Back to  The Revelation of Jesus Christ  Index File 2—Pages 99-202 99 A Few of the Statements Most Quoted By the Leaders Today       The following are a few of the statements we hear quoted by the leadership today. These are gleaned from the first chapters of Testimonies to Ministers. We wonder sometimes if these men have ever read beyond the first of the nineteen divisions of this book?       “I testify to my brethren and sisters that the church of Christ, enfeebled and defective as it may be, is the only object on earth on which He bestows His supreme regard.” TM 15.       This is dated Dec. 23, 1892. This of course has reference to the Seventh-day Adventist Organized church. In 1SM 57 We have this statement: “Regarding the testimonies, nothing is ignored; nothing is cast aside; but time and place must be considered.” In 1892 the Seventh-day Adventist church was the only denomination upon the earth that was recognized by Christ as His true church. But that church was the church militant, not the church triumphant.       “Has God no living church? He has a church, but it is the church militant, not church triumphant. We are sorry that there are defective members, that there are tares amid the wheat.” 1SM 45.       “Some people seem to think that upon entering the church they will have their expectations fulfilled, and meet only with those who are pure and prefect. They are zealous in their faith, and when they see faults in church members, they say, “We left the world in order to have no association with evil characters, but the evil is here also;” and they ask, as did the servants in the parable, “From whence then hath it tares?” But we need not to be thus disappointed, for the Lord has not warrented us in coming to the conclusion that the church is perfect; and all our zeal will not be successful in making 100 the church militant as pure as the church triumphant.” 1SM 47.       “God has a church upon the earth who are His chosen people, who keep His commandments. He is leading, not stray offshoots, not one here and one there but a people. The truth is a sanctifying power; but the church militant is not the church triumphant. There are tares among the wheat.” Page 61.       These statements were written in 1893—23 years before Sr. White died. In the above statements Sr. White says that God is not leading stray offshoots, not one here and one there, but a people. Does this mean that the Lord never did, nor never will, lead any stray offshoots? The founder of the Advent Movement was a stray offshoot. William Miller was a “stray offshoot” from the Protestant churches in his day. Every reformation in the past has been started by some person, —or persons, who were considered offshoots.       “The church is the property of God, and God constantly remembers her as she stands in the world, subject to the temptations of Satan.” TM 19.       “God has a church, a chosen people; and could all see as I have seen how closely Christ identifies Himself with His people, no such message would be heard as the one that denounces the church as Babylon.”       Is the Seventh-day Adventist church Babylon, or will it ever be Babylon? NEVER! But has not the church been taken captive by modern spiritual Babylon? Did ancient Israel become Babylon when she was taken captive by Babylon? The Jewish people have always maintained their peculiar identity down through the ages Likewise Seventh-day Adventists will always be Seventh-day Adventists, however the Jews suffered a more terrible reward than ancient Babylon suffered, and since Adventists have had greater light than other denominations, they will be judged according to the light bestowed.       “The system of organization has proved a grand success. Systematic benevolence was entered into according 101 to the Bible plan. The body has been ‘compacted by that which every joint supplieth.’ As we have advanced, our system of organization has still proved effectual.       “Let none entertain the thought that we can dispense with organization. It has cost us much study and many prayers for wisdom, that we know God has answered, to erect this structure. It has been built up by His direction, through much sacrifice and conflict. Let none of our brethren be so deceived as to tear it down, for you will thus bring in a condition of things that you do not dream of. In the name of the Lord I declare to you that it is to stand, strengthened, established, and settled.’ Has the system of organization proved a great success? Indeed it has! It has held God’s professed people together for over 100 years. What would have become of them if it had not been for the Organization? But they were not organized until nineteen years after 1844; What was it that held them together before they were organized? The following was written by Brother White before the church was organized:       “What is the principle that united the Advent children in the sweetest union without the formal constraint of organization? Is it not the power of living faith, a faith that works by love, and the true and only principle of Christian fellowship? There can be no room for sinister motives in such union. This faith embraces little of the earth, and necessarily excludes all worldly ambition . . . They have no church discipline to fear, nor the restraint of popular sentiment . . . . The Adventist would have no constraint but that of love, and no faith but that which receives every word that God has spoken.” (Our fathers and organization) RH, April 11, 1854.       Again the following was written by Sr. White in the RH Mar. 20, 1898: “We feel that we must belong to some organization if we would accomplish good. But John the Baptist did not work on this plan His mission was to prepare the way for the messiah by his God 102 given message; and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he did the work appointed him without calling to his aid priests or Rabbi . . . . They (the apostles) were few in number, but under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they did more for the conversion of those in Jerusalem than the large religious organization had ever done. No one is to seek to bind the hands of God’s instrumentalities. God has given every man his work, and if his children will consecrate themselves to Him, no one has a right to specify who is to work, or who is not to work. Let God work through whomsoever He will” It seems that this statement is looking forward to the very time in which we are living. John was preaching the Elijah message, and we believe that is the very message we have to preach. Certain it is that John was not bound by any religious organization, and we do not believe that this last work will be accomplished through any human organization. Let us quote one more statement in favor of organization—the strongest statement we know of in the Spirit of Prophecy:       “Some have advanced the thought that as we near the close of time, every child of God will act independently of any religious organization. But I have been instructed by the Lord that in this work there is no such thing as every man’s being independent. The stars of heaven are all under law, each influencing the other to do the will of God, yielding their common obedience to the law that controls their actions. And in order that the Lord’s work may advance healthfully and solidly, His people must draw together.       “The spasmodic, fitful movements of some who claim to be Christians is well represented by the work of strong but untrained horses. When one pulls forward, another pulls back, and at the voice of their master, one plunges ahead, and the other stands immovable. If men will not move in concert in the great and grand work for this time, there will be confusion. It is not a good sign when men refuse to unite with their brethren and 103 prefer to act alone. Instead of isolating themselves, let them draw in harmony with their fellow laborers. Unless they do this, their activity will work at the wrong time and in the wrong way. They will often work counter to that which God would have done, and thus their labor is worse than wasted.” TM 489, 490.       We believe that these statements will bear a little study. If we apply this the way many in the church organization would interpret it, then this would work directly contrary to the organization of the early church. There was little or no human planning or directing in the Apostolic church. Jesus promised them the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and it was the Holy Spirit that took complete charge of the work, just as it will be again during this last generation. The disciples had had a good illustration, in the Jewish church, of what a human organization would do—that organization crucified the Prince of life. Do not the reformers have a good illustration? in modern spiritual Israel, of what a human organization will do? Let us ask this question: Are we going to take the position that a human organization is far more efficient than a movement under the direct supervision of the holy spirit? Is the God of heaven and earth —the one who has charge of the whole universe— less competent to manage his church than are human beings?       Was it a human organization in Phillip’s day that directed him down to the desert in order to give the gospel to the eunuch?       Was it the Conference President that directed Peter to go with the three men in answer to the centurion’s call for spiritual help?       Was it some church official that directed Ananias to go and restore Paul’s sight? 104 How Shall We Conduct Ourselves Before The Lord? Shall we associate with those who reject light and truth?       These we believe are very important questions. We believe these questions concern our eternal welfare. We believe that we are having the last message that is to go to the world; that we are having a message that is to prepare a people for translation. Let us review the history of other reformations down through the ages.       If we go back as far as Noah, it is certain that the Lord separated Noah from the wicked antediluvian world by the flood.       We come on down to Abraham’s time, and the Lord called him out from among his kindred, and from his father’s house. We quote the following from PP 125:       “After the dispersion from Babel, idolatry again became well nigh universal, and the Lord finally left the hardened transgressors to follow their evil ways, while He chose Abraham, of the line of Shem, and made him the keeper of His law for future generations. Abraham had grown up in the midst of superstition and heathenism. Even his father’s household, by whom the knowledge of God had been preserved, were yielding to the seductive influence surrounding them, and they served other gods than Jehovah. But the true faith was not to become extinct, God has ever preserved a remnant to serve Him. Adam, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, Shem, in unbroken line, had preserved from age to age the precious revealings of His will. The son of Terah became the inheritor of this holy trust.”       In the days of ancient idolatrous Israel, it was Elijah whom the Lord sent to separate His true people from among those who were worshiping Baal. “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye 105 between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.” (1Kings 18:21) If there was no danger of contamination, why did the Lord separate His true people from among the idol worshippers?       It was not the Lord’s will that John the Baptist should be influenced by the sophistry and traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees.       “In the natural order of things, the son of Zechariah would have been educated for the priesthood. But the training of the rabbinical schools would have unfitted him for his work. God did not send him to the teachers of theology to learn how to interpret the Scriptures. He called him to the desert, that he might learn of nature and nature’s God.” DA 101.       John the Baptist had a special message to give. His message was to prepare God’s professed people for the coming of the Messiah. We believe we have a special message to give. This message is to prepare God’s professed people for the coming of the Lord in the clouds of heaven. John was to give the Elijah message for his day; We are to give the Elijah message for our day. While John was to give to the Jewish nation the message the Lord had given him for them, yet he was not to partake of the sins of the Jewish nation—he was not to compromise in order to get them to accept his message; he was not to associate intimately with them in their rounds of religious services; he was to present to them the character of the coming Messiah. Does the Lord expect less of us today?       At Christ’s first advent He started the greatest movement that has ever been known in the history of this old world. Christ did not choose the great and learned men of his day with which to organize the Christian church. His disciples were not men who were bound by the chains of religious creeds. They were men who could be taught to abide by the direction of the Holy Spirit. They were humble and teachable. When Christ died upon the cross, the veil of the temple was rent from the top to the bottom; 106 this was to indicate that there was to be a change of ministration from the sanctuary here on earth to the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven. For forty years after this event the Jewish people offered their sacrifices on polluted altars. The presence of God was no longer with them. Probation had closed for the leadership of the Jewish church; however mercy still lingered for honest souls who were seeking for light and truth. Have we any record in the Bible, or any proof from the Spirit of Prophecy, that any of those who really accepted Christ’s teaching, ever tried to get back into the Jewish church? Did not Christ’s teaching bring about a complete separation between his disciples and those who rejected his message? Will the separation between those who are preparing for translation and those who reject the translation message, be any less complete than it was during the early church?       How was it in the days of the early reformation? There came a time when Luther and the early reformers were completely separated from the Catholic church. Those men were real Protestants—they really protested against the evils of the Catholic church. To them it was the Catholic church, or the word of God. It was completely beyond their imagination to think of ever wanting to get back into the Catholic church. Present truth has always caused a complete separation between those who accepted it and those who rejected it.       Coming down to 1844 period; did a separation take place at that time. Was not the second angel’s message and the midnight cry a direct command to the little remnant to separate themselves from the apostatized Protestant churches? Only those who accepted the first and second angel’s messages, and separated themselves from the apostatized Protestant churches, entered with Christ into the most holy place and accepted the third 107 angel’s message. Again present-truth caused a complete separation.       There is a chapter in EW 123 entitled “False Shepherds”. This chapter was of course written in the early years of the Advent movement. The false shepherds she is writing about were some of those who had accepted the first and second messages of the Advent faith, but had failed to enter with Christ into the most holy place, and had rejected the Sabbath and the third angel’s message. These false shepherds were those who were trying to keep the door open into the first apartment, and close the door into the most holy place. It is quite evident that Sr. White thought that this chapter or vision, applied at the very time in which she was living—she expected to be translated within a very short time, but this chapter was never fully fulfilled in her day. We are going to quote this whole chapter, because we believe that it has a very important application to the very time in which we are living.       “I have been shown that the false shepherds were drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. The truth of God is sealed up to them, they cannot read it. When they are interrogated as to what the seventh-day Sabbath is, whether or not it is the true Sabbath of the Bible, they lead the mind to fables, I saw these prophets were like foxes of the desert. They have not gone up into the gaps, they have not made up the hedge that the people of God may stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. When the minds of any are stirred up, and they begin to inquire of these false shepherds about the truth, they take the easiest and best manner to effect their object and quiet the minds of the inquiring ones, even changing their position to do it. Light has shown on many of these shepherds, but they would not acknowledge it, and have changed their position a number of times to evade the truth and get away from the conclusions that they must come to if they continue in their former positions. The power of truth tore up their foundations, but instead of yielding to it, 108 they would get up another platform that they were not satisfied with themselves.       “I saw that many of these shepherds had denied the past teachings of God. They had denied and rejected the glorious truths which they once zealously advocated and had covered themselves with mesmerism and all kinds of delusions. I saw that they were drunken with error, and were leading on their flocks to death. Many of these opposers of God’s truth devise mischief in their heads upon their beds, and in the day they carry out their wicked devices to put down the truth and to get something new to interest the people, and divert their minds from the precious, all-important truth.”       It may appear that thus far in this chapter Sr. White is referring to the false shepherds of the apostate Protestant churches, but it is quite evident that such is not the case. In the first four lines of the second paragraph, she speaks of these shepherds thus; “I saw that many of these shepherds had denied the past teachings of God. They had denied and rejected the glorious truths which they once zealously advocated. And covered themselves with mesmerism and all kinds of delusions.” As we have said before, it is quite evident that these are those who once rejoiced in the truths of the first and second angel’s messages, but who were disappointed when they did not see the Saviour when they expected Him, and who rejected the third angel’s message.       “I saw that the priests who are leading on their flocks to death are soon to be arrested in their dreadful career. The plagues of God are coming.       (Did the generation in 1844 experience the seven last plagues? Was not this vision given for those in the last generation? Let the reader judge for himself.) But it will not be sufficient for the false shepherds to be tormented with one or two of these plagues. (Were the false shepherds back there tormented with the plagues?) God’s hand at that time will be stretched out still in wrath and justice and will not be brought to Himself 109 again until His purposes are fully accomplished, and the hireling priests are led to worship at the feet of the saints, and to acknowledge that God has loved them because they held fast the truth and kept God’s commandments, and until all the unrighteous ones are destroyed from the earth.       Did the false shepherds bow at the feet of the saints during that generation? In GC 655, in the chapter “desolation of the earth,” which begins at the time when God’s people are delivered, and takes us clear down to the end of the thousand years; we read these words: “They (the wicked—the false shepherds) realize what they have forfeited by transgression, and they fall at the feet of those whose fidelity they have despised and derided, and confess that God has loved them,” Surely this vision applies in our day.       “The different parties of professed Advent believers have each a little truth, (does not this apply to the several—organized and unorganized—offshoots from the Adventist church today?) but God has given all these truths to His children who are being prepared for the day of God. He has also given them truths that none of these parties know, neither will they understand. Things which are sealed up to them, the Lord has opened to those who will see and are ready to understand. If God has any new light to communicate, He will let His chosen and beloved understand it, without their going to have their minds enlightened by hearing those who are in darkness and error.       “I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend their meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while they teach error that is deadly poison to the soul, and teach for doctrines the commandments of men. The influence of such gatherings is not good. If God has delivered us from such darkness and error, we should stand fast 110 in the liberty wherewith He has set us free and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to those meetings where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffetings of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with darkness.       “I saw that we have no time to throw away in listening to fables. Our minds should not be thus diverted, but should be occupied with the present truth, and seeking wisdom that we may obtain a more thorough knowledge of our position, that with meekness we may be able to give a reason for our hope from the Scriptures. While false doctrines and dangerous errors are being pressed upon the mind, it cannot be dwelling upon the truth which is to fit and prepare the house of Israel to stand in the day of the Lord.”       We believe this is the message-that is to prepare a people for translation, and this vision applies at this time. This vision presents a complete separation between those who are being prepared for the day of God, and those who are neglecting the needful preparation.       “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from hence, touch not the unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.” Isa. 52:11. “Study revelation in connection with Daniel, for history will be repeated.” TM 116. Let Us Compare The Type With The Antitype       Near the close of the 2300 prophetic days in 1844, the first and second angel’s messages were proclaimed in order to prepare that generation to enter with Christ 111 into the most holy place for the judgment of the dead. During the 2300 literal days, the first and second angel’s messages are being proclaimed in order to prepare this generation to enter with Christ into the most holy place for the judgment of the living.       A few years before 1844, the first angel’s message— “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of his judgment (the judgment of the dead) is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters,”—called the attention of God’s true people away from the dominating influences of the leadership of the apostatized condition of the Protestant churches, and caused an awakening among those churches. While Christ was ministering in their behalf in the sanctuary above.       In our day, the first angel’s message has called the attention of God’s true people away from the dominating influence of the apostatized condition of the Adventist churches, and has caused an awakening in that church, while Christ ministers in their behalf in the sanctuary above.       In the summer of 1844, the second angel’s message— “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,” and “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him,” was proclaimed primarily to those who had accepted the first angel’s message. These two messages, joined in one, constituted a definite call to God’s true people to come out of the apostatized condition of the Protestant churches: and none of those who refused that call entered with Christ from the first apartment into the most holy place where they were to receive the third angel’s message and proclaim it to the world, in the power of the Holy Spirit —the loud cry.       During this last generation, the second angel’s message— 112 “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,” and “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him,” is to be proclaimed primarily to those who have, or will accept the first angel’s message. These two messages, joined in one, constitute a definite call to God’s true people to come out from among those who are in Laodicean condition, and none of those who refuse this call enter with Christ, from the first apartment into the Most Holy Place and give the third angel’s message in the power of the Holy Spirit! the loud cry.       “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.       Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you.       And will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2Cor. 6:14-18. 113 The Unsealing of The Book of Daniel In The Fifth Chapter of Revelation       Let us begin our study with the third and fourth chapters of Revelation. John’s first vision is recorded in the first three chapters of Revelation, and his second vision is recorded in the next four chapters, and down to the first verse of the eighth chapter. The vision of “The Shaking” in 1T 179 and EW 269, and the “End of the 2300 days” in EW 54, both belong in between the third and fourth chapters of Revelation. As we have said before; the last thing John saw in his first vision was God’s professed people in the Laodicean condition; as presented in the last verses of the third chapter. (Rev. 3:14-22) The first thing he saw in his second vision was a door opened into the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven, through which came a voice beckoning him up through that open door, where he would be shown “things which must be hereafter.” It is evident that John represents God’s people, as he enters the open door in the first verse of the fourth chapter. Do we have proof that this door does open into the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary? Let us study Rev. 4:5 in connection with GC 414. This is the chapter in Great Controversy entitled, “What is the Sanctuary?” The fifth verse of Rev. 4 says, “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” Commenting on this very verse, Sr. White says, “The holy places in the sanctuary in heaven are represented by the two apartments in the sanctuary on earth. As in vision the apostle John was granted a view of the temple of God in heaven, he beheld there ‘seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, . . . (Here Sr. White quotes the very words of Rev. 4:5 ). Here the prophet was permitted to behold the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven: and he saw there 114 the ‘seven lamps of fire’ and the ‘golden altar,’ represented by the ‘golden candlestick’ and the ‘altar of incense’ in the sanctuary on earth.       Surely this should be sufficient evidence to the wise virgins that the door in the first verse of the fourth chapter of Revelation opens into the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary The wise virgins come out from among those in the Laodicean church, and during the 2300 literal days, they enter through the open door into the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, where Jesus is preparing a people to enter with Him into the most holy place for the judgment of the living at the end of the 2300 days. It is at this very time—during the 2300 literal days—that Sr. White saw a remnant of the remnant coming out from among those in the Laodicean condition, as presented in the vision of “The Shaking.” In this vision she follows this little company step by step, while their characters are being perfected during the 2300 literal days, until they are prepared to go forth and give the loud cry immediately after the Sunday laws are enacted and enforced. As we understand these things, the ‘Shaking’ begins at the beginning of the 2300 literal days and continues clear on down through the 2300 days and ends at the time when the Sunday laws are enacted. The shaking takes place in the church, not during the loud cry. At the end of this period all of the remnant of the remnant have been called out from among those in the Laodicean condition, and there are none left in the Laodicean church but Laodiceans. It is then, and not until then, that the Lord spews the Laodicean church out of His mouth.       The vision of the ‘Shaking’ and the vision of ‘The End of the 2300 Days’ cover the same period of time—the 2300 days. In the vision of the ‘Shaking’ Sr. White follows the remnant of the remnant from the time they had obtained the victory, and it called forth from them the deepest gratitude, and holy, sacred joy.” They had come to the place where “Still the evil angels pressed around them, but they could have no power over them.” 115 Then, at the end of the 2300 days, they went forth and gave the loud cry. Now the loud cry does not come until the Sunday laws have been enacted and enforced. For proof of this see GC 449 and 604.       The vision of “The End of the 2300 Days” begins at the beginning of the midnight cry. In other words the midnight cry begins at the beginning of the 2300 literal days, and ends at the time when the Sunday laws are enacted. At the time when the Sunday laws are enacted (which as we see it, is just 90 days before they will be enforced) the Father leaves the throne in the first apartment and in a flaming chariot, goes into the most holy place. During the 90 days Jesus leads His little remnant of the remnant out a little way, and then He raises His glorious right arm, and addressing His little company, He says: “Wait here: I am going to My Father to receive the kingdom; keep your garments spotless, and in a little while I will return from the wedding and receive you to Myself.” Then Jesus steps into a cloudy chariot and is borne to the holiest where the Father sits. Did Jesus ever return for that little company in 1844? No; they are all in their graves, but He will return for this last generation while they are still living.       Now what do we learn from these two visions? From the vision of the ‘Shaking’ we learn that at the end of the 2300 days God’s remnant of the remnant have come to the place where although the evil angels still press around them, they can have no power over them, and then they go forth and give the loud cry. And from the vision of “The End of the 2300 Days” we learn that at the end of the 2300 days The garments of God’s elect are spotless, and they enter, by faith with Christ, into the most holy place for the judgment of the living. We also learn that at the beginning of the ninety day period, not one ray of light passes from Jesus to the careless multitude of Laodiceans, and they are left in perfect darkness.       But what is it that perfects the characters of the 116 translation church? Is it the gathering about the sanctuary, that we have heard so much about? In 1844 God’s people did gather about the sanctuary, but that was not until they had been disappointed, and until after they had entered with Christ into the most holy place. Before Oct. 22, 1844 they knew little or nothing about the sanctuary and its services. It was not until after they had been disappointed that they began to study the sanctuary question, which revealed to them the cause of their disappointment. It was at that time that they began to study the earthly sanctuary and its services, and thus to gather about the heavenly sanctuary. But God’s people were ready to meet the Lord, at their stage of development. Oct. 22, 1844. But their stage of perfection was the stage of perfection of the resurrection church not the stage of development of the translation church. Their characters had defects in them, just as all of God’s people have had down through the ages of the past; none have come to full maturity, as will those of the translation church. Christ, by His imputed righteousness, makes up for the defects of character in those of the resurrection church. But those in 1844 had perfected their characters while Jesus was ministering in the first apartment, and it was the first and second angel’s messages and the time prophecies of Daniel and the revelation that had perfected their characters. It was not the gathering about the sanctuary AFTER Oct. 22, 1844 that perfected the characters of God’s people back there; their characters were perfected, and they were ready to meet their Lord before they entered the most holy place.       “A spirit of solemn and earnest prayer was everywhere felt by the saints. A holy solemnity was resting upon them. Angels were watching with deepest interest the effect of the message, and were elevating those who received it, and drawing them from earthly things to obtain large supplies from salvation’s fountain. God’s people were then accepted of him. Jesus looked upon them with pleasure, 117 for his image was reflected in them. they had made a full sacrifice, an entire consecration, and expected to be changed to immortality.” EW 239.       Now the question will no doubt be asked: Why do you go into a study of the movement in 1844? That movement is all in the past; it is the movement in our day that we are interested in. The answer is simple: That movement was the type, and we are living in the time of the antitype. That movement back there was established to prepare a people for translation, but God’s people “Refused to do the work which He had appointed them,” and now after 120 years that movement must be reenacted in order to prepare another generation for translation. The history of the 1844 movement is to be repeated. The Adventist church does not believe in type and antitype, as concerns the movement in 1844 and the finishing of the work in these last days. But it was the first and second angel’s messages and the time prophecies of Daniel and the revelation that prepared a people for translation back there, and it will be the same messages that will prepare a people for translation during this last generation. “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you.” 2Cor. 6: 17.       Let us enumerate, as best we can, in their order, the events that take place during the period from the time the Sunday laws are enacted until they are enforced, or during the ninety day period. But let us keep in mind that these two visions, the vision of “The Shaking” and the vision of “The end of the 2300 Days,” cover the same period of time—the 2300 literal days.       1. The remnant of the remnant come to the place where “Still the evil angels press around them, but they could have no power over them.” Vision of “The Shaking”. 1T 179 and EW 269.       2. “I saw the Father rise from the throne, and in a flaming chariot go into the holy of holies within the veil, 118 and sit down.” Vision of the “End of the 2300 Days.” EW 55       3. Then Jesus rises from the throne, and leads His little remnant of the remnant out a little way. Vision of “The End of the 2300 Days.” EW 54.       4. I did not see one ray of light pass from Jesus to the careless multitude after He arose, and they were left in perfect darkness.” “End of the 2300 Days”. Page 55.       5. Jesus raises His glorious right arm and tells His remnant of the remnant to keep their garments spotless, and in a little while He will return from the wedding and receive them to Himself. He did not return for the little remnant in 1844—they are all in their graves. “End of the 2300 Days”. Page 55.       6. Then Jesus steps into a cloudy chariot and is borne to the holiest, where the Father sits. Here is another change of ministration, the same as in 1844.       7. At the time when the Sunday laws are enforced, the remnant of the remnant go forth and give the loud cry in the power of the Holy Spirit. This enrages the wicked and brings on persecution. Vision of “The Shaking”. Page 183.       8. During the ninety days, while Jesus is leading the little remnant of the remnant out a little way, the Father is in the most holy place, while Jesus in the first apartment, ministering before the golden altar, as He offers up the pleading agonizing prayers of His people, who are to soon suffer bitter persecution. The only place we find in the Revelation where Jesus is in the first apartment while the Father is in the most holy place. Rev. 8:3, 4, 5.       9. The little remnant of the remnant who are purified, and made white, before the Sunday laws are enacted and enforced are, during the persecution of the loud cry, they are tried and tested on the mark of the beast. This little remnant 119 of the remnant cannot be judged until after they are tried, and they cannot be sealed until after they are judged.       10. At the end of the ninety days Jesus takes the censor, and fills it with fire from off the altar, and casts it into the earth: and there are voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. The fire, which up to this time has been the medium through which the agonizing prayers of the remnant of the remnant were offered up to God, now becomes the means of destruction to those who have rejected the message that would have prepared them for translation. And now the seven trumpets begin to sound. These trumpets are judgments that begin to be poured out at the beginning of the loud cry, and are poured out especially upon those who have rejected the midnight cry message. The last three of these trumpets—the fifth, sixth, and seventh—are woe trumpets. We will have more on this when we come to chapters eight and nine.       The first angel’s message: “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of his judgment (the judgment of the living) is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” The church is worshipping its leadership, and the majority of the professed reformers are worshipping some man. It is the duty of the leaders to point the people to the real head of the church, and not to themselves. It is the duty of the leaders to teach the people to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit instead of seeking the guidance of some professed leader; why will these men take the place of the Holy Spirit? The first angel’s message points God’s people away from men. “Amid the confusion of delusive doctrines, the Spirit of God will be a guide and a shield to those who have not resisted the evidences of truth, silencing every other voice but that which comes from Him who is the truth.” GW 289.       The second angel’s message: “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, 120 that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,” the second angel’s message, couples with the midnight cry, (EW 238) constitutes a command to come out from among those who are partaking of the sins of Babylon. All through the writings of the Spirit of prophecy we are warned that, as a church, we are compromising with the world and seeking its approbation. “What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as he hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 2Cor. 6:16, 17. It is these two messages, as they are combined with the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation, and as the book of Daniel is unsealed in the Revelation, that perfects the characters of the remnant of the remnant during the 2300 literal days, or during the period of the vision of the ‘Shaking’, while Christ is ministering in the first apartment.       But what evidence do we have that the book of Daniel is unsealed in the Revelation while Christ is ministering in the first apartment during the 2300 literal days? This is an important question. In the first place, it was the messages contained in books of Daniel and the Revelation that perfected the characters of the pioneers of the Advent movement, prior to the judgment of the dead in 1844, while Christ was ministering in the first apartment during the 2300 years. And the same messages will perfect the characters of the remnant of the remnant while Christ is ministering in the first apartment, before the beginning of the judgment of the living, during the 2300 literal days. We shall learn from our study of the books of Daniel and the Revelation, that the prophecies of these two books are addressed particularly and especially to this last generation.       The 2300 literal days end at the beginning of the judgment of the living, just as the 2300 prophetic days ended 121 at the beginning of the judgment of the dead in 1844. Now the question comes: When does the judgment of the living begin? The judgment of the living cannot begin until after the characters of the remnant of the remnant have been perfected while Christ is ministering in the first apartment. Let us consider the vision of the ‘Shaking’ and follow the remnant of the remnant as they come out from among those that are in the Laodicean condition, on down to the time when, “The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. . . . They had obtained the victory (over sin) and it called forth from them the deepest gratitude, and holy, sacred joy . . . . Still the evil angels pressed around them, but they could have no power over them.” Now they go forth and give the loud cry. “I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered: ‘It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.” 1T 183. The judgment of the living begins at the end of the 2300 literal days.       Now the loud cry does not come until after the Sunday laws have been enacted and enforced; and this is what brings on persecution; and it is this persecution that tries the saints during the loud cry. “Many shall be purified, and made white, (during the 2300 literal days, while Christ is ministering in the first apartment) and tried,” (during the loud cry) “This is the test: (the mark of the beast, during the loud cry) that the people of God must have before they are sealed.” 7BC 976. Now let us go back to our question again: When does this judgment of the living begin? We are not setting a date for the judgment of the living to begin; but there is an event that must take place before the judgment of the living begins, and that event is the enacting of a national Sunday Law in the united states. The judgment of the living cannot begin until after the remnant of 122 the remnant have perfected their characters during the time when Jesus ministers in the first apartment—during the 2300 literal days. there is one thing we must take into consideration: The remnant of the remnant cannot be tried until after a Sunday law has been enforced, and they cannot be judged until after they have been tried, and they cannot be sealed until after they have been judged.       The 2300 literal days end and the 1260 literal days begin when a national Sunday law is enforced, and the enforcing of a national Sunday law is the signal for the beginning of the loud cry, and the loud cry will cover a period of two and one half years. This is allowing one year (of the three and one half years) for the seven last plagues.       Now let us take up the unsealing of the book of Daniel in the Revelation Let us study the vision of the ‘Shaking’. Here Sr. White was given a vision of the remnant of the remnant as they come out from among those who are in the Laodicean condition, and as they enter in through the open door (Rev. 4:1) into the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, where Jesus ministers during the 2300 literal days. We have already proved, by comparing Rev. 4:5 with GC 414, that John’s second vision is a scene in the first apartment. John’s first vision is described in the first three chapters of Revelation, while his second vision is described in the next four chapters. (Chapters 4, 5, 6 & 7). Chapter four describes the beginning of the scene in the first apartment. Now before going farther, let us make it positively clear that this scene takes place at the time when God’s professed church is in the Laodicean condition: and not at the time when Christ entered the first apartment after His death and resurrection. John was projected down to the very days in which we are living, and in the last verses of Revelation three, he saw the church in the Laodicean condition, and in the first verse of Chapter four he saw a door opened into the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, and he heard a voice 123 inviting him (John represented the church) up through the open door, where they would be shown “things which must be hereafter.”       Let us please keep in mind that, as the remnant of the remnant come out of the Laodicean condition they enter through the open door into the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, (and this takes place at the beginning of the 2300 literal days) where they are shown the things which must be hereafter. (Chap. 4:1) In the next verse John saw a throne set in heaven, and ONE sat on the throne. According to verse five this was in the first apartment. From here let us turn to the first verse of the fifth chapter, here we see this same being upon the throne.       “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within, and on the backside sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” Verses 1-5. “The book of Daniel is unsealed in the revelation to John, and carries us forward to the last scenes of this earth’s history.” TM 115.       I am going to quote from this same book, beginning on page 114:       “One thing will certainly be understood from the study of Revelation, —that the connection between God and His people is close and decided. A wonderful connection is seen between the universe of heaven and this world. The things revealed to Daniel were afterward complemented by the revelation made to John on the isle of Patmos. These two books should be carefully 124 studied. Twice Daniel inquired, How long shall it be to  the end of time? ‘And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand two hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. It was the Lion of the tribe of Judah who unsealed the book (the book of Daniel) and gave to John the revelation of what should be in these last days.”       Where, in the Revelation, aside from the fifth chapter, is there a book that is unsealed by the Lion of the tribe of Judah;—a book that heretofore has been sealed up? Let us state this plainly: There is no other place in the Revelation, aside from the fifth Chapter, where the Lion of the tribe of Judah unseals a book that has hitherto been sealed up. Unless someone can point us to some other place in the Revelation, we must take it for granted that the book of Daniel is unsealed in the fifth chapter of Revelation.       Now let us get the picture: As the remnant of the remnant —those who are of the translation church—come out from among those who are in the Laodicean condition, and enter the open door of the first apartment, where they are shown the ‘things which must be hereafter’, they see the book of Daniel unsealed in the fifth chapter of Revelation. The book they see in the right hand of Him who sits upon the throne is not just the book of Daniel, but it is the book of Daniel as that book is unsealed in the Revelation. In other words, as the book of Daniel is unsealed in the Revelation these two books be 125 come one. “The books of Daniel and Revelation are one. One is a prophecy, the other a revelation: one a book sealed, the other a book open.” MS 59, 1900. It is the messages of these two books, as they become one at the beginning of the 2300 literal days, that prepares the remnant of the remnant to go forth and give the loud cry in the power of the Holy Spirit, immediately after the Sunday Laws are enacted and enforced. The 2300 literal days end at the time when the Sunday laws are enacted and enforced. Just as the first and second angel’s messages of these two books, and the time prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation prepared a people for the coming of the Lord in 1844, so these same messages and time prophecies will prepare the 144,000 for translation in our day.       The 144,000 are the ‘first fruits’, the first fully ripened grain. They are the first heads of grain of the spiritual harvest to come to full maturity. Only the living saints perfect their characters and come to the close of their probationary time while they are still alive. In the old sanctuary service, which was the type, the children of Israel went through the fields and plucked the first heads of fully ripened grain, and these were bound into a sheaf and waved before the Lord before the rest of the harvest could be reaped. The Jewish nation could not put the sickle to the harvest until this sheaf had been waved before the Lord. The 144,000 are represented by those heads of fully ripened grain—those heads that had come to full maturity before the harvest could be reaped.       Let us review the past history of God’s church upon the earth. All down through the ages, no group of the resurrection church has ever come to full maturity. No group has ever become fully ripened while they worshipped here on this old earth. The imputed righteousness of Christ has made up for their deficiencies—their lack of maturity. For this reason Satan has maintained that it is impossible for human beings to keep God’s law. He must admit of course that Christ kept God’s law, but Christ was part Divine; besides Christ came to this old world two thousand 126 years ago; if Satan could have Christ here now, after His two thousand years of experience, he asserts that the story would be different. “Very well,” says Christ, “I am going to perfect the characters of 144,000 human beings: many of whom have been in the very depths of sin, and then I am going to turn them over to you. After this I am going to step out from between them and My Father, and if you can tempt one of them to sin, then the victory in the controversy between you and me is yours! The whole plan of salvation depends upon you being able to cause one of them to sin!       “And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to/open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” Rev. 5:4.       Let us ask this question: Why did John weep? He realized that the book in the right hand of Him who sat upon the throne contained the messages that were to perfect the characters of the 144,000; and that if this book could never be unsealed the characters of the 144,000 could never be perfected, and if their characters could not be perfected the whole plan of salvation would come to nothing, —Christ’s sacrifice would be in vain, and sin in the universe would be perpetuated. Is it any wonder that Satan is doing everything in his power to keep us from understanding the messages of these two books? All down through the history of the Christian dispensation Satan has been striving with all his might to keep God’s people from understanding the Revelation. All of his deceptions have been aimed against the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation, which have to do with Christ’s ministration in the sanctuary above. Is the fifth chapter of Revelation of any special importance to us in these last days. Let us turn to Vol. 9:267, 8.       “The fifth chapter of Revelation needs to be closely studied. It is of great importance to those who 127 shall act a part in the work of God in these last days. There are Some who are deceived. They do not realize what is coming on the earth. (The remnant of the remnant who come through the open door into the first apartment of the sanctuary are to be shown the “things which are to be hereafter.” But the foolish Laodiceans will never understand.) Those who have permitted their minds to become beclouded in regard to what constitutes sin are fearfully deceived. Unless they make a decided change they will be found wanting when God pronounces judgment upon the children of men. They have transgressed the law and broken the everlasting covenant, and they will receive according to their works.”       What is it in the minds of these individuals that constitutes sin? Is it not the rejection of truth? It is through the Holy Spirit that the Lord reveals truth to us, so when we reject truth, we reject the Holy Spirit, and when we reject the Holy Spirit we commit the sin against the Holy Ghost—the unpardonable sin. Now what will be the reward of those who reject the message of the fifth chapter of Revelation? The next paragraph tells us:       “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, 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. 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?” Rev. 6:12-17. 128       All down through the history of the Christian dispensation, the church has had access to the book of Revelation—the book of Revelation was never sealed—but the book of Revelation could not be fully understood until the time came for the book of Daniel to be unsealed in the Revelation, and that was not to be until this last generation. Now since it is the messages contained in the books of Daniel and the Revelation, as these two books become one, that are to perfect the characters of the 144,000, then those who reject these messages will eventually call for the rocks and mountains to fall on them and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb, when the day of His wrath is come, which is under the seventh plague.       “The book which John saw, contained a revelation of scenes that were to transpire in the history of the church to the end of time. Its being held in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne may signify that a knowledge of the future rests with God alone, except so far as he sees fit to reveal it to others.”       There is one more phase of this fifth chapter that we should consider before we move on to the next subject. There are those who point to a statement in COL 294, as proof that the book in the right hand of Him that sits upon the throne is the book of records of sins that have been committed in the past. Let us examine this statement very closely. It reads as follows:       “Thus the Jewish leaders made their choice. Their decision is registered in the book which John saw in the hand of Him that sat upon the throne, the book which no man could open. In all its vindictiveness this decision will appear before them in the day when this book is unsealed by the Lion of the tribe of Judah “       In the sixth chapter of Revelation the Lion of the tribe of Judah unseals this book. After He unseals the first five seals we come to the sixth seal, and here is where the Jews’ choice is registered in this book. All the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation are unsealed to the remnant of the remnant before they come to pass, 129 or before these judgments are poured out upon those who reject these messages. This sixth seal does not actually come to pass until under the beginning of the seventh plague—after God’s people have been delivered. It is the voice of God that delivers His people at the beginning of the seventh plague, and it is the voice of God that causes that “mighty earthquake, ‘such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great;’ “ and it is this earthquake that opens the graves of those who come up in the special resurrection; and those Jews who crucified Christ come up among those who are raised in that resurrection. The following is quoted from GC 637:       “Graves are opened, and ‘many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth . . . awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt’. All who have died in the faith of the third angel’s message come forth from the tomb glorified, to hear God’s covenant of peace with those who have kept His law. ‘They also which pierced Him, those who mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people, (among them, those who, before their death rejected the message for this last generation) are raised to behold Him in His glory, and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient.”       Here those who crucified Christ come up in the special resurrection, and they go through the seventh plague—the most terrible time in the history of this old earth, and they are alive upon the earth, to see the Lord come in all His glory, and to call for the mountains and rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. Do we demand more evidence that the Jews who crucified Christ will receive their reward during the sixth seal of the book in the hand of Him that sits upon the throne? On page 642 of Great Controversy, we have this statement in the chapter, “God’s people delivered:”       “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and 130 the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said unto 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?”       Here Sr. White not only points out the reward of those who reject the messages of Revelation five, but she also gives the reward of those who “receive with gladness every ray of divine illumination from His holy word”—those who gladly receive the messages of Revelation five, and who will eventually go forth and give the loud cry.       “After this I beheld, and, Lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb . . . . These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more: neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Rev. 7: 9-17.       “In these Scriptures two parties are brought to view. One party permitted themselves to be deceived and took sides with those with whom the Lord has a controversy. They misinterpreted the messages sent them and clothed themselves in robes of self-righteousness. Sin was not sinful in their eyes. They taught falsehood as truth, and by them many souls were led astray.” 9T 267-268.       In these Scriptures two parties are brought to 131 view. One part permitted themselves to be deceived. Evidently this is the party who does not realize what is coming on the earth. These are the ones that have permitted their minds to become beclouded in regard to what constitutes sin; they have taken sides with those with whom the Lord has a controversy. With whom does the Lord have a controversy? Is it not with those whom He declares He will spew out of His mouth? These are the ones who misinterpret the messages sent them and clothe themselves in robes of self-righteousness. Is not this a picture of the Laodicean condition?       Let us give Sr. White’s second statement some real study—Rev. 7:9-17. The question: Who constitute the great multitude? Is it the righteous dead of all ages—the resurrection church—those who come up in the general resurrection at the coming of Christ? Or are they those who are brought in under the loud cry? Or just who are they? In this discussion Sr. White certainly includes, in the great multitude, those who have accepted the messages of Daniel and the Revelation, as the book of Daniel is unsealed in the Revelation, in the fifth chapter. So it is evident, from what we have been studying, that those who accept the message of Revelation five, are included in the great multitude; and those who accept the message of Revelation five are those who have their characters perfected through the messages of Daniel and the Revelation, and they are of the translation church. And so it is very evident that at least not all of the great multitude are of the resurrection church, neither do all of those who come in under the loud cry constitute the great multitude.       Now let us view this question from an entirely different standpoint. The 144,0()0 are the ‘first fruits’ the first fully ripened grain; the first grain of the spiritual harvest to come to full maturity. The 144,000 represent the whole harvest—the righteous dead of all ages, and themselves included. The characters of the righteous dead come to full maturity through the imputed righteousness of Christ. Christ’s imparted righteousness was only 132 partially effective for the dead; but for the 144,000 His imparted righteousness is fully effective! It is through His imparted righteousness that they are without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. So when John speaks of the great multitude in Rev. 7:9-17, he includes the 144,000, for if it were not for the perfected characters of the 144,000—if it were not that the 144,000 come to full maturity during the most terrible persecution in the history of this old world, the dead of all ages—the resurrection church could never be harvested.       Just a word in regard to the term ‘imparted righteousness’. We do not understand that Christ arbitrarily imparts His righteousness to the 144,000. It was through the imparted righteousness of the Father that Christ was enabled to live a perfect life here on earth at His first advent, and it is through the imparted righteousness of Christ that the 144,000 are enabled to live the Christ-life during the time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation. Let us think of it in this way: It was the divine assistance of the father (not Christ’s own divinity) that enabled Him to live a perfect life here upon the earth; and it is certainly through the divine assistance of Christ that the 144,000 will be enabled to live a perfect life here upon the earth. The Seven Seals of Revelation Six, Seven and Eight, Chapter Six       As we study these seals let us keep in mind that the book in the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne was bound up by these seals. As we learned in our study of Rev. 5, this book in the hand of Him who sat upon the throne is the book of Daniel, as it is unsealed in the Revelation. After the book of Daniel is 133 unsealed in the Revelation these two books become one. It is the unsealing of Daniel in the Revelation that brings to view the “things which must be hereafter,” in Rev. 4:1, and the ‘things which must shortly come to pass’ in Rev. 1:1. These future events are revealed to the wise virgins—the remnant of the remnant—before they take place; but they come upon the foolish virgins—the Laodicean church—unawares. These seven seals point out seven principal events that transpire during the last generation that lives upon the earth. Indeed! the whole of the book of Daniel and the Revelation, as these books become one, is given to warn God’s people—the remnant of the remnant—of what is coming upon the earth, so that they may be prepared beforehand for the tests that are to come upon them. They are not given to warn us of the tests that came upon the pioneers of the Advent Movement.       Now we are not trying to deny the fact that these seals met their first fulfillment during the long prophetic periods—the period of the resurrection church. But it is evident that these seals meet their fulfillment during two separate periods of this earth’s history.       The first four are unsealed at the time when a national Sunday law is enacted, or just before the loud cry begins. The fifth seal is unsealed during the loud cry. The sixth seal is unsealed, or begins to be unsealed, at the deliverance of God’s people, at the beginning of the seventh plague, and the seventh seal is unsealed at Christ’s coming and the saints’ journey to the New Jerusalem.       “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering and to conquer. Rev. 6:1, 2.       The color of this horse represents purity and light. Elder Smith places this first seal during the apostolic period of the gospel dispensation, when the church was pure and 134 her doctrines bore the pure light of the gospel of Christ. We are placing this first seal at the beginning of the loud cry, when the pure gospel for this last generation will be given to the world. It is during the 2300 literal days while Christ is ministering in the first apartment, that He prepares a remnant of the remnant to go forth and give the loud cry. The bow represents an implement of Spiritual warfare, while the crown is a token of victory, the victory over sin. After this victory has been gained, this company are prepared to give the loud cry of the third angel. This harmonizes perfectly with the statement in 5T 214:       “Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects of our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.”       The vision of the ‘Shaking’ pictures the remnant of the remnant as they come out from among those in the Laodicean condition, and it follows them on down to the place where, “The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet . . . . They had obtained the victory, (the victory over sin) and it called forth from them the deepest gratitude, and holy, sacred joy . . . . Still the evil angels pressed around them, but they could have no power over them. After this—after they had obtained the victory, and after the evil angels could have no more power over them, —after they had been awarded the crown of victory; then they go forth and give the loud cry.       “Awake, awake; put on thy strength. O Zion; Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem: the holy city: (The holy city (the true church) shall they tread under foot forty and two months.) for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.” Isa. 52:1. (GC 266, Old edition). 135 “Clad in the armor of Christ’s righteousness, the church is to enter upon her final conflict. “Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as any army with banners.’ she is to go forth into all the world, conquering and to conquer.” PK 725. (This is a picture of the church triumphant! ) THE LITERAL TIME PROPHECIES       “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went forth another horse that was red: and power was given unto him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another; and there was given unto him a great sword.” Verses 3, 4.       In the second seal is presented a red horse. In the Bible and the Spirit of prophecy red represents two things—sin and blood. Blood of course is a symbol of persecution and martyrdom. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isa. 1: 18. The red horse and his rider follow the white horse and his rider. The white horse and his rider represent the remnant of the remnant as they go forth and give the loud cry; the red horse and his rider represent those who oppose the message of the loud cry, and persecute those who give that message. In the vision of the ‘Shaking’, after the remnant of the remnant had perfected their characters to the place where it could be said of them, “Still the evil angels pressed around them, but they could have no power over them.” Then they went forth and gave the loud cry; then Sr. White says, “I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered: ‘It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel. (great power was with these chosen ones. Said the angel: ‘Look ye!’ My attention was turned to the wicked, or unbelievers. They were all astir. The zeal and power with the people of God had aroused and enraged them. Confusion, confusion was on 136 every side. I saw measures taken against this company, who had the power and light of God, Etc. Again in GC 607, we have this statement: “The power attending the message (the message of the loud cry) will only madden those who oppose it.” This shows the persecution that will attend the loud cry, represented by the red horse and his rider. And then there are those statements in EW 18, 19:       “As we were traveling along, we met a company who were also gazing at the glories of the place. I noticed red as a border of their garments: their crowns were brilliant; their robes were pure white. As we greeted them, —I asked Jesus who they were. He said They were martyrs that had been slain for Him. With them was an innumerable company of little ones; They also had a hem of red on their garments.” Thus “peace” was taken “from the earth, and that they should kill one another; and there was given unto him a great sword.” The Third Seal       “And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse, and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” Verses 5, 6.       The color of the third horse is black. If the white of the first horse represented purity and light, then the black of the third horse must represent the opposite—it must represent impurity and darkness. If the white horse represents the company that has been purified through the message that is to perfect the characters of the 144,000, then the black horse must represent the company that have rejected the purifying message. These two companies represent the 137 wise and the foolish virgins; and the wise and the foolish virgins represent those who were at one time members of the SDA organized church; and thus the weighing in the balances represents the weighing of the members of the Adventist church:       “In the balances of the sanctuary the Seventh-day Adventist church is to be weighed. She will be judged by the privileges and advantages that she has had. If her spiritual experience does not correspond to the advantages that Christ, at infinite cost, has bestowed upon 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.” 8T 247.       But what is represented by the wheat and the barley? And what are we to understand by the ratio of one to three? The wheat and the barley represent spiritual food,. The wheat represents pure unadulterated spiritual food; while the barley represents an inferior spiritual food that is largely made up of spiritual chaff. Now any grain farmer knows that wheat, as it comes from the thresher, or separator, is perfectly free from chaff; but barley, as it comes from the separator, from all appearance, is nearly all chaff. One thing is sure and certain, the spiritual food that perfects the characters of the 144,000 is pure unadulterated spiritual wheat; while the spiritual food that is meted out to the Laodicean Adventist church is mostly spiritual chaff. According to the parable of the workers in the vineyard, a penny was a day’s wages, and the ‘virgins’ are weighed according to the variety of spiritual food they demand for their penny. Those who are satisfied with an inferior quality of spiritual food, are those who are judged unworthy of translation; while those who demand the genuine truth, as it is in Jesus, are of the church triumphant: these are made perfect through the ‘oil’ (the Holy Spirit) and the ‘wine’—the blood of Christ. 138 The Fourth Seal       “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” Verses 7, 8.       The pale color of this horse certainly represents death, and especially so, when we take into consideration that the rider is named death. And Hell followed with him. Is this the grave, or does it also include eternal destruction? How are we to interpret the expression ‘the fourth part of the earth?’ Let us keep in mind that we are applying these first four seals at the time when a national Sunday law has been enacted and at the beginning of the loud cry. At that time the inhabitants of the earth will be divided into four general divisions: The wicked are divided into two general classes—the professed Protestants and the Catholics—(the beast and his image). And at that time God’s professed people will also be divided into two separate divisions—the ‘wise’ and the ‘foolish’ virgins, or the remnant of the remnant, and those who are still in the Laodicean condition.       The weighing in the balances comes under the third seal, and this also brings up another question: Does the weighing in the balances refer to the judgment of the living in the sanctuary above? The remnant of the remnant—those who have come out from among those in the Laodicean condition—are not tested until during the loud cry, after the Sunday laws have been enacted and enforced; and they cannot be judged until after they have been tested, and they cannot be sealed until after they have been judged. “This is the test (the mark of the beast) that the people of God must have before they are sealed.” 7BC 976. If the wise and the foolish 139 virgins are not separated until the judgment of the living, which comes just before the saints are sealed, and after they have been tested by the mark of the beast, which comes during the loud cry; then it must be evident that the foolish virgins have a part in giving the loud cry. But this is not the case! The weighing in the balances comes before the loud cry is given. But someone may ask, How can the—church be weighed in the balances before the judgment of the living? The remnant of the remnant do not give the loud cry until after their characters have been perfected, as is plainly stated in the following quotation:       “Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects of our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.” 5T 214.       What is it that does the separating of the wise and foolish virgins before the loud cry is given? What is it that judges the church before the judgment of the living in the most holy place of the sanctuary above? There is a judgment that takes place before the loud cry; The wise and foolish virgins judge themselves by their choice of spiritual food, —by their choice of the wheat or the barley. It is today just as it was in the time of the early disciples; the followers of Christ were distinguished from the Jewish church by their choice of the spiritual food they chose; some chose the spiritual food meted out by the Scribes and Pharisees, while the wise virgins chose the message of the Messiah. The disciples and the Jewish church were separated by their respective messages. This is illustrated in Acts 13:46:       “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” 140 Does not the unsealing of the book of Daniel in the fifth chapter of Revelation separate the wise and the foolish virgins during this last generation? The book of Daniel, as it is unsealed in the Revelation, at the time of the end, when many are running to and fro contains the messages that prepare the 144,000 for translation. The wise virgins accept these messages while the foolish virgins reject them. Let us study two or three of these statements in 9T 267, relative to the study of the fifth chapter of Revelation. “The fifth chapter of Revelation needs to be closely studied. It is of great importance to those who shall act a part of the work of God for these last days.” That is exactly what we are doing in this book. We are studying the fifth chapter of Revelation because we believe it is of great importance to us who are to act a part in the work of God for these last days. “There are some who are deceived. They do not realize what is coming on the earth.” Who are those who are deceived? Are they not the foolish virgins who are rich and increased with goods, and in need of nothing? And who turn down any light the Lord might have for this last generation? It is in the first verse of the fourth chapter of Revelation where God’s people are called up through the open door of the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, and where they are shown the things which must be hereafter. It is in the very next chapter, in the same vision, that the book of Daniel is unsealed in the Revelation, and it is the books of Daniel and the Revelation that reveal the “things which must be hereafter.” Surely the wise and foolish virgins, in these last days, are separated by the messages in the fifth chapter of Revelation.       With these thoughts in mind, let us go back to the four divisions of the inhabitants of the earth under the fourth seal—the pale horse and his rider, Death. The fourth seal opens at the beginning of the loud cry, which is at the beginning of the little time of trouble. This little time of trouble comes before the general close of probation and the pouring out of the seven last plagues. This is made 141 plain in EW 85, 86.       “The commencement of the ‘little time of trouble,’ here mentioned, does not refer to the time when the plagues shall be poured out, but to a short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is in the sanctuary. At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel. At that time the ‘latter rain,’ or the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out.”       This should be proof positive that the ‘little time of trouble’ begins at the beginning of the latter rain and at the beginning of the loud cry. It is at this time that God’s destructive judgments begin to be poured out, and it is at this time that the door of mercy is closed to those who would not enter —the Laodicean church; and it is also at this time that the pale horse and his rider (death) go forth to give the reward to the fourth part of the earth—those who have rejected the translation message!       “Oh, that the people might know the time of their visitation! (God’s professed people). There are many who have not yet heard the testing truth for this time. (Those who are still in Babylon). There are many with whom the Spirit of God is striving. the time of God’s destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who have had no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched; His hand is still stretched out to save. While the door is closed to those who would not enter” (The foolish virgins). 9T 97.       “What terrible scenes will take place 142 when the Lord shall arise to shake terribly the earth! Then the words of Revelation 18:1-3 (The loud cry of the third angel) will be fulfilled.” LS 412.       According to these statements, at the time when the Sunday laws are enacted and enforced, then is when God’s judgments begin to be poured out on the wicked inhabitants of the earth; and this is the time when the foolish virgins realize that they have rejected the very message that would have prepared them for translation. It is from this time on that they are to be killed with the sword, and with hunger, (literal and spiritual) and with death, (eternal death) and with the beasts of the earth. They will receive the same punishment as the beast and the false prophet (the two horn beast of Rev. 13:11, 12.) will receive—they will be cast into the lake of fire. They will also suffer the torment of the fifth trumpet, when men shall seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. Rev. 9:6. This is the class of whom it is said in EW 124:       “The plagues are coming, but it will not be sufficient for the false shepherds to be tormented with one or two of these plagues. God’s hand at that time will be stretched out still, in wrath and justice and will not be brought to Himself again until His purposes are fully accomplished, and the hireling priests are led to worship at the feet of the saints, and to acknowledge that God has loved them because they held fast the truth and kept God’s commandments, and until all the unrighteous ones are destroyed from the earth.”       According to GC 655, the wicked do not bow at the saint’s feet until under the seventh plague. The first six trumpets are sounded during the loud cry—during probationary time. The last three trumpets are woe trumpets—the fifth, sixth, and seventh. The sixth trumpet (which is the second woe trumpet) sounds at the close of 143 probation. The seven trumpets will be revealed as the scroll (in Rev. 5), is unrolled. But it is evident that these trumpets are judgments that are to be poured out upon those who reject the message the Lord has to prepare the 144,000 for translation—those under the fourth seal. Now, right now, while probationary time lingers, is the time for those who profess to know the truth, to escape the terrible judgments that are to come upon the rejecters of God’s mercy. We will have more in regard to the seven trumpets later on in our studies. The Fifth Seal       “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held; And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, cost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” Verses 9-11.       Elder Uriah Smith, in his book “Daniel and the Revelation,” pages 439-443, Old Edition, applies this fifth seal to the period of the 1260 years of papal persecution. We are applying it to the 1260 literal days of papal persecution. Here again is proof that these prophecies are fulfilled during two separate and distinct periods—the first time over the long prophetic periods of the resurrection church, and again during the last generation that is to live upon the earth.       We all agree that these souls under the altar are the martyrs who have been slain down through the ages of the past, and especially those who were slain during the first supremacy of the papacy; while those who are yet to be slain are those who will be slain during the second supremacy 144 of the papacy. The second supremacy of the papacy begins at the time when a national Sunday law is enacted, and this is also the beginning of the loud cry, and the loud cry is brought to view in the first verses of the eighteenth chapter of Revelation. Notice the following statement:       “When the fifth seal was opened, John the Revelator in vision saw beneath the altar the company that were slain for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. After this came the scenes described in the eighteenth chapter of Revelation when those who are faithful and true are called out from Babylon. Rev. 18:1-5 quoted. SDA Comm. 963. MS 39, 1906.       It is during the loud cry, before probation closes, that there will be those of the remnant of the remnant who will shed their blood in testimony of their faith. Throughout the land the papacy is piling up her massive and lofty structures, in the secret recesses of which her former persecutions are to be repeated. 5T 449, 450. But the real death decree does not come until under the sixth plague. But more about that later. The Sixth Seal       “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, 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. 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 freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains: And said to the mountains 145 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 has come; and who shall be able to stand?” Verses 12-17.       Elder Smith, in his book “Daniel and the Revelation” has the sixth seal opening at the time of the great Lisbon earthquake; and we recognize this as true, as this seal applied during the long prophetic periods—during the resurrection period. But again we are applying this sixth seal to the translation period. During the long prophetic periods, the Lisbon earthquake was the most destructive earthquake in history up until that time; but the earthquake that is caused by the voice of God as He delivers His people, at the beginning of the seventh plague, exceeds any earthquake that has hitherto been recorded; it is described in GC 637.       Our Adventist people apply this great earthquake, the darkening of the sun and the moon, and the falling of the stars, all in the past. The great earthquake was in 1755, the darkening of the sun and moon was in 1780, the falling of the stars in 1833. They tell us that we are living between verses 13 and 14 of Rev. 6. Is this true? Yes it is the truth, but it is not present truth. These were signs of the end, during the long prophetic periods—during the period of the resurrection church, but we are living in the generation of the translation church. In Matt. 24:29, we have these words:       “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.”       There are four events brought to view in this verse. (1) the great tribulation, (2) the darkening of the sun and the moon, (3) the falling of the stars, (4) the shaking of the powers of the heavens. During the fulfillment of these events in the past; the great tribulation referred to the 1260 years of papal persecution, during the first supremacy 146 of the papacy. Let us apply these events now to the second supremacy of the papacy. “The tribulation of these days” ends when God’s people are delivered from the death decree at the beginning of the seventh plague; and then is when these other events are fulfilled. The sun and the moon are darkened, the stars fall from heaven, “as a fig tree casts her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind,” and the heavens depart, as a scroll when it is rolled together. These all come under the sixth seal, and the sixth seal opens at the great earthquake that is caused by the voice of God that delivers the saints. Jesus said of these events: “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Matt. 24:34, 35. What better evidence do we need that these prophecies are to be refulfilled during the last generation? In order to verify the period when this sixth seal will be fulfilled, read and study the chapter in Great Controversy, “God’s People Delivered.” Further reference to this seal will be found under the heading, “The unsealing of the book of Daniel in the fifth chapter of Revelation.”       The whole of the sixth seal is fulfilled after the close of probation; in fact it is all fulfilled under the seventh plague. It is taken for granted that the wicked of this earth—those who have never professed the Advent message—receive to a greater or less degree the torments of this sixth seal, but how much greater will be the torment of those who have professed the Advent faith, but who have rejected the message that would have prepared them to escape these terrible, terrible judgments and plagues. Those are those of whom it is said in Amos 8:11, 12:       “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to 147 seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.”       This sixth seal gives us a picture of the reward of those professed Adventists who have been unconcerned and indifferent and Laodicean regarding the wonderful message the Lord has for those who are to be translated. The seventh chapter gives us a picture of those professed Adventists who have heeded the message to the Laodiceans and have perfected their characters and are prepared to stand upon the sea of glass and be one of the 144,000.       the whole of the seventh chapter of revelation is a picture of the reward of the 144,000—the firstfruits, and those they represent—the harvest of the earth—the righteous of all the ages. And now we come to the seventh seal, Rev. 8:1. The Seventh Seal       “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.”       One half hour prophetic time would be seven and one half days, but this Scripture does not say just one half hour; it says “about the space of one half hour.” In EW 16, Sr. White says: “We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to the sea of glass.” This would allow about one half day for the angels to come from heaven to this earth, and seven days to escort the saved of earth back to the New Jerusalem! Oh, Glorious day! Who of us shall remain faithful until that day! The Seven Trumpets of Chapters Eight and Nine       The first six trumpets are sounded during ‘the little time of trouble’, or during the giving of the loud cry. Elder Uriah Smith interprets the seven trumpets over the period of the gospel dispensation, during the period of the resurrection church; but the trumpets apply again over the 148 period of the translation church—the last generation that lives upon the earth. Brother Smith has the seventh trumpet ending at the close of probation, when the seven last plagues begin to be poured out. But the seventh trumpet begins to sound in Rev. 11:15 and ends with the 19th verse: “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of His testament; and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and great hail.” Does not the seventh trumpet end with the seventh plague? Is not the seventh plague the plague of the great hail. Trumpets are instruments of warning, and during the Christian dispensation, those warnings began to be sounded with the early church, and continued to sound as warnings of the approaching end, clear down to the seventh plague. As the trumpets began to be sounded over the long prophetic periods, they began at the time when Christ entered upon His ministration in the first apartment, but as they are sounded during this last generation, they begin to be sounded at the close of probation for the Seventh-day Adventist church; and the close of probation for the church takes place at the beginning of the loud cry, and the loud cry does not come until after the Sunday laws have been enacted. These seven trumpets contain the judgments that are poured out on those who have been weighed in the balances of the third seal—the black horse. Rev. 6:5, 6. It is those who have had great light in the past, but who have rejected the light that would have fitted them for translation, that receive the severest punishment during the 1260 literal days; and these days reach clear down to the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. This is in perfect accord with Sr. White’s statement in EW 124.       “I saw that the priests (the priests in “the church—the Lord’s sanctuary,” (5T 211) who are leading on their flocks to death are soon to be arrested in their dreadful career. The plagues of God are coming, but it will not be sufficient for the false shepherds to be tormented with one or two of these plagues. God’s hand at 149 that time will be stretched out still in wrath and justice and will not be brought to Himself again until His purposes are fully accomplished, and the hireling priests are led to worship at the feet of the saints, and to acknowledge that God has loved them because they held fast the truth and kept God’s commandments, and until all the unrighteous ones are destroyed from the earth.”       But the reader may ask: What makes you think that the trumpets begin to sound at the beginning of the loud cry, and end under the seventh plague? We have just given the answer to this last question. The sounding of the seventh trumpet ends in the nineteenth verse of the eleventh chapter during the plague of the “great hail.” The first trumpet sounds immediately after the angel of Rev. 8:5 (and that angel is Christ, He is the only One that ministers before the golden altar), fills the censer with fire from off the altar and casts it upon the earth. This act announces the close of Christ’s ministration in the first apartment during the 2300 literal days; and it announces the close of probation for the Seventh-day Adventist church, and also the close of probation for the remnant of the remnant—they sin no more! The church has rejected the message that would have prepared them to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord, and they are spewed out of the mouth of the Lord. From henceforth these will “wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” Amos 8" Now all of this takes place at the beginning of the loud cry. When the Angel (Christ) fills the censer with fire from off the altar, and casts it upon the earth, then immediately the seven angels prepare themselves to sound, and this I believe takes place at the beginning of the loud cry.       The remnant of the remnant—those who have come out from among those that are in the Laodicean condition—have perfected their characters to the place where although the evil angels still press around them they can have no power over them, these have ceased sinning and 150 they are prepared to go through the little time of trouble, and also through the time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation, even to this time; which is during the seven last plagues—they are prepared to go through these times of trouble without a Mediator. One party has passed the time when a Mediator is available, while the other class has come to the time when they are enabled to stand without a Mediator.       Now getting back to the seven trumpets: It is evident that the sixth trumpet ends at the close of probation for the whole world. The last three trumpets—the fifth, sixth, and seventh—are woe trumpets. In Rev. 9:12-21 we have a record of the second woe trumpet, or the sixth trumpet. We shall consider only verses 12-15.       “One woe is past; (the sixth trumpet) and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, (at, margin) and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.”       This is the sixth trumpet, and the second woe trumpet, and there is still one more to follow—the seventh, which is the third woe trumpet. Under this sixth trumpet the voice from the four horns of the golden altar commands to loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates Who are these four angels? In Rev. 7:1-3, there is an account of four angels who are represented as standing on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads. This sealing process, is a progressive work, but the actual stamping or placing of the seal of God, takes place just before the close of probation—the close of probation for all the wicked inhabitants of the earth. These four angels are bound in the great river Euphrates. The great river Euphrates (“peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and 151 tongues.” Rev. 17:15) represent all the wicked of this old world just before and after the close of probation. These four angels hold the winds of strife, so as not to prevent the loud cry of the third angel; but when probation closes these angels cease to hold the winds. Therefore, the four angels of Rev. 9:12-15 are the same angels of Rev. 7:1-3. Thus it is evident that the sixth angel sounds at the close of probation, and of course the other five sound before the close of probation.       There is probably no historical event that proves more definitely that the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation were fulfilled over the long prophetic periods, than the event predicted in Rev. 9:12-15. You can read the whole story in GC 334, 335. Josiah Litch interpreted this prophecy in prophetic time—a day for a year—391 years and fifteen days, —an hour and a day and a month and a year. Now this is definite proof that these prophecies were fulfilled over the long prophetic periods of the past; but let us ask this question: Just what bearing does the fall of the Turkish empire have upon our preparation for translation in this last generation? That event took place in 1840. But as that prophecy is to be fulfilled in our day that event is still in the future. That prophecy points to the close of probation, which is still in the future, and certainly the close of probation has a very definite bearing upon our preparation in these last days, —“come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.” Rev. 4:1. But how is this “hour, and a day, and a month, and a year” fulfilled at the close of probation? Space forbids us, in this short summary of these prophecies, to go into detail regarding many points; but it is sufficient to say that the close of probation comes suddenly and without any warning to the millions of the wicked inhabitants of this old world. “The four angels were loosed, which were prepared (AT) an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year.” That is, these angels are loosed at a certain hour, of a certain day, of a certain month, and a certain year, a specified time 152 for the close of probation; and God’s people will know before hand just when that event will take place!       So far in our study of the trumpets, we have considered the time of the sounding of the first trumpet, which we found to be at the beginning of the loud cry, or at the time when the Sunday laws are enacted and enforced. We have also considered the time of the sounding of the sixth trumpet, which we found to be at the close of probation and the pouring out of the seven last plagues. So now let us notice the sounding of the seventh trumpet. According to Rev. 10:7, the seventh trumpet begins to sound at the time when “the mystery of God should be finished.” In Eph. 6:19 we find that the mystery of God is declared to be the gospel. And we all understand that the gospel is not finished until the close of probation, and this is when the seventh trumpet begins to sound. But when does the sounding of the seventh trumpet end? This question is answered plainly in Rev. 11:14-19.       “The second woe is past; (the second woe is the sixth trumpet) and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were “real; voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God, on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which are, and west, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee they great power, and hast reigned.”       Now let us ask this question: When does Jesus receive His kingdom? When does He take to Himself His great power to reign? “The marriage represents the reception by Christ of His Kingdom.” GC 426. “And all who through the testimony of the Scriptures accept the same truths, (those who accept Christ’s change of ministration) following Christ by faith as He enters in before God to perform the last work of His 153 meditation, and at its close to receive His kingdom, —all these are represented as going into the marriage.” GC 427, 428. So Christ receives His kingdom at the time when He is married to the New Jerusalem and at the close of His mediation in the heavenly sanctuary, and just before the close of probation. This is the time when he takes to himself his great power and reigns. Now let us notice verses 18, 19.       “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto they servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail,” Sr. White says in EW 36:       “I saw that the anger of the nations, the wrath of God, and the time to judge the dead were separate and distinct, one following the other, also that Michael had not stood up, and that the time of trouble, such as never was, had not yet commenced. The nations are now getting angry, but when our High Priest has finished His work in the sanctuary, He will stand up, put on the garments of vengeance, and then the seven last plagues will be poured out.”       Did the anger of the nations and the wrath of God come before the investigative judgment in 1844? Certainly not as this applies during the last generation, but it does apply after the close of probation, as the angry nations come up against the saints in the death decree. God’s wrath against great Babylon comes under the seventh plague, after the saints are delivered; and the judgment of the dead that follows is the judgment of the wicked dead during the thousand years. Those who destroy the earth are themselves destroyed under the seventh plague. The temple of God is opened in heaven at the time God’s people are delivered. 154 The lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and earth quake, and great hail, all take place at, or immediately after, the voice of God delivers his people. So ends our discussion of the seven trumpets. Before we leave the subject of the seventh trumpet I believe we should summarize our findings: The seventh trumpet begins to sound at the close of probation, and continues sounding down through the seven last plagues, and ends under the seventh plague. 155 The Tenth Chapter of Revelation       Let us keep continually in our minds that we are applying these prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation to the last generation that is to live upon the earth, the translation generation. We have already learned that the book of Daniel was unsealed in the fifth chapter of Revelation. We have also learned that these solemn messages are given in their order in the Revelation. 8T 302. So as we take up the messages in the tenth chapter we find that, the little book in the angle’s hand has already been opened in the fifth chapter.       “And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth. “Verses 1, 2.       “The mighty angel who instructed John was no less a personage than Jesus Christ. Setting His right foot on the sea, and His left foot upon the dry ground, shows the part which He is acting in the closing scenes of the great controversy with Satan.” 7BC 971.       This book is addressed to those who profess to understand the Adventist position regarding the little book in the hand of the angel in this chapter—the little book of Daniel. As we are interpreting this chapter in the light of 156 “A LITTLE BOOK OPEN” “The voice . . . said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel.” Revelation 10:8 157 the message the Lord has for this last generation, this angel, which is Christ, comes down with a cloud of angels to finish the work on the earth. The rainbow represents the covenant of peace with those who are to keep His law. (See GC 637, “God’s covenant of peace with those who have kept His law.” ) His face as it were the sun, indicates the light of the great message that is to shine upon this last generation; and His feet as pillars of fire spread desolation wherever this Mighty Angel treads.       “And cried with a loud voice as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.” Verses 3, 4.       Since the voice of this angel is as the roaring of a lion we take it that this angel is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, —the same angel that unsealed the little book of Daniel in the fifth chapter.       God’s people in the 1844 period could not fully under) stand these prophecies. The book of Daniel was not to be unsealed until the time of the end; and the time of the end was not to be until men should be running to and fro upon the earth, and scientific knowledge should be increased, and the time should come when the 144,000 should be purified, and made white, and tried; these prophecies had not come to their complete fulfillment in 1844. In the Bible and the Spirit of prophecy the voice of God from heaven is represented as thunder. See John 12:28, 29. Also EW 286. As this chapter applied in 1844, it is evident that God’s people were not to know what the seven thunders uttered, but are we of this last generation to be in darkness also? If the Lord did not intend that we should know what the seven thunders uttered, why did He mention them?       Let us say again that we have now come down to the last generation that is to live upon the earth. For the last six thousand years men have been sinning and confessing, 158 sinning and confessing. Only two have ever come to complete perfection and been translated. The imputed righteousness of Christ has made up for the deficiencies of the characters of the resurrection church. Every human organization that Christ has established upon this old earth has ended in utter apostasy. God’s professed people have been unable to resist Satan’s snares. Will the last work upon the earth be placed in the hands of erring human beings? No! This last movement is to be an individual experience, and it will be under the direct supervision of the Holy Spirit. In this tenth chapter the Arch Angel Christ comes down with a cloud of angels to finish the work, not through some human organization.       For the last six thousand years the inhabitants of the universe have been watching with intense interest the drama of the ages, as it has been unfolding here upon this sin-cursed earth. Now a voice from the throne of God in heaven, like peals of loudest thunder, rolls through the realms of space announcing the last acts of the drama. If what we have suggested is true, then the seven thunders were not addressed to any human being, —they were addressed to the inhabitants of other worlds. But the events which the seven thunders uttered are to be revealed to the remnant of the remnant through their study of the prophecies of the little book open in the hand of the angel, aided by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. (The little book in the hand of the angel is not the little book of Daniel, but it is the little book of Daniel, as that little book is unsealed in the Revelation.) If it is true that the seven thunders utter the events that are to transpire during this last generation, then what are some of these events?       But first let us decide when this mighty angel comes down to finish the work. Evidently the work is to be finished during the last generation, but with what event does the work begin? Does it not begin with Christ’s ministration in the first apartment during the 2300 literal days? The work in 1844 began while Christ was ministering in the first apartment. Prior to 1844. Christ ministered in the 159 first apartment in order to prepare a people to enter with Him into the most holy place for the judgment of the dead, Oct. 22, 1844. During this last generation He is to minister again in the first apartment in order to prepare a people to enter with Him into the most holy place for the judgment of the living. After Christ finishes His ministration in the first apartment the next most important events come in their order, as follows: The loud cry, the judgment of the living, the seal of God, Christ’s marriage to the New Jerusalem, the close of probation, the seven last plagues, the death decree, the deliverance of God’s people, the special resurrection, great Babylon comes in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath, the coming of Christ, and the seventh seal, —“We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to the sea of glass.” There are several other events that we have not mentioned. Let us ask this question: Will the events announced by the seven thunders be revealed to the 144,000? I believe that question is answered in this chapter.       “And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer.” Verses 5, 6.       This angel is Christ, He is the creator of heaven and earth, and the sea. “All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3. He swares by Himself, because He could sware by no greater. And what is the oath that he takes? “that there should be time no longer.” As this Mighty Angel took this oath in 1844, it had reference to prophetic time—a day for a year. “Prophetic time closed, in 1844.” EW 243. But as He comes down to finish the work in this last generation, he swears that there should be time no longer. “There shall 160 be no more delay.” Moffatt’s translation. “There shall be no further delay.” Weymouth’s translation. “There should be no more delay.” Goodspeed’s translation. “There will be no delay any longer.” New World Translation.       “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the prophets.” Verse 7.       As this trumpet applies in our day, the mystery of God is finished at the very beginning of this angel’s sounding. The mystery of God, which is the gospel, is finished at the close of probation, and this is the time when the seventh angel begins to sound. Now let us notice the fifteenth verse of the eleventh chapter; this verse tells us when the seventh anger begins to sound, and when the mystery of God is finished.       “The second woe is past; (the sixth trumpet) and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever.” Rev. 11:15.       Now according to this verse, the seventh angel begins to sound at the time when the Kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ. But let us ask this question: When do the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ? According to GC 427, 428, they become His kingdoms just before He leaves the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, at the close of probation.       “The marriage (of the Lamb) represents the reception by Christ of His kingdom. GC 426. “All who through the testimony of the Scriptures accept the same truths, (Christ’s change of ministration) following Christ by faith as he enters in before God to perform the last work of mediation and at its close to receive his kingdom 161 —all these are represented as going in to the marriage.” GC 427, 8.       According to this, Christ receives His kingdom just before the close of probation, and this is when the seventh angel begins to sound, and he ceases his sounding under the seventh plague. See Rev. 11:19. Let us get the sequence, or the time of the sounding of this seventh trumpet. According to Elder Smith’s version, the seventh trumpet began to sound in 1844, but he does not follow the sounding of the trumpet down to its close, unless he has it ending at the close of probation. As the seventh trumpet sounds during this last generation, it begins to sound at the close of probation; for that is the time when Christ receives His kingdom, and that is the time when the mystery of God is finished, and it ceases to sound under the seventh plague—the plague of the great hail.       “And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.” Verses 8-10.       “And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me AGAIN.” Is not this the same voice that told him to seal up that which the seven thunders uttered? But now this voice tells him to take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel and eat it up. In other words, by implication, the voice from heaven says, If you want to know what the seven thunders uttered, go and take the little book, —the little book of Daniel, as it is unsealed in the Revelation—which is open in the hand of the angel, and eat it up, and this little book will reveal to you what the seven thunders uttered—the 162 things that “must shortly come to pass “ (Rev. 1:1) and “The things which must be hereafter.” (Rev. 4:1). This voice tells him that the messages of Daniel and the Revelation—after he has digested them—will be in his mouth as sweet as honey, but that the persecution which will follow, will make his belly bitter.       “And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy AGAIN before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”       Brother Smith applies this to the third angel’s message which has been preached since 1844; but during the last generation it certainly applies to the giving of the loud cry message, and as we have just stated, it is the persecution that follows the giving of the loud cry message that causes the belly to become bitter. Ezekiel’s Prophecy In Ezekiel, Chapters Two and Three       Please read this in connection with the tenth chapter of Revelation. In the tenth chapter of Revelation the Archangel—Christ—comes down with a cloud of angels to finish the work upon the earth. He has in His hand a little book open. This is the book of Daniel, as that book was unsealed in the fifth chapter of Revelation. This angel comes down at the beginning of the 2300 literal days with the little book open in His hand. This little book contains the messages that are to perfect the characters of the remnant of the remnant and prepare them to go forth and give the loud cry at the end of the 2300 literal days. Ezekiel’s prophecy in Eze. 2, 3 presents a picture of the condition of the Laodicean church at the time when the angel of Rev. 10 comes down to present the messages of Daniel and the Revelation, at the beginning of the 2300 literal days, and at the time when this very Angel (Christ) enters anew the first apartment to prepare a people for translation. Let us study this prophecy very carefully:       “And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy 163 feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. (Does not this apply to spiritual Israel today? Have not the generations since 1844 rebelled against the instruction the Lord has given them? Is not this why God’s spiritual Israel have not entered the heavenly Canaan before this?) For they are impudent children and stiff hearted. (Does not this describe spiritual Israel today?) I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briars and thorns be with thee, and thou cost dwell among scorpions: be not thou afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee: Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. (Notice that in the tenth chapter of Revelation, John was to eat the little book) And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: (Notice that in the fifth chapter of Revelation, the book was written within, and on the backside! Does not this prophecy apply in the very days in which we are living?) and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.” Compare the woe trumpets of Rev. 9, 11. This is chapter two: let us consider the first verses of the third chapter. 164 Ezekiel Chapter Three       “Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. (Was not John commanded to eat the little book—or that roll—in the hand of the angel in the tenth chapter of Revelation?) And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. (This is the little book that contains the messages that are to go to spiritual Israel to call out a remnant of the remnant that are to be prepared for translation.) And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get three unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel; Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have harkened unto thee. But the house of Israel will not harken unto thee; for they will not harken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. As an Adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: Fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in shine heart, and hear with shine ears. And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forebear. Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from this place. I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one 165 another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing. (This evidently represents the organization, under the Holy Spirit, through which the last work will be finished.) So the spirit lifted up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.”       Does not all this present a picture of the finishing of the work in these last days. May we suggest that you read these chapters and study them. Revelation Chapter Eleven       “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city (the true church. GC 266 Old Edition) shall they tread underfoot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and three-score days, clothed in sackcloth.” Verses 1-3.       Originally there was no break between these chapters. The first verse of the eleventh chapter followed in direct sequence the last verse of the tenth chapter. In the last verse of the tenth chapter is brought to view the loud cry of the third angel as we apply these chapters to this last generation. This “reed like unto a rod” is the measuring stick by which this last generation of God’s people are to be measured; and therefore this rod must represent the message that separates the wise and the foolish virgins during this last generation. What temple is this that is referred to in this verse? There are four sanctuaries, or temples, brought to view in the Bible and the Spirit of prophecy. There is the temple of God in heaven, the Jewish temple here upon the earth, the Seventh-day Adventist church, which is the antitype of the Jewish sanctuary here 166 upon the earth and the soul temple. In 5T 211, Sr. White refers to the church thus: “Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. Here we see that the church—the Lord’s sanctuary—was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God, Etc.”       What does it mean to measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein? Does this have reference to the investigative judgment of the living in the sanctuary in heaven? In 1844, it was those who had worshipped in the first apartment before the golden altar, who entered with Christ into the most hold place for the judgment of the dead, and who should have given the third angel’s message in the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who refused to worship before the golden altar were the foolish virgins, And they did not enter with Christ into the most holy place. In this last generation, it will be those who have been worshipping in the first apartment, before the golden altar, who will enter with Christ into the most holy place for the judgment of the living, and who will go forth and give the loud cry of the third angel in the power of the holy spirit. “Rise and measure the temple of God.” When does this take place? This measuring of the effect of Christ’s ministration m the first apartment cannot take place until just before He leaves that apartment. There is a judgment that goes on while Christ is ministering in the first apartment, during the 2300 literal days. The period of the 2300 literal days is the period of the early rain experience, and it is also the period of the midnight cry which goes to the church. The measuring of the sanctuary, which takes place just before Jesus leaves the first apartment, and the weighing in the balances under the third seal, are one and the same thing: and both take place at the same time. It is at this time that the wise and foolish virgins are separated. Certainly the foolish virgins will have no part in the giving of the loud cry, but the wise virgins will go forth and give the 167 loud cry in the power of the Holy Spirit, and this is what will enrage the foolish virgins.       But in what sense does the ‘weighing and measuring’ take place while Christ is ministering in the first apartment? While Christ is ministering in the first apartment, those in the Laodicean condition who accept the message that is to prepare them for translation, judge themselves worthy of eternal life, while those who reject the message judge themselves unworthy of eternal life. Those who accept the message enter with Christ into the most holy place for the judgment of the living, while to those who reject the message the door to the first apartment is finally closed. This is exactly what took place in 1844. Those who accepted the first and second angel’s messages were worthy to enter with Christ into the most holy place for the judgment of the dead, while to those who rejected the messages the door to the first apartment was finally closed, and so of course was the door to the most holy place. This is well illustrated by Paul and Barnabas’ experience in Acts 13:46: “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”       “But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles.” Who are the Gentiles in our day? In Christ’s time anyone who was not a Jew was a Gentile, and so it is in our day; whoever is not a spiritual Jew—a Seventh-day Adventist—is a spiritual Gentile, and it is the spiritual Jews—Seventh-day Adventists—who are first to be measured by the spiritual measuring rod; and they are also the first to be weighed in the spiritual balances. The spiritual Gentiles—those who are out in the other denominations—have no part in the measuring of the temple of God, they come in under the loud cry, which at this time has not yet begun. However, this statement— “But the court 168 which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles,” may imply that the Gentiles who are out in the other denominations, are just as dose to the sanctuary as they are allowed to be, and are only waiting to be gathered in.       “And the holy city (the true church) shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” Although Elder Smith applies the measuring of the temple to the experience of God’s people in 1844, he goes back to the 1260 years of papal persecution for the fulfillment of the forty and two months. That 1260 years was the first supremacy of the papacy, we are applying this to the second supremacy of the papacy—the 1260 literal days, just as the prophecy was written. But when do these 1260 literal days begin? To the wise virgins, it should be evident from these three verses, that the forty and two months, and the thousand two hundred and three score days, follow immediately after the measuring of the temple of God, certainly not before the measuring of the temple. Now let us call your attention to the fact that, in Brother Smith’s book, the forty and two months and the 1260 days ended 46 years before the measuring of the sanctuary. Does the reading of these three verses give us the impression that the forty and two months and the 1260 days come before the measuring of the temple, or sanctuary “The solemn messages that have been given in their order in the revelation, Etc.” Vol. 8, 302. It seems quite evident that the forty and two months, and the 1260 days follow the measuring of the temple: that is, the temple is measured at the end of the 2300 literal days, and at the beginning of the 1260 literal days. Let us see how this harmonizes with the prophecy of the 2300 days of Dan. 8:13, 14.       “And I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden underfoot? And 169 he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Dan. 8:13, 14.       “But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city (the true church) shall they tread underfoot forty and two months.” Rev. 11:2.       Both the prophecy of Dan. 8:13, 14 and Rev. 11:2 were written so that they might apply at two different periods—during the long prophetic period, and the period of the last generation. According to Dan. 8:13, 14, the sanctuary and the host were trodden under foot for 1260 years during the 2300 years; and according to Rev. 11:2, the holy city (the true church) was to be trodden under foot forty and two months after the measuring of the temple. Now let us apply it during the last generation. According to Dan. 8: 13, 14, the sanctuary and the host are to be trodden under foot at the end of the 2300 literal days; and according to Rev. 11:2, the holy city (the true church) is to be trodden under foot at the beginning of the forty and two months during this last generation. The two expressions, “to be trodden underfoot,” and “shall they tread under foot,” welds the 1260 literal days on to the end of the 2300 literal days. Now there is also another weld: According to Dan. 8:13, 14, at the end of the 2300 literal days, the sanctuary is to be cleansed, and according to Rev. 11:2, at the beginning of the 1260 literal days the TEMPLE OF God is to be measured. Thus the 1260 days are welded on to the end of the 2300 days. We believe we have good proof that the 2300 literal days end at the time when a national Sunday law is enacted; just how far we are already in that period, we do not profess to know, neither do we believe that it is necessary that we should know. But the signs that are fulfilling all about us, prove beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we are right down close to the end. When a Sunday law is enacted we will know 170 that we will have reached the end of the 2300 literal days and still have three and one half years of persecution; but “except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” Matt. 24: 22.       Right now is the time to prepare for the persecution during that three and one half years. Before that period begins, we must have to come to that place where, “Still the evil angels pressed around them, but they could have no power over them. “For those of us who have come out from among those in the Laodicean condition, our probation will close at the end of the 2300 literal days, and at the beginning of the 1260 literal days. Before that persecution begins, we must have come to that point referred to in Jer. 31:31:       “Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those day, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”       When will the Lord put His law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts? He has promised to do all this ‘after those days’. After what days? After the fulfillment of the days of the resurrection church, and during the days of the translation church. He will write His law in our inward parts, and in our hearts, right where the angels have God’s law written. It is natural for the angels in heaven to keep God’s law, and so it will be with the 144,000; They will have that law placed in their inward parts, and written in their minds, and it will be just as natural for them to keep God’s law as it is for the angels; the great difference being, that the angels keep God’s law in bodies that have 171 never been contaminated with sin, while the 144,000 keep His law in bodies, thousands of whom have been in the very depths of sin. In Matt. 28:18, Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” And thus it is, that during the period when the inhabitants of this earth have reached the very depths of sin, and human character has become the weakest, that Jesus (“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins,” Matt. 1:21.) will demonstrate His power to perfect the characters of 144,000 human beings to the point where, “Still the evil angels pressed around them, but they could have no power over them.” 1T 182. These are prepared to step directly from this sin-cursed earth into the presence of the Father.       “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and three score days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” Verses 3, 4. (For a definition of the two candlesticks see GC 267).       In Zech. 4, the Old and New Testaments are represented by the two olive trees and the two candlesticks, and they are represented as standing before the God of the whole earth. The two witnesses constitute God’s word to us; thus the wise virgins have not only the Bible, but they also have the medium through which the Lord can communicate its truth to them. The Bible and the Holy Spirit go hand in hand. He who has both has eternal life. We may have the Bible and not have the Holy Spirit, but we in this enlightened age, cannot have the Holy Spirit without the Bible: the Bible alone constitutes an instrument of destruction.       “And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouths, and destroyeth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.” Verse 5.       I can do no better than to quote Elder Smith on this verse. “To hurt the word of God is to oppose, corrupt, or 172 prevent its testimony, and turn people away from it. Against those who do this work, fire proceedeth out of their mouth to devour them; that is, judgment of fire is denounced in that word against such. It declares that they will have their portion at last in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. Mal. 4:1; Rev. 20:15; 22:18, 19, etc.”       “These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.” Verse 6.       Again I shall quote Elder Smith, and then add a comment. “In what sense have these witnesses power to shut heaven, turn waters to blood, and bring plagues on the earth? Elijah shut heaven that it rained not for three years and a half; but he did it by the word of the Lord. Moses, by the word of the Lord, turned the waters of Egypt to blood. And just as these judgments, recorded in their testimony, have been fulfilled, so will every threatening and judgment denounced by them against any people surely be accomplished. “As often as they will. As often as judgments are recorded on their pages to take place, so often will they come to pass. An instance of this the world is yet to experience in the infliction of the seven last plagues.” D&R 532, Old Edition.       In these comments, Brother Smith applies the shutting of heaven that it rain not in the days of THEIR PROPHECY back to the days of Moses and Elijah; and the turning of waters to blood, and the smiting of the earth with all plagues as often as they will, to the centuries of the past. Was this prophecy here in the Revelation eleven fulfilled two or three thousand years ago? No indeed; the fulfillment of this prophecy is still in the future. Now do not misunderstand; we do not understand that Elder Smith applies the fulfillment of this prophecy to the times of Moses and Elijah, but we, of this last generation, do not have to sight the experiences of Moses and Elijah as a fulfillment of the word of God for we are living in the very days when this prophecy will be a part of our experience. 173 “And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. “Verse 7, 8. “And when they shall have finished (are finishing, GC 267) their testimony.” As this prophecy was fulfilled over the long prophetic periods, it was the French nation that fulfilled the prophecy during the latter part of the 1260 years of the first papal supremacy. As this prophecy applies in our time, the events of these two verses will take place near the end of the 1260 literal days of the second period of papal supremacy. In the preceding verses we have this statement: “These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy.” This evidently refers to the fourth plague, when power is given to the sun to scorch men with great heat. According to GC 628, 9, this plague causes a great famine in the land, and this is evidently the plague referred to in the sixth verse. This fourth plague is poured out near the end of the 1260 literal days. Verses 7, 8 come after verse 6, and therefore the events of verses 7, 8 are closer to the end than the events of verse 6.       “The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit.” Which of the prophetic beasts is here referred to? But first let us determine what is meant by the term “bottomless pit?” As this prophecy applied to France, the bottomless pit referred to a condition of religious and political chaos; but how does it apply in our time? Down through the ages this old world has been a pit of sin; but through the sacrifice of the Son of God men could be delivered out of this pit of sin. But there comes a time when mercy no longer pleads for the guilty human race, —probation closes, and this pit of sin becomes a bottomless pit. The beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit must come up after probation closes. But which one of the seven beasts of Daniel and the Revelation is it that comes up out of the 174 bottomless pit after probation closes, and at the beginning of the death decree? It is evidently none other than Satan himself the great red dragon of Rev. 12.       As the beast of Rev. 12 applied over the long prophetic periods, that prophecy was fulfilled at the time of Christ’s first advent, and at that time the great red dragon primarily represented Satan, but in a secondary sense it represented pagan Rome. But we are applying that prophecy during the period of this last generation, and at this time the great red dragon represents “that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. (Rev. 12:9) and this is the very time when he deceives the whole world and brings them up against God’s people in the death decree.       In our interpretation of Rev. 12:7 and onward, we apply these prophecies after the close of probation. All down through the history of the resurrection church the people of God have had an up and down experience; they have been sinning and confessing, sinning and confessing; only two have ever come to the point where they cease to sin, and Where death can have no more power over them. Satan has been accusing God’s people before the heavenly universe; he has been telling them that it is impossible for human beings to live without sin, but at the close of probation all of the 144,000 have perfected their characters and they sin no more. Satan is now cast out of heaven for the third and last time. No longer can he annoy the angels with his accusations against God’s people, and his wrath is turned against those whom he cannot tempt to sin. At the close of probation Christ steps out from between His Father and the 144,000 and Satan tries them to the very limit. As his end draws nearer his wrath becomes fiercer and he becomes more determined than ever to win the final conflict. All down through the ages, to greater or less extent, he has had his 175 way with God’s professed people, but the 144,000 constitute a little company that are resisting his supremacy, and he realizes that the outcome of the conflict of the ages depends upon his being able to either cause them to sin, or to put them to death. But death comes as a consequence of sin, and when this little company ceases sinning, death can have no power over them.       But does Satan give up just because probation has closed and no one can any longer be saved? No indeed he does not; for even at the end of the thousand years he goes forth to deceive the nations, and bring them up against the New Jerusalem. If he is to deceive the nations at the end of the thousand years, it should be no great wonder if he should deceive the nations just before the thousand years begins. At this point in our study, the three unclean spirits have brought all the nations up against God’s people under the death decree, and at the beginning of the death decree (the one prophetic hour—fifteen days) the great red dragon, that old serpent, called the devil and Satan, ascends out of the bottomless pit (the proverbial abode of him and his evil angels) and personates Christ. But it is not until just three and one half days before God delivers His people that this beast makes war against the two witnesses, and overcomes them and kills them.       Now let us keep in mind that there is a definite distinction between the Holy City (the true church) which is to be trodden under foot forty and two months, and the two witnesses that prophesy a thousand two hundred and three score days clothed in sackcloth. The Holy city is God’s remnant of the remnant, his true church; but the two witnesses are the old and new testaments. The holy city (the true church) experiences the death decree, which lasts one prophetic hour, while the two witnesses 176 are killed, and their dead bodies lie in the street of the great city for a period of three and one half days.       “Shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.” How are these two witnesses (the Old and New Testaments) to be killed at this time? For the answer let us go back to the first fulfillment of this prophecy. How were they killed during the time of the French revolution? We can do no better than to quote Elder Uriah Smith again. D&R page 533, Old Edition. “But did France ‘make war’ on the Bible? She did; and in 1793 a decree was passed by the French Assembly forbidding the Bible; and under that decree, the Bibles were gathered and burned, every possible mark of contempt was heaped upon them, and all the institutions of the Bible were abolished. The weekly rest day was blotted out, and every tenth day substituted, for mirth and profanity.” Could it be that this is the way these two witnesses will be killed again? There is much more to be revealed to God’s people—all the books of the Bible meet and end in the Revelation. As the scroll in the right hand of Him who sits upon the throne, in Rev. 5:1, is unrolled, these things will be made plain to the remnant of the remnant. We believe that the time has not yet come for us to fully understand all that is contained in these prophecies. However, there are different phases of the prophecy contained in these verses that we believe are not beyond our understanding at the present time.       In “Great Controversy” page 624, Sr. White says: “As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ.” “The crowning act” must not only be the greatest act, but also the last act in the drama of deception. Therefore it is logical to conclude that Satan personates Christ during the death decree—the one prophetic hour. According to GC 635, in the chapter “God’s People Delivered,” the death decree ends at the time when the voice of God delivers His people—at the beginning of the seventh plague; and it is the voice of God 177 that causes the great earthquake, and according to verses 11 and 13, “the Spirit of life from God” enters into the two witnesses and they stand upon their feet at the time when the great earthquake takes place. This should prove conclusively that the two witnesses are killed three and one half days before the end of the death decree. Going back to the time when this prophecy was fulfilled during the French revolution, Elder Smith, in his comments on verse 13, makes no mention of the great earthquake, and in Great Controversy page 286, Sr. White, in her comments on verse 13, has only this to say: “France was shaken as by an earthquake.” But as this prophecy is fulfilled in our day, these two prophets “(stand) upon their feet” “And they (ascent) up to heaven in a cloud,” at a time when the greatest earthquake this earth has ever seen takes place. Surely this should constitute another positive evidence that the prophecies of Revelation did not meet their complete fulfillment prior to 1844.       “And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and shall make merry and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwell upon the earth.” Verses 9, 10.       Now as we undertake to give an exposition of these next five verses (8-13). As we have said before, there is much more light to shine upon our pathway as we near the time for the fulfillment of these events .       Let us get a picture of the condition of things as they appear at this time. Satan is here upon the earth personating Christ. The world is going wild over this majestic being. There is no possible way of explaining away this great phenomenon. Satan performs many wonderful miracles of healing, and many other wonderful miracles; and in his assumed character of Christ, he tells the wicked that he has changed the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week, and that he has sent these terrible plagues upon 178 them in order to awaken them, and to cause them to keep his holy Sunday sabbath more conscientiously. He tells them that it is the disregard for his Sunday sabbath that has brought upon the world these terrible plagues and the crime and wickedness that is filling the earth with woe. He tells them that the little band of Sabbath-keepers are to blame for this terrible wickedness—that they have grossly misinterpreted many of the prophecies of his word, and have caused them to be a torment and a curse instead of a blessing, as he intended they should be. He tells them that in the past he has communed with them as through a glass darkly, but that since he is now with them, and can speak with them face to face, they have no more need of the Bible, and that when the little band of Sabbath-keepers, together with the Bibles they have so miserably misinterpreted, are all completely destroyed, then, and not until then, will begin the long-looked-for millennium. Let us keep in mind that it is the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit that makes war on the two witnesses, and overcomes them, and kills them.       From the time when all the nations of the earth unite, at the end of the 1290 days, and agree to enact the death decree, the hour has been determined when all the wicked inhabitants of the world might have a part in the slaying of God’s people; and now Satan himself appoints the time for the slaying of the two witnesses; thus all the inhabitants of the earth are not only guilty of the blood of the saints, but they are also guilty of the slaying of the two witnesses.       “And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.” The following is Elder Smith’s comments on this verse. “The language of this verse describes the feelings of other nations besides the one committing the outrage on the witnesses. They would see what war infidel France had made on the Bible, but would not be led nationally to engage in the wicked work, nor suffer the murdered witnesses to be BURIED, or put out of sight among 179 themselves, though they lay dead three days and an half, that is, three years and an half, in France. No; this very attempt on the part of France served to arouse Christians everywhere to put forth new exertions in behalf of the Bible, as we shall presently see.” Here Elder Smith does not apply the “people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations,” to the people of France who put the two witnesses to death, but to the nations other than France. These people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, could not apply to the people of France, because these nations were not within the French nation. Then as this prophecy applies in our day, these people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, must apply to others besides the wicked nations of the earth. But who could these be? Could it refer to the 144,000 who come out of every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people? Are they those who would not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves? The wicked inhabitants of this old world may do everything in their power to destroy, even to burn the two witnesses, but they cannot take the two witnesses out of the hearts and minds of God’s elect.       “And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth.” We have already given this verse some attention. But how do these two witnesses torment the wicked of the earth? It was during the loud cry that the messages of the two witnesses were presented to the inhabitants of the earth, and it was then that they made their decisions—that they judged themselves; but now after probation has dosed, they realize the terrible mistake they made, and the messages of these two witnesses torment them day and night. But now this majestic being, who resembles the description of the Son of God, as given by John in the Revelation, and who is the express image of the pictures that have been presented of Him, has appeared upon the earth, and hope and rejoicing springs up within their hearts, as they become convinced that those who presented the 180 message to them before probation closed, were terribly deceived. Their joy and rejoicing know no bounds. After all their grief and torment they are at last to be saved. But not so with God’s elect; this is not the real Christ, and when Jesus appears in the clouds of heaven they exclaim, “this is our God, we have waited for HIM and HE will save us.”       “And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.” Verses 11, 12, 13.       How do these two witnesses stand upon their feet at the end of the three and one half literal days? As this prophecy was fulfilled at the end the three and one half years of the French revolution, Bibles began to be printed by the thousands, until today the Bible out sells any other book that has ever been published. But again we are applying this prophecy to the days in which we are living. In what sense do they stand upon their feet at the end of the three and one half literal days? These two witnesses have foretold the deliverance of God’s people, and now the voice of God is heard from heaven saying, “It is done!” At the close of probation Jesus presents the 144,000, —the first fruits, which constitute the “wave sheaf,” to His Father. This He must do before the harvest of the earth—the dead of all ages—can be resurrected. Then Jesus steps out from between them and His Father, and He says to His Father, Take them now and let Satan try them to the very limit, until you and the whole universe are convinced that their characters are fully developed. As I suffered untold mental agony for one literal hour in the garden of Gethsemane, so these must suffer mental 181 agony one prophetic hour (fifteen Days) during their Gethsemane. At the end of that prophetic hour the angels in heaven, and the whole universe cry out, it is enough! and the Father’s voice is heard from heaven saying, IT IS DONE! This is the end of the antitypical time of Jacob’s trouble. All the saints cry out with anguish of spirit, and are delivered by the voice of God, —the 144,000 triumph.       “And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither, And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them.” Evidently this language is symbolic. The day of deliverance has come. Yesterday the wicked were fully convinced that they should have the privilege of putting the hated sect to death; today was to be the dawn of the millennium. But today the two witnesses stand “Prophetically” upon their feet, and Babylon the Great has come in remembrance before God, ‘to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath’. Great hailstones, every one ‘about the weight of a talent’, (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary says 57.85 pounds) are doing their work of destruction.” The seventh plague is being poured out. It is now just one prophetic hour—fifteen days—until the Lord will appear in the clouds-of heaven, and the harvest of the earth—the dead of all ages —will be gathered.       “And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. “What constitutes the tenth part of the city? But first let us ask, What is the City? We understand of course that the great city is spiritual Babylon. During the first supremacy of the papacy, each of the ten kingdoms of Western Europe constituted a tenth part; and during the first fulfillment of this prophecy, France constituted the tenth part. The question is, Do each one of the ten kingdoms still constitute a tenth part, as this prophecy applies during its last fulfillment? Let us keep in mind 182 that these ten kingdoms are still a subject of prophecy clear down to the deliverance of God’s people, and even during the seventh plague; as is plainly revealed in Rev. 17:12-18.       Italy is one of the ten kingdoms; and Italy, probably more than any of the other ten, is predominantly Catholic. It was Mussolini, the head of the Italian government who, in 1929, signed a concordat with the pope of Rome, promoting him to an exalted position among the heads of state. And it was this very act that started the papacy on the road to the healing of the deadly wound. The deadly wound is not completely healed until all the nations come together and agree to enact the death decree. It is then that the papacy is restored to the same power and prestige she enjoyed during the 1260 years of papal power. There are three steps to the restoration of the Papacy to full power; the first was Mussolini’s act of restoring the pope to temporal power; the second will be the enacting of a Sunday law by the United States; and the third will be when all the nations of the earth come together and enact the death decree. Rome is the capitol of Italy, and Rome is also the capitol, or seat of the papacy. When Babylon the Great comes in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath; when great hailstones, every one about the weight of a talent are doing their work of destruction; when the great earthquake, which is caused by the voice of God that delivers His people, is destroying the wicked cities of the earth, is it logical to suppose that Vatican City will escape these judgments? and that Rome and the nation that city represents will escape? Surely Italy, the one nation responsible for the starting of the papacy on the road to universal supremacy, will with the papacy, come to her end. Indeed, every nation upon the face of the earth will come to its end under the seventh plague, but Italy, because of her part in promoting Satan’s “power and his seat, and great authority,” here upon the earth, will receive a more violent reward. Think of the retribution that came to the one 183 who signed the concordat; will the nation he represented meet a similar fate?       “And in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand.” This is at the time when “The proudest cities of the earth are laid low. (Is not Vatican City one of the proudest cities?) The lordly palaces, upon which the world’s great men have lavished their wealth in order to glorify themselves, are crumbling before their eyes. Prison walls are rent asunder, and God’s people, who have been held in bondage for their faith, are set free.” GC 637. Seven is a number that denotes completeness. When the capitol city of modern spiritual Babylon comes in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath; when great hailstones every one about the weight of a talent, are doing their work of destruction, will not a perfect number of the prelates of spiritual Babylon be slain? When great Babylon comes in remembrance before God, will Vatican City escape? Vatican City, that proudest of cities.       “And the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.” Who are the remnant spoken of here? Certainly not the remnant of the remnant—the 144,000, for they realize that this is a token of their deliverance. But in what sense do the wicked remnant give glory to the God of heaven? Are they converted, and repent of their sins, and give glory to the God of heaven? No, for such a thing is impossible, for probation has closed long before this. They now realize that they have been deceived, that the majestic being who claimed to be Christ was only a counterfeit and a deceiver; and now their wrath is kindled against the false shepherds. The swords with which they intended to slay God’s people, are now employed to slay one another. The seventh plague is being poured out, and terrible, terrible things are taking place here upon this old earth; great hailstones are doing their work of destruction. All of this is to be the reward of the wicked.       “The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe 184 cometh quickly. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever.” Verses 14, 15.       As we have mentioned before; the last three trumpets are woe trumpets. “The second woe is past” which is the sixth trumpet, and the third woe—the seventh trumpet—cometh quickly. The seventh trumpet begins to sound at the close of probation and sounds clear down through the seven last plagues, and ends with the seventh plague. As evidence of this we present verse seven of the tenth chapter and verse nineteen of the eleventh chapter. Rev. 10:7 says, But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished. The mystery of God is the gospel, as is verified by Paul in Eph. 6: 19, and the gospel is pro claimed clear down to the close of probation; so the seventh angel begins to sound when the gospel ends at the close of probation. It is at the close of probation, when Christ finishes His ministration in the sanctuary above, that He is married to the New Jerusalem. In GC 426, Sr. White says: “The marriage represents the reception by Christ of his kingdom.” And on pages 427, 428 she says: “And all who through the testimony of the Scriptures accept the same truths (the truths regarding Christ’s ministration in the sanctuary), following Christ by faith as He enters in before God to perform the last work of mediation. And at its close to receive his kingdom.” So according to this Christ is married to the New Jerusalem at the close of probation, and this is also the time when He receives His kingdom. We will notice the nineteenth verse later.       “And the four and twenty elders which sat before God on their seats, fell on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give three thanks, O Lord God Almighty which art, and west, and art to come, because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and has 185 reigned.” Verses 16, 17.       Why do these four and twenty elders fall upon their faces and give thanks? But first, Who are the four and twenty elders? We understand that these are at least some of those who were raised from the dead when Christ came forth from the tomb. These ascended with Christ to heaven, and they have been in heaven for the last almost, two thousand years. Their remaining in heaven is contingent upon (Christ’s being able to perfect the characters of the 144,000—who are the antitypical firstfruits—and presenting them to His Father not having spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing. At the close of probation they have perfected their characters, and they have been sealed. Christ now takes to Himself His great power and reigns, however the 144,000 are still to be tested, but they have ceased sinning, and since death comes as a result of sin, these are assured of eternal life, and so are the four and twenty elders.       “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” Verses 18, 19.       These two verses go back to the beginning of the sixth plague, when the three unclean spirits go forth to the kings of the earth, and the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. Sr. White says in EW 36, “I saw that the anger of the nations, the wrath of God, and the time to judge the dead were separate and distinct’ If “the time to judge the dead’, had reference to the investigative judgment of the dead, which began in 1844; then the anger of the nations and the wrath of God 186 must have come before 1844, but it evidently did not have reference to the investigative judgment of the dead in 1844; but it has reference to the judgment of the wicked dead during the thousand years. Thus the anger of the nations refers to the anger of the nations against God’s people, during the death decree. The wrath of God has reference to the wrath of God during the seventh plague, when great Babylon comes in remembrance before God to give unto her and cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath, and the judgment of the dead during the thousand years. It is during the seventh plague that those are destroyed who have destroyed the earth. The nineteenth verse refers directly to the deliverance of God’s people at the beginning of the seventh plague when “there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” (The seventh plague). So ends the eleventh chapter of Revelation. Revelation The Twelfth Chapter       “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.” Verse 1.       As this prophecy was interpreted over the long prophetic periods, the woman represented the apostolic church. She being clothed with the sun represented the great light at the beginning of the Christian dispensation. The moon under her feet represented the Jewish dispensation, which shone with a reflected light, while the twelve stars represented the twelve apostles. Let us apply this now to the last generation.       The woman represents God’s true church—the translation church, upon which shines the light of the ages—she is clothed with the sun. The moon under her feet represents the Laodicean resurrection church, and the 187 “The Christian Church”       “There appeared a great wonder in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.” Revelation 12:1 188 twelve stars the twelve tribes of spiritual Israel —the 144,000.       “And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pain to be delivered.” Verse 2.       This woman is not Mary the mother of Jesus, this woman is the church. At the time of Christ’s first advent, it was the true church that was travailing in birth and in anticipation and preparation for the coming Messiah; and so it will be in our time; God’s true church, the remnant of the remnant will be experiencing terrible persecution in their preparation for the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. Here is portrayed the new birth experience which does change ideas, theories, habits and practices.       “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.” Verse 3.       Primarily this great red dragon represents Satan, while in a secondary sense it represents Pagan Rome. For an application of this prophecy, as it applied at Christ’s first advent, I can do no better than to refer the reader to Elder Smith’s book “Daniel and the Revelation, “pages 543 and onward. (Old edition). It is to be understood that this beast represents Satan in his opposition to God and His church all down through the history of this old world. As this beast applied at Christ’s first advent, it applied to the political, universal, pagan, Roman Empire. As it applies during this last generation, it applies to the spiritual, universal, Christianized-paganized Roman Empire—spiritual Babylon.       “And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: 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.” Verses 4, 5.       As we apply these verses in our day, the woman must 189 represent the remnant of the remnant, the translation church. The great red dragon represents Satan, and the third part of the angels, who were deceived by him, as they oppose the last generation of God’s church upon the earth.       “And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered for to devour her child as soon as it was born.” Of all the generations of God’s church upon the earth, the generation of the 144,000 is the first of whom it can be truly said that they reflect the image of Christ fully. Of no other generation can it be as truly said that Christ is born in His church. As this chapter applied at Christ’s first advent, the woman represented the church, and it was the church that symbolically brought forth the man child. Physically speaking it was Mary who bore the child Jesus. This twelfth chapter is largely symbolical and must be spiritually understood. The Revelation is the last book in the Bible, and it is evident that it was addressed to the last generation that is to live upon the earth. Shall we say that all of the Revelation was addressed to the last generation except the twelfth chapter? No, the twelfth chapter applies to this last generation also. The woman in this twelfth chapter represents the translation church, and it is she who brings forth the man child.       We are applying this last generation to two time periods, —the 2300 literal days and the 1260 literal days, which begin at the beginning of the 2300 literal days and extend to the end of the 1260 literal days, or at the coming of Christ, (however, these days are to be shortened). The dividing line between these two periods is the enacting of a national Sunday law, the change of ministration from the first apartment to the most holy place for the judgment of the living, the beginning of the loud cry, the beginning of the little time of trouble, the rejection of the Laodicean church, and the beginning of the last supremacy of the papacy, the 1260 literal days.       In our study of this twelfth chapter we have come down 190 to the sixth verse; where are we during the period of this last generation?       “And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three score days.”       As this chapter applied at Christ’s first advent, the church fled into the wilderness (the 1260 years of papal persecution) a little over 500 years after Christ’s crucifixion, and that was the time of the beginning of her real persecution. As this chapter applies in our day, the remnant of the remnant flee into the wilderness at the beginning of the loud cry, and this is the beginning of her real persecution. Back there she fled into the wilderness at the beginning of the 1260 years of papal persecution; in our day she flees into the wilderness at the beginning of the 1260 literal days of papal persecution. Back there the wilderness was literal, when God’s people fled into solitary places of the dens of the mountains; in our time the wilderness is spiritual, where God’s people flee to Him for protection. (Read Isa. 4, Ps. 91 and Ps. 23). Thus in our study of this chapter we have come to the time when, “Still the evil angels pressed around them, but they could have no power over them,” after this they: go forth and give the loud cry. They have been “Purified, and made white,” and now they are to be tried, as they suffer persecution during the loud cry. It is at this time that God’s promise in Jer. 31:31-34 is fulfilled to them.       “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after these days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more 191 every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more.”       Here the Lord has promised to put His law in our inward parts (these old sinful bodies of ours) and write it in our minds; and here is where the angels have God’s law written. It is just as natural for the angels to keep God’s law as it is for us to breath. The angels have to put forth no effort to keep God’s law, it is natural for them. It is during the 2300 literal days that God puts His law in our inward parts and writes it in our minds. This period ends at the time when a national Sunday law is enacted and enforced; then it is that the remnant of the remnant have come to the time when, although the evil angels press around them, they can have no power over them; their characters have been perfected and they are prepared for the test which comes to them during the loud cry. As they go forth and give the loud cry, Satan and his host of evil angels are aroused to the bitterest opposition, and it is during this time that many of the saints seal their testimony with their blood; but the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. While the angels in heaven keep God’s law in bodies that have never been defiled by sin, the remnant of the remnant keep His law in bodies, some of which have been in the very depth of sin and degradation. The only way God’s living saints will ever be prepared to go through “the time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation,” is by having His law put in their inward parts, and written in their minds, —right where the angels have it written.       This “thousand two hundred and three score days,” is the fifth reference to this period of time; two in Daniel and five in the Revelation. There are two more references, one in the fourteenth verse of this chapter, and the other in the fifth verse of the thirteenth chapter.       “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his 192 angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.” Verses 7, 8.       In the sixth verse, the woman—the remnant of the remnant—fled into the wilderness—the 1260 literal days of the second supremacy of the papacy, at the beginning of the loud cry. This is the beginning of the battle of Armageddon—the last great battle between Christ and Satan. What are Christ and Satan striving over? Is it not the remnant of the remnant? The climax of that battle (Armageddon) comes during the death decree.       “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. And I heard a great voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Verses 7-11.       The events of verses 7 to 11 take place during the latter rain and the loud cry, all down through the history of (God’s church upon the earth, Satan has been accusing God’s people before the angels in heaven and the inhabitants of the other worlds. He has been pointing out their short comings and their defects of character. He has been telling them that it is absolutely impossible for human beings to keep God’s law, and that is true as far as the resurrection church is concerned. There are at least three definite times when Satan is cast out of heaven. The first time was at, or before, the creation of this world. The second time was when Christ was crucified, when He won back Adam’s dominion, and Satan was cast out of the counsels of heaven; and now we have come down to the third time. 193 The third time is at the close of probation. How is Satan cast out of heaven at the close of probation? The 144,000 have perfected their characters to the place where They sin no more! No more can Satan point out any sin in God’s remnant of the remnant. Now Jesus steps out from between the remnant of the remnant and his Father. The 144,000 have the law of God placed-in their inward parts, and written in their hearts; right where the angels have it: if Satan can cause one of these to sin the victory is his! Jesus said in Matt. 28:18: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Now Jesus manifests his power to keep his people from sin! Satan cannot accuse them before the heavenly hosts because they have ceased sinning.       “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast out unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.” Verses 12, 13.       It seems quite evident that the eleventh verse records the events that take place just before the close of probation, and the twelfth and thirteenth verses apply after the close of probation, during the seven last plagues. Those in the heavens are to rejoice because they are no longer to be annoyed by Satan and his angels. But now Satan turns his wrath upon the inhabitants of the earth. But who are those who are dwelling upon the earth at this time? Are not both the righteous and the wicked still upon the earth? After God’s Spirit is withdrawn from the earth Satan has full control of the wicked, and they are subject to Satan’s wrath, but while the 144,000 are under the protection of God, they have no Mediator between them and the Father. No sins are forgiven after the close of probation. 194 Now is Satan’s last chance. He was not able to cause Christ to sin, but we can be sure that he will do all in his power to compel the 144,000 to give up their allegiance to their Master. This is the crucial period in the history of God’s church upon the earth. The whole plan of salvation depends upon the allegiance of the 144,000. What a momentous time is this in which we are living! Righteous men of all the ages have desired to see our day: do we appreciate the privilege? But for the privilege of fleeing into the spiritual wilderness for courage, strength, and wisdom, the case of the 144,000 would be hopeless.       “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” Verse 14. (Compare Ps. 91).       “But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle for her flight to the desert, to her appointed place, where she is nourished for a time, two times, and half a time, safe from the serpent.” Moffatt’s Translation.       This is the second time that the woman flees into the wilderness for a period of 1260 literal days. The first time was after the Sunday law had been enacted, at the close of the 2300 days, after she had perfected her character and was ready to go forth at the beginning of the latter rain and the loud cry, and at the beginning of the 1260 days. Now she had come down to the period of the seven last plagues, when, during the sixth plague, she faces the death decree, this is the real crisis in her experience! Do we dare make the assertion that a world is hanging in the balances at this point!? The 144,000 are well aware of what is before them! They flee again into the wilderness, where there is “a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.” Isa. 4:6. They are well aware that the 195 whole plan of salvation depends upon the allegiance of each one of the 144,000.       This period of 1260 days began at the time when the Sunday law was enacted and enforced. At that time a wilderness, or a place of spiritual refuge, was prepared for the remnant of the remnant clear on down to the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. At any time during this period God’s people have the privilege of fleeing into this place of refuge. This is not the beginning of another period; this “thousand two hundred and three score days,” and the “time, and times, and half a time” are both the same period. The fifteenth and sixteenth verses record the death decree and the deliverance of the saints.       “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman; and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.” Verses 15, 16.       “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.” In prophetic language, water represents “Peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” Rev. 17:15. It is during the death decree that Satan brings the whole wicked world—the “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues”—up against the 144,000. This is the water that the dragon casts out of his mouth. Now let us ask this question: How and when does the earth open her mouth and swallow up the flood— “the peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues?” It is the events that take place upon this earth that swallow up the flood at the deliverance of God’s people. Let us read it in GC 636       “It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the deliverance of His people. The sun appears shining in its strength. signs and wonders follow in quick succession. The wicked look with terror and amazement upon the scene, while the righteous 196 behold with solemn joy the token of their deliverance. Everything in nature seems turned out of its course. The streams cease to flow. Dark, heavy clouds come up, and clash against each other. In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying, ‘It is done.’ “That voice shakes the heavens and the earth. There is a mighty earthquake, ‘such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great’. The firmament appears to open and shut. The glory from the throne of God seems flashing through. The mountains shake like a reed in the wind, and ragged rocks are scattered on every side. There is a roar as of a coming tempest. the sea is lashed into fury. then l heard the shriek of the hurricane, like the voice of demons upon a mission of destruction. The whole earth heaves and swells like the waves of the sea. Its surface is breaking up. Its very foundations seem to be giving way. Mountain chains are sinking. inhabited islands disappear. The seaports that have been like Sodom for wickedness, are swallowed up by the angry waters. Babylon the Great has come in remembrance before God, ‘to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath great hailstones, everyone about the weight of a talent, are doing their work of destruction. The proudest 197 cities of the earth are laid low.” Does the earth swallow up the flood?       “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.       This verse sums up the whole chapter. All down through this chapter the dragon has been wroth with the woman. This chapter begins at the beginning of the loud cry, and continues clear on down to the end. Who are the remnant that keep the commandments, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ? Is it the remnant of the resurrection church, which is the Laodicean Seventh-day Adventist church, or is it the remnant of the remnant—the translation church? Revelation The Thirteenth Chapter       “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 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.” Rev. 13:1, 2.       If we were to ask any Adventist, who knows anything about the Advent doctrine, he would tell us that this beast represents the papacy; and he would be correct. This beast represents both the papacy and the kingdoms over which she reigned during the 1260 years of her supremacy.       “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and the deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 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 there was given 198 THE TEN-HORNED BEAST John “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.” Revelation 13:1 199 unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies: and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” Verses 3-5.       All will agree that the deadly wound was inflicted in 1798. Now let us ask this question: Does all the world wonder after the beast before the deadly wound is healed? or after? The deadly wound could not be healed until after it was inflicted, and it is not until after it is healed that all the world wonders after the beast. “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?” All this takes place after the deadly wound is healed, and the deadly wound is not completely healed until during the last generation that lives upon the earth. And now we come to the fifth verse, the verse that contains the last reference to the 1260 day period. “And there was given him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” Is this before or after the deadly would is healed?       “The Sabbath question will be the issue in the Great conflict in which all the world will act a part. (Rev. 13:4-8 and 10-17 quoted). This entire chapter is a Revelation of what will surely take place.” MS 88, 1897 —7BC 979.       “The influence of Rome in the countries that once acknowledged her dominion, is still far from being destroyed. And prophecy foretells a restoration of her power. ‘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 indication of the deadly wound points to the downfall of the papacy in 1798. After this, says the prophet, “His deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” GC 579.       This 1260 day period must be the most important time period in prophetic history, since it is brought to view seven 200 times in the books of Daniel and the Revelation. This 1260 day period meets its complete fulfillment during two prophetic periods of God’s church down through the ages. It met its first fulfillment during 1260 years of the most terrible persecution the church had ever known up until that time—the period of the first supremacy of the papacy. It meets its second fulfillment during the 1260 literal days which is the time of the most terrible persecution the church will ever know, during the translation period.       “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.” Verses 6-10.       Much might be said regarding these verses, but we shall leave the comments with Elder Uriah Smith’s application in D&R page 564 and 153, 154, Old Edition:       “This beast opens his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name. (See mention under Dan. 7:25 of the presumptuous titles assumed by the popes). Pages 153, 154, Old Edition.       “He blasphemes the tabernacle in heaven by turning the attention of his subjects to his own throne and palace instead of to the tabernacle of God; by turning their attention away from the city of God, Jerusalem above, and pointing them to Rome as the eternal city; and he blasphemes them that dwell in heaven by assuming to exercise the power of forgiving sins, and so turning away the minds of men from the mediatorial work of Christ and his heavenly assistants in the sanctuary above.” 201 Here I believe is an appropriate place to quote what Eze. 28:1-10 says about the pope of Rome.       “The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, (A prince is the son of a king; Tyrus represents Satan.) Thus saith the Lord God; Because shine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; (In the midst of the ‘peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” Rev. 17:15) yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set shine heart as the heart of God: Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; (Daniel was the prime minister of ancient Babylon, and as such he knew what was going on in the world.) there is no secret they can hide from thee: (The pope has his emissaries in every country on the globe). With thy wisdom and with shine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into the treasuries: By thy great wisdom and by thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches and shine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: therefore thus saith the Lord God, Because thou hast set shine heart as the heart of God; Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. Thou shalt die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God.”       Read verses 11-19 and see how they apply to Satan under the symbol of Tyrus.       As every Adventist knows, the rest of this thirteenth chapter applies to American apostate Protestantism, and it applies right down at the very end of this earth’s history. It is through the influence of apostate Protestantism that a national Sunday law is enacted and enforced, and since I 202 have no special comment on the balance of this chapter, we shall hasten on to our study of the fourteenth chapter. However before leaving this chapter let me say that we can see the storm clouds gathering, —we see Sr. White’s statement in 5T 451 in the process of fulfillment right before our eyes:       “By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near.”       As we see the terrible wickedness in the world today, as we see these things shaping up for the end, should it not awaken us from our Laodicean condition, and arouse us to new energy, and a determination to prepare for the storm that is soon to come upon us? Next File 3 —page 202 Back To Top Back to  The Revelation of Jesus Christ  Index