast which thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” Revelation 17:8. “Come hither; I will show unto you the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.” Revelation 17:1.

The beast of Revelation 17:8 is the Church-State union of the Papacy riding the state. Let us read again, “The beast which thou sawest was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition; and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written in the book life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” Note the word “was.” It refers to the papal world rule of 1260 years ending in 1798 AD The words “is not” refers to the date when the deadly wound separated the church from the state power and continues till the wound heals. The words “ascended out of the bottomless pit” refer to a resurgent papal power at the end time until it goes into perdition. It also refers to an atheistic power, akin to communism. See Great Controversy p. 268, 269.

Here is brought to view a new manifestation of satanic power. When the resurgent Papacy, riding back to power on the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit comes back to power, “they that dwell on the earth shall wonder.” Revelation 17:8. This is exactly the same kind of language used in Revelation 13:3 after the healing of the deadly wound, “And his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” In describing the resurging Papacy, John the Revelator clearly identifies the beast power in Revelation 17:8 as the woman, the papal church, riding the beast back to global power.

Today, since Vatican II, the Jesuit’s have combined Marxist ideology and practice with Catholic theology to form liberation theology. Every level and stratum of American life is being combined to Sovietize America preparing for Rome’s rule. Gorbachev, at the head of the global, Marxist, Green Cross environmental movement for Global Government, is the right-hand man of the pope. Liberation theology and the social gospel unite Marxism with Catholic theology. The Papacy has joined forces with communist power to overwhelm America and thus open the door to global rule.

“Let it be remembered, it is the boast of Rome that she never changes. The principles of Gregory VII and Innocent III are still the principles of the Roman Catholic Church. And had she but the power, she would put them in practice with as much vigor now as in past centuries.” Great Controversy p. 581. In Revelation 18, the chapter dealing with the fall of Babylon the Great, in verse 13 we read that the merchants of Babylon the Great deal in slaves and the souls of men. The word “slaves” can be translated either “slaves” or “bodies.” Therefore we conclude that there will be slavery from the national Sunday law till the Second Coming of Jesus.

Revelation 13:16 reveals that the mark of the beast will be imposed by the image of the beast (that’s the United States) on both free and bond. In Revelation 19:8 all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven are invited to eat the flesh of all (notice the words) free and bond at the battle of Armageddon when Christ defeats the combined armies of the beasts and the kings of the earth and those that receive the mark of the beast and worship his image. All of this tells us that there will be slavery in the last days of this earth’s history, certainly from the time of the National Sunday Law and the little time of trouble through to the Second Coming of Christ Jesus.

The pen of Inspiration tells us that at the time of the global Sunday law many will be cast into bondage. “As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christiandom against commandment keepers shall withdraw the protection of the government and abandon them to those who desire their destruction. The people of God will flee from the cities and villages and associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places. Many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains. Like the Christians of the Piedmont Valleys, they will make the high places of the earth their sanctuaries and will thank God for ‘the munitions of rocks.’ Isaiah 33:16. But many of all nations and all classes, high and low, rich and poor, black and white, will be cast into the most unjust and cruel bondage. The beloved of God pass weary days bound in chains, shut in by prison bars, sentenced to be slain, some apparently left to die of starvation in dark in loathsome dungeons.” Great Controversy p. 626.

What a picture of things to come! But let us praise God for I continue to read of hope in the future, “Though enemies may thrust them into prison, yet dungeon walls cannot cut off communications between their souls and Christ. One who sees their every weakness, who is acquainted with every trial, is above all earthly powers; and angels will come to them in lonely cells, bringing light and peace from heaven. The prison will be as a palace; for the rich in faith dwell there, and the gloomy walls will be lighted up with heavenly light as when Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises at midnight in the Philippian dungeon.” Great Controversy p. 627. Praise the Lord! What assurance!

Now is the time to make spiritual preparation. “Those who delay a preparation for the day of God cannot obtain it in the time of trouble or at any subsequent time. The case of all such is hopeless.” Great Controversy p. 620. Let these inspired words be ever present in your mind.

Dear Father, in the fearful hours to come we trust in Thy sealing power to keep us faithful. Help us now to be ready. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen .

 

 

 

The Developing Image of the Beast

                                              [ A WORLD UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE UNDER THE PAPACY ]

Friday March 1st, 2002

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

I shall read two astounding statements that should stimulate every Seventh-day Adventist to speedily prepare for the enactment of the image of the beast in America, as foretold in Revelation 13. The first quote is taken from The Washington Times of April 16, 2001, p.A02. “In 1960 John Kennedy went from Washington to Texas to assure Protestant preachers that he would not obey the Pope. In 2001 George Bush came from Texas up to Washington to assure a group of Catholic bishops that he would obey the Pope.” And what did John Kennedy get for his honesty and true leadership? – A bullet in the head.

The second quote is taken from the Catholic paper called Peter’s Voice. It reveals the same determination by President George W. Bush to obey the Pope. In his speech, given during the opening of the John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, Bush said, “The best way to honor Pope John Paul II, truly one of the great men, is to take his teachings seriously; to listen to his words, and put his words and teachings into action here in America.” And what has George Bush to gain from such a promise? – Approval and support from the Papacy in the development of an image to the beast.

This brings to mind the warning from the Holy Spirit through His servant, Ellen White, when she wrote in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 1, p. 451, “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, [then], 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 falsehood and delusions.”

Let us pray. Our loving Father, we have learned that the President of the greatest Protestant nation on earth is committed to surrender Protestantism to Catholic doctrine. We are about to be plunged into the affliction and distress of Jacob’s Trouble. We pray that Thou wilt give us the fullness of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may seize the remaining freedom that we still have to prepare for the final conflict. In the name of Jesus, we ask, Amen.

This sermon is based on God’s word found in Revelation 13:11-18. “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

“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; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the 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.

“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”

The purpose of this study is to reveal the notable trends now taking place in the United States of America in the development of an image to the beast. We must know what to expect when the image becomes fully developed. I do not have time in this presentation to give full proof as to who the beast and his image is. The details are clearly presented in my book The Antichrist , in which each of the following inspired indictments are proven, revealing that the papal power is the beast of Revelation 13. And the United States of America is to become the image of the beast.

I will list twelve indisputable Bible facts as to who the beast is.

1. It was to arise among ten divisions of the Roman empire (Daniel 7:8).

2. It was to destroy three of the ten kingdoms (Daniel 7:8).

3. It would speak great words against the most high (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:6).

4. It would wear out the saints of the Most High (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:7).

5. It would be guilty of blasphemy (Revelation 13:6, Daniel 7:25).

6. It would attempt to change the divine law of God (Daniel 7:25).

7. It would exercise its power over all kindreds, tongues and nations (Revelation 13:7).

8. The dragon would give him his power, his seat, and his great authority to this beast (Revelation 13:2).

9. It was to continue in world domination for a period of 1260 years (Revelation 13:5; Daniel 7:25).

10. It would then receive a mortal wound (Revelation 13:3).

11. It would amaze the whole world for its deadly wound would be healed (Revelation 13:30).

12. This beast has a mark of its authority. Anyone who refuses to honor this mark will be persecuted and finally sentenced to death. (Revelation 13:15-18).

We are also given the following identification of the image of the beast: It must appear among the nations of the world as a world power when the deadly wound was inflicted in 1798 (Revelation 13:10, 11). Unlike all previous world powers ruling over nations and peoples, this image must begin to develop in a region of the world where no civilization existed (Revelation 13:11). The image would begin with dual power symbolized by its two horns representing a government of Republicanism and Protestantism (Revelation 13:11). But the image would change its form of government, and the laws providing individual freedom, to that of a government based on the power of the dragon in which the world would once more be forced to obey the antichrist or be killed (Revelation 13:11,15). And to remove any possible doubt God has given us the number 666 which identifies the beast to which the image is to be made (Revelation 13:18).

At this point it would be well to examine the dictatorial power of the beast which the world experienced during the Dark Ages for some 1260 years under the iron hand of the papacy. Divine inspiration has revealed that the image of the beast will force the people of the world to once again live as subjects of this beast power under which all freedoms will be revoked until Jesus comes.

First, let us consider what the daily life was like during the Dark Ages of the Papal rule. We shall start with how this evil power came into existence. I’m going to quote from the papacy, which tells us as follows: “Long ages ago, when Rome, through the neglect of the western emperors, was left to the mercy of the barbarous hoards, the Romans turned to one figure for aid and protection and asked him to rule them. And thus, in this simple manner the best title of all to kingly right commenced the temporal sovereignty of the popes. And meekly stepping to the throne of the Caesar, the Vicar of Christ took up the scepter to which the emperors and kings of Europe were to bow in reverence through so many ages.” James P. Conroy in The American Catholic Quarterly Review of April, 1911.

As a result of this power, and her attempt to force everyone to accept the teachings of the State church, Europe was bathed continually in a wave of persecution. History has recorded these conditions for us as follows: “The horrors of the Inquisition, ordered and maintained by the Popes over a period of 500 years in which unnumbered millions were tortured and burned, constitute the most brutal, beastly and devilish picture in all history.” Halley’s Bible Handbook , printed in Grand Rapids, MI by Zondervan Publishing House in 1965, p. 731, 732.

This beast power that ruled the world is seen today in a vastly different light than now professed, as you read this letter written by Pope Nicholas in the year 1860, to the king of Bulgaria. “A king need not fear to command massacres when these will retain his subjects in obedience, or cause them to submit to the faith of Christ, and God will reward him in this world and in eternal life for these murders. We order you, in the name of religion, to invade his states, burn his cities and massacre his people.” This letter was taken from the book A Woman Rides the Beast by Dave Hunt, printed in Eugene, Oregon by the Harvest House Publishers in 1994, p. 153.

In the book Great Controversy p. 234 – 236 inspiration reveals the following, “The first triumphs of the Reformation past, Rome summoned new forces, hoping to accomplish its destruction. At this time the order of the Jesuits was created, the most cruel, unscrupulous, and powerful of all the champions of popery. Cut off from earthly ties and human interests, dead to the claims of natural affection, reason and conscience wholly silenced, they knew no rule, no tie, but that of their order, and no duty but to extend its power….There was no crime too great for them to commit, no deception too base for them to practice, no disguise too difficult for them to assume. Vowed to perpetual poverty and humility, it was their studied aim to secure wealth and power, to be devoted to the overthrow of Protestantism, and the reestablishment of papal supremacy. When appearing as members of their order, they wore a garb of sanctity,…but under this blameless exterior the most criminal and deadly purposes were often concealed.

“It was a fundamental principle of the order that the end justified the means. By this code, lying, theft, perjury, assassinations, were not only pardonable but commendable, when they served the interest of the church. Under various disguises the Jesuits worked their way into offices of state, climbing up to be the counselors of kings, and shaping the policy of nations. They became servants to act as spies upon their masters….The Jesuits rapidly spread themselves over Europe, and wherever they went, there followed a revival of popery. To give them greater power, a bull was issued re-establishing the inquisition…and atrocities too terrible to bear the light of day were repeated in its secret dungeons….Such were the means which Rome had invoked to quench the light of the Reformation, to withdraw from men the Bible, and to restore the ignorance and superstition of the Dark Ages.”

As the Reformation developed so also the persecution of Protestants increased. Life became so terrible under the Jesuits of Rome that many people decided to flee from Europe to another country. Thus we find the Pilgrim fathers fleeing to America, to a land where they hoped to find the freedom their hearts longed for.

We read in Revelation 13:11 concerning America’s rise to world power, “I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb.” This new world power, the United States, was represented as having two horns like a lamb. Throughout the Bible, horns stand for power and kingdoms, but these lamb-like horns were uncrowned. When our Pilgrim fathers landed here and began to build a government they saw to it that it was different than those of Europe. They founded the government of the United States of America on the Christian principles of civil and religious freedom. Church and state were to be separated. This is the secret of democracy. What the world had not seen for centuries was a state without a king and a church without a Pope. Republicanism and Protestantism were the foundations of this country.

Ellen White had this to say, “The lamb-like horns indicate youth, innocence, and gentleness, fitly representing the character of the United States when presented to the prophet as ‘coming up’ in 1798…. Republicanism and Protestantism became the fundamental principles of the nation. These principles are the secret of its power and prosperity. The oppressed and down-trodden throughout Christendom have turned to this land with interest and hope. Millions have sought its shores, and the United States has risen to a place among the most powerful nations of the earth.” Great Controversy p. 441.

The Constitution of the United States guarantees these great concepts. Let me briefly review the facts. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Declaration of Independence. “The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government.” Article 4. Section 4 of The Constitution of the United States . “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” Article 6. The First Amendment provides further guarantees of freedom. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Bill of Rights Article 1.

But now consider this: What I am about to say sounds unbelievable but it is a fact. The papal church hates the Constitution of the United States for it is contrary to every political aim of the papacy. In the book Fifty Years in the Church of Rome , p. 284, Charles Chiniquy, a former priest, in seven statements he clearly reveals the papal differences from that of the government of the United States. And furthermore, what the Vatican plans to do when she seizes control of America. Listen carefully:

1. The most sacred principles of the United States Constitution is the equality of every citizen before the law, but the fundamental principle of the Church of Rome is the denial of that equality.

2. Liberty of conscience is proclaimed by the United States; a most sacred principle which every citizen must uphold even at the price of his blood. But liberty of conscience is declared by all the popes and councils of Rome as a most godless, unholy and diabolical thing which every good Catholic must abhor and destroy at any cost.

3. The American constitution assures the absolute independence of the civil from the ecclesiastical (or church) power. But the Church of Rome declares through all her Pontiffs and councils that such independence is an impiety and a revolt against God.

4. The American constitution leaves every man free to serve God according to the dictates of his conscience. But the Church of Rome declares that no man has ever had such a right, and that the pope alone can know and say what man must believe and do.

5. The constitution of the United States denies the right to anybody to punish any other for differing from him in religion. But the Church of Rome says that she has the right to punish, with the confiscation of their goods or the penalty of death, those who differ in faith from the pope.

6. The United States have established schools all over immense territories where they invite the people to send their children that they may cultivate their intelligence and become good and useful citizens. But the Church of Rome has publicly stated that these schools are forbidden and children attend them under pain of excommunication in this world and damnation in the next.

7. The constitution of the United States is based on the principle that the people are the primary source of all civil power. But hundreds of times the Church of Rome has proclaimed that this principle is impious and heretical. She says all governments must rest upon the foundation of the Catholic faith with the pope alone as the legitimate and infallible source and interpreter of the law.

By now I trust you have become fully awake for there is no question as to the intent of the papacy as we read the following unimpeachable documents from which I quote. “The Church is, of necessity, intolerant. Heresy she endures when and where she must, but she hates it and directs all her energy to destroy it. If Catholics ever gain a sufficient, numerical majority in this country religious freedom is at an end. So our enemies say, so we believe.” The Shepherd of the Valley ,the official journal of the Bishop of St. Louis, on November 23, 1851. Again, “No man has a right to choose his religion.” New York Freedom , official journal of the Bishop Hughes, January 26, 1852. I continue, “The church does not, and cannot accept, or in any degree favor liberty in the Protestant sense of liberty.” The Catholic World , April 1870.

I hope you are beginning to think this through carefully. Note, the Vatican condemned the Declaration of Independence as wickedness and called the Constitution of the United States a “satanic document.” (Taken from the book, Footprints of the Jesuits by R. W. Thompson in New York, printed by Hunt and Eaton in 1894 p. 146.)

This great statesman and patriot, Richard W. Thompson, was at that time the Secretary of the Navy of the United States. In his admirable work The Papacy and Civil Power , in which he states, “Nothing is plainer than this. If the principles of the Church of Rome prevail here our Constitution would necessarily fall; the two cannot exist together.”

Then from The Freedom’s Journal, the official journal of the Bishop of New York, we read, “We will rule the United States and lay them at the feet of the Vicar of Jesus Christ that he may put an end to their godless system of education, and impious laws of liberty of conscience which are an insult to God and man.”

Now these quotations reveal the real purpose of papal power in their determination to control America. I again quote from the ex-Secretary of the United States Navy in his book Footprints of the Jesuits , p. 29. “They believe that the conditions of mankind during the Middle Ages, (that the pope’s Dark Ages) staggering under the weight of feudal oppression, were preferable to modern progress and enlightenment; that human happiness would be promoted by a return to that period.” What astounding information! Can you imagine the plans of the Vatican to change our way of life to that of the Dark Ages? No wonder the Bible describes what is to come in this world as ‘a time of trouble such as never was.’ Daniel 12:1.

Now I want you to join with me in some very serious thinking about the developing of this power here in America. The beginning of the formation of the image to the beast started when Ronald Reagan was president and he sent an ambassador from the United States to the Vatican. Consider this quote, “The appointment of the pope’s nuncio (that’s an ambassador) to Washington as a result of the high treason of President Ronald Reagan, informally recognizing the sovereign state of the Vatican City, in 1984, with Knight of Malta, William Wilson, being the first legal ambassador to the Vatican since America severed all relations in 1867 as a result of the Jesuit black hand in the Lincoln assassination, could be compared to the instillation of a foreign general obeying orders of the head of an aggressive alien state. The nuncio will also become the arbitrator between the two major political parties of America. Both Republican and Democratic parties, from now on, must be extremely attentive to the reaction of the papal nuncio. Political wooing would be done at the Papal nunciature in Washington, the political center of the Catholic Church in the United States. Politically she is looming ever larger at the White House. She is a power in the Senate, a force at the Pentagon, an invisible secret agent at the FBI, the most subtle, intangible, prime mover of the US wheel within a wheel, the Central Intelligence Agency.” The Vatican Moscow Washington Alliance by Avro Manhattan, 1986, p. 353, 354.

We have been told by inspiration that the last movements will be rapid ones. Any Bible student must be amazed as George Bush started his presidential campaign by a papal visit to the Pope. Five days after election to office, President Bush paid a visit to Washington Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick. Next he flies to Miami to visit Archbishop John Favalora, then back to Pittsburgh to see Bishop Donald Wood, and then to Philadelphia so he could visit Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, then swinging to St. Louis for a visit to Archbishop Justin Rigali.

But that’s not all. On his first trip to New York he awards the Congressional gold metal to the late Cardinal John O’Connor and later that month Bush meets with Pope John Paul II the second time. How amazing the actions of our president of the greatest Protestant nation on earth. On March 21 Bush entertained more than 120 Catholic leaders in the East Room of the White House. The next day he surrounded himself with cardinals, reaffirmed his opposition to abortion and he presided over the ribbon-cutting at the museum named for Pope John Paul II. I ask you, are you getting the picture? Is it any wonder that I could hardly believe my eyes when I read President Bush’s words, “The best way to honor Pope John Paul II is to listen to his words and put his words and teachings into action here in America.”

What did the scriptures state in Revelation 13:14 concerning the United States of America? – “That they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” At this point it would be well to see how the emerging image to the beast has reacted to the recent terrorist attack in New York City. Immediately after the terrorist attack on September 11 in New York City a declaration of war was supported by all but one member of Congress, with 24 standing ovations during President Bush’s speech to the joint members of Congress. The president did not call on Congress to declare war, he did this himself, and declared it will be a long and difficult war.

In the light of Revelation 13 you must be amazed that the image has now reached such power that its word is almost law to most of the nations of the world. Immediately Saudi Arabia and the United Arab countries severed diplomatic relations with Afghanistan. Even nations considered as our enemies, such as China and Russia, joined in the coalition. All nations on earth were challenged to join the United States or suffer the consequences.

Financial institutions were commanded by President Bush to cease all dealings with the terrorists and their organizations. Every nation was commanded to do so, or they would be cut off from the world’s largest economy. The seven richest nations of the world complied, revealing that the image has now become so powerful that its word is law to which every nation on earth must follow. President Bush implied such power when he said, “Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists.”

It is also apparent that the citizens of the United States are now ready to sacrifice their civil liberties to win this war. Attorney General John Ashcroft of the Justice Department has asked congress for greater power which can only mean the people will lose much of their liberty. Ellen White clearly states that the time would come when every article of the Constitution would be made void.

From the recent Remnant Herald of November, 2001 I quote the following, “In his video, ‘Prophecy and the New Times’ (that’s in 1997) Ted Flynn, the Roman Catholic devotee of Mary, reported that in an apparition Mary stated that terrible disasters were about to strike America. She stated that they were the result of sin and that the only solution was for Americans to return to God. The solution offered was to close all shops on Sunday, to ban sporting fixtures on Sunday, to attend Mass and Confession, and to say the Rosary.”

Make no mistake, such deceptions of Satan will play a pivotal role in turning secular mankind to religion but they will not sanctify the soul. A religious zeal will ensue. How easily this will generate Sunday laws as a means of regaining divine favor. Such religious zealots, unsanctified in heart, will not hesitate to persecute faithful seventh-day keepers in a vain effort to restore security and prosperity. Already the United States Supreme Court in 1961 by an 8-1 decision ruled that Sunday laws do not violate the First Amendment of the US Constitution which guarantees religious liberty. (See Warren Johns , Dateline Sunday USA , Pacific Press, 1967, p. 119 – 159.)

In 1990, the Supreme Court by a 5-4 majority in the case of Smith vs. the State of Oregon “went far beyond the case and declared that when religious rights clash with the government’s need for uniform rules, the court will side with the government.” Los Angeles Times , April 18, 1990. Anyone can see day by day the fulfilling of Revelation 13: 15-17. Surely the image to the beast is beginning to flex its muscle.

Never were the words of the Spirit of Prophecy so meaningful. “The nations are in unrest. Times of perplexity are upon us. Men’s hearts are failing them for fear of the things that are coming upon the earth. But those who believe in God will hear His voice amid the storm, saying, ‘It is I; be not afraid.’” Signs of the Times , October 9, 1901. Inspiration warns us of what is soon to take place. “The tempest is coming, and we must get ready for its fury by having repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord will arise to shake terribly the earth. We shall see troubles on all sides. Thousands of ships will be hurled into the depths of the sea. Navies will go down, and human lives will be sacrificed by millions. Fires will break out unexpectedly, and no human effort will be able to quench them. The palaces of earth will be swept away in the fury of the flames. Disasters by rail will become more and more frequent; confusion, collision, and death without a moment’s warning will occur on the great lines of travel. The end is near, probation is closing. Oh let us seek God while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near!” - Messages to Young People p. 89, 90.

“In the last scenes of this earth’s history, war will rage. There will be pestilence, plague, and famine. The waters of the deep will overflow their boundaries. Properties and life will be destroyed by fire and flood. We should be preparing for the mansions that Christ has gone to prepare for them that love Him.” Maranatha p. 174.

“The end is near, and every city is to be turned upside down every way. There will be confusion in every city. Everything that can be shaken is to be shaken, and we do not know what will come next. The judgments will be according to the wickedness of the people and the light of truth that they have had.” Manuscripts 1, p. 248, 249. “O that God’s people had a sense of the impending destruction of thousands of cities, now almost given to idolatry.” Evangelism p. 29. While God is holding back the winds of strife, let us work with greater diligence and sacrifice for our Lord. “In the great closing work we shall meet with perplexities that we know not how to deal with, but let us not forget that the three great powers of heaven are working, that a divine hand is on the wheel, and that God will bring His purposes to pass.” Evangelism p. 65.

“I asked my accompanying angel the meaning of what I had heard, and what the four angels were about to do. He said to me that it was God that restrained the powers, and that He gave His angels charge over things on the earth; that the four angels had power from God to hold the four winds, and that they were about to let them go; but while their hands were loosening, and the four winds were about to blow, the merciful eye of Jesus gazed on the remnant that were not sealed, and He raised His hands to the Father and pleaded with Him that He had spilled His blood for them. Then another angel was commissioned to fly swiftly to the four angels and bid them hold, until the servants of God were sealed with the seal of the living God in their foreheads.” Early Writings p. 38.

“My dear brethren and sisters, let the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ be in your minds continually and let them crowd out worldly thoughts and cares. When you lie down and when you rise up, let them be your meditation. Live and act wholly in reference to the coming of the Son of man. The sealing time is very short and will soon be over. Now is the time, while the four angels are holding the four winds, to make our calling and election sure.” Early Writings p. 58.

Let us pray, Our loving Father, as we see the image of the beast actually forming before our eyes, give us courage to be faithful and to daily be ready for the final test. In the name of Jesus, we ask, Amen.

The Devil’s Trio – Part 1

Wednesday May 1st, 2002

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

In our last two sermons we have discussed two members of the devil’s trio. The first is the ten-horned beast of Revelation 13, which the Bible clearly identifies to be the papacy. The second is the lamb-like, two-horned beast found in the same chapter which is the United States of America, established as a Protestant nation and described as becoming so apostate as to join hands with the Papal power of Catholicism.

In this message I will discuss the third member which comprises the devil’s end-time trio which the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy reveal to be spiritualism. The following quotation from Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 451 reveals what we are to expect from this evil, last-day union of the Papacy, apostate Protestantism and spiritualism. “When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of 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 marvelous 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.”

With this sad, heartbreaking introduction, let us pray. Our loving Father, in the name of Jesus we plead for divine guidance as we discuss this third power of spiritualism, which is an intricate member of the devil’s end-time trio. We realize that we are attacking the very dragon himself, which in Thy Word describes Satan as being able to produce wonder-working miracles of deception for the purpose to honor his papal mark of authority – Sunday worship. We plead that Thou wilt awaken Thy sleeping church to this danger. Help each member to become such students of Thy Word, through divine guidance, that we shall be able to resist this deceiving power of Satan and gain victory over his delusions, for we must discern truth from error. This we ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Let us now turn to the scriptures where we find this third part of the trio – spiritualism – which comprises the devil’s trio. Let us read Revelation 13:13, 14 and Revelation 16: 14, 15. “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 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; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” “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, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”

We begin with a question: “What major belief is held in common by the religions of this world (except God’s remnant) which makes it absolutely impossible to resist the power of spiritualism?” – We will find the answer in The Great Controversy p. 551. “The doctrine of natural immortality, first borrowed from the pagan philosophy, and in the darkness of the great apostasy incorporated into the Christian faith, has supplanted the truth, so plainly taught in Scripture that, ‘the dead know not anything.’”

This false doctrine of man’s consciousness in death opens the door for the supposed spirits of the dead to communicate with the living. This becomes a secret channel used by Satan to perform miracles by the impersonation of evil angels to deceive anyone who believes in the immortality of the dead. Inspiration informs us the coming of the Lord is to be preceded by “the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10.

The apostle John, describing the miracle-working power that will be manifested in the last days declares, “He doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do.” Revelation 13:13, 14. “No mere impostures are here foretold. Men are deceived by the miracles which Satan’s agents have power to do, not which they pretend to do.” Great Controversy p. 553.

Let us never underestimate what Satan is planning to do with his miracle-working power in this end time for we are told, “That mighty being who could take the world’s Redeemer to an exceedingly high mountain and bring before Him all the kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them, will present his temptations to men in a manner to pervert the senses of all who are not shielded by divine power.” Great Controversy p. 554. Can you imagine what it will be like when Satan appears as Christ performing unbelievable miracles to prove that he has changed the seventh-day Sabbath to Sunday worship and that all must keep Sunday holy – the first day of the week? Have you considered the result? The answer is very obvious. The entire world will be turned against Seventh-day Adventists with satanic zeal to force them to comply or die.

Consider the devil’s preparations that all will accept the manifestations of spiritualism as divine. In Great Controversy p. 556 we read, “Spiritualism, which numbers its converts by hundreds of thousands, yea, by millions, which has made its way into scientific circles, which has invaded churches, and has found favor in legislative bodies, and even in the courts of kings — this mammoth deception is but a revival, in a new disguise, of the witchcraft condemned and prohibited of old.”

I can testify to this by personal knowledge. During the months I spend in Europe while engaged in the General Conference youth work it became evident to me that spiritualism was spreading all through Europe. In Zurich, Switzerland while preparing for the Youth World Congress for all of our young people I was astonished to discover that this city, which for so many years had been a haven of Protestantism, had now become the European center of spiritualism.

In England, where men like John Knox had led tens of thousands to believe in Jesus Christ, I was amazed to find so many Protestant churches had become beer parlors. Still more astounding was to see many churches of the reformation now jammed to the doors in spiritualistic worship while England’s great cathedrals were practically empty. It is no wonder that the witchcraft of Harry Potter was born in England and is now sweeping the world with its sorcery – capturing the children’s imaginations with curiosity about ghosts and headless coachmen. They dwell on such themes as demons sucking out the soul, with blood oozing on the floor, of drinking such blood to obtain spiritual vitality, of werewolves portrayed as having good characters. These books are filled with lying, teaching the youth to be disobedient and even portraying the murder of parents by youth. This is all a product of spiritualism.

In reports of world news we learned that the recent motion picture of Harry Potter brought in more money in its box office during the first week than any other picture in past history. Satan is thus preparing the youth – even the small children – to be captured by his satanic miracles, which are to prove that he has the authority to change the Sabbath to Sunday worship. How do I know all this? Have I read these books? – No, indeed I have not. But I receive my information from authoritative book reviews.

Great Controversy p. 558 says, “There are few who have any conception of the deceptive power of spiritualism and the danger of coming under its influence. Many tamper with it merely to gratify their curiosity. They have no real faith in it and would be filled with horror at the thought of yielding themselves to the spirits’ control. But they venture upon the forbidden ground, and the mighty destroyer exercises his power upon them against their will. Let them once be induced to submit their minds to his direction, and he holds them captive. It is impossible, in their strength, to break away from the bewitching, alluring spell. Nothing but the power of God, granted in answer to the earnest prayer of faith, can deliver these ensnared souls.”

Now, let us take time to discuss the greatest spiritualistic movement in the world today, which is found within the Roman Catholic Church. Fifty-five thousand of the priests belong to the Marion movement, which believes and teaches that the apparitions of Mary are divine revelations. Millions upon millions of Catholic believers are captivated by the miracles performed by “Mary” and are convinced that her predictions are from God. It is common knowledge that crowds of fifty- to seventy-thousand often attend her apparitions. These messages from Mary usually originate with visionaries in every part of the globe. And why not, for the present pope, John Paul II, claims to hold daily communication with Mary and urges his followers to pray to her every day.

What’s even more amazing, Protestantism is beginning to give their attention to these apparitions because so many of the predictions are coming to pass. More and more the music of Catholicism is used in their music service. And why not, for the customs of Rome are found in Protestant homes in the Catholic nativity scenes every December 25. Not only Christmas but Easter, St. Valentine’s Day and Halloween have become part of apostate Protestantism.

But the most significant change in today’s spiritualism is to be found in the messages to Mary in her apparitions. Satan has not been asleep. He has taken note of how God has led His church out of the apostate Protestantism in the early 1800’s by giving His church a prophet to direct and counsel its leadership. Satan envisioned a prophet in his church could help him capture the world, so Mary has now been proclaimed the prophet of Catholicism. But what is more amazing is the wording found in Mary’s apparitions in discussing and predicting end-time prophecies.

She speaks continually using words and phrases that are so familiar to Seventh-day Adventists which are found in the Spirit of Prophecy. But there is one vast difference – Satan does not use scripture to explain scripture as Ellen White; instead the devil offers his false interpretations completely changing the meaning of God’s Word.

In a book, The Thunder of Justice , written by Ted and Maureen Flynn, (in which Malachi Martin wrote the forward and was published by Maxwell Communications), I discovered some four hundred pages containing hundreds of Mary’s predictions. This modern prophet of Catholicism speaks in her apparitions of end-time events as mentioned in the scripture – especially that of Revelation, in which she often uses words or similar expressions that are given by Ellen White when discussing these end-time prophecies.

I will now give you a partial list of these words and phrases used in Mary’s apparitions. I will not take time to give the page references but you can obtain the book and see for yourself. As I give these worded descriptions, you will note how Satan, through Mary’s voice, follows the expressions of Ellen White – that is, of course, if you are a student of the Spirit of Prophecy.

In Mary’s apparitions she discusses and explains the following: The Three Angels’ Messages – word for word; that Rome is to become the seat of the Antichrist; that the United States is to suffer defeat and national ruin. She often expresses a shortness of time; she mentions coming great famines and earthquakes. She tells of seeing tall buildings in New York falling down. (May I add here that this prediction was given nine years before September 11, 2001. Are you amazed? – So am I).

I continue: She tells of martyrs in the last days and of personal appearances of apostles such as Peter and Paul who will convince men of the truth. She also mentions that almost none will be ready for Christ’s Second Coming, and of Satan bringing fire down from heaven, and that God’s true church will be horribly persecuted. Mary tells of great miracles that will take place, of supernatural signs that cannot be explained by science, and signs in the sun, moon and stars that will be seen, and that there will also be a second Pentecost of divine power just before Jesus comes. Are you startled? – So am I.

Let me continue: Message after message stresses the need for conversion, victorious living, repentance, prayer and holiness. She speaks of the final battle between God and Satan that will be fought to the finish and that the Antichrist will be defeated. She speaks of so little time left to prepare for the final judgment and that we must keep all the commandments. Are you overwhelmed? – So am I. But there is much, much more. She speaks of the dragon, the beast with the ten horns, and the beast like a lamb and of the 666 – even of Satan appearing as Christ. She discusses the seal of God in the forehead and of the man with the writer’s inkhorn in his hand found in Ezekiel the ninth chapter; and of angels of heaven who will tell God’s chosen people what to do and that the angels will feed them. Do I hear you say, “This is unbelievable!” Well, I felt the same, but having read these things with my own eyes – it is absolutely true.

Now tell me, why would Satan speak through Mary of such end-time truths? – Because he intends to mislead Seventh-day Adventists by proving that the papacy is God’s true church and has a prophet with divine guidance to prove it. And what is more startling, Mary has stated that she is planning on coming into your home to prove that she is the true prophet. Satan knows the scriptures more than any person on earth. I wouldn’t be surprised if he could quote God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation. He is planning, one of these days, to personally face us with these false interpretations which he has given through Mary concerning end-time prophecies, to disprove what God’s prophet wrote as the correct meaning. I beg you, take note. We will never, never be able to resist these evil interpretations of spiritualism unless we are filled with the Holy Spirit and know what God has spoken in His Word and substantiated by the divine light in the Spirit of Prophecy.

It may come as a big surprise to some of you, as it did to me, to learn that God has warned us that in the end-time crisis Satan will bring his teachings of spiritualism into our own Seventh-day Adventist Church. In Manuscript Releases , Volume 7, p. 188 I read, “The time has come when even in the church and in our institutions, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.” At times I have been astonished to see and to learn of those who I thought were faithful members who have now left the faith. We have a tendency to shrug this off with the words, “This is the shaking time,” but have we ever questioned what is the actual cause of so many departing from God’s church? Inspiration tells us that it is the work of spiritualism.

Now I hear you ask: “ How can spiritualism accomplish such results within God’s church?” In Testimonies to Ministers p.112 she reveals the shaking will commence with the introduction of false theories into the church. Somehow most of us have over looked the fact that the devil has changed his methods from that of holding intercourse with evil spirits, which are condemned by the scriptures, to what now appears to be open acceptance of Jesus and His teachings. I quote, “It is true that spiritualism is now changing its form and, veiling some of its more objectionable features, is assuming a Christian guise. Even in its present form, so far from being more worthy of toleration than formerly, it is really more dangerous, because a more subtle, deception. While it formerly denounced Christ and the Bible, it now professes to accept both. But the Bible is interpreted in a manner that is pleasing to the unrenewed heart, while its solemn and vital truths are made of no effect. Love is dwelt upon as the chief attribute of God, but it is degraded to a weak sentimentalism, making little distinction between good and evil. God’s justice, His denunciations of sin, the requirements of His holy law, are all kept out of sight. The people are taught to regard the Decalogue as a dead letter. Pleasing, bewitching fables captivate the senses and lead men to reject the Bible as the foundation of their faith. Christ is as verily denied as before; but Satan has so blinded the eyes of the people that the deception is not discerned. There are few who have any conception of the deceptive power of spiritualism and the danger of coming under its influence.” Great Controversy p. 557, 558.

In many of our churches “love preaching” is the usual weekly diet fed to the members month after month. I receive many letters telling of this and stating that the law of God is seldom, if ever, mentioned. Having been an evangelist for many years I discovered it is absolutely impossible to have a sound conversion of anyone without preaching God’s law which leads to conviction and repentance. You may be surprised that it was one of God’s faithful leaders who pointed out to me that this “love preaching” without the law was of Spiritualism.

As I pondered this truth I began to realize that Satan is using spiritualism today by entering our homes and urging us to become curious about some “new light” that we receive in the mail. Numerous pamphlets, papers, sheets of mimeograph, even books arrive in my home each week all intended to question my belief – hoping that I will think I have been following a false doctrine. Let me tell you something, I never read such material and quickly throw it into the garbage where it belongs, for God has counseled us, “Listen not a moment to the interpretations that would loosen one pin, remove one pillar, from the platform of truth. Human interpretations, the reception of fables, will spoil your faith, confuse your understanding, and make of none effect your faith in Jesus Christ. Study diligently the third chapter of Revelation. In it is pointed out the danger of losing your hold upon the things that you have heard and learned from the Source of all light.” Manuscript Release, Volume 1, p. 54, 55.

In a recent book by Colin and Russell Standish entitled Spiritism in the Seventh-day Adventist Church I would like to quote from page 28. “Our church is now experiencing an embolden attack upon the pillars of our faith, even by some men in high positions. Some are claiming that the sanctuary message and the investigative judgment are figments of the imagination of Sister White, that 1844 is a myth, that there is no actual sanctuary in heaven, and that Christ began the High Priestly ministry in AD 41. These amazing denials of Seventh-day Adventism all point to the fact that spiritism has dramatically eroded the church.”

In Christian Leadership p. 62 Ellen White tells us, “When men standing in the position of leaders and teachers work under the power of spiritualistic ideas and sophistries, shall we keep silent, for fear of injuring their influence, while souls are being beguiled?” This is the reason why I could no longer preach in the churches of the Oregon Conference. I was doing my best to defend our believers from the inroads of spiritism but I learned that many of our administrators find it more important to uphold false pastors and leaders than the salvation of God’s flock who are being led astray.

Let me read again from the book written by the Standish brothers on p. 29. “No matter how insignificant we may feel ourselves to be, no matter how ineffective may be our protest, God is calling on us today to do what we can to warn our fellow church members against the beguiling influence of Satan in the church. If men, claiming to be pastors, teachers and ministers of the gospel, are teaching damnable heresies, there is a solemn obligation to meet them, oppose them, and warn the flock against them. High office does not give men the right to brandish their satanic sophistries before the people. It is a false concept of loyalty that is all too common that leads men and women to remain silent in such a time of spiritual crisis.”

Inspiration reveals with unmistakable clarity, “Modern spiritualism is but a revival in a new form of the witchcraft and demon worship that God condemned and prohibited of old. It is foretold in the scriptures which declare that ‘in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.’

“Paul in his second letter to the Thessalonians points to the special working of Satan in spiritualism as an event to take place immediately before the second advent of Christ. Speaking of Christ’s Second Coming he declares that it is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. And Peter describes the dangers to which the church was to be exposed in the last days says that as there were false prophets who led Israel into sin, so there will be false teachers, ‘who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them…and many shall follow their pernicious ways.’ 2 Peter 2:1,2. Here the apostle has pointed out one of the marked characteristics of spiritualistic teachers.” Patriarchs and Prophets p. 686.

Did you notice from this quotation that those who are bringing such heresies into the church Ellen White speaks of them as spiritualistic teachers? How few among us – and I include myself, who somehow never envisioned this amazing fact – realize that those who teach spurious philosophies and doctrines are agents of spiritualism. Listen, “The line of distinction between professed Christians and the ungodly is now hardly distinguishable. Church members love what the world loves and are ready to join with them, and Satan determines to unite them in one body and thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into the ranks of spiritualism. Papists, who boast of miracles as a certain sign of the true church, will be readily deceived by this wonder-working power; and Protestants, having cast away their shield of truth, will also be deluded. Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike 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.” Great Controversy p. 588, 589.

There is an abundance of evidence that this ecumenical movement of today is causing many to sin like the children of Israel. This Ecumenical movement is determined that we become like the churches of Babylon. From every corner of the globe I hear that it is being preached that we can sin until Jesus comes. This is none other than the doctrine of spiritualism, which is deceiving the majority of our churches. Everyone who accepts the false teaching that Christians can sin until Jesus comes has accepted the lie of spiritualism which Satan presented to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

And what’s so amazing, it is not uncommon today to hear people who believe that Christ had the power to keep His people from sinning being told that they are legalists. Let me tell you that the Bible leaves no doubt as to this divine power of God. In Jude 24 I read, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12.

“Satan is striving to gain every advantage. He desires to secure, not only students, but teachers. He has his plans laid. Disguised as an angel of light he will walk the earth as a wonder-worker. In beautiful language he will present lofty sentiments. Good words will be spoken by him, and good deeds preformed. Christ will be personified, but (and keep this in mind) on one point there will be a marked distinction. Satan will turn the people from the law of God. Notwithstanding this, so well will he counterfeit righteousness, that if it were possible, he would deceive the very elect.” Fundamentals of Christian Education p. 471, 472.

Believe me, spiritualism would become the most mighty, convincing power ever devised by the devil to captivate the whole world and force all to worship Satan as the god of this earth. Let us focus our thoughts once more on Revelation 13:13, 14. “And He doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 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; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”

Keep in mind that the devil has never forgotten the contest that he once lost with the Eternal God in the days of Elijah the prophet. Satan utterly lost the battle when God brought fire down out of a clear and cloudless sky in answer to Elijah’s prayer to reveal who is the actual God and Owner of the earth, exposing every false claim of Baal worship. This divine manifestation is recorded in the book of 1 Kings of the Old Testament and described with added detail in Prophets and Kings chapters ten and eleven in which the following battle between God and Satan is revealed by divine interpretation.

Apostasy had become so universal in the days of Ahab, king of Israel, that Elijah thought himself to be the only one left who had not participated in pagan sun worship. Yet we are told that God had a faithful remnant of seven thousand who had not bowed their knee to Baal. The apostasy prevailing in Ahab’s day was the result of many years of evil doing. Step by step, year after year, Israel had been departing from the right way. For generation after generation they had refused to make straight paths for their feet and at last the majority of the people had yielded themselves to the leadership of the power of darkness.

This is why God visited His people with severe judgments. The predictions of Elijah were meeting with terrible fulfillment for he had declared, “As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” 1 Kings 17:1. For three years there had been neither dew nor rain. Mount Carmel was chosen by God for this final contest. This mountain had been a place of beauty, clothed with groves of beautiful trees and never-ending springs, with meadows filled with exquisite flowers – but now all this was under a withering curse.

The elders of Baal and Ashteroth stood under leafless, dead trees and there remained one broken-down altar of Jehovah. It was at this place that Elijah commanded King Ahab to bring all Israel, together with his army and 450 prophets of Baal. In anxious expectation the people wait for Elijah to speak. Looking first upon the broken-down altar of Jehovah and then upon the multitude Elijah cries out in clear, trumpet-line tones, “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.” 1 Kings 18:21.

While Israel on Carmel was filled with doubt and hesitation, the voice of Elijah again breaks the silence. “I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God.” 1 Kings 18:22 – 24. The proposal of Elijah is so reasonable that the people cannot well abate it so they find courage to answer, “It is well spoken.”

Outwardly bold and defiant, but with terror in their guilty hearts, the false priests prepare their altar, laying on the wood and the victim and then they begin their incantations. Their shrill cries echo and re-echo through the forest and the surrounding heights as they call on the name of their god saying, “O Baal, hear us.” The priests gather about their altar and with leaping and writhing and screaming, with tearing of their hair and cutting of the flesh, they beseech their god to help them. The morning passes, noon comes, and yet there is no evidence that Baal hears the cries of his deluded followers. There is no voice, no reply to their frantic prayers. The sacrifice remains unconsumed.

Finally the time of the evening sacrifice arrives and Elijah calls for the people to come near. They watch as he repairs the broken altar of the Lord. He digs the trench that is to be filled with sixteen barrels of water. Then, bowing reverently before the unseen God, he offers a simple prayer, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be know this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Here me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their hearts back again.”

No sooner is the prayer of Elijah ended than flames of fire, like brilliant flashes of lightning, descend from heaven upon the upreared altar consuming the sacrifice, licking up the water in the trench, and consuming even the stones of the altar. The brilliancy of the blaze illuminates the mountain and dazzles the eyes of the multitude. The people on the mount prostrate themselves in awe before the unseen God. They dare not continue to look upon the heaven-sent fire for they fear that they themselves will be consumed. They cry out with one voice, “The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.” 1 Kings 18:39. Thus a remarkable decision was reached. The prophets of Baal are now put to death. Satan has been defeated.

The devil has never forgotten this fire from heaven, which awakened and changed the minds of all Israel to acknowledge and obey God. Ever since that day Satan has been studying the elements of nature. He has been putting into practice his knowledge with ever-increasing power. He now awaits the moment when he, not God, will bring fire down from heaven to deceive all that he is god of this world and he will demand that all Seventh-day Adventists be destroyed.

How can Satan do this? In this end-time, just like it was in the days of Elijah, God has a small remnant in number who will publicly challenge Satan’s attempt to control this world. They will fearlessly preach the Three Angels’ Messages of warning and reveal to the world the falsehoods of papal teachings. With mighty conviction born of the Holy Spirit’s latter rain a large number will take their place with God’s people. Praise the Lord!

As this battle develops Satan will succeed in causing all religions of the world to join in his Ecumenical movement to unite against God’s commandment-keeping people who are the only obstacle to his kingship of this world. The devil now decides to appear as Christ who has promised to return the second time. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:14). He bears the appearance of Christ in every particular. (Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 698).

And in Great Controversy p. 624, 625 we read, “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. Revelation 1:13-15. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have ever beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air: ‘Christ has come.’…He heals the diseases of the people….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.” And as proof, Satan now commands fire to come down from heaven so all may believe that he has the power of divinity.

As in the day of Elijah, by calling down fire from heaven, he will command the people to accept the papal mark of authority, the mark of the beast, or be killed. Make no mistake, this fire is real. In Great Controversy p. 553 we read, “Men are deceived by miracles which Satan’s agents have power to do, not what they pretend to do.” This devilish fire will be a consuming fire, destroying whatever Satan chooses to destroy. The blaze of this fire will illuminate the earth for miles around. It will so dazzle the multitude surrounding the devil that the people will prostrate themselves before him proclaiming that the devil is God. With fear and trembling, the people are afraid that the fire will consume them also. Now, fully deceived by the miracle, they are ready to destroy the people of God who disbelieve. But praise the Lord, God will protect His faithful.

I ask you: Will you stand faithful? – Only if you have learned now, today, to live by faith. And this kind of faith comes only by much prayer and total obedience to God’s every command; trusting that God will save you because you have totally surrendered yourself to God. Only then, will you pass the final test for, “the just shall live by faith.”

The Devil’s Trio – Part 2

Saturday June 1st, 2002

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

Let me begin by telling of a personal encounter I had with the devils of spiritualism. In my labors for God’s youth, the General Conference sent me to the Far East Division for a two month itinerant. One of my appointments took me to the city of Sabu, located in the Philippines. Sabbath morning I was to present a message to encourage the youth to take an active part in what was then our “MV – Share Your Faith” program in which our older youth in the world field had baptized over 100,000 by preaching the Three Angels’ Messages.

During the Friday evening as I prepared for the Sabbath presentation I was deeply impressed to change my subject to that of spiritualism. When Sabbath morning arrived I found a very large tent had been erected during the week for an expected crowd. Sabbath School proved the wisdom of such planning for every seat was taken and a great number had to stand around the edge of the tent.

A large platform had been erected to seat some fifteen ministers. I had been preaching about ten minutes, exposing Old Testament witchcraft of devil worship when, without a warning, I was suddenly interrupted by a thundering noise like hoofs stamping on the platform upon which I was standing. The noise became so loud that I could not hear myself speak even though I was using the sound system. I had to stop preaching.

The minister in charge shouted in my ear, “This is part of the Philippines which is know as the Devil’s Country and the devils are angry because of what you are telling the people.” He invited me to join the ministers in prayer for he said it was the only way to stop the devils. Quickly all the ministers join together and knelt for prayer. The stomping noise was so loud that we could not hear each other pray but eventually the disrupting noise began to subside to absolute silence. Then the presiding elder whispered in my ear, “You can now continue your preaching.”

Returning to the pulpit I continued to reveal from the scriptures that when a person dies they know not anything. I was quoting Ecclesiastics 9:6, “Their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.” I told the people that it was the devil’s evil angels who were appearing in their city as their departed loved ones performing such wonders.

As I continued to speak I noticed a commotion taking place at the back of the tent. Suddenly a devil-possessed man started to run up the aisle of the tent shouting, “This man is a servant of the Most High God, showing the way of salvation.” I could hardly believe my ears for he was yelling the same words used by a devil-possessed man some two thousand years ago when the devil tried to stop Paul as he was preaching in Philippi.

Six deacons pounced on this man but this devil-possessed person revealed supernatural strength by lifting four of the men off the ground with his stretched out arms. Finally he was subdued and carried out. I then continued to preach until I had finished my sermon. Never, never try to convince me that there is no such power as spiritualism. Many times as I have preached about the devil I have witnessed his anger, so let us pause here, just now, to pray that God’s angels will surround us and keep the devil from disturbing us as we discuss Satan’s present activities within God’s church.

Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus we humbly request that Satan and his angels not be permitted to harm this speaker or disturb anyone reading this sermon. We plead that Thy Holy Spirit will help us to comprehend the inroads that spiritualism is making within our church today. And we thank Thee for answering this prayer. Amen.

I have just discovered a book entitled Spiritism In the Seventh-day Adventist Church by Colin and Russell Standish. I urge you to obtain a copy. It tells the truth as no other book published today. I promise you will not be disappointed. It is published by Hartland Publications, Box 1, Rapidan, Virginia, 22733. I must tell you that some of the thoughts expressed in this tape have been gleaned from the pages of this book.

Now, get your Bible and turn with me to the first chapter of the book of Isaiah. As we read of the prophet’s vision we will discover the tragic condition of God’s Israel of old which parallels the Seventh-day Adventist Church today. Let us begin with verses two and three. “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, (and notice, what does he say?) I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” How sad.

Such was the rebellious condition when the people of God deviated from the truth and righteousness. Look at verse four, “Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.” What a description of the state of God’s people – back then and today. We too are a sinful people. So often we hear of dishonesty, lying, adultery and fornication within our organization, to say nothing of the ruthless treatment to some of its faithful members because they refuse to accept that which the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy condemns as Spiritualism.

I continue reading verses five and six. “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” Beloved, only inspiration could portray the results of such apostasy as God sees it.

Notice verse nine. “Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.” Never forget friend, if it were not for the remnant Satan would have total control of our church today. The remnant may be exceedingly small, but God is using the few to keep Satan from seizing control of the church and this world.

Just listen to what God says to us today as He reproves Israel of old. Verses thirteen to fifteen, “Bring no more vain oblations, incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.” No wonder God uses harsh words because He see Pentecostalism and New Age forms of worship being promoted by conferences with the full approval of the General Conference in Celebration worship services.

Yet, God lovingly appeals. Notice verse sixteen and seventeen, “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” And now listen as God pleads further in verses eighteen and nineteen, “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. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.”

But in verse twenty He warns of failure to heed His last call. “But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” And finally God speaks in words that cannot be misunderstood by those who will continue in apostasy. Listen, “How is the faithful city become an harlot!”

Now Paul explains this vision of the end-time by stating in Romans 9:27, “Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.” When I read this promise I cannot help but shouting, Praise the Lord !

With this inspired introduction of scripture let us examine how modern spiritualism has infiltrated within the Seventh-day Adventist Church with its teachings of doctrine, outreach evangelism and worship service. Let us start with the teaching of New Theology. Many have overlooked this new doctrine of “sin and live” which is none other than the same false theology that was presented to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. You remember Eve was told by the devil that if she ate of the forbidden tree, thus sinning and disobeying God, that she would not die but live. Today this New Theology teaches exactly the same evil. You may continue to sin until Jesus comes and still be saved. Beloved, this is the difference by which we can discern between the wheat and the tares, for the remnant, the precious wheat, will live by victory over every sin by the power provided of Christ.

I quote, “The prophet Isaiah brings to view the fearful deception which will come upon the wicked, causing them to count themselves secure from the judgments of God: (And what do these people say?) ‘We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we in agreement; When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come nigh unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves.’ Isaiah 28:15. In the class here described are included those who in their stubborn impenitence comfort themselves with the assurance that there is to be no punishment for the sinner; that all mankind, it matters not how corrupt, are to be exalted to heaven, to become as the angels of God. But still more emphatically are those making a covenant with death and an agreement with hell, who renounce the truths which heaven has provided as a defense for the righteous in the day of trouble, and accept the refuge of lies offered by Satan in its stead – the delusive pretensions of spiritualism.” Great Controversy p. 560, 561.

Did you notice that Ellen White states that this New Theology is spiritualism? But praise God, He is patiently waiting for the faithful to stand firmly against such spiritualism and reflect Christ’s stainless character so we can go home with Jesus when He comes. Notice the wonderful promise found in Christ Object Lessons p. 69. “When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.” Oh, what assurance to us in these troublesome times. Thank you, Jesus, for this promise! But don’t forget, take note, spiritism will be the final deception in this end-time crisis and the Sabbath, the final test of loyalty. How I pray that God’s ministers of this day would preach these major doctrines.

Next, let us now consider another startling announcement concerning spiritualism. “Minds will be hypnotized.” Satan is the master hypnotist and is able to hypnotize every human being in this world except those who have invited Christ to take full control of their lives. The scriptures admonish us, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5. The mind of Christ could never be hypnotized by Satan and therefore could not be deceived. If we invite Christ’s mind to be our mind then that alone will preserve us from the hypnotic presentations of Satan.

The servant of the Lord continues, “The experience of the past will be repeated. In the future Satan’s superstitions will assume new forms. 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. Most seducing influences will be exerted; minds will be hypnotized.” Maranatha p. 59.

In this end time Satan will hypnotize the billions of this world to unite into a One-World government to keep Sunday holy. Be they pagans, Muslims, Catholics, Jews, Protestants or atheists, they all will be hypnotized to accept Satan as the savior of this world. How amazing that Ellen White sensed this satanic power would also emerge within our church for she states, “This same hypnotic influence is seen working among our people today.” Manuscript Releases, Volume 2, p. 248.

You may have wondered why it is that you can present the clearest, most unambiguous statements of the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy to men and women and somehow they do not seem to be able to understand its meaning or its significance – or they are able to rationalize it away. Surely, already, so many have been hypnotized by Satan that they cannot perceive the certainty of God’s truth. “Satan is waiting to steal a march upon everyone who allows himself to be deceived by his hypnotism. He begins to exert his power over them just as soon (are you listening) as they begin to investigate his theories.” Medical Ministry p. 101, 102. This statement indicates the danger of even exploring areas of error and apostasy. Satan is there to try to draw us into his trap by the use of hypnotism.

Now let’s consider another area. What about spiritism in entertainment? Few members within our church have given this any thought but this was not the experience of Ellen White. You will be surprised to learn that she associates worldly amusements with Spiritualistic, Satanic practices. “Thus Satan and his angels are laying their snares for souls. They are working upon the minds of teachers and students to induce them to engage in exercises and amusements which become intensely absorbing, and which are of a character to strengthen the lower passions and to create appetites and passions that will counteract the operations of the Spirit of God upon human hearts….Amusements are doing more to counteract the working of the Holy Spirit that anything else, and the Lord is grieved.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students p. 281. Beloved, this is an eye opener. Think it through carefully. “Amusements are doing more to counteract the working of the Holy Spirit than anything else!”

“The desire for excitement and pleasing entertainment is a temptation and a snare to God’s people, and especially to the young. Satan is constantly preparing inducements to attract minds from the solemn work of preparation for the scenes just in the future. Through the agency of the worldlings he keeps up a continual excitement to induce the unwary to join in worldly pleasures….Satan is a persevering workman; an artful, deadly foe….He has many finely woven nets, which appear innocent, but which are skillfully prepared to entangle the young and unwary. The natural mind leans toward pleasure and self-gratification. It is Satan’s policy to fill the mind with a desire for worldly amusement, that there may be no time for the question, How is it with my soul?” Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students p. 324, 325.

And dare I mention the theater? Here in America nearly every Seventh-day Adventist has a television. Stop and think. Some 85 % – 90 % of what is shown is the same as that that is displayed at the theater. Some of our members spend many hours each day before the tube. And what of our children? Surveys reveal that most of them spend ten to twelve hours a day watching TV when not in school. Since this is common knowledge why are we surprised when we are faced with the fact that over 75% of our teenage youth leave the church for good.

Why does our denomination spend tens of thousands of dollars trying to find our why we lose our youth when all the leadership needs to do is read the following quotation: “Among the most dangerous resorts for pleasure is the theater. Instead of being a school for morality and virtue, as is so often claimed, it is the very hotbed of immorality. Vicious habits and sinful propensities are strengthened and confirmed by these entertainments. Low songs, lewd gestures, expressions and attitudes, deprave the imagination and debase the morals. Every youth who habitually attends such exhibitions (are you listening?) will be corrupted in principle. There is no influence in our land more powerful to poison the imagination, to destroy religious impressions, and to blunt the relish for tranquil pleasures and sober realities of life than theatrical amusements. The love for these scenes increases with every indulgence, as the desire for intoxicating drink strengthens with its use. The only safe course is to shun the theater, the circus, and every other questionable place of amusement.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students p. 334, 335.

I read the following from the book Spiritism in Seventh-day Adventist Church. “Reflecting upon this statement surely it would be wise to have nothing to do with television. Many faithful Christians have found the wisest step is to have no television at all, for today the sensual and violent presentations on television are more vivid and more destructive than in the day when Sister White wrote these words of warning in Counsels to Parent, Teachers and Students : ‘The whole reason for the intoxication of sports today is to lead men and women away from God and from the sober realities of preparing their lives for the coming of the Lord and for witnessing the wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ to men and women.’ The tragic trend in our churches and in our schools and colleges bespeaks the widespread idolatry that is rampant among Seventh-day Adventists. We started with pick-up games; we moved to inter-murals. We moved then to playing some games between Adventist institutions and we now have gone the full circle and have joined the leagues of the world. We have even offered scholarships to some of the better sporting performers. God must pronounce it an abomination.”

Time will not permit further investigation of this form of spiritism. Again I recommend you reading this copy of the Standish brothers’ book and discover much, much more. Another impact of spiritualism in our church is our doctrinal deviations. We often hear it said these days , “We must preach more about Christ and less about doctrines.” Beloved, these words come directly from the heart of spiritism. I’m quoting, “Spiritualism is now changing its form, veiling some of its most objectionable and immoral features, and assuming a Christian guise. Formerly it denounced Christ and the Bible; now it professes to accept both. The Bible is interpreted in a manner that is attractive to the unrenewed heart, while its solemn and vital truths are made of no effect. A God of love is presented; but his justice, his denunciations of sin, the requirements of his holy law, are all kept out of sight.” Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 4, p. 405.

Here I must pause for you to consider what I believe is the best answer I have ever found concerning doctrines, taken from the book Spiritism in the Adventist Church. “Today many are giving the ‘love theology’ but they are ignoring the doctrines of the Word which are the greatest revelation of Christ and God. Indeed, for every doctrine Christ is the center and the focus. How can we preach the Second Coming of Christ without preaching of One who is coming in power and great glory? How can we preach the sanctuary message without preaching of the One who is our Sacrifice, our Judge, our High Priest, our Intercessor, our Advocate, our Mediator? How can we preach the investigative judgment without preaching of the One who will stand up for His faithful people in the judgment?

“How can we preach baptism without understanding the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and the renewal that it brings to everyone who has committed his life to Christ? How can we preach the state of the dead without preaching of the One who is the resurrection and the life? How can we teach the commandments without recognizing that the commandments are the very expression of the character of God? How can we preach the Sabbath without preaching of the One who is our Creator, our Redeemer, our Sanctifier? How can we preach righteousness by faith without preaching of the One who imputes and imparts His righteousness to us? But for many members years go by and they hear nothing in the Seventh-day Adventist Church pulpits that would remotely address any of these thrilling truths. Present Truth is forgotten and Satan is gradually making inroads through these spiritualistic teachings which ignore God’s justice, His denunciation of sin, and the requirements of His holy law.”

I could go on but we must move quickly considering another inroad of spiritism as found in our Seventh-day Adventist publications. A few years ago I became greatly disturbed to discover books printed on our presses teaching doctrines of devils. I was talking to a former Union president who had served for years as chairman of the Pacific Press board of directors. I questioned, “How come on one day you print on our presses the inspired book The Desire of Ages and then the very next day on the same press you print a book that teaches just the opposite to what Ellen White wrote?” I shall never forget his answer, “Our present policy is to never question what our leaders or ministers write in their book manuscripts.” What did he mean?- I’ll tell you. Our presses no longer check to see if a suggested book contains the truth. All they are interested in is to print books that will sell and make money. It is left to the reader to choose truth from error. Heaven help us! Spiritism now has an open door to publish the doctrines of spiritism on our very own presses!

I was shocked when in 1990 the ministerial department published the Ministry magazine with a cover of a pagan design at a cost, some say, was about $8,000.00. More than thirty pagan, spiritualistic and Roman Catholic symbols are to be found in this painting. The book Spiritism in the Seventh-day Adventist Church describes this cover picture. “Presented is not the Christ of the Bible, coming as King of kings and Lord of lords with power and great glory, coming with unnumbered angels in the splendor of heaven, but rather of a Cosmic Christ of the New Age.” The painting depicts Jesus coming to the earth totally out of harmony with the clear testimony of the word of God. “Then 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.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

Among many pagan representations in what is our premier magazine for ministers, both the Adventists and the non-Adventists, are clear depictions of spirits. The lost are seen in a burning inferno writhing in agony, wholly out of character with the fact that the destruction of the wicked does not take place until a thousand years after the resurrection of the saints. Skeletons are seen flying through the air draped in cloth. The rainbow of the New Age is in clear view – and note – Christ’s left hand presents the papal symbol of the thumb and two outer fingers curled and the semi-v shape of the other two fingers. I shall never forget how I felt, for I felt like weeping when I viewed this satanic picture in our Ministry magazine portraying the Second Coming of Christ.

Turning yet to another point, I received a letter from a Sabbath School youth division leader deploring the Sabbath School youth lessons printed by the General Conference. For example, Bible characters are portrayed as in a comic strip. Sacred and divine truths are made light of. Can you imagine Jesus as a youth pictured as a hippie? This Sabbath School teacher displayed this trash before the church board. Many agreed, but the pastor insisted that the conference demanded that they be used. Nothing else could take its place. When the teacher refused to use them she was kicked out of the youth Sabbath School division and told to shut up or she would be put out of the church.

Years ago, as an ordained pastor, I repeatedly assured my flock that whatever was printed on our presses could be accepted as the truth. But not anymore! I now tell our members” When you read what is printed from our publishing houses, you must pray for divine guidance to help you separate truth from error.” The Spirit of Prophecy stated this correctly, “The time has come when even in the church and in our institutions, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.” Manuscript Releases, Volume 7, p. 188.

And now, what of spiritism in our witnessing program? Under consideration by the Mid-American Union conference is a new plan for church planting. Take note of how deception is used to not only fool the Adventist faithful but also the non-believers who attend. Never forget deception is the mode of spiritualism.

#1. “The meetings will be held in a town located some distance from the nearest Adventist church.” Why? -“The advantage of this not only to reach non-Adventists, but also to hold the meetings at a distance so church members will not know what is taking place in these meetings.” That’s deception. “The ultimate plan is to use new plantings to gradually remake the church into a new image, with new members trained into new ways of doing things while not disturbing the older, existing churches.” Why, that’s the deception of spiritualism.

#2. “The meetings will be held on Friday night instead of Sabbath morning.” Now this is a clear deception of spiritualism to do away, eventually, with the Sabbath and get them ready for Sunday keeping. “The advantage of Friday night meetings is that it will appeal to the class of people who like to spend their weekend evenings partying around and so are ready to go to some new places.”

#3. “Morning and afternoon activities will be conducted on the Sabbath. These activities will include community service.” Listen carefully. “The advantage of the Sabbath activities is that it can copy the program which has been conducted at the University Church for nearly a decade in which students and grown-ups are sent out on Sabbath afternoon to paint houses, mow lawns, clean up trash, and in a variety of other ways show their neighborliness to the Loma Linda/Riverside/San Bernardino area. Adventists not taking part in the outreach will definitely be told not to attend the new model meetings.” Why? “This is critical to the success of the plan while not offending the existing churches.” What deception!

#5. “It is important that a majority of those in attendance be non-Adventist. This will greatly aid in the establishment (and take note) of new patterns of worship, thinking and activities. No conservative Adventist will be present to influence their thinking.”

#6. “All clothing is to be casual – nothing formal or ‘churchy’ about these meetings is to be done that might cause the suspicion that these are church services.” Deception, deception, deception.

#7. “It is extremely important that the new members be taught certain practices which are not in the General Conference policy.” Deception again. This includes a rule that members will be cancelled at the end of the Annual Review of the books if it is found that tithe and offerings are not regularly paid in. These two points, which no General Conference Session has ever authorized, are vital for they underlie the entire reason for the Celebration churches and church planting – to bring more live bodies which will pay more money into the church – not to get them ready for the coming of the Christ.

#8. “Study materials used at the meetings will include reading and discussion of non-Adventist books which explain the do’s and don’ts of Christian experience.” Unbelievable deception, isn’t it? Teaching the doctrines of Babylon!

#9. “As might be expected, contemporary music will be an important part of each meeting. Concerts will also be held as a feeder to draw people to the regular Friday evening meetings.” That’s entertainment on the holy Sabbath hours.

I could go on. What’s the name of this church? They are going to call it “Life’s Answer Church.” I’ve got a better name – “Hell’s Answer Church.” And then it says, “Approved by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Approved by the Minnesota Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Approved by the Mid-America Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.” Never in all my years in the ministry as an ordained minister in the church, the conference, the union and the General Conference have I ever seen within our organization such a devilish plan of deception, which is none other than spiritualism. [Spiritism and the Occult]

Now as we conclude, let us consider this growing Celebration movement within our church being promoted by the top leadership. I have personally visited many Celebration churches and there is not a doubt in my mind as to the ultimate results of this Pentecostal worship of spiritism. The very pillars of our Everlasting Gospel containing the Three Angels’ Messages are being defamed and destroyed. Excitement, rather than worship, has invaded the eleven o’clock worship service. We used to often hear the words, “The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth keep silent before Him.” But today’s sanctuary has become a bedlam of noise – a place where the members would rather greet one another by shaking hands and even embracing one another rather than showing holy reverence to the Lord.

There is much clapping, so-called Christian rock music and the beat of drums, even laughter from the pulpit, jokes, and entertaining drama which God has clearly condemned. I have even witnessed dancing on the platform performed by hired theatrical teams to give the audience a feeling of worship. The congregation is encouraged to wave their arms in the air as the Pentecostals do when asking their god to give them an unknown tongue – which is made possible by free arms and hands not handling a songbook, but singing from a screen. Even the songs sung are mostly repetitive phrases rather than hymns of salvation’s doctrine.

In fact, everything that God has revealed would happen just before the close of probation is taking place in some of these Celebration churches. For inspiration has told us, “The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting with drums, music and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit.” But beloved, listen to this, “The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan to cover up his ingenious methods for making of none effect the pure, sincere, elevating, ennobling, sanctifying truth for this time.” Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 36.

Have you ever questioned where the spiritualistic Celebration came from? I’m sure that some of you will be surprised to learn that it was born in Satan’s Second Vatican Council of 1962. The following is a copy of Celebration as devised by that Council as taken from the book Adventist Carnival by Lloyd and Leola Rosenvold p. 84. And I must state here that it is the best book on Celebration that I have ever found. I urge you to secure a copy. The address is P.O. Box 330, Hope, Idaho, 83836. Now please note the eight aims of this papal Celebration program.

#1. Get the churches accustomed to Celebration terminology and Celebration concept. Every function of the church becomes a celebration – from a communion to funerals.

#2. Get the churches accustomed to a revitalized style of Celebration service. This involves reduction of inhibition, vastly increased congregational participation – verbally – and considered a must – lots of physical gestures, bodily attitudes and movements.

#3. Promote in the Celebration service dialogue between the celebrant (that’s the pastor or the priest) and the people.

#4. Use as much variation as possible in the Celebration service to encourage active, willing participation.

#5. Set forth song or musical Celebration services as the most effective celebrations utilizing popular, religious songs and relating the music to the various cultures and temperaments of the people.

#6. Narrow the gap between the Eucharist celebration and the Lord’s Supper. Educate the people that this service forms the basis of all Christian unity and fellowship.

#7. Demonstrate the inextricable tie-in between the Eucharist celebration as the foundation of all unity and the Lord’s Day-Sunday celebration.

#8. Perform any endeavor necessary to promote Sunday observance – including rest from work.

You know, friend, the sad and painful truth is that this plan of Satan was developed with the aim that it would bring God’s true church into the arms of the papacy. And sorry to say, it is being achieved rapidly. Even items seven and eight are beginning to be followed by our ministry. In many churches the Lord’s Supper is now called the Eucharist, but that’s not all. Some of our pastors are now asking the congregation to come up to the pastor one by one to receive the bread and most shocking is to learn of a pastor who recently gave to each person not the broken bread – a symbol of Christ’s broken body – but, like the Catholic priests, this Adventist pastor gave this person the round wafer of the sun god as used in the Catholic Eucharist of the Mass. May God help us!

Am I discouraged and ready to leave God’s remnant? – Never! Absolutely not! I believe as Isaiah chapter one states in verse nine, “Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom.” Praise the Lord! Today within God’s professed believers is a very small remnant who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. They have not, nor will they, bow the knee to Baal worship. By God’s grace, I am determined to die for God’s truth if necessary that I may be counted worthy of God to be a part of His remnant.

And what about you? Let us never forget that the Lord is coming soon to take His remnant home to heaven and give them eternal life. And beloved, God has never failed to keep His promise. Praise the Lord.

Let us pray. Oh, precious Father, seal Thy faithful remnant who promise to never accept or follow Satan’s spiritualistic plans for Adventists to become Baal worshipers of papal Rome. Please give us divine power to discern the deceiving power of spiritualism. This we ask in the precious name of Thy dear Son, Jesus, who gave His life for all who are overcomers of sin, Amen.

When Probation Closes for the Church

Wednesday August 1st, 2001

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

There are two camps of belief among the historic Seventh-day Adventists of our day. One group insists that the developments of apostasy within the organized church has now reached a point where God considers His church has become Babylon and therefore He has fully separated Himself from the organization and has no further need of it. The other group believes that the organized Conference church is indeed growing at an alarming rate in apostasy as Ellen White predicted, but until the church embraces and teaches the immortality of the soul and Sunday worship it is still God’s one and only true church – and not Babylon.

Some assume that the conference leadership is the church, but in reality the conference leadership is only a small part of the church. Today the Adventist membership is approaching twelve million, but only a small fraction of that number are elected officers or employees of the denomination. Conference leadership is an exercise of the gift of government, which the Bible teaches should be used for the perfection of the church. But like other gifts, government can be perverted and misused by those in positions of leadership and this can result in apostasy. The misuse of such a gift of the Spirit, even though widespread, does not automatically cause the rejection of the whole church by God.

In this study I must give acknowledgment to Bob Jorgenson for his excellent help in its development. Before we proceed let us pause to pray for divine guidance. Loving Father, we mortals are totally dependent on Thee for heavenly guidance as we see apostasy increasing at an alarming rate within Thy church. May the Holy Spirit guide us in our study to know when probation closes for the church. This we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.

To begin I would like to invite you to join me in a brief visit to Belshazzar’s palace during his last night on the throne of Babylon. Inspiration clearly states that this king was personally aware of Nebuchadnezzar’s banishment by the decree of God and he also knew of his conversion and miraculous restoration. But Belshazzar’s life of ease set aside these lessons which he should never have forgotten. He neglected these facts which could have been the means to obtain a knowledge of God’s saving truth.

On this last night as king of Babylon, the army of the Medes and Persians had surrounded this mighty city, yet Belshazzar felt secure in his seemingly impregnable fortress of massive walls and gates of brass. Unprepared for the overwhelming surprise that awaited him, he made a great feast for a thousand of his lords in which they drank wine until reason was abolished with intoxication. As a result, the king participated in riotous orgies which led him to command that the gold and silver vessels of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from God’s holy sanctuary in Jerusalem, be brought to this debauchery crowd that they may drink wine from these sacred vessels and praise their gods of gold, silver, wood and stone.

Little did Belshazzar think that the Heavenly Watcher of this idolatrous act was present when suddenly a bloodless hand began to trace on his palace wall the characters of doom which gleamed like fire. So terrifying was the scene that the king’s knees smote one against the other. In vain the astrologers and soothsayers tried to interpret the writing. At last the queen mother remembered Daniel, who years before has made known Nebuchadnezzer’s dream and begged that he be called.

When Daniel was brought before the king he was promised to be made the third ruler of the kingdom if he would interpret the writing. But Daniel answered, “Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another.” Before interpreting the writing the prophet reminded Belshazzar of Nebuchadnezzar’s sin and fall and how God had dealt with him. Then he boldly rebuked Belshazzar for his great wickedness, showing him how he might have learned of God and obeyed Him; but he did not. Now he was about to reap the consequences of his rebellion.

“‘Thou, … O Belshazzar,’ the prophet declared, ‘hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.’ Turning to the heaven-sent message on the wall, the prophet read, ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.’ The hand that had traced the characters was no longer visible, but these four words were still gleaming forth with terrible distinctness; and now, with bated breath, the people listened while the aged prophet declared: ‘This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Peres; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.’” Prophets and Kings p. 529-530.

This sad interpretation simply means that Babylon’s probation had come to an end. God had withdrawn His protection and they were left to reap the results of their sin and apostasy. In Testimonies for the Church , Volume 5, p. 208 is this quote: “With unerring accuracy the Infinite One still keeps an account with all nations. While His mercy is tendered with calls to repentance, this account will remain open; but when the figures reach a certain amount which God has fixed, the ministry of His wrath commences. The account is closed. Divine patience ceases. There is no more pleading of mercy in their behalf.”

We should be familiar with the fact found in Great Controversy p. 627 that the Loud Cry message is actually an announcement that our country has filled its cup, which closes its probation. It is when the National Sunday legislation is passed that the limit of God’s forbearance is reached and national apostasy is followed by national ruin. Again I quote, “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.” - Testimonies for the Church , Volume 5, p. 451.

An account is also kept with cities. It was when the men of Sodom tried to rape the angels who visited their city that their cup was filled and judgment came upon them. Their probation closed. In Patriarchs and Prophets p. 159 I read these words, “That last night was marked by no greater sins than many others before it, but mercy, so long slighted, had at last ceased its pleading. The inhabitants of Sodom had passed the limits of divine forbearance—‘the hidden boundary between God’s patience and His wrath.’ The fires of His vengeance was about to be kindled in the vale of Siddim.”

Israel also had a standing as a nation and also as a church. Certainly we would not question whether or not they experienced a close of probation as a nation for they are referred to as a nation divorced from God. I’m reading from Acts of the Apostles p. 145. “Jehovah was no longer to be found in that palace of loveliness. Israel as a nation had divorced herself from God. When Christ, near the close of His earthly ministry, looked for the last time upon the interior of the temple, He said, ‘Behold your house is left unto you desolate.’ Matthew 23:38. Hitherto He had called the temple His Father’s house; but as the Son of God passed out from those walls, God’s presence was withdrawn forever from the temple built to His glory.”

Israel is also referred to as a nation unchurched. Notice the following passage, “It was not the hand of the priest that rent from top to bottom the gorgeous veil that divided the holy from the Most Holy Place. It was the hand of God. When Christ cried out, ‘It is finished,’ the Holy Watcher that was an unseen guest at Belshazzar’s feast pronounced the Jewish nation to be a nation unchurched. The same hand that traced on the wall the characters that recorded Belshazzar’s doom and the end of the Babylonian kingdom rent the veil of the temple from top to bottom, opening up a new and living way for all, high and low, rich and poor, Jew and Gentile. From henceforth people might come to God without priest or ruler.” Manuscript Releases, Volume 1, p. 392.

When Christ was crucified that Jewish nation became unchurched, meaning that it had lost its status as God’s church. It was no longer His church, His chosen agency for the development of truth, His special depository for the oracles. A new movement now became God’s visible church. It has always been this way. When God closes the probation of a church He points people to a new movement as His church, thus when probation closed for the Jewish church at the crucifixion of Christ immediately the attention of seekers of truth began to be directed to the new apostolic church which rapidly gained prominence through divine working and intervention.

Thus it was with the Protestant churches in 1844. By rejecting the proclamation of the first angel’s message they closed and sealed their destiny. God at that time was raising up a new movement and drew attention to it as the new depository of truth and the oracles of God. The ministry of a prophet marked His designation of the new movement as His chosen people – the visible church of God on earth. This is what became known as the Seventh-day Adventist Church. We are clearly told that the Seventh-day Adventist Church will also be weighed in the balance, which means that it definitely has a probationary status and will come to a time when the account is settled.

Notice how this statement reads, “In the balances of the sanctuary the Seventh-day Adventist Church is to be weighed. She will be judged by the privileges and the advantages that she has had. If her spiritual experience does not correspond to the advantages that Christ, at infinite cost, has bestowed on her, if the blessings conferred have not qualified her to do the work entrusted to her, on her will be pronounced the sentence: ‘Found wanting.’ By the light bestowed, the opportunities given, will she be judged .” Testimonies for the Church , Volume 8, p. 247.

In the sealing message of Testimonies for the Church , Volume 5, p. 207 – 212 it speaks of a time of visitation for God’s church – a sign of probation’s close and approaching ruin – when God’s presence has left the church because of overflooding worldliness throughout the membership of the church. It is at this time the sealing commences in the church followed by the beings with slaughter weapons carrying out the judgments of God. In this section on the sealing of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, we look more fully at what is taking place in the church in the time described in Ezekiel the ninth chapter. Perhaps it will help us to see that just as Israel was preserved in spite of rebellion and apostasy, to bring forth the Messiah, so the Seventh-day Adventist Church was brought into existence and will be preserved in spite of apostasy and rebellion to initiate the sealing of God’s faithful people.

Until this sealing commences, until the separation of the wheat and the tares takes place, we are unwarranted in concluding that the probation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has closed. Let us keep in mind that the movement that finally emerges following probation’s close of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is a purified movement – the first in earthly history to be free of any tares. Should any new group supercede the Seventh-day Adventist Church before the sealing takes place, it would still contain the wheat and tares together and simply perpetuate apostasy and rebellion and would undoubtedly arrive at a further depth of apostasy than we already have and in a shorter length of time.

A superceding movement would have to either totally disqualify the whole Advent movement since 1844, or else disqualify itself since all it would be doing is repeating the accomplishments of the Advent movement previously. Furthermore, to supercede the Advent movement of 1844 – 2001, it would need to provide providential interposition and compel world-wide recognition on a greater scale than that of the Advent awakening of the 1840’s which we are told by Inspiration was the purest and greatest since Pentecost. Many statements clearly refer to a probationary status for the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the possibility of filling up its account.

For an example I’m going to quote Testimonies for the Church , Volume 5, p. 529. “It is time that we were closely examining our hearts to see whether or not we are in the faith and in the love of God. If there is not an awakening among us who have had so great light and so many privileges, we shall sink to ruin, and our fate will be worse than that of Corizan and Bethsaida; ‘for,’ as Christ said of these cities, ‘If the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they should have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.’”

We also read in Testimonies for the Church , Volume 8, p. 67, “Jerusalem is a representation of what the church will be if it refuses to walk in the light that God has given. Jerusalem was favored of God as the depository of sacred trust. But her people perverted the truth, and despised all entreaties and warnings. They would not respect His counsels. The temple courts were polluted with merchandise and robbery. Selfishness and love of mammon, envy and strife were cherished. Everyone sought for gain from his quarter. Christ turned from them, saying: ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, … how often I would have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!’ Matthew 23:37.” In spite of such counsel there are some today who feel that they are God’s new movement, His church that supercedes the Seventh-day Adventist Church; the pure and true remnant who are to give the Loud Cry and experience the power of the Latter Rain.

As I have examined such groups I have been amazed at the strange teachings and winds of doctrines being promoted by some of these independent channels. There is much ignorance regarding how the Lord has led and what the pillars of truth have been. I have come to the decision that it is presumptuous to claim that probation has now closed for the Seventh-day Adventist organized church, or that it has become Babylon and that some new ministry has now become the true Remnant church.

There are two chapters in Desire of Ages entitled “The Chosen People” and “The Fullness of Time” that will help us to come to a right conclusion. Before we discuss these two chapters let us briefly discuss the history of the great conflict between Christ and Satan. As Satan developed his accusations in heaven against the eternal God his cleaver attack was that God was selfish and arbitrary. Satan claimed that God was so strict with His justice that He was unable to forgive any transgression. Therefore, Satan claimed that God’s character and government were based on justice only – with absolutely no mercy. There was no way that God could effectually answer this charge except to allow time for the development of Satan’s principles and timely demonstration that God’s character and government would prove Satan to be wrong.

God prepared for His demonstration by raising up a people. Through them He purposed to bring forth to the world His demonstration that would forever answer the false insinuations and accusations of Satan. The Desire of Ages chapter about the chosen people discusses these people. It was, of course, the nation of Israel. To the chosen nation God committed sacred oracles, a knowledge of His law, sacred ceremonies and services, the ministry of prophets and many other blessings. He designed through them that the world would see the goodness of His character, but even more, He designed that through Israel the supreme demonstration would take place that would prove that there was self-denial and forgiveness with God.

A chosen people was a very important part of settling the issues in the great controversy. Satan recognized the favor which God had bestowed upon Israel and with cunning and malice he worked to undermine every detail of God’s plan to accomplish His purpose through Israel. A bitter conflict developed over whether Israel could even be maintained intact long enough to bring forth what God had promised.

Speaking of the nation in Nehemiah’s time Inspiration says, “The Lord showed his rebellious people that they were dependent upon him for prosperity and safety, yet his eye was upon them. They were feeble, exposed to the ravages of their enemies; yet they were the guardians of the worship of the true God, and were to preserve a knowledge of his law until the Prince of peace should come.” Review and Herald, March 18, 1884. Here we find a declaration that Israel was basically promised an existence and a standing as God’s chosen people until the Messiah came.

Satan did his utmost to prevent that from happening, but of course if took place anyway. It happened in spite of rebellion and in spite of apostasy in Israel. It happened in spite of the fact that the leaders of Israel constantly plotted how to prevent Jesus from carrying forward the work He had undertaken in God’s great plan. No amount of apostasy and rebellion kept Israel from having the first opportunity to receive the Messiah and herald His advent. (See Desire of Ages p. 231, 351).

The preservation of Israel as a distinct nation for over a thousand years was a witness to the fact that through Israel the Messiah was to come. In addition to God’s need for a chosen people there was also a need for a fullness of time. This was revealed when the condition of the chosen nation, and of the entire world, was ripe for the demonstration that God was going to make. The conditions that constituted the fullness of time included the fact that Satan had succeeded in perverting the faith of Israel. It was within Israel that the deception of sin reached its highest attainment.

Desire of Ages p. 35, 36 tells us that Israel had developed to maturity the concept that man can save himself by his own works. Thus they cause God to be viewed as a tyrant. We can now see that Satan had infiltrated the nation of Israel. They were actually demonstrating more effectively than any heathen nation around them the idea that God is all justice and that there is no mercy with Him. Thus the fullness of time for Israel included a development in which the issues of the controversy came into prominent display. It was in this setting that God sent His Son and demonstrated the existence of the very thing denied by Satan.

Try to visualize with me this picture. Within Israel the claims of Satan’s demonstration and the claims of God’s demonstration were taking place side by side so that the universe could easily evaluate the characters of God and Satan. If God had sent His Son previously it would have been premature; it would not have been the fullness of time. Likewise, if the door of probation had been closed for Israel any sooner than when God closed it, it would have been the failure of God’s plan and the success of Satan’s rebellion.

Inspiration tells us that even the holy angels saw no room for hope at the time of Christ’s first advent. They expected to see Jehovah arise and sweep away the inhabitants of the earth. So, if the decision had been committed to any of the heavenly beings as to when to close the door of probation for Israel, God’s character would not have been effectively demonstrated. The claims of Satan would not have been adequately answered; the extent of God’s self-denial and forgiveness would not have been demonstrated correctly. God would have been misrepresented. In Desire of Ages p. 761- 764 it describes how Christ came to this earth and forever settled the question of whether there was self-denial with God. All heaven was amazed and glorified God for the wonderful revelation of His marvelous love when Jesus died on the cross. It revealed that God was not only a God of justice, but a God of mercy.

But Satan was not to give up so easily. He now came forward with a new argument and it went something like this: “Yes, we see that there is mercy and forgiveness with God. His justice is not so strict and harsh as we once thought. We can now see that in reality God is so full of mercy that we don’t need to be concerned about His justice.” So Satan now declared that God’s mercy excluded justice. This became the new emphasis of his attack.

The Desire of Ages tells us that this is the big issue now; accountability for obedience to God’s law is the big issue to be settled in the last phase of the great controversy. Where we close the door of probation for the chosen people of our time we will display whether we reflect the thoughts of God or the sentiments of Satan. Beloved, I think we all know in our hearts that we can make many apparently righteous declarations denouncing sin and apostasy, we can look pretty pious and yet still be cherishing and promoting the sentiments of Satan. If we close the door too soon we are erring on the side of justice, if we close the door too late we are erring on the side of mercy. To error on these issues in the controversy, at this hour of earth’s history, is to neutralize both justice and mercy.

I believe we are being tested today on this very issue: Is probation closed for the Church? To show before the universe who had a correct reflection of God’s mind in this matter, I purpose that just as in God’s ancient church, there were two demonstrations that took place side by side, so today, the church is a stage where two final demonstrations are taking place. As apostasy increases there will be a demonstration that proves that mercy does not lower justice in the least. It will prove that those who have availed themselves of the provisions of mercy can meet and survive the demands of justice. It will bring forth a people who stand with perfected characters before the universe ready to be sealed by God.

But it also appears that, just like in ancient Israel, Satan had commandeered the stage of demonstration and is endeavoring to present his deception that mercy excludes justice. So he now promotes (listen carefully): “Do as you please and if it feels good to do it in your form of worship, do it.” He insinuates his philosophy that it doesn’t matter how you eat, dress, drink or act – just love everybody and don’t make waves. We see this taking place all through God’s chosen people who are representing and echoing Satan’s big argument. They spring up in the most unexpected ways and places. Whereas in the time of Christ’s first advent people were led to look on God as a harsh tyrant, today people are led to look upon God as a soft and pliable, Granddaddy-type of person who accepts everybody just as they are.

The keynote of Satan’s smooth and attractive deception is that God’s requirements are not as strict as we once thought as in former times. Vice is now consecrated as a part of religion. Abominations that shouldn’t even be named among Seventh-day Adventists are cloaked with religious garb and called “ministries.” We see ministries such as drama and the urging of our dear young people to become clowns, belittling the third angel’s message. There is an attempt to bring in plans and methods totally unacceptable to God and to sanctify them by making them tools of evangelism. Then we are pointed to the number of people attracted by these methods as evidence that God is blessing through these means. But we have been told that we show great blindness when we lower the standard to attract more people into the church and then make that increase of numbers a cause for rejoicing. (Please see Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 31).

Now a few words about the Seventh-day Adventist Church – when its probation closes and the sealing commences. There is a most valuable commentary on the final sealing event as described in Ezekiel chapter nine. This commentary is found in Testimonies for the Church , Volume 5, p. 207 – 216. I recommend if you have this volume that you read it carefully. It is surprising to observe how often things are clearly stated in Inspiration but ignored and overlooked. These pages describe what is transpiring in the church at the time when the sealing commences. This is spoken of as a time when people in the church are under great pressure to turn from loyalty to God’s law. Clearly they are under pressure to give in to the characteristics mentioned in this passage. Notice carefully: they all refer to the people who are in the organized church when the sealing commences.

In the following quotes I have added in some places the words “in the church” because Ellen White clearly states that these things take place in the church. I have a number that I want to read.

1. “Those who have had the greatest light and privileges are contaminated by prevailing iniquity in the church.”

2. “There are two classes in the church. One class, who has increasing love for God’s precepts; another class who holds them in contempt.”

3. “The time for God’s visitation has almost come (in the church).”

4. “Those in the church who walk in the light will see signs of approaching peril.”

5. “It is their duty to labor diligently to save others in the church.” (There is no mention of calling the church Babylon and telling people to withdraw membership.)

6. “The time in the church is one when the danger and depression of the church are the greatest.”

7. “There is a little company who are standing in the light within the church.” (Obviously the vast majority in the church is not standing in the light in the time described here.)

8. “The other class in the church is trying to throw a cloak over existing evil.”

9. “Notice, the little company are vexed day by day with the sins and iniquitous abominations promoted by the rest of the unrighteous church members in the church.”

10. “The remnant mourn before God to see true religion despised (in the church).”

11. “They lament and afflict their souls because of the corruption and the apostasy which are evident almost everywhere in the church.” (Beloved, how clearly Inspiration has described what we now see beginning to take place in the church.)

12. “It’s a time when the servants of Satan triumph in the church.”

13. “God is dishonored and the truth is made of none effect in the church.”

14. “At this time here we see that the church, the Lord’s sanctuary, was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God.”

15. “The dumb dogs that would not bark will suffer the vengeance of God and will never again lift their voices to teach the truth.”

Surely my brethren and sisters we can see that what is being discussed here in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5 is the final confrontation of the members of the Seventh-day Adventist, the organized Conference church, with the final testing and sealing truths to be given in the church. There has been no call to have the faithful members withdraw their membership. There has been no message of the announcing the church as Babylon. There have been faithful messages of warning and reproof given in the church. There have been mourning and soul anguish that is a characteristic of those who are the true children of God in the church.

Frankly, I haven’t seen very much of this spirit on the part of most of those who are promoting that we leave the church and who call the church Babylon. I have seen a lot of bitter, vindictiveness; a lot of angry accusation and denunciation, a lot of sarcasm and ridicule, a lot of name-calling and jumping to conclusions, but precious little of the anguish of spirit and the sighing and crying that is here described as the earmarks of the faithful little company found in the church. It has often seemed to me that there are many who would be very upset if God should offer to the organized Seventh-day Adventist Church the opportunity to repent and to be His chosen vessel in proclaiming the last message to the world. The attitude of the elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son more suitably accords with their attitude. Maybe we should see some valuable lesson of application in this story if we were to apply it as a prodigal church. See Testimonies for the Church , Volume 8, p. 250.

Many, I am afraid, do not want to see the church healed. Is this the true reflection of the thoughts of God regarding the Seventh-day Adventist Church? Many other passages of Inspiration describe similar characteristics of the time when the sealing takes place. The time when, within the church, there emerges a pure and faithful remnant just as in ancient Israel there emerged at the close of their probation a pure and faithful membership in the New Testament church. If all descriptions that are pointed out here are not talking about the Conference, organized, Seventh-day Adventist Church then I beg of you to tell me what church is it talking about who have had great light, the people who have stood as guardians of God’s momentous truth. Without malice I would quietly ask, “Is it your group?” I cannot but believe that it is the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

To be a member of the church does not mean at all that I support the apostasy or the worldliness that is flooding in. Rather it indicates that I recognize that God is the rightful owner of the church and I am to be a voice calling every church member to give their rightful allegiance to God. I am to call upon my fellow church members to heed the most solemn and important truths ever given to mortals, which have been committed to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Membership in the Conference Seventh-day Adventist Church is not an issue of supporting everything that is done by its leadership, but rather it signifies that I firmly believe that God has designated the organized Seventh-day Adventist Church as the visible entity in which He will bring forth in living demonstration a perfect people who will be sealed and give the Loud Cry that will test the world.

So, let us personally claim the church that Christ so beautifully described in His revelation to John found in Revelation 14:12, “Here is the patience of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”

Let us pray. Thank you, God, for helping us to see that we are not to close the door of probation for Thy church, but leave this for Your divine wisdom. Father, please give us the strength and the wisdom and the help we need amidst the increasing apostasy to be preparing for Thy divine sealing of our characters. Help us, God, for we ask it in Jesus’ name, Amen.

The New World Order

Thursday February 1st, 2001

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

One of the most heart-rending experiences in the life of Christ is recorded in Luke 19:41-44. I invite you to open your Bible to this passage that we may read it together. Keep in mind that Jerusalem, which was built on the glorious Mount Moriah, stands for God’s true church throughout the Bible. Let us follow Jesus now as He walked with His disciples toward Jerusalem with the intent to enter the temple and cleanse His house of worship.

As He reaches a crest in the path to Jerusalem instantly the city of Jerusalem, that glorious symbol of His church, comes into view. He stops with His disciples as the following company rejoice at the magnificent scene. But alas, Jesus breaks forth in weeping.

Now with your Bible open to Luke 19:41-44 we shall read together from Inspiration. “And when he has come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.”

This was a tragedy that never needed to happen. For God, through His prophets, had revealed in detail what would happen to His church should it go into apostasy. But the priests refused to tell this to the people. You see, the leadership was afraid that if the people were informed that a reformation would take place this would expose the prevailing apostasy.

Could this be the reason why our church leaders today are so silent as to the end-time events such as what took place this last September 2000? I’m speaking of the most startling predictions to Revelation 13 which took place when the government leaders of every nation on earth came together at the United Nations headquarters in New York and they all, except Switzerland, accepted the authority of the New World Order which will soon bring about a world-wide Sunday law, with dreaded persecutions. Believe me, friend, the groundwork has now been fully completed for the entire world to worship the Beast, and the Antichrist to rule the world.

Before we discuss what actually took place in September 2000 let us pray for divine guidance. Our loving Father, in this message please help us to clearly see the fulfilling prophecy of Revelation 13. Anoint us with Thy Holy Spirit that we can be spiritually ready for these closing end-time events. Help us to totally surrender and experience such a reformation that we will be prepared to meet the coming Sunday law. This we ask in the name of Thy dear Son, Jesus. Amen.

Let us first refresh our minds of what God has declared of this beast of Revelation 13. Open your Bible again and follow along as we read together how the whole world wonders after the beast. I’m reading from Revelation 13:1, “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

“And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

“And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 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; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the 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. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom, Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”

Now let us quickly examine God’s checklist of the events we have just read of this beast and the power supporting him:

1. A beast in prophecy represents a kingdom, a nation, a power. The prophet Daniel declares, “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth.” Daniel 7: 23.

2. The beast has seven heads and ten horns. The head represents the headquarters of a government. A horn represents a king or ruler.

3. The beast comes up out of the sea of water which represents the people of this world; a power conquering existing governments. Revelation 17: 15.

4. The beast has the name of blasphemy. Revelation 17:1.

5. The dragon, which is Satan, (Revelation 12: 9) gives him his power and his seat and great authority so that everyone worships him. Revelation 12: 2, 8.

6. The beast is a worldwide power for all the world wonders after the beast. Revelation 12:3.

7. The beast receives its seat of government from Rome. Revelation 12:4. Its characteristics are the same as the four beasts which existed before it. Daniel 7:17. Beginning with Babylon, the lion, reigning from 606-538 BC; then Medo-Persia, the bear, from 538- 331 BC; then Greece, the leopard, from 331-168 BC; then the terrible beast of Rome from 168 BC to 476 AD.

8. The beast of Revelation 13 rules the world for 1260 years from 538 -1798 AD.

9. The beast receives a deadly wound in 1798 which later begins to heal in 1929. Revelation 13:3.

10. The beast is worshiped as a religious power, backed by political power. Revelation 13:4.

11. The beast tampers with God’s law. Daniel 7:25.

12. The beast claims to represent God on earth and is able to forgive sins which is blasphemy. Daniel 7:6.

13. The beast has a man at the head with the number 666. Daniel 7:18.

14. The beast has a mark which, if you accept, will cast you into the lake of fire. Revelation 14:9,10.

If this brief outline is something new to you, please obtain the book The Antichrist which I have written and published. It will explain Revelation 13 more fully. [Keep the Faith Ministry, P.O. Box 808, Myrtle Creek, OR 97457].

On September 8, 2000 this prophecy of a one-world government was implanted at the Millennium Summit which was held at the United Nations world headquarters in New York. This was the largest UN general assembly ever conducted in which 150 nations of the world signed some 514 charters establishing some twelve governing tenants for the entire world. During this meeting every nation on earth, except Switzerland, handed over their country’s sovereignty to the United Nations by their leaders who pledged with their signatures. The New World Order has now come into being at this summit.

Pope John Paul II sent the following message from the Vatican to this New World Order. “The only religion worthy of the name is the religion that leads to peace. True religion is mocked when it is tied to conflict and violence. Religion offers a moral and spiritual wisdom which illuminates and teaches the transcended truth of the human person. The problems facing humanity now are so large and complex that no single people on earth or nation can solve them in isolation. Nor can the building of peace be the work of politicians and diplomats alone. It is a task to which all must contribute and religious and spiritual leaders have an especially important role to play.”

Did you catch the significance of those words from the beast power? Only religious leadership can answer today’s problems. The New World Order has received its marching orders from the papacy. This summit meeting has made provision for a one-world army to enforce its one-world religion when necessary. It is also now prepared to enforce a new-world economy plan. The rule of the antichrist is now in force.

The following are some of the governing principles soon to be enforced by this one-world power. I quote what was voted and signed by 149 nations at this summit meeting:

1. The UN shall bring all nations under its taxation regime in order for it to have an independent source of revenue to carry out its programs throughout the world.

2. The UN is going to strip nations of any power to veto. All nations shall be ruled according to the UN statutes. National constitutions and sovereignty will be subject to the UN charters.

3. The UN is going to mobilize one standing army to quench any turmoil in any part of the world without prior notice or permission from that particular country to intervene in internal affairs.

4. The UN is going to register all armies of various countries.

5. The UN is going to enforce the global democracy that was enacted in 1948.

6. The UN is going to create an International Criminal Court. (Are you listening?) National supreme courts by these leaders’ ratification at the last summit have agreed to subject their supreme courts to the rule of this International Criminal Court. Citizens in many countries will have the right to petition this court on social and economic matters. There will be no reference to the sovereignty that will be entertained by this court. Its action will be final.

7. The UN is going to enforce and emphasize the need for sustainable development. The UN will bring to brook all environment-unfriendly nations or peoples (say the United States) for having contributed to the pollution of the environment through its millions of automobiles on the road. The UN is saying that the cosmic belongs to it. By agreeing to the summit resolutions the leaders of the world have indeed agreed to be controlled in every aspect of life by the UN.

8. The UN, now that it has assumed total control of the world, has taken the awesome burden of canceling the debt of poor nations. It aims to share the world’s wealth equally as allocated by the Millennium Summit in New York. (That was taken from the World’s Intelligence Report , Tuesday, September 19-25, 2000). Here I must add, communism has at last conquered the world.

Now I have a question for you, “What is it going to take to get the people of these 150 nations of the world to accept what their leaders have agreed and signed? Why have we, here in America, heard nothing of this Millennial Summit meeting?” – I’ll tell you why: because the American Press is already controlled by the UN. And they expect much opposition among the millions who are not ready to give up their freedoms.

The United Nation’s one-world government is now waiting for some catastrophic disaster to strike this planet that will be so terrible that every living person will be willing to give up their freedoms for a promise of peace and prosperity. The Pope has prepared the way for such a response by publishing throughout the world the predictions of a catastrophic disaster that Mary had revealed to him which was given at Fatima. He has refused to elaborate the details stating that they are too frightening to discuss.

Would you permit me to present to you what I consider would be such an event that would cause every living person on earth to surrender his or her freedoms? Just let some terrorist organization get its hands on the dreaded anthrax bacterial germs which can cause absolute death within 48 hours to any person who breathes the germ. All that is needed is a truck loaded with the germs to cruise through a metropolitan city and silently spread this colorless and odorless anthrax into the air. You can well imagine the worldwide terror if this were to take place in a city like Paris, London, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. Such a catastrophic tragedy, I believe, would produce the surrender of all people of the world.

For some months now, word has leaked out about the demands of this New World Order. Opposition is mounting as thinking people see freedom vanish. Recently I read an article from the Washington Times dated July 12, 2000. The headlines read, “House Votes 416 – 1 for strong Vatican voice in the UN.” The article goes on to say, “‘Congress will not stand idly by while the hundreds of organizations assail the Vatican. The Vatican is under attack and Congress will not let that attack go unchallenged. Congress will not tolerate this effort to silence the Vatican,’ said House Majority Leader, Dick Armory. ‘If anything,’ said Rep. Christopher Smith, of New Jersey, ‘the Holy See deserves a more prominent role at the UN.’”

Do you remember what we just read in Revelation 13:12? – “And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” Any student of the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy can see that such action by Congress is leading us into Papal rule.

I have been reading a book entitled The New World Religion by Gary H. Carr, published by Hope International Publishing Company, P.O. Box 899, Noblesville, IN 46061, Copyright 1998. This book is extremely well documented. From here on I will give the page number only for the source of facts that I present. From this book I have learned how the United Nations New World Order is being transformed into a one-world religion. The remainder of this message will reveal how this is taking place, preparing for the beast of Revelation 13 to rule the world.

Let us look at the foundation of the UN as it has developed in the last 40 years. Keep in mind the word of God in 1 Corinthians 3:11 which emphatically teaches, “Other foundation can no man lay than is laid which is Christ Jesus.” From the Bible we know that Satan, failing to take by force God’s throne in heaven, entered this earth with one purpose – to capture this world, and to rule it; demanding that every soul worship him as god.

As he enters this end-time he endeavors to be the god of this world. This is why he started a number of false religions in the 1800’s known as cults to lay the foundation for his one-world government. He began in the 1820’s with the first of these new religions known as Mormonism, which today has become the fastest growing religion in the world. One of its teachings is that Jesus was the spirit brother of Lucifer before Jesus entered this world. (p. 17).

Next came spiritualism in which an individual could contact the dead, which we know to be demons. Such became a religion in 1848. Soon Mary Baker Eddy started her occult doctrines in 1870; known today as Christian Science. She taught that it was absolutely impossible to understand the Bible apart from her teachings as found in her book Keys to the Scriptures . (p. 17).

In 1875 theosophy began under the guidance of Helen P. Blavatsky and has remained the most powerful New Age Movement. (p. 18). Jehovah’s Witnesses came into being 1879 denying the divinity of Jesus Christ. To prove such, they printed a new translation of the Bible called The New World Translation . (p. 18).

The Unity Church came in 1886 which represented the New Age thinking of occultism, Hinduism, and the reincarnation of Buddhism. Here we find the teaching that all are a part of God and denying the atonement of Christ. As we proceed we will see that the doctrines of these occult teachings have shaped the structure of the New World Order. (p. 18).

As the UN plan unveils we should keep before us the words of Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Alice Bailey, a spiritualist, was used by Satan to develop the infrastructure built upon these occult religions. She organized the Lucis Trust Link to the World Constitution and Parliament Association. She also founded the Lucifer Publishing Company of which the world’s most renowned financial and political leaders belong such as Henry Kissinger, Ronald Reagan, David Rockefeller, and Paul Volcker. These men run the Council on Foreign Relations who are responsible for the founding and the development of the United Nations. (p. 30).

Alice Bailey is the most significant in shaping this New World Order as she was in constant touch with the ascended masters – the spirits of the dead -who guided in the developing plans. These so-called “masters,” who are supposed to be those who have gone through numerous cycles of reincarnation, are centered in Tibet and Nepal. They are accessible through occult meditation. They are demon spirits of Lucifer. These are reached through one’s altered state of consciousness. This is the approach used by the Catholics to contact Mary or one of the saints who are none other than Satan’s fallen angels. (p. 34).

Alice Bailey, a spiritualist medium, has developed the four pillars upon which the New Age Movement is built, namely evolution, reincarnation, astrology, and occult meditation by which you can appeal to the mighty antichrist promised to come. (p. 42).

As the New World structure grew occultism has become accepted as a science. Again let me remind you of God’s Word, “Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” 1 Corinthians 1:20. And again, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of man, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:8.

Here is where Carl Jung and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin brought occultism into psychology and philosophy. Carl Jung, once a minister of the gospel of Christ, rejected the doctrines of Christianity for the mystical religions based on experience. He spent six years with Sigmund Freud and believed that all individuals have the indwelling god as taught in eastern mysticism. (p. 54).

Pierre Teillard de Chardin, a Jesuit priest, had a passion for evolution and became a pantheist to speak of loving and adoring Mother Earth as a Christian would speak of loving God. He taught that one could commune with the earth as one would pray to God. He blended pantheism with Christianity. Finally he taught that this earth actually represented the body and the soul of Christ. He went so far from Biblical teachings that in 1957 the Catholic Holy Office demanded his work be withdrawn from their libraries, seminaries and religious institutions. But, he is now gaining acceptance among Catholic leaders including Pope John Paul II. He is now hailed in progressive Catholic circles as their great religious thinker and a scientific genius. (p. 64,65).

Today the field of medicine has also been infected with such practices as transcendental medicine, yoga, hypnosis and acupuncture which are now widely accepted in medicine. (p. 73). The father of such teachings in medicine can be traced to Edgar Case, who started playing with the spirits at the age of seven, (p. 74) which led to his research in metaphysical thought, used in medical treatments in ancient Egypt, Chaldea, Persia, India and Greece. (p. 77). As he went deeper into these past occult he finally taught that Jesus was actually Lucifer when He came to this earth as the Messiah. He further taught that God’s force of life actually flowed from God through us (p. 82) and that this energy could be adjusted when needled by inserting long, very fine needles, as used in acupuncture, to balance God’s power within you. Such science has even filtered down to the Girl’s Scout program of yin and yang badges of eastern mysticism found in the junior Girl Scout handbook where yoga exercises are explained. (p. 89).

All these pagan concepts are used to enforce world unity as the world healing day of December 31, 1986 for world peace. John Randolph Price was spirit directed by the illumined one (p. 91) as a result 77 countries of the world and 524 organizations participated (p. 106). But note where this is leading. He wrote in his Planetary Commission to be used in world healing mediation, “Now is the time for the new beginning. I am a co-creator with God. It is a new heaven that comes as the good will of God is expressed on earth through me. I begin with me. I am a living soul and the spirit of God dwells in me, as me. I and the Father are one; and all that the Father has, is mine. In truth I am the Christ of God. There is total oneness and in this oneness we speak the word. Let that sense of separation be dissolved. Let mankind be returned to godkind. (p. 107).

This was picked up by the Vatican interfaith conference of October 1986 in which John Paul II promoted global unity inviting 100 leaders of major non-Christian religions to join him in fasting and prayer for peace. It was at this meeting that the Pope made himself spokesman for all religions. (p. 126).

This brings us to the environmental agenda which has now been the major emphasis of the New World Order. We will conceive how this issue is now used to force every individual into giving up their freedoms. As we investigate these present-day developments I would again counsel to keep in mind what God thinks of man’s plan to force all to worship the beast. “Who change the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator.” Romans 1:25.

In the forefront of this environmental movement is Mikhail Gorbachev, born of a Russian Orthodox family. He rejected Christianity at the age of 21 when he joined the communist party. He worked his way to the top to become the president of the Soviet Union. (p. 134). The cold war finally brought about the financial collapse of the Soviet Union. But Gorbachev has never abandoned the principles of communism. In 1987, the year he launched perestroika, Gorbachev proclaimed, “In October 1917 we parted with the Old World rejecting it once and for all. We are moving toward a New World of communism. We shall never turn off that road.” (p. 135). Then again in 1989 he announced, “I am a convinced communist. It is my main goal.” In 1990 he emphatically said, “I am now just as I have always been, a convinced communist.” (p. 135).

In 1992 he came to the United States to establish the International Gorbachev Foundation. This think-tank is located on a former US military base in San Francisco. Here he is unveiling the blueprint for the UN New World Order of the 21st century, all in the name of saving the planet from environmental catastrophe. (p. 135).

Every detail of his plan was adopted by 149 nations with this recent September 2000 summit which included a complete restructuring of our world and our lives, including our economy, our political system, with a global taxation system, and international military force, and a new world religion based on pantheism, enforcement of over-population, and the redistribution of the world’s wealth. In 1995, 500 elder statesmen, business and religious leaders and scientists each paying $5,000.00 joined Gorbachev in his plans for global government.

Let it not be overlooked that Gorbachev has a fascination with eastern mysticism and the occult. He surrounds himself with these spiritual leaders. For example, Gorbachev selected a Tibetan monk to lead a special half-day Buddhist meditation at the forum. This man is author of the book The Living Buddha; The Living Christ . His one aim in life is to merge Buddhism with Christianity. Gorbachev is following the teachings of theosophy and is anti-Christian to the core. To bring this to pass he has declared, “The environmental crisis is the cornerstone of the New World Order. World civilization as we know it will soon end. We have very little time and we must act. If we can address the environmental problem we have hope but it will have to be done within a new system.” (p. 143).

By now you have a clear picture of the framework around which New World Order is being constructed. It fits like a hand in a glove with the Bible prediction of the beast power who will use force to mandate its coming laws. Listen again as I read Revelation 13: 16-18, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom, Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”

With the information contained in this tape you are now able, with God’s help, to meet this power. In our next tape, part 2, I will be presenting an explanation of the power behind the new-world religion. Surely the end of all things is just before us. Since we have discovered that the new-world religion of the United Nations is being guided into pantheism by the demons of spiritualism, so we can see that the present UN plan is to save mankind through the environmental approach which is leading into Baal worship, in which is sun worship, which will become the ruling religion. And every thinking Seventh-day Adventist knows that sun worship leads to Sunday-keeping – the mark of the beast. Those who accept will perish in hell fire.

But let us never forget that the Son of God had a plan for our escape. He loved us so much that although we are sinners He died in our place that we might live with Him. He will not permit Lucifer to destroy all of God’s faithful, for he will come in the Second Coming as a Savior to deliver the faithful out of the hand of the antichrist’s New World Order.

I am going to quote from Inspiration, “Spiritualism will become more and more pronounced as the professed Christian world reject the plainly revealed truth of the Word of God and refuse to be guided by a plain, ‘Thus saith the Lord,’ accepting instead the doctrines and the commandments of men. Through rejecting light and truth many are deciding their destiny for eternal death. And as men reject truth, the Spirit of God will gradually withdraw itself from the earth and the prince of this world will have more and more control over his subjects. He will show great signs and wonders as credentials of his divine claims and through spiritualism will work against Christ and His agencies. The scriptures positively forbid intercourse with evil angels on the supposition of communion with the dead. Through this deception Satan can educate souls in his school of falsehood and make of none effect the lessons that Christ would teach, which if practiced would result in the eternal life of those who obey. Satan is seeking to form a great confederacy of evil by uniting fallen men and fallen angels. But the Lord says, ‘When they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? For the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.’ Isaiah 8:19, 20.” Undated manuscript 66 , 1912.

Beloved, God will sustain his people through this final struggle. “Christ reveals to His people the fearful conflict that they must meet before His Second Coming. Before the scenes of their bitter struggle are open to them, they are reminded of their brethren who have drunk of the cup and have been baptized with the baptism. He who sustained these early witness to the truth will not forsake His people in the final conflict.”

“To John were opened the great events of the future that were to shake the thrones of kings and cause all earthly powers to tremble. He beheld the close of all earthly scenes, the ushering in of His reign who is to be the King of kings and whose kingdom is to endure forever. ‘Behold, he said, he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him, they also which pieced him, and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.’ Revelation 1:7 He saw Christ receiving the adoration of all the hosts of heaven and heard the promise that whatever tribulation might come upon God’s people if they would but patiently endure they would be more than conquerors through him that loved them. And Jesus said to the overcomer, ‘I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but will confess his name before my father and before his angels.’ Revelation 3:5.” Undated Manuscript 84 , p. 1-10 “Christ our Helper in the Great Crisis.”

Dear Father, as we see this end time event closing around us, please anoint us with Thy Holy Spirit that we might have divine wisdom to meet this coming foe. Grant us Thy keeping power to ever obey Thy eternal law. This we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.