|
File 3—Pages 202-352 “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood upon mount Zion, and with him an hundred and forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders, and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed 203  THE THREE ANGEL HERALDS Bearing the warning of God’s judgment hour, three angels speed forth to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. 204 from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb withersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” Verses 1-5. The 144,000 is a subject that is much discussed among Adventists, and especially among the reformers. Some believe that the 144,000 are not a specific number, but from a careful study of the prophecies, as they apply to this last generation, it is clear that the 144,000 are made up of individuals who have had a very special preparation for translation. The 144,000 are those who are sealed at the close of probation. At that time the/ mystery of God, which is the gospel, has been finished, and the inhabitants of the earth have been divided into just two classes; one class have received the seal of God, and the other have received the mark of the beast. Those who are interested in knowing who make up the 144,000 can do no better than to read GC 648, 649. “These are they which are not defiled with women; for they are virgins.” A woman in prophecy represents a church; a pure woman represents a pure church, while a corrupt woman represents a corrupt church. The 144,000 are sealed at the close of probation, Let us ask this question, Do we have any record in the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy, of another pure church, besides the 144,000, at the close of probation? I know of none. At the close of probation there is no record, either in the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy, of another pure church aside from the 144,000—the translation church. This being the case, then, at the close of probation, all other churches, either organized or unorganized, are impure churches—they are counterfeits. “These are they which follow the Lamb withersoever he goeth.” Let us remember that this is speaking of the 144,000, and they are of the last generation that lives upon 205 the earth, and their characters are perfected during the time after Christ has taken the work into His own hands, to finish it in a way that is contrary to any human planning. These are not looking to any man, nor to any human organization. They follow the Lamb. They follow Him in His ministration in the first apartment, and then they follow Him into the most holy place for the judgment of the living. This company is also brought to view in Rev. 17:14: “These (the ten kingdoms, represented by the ten horns) shall make war with the Lamb, and the lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of Lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him (the 144,000) are called, and chosen, and faithful.” These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.” “For they are without fault before the throne of God.” Does this mean that the 144,000 are without fault before the throne of God because of Christ’s imputed righteousness, as some affirm? or are they complete overcomers through His imparted righteousness? Does this company attain to a degree of perfection such as no other company have ever experienced? It is said of this company, that they are without fault before the throne of God; and in the vision of the ‘shaking’, it is said of this company: “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, 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.” 1T 181, 182. In the vision of “The end of the 2300 days,” EW 54, 5, after Christ had led the remnant of the remnant out a little way; “Then He raised His right arm, and we heard His lovely voice saying, ‘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’. This company had been purified through 206 obedience to the truth, not alone through Christ’s imputed righteousness. Again Sr. White, in Volume five, says of this company: “Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God (and the 144,000 have the seal of God in their foreheads) 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. These statements clearly indicate that the 144,000 are a company such as has never been developed in the history of God’s church upon the earth. “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, saying Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Verses 6-8. Here are the first and second angel’s messages. These are very special messages, and they are proclaimed at two very special periods of this earth’s history. These two messages are proclaimed in order to perfect the characters of two very special companies. In the 1844 period they prepared a company to enter with Christ into the most holy place for the judgment of the dead: during this last generation, they are to prepare a company to enter with Christ into the most holy place for the judgment of the living. The first angel’s message called the attention of God’s true people—the faithful souls (“from the beginning, faithful souls have constituted God’s church upon the earth.” AA 11. ) away from the organized churches, which contained both the wheat and the tares, to the real head of the church on earth —the Lord himself. 207 If the pioneers of the Advent movement had not lost their spiritual eyesight—if they had continued to recognize Christ as the true Head of the church—that generation would have produced the church triumphant—the 144,000. They could have been in the kingdom before the church was organized. But after the church was organized they were right back where they were before they accepted the second angel’s message. It was the second angel’s message that called them out of the organized apostate Protestant churches. At the General Conference Session at Battle Creek, Mich., in 1901, the statement was made by one of the Conference men that, We must have a visible head of the church. It was the second angel’s message that called God’s remnant out of the apostatized Babylonian Protestant churches in the 1844 period; and that same message will call the remnant of the remnant out of the apostatized Laodicean church in this last generation. But I hear members of our Adventist church say: Is not this calling the Adventist church Babylon? Have you never read that statement in TM 36, 37: “Those who assert that the Seventh-day Adventist church constitutes Babylon, or any part of Babylon, might better stay at home.” That statement was written in 1893. The Adventist church was not Babylon at that time, neither will it ever be Babylon—it will always be Spiritual Israel! This is not calling the church Babylon; it is saying that, through the church’s apostasy, and its compromising with the world, it has been taken captive by modern spiritual Babylon; and is now in spiritual captivity. Ancient Israel apostatized, and because of her apostasy she was taken captive by ancient Babylon; but did the Israelites, because of their captivity, become Babylonians? No, indeed, they were still Israelites in captivity; so it is with the Seventh-day Adventist church, although they are in spiritual captivity, they are still Seventh-day Adventists, The Seventh-day Adventist church is the Laodicean church, and that church admits that it is the Laodicean church; and 208 whatever good Sr. White may have said about the Seventh-day Adventist church, the fact still remains that the True Witness says that he will spew the Laodicean church out of his mouth! Sr. White’s statements must harmonize with the Bible. In at least three places in the article from which the above statement was taken— “The Church not Babylon”—Sr. White makes the positive statement that the church militant (which is the organized Seventh-day Adventist church) is not the church triumphant: for the simple fact that in the church militant there are tares among the wheat. There is no possible way to separate the tares and the wheat in the church militant—man cannot judge the heart. But the church triumphant is made up of faithful souls—their names are registered in the books of heaven, and there are no unconverted souls in that church. Modern spiritual Israel is following in the same steps as did ancient literal Israel. After ancient Israel had been in bondage for something over seventy years, a decree went forth calling the faithful Israelites out of captivity, but the most of the Israelites had established their homes in Babylon; their children had intermarried with the Babylonians, and they were perfectly satisfied to remain in Babylon. Only a small number were, willing to answer the call. They were unwilling to go back and rebuild Jerusalem and rebuild and reestablish the sanctuary services. Their homes were in Babylon, on this old earth, and they were not especially interested in the hereafter. We have exactly the same situation in our day. The Seventh-day Adventist church is in the Laodicean condition, just as represented in the last verses of Rev. 3. They are rich and increased with goods, and in need of nothing. They are perfectly satisfied with their condition: they have no desire to go back to the spiritual condition the pioneers were in 1844. Let us ask a pertinent question, and give it a very candid answer. Is the Seventh-day Adventist church today in as perfect a spiritual condition 209 as was the church Oct. 22, 1844? Has the church advanced spiritually during the last 120 years? Do we honestly believe that the church is in a better spiritual condition today, than it was 120 years ago? If the church was not fitted to go forth and give the loud cry in 1844, has she advanced in her spiritual condition to the place where she is now ready to do that work? Let us be absolutely honest: we may try to deceive ourselves, and we may be able to deceive others, but we can never deceive the Lord! We can never deceive the true witness who said that he would spew the Laodicean church out of his mouth! The first and second angel’s messages are addressed to the Seventh-day Adventist church today, just as literally as they were addressed to the apostate Protestant churches in 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 the midnight cry: “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him;” these both constitute a command to the remnant of the remnant to come out from among those who are partaking of the sins of modern spiritual Babylon; and those who reject that message will never have a part in the giving of the loud cry. “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation: and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” Verses 9-11. There is probably no subject among Seventh-day Adventists that is as widely discussed as the subject of the third angel’s message. We believe that this is the message 210 that is to finish the work, and we claim that we have been proclaiming that message for the last 120 years. But we have been told by the Lord’s messenger that this people could have been in the kingdom years ago. It is quite evident that something has gone wrong. Is it our fault, or did the Lord make a mistake when He gave Sr. White that information? If our church has not accomplished in 120 years what she might have accomplished in 44 years, what are we to expect of her? But our leaders confidently tell us that the work is almost finished and that we shall soon go home. But have we not heard this for the last many, many years? Any professed Adventist that did not believe that the generation that saw the stars fall in 1833, would see Christ come in the clouds of heaven that Adventist was an heretic. At that time the belief was one of the cardinal doctrines of the Adventist church, but we have heard nothing of it for a long time now. This all adds up to the conclusion that if the loud cry of the third angel is ever to be given, it will have to be given by a purer people than the Seventh-day Adventist church. If God’s professed church had followed the instruction the Lord so graciously extended to them, there would be no need of a special loud cry message, at this late hour, to gather in those who are still in Babylon. The very fact that there is still to be a loud cry message that is to go to the world, would be proof positive that the Adventist church, during the last 120 years, has not accomplished the work the Lord intended they should. In other words, those who are to receive the message of the loud cry, should have been in the church years ago. If the Seventh-day Adventist church, which frankly admits that it is the Laodicean church, is the church that is to go through to the end and be translated, then why does the True Witness bring such a scathing accusation against the true church? Why does He say that He will spew that church out of His mouth? Why does the Lord, through His servant Sr. White, in her vision of ‘The Shaking’ give us a picture of His true people as they come out of the Laodicean 211 condition, and finally go forth and give the loud cry? But the church tells us that those who come out of the Laodicean condition still stay in the Adventist church. If this is true, where is the shaking in the church? Where are those who rise up against the straight testimony? Does the church tolerate any message it does not approve of? Indeed, if any minister in the Adventist church should rise up and give the straight testimony of the True Witness to the Laodiceans, would he not soon be looking for a job where he could make a living? “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Verse 12. Who are these that personify the saints by their patience? Is it not the group that is called into being by these three messages—the 144,000? All down through the ages, —all down through the history of the resurrection church, God’s professed people have had an up and down experience. So far as we have any record, only two have ever been translated. Probation for the individuals in the resurrection church has ended at death; none in that church have ever come to full maturity; the imputed righteousness of Christ has made up for their lack of perfection. But of the company that has been produced by these three messages it can truly be said, Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus Christ. This group are the antitypical wave sheaf. In the type, the Israelites went through the fields and plucked the first heads of fully ripened grain. These were bound into a sheaf and waved before the Lord; and it was not until after the wave sheaf was presented before the Lord that the sickle could be put to the harvest. Even so, it is not until the characters of the 144,000 have been fully developed, and Jesus can present them to His Father, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, that the harvest of the earth—the dead of all ages—can be resurrected. The 144,000 represent the finished product of the harvest of the earth. 212 In the perfection of the characters of this company, Jesus proves to the whole universe that it is possible for human beings to keep the law of God at a time when the human race is in the very depths of sin. This is the only company in the history of God’s church upon the earth that really keep the commandments of God through their faith in Jesus. Jesus kept His Father’s commandments through His faith in His Father, and it is possible for His servants to keep His Father’s commandments through their faith in Jesus. “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.” Verse 13. From what period in the history of this last generation does this word ‘henceforth’ apply? During the 2300 literal days the remnant of the remnant have their characters perfected to the place where, “still the evil angels press around them, but they can have no power over them;” (1T 182) and Jesus tells them, “Wait here: I am going to My Father to receive the kingdom; keep your garments spotless,” (this is just before Jesus enters the most holy place for the judgment of the living) then from this point onward those are blessed who have had a part in the giving of this last message, but who are laid to rest before the time of trouble. At the time when the remnant of the remnant go forth to give the loud cry, they have been purified, and made white, and have come to the place where Still the evil angels press around them but they can have no power over them —their garments are spotless: but they have not yet been tested and tried on the mark of the beast and his image, and therefore they have not been sealed among the 144,000. Some shed their blood in testimony of their faith during the loud cry, and they are the ones of whom it is said: “Blessed are the dead which die in the 213 Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.” These will certainly be given a very special reward In the first place, they will come up in the special resurrection, to hear God’s covenant of peace with those who have kept His law. Sr. White, in her first vision, EW 18, 19 says: “As we were traveling along, we met a company who also were gazing at the glories of the place. I noticed red as a border on 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.” And in GC 665, we have this statement: “Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning, have followed their Savior with deep intense devotion.” (Are not those spoken of in COL 236, among this company? “Many will come from the grossest error and sin, and will take the place of others who have had opportunities and privileges but have not prized them. They will be accounted the chosen of God, elect, Precious: and when Christ shall come into His kingdom, they will stand next to His throne.) Now back to GC 665: “Next are those who perfected characters in the midst of falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the law of God when the Christian world declared it void, and the millions, of all ages, who were martyred for their faith. These will be translated with the 144,000, but they will not be of the 144,000. The 144,000 are translated without seeing death, but the martyrs will be translated having seen death. Our position differs from that of Elder Smith’s in that he understands that all of those who have had a part in the giving of the third angel’s message, since the disappointment in 1844, will come up in the special resurrection and will be translated with the 144,000 and they will be numbered with the 144,000. In the revised 214 1944 edition of Elder Smith’s book, his views regarding the 144,000 are omitted. This, along with many of his other views, is no doubt the reason the book was revised His original edition is preferable since it harmonizes much more readily with the prophecies as they apply during this last generation. “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap; for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” Verses 14-16. In our study of this chapter we have now come down to the close of probation. For six thousand years man has had access to eternal life through the blood of the Son of God. For six thousand years this old earth has been a pit of sin, but human beings could be rescued out of this pit, but now probation is past and this earth has become a bottomless pit: Christ has stepped out from between humanity and His Father—the harvest is past, and millions are not saved. The proclamation has gone forth: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:11. The wicked have nothing to look forward to but the seven last plagues and the lake of fire. The 144,000 are sealed, and although they are to experience much suffering during the seven last plagues and the death decree, which is the crisis time of Jacob’s trouble—when they will experience their counterpart of Christ’s one hour in the garden of Gethsemane—their sins have been pardoned through the blood of Christ and have been placed upon the head of the antitypical scapegoat, never more to be remembered 215 against them. Eternity with their blessed Saviour and the redeemed of all ages, stretches out before them, —He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. It is quite evident that there is a break between the scenes of the first six verses and those of the rest of the chapter. In the first six verses, John sees the 144,000 with the Lamb upon mount Zion. What he saw evidently takes place after the coming of Christ, and after the redeemed are in heaven. The scenes following the first six verses begin with the first, second, and third angel’s messages. These scenes begin with the beginning of the 2300 literal days: when the first angel’s message begins to be proclaimed, and extend on down through the period of the loud cry, the seven last plagues, and clear down to the lake of fire after the one thousand years. Thus the fourteenth chapter from the 6th verse on down to the end of the chapter, covers the period from the beginning of the message to the last generation, clear on down to the end of the thousand years. From the 14th verse on down to the end of the chapter, there are two angels brought to view, each having a sharp sickle, and each performing a work of harvest. The first angel is like unto the Son of Man, which of course is Christ Himself, as He sits upon the cloud at His coming. After Christ removes His priestly garments, and clothes Himself with garments of vengeance, He enters the cloud of angels and remains upon that cloud until He is seen as a little cloud coming from the east. From the time He enters the cloud at the close of probation until He comes in the clouds of Heaven at the end of the seventh plague, He is watching over His saints as they experience the first six plagues, the time of Jacobs trouble, which is the death decree, and then He delivers them at the beginning of the seventh plague. It is during the seventh plague that He rules the nations with a rod of iron, and at the end of the seventh plague He translates the 144,000 and resurrects the harvest of the 216 earth. The final harvest of the earth begins at the close of probation. The 144,000, who are the last generation that lives upon the earth, are sealed, just before the close of probation, during the loud cry, after a national Sunday Law has been enacted, and enforced. All of the 144,000 will have stood the test on the mark of the beast; “This is the test (the mark of the beast) that the people of God must have before they are sealed.” SDA Comm. page 976. But the real test for the 144,000 comes during the death decree, under the 6th plague, just before they are delivered by the voice of God, at the beginning of the seventh plague. Death comes as a consequence of sin, and since the 144,000 have ceased sinning, death can have no power over them. We read in EW 279 these words: “I was pointed down to the time when the third angel’s message was closing. The power of God had rested upon His people; they had accomplished their work and were prepared for the trying hour before them. They had received the latter rain, or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and the living testimony had been revived. The last great warning had sounded everywhere, and it had stirred up and enraged the inhabitants of the earth who would not receive the message. I saw angel’s hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with a writer’s inkhorn by his side returned from the earth and reported to Jesus that his work was done, and the saints were numbered and sealed.” The saints that are numbered and sealed must constitute the harvest of the last generation that lives upon the earth—the 144,000. And since the 144,000 are the firstfruits—the first fully ripened grain of the earth’s harvest, —and since the dead of all ages cannot be raised until the 144,000 are fully matured, it can truly be said that the harvest of the earth begins to be gathered at the close of probation. “And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over pre; and 217 cried with a loud voice to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even to the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” Verses 17-20. After Christ has gathered the ‘firstfruits’ the first fully ripened grain—the 144,000; then another angel is sent forth from the temple of God in heaven to gather the wicked inhabitants of the earth. But why are the wicked likened unto grapes? In the Bible the grape, and the juice of the grape, are referred to many times as being very desirable. Christ turning the water into the juice of the grape is used to represent the blood of Christ; but in this instance the wicked—those who have rejected light and truth, are likened unto grapes, and the juice of the wild grape is likened to the blood of the wicked. At the close of probationary time, which has lasted for 6000 years—the harvest of the earth is divided into two general classes—God’s professed people and the general wicked; and these two classes are divided into two classes each. The general wicked are composed of Catholics and Protestants, or the beast, and the image to the beast; while God’s professed people are composed of the wise and the foolish virgins. The whole wicked world will finally be arraigned under these three classes as they are brought up against the wise virgins, or the 144,000 in the death decree. The wicked inhabitants of the earth will be judged according to the light the Lord has allowed to shine upon their pathway. There will be those who have lived upon the earth that will be as though they had not been, they will not be raised in the resurrection of the wicked at the end of the 1000 years. But the wicked that are raised at the end of the thousand years will be judged according to the light they have rejected. 218 But the question is, What class of the wicked is represented by the grapes of verses 17-20 of this 14th chapter? Do these grapes represent the general wicked of the earth during this last generation after probation closes? or do they represent a special class to whom the oracles of God have been entrusted since the beginning of the judgment in 1844? These grapes that are brought to view in verses 1720 are certainly not the true fruit of the Lord’s planting—they are wild grapes. Do we have any information, either in the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy, as to what class of the wicked these grapes belong? In the 4th chapter of Isaiah we have a word picture of God’s true church, the church of the 144,000, during the last generation that is to live upon the earth; and in the first seven verses of the 5th chapter we have portrayed a picture of God’s professed church—the Laodicean church—during the last generation that is to live upon the earth. The 144,000 of the fourth chapter of Isaiah represent the first heads of fully ripened grain of earth’s harvest; while the first seven verses of the fifth chapter give us a picture of God’s professed church during the last generation. Lest any should fail to read these seven verses we are quoting them here. “Now I will sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill; And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard; I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and 219 it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant, and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.” Isa. 5:1-7. Now let us ask another question: Do we have any evidence that these verses apply to modern spiritual Israel? “The standard of holiness is the same today as in the days of the apostles. Neither the promises nor the requirements of God have lost aught of their force. But what is the state of the Lord’s professed people as compared with the early church? Where is the Spirit and power of God which then attended the preaching of the gospel? Alas, ‘how is the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed? The Lord planted His church as a vine in a fruitful field. With tenderest care He nourished it and cherished it, that it might bring forth the fruit of righteousness. His language is; ‘what could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?’ But this vine of God’s planting has inclined to the earth and entwined its tendrils about human supports. Its branches are extended far and wide, but it bears the fruit of a degenerate vine. The Master of the vineyard declared; ‘When I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes. The Lord has bestowed great blessings upon His church, Justice demands that she return these talents with usury. As the treasures of truth committed to her keeping have increased, her obligations have increased. But instead of improving upon these gifts and going forward unto perfection, she has fallen away from that which she had attained in her earlier experience. The change in her spiritual state has come gradually and almost imperceptibly. As she began to seek the praise and friendship of the world, her faith diminished, her zeal grew languid, her fervent devotion gave place to 220 toward the world was a step away from God. As pride and worldly ambition have been cherished, the Spirit of Christ has departed, and emulation, dissension, and strife have come in to distract and weaken the church.” 5T 240, 241. Does not this shed light upon these last three verses? Do not the grapes brought to view in these verses represent God’s professed Laodicean church, and especially the leadership of that church? Does not this prophecy, as it applies to this last generation, apply more especially and particularly to God’s professed church than it does to the 144,000 (His true church) and the general wicked? Does not the Lord realize that these of this last generation who understood the book of Revelation will be more concerned with the destiny of God’s true people and His professed people, than they will be with that of the general wicked? These have at one time been closely identified with God’s professed people, but they have heeded the message that is to prepare a people for translation, and they are intensely interested to know the fate of those who have had great light, but who have refused to walk in the advancing light. The reward of the false shepherds—the leadership of the Laodicean church—and the relationship of God’s remnant of the remnant to these false shepherds, is very vividly presented in Sr. White’s vision of ‘False Shepherds’ in EW 123, 124. In this vision Sr. White applies the reward of the false shepherds to the Leadership of the apostatized Protestant churches in 1844. At that time in response to the second angel’s message and the midnight cry, the pioneers of the advent movement had separated themselves from those who professed to be God’s true church, just as the ‘remnant of the remnant’ will separate themselves from those who profess to be God’s true church during this last generation—the Laodicean church. This vision was not fulfilled to the generation in 1844, as is evident from the fact that the false shepherds of that period did not meet their reward during the seven last plagues; the seven last plagues were 221 not poured out during that period. However, they would have been, had God’s people followed His instruction. For want of space we will only quote a part of the vision in EW 124. “I saw that the priests who are leading on their 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. (But at this point in the history of the world the plagues are still in the future) 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, (Did these false shepherds ever worship at the feet of the saints, in the 1844 period? If not then this prophecy is still to be fulfilled) 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.” “The different parties of professed Advent believers have each a little truth, 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, 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 222 gatherings is not good. If God has delivered us from such darkness and error, we should stand fast 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.” Let us compare Isa. 5:1-7 with Sr. White’s statement in 5T 240, 241 and Rev. 14:17-20 and see if there is any connection between these statements. In 5T 240, 241 Sr. White applies the wild grapes of Isa. 5:1-7 to God’s professed church, the Seventh-day Adventist church. The Seventh-day-Adventist church was brought into existence through the proclamation of the first, second, and third angel’s messages, during the 1844 period. The church was brought into existence through the proclamation of the first, second, and third angel’s messages of verses 6-11 of chapter fourteen! The church to which Sr. White applied the wild grapes of Isa. 5 is the church of which she says: “but this vine of God’s planting has inclined to the earth and entwined its tendrils about human supports. Its branches are extended far and wide, but it bears the fruit of a degenerate vine.” This is the Seventh-day Adventist church—the church that was brought into being through the proclamation of the first, second, and third angel’s messages of the 1844 period. So it seems reasonable to believe that the grapes of the last verses of Rev. 14: (and they are certainly wild grapes) are the same as the wild grapes of Isa. 5 and since Sr. White applies the wild grapes of Isa. 5 to God’s professed people—the Seventh-day Adventist church, the SDA church has claimed to be the depository of God’s ten commandment laws since 223 are rewarded according to the light the Lord has allowed to shine upon their pathway; and since God’s professed people have had great light but have not walked in the light, it is clear that that church will have a prominent part in the windup of the battle of Armageddon, at the end of the 1000 years. Let us study the last two verses of this 14th chapter. “And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God, And the winepress was trodden without the city, (Without the New Jerusalem) and blood came out of the winepress, even to the horse bridles, by the space of 1000 and six hundred furlongs.” Is it not possible that these two verses have a twofold application, and like other prophecies of the Bible, meet their fulfillment at two separate and distinct periods of time? In EW 124 Sr. White speaks of a class of false shepherds who are soon to be arrested in their dreadful career.” She says of them; “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 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, (which takes place under the seventh plague) 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.” “You think, that those who worship at the saint’s feet (Rev. 3:9), will at last be saved. Here I must differ with you; for God shew me that this class were professed Adventists, who had fallen away, and ‘crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open shame.’ And in the ‘hour of temptation’, which is yet to come, to shew out every one’s true character, they will 224 know that they are forever lost; and overwhelmed with anguish of spirit, they will bow at the saint’s feet.” “A Word To The Little Flock,” page 12. This evidently applies to those of the last generation, because the seven last plagues are not poured out until during the last generation. These false shepherds are those who have had great light, but have not walked in the light; these are those who have rejected the message that would have prepared them for translation; these are evidently the false shepherds of God’s professed church. These will suffer the terrible judgments of the seven trumpets during the period of the loud cry, when it will be said of them: “And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, but death shall flee from them.” Rev. 9:6. These suffer all of the seven last plagues and will finally be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming. It is during the seventh plague after God’s people are delivered, that the swords of the wicked, which were intended to slay the saints, will be turned upon one another and there is a terrible slaughter all over the earth, but all this has its counterpart in the destruction of the wicked after the 1000 years. This is the crisis time of the battle of Armageddon, as that battle takes place just before, and at the coming of Christ before the thousand years begins. Now let us look at what takes place at the end of the 1000 years. At the end of the 1000 years all of the wicked dead who have ever lived upon the earth, from Cain down to the coming of Christ, are raised from the dead. Can we imagine the BILLIONS of human beings that will be upon the earth at that time? Satan makes them believe that with their BILLIONS they can go up and overthrow the Holy City, when suddenly, the swords that were meant to slay the saints are employed to slay one another; this then becomes the great winepress of the wrath of God—this is evidently the time when blood comes out of the winepress, even to the horse-bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. 225 “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are they works. Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. And after that I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth forever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.” Rev. 15:1-8. It seems that the whole of the fifteenth chapter is an introduction to the plague chapter. The sixteenth chapter gives us a picture of the terrible wrath of God that is poured out in the seven last plagues. But before presenting the scene of the seven last plagues, which are poured out upon the wicked after the close of probation, the Lord reminds us in the first verse, that the harvest of the righteous of this last generation has already been gathered, —He represents them as already being upon the sea of glass in heaven. The whole of this chapter emphasizes the mercy and justice of God clear down through the last six thousand years, and although the judgments and plagues 226 are the cause of the most terrible mental and physical suffering that have ever been experienced by human beings, His righteousness is vindicated, His mercy and justice sustained. “And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.” This plague is poured out upon those who receive the mark of the beast and his image. Does not the language employed in these verses imply that not all the wicked of this old world will receive this plague? but only those who receive the mark of the beast and his image? Let us ask this question: Who receive the mark of the beast? Do all but the 144,000 receive the mark of the beast? Not all of these plagues, at least the first four, are universal. In GC 628 Sr. White, after mentioning the first four plagues, says, “These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful scourges that have been known to mortals. All the judgments upon men, prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is poured out unmingled with mercy. Now if this first plague is not a universal plague, then there is one of two things either this plague is poured out upon the wicked geographically, or it is poured out upon certain classes or groups of sinners, or upon certain degrees of sinners. To pour out these plagues upon sinners geographically would be unfair, because some human beings are greater sinners than others. The inhabitants of 227 this world will be judged, not geographically, but by the; light that has been shed upon their pathway. To illustrate: Seventh-day Adventists, who have had great light and every advantage and opportunity, will receive far greater condemnation than the poor heathen who have never heard the good news of the Advent message. And so these plagues, and especially the first plague, is poured out on those who have received the mark of the beast and his image, and those who receive the mark of the beast are those Sr. White speaks of in GC 605 “But not one is made to suffer the wrath of God until the truth has been brought home to his mind and conscience, and has been rejected. There are many who have never had the opportunity to hear the special truths for this time. The obligation of the fourth commandment has never been set before them in its true light. He who reads every heart, and tries every motive, will leave none who desire a knowledge of the truth to be deceived as to the issues of the controversy. Everyone is to have sufficient light to make its decision intelligently. the Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty; for it is the point of truth especially controverted.” This brings up another question: Will none who keep the Sabbath receive the mark of the beast? There are approximately one and one half million Adventists, these all keep the Sabbath. If one in one hundred were ready for translation that would be one hundred and fifty thousand; and one hundred and fifty thousand would be six thousand more than the 144,000. What would become of the other ninety nine out of each one hundred? Is not this excellent proof that there will be thousands and thousands of Adventists that will receive the mark of the beast and his image? These Adventists are the foolish virgins. These are genuine Laodiceans. They are rich and increased with (spiritual) goods, and in need of nothing, these 228 who are spewed out of the mouth of the Lord. We do not want to leave the impression that we believe that God’s professed people will be the only ones that will receive the mark of the beast, but we certainly have plenty of evidence in the Spirit of Prophecy that many Seventh-day, Adventists will be among those who receive the mark of the beast. “And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.” Evidently this plague is not to be universal either, but as far as I know, we have no way of knowing what portions of the sea will be effected; but it must be evident to the student of prophecy, that these plagues will be poured out where they will affect those centers of population that have become like Sodom for wickedness, and since this second plague is poured out upon the sea, it seems reasonable to believe that the great coastal cities would be the most likely to be effected. These cities have become nauseous stink-holes of corruption, and their stink has no doubt come up into the nostrils of the God of the universe, and now if every soul in the sea should die, surrounding these great cities, would not the stink of these dead creatures come into the nostrils of the wicked inhabitants? What would become of the immoral pleasure resorts along the coast? This of course is speculation, but would not such a condition be a real plague? “And the third angel poured out rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and west, and shalt be, because thou have judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou has given them blood to drink; for they are worthy And I heard another out the altar say, Even so, Lord God almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.” Verses 4-7. In the second plague, the sea became as the blood of a dead man, extremely poisonous, and every living creature 229 in the sea died. In this third plague the rivers and fountains of waters become, to those who are possessed of the same spirit that actuated the murders of God’s people in the past, the blood of the martyrs. During this last generation the great cities of the earth derive their drinking water, for the most part, from the springs and rivers. Human beings can go quite some time without food, but they cannot go very long without water. What would happen to the inhabitants of these great cities if their supply of water was cut off for any length of time? Would it be possible to furnish water from other sources to the multitudes in the great cities? To say the least, this would cause intense suffering to millions of people! But for all of this, the justice of God stands vindicated before all the universe. The wicked might have escaped all of these terrible judgments. Ample provision had been made that all might have been saved during probationary time, but through Satan’s deceptions, the greed for gain, and the desire for pleasure, had deadened the senses of the wicked to the plainly revealed judgments that were coming upon them, and now, after probation has closed, they receive the just reward of their indifference. “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon sun: and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which had power over these plagues and they repented not to give him glory.” Verses 8, 9. Now let us get the picture: this is the fourth plague; the first three have already been poured out. Those under the first plague are still suffering from their incurable sores. And if those who have professed to be God’s Sabbath keeping people, are among the wicked to be found in the great cities, how can they expect to be shielded from these plagues when they have been warned time after time to get out from among the wicked? But there is where the good jobs are, and amid the terrible confusion that will exist after the close of probation, it will be the next thing 230 to impossible to escape the terrible judgments that are to be poured out upon these great centers of wickedness. It is beyond our comprehension to realize the suffering of the wicked under this plague. It is useless to try to describe a scene of more anguish than is presented here. Death itself would be a great relief. Now—right today—while probationary time lasts—is the time to heed the message that will deliver us from that terrible hour. For a description of that terrible time let us turn to GC 628, 629: “In the plague that follows, power is given to the sun ‘to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat.’ The prophets thus describe the condition of the earth at this fearful time. ‘The land mourneth; . . . because the harvest of the field is perished.’ ‘All the trees of the field are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.’ ‘The seed is rotted under their clods, the garners are laid desolate.’ ‘How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture . . . . The rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.’ ‘The songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord God: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.’ “These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals. All the judgments upon men prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is poured out, unmixed with mercy.” “In that day multitudes will desire the shelter of God’s mercy which they have so long despised. ‘Behold the day cometh, 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 231 shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.’ “ “The people of God will not be free from suffering; but while persecuted and distressed, while they endure privation, and suffer from want of food, they will not be left to perish.” GC 628, 9. Read on. “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast: and his kingdom was full of darkness, and they gnawed their tongues for pain. And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.” Verses 10, 11. “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast.” Question: What is the seat of the beast? But first another question: Just what is the beast? Is the beast that is referred to here the papacy? Our Adventist people, as well as many of the Protestant denominations, have taken the position that the beast of Rev. 13: 1-10 represents the Catholic church. This is certainly true, in as far as this beast represents not only the Catholic church, but also the ten kingdoms of Western Europe over which she once ruled. In Rev. 17: 1-4 I believe we have a definition of what constitutes the beast: “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.” Rev. 17:1-4. 232 The great whore of the first verse of Rev. 17 and the woman of the third verse of Rev. 17 are the same. The waters of the first verse of Rev. 17 and the beast of the third verse represent the “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues,” over which the woman—the great whore, rules. The leopard beast of Rev. 13 represents both the woman and the territory over which she rules. No distinction is made between the two. The scarlet colored beast of Rev. 17 is the leopard beast of Rev. 13 after the deadly wound is healed. The deadly wound started to be healed when Mussolini signed the concordat with the Catholic church, granting the Pope a few acres of land, thus constituting the holy see a political position among the nations. The healing of the deadly wound is progressive, and this wound will not be fully healed until the papacy attains to the same degree of political power she had during the dark ages. But in 1798 the papacy had lost much of the political power and prestige she once enjoyed. When the Catholic church regains the same political power she had before the deadly wound was inflicted, then the deadly wound will have been fully healed, and when that time comes, then the beast of Rev. 13 will become the beast of Rev. 17. The question to be decided is this: Which of the three beasts does the beast of this fifth plague represent? Is it the leopard beast of Rev. 13? Or is it the scarlet colored beast of rev. 17? or is it the beast of Rev. 17, after Protestantism, which is represented by the two horned beast o£ Rev. 13, stretches her hand across the gulf and clasps the hand of the Roman power, thus forming the eighth beast? The eighth beast is a combination of the scarlet beast of Rev. 17 with the two horned beast of Rev. 13 and Spiritism represented by the dragon in Rev. 12 and Rev. 16.13. At this time, under the fifth plague, which is after probation closes, she will have regained her supremacy over the ten nations over which she once ruled, and over which Sr. White makes it very plain in GC 578, she will rule 233 again. “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 infliction 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.” Then the seat of the beast, or the seat of the Catholic church—the nations upon which she sits; is the ten kingdoms of Western Europe, and these constitute the kingdom which will be full of darkness. “And his kingdom was full of darkness.” Is this literal darkness or spiritual darkness? Or perhaps it is both. This we shall know for sure as the scroll is unrolled. Elder Smith makes no comment on this darkness in his book D&R “And they gnawed their tongues for pain. And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores, and repented not of their deeds.” We have here proof that these plagues are accumulative. Those upon whom the first plague was poured out are still suffering from their terrible sores; but it calls forth no real repentance from them—the Spirit of God has departed. Do not the signs that are fulfilling all about us prove that we are in the last generation? —Then right now is the time to prepare for the terrible scenes that are before us! Remember that probation for those who come out from those in the Laodicean condition, closes before probation closes for those who come out under the loud cry. “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates: and the water there of was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth 234 of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” Verses 12-16. “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates;” Anciently, the literal city of Babylon sat astride the great river Euphrates. In our day the waters of the great river Euphrates represent the “people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues,” (Rev. 17:15) upon which modern spiritual Babylon sits. During the time of the sixth plague, which is quite some time after probation closes, spiritual Babylon is composed of Catholicism, apostate Protestantism, and Spiritism. “And the waters thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” The water of the great river Euphrates is the peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues, of the whole earth; but what do we understand by the drying up of these waters, or the nations of the earth? Up until this time, the nations are divided, opposing each other with war and bloodshed, each blaming the other for the terrible conditions that exist in the earth; but we shall see how, in this sixth plague, the nations are dried up, or the nations of all the earth are united on one general principle or belief, that the little band of Sabbath keepers are the cause of all the judgments and plagues that are torturing mankind. “That the way of the kings of the east might be prepared” Who are the kings of the east? and how is their way prepared? When Christ, the king of kings, and Lord of lords, shall come in the clouds of heaven, He will come from the east. But the prophecy says THE KINGS of the east, who are the other kings? Rev. 5:8-10 tells us who 235 these other kings are: “And when he had taken the book, (The little book of Daniel as it is unsealed in the Revelation) the four beasts and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having everyone of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou are worthy to take the book, and open the seals thereof; for thou west slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation: And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” These constitute the kings of the east. “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, (Satan) and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.” Who do the dragon, and the beast, and the false prophet represent? The dragon is the beast of Rev. 12, and primarily that beast represents Satan himself; but in a secondary sense, it represents pagan Rome. Pagan Rome was in power when Christ was born in Bethlehem, at the time when King Herod had all the young children put to death. But the great red dragon was Satan himself, as is made very clear in Rev. 12:9: “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world:” The dragon of the sixth plague is Satan, and Satan is the author of Spiritism, as is shown very clearly GC 561, 562. “Little by little he (Satan) has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last remnant of time. ‘I saw three unclean spirits like frogs; . . . they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and the whole world, Etc.” Surely this should be sufficient to prove that one of the unclean spirits of Rev. 16:13 is Satan, as he works through spiritualism, during the sixth plague. 236 We certainly shall have no trouble identifying the BEAST of the 13th verse. As we learned in our study thus far, the beast of Rev. 13:1-10 represents the papacy. The scarlet colored beast of Rev. 17 represents the papacy after the deadly wound is healed, while the scarlet colored beast, under its eighth phase represents the three fold union of the papacy, apostate Protestantism, and spiritualism, during the period of the sixth plague. Who, or what is the false prophet? We have here in this 13th verse, a combination of the three unclean spirits—the same combination that is brought to view in 5T 451: “When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach across 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.” Here we have the combination of the three powers; the dragon, spiritualism; the beast, the papacy; and the false prophet, apostate Protestantism; and we have the consummation of this prophecy in 5T 451 right here in the very verse we have under consideration. We see the beginning of the fulfillment of this prophecy right today, as we see the Protestant churches grasping the hands of the Roman power. “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty.” Now let us get the picture Five of the plagues have already fallen: this is in the closing days of that “time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time.” (Dan. 12:1) Probation has been closed for quite some time; God’s Spirit has been withdrawn from 237 the wicked, and Satan has full control of the finally impenitent. The thoughts of men’s hearts are only evil continually. Crimes of every description are filling the earth with woe. On top of all this, the inhabitants of the earth are suffering intensely from the terrible plagues that have been poured out. Science is at a loss to cope with the situation. This is the time set forth in GC 613 to 634, “The Time of Trouble.” Now, while probationary time still when we who are seeking for light and truth, should give diligent study to the last nine chapters of “The Great Controversy. These chapters are applicable right at this time. Let us notice some of the most important statements of this chapter—statements that apply during the time of trouble—the seven last plagues. “When the third angel’s message closes, mercy no longer pleads for the guilty inhabitants of the earth. The people of God have accomplished their work. They have received the ‘latter rain’, ‘the refreshing from the presence of the Lord’, and they are prepared for the trying hour before them. Angels are hastening to and fro in heaven. An angel returning from the earth announces that his work is done; the final test has been brought upon the world, and all who have proved themselves loyal to the divine precepts have received ‘the seal of the living God’.” Then Jesus ceases His intercession in the sanctuary above. He lifts His hands, and with a loud voice says, ‘It is done’ . . . . Christ has made the atonement for His people and blotted out their sins. The number of His subjects is made up; ‘the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,’ is about to be given to the heirs of salvation, and Jesus is to reign as King of Kings, the Lord of lords. “When He leaves the sanctuary, darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth. In that fearful time the righteous must live in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor. The restraint which has been upon 238 by holy angels when God commands, will be exercised by evil angels when He permits. There are forces now ready, and only waiting the divine permission, to spread desolation everywhere.” “Those who honor the law of God have been accused of bringing judgments upon the world, and they will be regarded as the cause of the fearful convulsions of nature and the strife and bloodshed among men that are filling the earth with woe. The power attending the last warning has enraged the wicked; their anger is kindled against all who have received the message, and Satan will excite to still greater intensity the spirit of hatred and persecution.” “When God’s presence was finally withdrawn from the Jewish nation, priests and people knew it not. Though under the control of Satan, they still regarded themselves as the chosen of God . . . So when the irrevocable decision of the sanctuary has been pronounced, and the destiny of the world has been forever fixed, the inhabitants of the earth will know it not. The forms of religion will be continued by a people from whom the Spirit of God has been finally withdrawn; and the Satanic zeal with which the prince of evil will inspire them for the accomplishment of his malignant designs, will bear the semblance of zeal for God.” It is expedient for us, ‘said the wily Caiaphas; ‘That one man should die for the people, and the whole nation perish not.’ This same argument will appear conclusive and a decree will finally be issued against those who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment, and giving the people liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death. Romanism in the Old World, and apostate Protestantism in the New, will pursue a similar course toward those who honor the divine precepts. “The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress described by the prophet as the time of Jacob’s trouble.” (When will be the time of Jacob’s trouble? Answer: When the decree is 239 finally issued to put God’s people to death.) “He (Satan) numbers the world as his subjects; but the little company who keep the commandments of God are resisting his supremacy. If he could blot them from the earth, his triumph would be complete. He sees that holy angels are guarding them, and he infers that their sins have been pardoned; but he does not know that their cases have been decided in the sanctuary above. . . . As Satan accuses the people of God on account of their sins, the lord permits him to try them to the uttermost. Their confidence m God, their faith and firmness, will be severely tested. As they review the past, their hopes sink; for in their whole lives they can see little good . . . . Though God’s people will be surrounded by enemies who are bent on their destruction, yet the anguish which they suffer is not a dread of persecution for the truth’s sake; they fear that every sin has not been repented of, and that through some fault in themselves they will fail to realize the fulfillment of the Saviour’s promise, I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world. (As Jesus spent one literal hour of terrible agony in the garden of Gethsemane; the 144,000 will spend one prophetic hour (fifteen days) of bitter agony during the death decree. ) If they could have the assurance of pardon, they would not shrink from torture or death; but should they prove unworthy, and lose their lives because of their own defects of character, then God’s holy name would be reproached.” (The plan of salvation depends upon the allegiance of everyone of the 144,000.) “Satan leads many to believe that God will overlook their unfaithfulness in the minor affairs of life; but the Lord shows in His dealing with Jacob that He will in no wise tolerate evil . . . Those professed Christians who come up to the last fearful conflict unprepared will, in their despair, confess their sins in words of burning anguish while the wicked 240 exalt over their distress.” “The flames of the furnace seem about to consume them; but the Refiner will bring them forth as gold tried in the fire.” “Wrestling with God—how few know what it is! How few have ever had their souls drawn out after God with intensity of desire until every power is on the stretch? When waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the supplicant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God . . . in that time of trial, every soul must stand for himself before God. ‘Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in the land, ‘as I live saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter they shall deliver but their own souls by their righteousness. GC 621-,22 “Only those who have been diligent students of the Scriptures, and who have received the love of the truth, will be shielded from the powerful delusion that will take the world captive.” “Satan will, if possible, prevent them from obtaining a preparation to stand in that day. He will arrange affairs as to hedge up their way, entangle them with earthly treasures, cause them to carry a heavy wearisome burden, that their hearts may be overcharged with the cares of this life, and the day of trial may come upon them as a thief.” “As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christendom against commandment-keepers shall withdraw the protection of government, and abandon them to those who desire their destruction, the people of God will flee from the cities and villages and associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places.” “Many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains. Like the Christians of the Piedmont valleys, they will make the high places of the earth their sanctuaries and will thank God for the ‘munitions of rocks.’ But many of all nations, and of all classes high and low, rich and poor, black and white, will be cast into the most unjust and cruel bondage. The beloved of God pass 241 weary days, bound in chains shut in by prison bars, sentenced to be slain, some apparently left to die of starvation in dark and loathsome dungeons. No human ear is open to their moans; no human hand is ready to lend them help . . . Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands. The Lord of hosts has said, ‘He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of His eye’. “ “God’s judgments will be visited upon those who are seeking to oppress and destroy His people. His long forebearance with the wicked emboldens them in transgression, but their punishment is none the less certain and terrible because it is long delayed. ‘The Lord shall rise up as in Mount Parazim, He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act.’ To our merciful God the act of punishment is a strange act. “When Christ ceases His intercession in the sanctuary, the unmingled wrath threatened against those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark, will be poured out. The plagues upon Egypt when God was about to deliver Israel, were similar in character to those more terrible and extensive judgments which are to fall upon the world just before the final deliverance of His people . . . . By condemning the people of God to death, they (The wicked) have as truly incurred the guilt of their blood as if it had been shed by their hands.” “In the plague that follows, power is given to the sun ‘to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat.’ The prophets thus describe the conditions of the earth at that fearful time; ‘The land mourneth; . . . Because the harvest of the field is perished.’ ‘All the trees of the field are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.’ ‘The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate’ ‘How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture . . . The rivers of 242 waters are dried up, and fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.’ ‘The songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord God: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.’ “These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals. All the judgments upon men, prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is poured out without mercy. “The people of God will not be free from suffering, but while persecuted and distressed, while they endure privation, and suffer from the want of food, they will not be left to perish . . . . “Yet to human sight it will appear that the people of God must seal their testimony with their blood, as did the martyrs before them. They themselves begin to fear that the Lord has left them to fall by the hand of their enemies. It is a time of fearful agony. Day and night they cry unto God for deliverance. The wicked exalt, and the jeering cry is heard, ‘Where now is your faith? Why does not God deliver you out of our hands if you are indeed His people? But the waiting ones remember Jesus dying upon Calvary’s cross, and the chief priests and rulers shouting in mockery, ‘He saved others: Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.’ Like Jacob, all are wrestling with God. Their countenances express their internal struggle. Paleness sits upon every face. Yet they cease not their earnest intercession . . . . The people of God must drink the cup and be baptized with the baptism. The very delay, so painful to them, is the best answer to their petitions. As they endeavor to wait trustingly for the Lord 243 to work, they are led to exercise faith, hope, and patience, which have been so little exercised during their religious experience. Yet for the elect’s sake, the time of trouble will be shortened . . . . The heavenly sentinels, faithful to their trust, continue their watch. Though a general decree has fixed the time when commandment-keepers may be put to death, their enemies will in some cases anticipate the decree, and before the time specified, will endeavor to take their lives. But none can pass the mighty guardian angels stationed about every faithful soul. Some are assailed in their flight from the cities and villages; but the swords raised against them break and fall as powerless as a straw. Others are defended by angels in the form of men of war.” “The eye of God, looking down the ages, was fixed upon the crisis which His people are to meet, when earthly powers shall be arrayed against them. Like the captive exile, they will be in fear of death by starvation or by violence. But the Holy One who divided the Red Sea before Israel, will manifest His mighty power and turn their captivity. ‘They shall be Mine saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.’ If the blood of Christ’s faithful witnesses were shed at this time, it would not, like the blood of the martyrs, be as seed sown to yield a harvest for God. Their fidelity would not be a testimony to convince others of the truth; for the obdurate heart has beaten waves of mercy until they return no more. If the righteous were now left to fall a prey to their enemies, it would be a triumph for the prince of darkness. Says the Psalmist, ‘In the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me.’ Christ has spoken ‘Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation 244 be overpass. For behold, the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.’ Glorious will be the deliverance of those who have patiently waited for his coming, and whose names are written in the book of life.” GC 613-634. The question will no doubt be asked: Why do you quote so much of this chapter— “The Time of Trouble?” I have quoted only the highlights of this chapter, because it deals with the time of trouble during the seven last plagues; and in our study, we have come to the sixth plague, and the sixth and seventh plagues are the climax of this period. I could have referred the reader to this chapter, but not one in twenty would have enough interest in those things to take the time to read and study the chapter. This chapter is of the greatest importance to us right at this time. We today can look over into the period, into the other side of the end of probation, and get an idea of the preparation we must make in order to stand during the fearful time of trouble. After having quoted a great deal of the chapter in GC “The Time of Trouble,” let us go back to where we left off under the sixth plague. Let us renew the picture of the condition of the world at this time. Satan has full control of the wicked. The whole world is full of confusion, violence, bloodshed, and every aspect of crime and degradation: “There shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.” The inhabitants of the earth are suffering intensely from the effects of the first five plagues. Science is unable to cope with the situation. Medical science has no effective cure for the terrible sores. Something must be done immediately. Now is Satan’s opportunity! “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. 245 These three unclean spirits (in the form of human beings of course go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, —not only to the professedly Christian nations, but to all the nations of the earth. Every nation on the face of the earth is suffering from the effects of these plagues, and every nation upon the face of the earth is to be brought up against God’s people in the death decree—this is the drying up of the great river Euphrates, which constitutes all the wicked of the earth. Elder F. M. Wilcox, in his little book “The Coming Crisis,” chapter 17, has grouped together no less than eight statements from the Spirit of Prophecy, as evidence that every nation in the world will come up against God’s people in the death decree, and this will be at a certain time. “Especially will the wrath of man be aroused against those who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment; and at last a universal decree will denounce them as deserving of death.” PK 512. “These plagues enraged the wicked against the righteous; they thought we had brought the judgments of God upon them, and that if they could rid the earth of us, the plagues would then be stayed. A decree went forth to slay the saints, which caused them to cry day and night for deliverance. This was the time of Jacob’s trouble. “EW 36, 37. “I saw the leading men of earth consulting together, and Satan and his angels busy around them. I saw writings, copies of which were scattered in different parts of the land, giving orders that unless the saints should yield their peculiar faith, give up the Sabbath, and observe the first day of the week, the people were at liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death.” EW 282, 3. “Though a general decree has fixed the time when commandment-keepers may be put to death, their enemies will in some cases anticipate the 246 decree, and before the time specified, will endeavor to take their lives.” GC 631. “The powers of earth uniting to war against the commandments of God, will decree that all, ‘both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond’ (Rev. 13:16), shall conform to the customs of the church by the observance of the false sabbath. All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties, and it will finally be decreed that they are deserving of death.” GC 604. “Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Though she leads out, yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the earth.” 6T 395. “As America, the land of religious liberty, shall unite with the Papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honor the false sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will follow her example.” 6T18. “This crisis will be reached when the nations shall unite in making void God’s law.” 5T 24 “As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christendom against commandment-keepers shall withdraw the protection of government, and abandon them to those who desire their destruction, the people of God will flee from the cities and villages and associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places.” GC 626, 27. “When the protection of human laws shall be withdrawn from those who honor the law of God, there will be in different lands a simultaneous movement for their destruction. As the time appointed draws near, the people will conspire to root out the hated sect. It will be determined to strike in one night a decisive blow, which shall utterly silence the voice of dissent end reproof.” GC 635. Here are ten statements regarding the death decree, and 247 they prove conclusively that every nation on the globe will be persuaded by these unclean spirits to come up against God’s people in the death decree, at the end of the sixth plague. These unclean spirits tell the inhabitants of the earth, including Russia, China, and all the heathen nations, that the condition that is prevailing on the earth is brought upon the world because there is a little group of Sabbathkeepers who persist in keeping ‘The old Jewish Sabbath’ and that these plagues will not be stayed until all the world is keeping the “Christian Lord’s Day Sabbath.” At this time the Sabbath will be the great subject of controversy. “The Sabbath question is to be the issue in the great final conflict in which all the world will act a part.” 6T 352. “These plagues enraged the wicked against the righteous; they thought we had brought the judgments of God upon them, and that if they could rid the earth of us, the plagues would then be stayed. A decree went forth to slay the saints, which caused them to cry day and night for deliverance. This was the time of Jacob’s trouble. Then all the saints cried out with anguish of spirit, and were delivered by the voice of God.” EW 36. These atheistic nations and heathen worshippers, although they do not recognize the Christian Deity, they do realize that these judgments are supernatural; and since these spirits, in order to prove that they have been sent with a message from heaven, perform many wonderful miracles, even calling fire down from heaven in the sight of men: these heathen nations reason that they have nothing to lose by joining the professed Christian nations in enacting the death decree against the little company of commandment-keepers. Now let us look at another phase of this death decree. Will each nation have its own separate date for the carrying out of the death decree? Let us notice some of the statements we have just quoted: “The people were at liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death.” EW 282, 3. “Though a general decree has fixed the time when commandment-keepers 248 may be put to death.” GC 631, “There will be in different lands a simultaneous movement for their destruction. As the appointed time draws near, etc.” GC 635. “and at last a universal decree.” PK 512. But when, where, and how, will this date be decided upon? We have no positive proof to present in answer to this question, but since this is to be a universal decree, it stands to reason that the date must be agreed upon by an international body, and if the United Nations is still alive at that time, it seems reasonable to believe that all the nations will come up against God’s people in that body. Now, in our study, where are we in point of time regarding the death decree? To what point have we come during the seven last plagues? But before we go farther let us notice that it is not the Law Enforcement Officers that are to put the saints to death, it is the people themselves—the wicked inhabitants of the earth that are to carry out the execution of the death decree. This is a democratic action all the way through. First, all the nations of the earth cast their votes to enact the death decree; then the people of these nations, cast their votes by taking part in the execution of that decree; thus the nations as well as the individuals, pronounce their own death sentence, and thus the justice of God in the pouring out of His wrath upon the wicked under the seventh plague—the plague of the great hail. Now let us answer that last question: ‘To what point have we come in our study of the translation church? The unclean spirits have gone out to bring the nations of the earth up against the saints in the death decree. The date has been set when the wicked are at liberty to slay the saints. The representatives of the various nations have been given a specified period of time in which to return to their respective nations and enact the death decree in their various lawmaking bodies. I believe this will be a period of thirty days, (But we will take that subject up later). This period brings us up to the beginning of the death 249 decree, which will be one prophetic hour—fifteen days—the prophetic hour of Rev. 17:12. As Jesus spent one literal hour of untold agony in the garden of Gethsemane, so the saints will spend one prophetic hour during the time of Jacob’ trouble—the death decree. We, in our study, have come to the time when Satan is to personate Christ. Some of the professed reformers are taking the position that Satan personates Christ before probation closes, since none of the wicked could repent after that time. But does Satan end his work of deception just because probation has closed? Indeed he does not! Even at the end of the thousand years he goes out to deceive the nations to bring them up against the holy city: so even at this time he, through the three unclean spirits, goes forth to deceive the nations and bring them up against the saints in the death decree. And it is during the death decree, just before the fixed date when the saints are to be slain, that Satan personates Christ. Upon what do we base our conclusions? In the first place we base our conclusions upon the following statement in GC 624: “As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ.” The last act in the great drama of deception must come just before God’s people are delivered, and they are delivered at the end of the sixth plague, and at the beginning of the seventh plague. We have no record of any of Satan’s deceptions after God’s people are delivered, at the beginning of the seventh plague, until after the thousand years. Great Babylon comes in remembrance before God at the beginning of the seventh plague, (GC 637) and great Babylon is made up of all the wicked of the world who were deceived by Satan as they came up against the saints in the death decree. Indeed, it is under the seventh plague that the wicked inhabitants of the earth are undeceived! Thus, the crowning act of deception, must come after the three unclean spirits bring great Babylon up against God’s people in the death decree. And this being 250 true, Satan personates Christ during the death decree just before the saints are delivered. Let us look at this whole situation from a different standpoint. Have we any evidence, either from the Scriptures of the Spirit of Prophecy, that Satan surrenders the battle at the close of probation? From the study of the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation; the battle of Armageddon—the last great battle in the controversy between Christ and Satan—begins at the beginning of the loud cry, when a national Sunday law is enacted and enforced. This battle has only a good start at the close of probation. It is a positive fact that Satan’s greatest deceptions come after probation closes. Let us ask this question: What is Satan’s object in bringing the nations up against God’s people in the death decree? Is it to deceive the wicked and rob them of eternal life? Let us study this question carefully. Christ lived a perfect life here upon this old earth almost two thousand years ago, but at that time the world was not steeped in sin as it is today. Satan insists that he has accumulated an enormous amount of knowledge in the science of deception since Christ was here upon the earth, and that if he were given the opportunity he had two thousand years ago the results would be entirely different. What is Christ’s answer to Satan’s challenge? Christ says to Satan; I accept your challenge: I am going to perfect the characters of 144,000 human beings, some of whom will have been in the very depths of sin. After their characters have been perfected, and they reflect My image perfectly, I am going to step out from between them and My Father, and leave them in your hands; if you can cause one of these to sin and to be put to death, the victory is yours—you have won the battle—the great battle of Armageddon—this earth and all that is in it is yours! Can we conceive of such a challenge? Would such a challenge interest Satan? If he could deceive one of the 144,000, or if he could cause 251 one of them to be put to death, his victory would be complete. Am I stating this challenge too strong? Jesus said “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Do we believe that? Is it not easy to see why the crowning act in the great drama of deception will come when Satan himself personates Christ? Now is the time to prepare for that time! Lest some may fail to read the chapter in GC “The Time of Trouble,” which applies right at the crisis time in our study, I am going to quote what Sr. White says about Satan personating Christ in GC 624. To be sure our Adventist people are positive that they would not be deceived by any such a demonstration, but let us not be too sure. “Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in the heavens, in token of the power of miracle working demons. The spirits of devils (Here it is evident that Sr. White is alluding to the “three unclean spirits like frogs” of Rev. 16:13, they are the miracle working demons). Will go forth to the kings of the earth and to the whole world, to fasten them in deception and urge them on to unite with Satan in his last struggle against the government of heaven. By these agencies, rulers and subjects will be alike deceived. Persons will arise pretending to be Christ Himself, and claiming the title and worship which belong to the world’s Redeemer. They will perform wonderful miracles of healing, and will profess to have revelations from heaven contradicting the testimony of the Scriptures. “As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church (Could this include some of our Adventist brethren who have refused to study the events of this last generation?) has long 252 professed to look to the Savior’s advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air, ‘Christ has come! Christ has come!’ The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered: he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have-changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from least to greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying, This is the great power of God.’ “ “Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” Why is the warning in this verse injected right at this point? This is under the sixth plague; and the time of Jacob’s trouble, which is the time of the death decree, which comes under the sixth plague. Does this mean that Jesus comes as a thief under the sixth plague? Jesus does not come to gather the redeemed until the end of the seventh plague. But the 144,000 to whom this warning is given, understand, before probation closes, the events that 253 are to take place in the future. They know that unless their characters are perfected before probation closes, they will be without Christ’s robe of righteousness during the time of Jacob’s trouble. These events are revealed to the remnant of the remnant before the loud cry is given, and this is a part of the message that is to be given during the loud cry. “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” In our study, we have come to the conclusion that the great river Euphrates is symbolic; that is that it has reference to the “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues,” or the wicked inhabitants of the earth, after probation closes. We have also found that Great Babylon is symbolic; that it is the great spiritual city which sitteth upon the many waters. We also conclude that the “place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon,” is symbolic: it is the last great spiritual battle in the controversy between Christ and Satan. “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail: for the plague thereof was exceeding great.” Verses 17-21. “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.” This is the beginning of the seventh plague, and this is the voice of God that 254 delivers His people. This is the time when God’s voice is heard from heaven saying, It is done! (See GC 635) “And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.” It is the voice of God that delivers His people at the beginning of the seventh plague, and it is that voice that causes the earthquake; and it is the earthquake that opens the graves of those who come up in the special resurrection. “And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell.” The great city that is divided into three parts is the spiritual city of great Babylon, and the cities of the nations are of course a part of Babylon. Question: How is the city of Babylon divided into three parts under the seventh plague? At this time great Babylon constitutes the wicked “peoples, and multitudes, and rations, and tongues” of the last generation. None of the wicked dead are included in great Babylon at this time, except those wicked dead who come up in the special resurrection, at the beginning of the seventh plague. “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.” GC 637. Great Babylon has come in remembrance before God to give unto her, her reward! But great Babylon is divided into three parts; not all of these three parts suffer the same punishment In the fourth seal, (Rev. 6:7, 8) power was given to Death and Hell over the fourth part of the earth. In that study we listed the four parts as follows: The general wicked were divided into two parts—the beast and his image, or Papacy and apostate Protestantism; while the other two parts were made up in God’s professed church—the wise and the foolish virgins. But under the seventh plague, great Babylon, or the wicked, are divided into just three parts, in order that each part may suffer its 255 own just reward. God’s people—the 144,000 are eliminated, they do not belong to great Babylon, and thus they do not suffer Babylon’s destruction under the seventh plague. Question: What becomes of those Laodicean leaders and laity who reject the message that would have prepared them to be among the 144,000? are not these the false shepherds spoken of in EW 123-125? But, you say: The false shepherd in EW 124 were Sunday-keepers —Seventh-day Adventists are not Sunday keepers. That is true, but those Sunday-keepers back there were Adventists; they were first day Adventists. That vision was addressed to the translation church, not to the resurrection church. On page 124 Sr. White says: “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.” Did those Sunday-keeping Adventists back there suffer the seven last plagues? We know of course that they did not; that vision was given for the last generation that was to live upon the earth—the generation that would be alive upon the earth during the seventh plague. Let us quote a part of this vision and see if it really does apply in our day? “I saw that the priests who are leading on their flocks to death are soon to be arrested in their dreadful career. (These are the priests of modern Spiritual Israel, not Catholic priests). The plagues of God are coming, but it will not be sufficient for the false shepherds to be tormented by 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 purpose is 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 those Sunday keeping Adventists back ship at the feet of the saints? Did they suffer all the seven last plagues and remain alive until all the unrighteous ones 256 were destroyed from the earth? In GC 655, in the chapter “Desolation of the Earth,” which begins at the time God’s people are delivered, —at the beginning of the seventh plague, we are told when the wicked bow at the saint’s feet: “This is the view that now appears to those who rejected truth and chose to cherish error. No language can express the longing which the disobedient and disloyal feel for that which they have lost forever, —eternal life. Men whom the world has worshipped for their talents and eloquence now see these things in their true light. They 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;” It is in Revelation 3:9 that, “The synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie,” worship at the feet of the saints, and Sr. White, commenting on this verse, says: “You think, that those who worship at the saint’s feet (Rev. 3:9), will at last be saved. Here I must differ with you; for God shew me that this class were professed Adventists, who had fallen away, and ‘crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open shame.’ And in the ‘hour of temptation,’ which is yet to come, to show out everyone’s true character, they will know that they are forever lost; and overwhelmed with anguish of spirit, they will bow at the saint’s feet.” “A Word to the Little Flock,” page 12. “And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.” The hail, as exceedingly great and terrible as it is, does not constitute the whole of this plague. Every stone about the weight of a talent. According to Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, the talent is nearly 58 pounds. This hail is God’s artillery 257 which He brings into action in the battle of Armageddon, under the seventh plague. This hail is referred to in Job 38:22, 23: “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?” So far as I know, we have no way of knowing whether or not this plague is universal. It hardly seems possible that any human being would escape were it universal; but evidently the hail and the earthquake are the two destructive forces that cause the cities of the nations to fall. “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: and upon her forehead was a name written, mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth.” Verses 1-5. I am going to quote Elder Smith’s introductory lines to this chapter: “In verse 19 of the preceding chapter, we were informed that ‘great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.’ The prophet now takes up more particularly the subject of this great Babylon; and in order to 258  259  BIBLE SYMBOLS OF THE GREAT ANTICHRIST POWER OF THE AGES “Who opposeth and exaltheth himself above all that is call God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple (church) of God, shewing himself that he is God.” 2Thess. 2:4 260 give a full presentation of it, goes back and gives us some of the facts of her past history. That this apostate woman, as presented in this chapter, is a symbol of the Roman Catholic Church, is generally believed by Protestants. Between this church and the kings of the earth there has been an illicit connection, and with the wine of her fornication, or her false doctrines, the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk. “Church and state—This prophecy is more definite than others applicable to the Roman power, in that it distinguishes between church and state. We have here the woman, the church, seated upon a scarlet colored beast, the civil power, by which she is upheld, and which she controls and guides to her own ends, as a rider controls the animal upon which he is seated.” D&R 702, Old Edition. Let us keep in mind that we are interpreting these prophecies as they apply to the last generation. This seventeenth chapter is most interesting and instructive to us of this last generation. Elder Uriah Smith, in his original edition of D&R devotes about five pages to this seventeenth chapter, and the revised edition only about four pages. It is a sure thing that Elder Smith’s interpretation of this chapter would not apply to this last generation. But this is quite understandable, since we are much farther along in the unrolling of the scroll than he was in his day. To start our study, let us ask this question: From what period in the history of God’s church upon the earth are we to date the fulfillment of the prophecies of this chapter? When John recorded these prophecies, he was upon the isle of Patmos; shall we reckon the fulfillment of the prophecies of this chapter from the time John was on the isle of Patmos, which was about 96 A.D., or shall we reckon them from some event during this last generation? Do we have any evidence that they are to be reckoned from any event during this last generation? Let us notice the first verse of this chapter. “And there came one of the seven angels which had the 261 seven vials, and talked with me.” Are we doing violence to this prophecy when we maintain that John, in the spirit, was projected down to the period of the seven last plagues? Let us reenact the scene as it is portrayed in the statement just quoted. John was projected down to the time, still future in our day, during the time of trouble when the seven last plagues are to be poured out. As he stood watching these angels, as each one poured out his vial upon the earth, one of these seven angels, —we are not told which one of the seven—came and talked with him. Reason would seem to indicate that it was either the fifth or the sixth angel that talked with John, since the great whore, which is represented by the beast of the fifth plague and the great river Euphrates (the waters upon which the whore sitteth) of the sixth plague, is not introduced under the first four plagues. At any rate, one of the plague angels beckoned John saying, “Come up hither; and I will shew thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.” No doubt many will wonder why we make an issue of such a seemingly unimportant event. But this is not an unimportant event, as we shall see, as we proceed with our study. May I suggest that those who have either one of the editions of D&R study them carefully on this chapter? The first two verses of this chapter need but little further comment. The majority of the Protestant churches agree that the “great whore” represents the Roman Catholic Church; however we would add, that she represents not only the Catholic Church, but also her harlot daughters—the apostate Protestant churches. “So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.” As we mentioned before in our studies, there is a distinction made here between the woman—the church—and the beast that carries her—the nations of the earth. Notice that this is a scarlet colored beast. This beast represents 262 Scarlet and red represent sin: “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 seven heads we shall notice in our study. The ten horns represent the ten nations into which the Roman empire was divided. These ten horns were upon the head of the dreadful and terrible beast of Dan. 7:7. They were also upon the head of the great red dragon of Rev. 12, and upon the head of the leopard beast of Rev. 13, and last they are upon the head of the scarlet colored beast in the chapter we are studying, —Rev. 17. “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication; and upon her forehead was a name written, mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth.” There is little to comment on these statements. Every Seventh-day Adventist knows that this woman represents the Roman Catholic Church and the beast represents the ten kingdoms over which the papacy reigned during the 1260 years of papal persecution, and she will rule over these nations again in the near future; in fact through the homage paid her by the universal keeping of the Sunday sabbath, she will number the wicked of the earth as her subjects. “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.” Verses 6, 7. If the reader has either of the editions of D&R we suggest you compare the interpretation back there with the interpretation during this last generation. Brother Smith was interpreting this seventeenth chapter before the scroll had been unrolled for this last generation: in other 263 words, the book of Daniel had not been fully unrolled in Revelation the fifth chapter at that time. “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascent out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition.” What beast is this? This beast is the beast of Rev. 13. The beast of Rev. 13 was, during the 1260 years, and is not; it received the deadly wound in 1798; (that was years ago) and he IS, at this very time on the road to complete recovery. He will completely recover his lost supremacy after the close of probation, when he ascends out of the bottomless pit, in the form of the scarlet colored beast, and goes into perdition under the seventh plague. “And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, (“and all the world wondered after the beast.” Rev. 13:3) whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” All of the wicked who dwell upon the earth, after probation closes, shall wonder after the beast. The book of life began to be written immediately after Adam and Eve fell, but the wicked brought to view in this chapter failed to get their names written in the Lamb’s book of life, and they are the ones that wonder when they behold the beast that was, (during the 1260 years) and is not, (from 1798 until the scarlet colored beast comes upon the stage of action) and yet is. (After the close of probation). “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is yet to come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.” Verses 9, 10. “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth: and there are seven kings.” Here we have heads, mountains, and kings, all representing the same powers. We have the seven heads on the great red dragon of Rev. 12, also on the beast of Rev. 13, and again on the scarlet colored beast of this seventeenth chapter; but none of the four 264 beasts of Daniel had seven heads. Now the question comes: Why do the three beasts of Revelation have seven heads each, but none of the four beasts of Daniel have the seven heads? Evidently it was not revealed to Daniel that there were to be seven beasts. The book of Daniel was not to be fully unsealed in the Revelation until the last generation. It is not until this last generation that we find how these seven heads and the seven beasts apply. They could not apply in the past because God’s people were reckoning heads, mountains, and kings, from the time when John was on the isle of Patmos, instead of the time when he was projected down to the time of the seven last plagues. In order to compute this prophecy from the time when John was on the isle of Patmos, our Bible students added Egypt and Assyria to Babylon, Media Persia, and Greece in order to get the five that had already fallen, at the time when John was on the isle of Patmos. Rome, the sixth head, was in power at the time when John was upon the isle of Patmos, while the other, the scarlet colored beast was not yet come, “and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.” Let us reckon this prophecy from the time when John was projected down to the time of the seven last plagues. At this time, the five that have fallen are Babylon, Media Persia, Greece, Rome political, and Rome pagan. At the time when John was projected down to the time of the seven last plagues, Papal Rome—the beast of Rev. 13, —is still in the transition period. The scarlet colored beast is not yet fully developed: and when he is fully developed he is to continue only a short space. “And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eight, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.” Verse 11. He is the eight what? Why, “he is the eight beast” then there must have been seven beasts before him! As we have already learned in our studies, the scarlet colored beast becomes the eight beast after Catholicism, apostate Protestantism, and Spiritism fully unite in the death decree under the sixth plague. But the beast is also the seventh beast, so 265 there must have been six beasts before him; These six beasts, heads, mountains, and kings are in their order: Babylon, Media Persia, Greece, Rome Political, Rome Pagan, and Rome Papal; The composite beast of Revelation 13 is the seventh phase, and represents the Papacy after the deadly wound has been healed, to the point where Spiritualism and Catholicism unite with Apostate Protestantism, or the two horned beast, and agree to enact a Sunday Law. Thus the composite beast of Rev. 13 is the seventh beast, before it becomes the eighth. In the past some of our Bible students, in order to find the five that had fallen before John was upon the Isle of Patmos, added Egypt and Assyria, but there are no beasts in Bible prophecy representing Egypt and Assyria But if the prophecy of this seventeenth chapter is reckoned from the time John was projected down to the time of the seven last plagues, we find a prophetic beast for each of the seven mountains, heads, and kings, of this chapter. The Lion represented Babylon, the Bear Media-Persia, the Leopard Greece, the dreadful and terrible beast Rome Political, the great red dragon Rome Pagan, the composite beast of Rev. 13 Rome Papal during the 1260 years of Papal persecution. The composite beast of Rev. 13 again comes on the scene at the beginning of the forty two months, or 1260 literal days which begins at the time when Spiritualism and Catholicism, unite with Apostate Protestantism and enact a Sunday Law throughout Christendom. The eighth beast is formed at the death decree under the sixth plague as before stated. Thus we have the eight beasts in their order, beginning with the Lion of Babylon,’ and ending with the scarlet colored beast. These beasts are all one and the same beast, but the species is changed in order to represent the character of the nations they represent. Rev. 17:9 “And here is the mind which hath wisdom, the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth.” Jer. 51:24-26 266 “And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the Lord. Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth; and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain. And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate forever, saith the Lord.” Thus the seven mountains upon which the woman sitteth represent the seven civil governments which have supported a state church and have been a persecuting power against God’s true people from the time of the foundation of ancient Babylon until the time of the destruction of modern spiritual Babylon under the seventh plague. “And goeth into perdition.” Let us give this statement a little study. We have learned that the scarlet colored beast represents the papacy after the deadly wound is fully healed, under the death decree and also that the scarlet colored beast is the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit, after the close of probation. The deadly wound, which was inflicted in 1798, will not be fully and completely healed until the scarlet colored beast has the same power and authority over the ten kingdoms that the leopard beast of Rev. 13 had over them during the 1260 years of papal supremacy; and this will not be until under the influence of spiritualism, Catholicism and apostate Protestantism, (the three unclean spirits) the whole world is brought up against the saints under the death decree. It is the union of these three powers that forms the eighth beast, and it is the scarlet colored beast, under its eighth phase, that ascends out of the bottomless pit and makes war on the two witnesses, (Rev. 11:7) under the direct supervision of “that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.” “And the ten horns which thou sawest, are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one 267 mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of Lords, and Kings of kings: and they that are with him (the 144,000) are called, and chosen, and faithful. And He saith unto me, the waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, an burn her with fire. For God hath put it into their hearts to fulfill His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” Rev. 17:12-18. “And the ten horns which thou sawest, are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” First let us go back and trace the ten horns. The first place we find the ten horns is on the ‘dreadful and terrible beast’ of Dan. 7:7. This beast represents Rome in its political phase at the time that empire was divided into the ten kingdoms. The next time the ten horns are mentioned is on the great red dragon of Rev. 12, and this beast represents Rome in its Pagan form. The next place is on the leopard beast of Rev. 13; which represents Rome in its Papal form; and it was the papacy which had full power over the ten kingdoms represented by the ten horns. Now the fourth time these ten horns are brought to view is on the scarlet colored beast of the chapter we are studying—the seventeenth chapter. Since these ten horns remain upon each of the beasts during the last two thousand years, it must be evident to the student of prophecy, that these horns still represent the same territory over which the papacy ruled during the 1260 years. Now it is said of these ten kings that they have received no kingdom as yet. A king is not a king until he had a kingdom to rule over. So it is evident that these ten 268 kings are political kings which have not been united under one spiritual head, as they were during the first supremacy of the papacy, and as they will be again during the second supremacy of the papacy. These ten kings receive power, as kings, one hour with the beast. There are some questions to be settled relative to this statement. First: One hour with which beast? Evidently with the scarlet colored beast. But does this scarlet colored beast represent the Catholic church? No, the beast represents the territory over which the catholic church reigns. As the scarlet colored beast represents the last of the seven beasts, it represents the ten kingdoms: But under its eighth phase the scarlet colored beast represents the territory over which the papacy, apostate Protestantism, and Spiritualism reigns—the whole earth! The ten kingdoms are under the absolute power of the papacy before the eighth beast is formed; but after the eighth beast is formed they receive power with the eighth beast also. This is stated plainly in the next verse, (verse 13) “these have one mind, (as a unit with the papal power) and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” (The eighth beast.) “Receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” As we have just stated: These ten kingdoms are under the full power of the papacy before the eighth beast is fully formed, and they unite their power and strength with that of the eighth beast. This brings up another question: How do they give their power and strength to the beast? Just as they did during the 1260 years, —the papacy meted out the punishment and the civil power executed the penalty. “But receive power as kings one hour (one prophetic hour—fifteen days) with the beast. (The eighth beast). These shall make war with the Lamb, (In the person of His saints, during the death decree) and the Lamb shall overcome them: (By the deliverance of His people) for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: (All power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth). And they 269 that are with him (the 144,000) are called, and chosen, and faithful.” As Jesus endured one literal hour of untold mental agony in the garden of Gethsemane, so will the saints endure one prophetic hour of intense agony during the death decree! At the very time in which we are living nearing the battle of Armageddon—the beginning of the last great battle between Christ and Satan, and this battle does not end until after the thousand years. The great conflict between Christ and Satan began in Eden and has been waged without intermittence for the last six thousand years. We, today, have come to the time, just before we are to enter into that last great battle. This great battle begins at the time when a Sunday law is enacted and ends, for this last generation, at the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. Shall we enter that battle without any further preparation? During the last 120 years have our Adventist people made the necessary preparation to enter upon that battle? Are our people better prepared spiritually to enter in to that battle than they were 120 years ago? If the pioneers of the Advent movement had been ready to meet the Lord immediately after 1844 He would have come over 100 years ago: are we better prepared to meet Him today than they were back there? Is it not evident that this last generation will have to have a better preparation than the generation had in 1844? In the last terrible conflict Christ and His angels and the 144,000 are pitted against Satan and his angels and all the wicked inhabitants of the earth. “And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.” These are the ten kingdoms over which the papacy will have ruled during her first and second supremacies. These have a special grievance against the great whore, because they have, in a special sense, and in a greater degree, felt the heavy hand of her oppression. But when will these ten nations hate the whore, and make her desolate and naked, 270 and burn her with fire? Not before the deliverance of God’s people at the beginning of the seventh plague; but after God’s people have been delivered amid the greatest demonstration this old world has beheld since Sinai, and the wicked understand how they have been deceived by the abominable whore, then is when their hatred and wrath know no bounds. “For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words, of God shall be fulfilled.” Does the Lord deliberately put thoughts and motives into the hearts of individuals or nations that will bring destruction upon them? No, He does not; but God’s Spirit persistently rejected, is finally withdrawn; probation does not close until all the world has been warned. “But not one is made to suffer the wrath of God until the truth has been brought home to his mind and conscience, and has been rejected . . . . He who reads every heart, and tries every motive, will leave none who desire a knowledge of the truth, to be deceived as to the issue of the controversy. The decree is not to be urged upon the people blindly. Everyone is to have sufficient light to make his decision intelligently.” In the seventeenth chapter we were given a panoramic view of the history of nations, beginning with great Babylon in Daniel’s time, and coming on down step by step, to the utter end of the great controversy under the seventh plague. In this eighteenth chapter we are taken back to the beginning of the loud cry, to the time when the Sunday laws are enacted and enforced, and we are given a view of the period of the second supremacy of the papacy. The whole of this eighteenth chapter applies during the last generation that is to live upon the earth. “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth 271 was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.” Verses 1-3. In this chapter we are entering into a new vision, and this vision covers a much shorter period of time than that of the seventeenth chapter. The seventeenth chapter, having reviewed the past as far back as the universal empire of great Babylon, brought us down to the universal spiritual empire of great Babylon, and in this eighteenth chapter we behold the final destruction of Babylonian confusion this side of the thousand years. “And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen.” There are two announcements of the fall of Babylon, one in the 14th chapter and the other in this 18th chapter. The first announcement was given to the resurrection church in the 1844 period; the second announcement is given to the translation church during the last generation. Both of these falls must have reference to the Protestant churches, since the Roman Catholic Church was in a fallen condition as far back as the early reformation. We Seventh-day Adventists believe that the first four or five verses of this chapter have reference to a message that is to call God’s true people out of Babylon, just before the close of probation. Question: Will the church that is in the Laodicean condition, and that has been taken captive by modern spiritual Babylon, and that is courting friendship and the approbation of those in Babylon—the church that rejects the message the Lord has to prepare a people to stand in the judgment of the living: will that church have a part in calling those out of Babylon who have a closer connection with the Lord than they 272 themselves have? Is the church that has been 120 years in giving a message that could have been finished over 100 years ago; is that church today in a better condition spiritually to give the loud cry than it was when it first received the first, second, and third angel’s messages? “For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” We, as Adventists, have always considered these two verses to constitute a last call to the honest in heart, who are in the apostate churches, to come out and accept the Advent message before the close of probation. But will the message, as the church is giving it today, prepare a people to stand in the time of trouble without a Mediator, and finally be translated? Who are the easier to reach with the messages the Lord has for this last generation, those who are out in the apostatized Protestant churches, or those who are in the apostatized Adventist church? Can we call ourselves genuine reformers and still fellowship with those who hate the message the Lord has to prepare us for translation? Let us give the following verses some prayerful study: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3. “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. Therefore some out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will 273 receive you.” 2Cor. 6:14-17. “For her sins have reached hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup which she hath filled fill unto her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord who judgeth her.” Verses 5-9. “For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” Let us ask this question: If Christ had come soon after 1844, as Sr. White said He would, would the sins of Babylon have reached unto heaven at that time? Will the failure of the pioneers of the Adventist Movement make it any harder for Christ to perfect the characters of the 144,000? Did their failure enhance Satan’s prospects of winning the victory? Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Matt. 28:18. The extension of the time of Christ’s coming will have accomplished two things: First, it will have given Satan a much greater advantage in the last great battle of conflict, in that sin has become much deeper rooted in the human nature, and therefore a great deal harder to overcome. Secondly: It will have revealed to the inhabitants of the universe the exceeding sinfulness of sin; it will have revealed to the universe the fact that sin would have ultimately destroyed itself. It will also reveal the power of Christ to overcome sin in the eyes of His true followers—it will prove that the devil and all his angels cannot tempt one of the 144,000 to sin. It will prove that he who says that it is impossible for Christ’s followers to live without sin is himself a liar, and he also makes Christ a liar. “Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup which she 274 hath filled fill unto her double.” The prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation, establish that there will be two death decrees; one under the loud cry, just before the close of probation, and the other under the sixth plague. The first will not be universal because it will be under the image to the beast But the image to the beast is also a part of Babylon, and this chapter has to do with Babylon. It is Babylon, both the beast and the image to the beast, that brings all the persecution upon God’s people. Both the beast and the image to the beast condemn God’s saints to death. But how and when will she be rewarded double? As we are all well aware, this all comes under the seventh plague, and what a reward that will be! It will not only be the reward of death here upon this old earth, but it will be eternal death and the lake of fire. But it is quite evident that God’s professed church—the Seventh-day Adventists—will have a part in the persecution, and they will also have a part in the reward. In our study we have already quoted their reward, in EW 124, and 9T 267. The following is a prophecy regarding their part in the persecution: “I saw that the nominal church and nominal Adventists, like Judas, will betray us to the Catholics to obtain influence to come against the saints. The saints will then be an obscure people, little known to the Catholics, but the churches and nominal Adventists, who know our faith and customs, for they hate us on account of the Sabbath, for they could not refute it, will betray the saints and report them to the Catholics as those who disregard the institutions of the Pope; that is, that they keep the Sabbath and disregard Sunday. The Catholics bid the Protestants go forward and issue a decree that all who will not observe the first day of the week instead of the seventh shall be slain. And the Catholics, whose numbers are large stand by the Protestants. The Catholics will give their power to the image of the beast, and the Protestants will work as their mother worked before them to destroy the saints.” Extracts from a vision at Dorchester, Mass., Oct. 23, 1850. 275 Our Adventist people will counter with the argument that this vision related to the period in 1844, and that the Adventists referred to here were not Seventh-day Adventists, but that they were First-day Adventists. Yes, Sr. White had that vision in 1850, just six years after 1844, and it was addressed to the pioneers of the Advent Movement; but the pioneers believed that they were to be the translation church, and they would have been ‘IF’ they had not refused to do the work which the Lord had appointed them. (GC 458). They thought that this vision applied to the immediate future, but it hasn’t been fulfilled as of yet. Was that little company back there betrayed to the Catholics? No! That instruction was addressed to the last generation —to the remnant of the remnant. The fulfillment has been delayed for more than 100 years. “How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” As we look ahead and contemplate the time of trouble—a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation—we are almost inclined to become panicky. We realize we are going to suffer privation, hunger and thirst, besides the terrible persecution; but our faith is founded upon the Rock which cannot be moved; we know that our Redeemer liveth, and that our redemption draweth nigh—we will have the assurance of deliverance, eternity will stretch out before us, and these thoughts will fill us with hope and trust. But how about the wicked? The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and they are not saved; death would be a release as they 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. Now, while probationary hours linger, is the time for us to do all in Our power, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to save our loved ones and our friends. If they are not sealed when 276 that time comes, their plight will only add to our anguish and despair. “For she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” Why does great Babylon say this in her heart? During the 1260 years she sat a queen, and was no widow; but she became a widow when she received the deadly wound in 1798; and until today she has never regained what she enjoyed during her first supremacy; but when every nation on the globe comes up against God’s people in the death decree, then she will sit a real queen! What is it that makes her think that she shall see no sorrow? This is the time just before God’s people are delivered. Great Babylon’s christ (Satan) has appeared upon the earth. This is the christ they have been waiting for! This is the christ the three unclean spirits have been pointing them to! This is the christ that is to begin his reign of peace and prosperity immediately after the little band of Sabbath-keepers have been slain. There is no doubt about it! So they think, this is the real christ has not their own great artist painted his picture? O yes’ great Babylon, at this time, sits a queen, and is no widow! Question: Will there be any captive spiritual Israelites in great Babylon at that time? Now is a good time to heed the warning in 2Cor. 6:17: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” But will He receive us if we refuse to heed the warning? “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine: and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord who judgeth her.” This verse is a sort of a resume. The prophet looking forward to the destruction of Babylon, says, Her plagues shall come in one day. We believe we can do no better than to quote Elder Smith’s book D&R regarding this eighth verse: “On page 137 of Spiritual Gifts, as found in Early Writings, by Mrs. E. G. White, we find testimony showing that the first part of Revelation 18 has special reference 277 to the religious oppression to be developed in the United States by professed Christians. Thus, ‘It will be more tolerable for the heathen than for such men . . . . The names of the oppressors are written in blood, crossed with stripes, and flooded with agonizing, burning tears of suffering. God’s anger will not cease until he has caused this land of light to drink to the dregs of the cup of His fury, until He has rewarded unto Babylon double.’ Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double.’ “ “The day in which her plagues come, mentioned in verse 8, must be a prophetic day, or at least cannot be a literal day; for it would be impossible for famine in that length of time. The plagues of Babylon are without doubt the seven last plagues, which have already been examined; and the plain inference from the language of this verse, in connection with Isa. 34:8 is that a year will be occupied in that terrible visitation.” D&R Page 719, Old Edition. “And their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompense, for the controversy of Zion.” Isa. 34:8 There are at least four short periods of time in tile Revelation that can be interpreted in either literal or prophetic time. They are—Rev. 8:1, Rev. 17:12, Rev. 18:8, and Rev. 18:10, 17, 19; these last are all the same period. Two of these periods—Rev. 8:1 and Rev. 18:8, Brother Smith applies in prophetic time. The one hour of 17:12, he says is an indefinite period, while Rev. 18:10, 17 and 19 he makes no mention of in his book, the old edition. It would seem that in order to be consistent, we should take our stand on one or the other of these interpretations. I believe we can find a reason for Brother Smith’s hesitancy for not interpreting Rev. 17: 12 in prophetic time. He applies that verse during the first supremacy of the papacy; which is positively correct, as these prophecies 278 apply during the long prophetic periods, but as this prophecy applies during the last generation, it certainly applies under the sixth plague, and during the death decree. Here is Bro. Smith’s comments on Rev. 17:12. “The Ten Horns; —On this subject, see remarks on Dan. 7:7, where they are shown to represent the ten kingdoms that arose out of the Roman empire. They receive power one hour (Gr. Hora, an indefinite time) with the beast: that is, they reign a length of time contemporaneously with the beast, during which time they give to it their power and strength. Crowly, in his work on the Apocalypse, offers this comment on verse 12: ‘This prediction defines the epoch of the papacy by the formation of the ten kingdoms of the Western empire.’ ‘They shall receive power ONE HOUR with the beast,’ The translation should be, ‘in the same era.’ The ten kingdoms shall be contemporaneous, in contradistinction to the ‘seven heads,’ which are successive.’ “This language must refer to the past, when the kingdoms of Europe were unanimous in giving their support to the papacy. It cannot apply to the future; for after the commencement of the time of the end, they were to take away its dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end (Dan. 6:26); and the treatment which these kingdoms are finally to bestow upon the papacy, is expressed in verse 16, where it is said that they shall hate the harlot, and make her desolate and naked, and eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. A part of this work the nations of Europe have been doing for years. The completion of it, burning her with fire, will be accomplished when Rev. 18:8 is fulfilled,: D&R page 706, Old Edition. (Is the papacy being made desolate and naked by the European nations today?) Why does Elder Smith make no mention of the ONE HOUR of Rev. 18:10, 17 and 18? Could it be that since the one hour was referred to three times in the last verses of Rev. 18, it was obvious to him that, that hour had reference to a definite period, either literal or prophetic, but 279 that since he had no explanation to offer, he thought it best to disregard that point entirely? At the time Elder Smith wrote his book, the scroll of Rev. 5:1—the book of Daniel as it is unsealed in the Revelation—had not been unsealed. That scroll was not to be unrolled until the time of the end, and the time of the end was not to be until ‘many should be running to and fro, upon the earth and scientific knowledge should be increased.’ And at that time, when many should be running to and fro upon the earth, and scientific knowledge should be increased, God’s remnant of the remnant would be running to and fro in the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation, observing and thinking upon time, (the time prophecies) and knowledge regarding that time (the time of the end during the last generation) should be increased. That time was not to be until “many, (the 144,000) should be purified, and made white, and tried.’ So it should be easy for us to understand why it was impossible for Elder Smith to have a full understanding of all these prophecies. The Laodicean church will never understand these things; and why? because they are not interested in any new light! They are not interested in a preparation for translation But there is still a greater reason: They are afraid of the hierarchy! “And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her when they see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is they judgment come;” Verses 9, 10. Now let us keep in mind that this eighteenth chapter, from the eighth verse on down to the end of the chapter, is fulfilled after the close of probation; and although the first six plagues are poured out on all the wicked of the earth after probation closes, great Babylon does not really come in remembrance before God until under the seventh plague, after God’s people have been delivered. This is 280 made very plain by Sr. White’s statement in GC 637: “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 hail stones, everyone ‘about the weight of a talent are doing their work of destruction. The proudest cities of the earth are laid low.” It seems evident that from verse 9 and onward, we are given a picture of the desolation of great Babylon under the seventh plague. When do the kings of the earth bewail her, and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning? Is this immediately after the close of probation? No, I believe not; it is under the seventh plague, after the saints are delivered. The kings of the earth, and of the whole world are still deceived clear down to the end of the death decree, when the saints are delivered. And after the saints are delivered is when the burning of great Babylon takes place. It is the voice of God that delivers His people: and it is the voice of God that causes the great earthquake; and it is the earthquake that lays the cities low and causes the burning of great Babylon; this is when verses 12, 13, 14 are fulfilled. It is at this time that the wicked inhabitants of the earth become undeceived. It is at this time that the kings of the earth bewail her, and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one (prophetic) hour, (fifteen days) is thy judgment come.” That this is a prophetic hour, and not a literal hour, is made plain by the fact that in GC 640, under the chapter ‘God’s People Delivered’, Sr. White says, “The voice of God is heard from heaven, declaring the day and hour of Jesus’ coming,” So there must be days between the time God’s people are delivered and the time when Christ appears in the clouds of heaven. There are two chapters in GC that begin with the same event: the chapter “God’s People Delivered,” and “Desolation of the Earth.” These chapters both begin at the deliverance of God’s people at the beginning of the seventh plague. The chapter “God’s People Delivered,” deals with 281  CITIES OF THE NATIONS FALL UNDER SEVENTH PLAGUE 282 the subject of God’s people from the time they are delivered at the beginning of the seventh plague until they are translated at the coming of Christ and ends with the destruction of the wicked at the end of the thousand years. It is during this interval—the one prophetic hour, fifteen days—that great Babylon comes in remembrance before God. “And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth her merchandise anymore; The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusteth after are departed from thee, and all things which are dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought.” Verses 11-17. The real smoke of her burning takes place under the seventh plague. As we have said before; God’s people are delivered at the beginning of the seventh plague, and it is the voice of God that delivers His people; and it is the voice of God that causes the great earthquake; and it is the great earthquake that causes the cities to crumble; which of course causes the terrible fires; and it is at this time that the merchants of the earth are represented as weeping and wailing over great Babylon. No man buys her merchandise any more. Let us notice some of the articles of merchandise, listed here, that great Babylon has for sale right today. In these verses are listed many of the 283 very articles we see displayed in the great shopping centers and department stores of our day. Among them are “odors,”—perfumes; “ointments,” medicines and cosmetics; “wine,”—liquors of all kinds; “oil,” is there not some merchandising in oil? “fine flour,”—every kind of flour one can think of—all devitalized; “wheat,”—one of the commodities on the Stock Exchange; “beasts,”—trainloads after trainloads; “and souls of men,”—yes there is traffic in the souls of men. The different religious organizations are trafficking in the souls of men, but there is more to this; the Catholic church—great Babylon, is probably the greatest trafficker in the souls of men! But how about the liquor and tobacco industries? are they not trafficking in the souls of men? Do not they bind men to soul destroying habits? Are we not living in the last days? Has this traffic increased since 1844? Is not this another sign of the end? “For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What great city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.” Verses 17-19. Let us think of these things in this way: The great controversy began in heaven, when Satan caused dissatisfaction in heaven among the angels by insinuating that the inhabitants of the universe were not free, but were bound by laws. After he was cast into this earth he usurped Adam’s position as the representative of this world. He has had six thousand years, —six working days of eternity—in which to demonstrate his idea of a perfect government—the ideal which he proposed to the angels, before he was cast out. In our study we have come down to the end of Satan’s “wonderful experiment?” 284 How many of the redeemed, or of the inhabitants of the universe, will ever want to experience another such demonstration? In verse 19 we have the “One Hour” mentioned for the third time: WHY? It must be because it is the most important period in the history of Satan’s “wonderful experiment?”—The most fearful and agonizing one prophetic hour (fifteen days) the inhabitants of this world and the universe have ever experienced or beheld —the one hour in which great Babylon comes to her end, this side of the 1,000 years! Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you of her. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all m thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of the prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. Verses 20-24. At the beginning of the twentieth verse, we have come down to the end of the great controversy, so far as this old earth is concerned, this side of the millennium. There is no question but that the pope of Rome is the head of great Babylon, and he is Satan’s representative here upon this old earth. Now comes the fulfillment of the prophecy in Eze. 28:1-19, in which is predicted, under the symbol of the prince of Tyrus, the complete annihilation of both Satan and his representative —the Pope of Rome: 285 “And the word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Son of man, say to the Prince of Tyrus, (the Pope of Rome), Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, (is this true of the pope?) and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, (has the Pope ever made any such claims?) in the midst of the seas; (in the midst of the peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.) yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set shine heart as the heart of God: Behold thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: (Daniel was Prime Minister of ancient Babylon, under King Nebuchadnezzar, and as Prime Minister, he was supposed to know what was going on in the world: the Pope is prime minister of modern spiritual Babylon, under Satan, and he knows more about what is going on in the world than Daniel did). With thy wisdom and shine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and has gotten gold and silver in thy treasures: By thy great wisdom and by thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches, and shine heart is lifted up because of thy riches. (Is not this true of the head of the Catholic church?). 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: (Under the seventh plague) 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 (in the midst of the ‘peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues’.) Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am a God? But thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God.” Eze. 28:1-10. In this eighteenth chapter of Revelation we have been studying about the events connected with the destruction 286 of great Babylon. This is the last prophetic hour of the history of that abominable system of persecution, brought to view in Daniel’s prophecies over twenty five centuries ago. The first ten verses of Eze. 28 give us a picture of the events that are to transpire in connection with the end of popery, and that end is by no means an enviable one! And so we have the reward of great Babylon— “Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill unto her double.” From verses 11-19 of this 28th chapter of Eze. we have a prophecy of the utter destruction of Satan, the king of Tyrus: “Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty O Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the Sardus, the topaz, the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy taberts and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou west created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou west upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou west perfect in thy ways from the day that thou west created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee. O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of shine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of 287 thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” Verses 11-19. The eighteenth chapter of Revelation brings us down to the end of the last battle in the conflict between Christ and Satan which has been in progress for the last six thousand years. What we have quoted from Eze. 28, takes us clear down to the end of the thousand years, and to the destruction of sin, sinners, and Satan. The first ten verses of Rev. 19 tell us of the song of the redeemed, and the rejoicing throughout the universe, now that the last great battle has ended and the conflict of the ages is over. The 144,000, which are the firstfruits—the first fully ripened, fully matured heads of spiritual grain, have triumphed. Now the antitypical wave sheaf can be presented before the Father, and the harvest of the earth—the dead of all ages can be gathered. The last eleven verses of the nineteenth chapter, present a picture of Christ, as He comes in the glory of His Father and the glory of the heavenly host, to smite the wicked inhabitants of the earth with a rod of iron, and to gather His redeemed from one end of heaven to the other. “And when he had opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.” (Seven Days) Rev. 8:1. “We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to the sea of glass.” EW 16. There is one more item in the nineteenth chapter of Revelation that should be noticed before we close our study on the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation; that item is in regard to Christ’s marriage to the New Jerusalem, and His reception of His kingdom. According to GC 427, 428, Christ is represented as being married to the New Jerusalem and receives His kingdom at, or just before, the close of probation; but in 288 verses 7, 8, which is at the end of the seventh plague, we have these words: “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him; for the marriage of the lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” According to GC 427, 428, the marriage of the Lamb takes place at the close of probation, but according to chapter nineteen, it appears that the marriage does not take place until at the end of the seventh plague. How are we to explain this apparent discrepancy? When does the marriage of the Lamb really take place? In EW 279, 280 we read: “I was pointed down to the time when the third angel’s message was closing. The power of God had rested with His people; they had accomplished their work and were prepared for the trying hour before them. They had received the latter rain, or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and the living testimony had been revived. The last great warning had sounded everywhere, and it had stirred up and enraged the inhabitants of the earth who would not receive the message. “I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with an inkhorn by his side returned from the earth and reported to Jesus that his work was done, and the saints were numbered and sealed. Then I saw Jesus, who had been ministering before the ark containing the ten commandments, throw down the censer. He raised His hands, and with a loud voice said, ‘It is done’. And all the angelic host laid off their crowns as Jesus made the solemn declaration. ‘He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: 289 and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still:’ “Every case had been decided for life or death. While Jesus had been ministering in the sanctuary, the judgment had been going on for the righteous dead, and then for the righteous living. Christ had received his kingdom, having made the atonement for His people and blotted out their sins. The subjects of the Lamb was consummated. And the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, was given to Jesus and the heirs of salvation and Jesus was to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.” So we see that the marriage of the Lamb is completely consummated, just before, or at, the close of probation. At that time Jesus receives the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which is the capitol of His kingdom. But a city, however beautiful and grand it might be, would be a most dreary and uninviting place if nobody lived there. But certainly the saints do not occupy the New Jerusalem at the close of probation. After the close of probation, the 144,000 are still to meet the greatest test that has ever been brought upon any group in the history of God’s church upon the earth. It is not until after the coming of Christ, and the translation of the 144,000, and the resurrection of all the righteous of the past ages, that the saints occupy the Holy City. Now let us read those three verses again: (Rev. 19:7-9). “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” Yes, evidently the marriage was consummated some little while before this, for the church is spoken of here as the Lamb’s wife: not the Lamb’s bride! Now let us ask this question: During what period had the Lamb’s wife made herself ready? Was it not during the time of her test, —during the period of the seven last plagues’ and especially during the death decree? Now let us notice here that the church is those who are alive at this time, and the only ones who have made themselves 290 ready during the seven last plagues, are the 144,000—they are the ones spoken of as the Lamb’s wife. “And they sing a new song before the throne, a song which no man can learn save the hundred and forty and four thousand. It is a song of Moses and the Lamb, —a song of deliverance. None but the hundred and forty-four thousand can learn that song; for it is a song of their experience, —an experience such as no other company has ever had. ‘These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth’.” These are evidently the Lamb’s wife; does not the wife follow her husband where ever he goes? “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Who are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb? The Lamb and His Wife are one at this time. Does the wife have to have a special invitation—as a special guest to the marriage feast? But there are guests; who are they? Are they not the saved of all ages? May each of us strive to have Christ reign supreme in our lives and be faithful to Him that we may be among the 144,000—the Lamb’s wife. The parable of the ten virgins has applied in the past; it applies today, and it will apply again in the future. “I am often referred to the parable of the ten virgins, five of whom were wise, and five were foolish. This parable has been and will be fulfilled to the very letter, for it has a special application to this time, and like the third angel’s message has been fulfilled and will continue to be present truth till the close of time . . . . Are we wise virgins, or must we be classed among the foolish? This is the question we are deciding today by our character and attitude. The state of the church represented by the foolish virgins is also spoken of as the Laodician state.” RH Aug. 19, 1890. The parable of the ten virgins applied to the Jewish 291 church at the time Christ gave it to His disciples on the mount of Olives. It applied again to God’s people in 1844. It applies in our time, at the time of the judgment of the living, and it will apply again to a certain extent at the time of the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. But the parable applies more particularly at the time of Christ’s coming to the judgment of the dead in 1844, and to the time of the judgment of the living in our day. It is perhaps unnecessary to go into an extended study of how it was interpreted to apply in 1844.. It is sufficient to say that the pioneers of this Advent movement took their Bibles and went forth to meet the bridegroom Oct. 22, 1844. “Five were wise, and five were foolish.” Probably not more than one half of those who professed to be looking for the coming of the Lord had studied the prophecies for themselves, and by the aid of the Holy Spirit had become convinced that the end of all things was at hand. The foolish virgins were relying upon the conviction and faith of others to take them through. Up until the disappointment it was not possible to detect any difference between the two classes, but when the time of test came a separation took place between the wheat and the tares; between the wise and foolish virgins. The foolish virgins could not depend upon the wise for oil in the emergency. “Many who professed to be looking for Christ had no part in the work of the message. The glory of God which they had witnessed, the humility and deep devotion of the waiting ones, and the overwhelming weight of evidence, caused them to profess to receive the truth; but they had not been converted; they were not ready for the coming of their Lord.” EW 239. “While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.” According to their first calculation of the time, William Miller and his coworkers placed the end of the 2,300 days in the Spring of 1843, but after reconsideration they realized that the full year did not end until the Spring of 1844. It was during this time that they all slumbered and slept. It was not until the passing of the time in the Spring 292 of 1844 that they found that the decree to rebuild Jerusalem went into effect in the Autumn instead of the Spring. This also coincided with the time of the typical cleansing of the earthly sanctuary on the tenth day of the seventh month, Jewish time, or Oct. 22, our time. It was during the Summer of 1844 that the message went forth in the very words of the parable, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go he out to meet Him,” and this cry was very closely associated with the second angel’s message announcing the fall of Babylon: Go ye out —out of the fallen churches—to meet the Bridegroom. “Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.” This evidently represents the time when all these virgins made their decision to leave the world and the fallen churches, and stand individually and alone. “And the foolish virgins said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.” As has been stated, these virgins were depending upon others to supply their lack of the Holy Spirit. These were following man instead of depending upon the Holy Spirit for guidance, and when the test came they were unable to cross the river of disappointment. “ ‘Others took their lamps, and took no oil with them.’ They had moved from impulse. Their fears had been excited by the solemn message, but they had depended upon the faith of their brethren, satisfied with the flickering light of good emotions, without a thorough understanding of the truth, or a genuine work of grace in the heart. These had gone forth to meet the Lord, full of hope in the prospect of immediate reward; but they were not prepared for delay and disappointment. When trials came, their faith failed, and their lights burned dim.” GC 394. “But the wise answered, saying, not so; lest there be not enough for us and for you; but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.” Who is it that offers truth for sale? It is not Christ and His Father, through the medium of the Holy Spirit. This shows plainly that these 293 foolish virgins had not been dealing with the heavenly Merchantman. They had depended upon their fellow men to supply that which heaven alone could bestow upon them. “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” Although both the wise and foolish virgins were disappointed, the wise still clung to their faith, and waited patiently until further light should be given, while the foolish gave up everything and joined with the world to mock and deride those who remained faithful. We have been applying this parable to the experience of God’s professed people in 1844—the Spirit of prophecy applies it at that time. Let us consider the experience of God’s true people prior to 1844. God has always had His true church: there has always been a remnant. “From the beginning faithful souls have constituted the church on earth “ AA II. From the time Christ ascended to heaven, after His death and resurrection, until 1844, God’s true people had worshipped in the holy place or first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary. The door into the most holy place was not opened until Christ entered it in 1844. It was in the first apartment of the earthly sanctuary that the priests offered the “daily” sacrifices, the blood of bulls and goats, But Christ offered His own blood in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary up until 1844, when He entered the second apartment. This is very clearly brought to view in Heb. 7:27. “Who (Christ) needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices; first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” The “daily sacrifice” is spoken of many times in the Spirit of Prophecy. In PP 352 we have this reference to the “daily” and “yearly” sacrifices— “The ministration of the sanctuary consisted of two divisions, a daily and a yearly service. The daily 294 service was performed at the altar of burnt-offerings in the court of the tabernacle, and in the holy place; while the yearly service was in the most holy.” “The daily service consisted of the morning and evening burnt-offering, the offering of sweet incense on the golden altar, and the special offerings for individual sins. And there were also offerings for sabbaths, new moons, and special feasts.” See also GC 418 etc. Thus the first apartment was referred to as the “daily.” In the days of the earthly sanctuary when God’s people sinned, they came and offered their sacrifice—they went back and sinned again, and came and offered their sacrifice. This they did over and over. The same thing was true while Christ was ministering in the holy place in the heavenly sanctuary. When God’s people sinned they had “an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1John 2:1. Christ ministered “daily” in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary until Oct. 22, 1844, and it was in the “daily” or first apartment, that God’s people worshipped up until that time. Now the big question that presents itself is this—What happened in 1844? Christ entered the most holy place for the judgment of the dead in 1844, but what became of His professed people? Did they enter by faith with Him into the most holy place? Was the door to the first apartment dosed in 1844? If God’s people entered with Him into the most holy place in 1844 why has not the work been finished? If they did not enter with Him into the second apartment, and the door into the first apartment was closed at that time, where have they been worshipping since 1844? Or has God had no church since 1844? Certainly these are very important questions. There is no question in any of our minds but that God’s people have given the first and second angel’s message in the power of the Holy Spirit prior to 1844. But the all important question is—Why has not the third angel’s message been given? And the answer to this question seems to hinge on the question as to whether or not God’s 295 professed people entered with Christ into the most holy place in 1844. If they did enter with Him at that time why did they not give the third angel’s message as faithfully as they had given the first and second angel’s messages? Is there no answer to this question? So far this writer has been able to determine, there is no direct statement to the effect that the Advent people did enter with Christ into the most holy place in, or after 1844. It is true that in EW 254, 255 it is indicated or at least assumed that they did, but there is no specific statement to that effect. “The third angel closes his message thus: ‘here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.’ As he repeated these words, he pointed to the heavenly sanctuary. The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place, where Jesus stands before the ark, etc.” “After Jesus opened the door of the most holy, the light of the Sabbath was seen, and the people of God were tested, as the children of Israel were tested anciently, to see if they would keep God’s law. (at Sinai) . . . As they by faith enter the most holy, they find Jesus, and hope and joy spring up anew . . . . It was represented to me that the remnant followed Jesus into the most holy place and beheld the ark and the mercy seat, and were captivated with their glory, etc.” Now there are also statements to the effect that Jesus closed the door to the holy place, where His people had been worshipping prior to 1844, and opened the door into the most holy place, which would also indicate that His people had entered with Him into the second apartment. “Jesus has risen up and shut the door of the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary and has opened the door into the most holy place and entered in to cleanse the sanctuary . . . . I was shown what did take place in heaven at the close of the prophetic periods in 1844. As Jesus ended His ministration in the holy place and closed the door of that apartment a great darkness 296 settled upon those who had heard and rejected the message of His coming, and they lost sight of Him.” EW 250, 251. How can we reconcile these statements with other statements in the Spirit of prophecy, and especially the statements in GC 458 which says— “As they (the Advent people) refused to do the work which He had appointed them, others were raised up to proclaim the message?” Surely if God’s people had entered with Him into the most holy place in 1844, they would not have refused to do the work which He had appointed them. “The slumbering church must be aroused, awakened out of its spiritual lethargy, to a realization of the important duties which have been left undone. The people have not entered into the holy place, where Jesus has gone to make an atonement for his children.” RH Feb. 25, 1890. Here is a positive statement to the effect that God’s people had not entered with Him into the second apartment as late as 1890, and in spite of the seeming contradiction, we who believe in the Spirit of prophecy know that the fault is not the result of a lack of divine inspiration, but a lack of our understanding of the position and condition of God’s professed people after 1844. We do know, however, that if the Advent people had understood, and had entered into the spirit of the third angel’s message immediately after 1844 they would have been in the kingdom years before 1888. “In the great disappointment their faith (The faith of the early Advent believers) was tested as was that of the Hebrews at the Red Sea. Had they still trusted to the guiding hand that had been with them in their past experience, they would have seen the salvation of God. If all who had labored unitedly in the work in 1844, had received the third angel’s message, and proclaimed it in the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord would have wrought 297 mightily with their efforts. A flood of light would have been shed upon the world. Years ago the inhabitants of the earth would have been warned, the closing work completed, and Christ would have come for the redemption of His people . . . . But as they refused to do the work which He had appointed them, others were raised up to proclaim the message.” GC 457, 8. From this, and many other statements in the Spirit of prophecy, it is very evident that God’s professed people did not enter with Him into the most holy place in 1844. “Great Controversy” was copyrighted in 1888, and from the above statement it is a positive fact that the Lord could have come years before 1888, and the reason why He did not come before 1888 was because the third angel’s message was not given before 1888, and the third angel’s message could not be given until God’s people had accepted the message of righteousness by faith, and that message was turned down in 1888. The message of righteousness by faith is the third angel’s message, as is clearly stated in TM 92. “It, (the message of righteousness by faith) is the third angel’s message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure.” “Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel’s message, and I have answered, ‘It is the third angel’s message in verity.’” Review and Herald, Apr. 1, 1890. These are plain statements that the message of righteousness by faith is the third angel’s message. Let us ask the question—Did the Seventh-day Adventist church accept the message of righteousness by faith in 1888? We may answer that they did accept the message IN THEORY ONLY, but they certainly did not enter into the experience. Is not the same thing true with regard to the early Advent believers entering into the most holy place in 1844? We have just quoted the statement from Great Controversy 298 stating plainly that God’s people did not receive the third angel’s message in 1844, nor did they proclaim it in the power of the Holy Spirit. Now if the message of righteousness by faith is the third angel’s message, and if the early Advent believers did not receive the third angel’s message, and if the righteousness of Christ is the wedding garment by which the wise virgins are admitted to the marriage, then we must conclude that the early Advent believers did not possess the wedding garment and for that reason they did not enter into the most holy place in 1844. Can this argument be disputed? Let us study briefly the message of righteousness by faith. Was the message of Christ’s righteousness that came to God’s people in 1888 the same message that was preached by the reformers, or by the pioneers of the Advent movement. If it was the same message that was preached by the pioneers, and if it was the same message that had been preached during the intervening years between 1844 and 1888, why did the Spirit of prophecy attach so much importance to the proclaiming of it in 1888? And if, as our leaders contend, we had always believed in righteousness by faith, and if, as they also insist, we had never lost sight of that message, then why, as is conclusively proven by the Spirit of prophecy, was that message rejected by the leadership in 1888? Was the message of 1888 the same doctrine that was taught prior to 1888, or was it a new message, or in other words an additional message of present truth that the Lord had for His people right at that time? We have always understood that the Lord has a message of present truth for every generation. Was this the message of present truth for His people in 1888? The 2300 days—or years—pointed down to the cleansing of the sanctuary in 1844. The first, second, and third angel’s messages were given to prepare God’s people for the coming of Christ immediately after 1844. Now if, as is very clearly evidenced by the Spirit of prophecy, the message of 1888 was rejected by 299 the leadership, and if the message of righteousness by faith is the third angel’s message, then the third angel’s message was rejected in 1888; and reasoning from the same premise, if as is plainly stated in GC 457, 8, God’s people did not receive the third angel’s message in 1844, then they did not receive the message of righteousness by faith in 1844, if the message of righteousness by faith is the third angel’s message. And if they did not receive the message of Christ’s righteousness, then they did not enter with Christ into the most holy place in 1844 for the simple reason that the righteousness of Christ represents the wedding garment by which His people enter with Him into the marriage which takes place before probation ends. The message of righteousness by faith is the message of the loud cry of the third angel who is to lighten the whole earth with his glory. It is the beginning of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. The church has long looked forward to the time when the Holy Spirit would be poured out in the latter rain, but is it not possible that God’s professed people may be in such a state of spiritual declension that they shall not recognize the showers of the latter rain when they do fall? It seems that, in spite of all the warnings given through the Spirit of prophecy, the church still maintains the idea that the latter rain is to be poured out in order to give power to the preaching of the denominational doctrines as they have been taught since 1844, and therefore they are in no condition to receive any new light the Lord may have for them. We must receive the former rain before we can receive the latter rain. In other words, we must be living up to all the light the Lord has given us in the past before we can receive any further light. “But there must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only those who are living up to all the light they have, will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of acting Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the 300 latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.” TM 507. Those who enter with Christ into the most holy place are those who receive the message of Christ’s righteousness which is the third angel’s message in verity. These are they who receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain, and they are the wise virgins who have oil in their vessels with their lamps. When the Holy Spirit comes, He comes with a message. When He came to John the Baptist, He came with a message. When He came to the early reformers, He came with a message for them. Before 1844 He gave William Miller a message to prepare God’s people for the time of the judgment; and again in 1888 He came with a message to Jones and Waggoner to bring before God’s people the special message of Christ’s righteousness which was to prepare them to enter with Christ into the most holy place for the judgment of the living—into the translation church. The Holy spirit comes to prepare God’s people for future events. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: . . . and he will shew you things to come.” John 16: 13. When He came with His message in 1888 He was criticized, ridiculed, and rejected. And when He comes again with His message, He will be criticized, ridiculed, and spoken against by the majority; but the message He brings will be a message that will prepare God’s true people, the wise virgins, to enter with Christ into the translation church. It will be a message of Christ’s righteousness—the third angel’s message in verity. That message will bring the latter rain which is to prepare the people of God to stand through the time of trouble such as never was, and “He will shew you things to come.” These are the messages that cleanse the human temple from all the defilement of sin. According to the “thesis,” “1888 Reexamined,” by Weiland and Short; about the only ones who entered wholeheartedly into message of righteousness by faith in 301 1888, were Mrs. White and Jones and Waggoner, the two men through whom the message was given, together with possibly a very few others. If this is true, could it have been that these few were the only ones who were numbered with the wise virgins at that time? Could it be that these few were the only ones who had oil in their vessels with their lamps, while the great majority, including the leadership, were classed with the foolish virgins? What a warning is this for us! If they, back there, accepted only the theory of the third angel’s message; if they accepted only the theory of Christ’s righteousness; if they accepted only the theory of entering with Christ into the most holy we do any better than they, if we fail to enter into the real experience of these messages? It would be interesting to study, right in this connection, the third and fourth chapters of Hebrews. Study these two chapters and compare the expression— “Today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts,” with the experience of the children of Israel in the wilderness, and also the experience of the Adventist people in 1844 and in 1888. Christ entered the most holy place in 1844 for the investigative judgment of the dead; and also the judgment of the living could have been carried on simultaneously, and would have been carried on simultaneously if God’s people had entered with Him into the second apartment at that time. But since they refused to enter with Him at that time, the judgment of the living had to be postponed until a later date. “The judgment is now passing in the sanctuary above. For years this work has been in progress. Soon—none know how soon—it will pass to the cases of the living.” GC 490. The generation in 1844 refused the most wonderful opportunity that had ever been offered to God’s people down through the ages, and so, like the generation which came out of Egypt refused to enter the promised land, and had to go back and die in the wilderness; so the 302 generation that refused to enter with Christ into the most holy place in 1844, had to go back and die in the spiritual wilderness until another generation should arise who would gladly accept the offer. Now the judgment of the dead, and the judgment of the living, are separate and distinct, one from the other. The dead have already sealed their destiny, but not so with the living. All who have died since Adam are judged after they are dead; but the investigative judgment of the living takes place while they are still alive upon the earth. Before Christ’s first advent, the services in the sanctuary here on earth had to do only with the living; nothing in that service pertained to the dead. At the time of the judgment of the living, which was represented by the day of atonement, the door into the first apartment was closed, and no one entered that apartment while the high priest was ministering in the most holy place. And so it is with the antitype. When the judgment of the living begins the door into the first apartment is closed. If God’s people in 1844, had entered with Him by faith into the most holy place, the judgment of the living would have begun, and the door into the first apartment would have been forever closed. But the judgment of the living did not begin in 1844, so the door into the first apartment still remains open until such time as the judgment of the living begins. Although God’s people were in the Philadelphian condition in 1844, they still lacked much of the truth that was to be revealed to them. They were well on their way to perfection, and if after they had accepted the Sabbath and the other foundation truths of the Advent message, they had entered into the experience of the righteousness of Christ they would have given the third angel’s message in the power of the Holy Spirit, and in a very short time they would have entered the heavenly Canaan. But from our perspective we see what happened back there. As they lost their love of the message they gradually drifted into the Laodicean condition. The Laodicean church is the resurrection church, while the Philadelphian church is the translation church. 303 Now before we go into this study any further let us turn our thoughts to the past for a little while and see what human organization has done for the church of God in the past. Let us begin with the church in the wilderness. In PP 380, we read— “The Lord permitted Moses to choose for himself the most faithful and efficient men to share the responsibility with him. Their influence would assist in holding in check the violence of the people, and quelling insurrection; Yet serious evils would eventually result from their promotion. They would never have been chosen had Moses manifested faith corresponding with the evidence he had witnessed of God’s power and goodness. But he had magnified his own burdens and services, almost loosing sight of the fact that he was only the instrument by which God had wrought. He was not excusable in indulging, in the slightest degree, the spirit of murmuring that was the curse of Israel. Had he relied fully upon God, the Lord would have guided him continually, and would have given him strength for every emergency.” It seems that whenever men are exalted to any degree it opens up a channel through which Satan can work through human nature to frustrate the plans of God for His people. Later the Lord led His people by Joshua over into the land of Canaan where He continued to lead and guide them by His prophets until through their desire to be like the nations around them, they demanded a king. The Lord told them plainly what would happen to them if their request was granted, but in spite of the Lord’s warning they still demanded a king. We are familiar with the whole story, how their desire to be like the nations around them led them into an apostasy that finally nailed the Son of God to the cross. Now let us consider the history of the Christian church; 304 beginning with the days of the apostles. As organization began to creep in, men began to exercise jurisdiction over their fellow men. This evil of men exercising authority over their fellow men is nothing short of “the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet.” This is the “mystery of iniquity” which the apostle Paul said he could see working in his day. 2Thess. 2. That little seed that was planted back there in the early church, has grown into this great spiritual Babylonian tree which fills the whole earth, and has its counterpart in the great tree of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of Daniel four, and which represented literal Babylon. Spiritual Babylon represents the great apostasy which the apostle Paul saw developing in his day. Coming on down to the time immediately after 1844 we find the same condition prevailing among the Advent believers. In 1844 the church was in the Philadelphian condition: they were not bound together by any human organization. Christ was the head of the church and they were not exalting any human being, but they failed to stand the test of their disappointment, and very soon they began to enter again the very same condition of the churches they had so recently left. The following is an excerpt from an article written by Elder Joseph Bates—Fairhaven, July 24, 1851. Published in the Review and Herald Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Tuesday, Aug. 19, 1851. “The principal men of this church, (the Philadelphia church of 1844) however, soon laid a plot, by confederating and leaguing together, to reverse all that the Saviour had said, and have the door open into the holy place again. On the 29th of April 1845, they associated themselves together in the city of Albany, N.Y., and there counseled together and devised their plans, the very opposite to what they had affirmed to before God and the world, but a few months previous. Yet they have moved out from this association, and have been proclaiming an open door from that time to the present, their teaching 305 and practice the very opposite to what they were, when they were organized in the Philadelphian church. Thus they have organized the Laodicean church.” Here we have the Laodicean church worshipping in the first apartment, the holy place. This seed of human organization planted back there after 1844, has grown into a great tree, similar in many respects to the great Babylon tree which had its roots in the organization of the early Apostolic church. The roots and branches of this great Laodicean tree reach out, and enter into, and manipulate every phase of human endeavor within its jurisdiction; thus taking the place of the Holy Spirit, and planting itself between God and His people, —“the abomination that maketh desolate.” But God’s last church will not be dominated by any human organization: that seed of apostasy will never be planted without her borders. It will be the Philadelphian church, developed into the first ripened grain of the great final harvest—the incarnation of the living Christ in every individual. This is the church of the wise virgins—the church that enters with Christ into the most holy place—the church triumphant—the translation church. But, someone may object—Do you mean to say then, that the Seventh Day Adventist organization was not approved of God? Do you mean to tell us that the organization was not founded upon the inspiration of the Holy Spirit? To these questions, we may answer. There is not the least doubt in any of our minds but that the organization was fully approved of God, and that it was built up under the direct supervision of the Holy Spirit, but not until God’s professed people after 1844 had refused to accept the third angel’s message and proclaim it in the power of the Holy Spirit. That movement was not completely organized until 1863. That was 19 years after 1844. If God’s people had entered into the spirit of the message, instead of accepting it as a theory, the work could have been finished long before the church was organized, and there would never have been any need of a human 306 organization. This is very definitely indicated in the paragraphs we have already quoted from Great Controversy 457, 8. “The history of ancient Israel is a striking illustration of the past experience of the Adventist body. God led His people in the Advent movement, even as He led the children of Israel from Egypt . . . . It was not the will of God that Israel should wander forty years in the wilderness; He desired to lead them directly to the land of Canaan, and establish them there, a holy, happy people. But ‘they could not enter in because of unbelief’. Because of their backsliding and apostasy, they perished in the desert, and others were raised up to enter the promised land. In like manner, it was not the will of God that the coming of Christ should be so long delayed, and His people should remain so many years in this world of sin and sorrow. But unbelief separated them from God. As they refused to do the work which He had appointed them, others were raised up to proclaim the message.” According to these statements, has the Adventist church followed in the footsteps of ancient Israel? Because of ancient Israel’s unbelief, backsliding and apostasy, they were deemed a home in the land of Canaan, and another generation was raised up to enter the promised land; is not the same thing true of modern spiritual Israel? If God’s people, immediately after 1844 had entered with Him into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, they would have remained in the Philadelphian condition, they would have been the church triumphant, and at least some of the members of that church would have been translated. From Adam’s time clear on down to the closing days of this earth’s history God’s people have been worshipping 307 in the “daily” or first apartment of the sanctuary. While it is true that Christ did not enter the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary until after His death and resurrection, it is nevertheless true that the types and ceremonies prior to His first advent directed the minds of His people to the time when His ministration would begin in that apartment. Since Christ did not enter upon His work in the second, or most holy place until after 1844, it goes without saying that no one could have worshipped in that apartment until after that time. During all these ages God’s people have had access to the throne of grace for the forgiveness of sins right up to the time of death. All those who have worshipped in the “daily” or first apartment, belong to the resurrection church. It was necessary that they should taste death, go down into the grave and be resurrected before they could have eternal life. Only those whose characters are so perfected that they can stand without a mediator are enabled to step from this old sin-cursed earth over into eternity without seeing death. In other words, none who insist upon worshipping in the “daily,” or first apartment can be translated. And why is this? Simply because those who are sinning and repenting, and sinning and repenting, are worshipping in the first apartment, while those who enter the most holy are those who, through the righteousness of Christ are putting every sin out of the life, they are those who are to be without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. We have the record of only two who have been translated in the past, and they were types of those who are to be translated at the coming of Christ. Now the next question that comes to our minds is this—Will all who enter the second, or most holy place be translated? Will none who enter with Christ into the most holy place die before the Lord comes? Let us remember that we are applying this parable of the ten virgins to the Seventy Day Adventist church. Not only are we applying it to the Seventh-day Adventist church, but we are applying it to the last generation of that church. We are applying it to the time of the open 308 and shut doors, to the sealing of the 144,000. We are applying it to the time of the change of ministration from the holy to the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary, and more than that we are applying it to those whose names are registered in the Lambs book of life. We are living in the antitypical time of the change of ministration from the earthly sanctuary to the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, so let us go back to the type. At the time of Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, there was a change of ministration from the sanctuary here on earth to the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven. When that change took place the veil of the sanctuary was rent in twain, and the door to the sanctuary here on earth was forever closed. Those who had formerly worshipped in the sanctuary here on earth had lost their Saviour; but the wise virgins had oil in their vessels with their lamps, and through a diligent study of the prophecies they found that the Messiah had come, and that there had been a change of ministration, and now they found Him in the heavenly sanctuary. But this one thing we must not overlook: although the door to the earthly sanctuary had been closed at the death of Christ, yet a period of probationary time was still granted to the Jewish church in which to repent. At the end of that period, the Jewish church, as a church, was completely rejected. Again let us come back to the antitype. At the time when Christ enters the most holy place for the judgment of the living, the door to the “daily” or first apartment is forever closed, and those who have been worshipping in the first apartment have lost their Saviour, but a period of time is still granted to the wise virgins—those who have the oil in their vessels with their lamps, and who are willing and anxious to study the prophecies in order to find out their position—a period of time is allotted to them in which to enter with the Bridegroom into the wedding. After the close of this period of time, the door into THE MOST HOLY is closed to those who would not enter. It is after this period of time and during the loud cry, that the 309 foolish virgins realize their condition and plead for entrance into the wedding. Now there is still another phase of the judgment that we must not overlook. The investigative judgment of the living had to do only with those whose names have been registered in the Lamb’s book of life. The investigative judgment is referred to many times in the Spirit of prophecy, but we can only quote a limited number of these statements here. First, let us consider a Bible statement regarding the judgment. “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 1Pet. 4:17, 18. If the sinner’s name is not even registered in the book of life, he certainly will have no part in the investigative judgment. “The book of life contains the names of all who have entered the service of God.” GC 480, also PP 326. “Not all the names registered in the church books are registered in the Lamb’s book of life.” 5T 278. “So in the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment, the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God.” GC 480. In the above statements three points are very clearly presented—First, the investigative judgment has to do only with the professed people of God: second, the professed people of God have their names registered in the Lamb’s book of life; and they are the only ones who have ever entered the service of God; and third, there are those whose names are on the church books, but who have never entered the service of God, and their names have never been registered in the Lamb’s book of life. All this is easily understood when we take into consideration the following statement— 310 “While the Lord brings into the church those who are truly converted, Satan at the same time brings persons who are not converted into its fellowship. While Christ is sowing the good seed, Satan is sowing the tares.” TM 46. Thus it is evident that there are three classes brought to view in the study of the investigative judgment. First, the tares—those who have never been converted: these are Satan’s agents, brought in by him for the purpose of corrupting the church. Their names are not registered in the book of life. Then there are the two other classes, the wise and foolish virgins. The wise virgins have their names retained in the book of life, while the foolish virgins have their names blotted out of the book of life. These two classes, the wise and foolish virgins were once united, but after the judgment of the living in the church these two classes are separated as far as the east is from the west, the one is all light while the other is perfect darkness. We also have this statement from GC 483 regarding the foolish virgins— “When any have sins remaining upon the books of record, unrepented of and unforgiven, their names will be blotted out of the book of life, and the records of their good deeds will be erased from the book of God’s remembrance.” It is very evident then that the unconverted in the church represent the tares: the foolish virgins represent those whose names are blotted out of the book of life, and the wise virgins represent those whose names are retained in the Lamb’s book of life. After the investigative judgment of the living in the church militant (after the wise and foolish virgins in the church have been separated) God’s true church stands out separate and alone, their names are forever retained in the Lamb's Book of Life: there are no tares nor any foolish virgins in that church, for their names are written in heaven—Satan cannot get the names of his agents registered there, for— 311 “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Rev. 21:27. But these statements we have just quoted are not the only statements in regard to the judgment that should give us grave concern. The following is a very solemn and serious appraisal of the condition of the church many years ago.’ “It is a solemn statement that I make to the church, that not one in twenty whose names are registered upon the church books are prepared to close their earthly history, and would be as verily without God and without hope in the world as the common sinner . . . . Those who claim to be Christians and who will confess Christ should come out from among them and touch not the unclean thing and be separate.” Review and Herald, May 17, 1892. This statement dates back to 1892 when there were comparatively few believers in the Advent message. At that time there was only one in twenty who were ready to meet their life’s record. How about it today when the church numbers over a million? Are God’s professed people today striving harder to enter in at the straight gate than they were sixty-five years ago? If we divide one hundred and forty-four thousand into one million the answer is about seven. In other words, in order for the 144,000 to come out of the church today, there should be one in every seven who are ready to meet their Lord in judgment, whereas there was only one in twenty back there. And here is something to think about—It is through the experience of Christ’s righteousness that the 144,000 are to enter with Christ into the most holy place for the judgment of the living in our day, but sixty-seven years ago there was not one in one hundred who understood for himself the Bible definition of Christ’s righteousness. “There is not one in one hundred who understands 312 for himself the Bible truth on this subject (justification by faith) that is so necessary to our present and eternal welfare.” Review and Herald, Sept. 3, I 889 No wonder the question is asked, “Who then, can be saved?” But we are not to trust in any human organization. The Lord has promised to finish the work in a way that is contrary to any human planning, and when He does take the reins onto His own hands the following promises will apply— “Who are thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain . . . For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel (Christ) with those seven; They are the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth.” Zach. 4:7 and 9 From our study thus far it is quite evident that the investigative judgment o£ the living has to do only with the wise and foolish virgins; and if that is true then at one time all ten of these virgins had their names registered in the book of life. When they first started out both wise and foolish virgins had their lamps, (Bibles) and these lamps had oil in them. This oil represented the fundamental doctrines of the Advent movement; but there comes a time when the Lord has additional light for His people, and this is the time when additional oil is needed, (the oil represents the guidance of the Holy Spirit) and only the wise virgins possess the additional oil Only the wise virgins accept the righteousness of Christ, and they are the only ones who enter with Christ into the most holy place. These constitute the translation church—they belong to the church of the 144,000—this is the Philadelphian church—the church triumphant. The foolish virgins are the Laodiceans—the church militant, and they belong to the resurrection church, and they are those who insist on worshipping in the ‘daily,” or first apartment after the door to that apartment has been closed. They fail to accept the imparted 313 righteousness of Christ, and refuse to enter with Him into the most holy place. There comes a time when the church of the foolish virgins is fully rejected and ceases to exist. With these thoughts in mind let us go back to those two questions again—Will all who enter the second, or most holy place die before the Lord comes? We have come down now to the time when the door to the most holy place has been forever closed to the foolish virgins: the Seventh Day Adventist church has been judged, and the wise and foolish virgins have been forever separated. The names of those who are still worshipping in the first apartment are blotted out and they are destined to come up in the second resurrection. Let us keep in mind that those who are still worshipping in the daily, or first apartment are those who have refused to purify their lives through obedience to the truth. They are those who have been sinning and repenting and sinning and repenting. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to harken than the fat of rams. 1Sam. 15:22. This is the class that has been rejected: now let us turn our attention to the other class. It is quite evident from both the Bible and the Spirit of prophecy that there are those of God’s true people—those who have entered with Christ into the most holy place, who will lose their lives before the close of probation. There are some who will not be able to go through the time of trouble such as never was because of their physical condition, and there are still others who will give their lives in witness for the truth. In Rev. 6:9-11, the fifth seal, it is said of the martyrs of the past— 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 to every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet a little season, until their 314 fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. There are also many statements in the Testimonies of the Spirit of prophecy that indicate that at least some of God’s true people will sacrifice their lives in testimony for the truth. In GC 581 we have this statement— She (the Papacy) is piling up her lofty and massive structures, in the secret recesses of which her former persecutions will be repeated. In Rev. 14:13, immediately following the recording of the three angel’s messages we have this encouraging promise to those who die during the giving of these messages— And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. Now the question arises: What time is referred to here? Does this have reference to all those who have died since 1844? Before we undertake to answer these questions let us notice a statement in GC 637. 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. This of course has reference to the special resurrection. So all those who have died during the giving of the third angel’s message will come forth in the special resurrection. But since when has the third angel’s message been given? We might put the question in this way—How many in the past have died in the faith of the third angel’s message? What is the third angel’s message, and when is it to be given? or has it already been given? Any good Seventh Day Adventist who is willing to be consistent must admit that if the third angel’s message had been given in the past the work would have been finished, the Sunday laws would have been enacted, the time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, and the seven last plagues, would all be in the past. Years ago God’s people would 315 have been in the kingdom if they had received the third angel’s message and proclaimed it in the power of the Holy Spirit. But, as has been stated before, it is one receive the theory of the third angel’s message, and quite another thing to enter into the spirit of the message. The message of righteousness by faith is the third angel’s message, but the third angel’s message, like the message of Christ’s righteousness, has been accepted in theory only. Let us study very carefully the third angel’s message. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Rev. 14:911. Along with this text let us read a few statements from Great Controversy 604-5. “Fearful is the issue to which the world is to be brought. THE POWERS OF EARTH uniting to war against the commandments of God, will decree that all, ‘both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond’, shall conform to the customs of the church by the observance of the false sabbath. All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties, and it will finally be declared that they are deserving of death. On the other hand, the law of God enjoining the Creator’s rest-day demands obedience, and threatens wrath against all who transgress its precepts. With the issue thus clearly brought before him, whoever shall trample upon God’s law to obey a human enactment, receives the mark of the beast; he accepts the sign of allegiance to the power which he chooses to obey in 316 stead of God . . . . The Sabbath will be the great test of the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. While the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God’s law, as an evidence of loyalty to the Creator. While one class, by accepting the sign to earthly powers, receives the mark of the beast, the other, choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receives the seal of God. But when Sunday observance shall be enforced by law, and the world shall be enlightened concerning the obligation of the true Sabbath, then whoever shall transgress the command of God, to obey a precept which has no higher authority than that of Rome, will thereby honor popery above God. He is paying homage to Rome, and to the power which enforces the institution ordained by Rome. He is worshipping the beast and his image. As men then reject the institution which God had declared to be the sign of His authority, and honor in its stead that which Rome has chosen as a token of her-supremacy, they will thereby accept the sign of allegiance to Rome—‘The mark of the beast’. And it is not until the issue is thus plainly set before the people, and they are brought to choose between the commandments of God and the commandments of men that those who continue in transgression will receive ‘the mark of the beast.’ These statements clearly indicate when the third angel’s 317 message applies. It is a positive fact that it does not apply until a national Sunday law is enacted and enforced or at least it applies during the time the national Sunday law is enforced, and certainly no national Sunday law has been enacted and enforced since Great Controversy was written. It is during the giving of the third angel’s message that the statement in Rev. 14:13 applies. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. Rev. 14:13. 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. GC 637. These are beautiful statements; and they should be a wonderful inspiration to God’s people in these last days. Those who die from natural causes, and those who give their lives in witness for the truth will be raised in the special resurrection to witness the triumph of those who have stood through the seven last plagues, and who have kept their garments spotless during the time when there was no Mediator to wash away any taint of sin in their lives. The third angel’s message may have been given in the power of the General Conference, but it certainly has not been given in the power of the Holy Spirit. If all who had labored unitedly in the work in 1844, had received the third angel’s message and proclaimed it in the power of the Holy Spirit years ago the work would have been finished. Twenty-fourth Chapter of Matthew and the Parable of the Ten Virgins In order to get the connection between the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew and the parable of the ten virgins, let us consider the last verses of the preceding chapter, beginning with the 42nd verse. 318 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not what Lord cloth come. It is evident that this verse does not apply to the coming of the Lord in the clouds of heaven, for in Great Controversy we are told that we will know the day and hour of His coming. The voice of God is heard from heaven, declaring the day and hour of Jesus’ coming, and delivering the everlasting covenant to His people. GC 640. As we are applying this parable to the time of the judgment of the living, this verse must apply to the time when our names come up in the judgment. This is not hard to understand when we realize that our ability to stand before the Son of man at His coming in the clouds of heaven depends upon how we stand before Him in the judgment of the living. Even though the Lord should reveal to us the time of the beginning of the judgment of the living, we have no way of knowing when our names are taken upon the lips of the great Judge. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. We may infer from this that the goodman of the house had been warned in regard to the coming of the thief, but because he did not know in what watch to expect him, he became drowsy and indifferent, and ceased his watchfulness; and so the thief came upon him unawares. We may exclaim, what a foolish householder! But is he more foolish than the professed people of God who slacken their vigilance in these perilous times? Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say 319 The wise servant must be the same as the wise virgins. The meat in due season must have reference to the giving of the Laodicean message, and the Lord’s blessing is pronounced upon those who are proclaiming the present truth’” for the closing days of this earth’s history. “Over all His goods.” This must refer to all the spiritual goods the Lord has for His people in these last days. How appropriately these verses apply to the very times in which we are living! “But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, my lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrite: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” It seems that these two servants were set on an equal footing over their Lord’s household while he was away on his journey. For some time they get along very well together, but when the master of the house does not return at the expected time, a difference develops between the two, as each manifests his true character. These two servants represent the professed people of God in these last days. They both profess to be serving the same Master. Their names appear side by side in the Master’s list of His servants, but as the time of the Master’s return is prolonged, the evil servant begins to say in his heart, (not openly, of course) my Lord delayeth His coming. He begins to partake of the spirit of the world. He begins to eat and drink with those who are drunken with the cares of this life, and when his fellow servant begins to prepare for the soon return of the Master, and begins to give the household spiritual meat in due season, this evil servant rises up in wrathful opposition to the message, and then what happens? Oh, the Lord of that servant comes to his name in the judgment of the living at an hour that he is not aware of, and appoints him his portion with the hypocrite. Is not 320 this a true picture of the condition as it exists in the church today? Now in the light of what we have been studying let us apply the parable of the ten virgins to the time of the judgment of the living, in the closing days of this earth’s history. “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened to ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.” “Then.” The twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew and the parable of the ten virgins apply at the same time—during the closing scenes of this earth’s history. Then shall the kingdom of heaven (The kingdom of grace here upon earth) be likened to ten virgins. Notice that all these maidens are virgins; none of them are numbered with Babylon. They all profess a pure faith; they all, like the wise and evil servants, profess to serve the same master, and like the wise and evil servants, they are all expecting the bridegroom to return. There is no doubt but that these virgins represent God’s professed people in these last days, as is clearly brought to view in the following statements. “Clearly, then, the bride represents the holy city, and the virgins that go out to meet the bridegroom are a symbol of the church.” GC 427. “The parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25 also illustrates the experience of the Adventist people” GC 393. These all take their lamps, or their Bibles, and go forth to meet the bridegroom. But when do they take their lamps and go forth to meet the bridegroom? Was it in 1844, or is it since that time? Although it is true that the Advent people did take their Bibles and go forth to meet the bridegroom in 1844, nevertheless we are applying this parable to the last generation that is to be upon the earth, and so these virgins must represent this last generation. Now before we go any farther, let us make this statement—Regardless of how this parable has been interpreted to apply in the past, we are applying it to this last 321 generation, and we believe it may apply a little differently now, to what it has applied in the past. “And five were wise, and five were foolish.” Here we believe is where the parable has a little different application than what has been given it in the past. Five were wise, and five were foolish. Here it seems they were equally divided, and this, as it seems to us, is as it should be. Up to the time of the judgment of the living, these ten virgins represented the true church of God. “From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the church on earth,” AA 11. All of these virgins have their names written in the Lamb’s book of life. During the time of judgment of the dead, and up to the time of the beginning of the judgment of the living, all of these virgins have been worshipping in the “daily” or first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary—they all belong to the resurrection church. All ten of them, equally divided, have their names registered in heaven. “This parable has been, and will be fulfilled to the very letter.” Review and Herald, Aug. 19, 1890. Mrs. E. G. White. “While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.” The Bridegroom has tarried since 1844. His coming has been prolonged because His people have refused to do the work which He has appointed them, but there comes a time when His promises “shall be no more prolonged.” Eze. 12:21-28. Also Heb. 2:1-4. “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh; Go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.” And at midnight there was a cry made. This must represent the first angel’s message as it pertains to the judgment of the living. “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 water.” Rev. 14: 7. 322 This is the Laodicean message in verity. Who are worship? him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water, to worship the Lord of the Sabbath. This is a message calling God’s people away from the worship of human organizations, to the worship of the true God. And when does this message to go forth? At the midnight hour. The midnight hour is the dividing point between the day that has passed, and the day that is coming. It is the dividing point between the church militant and the church triumphant. This is the hour of decision. And what is the message? Behold, the bridegroom cometh; GO YE OUT (out of an apostatized church) to meet Him. The disciples came out of the rejected Jewish church to meet the Bridegroom. The pioneers of the Advent movement came out of the fallen churches in 1844 to meet the Bridegroom. And so the message, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him, is the counterpart of 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” Rev. 14:8. But how could this be a call for those who are in the Adventist church to come out of Babylon? Is the Seventh Day Adventist Church Babylon? No, not at all. Not any more than the Israelites were Babylon when they were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar. The Israelites were taken captive because of their apostasy; because of their intercourse with the nations around them. Even so has spiritual Israel partaken of the sins of modern spiritual Babylon: and the message, “Go ye out to meet Him” is a definite call to God’s people to separate themselves from those who are partaking of the sins of Babylon, and that they receive not of her plagues. The cry, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, GO YE OUT to meet him; is the call that separates the wise and foolish virgins. We wish to requote a statement that we have already quoted in this book, but it contains an admonition that we 323 do well to heed right at this very time. “It is a solemn statement that I make to the church, (the Seventh Day Adventist church) that not one in twenty whose names are registered upon the church books are prepared to close their earthly history, and would be as verily without God and without hope in the world as the common sinner . . . . Those who claim to be Christians and who will confess Christ should come out from among them and touch not the unclean thing and be separate.” Review and Herald, May 17, 1892. Mrs. E. G. White. True, God’s people should come out from the world, but is it God’s will that we should bind ourselves up with the tares in the church; are not the tares to be bound in bundles to be burned? “Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.” This certainly brings to view the “shaking” that takes place during the giving of the Laodicean message. “Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this is what will cause a shaking among God’s people.” EW 270. Do we see anything of this kind taking place today? This is, “The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs.” Almost every Review and Herald has an article denouncing this message as heresy. Oh yes, prophecy is fulfilling right before our very eyes;—all these virgins have arisen, and are trimming their lamps. “And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and for you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.” We have come now to the most important phase of the parable. Up to this time very little, or no difference is discerned between the virgins. All of them have had their lamps; all have been fully convinced in regard to the fundamental truths of the Advent movement, and all have 324 been worshipping in the “daily,” or first apartment —in the church— “the Lord’s sanctuary.” But now the time has come for a change of ministration. The door into the first apartment is about to be forever closed, and the judgment of the living is about to begin. All of these virgins have been carefully instructed to depend upon the General Conference for light and truth. The minister provides his flock with spiritual food at the eleven o’clock hour every Sabbath day, while the General Conference Sabbath School Department very carefully provides a portion for each day of the week. While it is within the Jurisdiction of the General Conference to provide the sermon and the study, it is completely beyond its power to provide that, which alone can make either the sermon or the Sabbath School lesson study effective—the oil—the Holy Spirit. We have had good sermons, and good Sabbath School lessons for many years, but these sermons and Sabbath School lessons have not finished the work. We could go on having good sermons and Sabbath School lessons for the next 1000 years, but unless there should be a complete revival and reformation, and a thorough reorganization, we would be farther from the finishing of the work 1000 years from now than we are today. “The church is advancing, but in the wrong direction.” The church organization may sell each of its members a Bible and a set of the Spirit of prophecy books, but without the power of the Holy Spirit to make these truths effective in the lives of its members, they are worse than worthless. And when the General Conference undertakes to supply the lack of the Holy Spirit; when it undertakes the work of the Holy Spirit in interpreting the Bible and the Spirit of prophecy to the church, it becomes the “abomination” that leaves the church desolate. God’s people cannot be saved by worshipping Him in the same way, or by the same means by which they have been worshipping Him since 1844, any more than the early disciples could worship Him by the same means that was employed by the Jews before Christ’s first advent. The 325 Jews worshipped God through the sanctuary here on earth: but after Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension to heaven, there was a change of ministration, and those who were still trying to worship Him in the sanctuary here on earth were left in total darkness. The same is true today: there has been a change of ministration, and the door into the daily apartment for the church militant—is forever closed, and those who are still trying to worship in that apartment are left in darkness. It is absolutely necessary now that we enter with Christ into the second, or most holy place—into the church triumphant. Those who have entered there have accepted Christ’s righteousness, and through that righteousness they are given power to cleanse the life from sin, and are thus being prepared for translation. “The time has come when those who choose the Lord for their present and future portion must trust in Him alone. Everyone professing godliness must have an experience of his own. I saw that in looking heavenward we shall see light and peace, but in looking to the world we shall see that every refuge must soon fail us and every good soon pass away. There is no help for us but in God; . . . Greater light shines upon us than shown upon our fathers. We cannot be accepted or honored of God in rendering the same service, or doing the same works, that our fathers did. In order to be accepted and blessed of God as they were, we must imitate their faithfulness and zeal—improve our light as they improved theirs—and do as they would have done had they lived in our day. We must walk in the light that shines upon us, otherwise the light will become darkness . . . . The truth which has reached our understanding, and the light which has shown upon the soul, will judge and condemn us, if we turn away and refuse to be led by them.” Vol. 5; 262, 30 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your for our lamps are gone out.” Are we to expect the foolish 326 virgins to come to the wise and admit that they do not have the oil which represents the Holy Spirit? If so when does this take place? Does it take place before probation closes, or after? There will surely come a time when the foolish virgins realize and confess their terrible mistake—a time when they will understand that they have not been led by the Holy Spirit, but will that happen before probation closes, or after? There is a statement in Amos 8:11, 12 that bears directly upon this subject “Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” Regarding this awful time, the Spirit of prophecy has this to say— “Then I saw Jesus lay off His priestly attire and clothe Himself with His most kingly robes. Upon His head were many crowns, a crown within a crown. Surrounded by the angelic host, He left heaven. The plagues were falling upon the inhabitants of the earth. Some were denouncing God and cursing Him. Others rushed to the people of God and begged to be taught how they might escape his judgments. but the saints had nothing for them. Those who had not prized God’s Word were hurrying to and fro, wandering from sea to sea, and from the north to the east, to seek the Word of the Lord. Said the angel, They shall not find it. There is a famine in the land; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” EW 281. Again in Great Controversy, in the chapter entitled “The Time of Trouble,” which certainly comes after the close of probation, and during the seven last plagues, we “These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants 327 of the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals. All the judgments upon men, prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy. In that day multitudes will desire the shelter of God’s mercy which they have so long despised. ‘Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” GC 628, 9. These statements bring to view a time when not only the foolish virgins, but all who have rejected the three angel’s messages will seek with agony of spirit for that which, but a short time before, they considered of little value. But this all takes place after probation closes. The question is, will there be a time before probation closes when the foolish virgins realize their condition? The ten virgins represent the Seventh Day Adventist Church. We know that there is to be a separation between the wise and foolish virgins. We know that this separation takes place at the time of the harvest, and we know that the harvest is the time of the investigative judgment of the living in the church. We know that the church is to be judged first, and after the church has been judged, the loud cry of the third angel goes to the world to call out God’s people who are in Babylon. Now let us ask this question—After the church has been judged, and the door into the most holy place has been forever closed to the foolish virgins, and during the loud cry before probation closes for the world, will the foolish virgins realize that they have sinned away their day of grace, and that they are forever lost? Is there any evidence for such a conclusion? 328 We understand of course that the loud cry is given before the close of probation when the seven last plagues begin to be poured out. “I saw that God has children who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They have not rejected the light upon it. And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully.” EW 33. “The commencement of the time of trouble, here mentioned, does not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to a short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is in the sanctuary. At that time while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming upon 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 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.” EW 85. The time of trouble brought to view in the above statements must take place just a short time before the close of probation; and the events that are to take place in the following statements must of necessity take place at the same time. All of these statements refer to the time of trouble just before the close of probation. “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.” 9T 97. “The Jews made the courts of the temple a scene of sacrilegious traffic . . . . Today this sacrilegious work is more than repeated. There will be messages borne and those who have rejected the messages God has sent, will hear most startling declarations. The Holy Spirit will invest the announcement with a sanctity and solemnity 329 which will appear terrible in the ears of those who have heard the pleadings of divine love, and have not responded to the offers of pardon and forgiveness. Injured and insulted Deity will speak, proclaiming the sins that have been hidden. As the priests and rulers, full of indignation and terror, sought refuge in flight at the last scene of the cleansing of the temple, so it will be in the work for these last days. The woes that will be pronounced upon those who have had the light from heaven, and yet did not heed it they will feel. But will have no power to act. This is represented by the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. They cannot obtain a character from the wise virgins, and they have no oil of grace To discern the clear light or accept it they cannot light their lamps and join the procession that goes in to the marriage supper of the lamb.” Special to Ministers, No. 7, pp 54, 55. Mrs. E. G. White. These statements must correspond to the tine when the foolish virgins beg for oil from the wise. The oil represents the Holy Spirit; and according to Zech. 4 the oil comes from the two olive trees; and in GC 267 we are told that the two witnesses are the two olive trees which represent the Old and New Testaments, and so from these quotations we conclude that the Old and New Testaments and the Holy Spirit are inseparable: that is, one cannot understand the Scriptures without the aid of the Holy Spirit; neither can he possess the Holy Spirit without a knowledge of the Scriptures. This agrees fully with what Jesus said in John 16:13. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” The Holy Spirit reveals light and truth to us through God’s word; and since the wise virgins have an extra supply 330 of oil, or the Holy Spirit, they receive light in advance of the foolish virgins, and thus they are enabled to enter with Christ into the second apartment—into the translation church. Those who worship in the translation church are those to whom Christ’s righteousness is imparted Christ, by His life of righteousness has broken the power of Satan, and through faith in His life of righteousness, the wise virgins have that life of righteousness imparted to them that they reflect the image of Jesus fully. They are without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. No guile is found in their mouths, they are without fault before the throne of God; their characters will stand through the “time of trouble such as never was” without a Mediator. “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” Those who have worshipped in the resurrection church have depended upon the imputed righteousness of Christ for eternal life. They have worshipped in the first apartment where they have sinned and repented, sinned and repented. This does not mean that no transformation has ever been wrought in their lives, but it does mean that they have never perfected a mature Christian character. They will grow to the full measure of the statue of Christ after the resurrection of the just. But according to the verse under consideration, there comes a time when they can no longer worship in the first apartment—the door to that apartment is closed, and they are without a Mediator—they cannot relight their lamps and join the procession that goes in to the marriage—probation for them is closed. The foolish virgins had the same opportunity to study for themselves that the wise virgins had. They might have discerned the time of their visitation, but they, like the Jews in Christ’s day, were relying upon those in authority to study the Scriptures for them. They rejected light and truth; they have slighted the pleadings of the Spirit of God until withdrawn—the door is 331 shut, and they are left in total darkness The oil represents the character wrought in the individual by the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. This is the righteousness of Christ—the covering which the Lord draws over His remnant to shield them from the attacks of the enemy. These have “that mind which was in Christ Jesus;” Satan cannot tempt them, not even by so much as a thought. “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, and it called forth from them the deepest gratitude, and holy, sacred joy . . . . still the evil angels pressed around them, but could have no power over them.” Vol. 1; 181, 2. Also EW 271. The oil represents a character such as no other group have ever developed down through the history of God’s people upon the earth. Heretofore the grim reaper death has harvested the grain before it was fully developed—before it was fully ripe—before it had received the “latter rain” which is to prepare the great final harvest for translation Then “He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” This is the 144,000 who are to be translated without seeing death: these are the first fruits of the great final harvest: they are the first fully ripened grain, and not until they have been fully developed can the millions of earth’s harvest be resurrected. “With divine help, we are to form our opinions for ourselves, as we are to answer for ourselves before God.” GC 598. “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 332 every other voice but that which comes from Him who is the truth. GW 287 It is by eating the flesh, and drinking the blood of the Son of man that we are to gain an entrance into the translation church; and according to the Spirit of prophecy, we eat the flesh, and drink the blood of the Son of man by the study of the word of God and by prayer for the guidance of His Holy Spirit. May we each rely only upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we study the Word. Careless seems the Great Avenger, History’s pages but record, One death grapple in the darkness, ‘Twixt old systems and the Word Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne; Yet that scaffold sways the future, And behind the dim unknown Standeth God within the shadow, Keeping watch above His own. James Russell Lowell “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Like a reed, at the touch of my rod, And the kingdoms of time shall awaken To the voice and the summons of God; No more through the din of the ages Shall warnings and chidings divine, From the lips of my prophets and sages Be trampled like pearls before swine. 333 And the mocking of steeples and domes, To join in the long, weary marches Of the ones ye have robbed of their homes. I share in the sorrow and crosses, Of the naked, the hungry, and cold, And dearer to me are their losses, Than your gains and your idols of gold. I will wither the might of the spoiler, I will laugh at your dungeons and locks, The tyrant shall yield to the toiler, And your judges eat grass like the ox; For the prayers of the poor have ascended To be written in lightnings on high, And the wails of your captives have blended With the bolts that must leap from the sky. J. G. CLARK. “From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the church on earth.” AA 11. “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32. It is safe to say that there is no question of greater importance in the religious world today than the unity of the Christian Church. With so many hundreds of different sects and denominations, the question naturally arises—Which is the true Church? The Roman Catholic Church quickly answers that theirs is the only true church, and every Protestant, when driven to a final analysis of the case, while more careful in his statements, will admit that he believes that his particular sect or denomination is the only true church. Now with all of these conflicting opinions and positive assertions made by hundreds of different sects, and denominations, with all of their bickerings, and discussions about 334 forms and creeds, is it any wonder that many are all at sea to know what to do? Hence the question becomes one of transcendental importance. The Bible, and it alone, can determine this question, and no matter how long a denomination has been in existence, or who its founders were, the Bible is the court of last resort. Certain it is that age cannot sanctify an error, nor names of great men authenticate a delusion. Hence we ask, What says the Bible? Did Christ establish a denomination? Is any human organization the Church of Christ? We have in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, thirty-two years of inspired history of the Christian church, given under the direct influence and guidance of the Holy Spirit; and that thirty-two years of inspired history, coupled with the epistles of God’s inspired apostles, gives us fifty-seven years in all; a record of over half a century of Divine leading in the church of Christ. Here, and here alone is our guide, and no other authority can be received by the true follower of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. It is certain that we cannot go outside the Bible to seek the truth, for nothing is so clouded with the mist of tradition, error and deception as early church history. The historian, Dr. Dowling said: “There is scarcely anything that strikes the mind of the careful student of ancient ecclesiastical history with greater surprise, than the comparatively early period at which many of the corruptions of Christianity which are embodied in the Romish system took their rise.” —History of Romanism, Page 67. There is not one standard history of early Christianity, no matter what apologies are made for the early rise of error, and the decay of apostolic simplicity, which does not betray the fact that soon after the death of John, the last of the apostles, strange conditions arose and many changes were made in the Christian church. Many of these 335 changes were not only unscriptural, but some were actually heathenish. The apostle Paul with more than human foresight said: “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” —Acts 20:29-30. We turn to the thirty-two years’ history of the church of Christ, immediately following Pentecost, as recorded in the Books of Acts, and what do we find? Just this, —That the church of Jesus Christ had no form of human organization but that the believers in Christ considered themselves one in Him, and had their assemblies in different communities and cities. These are called in our English version “churches.” The word “church” is from the Greek word “ekklesia” and means “the called out ones” or “the assembly.” Hence the church at Jerusalem was literally “the assembly or called out ones” at Jerusalem. The same was true of every city and town where there were Christians. These assemblies, or churches as we call them, were as independent of each other as are the stars and planets which whirl through space, and yet all held together by the same power. A member of one church or assembly was a member of any church or assembly wherever he might be at the time. The Holy Spirit was the only bond of union and the church book of membership was kept in heaven, hence the language of the apostle Paul: “The general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven.” —Hebrews 12:23. All real Christians, everywhere are members of this church, and no human membership in any earthly church is of any avail. The church of Christ having no human organization, cannot, of course, have a human head. All who hold positions 336 as heads of churches called by the name of Christ, are interlopers whether they be Popes, Bishops, Presbyters or Presidents of Conferences. All of these are in the same class. Jesus Christ, and He alone, is the head of the Christian church; for it is written of Him: “And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.” —Ephesians 1:22-23. The headship of man is a repudiation of the headship of Christ, and every church which has a human head says in effect: “We will not have this man (Christ) to reign over When driven to a last stand the advocates of human church organization refer to the 15th Chapter of Acts to sustain their cause. They tell us that this records a church council or conference with James as presiding Bishop, President or Chairman, and is proof of conference organization or church federation. Nothing could be further from the truth than this. The record in the 15th Chapter of Acts cannot be even remotely construed to sanction human organization in any form or human control in the early church. A critical study of this chapter is not necessary to refute this position. The most superficial reading of the chapter makes it clear. First: —It appears that certain men from Judea, (evidently from the church at Jerusalem), had gone out among the other churches teaching circumcision as a requisite to salvation (Verse 1). Second: —Paul and others met these errors and dissensions, and it caused them no little worry. (Verse 2) Third: —It was the most natural thing in the world for these men, (Paul, Barnabas and others), to go straight to Jerusalem, to the church from which these Judaizers had come—which they did. (Verses 2, 3). Fourth: —This was not a conference or council but a meeting of the assembly or church at Jerusalem with the 337 Apostles. (Verse 4). Fifth: —It is quite likely that someone presided by general consent, possibly James, but there is no proof of this in the original. The unfortunate words which the translators of the King James version put into the mouth of James are misleading. He is made to say: —“My sentence is” (Verse 19) whereas the record goes on to state that the final action was taken by the entire church or assembly (Verse 22). Both the English and American revised Bibles render the words of James in verse 19, as follows:— “My judgment is”— It is apparent that James spoke with more authority than either Peter, Paul, or any of the others; no doubt because of his position in the church at Jerusalem from whence those Judaizing teachers had gone out. There is not a particle of evidence to indicate that this meeting was other than an assembly of the church of Jerusalem to hear complaints about certain of its own members, who probably taught their Judaizing doctrine in the name of the Apostles and backed it up by the fact that they came from the church at Jerusalem. With this chapter cleared up, the advocates of human organization, councils, conferences, federations, Popes, Bishops, Presbyters and Presidents, are left with no more ground to stand upon than had Absalom when his head was caught in the tree; and his position was no more awkward and helpless than that of our present church dignitaries, who as lords over God’s heritage, assume control of Christ’s church. It may cause these humanly appointed Popes, Bishops, Presbyters and Presidents to wiggle a bit to sustain their position, but no true Christian, guided by the Holy Spirit, will be deceived, for Christ Jesus is “The head of the church in all things”— The best Bible scholars know that there is not a vestige of authority in Holy Writ for human church organization, and the best historians know how human organization took 338 its rise. We will quote:— “There was among primitive Christians a uniform belief that Jesus was the Christ, and a perfect harmony of affection. When congregations multiplied so that they became too numerous to assemble in one place, they parted into separate companies, and so again and again, but there was no schism: on the contrary all held a common union, and a member of one company was a member of all. If any person removed from one place to reside at another, he received a letter of attestation, which was given and taken as proof and this custom very prudently precluded the intrusion of imposters. In this manner was formed a universal church. One company never pretended to inspect the affairs of another, nor was there any dominion or any shadow of dominion over the consciences of any individuals”—Robinson’s “Researches,” Chapter 8. The foregoing is to the point and gives us a good idea of the Christian church for over one hundred years after Christ left the earth. While the church was made up mostly of Jewish converts, there was little danger of its losing its simplicity, but as the truths of Christianity were carried among the Greeks and Romans, and many of these accepted the preaching of Christ, a gradual change took place. These Gentile converts had been schooled in the heathen philosophical teachings of Plato, Aristotle and hundreds of lesser lights of heathen learning. The Christian system, with its simple worship, stood out in contrast with the elaborate temples and forms of heathenism, and slowly but surely these new converts from heathenism brought their forms and customs into the Christian church, until the whole form of Christian worship and church government was changed to conform to the Greek and Roman systems Only a few years after the death of the beloved John, these heathen customs were introduced into the church, and before the close of the second century the whole outward form of the church was so changed that if the Apostle Paul 339 had been alive he would hardly have recognized it. Mosheim says of the second century: “In this century many unnecessary rites and ceremonies were added to the Christian worship, the introduction of which was extremely offensive to wise and good men.” —Mosheim’s Ecclesiastical History; —2nd Cent. Chap. 2, Par. 1. In less than one hundred years after this, the changes had become so marked that the historian, Neander, says of the third century: “There certainly entered into the Christian church, many counterfeit Christians, who brought with them heathenish crimes. The outward form of the Christian church was also changed in consequence of greater prosperity.”—Neander’s Church History, Page 84. (Translated by Rose). Down at the bottom of all the errors which took their rise in these censures was church federation, or human organization. Before God’s people are prepared for the final conflict and the second coming of Christ, they will leave every human denomination, and church organization, and get back to pure apostolic simplicity—nondenominational and nonsectarian Christianity. GC 464. Notwithstanding the widespread declension of faith and piety, there are true followers of Christ in these churches. Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His word. It is necessary to understand how human organization or federation of the assemblies, or churches of Christians, took its rise. For the sake of brevity we will give an extract from Mosheim’s Church History, showing the manner in which church federation or human organization 340 was brought about, A careful reading of this will prepare the reader to understand denominationalism and the iniquity of human church organization. Mosheim said: “During the greater part of this century, the Christian churches were independent of each other; nor were they joined together by association, confederacy, or any other bonds but those of charity. Each Christian assembly was a little state, governed by its own laws, which were either enacted, or at least approved by the society But in process of time all the Christian churches of a province were formed into one large ecclesiastical body which, like confederate states, assembled at certain times, in order to deliberate about the common interests of the whole. This institution had its origin among the Greeks, with whom nothing was more common than this confederation of independent states, and the regular assemblies which in consequence thereof, at fixed times, were composed of the deputies of each respective state But these ecclesiastical associations were not long confined to the Greeks; their utility was no sooner perceived, than they became universal, and were formed in all places where the gospel had been planted. To these assemblies, in which the deputies or commissioners of several churches consulted together, the name of synods was appropriated by the Greeks; and that of councils by the Latins; the laws that were enacted in these general meetings were called canons, i.e. rules These councils, of which we find the smallest trace before the middle of this century, changed the whole face of the church, and gave it a new form; for by them the ancient privileges of the people were considerably diminished, and the power and authority of the bishops greatly augmented. The humility, indeed, and prudence of these pious prelates prevented their assuming all at once the power with which they were afterwards invested. At their first appearance in these general councils they acknowledged that they were no more than the delegates of their respective churches, and that they 341 acted in the name, and by the appointment, of their people. But they soon changed this humble tone, imperceptibly extended the limits of their authority, turned their influence into dominion, and their councils into laws; and openly asserted at length, that Christ had empowered them to prescribe to his people authoritative rules of faith and manners. Another effect of these councils was, the gradual abolition of that perfect equality, which reigned among all the bishops in the primitive times. For the order and decency of these assemblies required, that some one of the provincial bishops, met in council, should be invested with a superior degree of power and authority; and hence the rights of the Metropolitans derive their origin. In the meantime, the bounds of the church were enlarged; the custom of holding councils was followed wherever the sound of the gospel had reached: and the universal church had now the appearance of one vast republic, formed by a combination of a great number of little states. This occasioned the creation of a new order of ecclesiastics, who were appointed, in different parts of the world, as heads of the church, and whose office it was to preserve the consistence and union of that immense body, whose members were so widely dispersed throughout the nations. Such was the nature and office of the patriarchs, among whom, at length, ambition, being arrived at its most insolent period, formed a new dignity, investing the bishop of Rome and his successors with the title and authority of prince of the patriarchs. The Christian doctors had the good fortune to persuade the people that the ministers of the Christian church succeeded to the character, rights and privileges of the Jewish priesthood; and this persuasion was a new source both of honors and profit to the sacred order. This notion was propagated with industry some time after the reign of Adrian, when the second destruction of Jerusalem had extinguished among the Jews all hopes of seeing their government restored to its former luster, 342 and their country arising out of Rome. And accordingly, the bishops considered themselves as invested with a rank and character similar to those of the high priests among the Jews, while the presbyters represented the priests, and the deacons the Levites.”—Mosheim’s Ecclesiastical History—Part. 2, Chap. 2. Other histories might be quoted, but the foregoing is so true to the point that the reader can understand that the whole system of human church organization and federation is derived from the Greeks, who patterned the church after their governmental system. We still have this old Greek system with us, in the multiplicity of sects and denominations, and at the same time there are many, very many, honest Christians today who are the “Called out ones” who have withdrawn from human organization, and have their assemblies in different places very much after the order of the assemblies or churches m apostolic days While the slogans, “Loyalty to the church,” “Loyalty to the cause,” “Loyalty to the denomination” and “Loyalty to the conference,” are heard so often, the writer with many others is preaching “Loyalty to Christ,” the Head of the Church. This is the first angel’s message. The writer has no disposition to trace the workings of human church organization and federation from the third century to the present time. Suffice it to say that through the councils and conferences of humanly organized churches, all the errors and deceptions which gave rise to the much divided state of Christendom are due, and God’s people will never be free from these until they repudiate human organization, and human leadership. The history of organized Christianity from the third century to the present time is extremely bad. It is a history of corruption, error, blood and butchery. Error always in the ascendancy and truth always the slaughtered lamb Here is where infidelity finds its arguments, its “shiboleth” against truth, its “Big stick” against the Christian. 343 Hold the infidel down to the Bible and to the Spirit-led churches of the first century and his cause is gone. Let him drift into church history, and the corruptions of human organization and federation from the third century to the present time, with its errors, cruel persecutions, and lust for blood and gold, and he is in his glory. The only man today who can show the infidel his “Waterloo,” is the one who has “Come out of” human organization, and denominationalism, and stands for Bible Christianity, and Bible rule, with Christ, and Christ only as the Head of the Church. The necessity of human organization is argued from the standpoint of unity and missionary endeavors. The question is asked—How can the people be held together without human organization? How can we carry on our work in the mission fields? The above questions might be answered by asking: What held the early Christian assemblies together? How did they perform such wonders in missionary effort? They had no human head or organization. God has organized His Church better than it can possibly be done by human agencies. What holds the worlds in space? Can any man, or set of men or all the men in the world, united, change the course of one of these? No. Can one of them be stopped in its mighty march through space? Never, and why not? Ah, because— “He (God) upholdeth all things by the word of His power.” The same God who holds the worlds in space can and does hold His people together without any human bonds or federation, and this He does by His Spirit. The church is the body (Col. 1:24; 1Cor. 12:27), and Christ is the head (Col. 1:18). The church is controlled by the mind of Christ, as the human body is controlled by the human mind. When a man loses his mind (he becomes insane), then he is incarcerated and others control him. Are we willing to admit that the head (Christ) cannot control the body (the church). 344 The very selection of a human head shows that the moral sensibility of the church is gone, and harsh as it may seem, it is a fact that denominationalism is spiritual insanity. The very hymnology of the sects betrays this lack of reason. Beautiful as the sentiment of that hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers,” is, it is made ridiculous when sung by more than five hundred denominations; all at variance in faith and doctrine, and especially is this true of the last part of verse three:— One in hope and doctrine One in Charity.” And they all sing it. It might be more true if sung thus: “We are all divided, Many bodies we, Many forms and doctrines Little Charity.” Sad as this divided state of denominational Christianity is, there is also the happy thought, that God is calling His people out of all sects, all denominations, and away from all creeds, to the simplicity of the apostolic faith, the— “Church of the first born which are written in heaven.” The true relationship of Christ to His church is illustrated in Scripture by the relation of husband and wife. Paul said: “The husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the Saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their husbands in everything” —Eph. 5:23-24. Can the reader see the logic of the situation? When the wife chooses another man, she rejects her lawful husband and becomes an adulteress. If there is any sense or reason in the analogy used by Paul, then when the church chooses a human head instead of Christ, it becomes an 345 adulterous church, and that is just what Christ through the Revelator calls the humanly organized churches. “Babylon the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.” —Revelation 17: 5. Dr. Adam Clarke says, on this text: “No doubt can now be entertained that this woman (Babylon) is the Latin church . . . She effects the style and title of our Holy Mother the Church but; she is, in truth, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.” With this interpretation agree all of the leading Protestant commentators. If Babylon (the Romish Church) is the mother, who are the daughters? It must be those denominational churches which have followed the Romish system of human organization; and not one sect or denomination is excluded, if it has a human head; call him what you will, Pope, Bishop, Presbyter or President of a conference. We will now give a few extracts from prominent Protestant authorities to show that the foregoing statement is none too strong, but that many Protestants frankly acknowledge that the Romish church is the mother and that their churches are the daughters. The Religious Encyclopedia, referring to the spurious Christians in the Roman Church, says:— “If such persons are to be found in the mother of harlots, with much less hesitation may it be inferred that they are connected with her unchaste daughters, those national churches which are founded upon what are called Protestant principles.”—Article, Antichrist. Lorenzo Dow, the great Methodist reformer, said:— “If she (The Roman Church) be the mother, who are the daughters? It must be the corrupt, national, established churches that came out of her.”—Dow’s Life, Page 542. The Tennessee Baptist said:— “This woman (popery) is called the mother of harlots and abominations. Who are her daughters? The 346 Luthheran, the Presbyterian, and the Episcopalian churches are all branches of the (Roman) Catholic.” Bishop Randolph S. Foster, D.D., LL. D., of the Methodist church, said— “Protestantism emanated from her (the Roman Catholic church) bosom, and comes into line of consecutive and organized Christianity and antiquity, by tracing itself back to her and through her. Condemn her as we may, she is our mother,”—Quoted from the Independent, in Susquehanna Journal, May 15, 1886. Now let us look at one of the last denominations to go into human organization and we get a good idea of its insidious working, and stealthy progress. The Seventh Day Adventist Church had no human organization from its rise in the year 1845, to 1863. Our leaders, and most spiritual ministers preached against it. Presidents were elected. These conferences were in turn federated into a general conference, and a general conference president was elected. At first the general conference president was elected for one year, but after a time he was elected for two years, then four years, and finally, at a general conference meeting, they elected the president to serve for eight years. There is only one more step, and that is to elect him for life, and then we will have a pope. Year after year this denomination added cog to cog, and wheel to wheel, until today we have a piece of human machinery unequaled by any other denomination, and red tape enough to shame the Papacy. The Seventh Day Adventist church is the most federated confederation of all the Protestant sects. It is second only to the Papacy, and yet, we are so blinded by our own weakness that we point the finger at all other sects and denominations, and call them Babylon, while we claim that ours is the only true church. What a spectacle is here presented. Each of the denominations calling the others Babylon, and yet all of them in such a spiritual condition that God through the Revelator says: 347 “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”—Rev. 3:17. If denominational Christianity could only be brought to realize its fallen condition there might be some hope, but we are so busy piling up our massive structures, seeking wealth and the influence of this present world, that we do not see our lost opportunities; we do not sense our real destitution, and God tells us that we do not know that we are wretched; and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. But God knows, and the very fact that we do not see our real condition is evidence of the truthfulness of God’s Word which says: “Thou knowest not.” Not one humanly organized church is exempt; not one is excluded. If anything is or can be certain, it is that the people of God must, and will leave all forms, creeds, human organizations, and churches before Christ comes again. Paul said to the church at Corinth: “I am jealous over you with a Godly jealousy; for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”—2Cor. 11: 2. The Revelator, looking down the ages to the coming of Christ and to those who will be translated at His coming, said: “These are they which were not defiled with woman (humanly organized churches) for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb (Christ) whithersoever He goeth.”—Revelation 14:4. The time has come to declare to the world the sin of human organization, which makes the church a reproach in the world. In the Book of Revelation we get a view of the closing work of God in the earth. The whole earth is lightened with the glory of the message. Where is the minister or layman who will dispute the following propositions? First— That there are honest Christian men and women 348 in every church, sect and denomination. Second— That there are honest Christian men and women who are not members of any church, sect or denomination. Third— That not all church members are Christians, but that a majority of those who are church members and have their names on church books are Christians in name only, and not in fact. Now admitting these three propositions, what is the test of real Christianity? Is it not to have our names written in Heaven? The members of Christ’s Church, or “The Church of the first born which are written in heaven,” are members of the only true church. Hence the only true church today is an invisible, scattered company, partly in and partly out of human church organization. Human church organization is made up of part Christians and part unbelievers or non-Christians. Are these churches Christian in fact, or in name only? Are not Christians “Unequally yoked together with unbelievers” in all denominations and human organizations? The great European war coined a new phrase among Americans. Sympathizers with the nations at war, whether German-Americans, Irish-Americans, Scotch-Americans French-Americans or others, were called hyphenated Americans. The call was heard everywhere— “Drop the hyphen and be a straight American.” Now there are today, Catholic Christians, Protestant Christians, Episcopalian-Christians, Presbyterian-Christ an Methodist-Christians, Baptist-Christians, Adventist-Christians and numerous other hyphenated Christians. Drop the hyphen, brother, and be a straight Christian, a member of the “Church of the first born which are written in heaven.” Paul met a similar condition on a smaller scale at Corinth. He said: “For it hath been declared unto me of you my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, 349 that there are contentions among you.” “Now this I say, that everyone of you saith, I am of Paul; and I am of Apollos; and I am of Cephas; and I am of Christ,”—1Cor. 1:11-12. If this had been allowed to go on, we would have looked back to sectarianism even in Paul’s day—Paul came right to the point when he asked: “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?”—Verse 13. They were trying to be loyal to men. Paul points to Christ, the head of the church, and calls for loyalty to Christ alone. It is high time to awaken out of sleep. The day of God is near. Soon the opening heavens will reveal the coming King. The best Bible students the world over are agreed that the Gospel will close with more power than when it began. Another great outpouring of the Spirit of God is just before us. Like the rainy seasons in Palestine during the most prosperous days of Israel, while that nation was true to God, the promise of heaven came upon them in two rainy seasons. The first rainy season came immediately after the seed was sown, to cause it to germinate and grow; the latter or second rainy season, came just before the harvest, to ripen off the grain and fruit. (Deut. 11:13-14). So God made promise of two outpourings of the Holy Spirit, under the terms “early rain” and ‘latter rain.” (See Joel 2:23 and 28-32 and Hosea 6:3). After the seed of the Gospel was sown came the first or “early rain,” and now, just before the harvest will come the mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit, called in Scripture the “latter rain.” (Ezekiel 23:26). This outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the “latter rain” is the same as the lightening of the earth with God’s glory in the proclamation:—of Rev. 18:1-4. There is a prophecy in the book of Zechariah which is little understood today, and this prophecy applies just before the day of God, and in the time of the “latter rain.” 350 The Lord says:— “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain.”—Zech. 10:1. There can be no doubt as to when this applies. Just before this, in verse 14 of the 9th chapter we find these words:— “And the Lord shall be seen over them, and His arrows shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet.” The blowing of the trumpet is at the second coming of Christ (see Matt. 24:31 and 1Thess. 4:16), Hence these texts bring us to the time just before Christ appears for the salvation of His people. In verse 13 we read this significant statement: “I have . . . raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece.” Dr. Adam Clarke who is perhaps the greatest authority known, says on this text:— “I am inclined with Bishop Newcomb to consider that the language of this prophecy is too strong to point out the trifling advantage which the Maccabees gains over Antiochus . . . . It is probable that these prophecies remain to be fulfilled.” And of verse 16, which is a part of this prophecy, he says: “These verses must refer to some final victory over the enemies of God’s people.” Remembering what has been quoted in another part of this book, from Mosheim’s Eccl. History, that all human church organizations originated with the Greeks, who patterned the early church organization or federation after their government system, the significance of the statement from Zechariah, quoted above, is apparent. The “sons of Greece” are the denominationalists of today—the logical successors of those who corrupted the simplicity of the early church with human organization. Zion is the Church of Christ, and the “Sons of Zion” are God’s people, members of “The church of the first born which are written in heaven.” 351 The whole statement— “I have . . . raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece,” signifies that before the blowing of the trumpet of God, and the latter rain, the Children of God will oppose the sons of Greece (all who are in human church organizations), and that the honest, God-fearing Christians will be called out into the liberty of the Gospel simplicity with Christ, the Head of His Church. Another remarkable prophecy is recorded in the eighth chapter of Isaiah. This prophecy applies, as does the fore going, just before the second coming of Christ, as is evidenced by verse 17 as follows: “And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.” In the verses just before this, from verse 9 and on, we have a wonderful message from God to His people. He says:— “Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces.” —Verse 9. Reference is here made to human organization, which is as frail as the material out of which it is made, and must be broken in pieces. All of the plans of human organization, no matter how successful they may seem, will ultimately fail; for says the Lord: (Read TM 300): “Take council together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word and it shall not stand; for God is with us.” —Verse 10. Then comes the call to God’s people to have nothing to do with human organizations, denominations or confederations. He says: “For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say ye not a confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, a confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear and let him be your dread.” Verses 11-13. (Also see Rev. 14:6). 352 Some take the position that these verses refer to labor unions and secret societies. Nothing can be farther from the truth. God is not concerned with what the world does. He gives this message to and for His people today, to come out of these confederations. (humanly organized churches and denominations) and calls upon every individual Christian to sanctify the Lord God Himself. He wants you, yourself, independent of every other person to sanctify the Lord Himself. It is an individual matter, and you must, and will stand or fall on that proposition. Now, what is the only true church? It is not any human organization or denomination, but it is the invisible church. “The church of the first born which are written in heaven.” God is calling His people out of the denominations and away from creeds to be the “Assembly” or “Called out ones” who shall be presented as “chaste virgins to Christ” at His coming. (Rev. 14:4). Christians: —Get rid of man rule, of every entanglement that binds you, and heed God’s message to you. “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”  |
