THE IMAGE THE NEW WORLD ORDER OVERVIEW OF THE ENDTIME

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1 INTRODUCTION: THE IMAGE THE NEW WORLD ORDER OVERVIEW OF THE ENDTIME God, by giving visions through prophets, reveals the impending worldwide moral and economic collapse, two great crises of the end-time. We can see the results of man's evil choices. They had chosen crisis over Christ by choosing the world. Man, by trusting in self, ability, wisdom, and works instead of trusting God, has brought calamity upon themselves. Like Israel of old, they chose Rome rather than Christ and crucified Him. But Rome oppressed and later destroyed them. Pride is leading the world to its end. In the last days, the choice will be Christ or crisis Christ or the world, God or the New World Order. How will this issue come to a climax? What is the relationship of the coming "New World Order" in this issue? How does God and man view this coming new world system? What will happen to this system? Who will be with this new world order, and who will be with God's eternal system? How will this worldly system come to an end? There are two views on the New World System: the view of God versus the view of man in the light of Daniel 2 and 3. We will deal with Daniel 2 the view in God's perspective. Theme: CHRIST, THE BUILDER OF THE ETERNAL EMPIRE AND SAVIOUR OF HIS PEOPLE. GOD'S VIEW OVER BABYLON--THE NEW WORLD ORDER. The desire for supremacy had led Babylon to pursue its course to gather its scattered children from around the world. Their desire also is to have independence from God and to have supremacy above each other. Kingdoms against kingdoms, power against power, collide because everybody's desire is to rule. Supremacy is the price of the most powerful, but the weak and incapable are unable to stand and are being trampled. Because of disobedience to the law of heaven, even the most powerful kingdom deteriorates and experiences a sudden fall. By such a situation, no power is able to have a complete and permanent control over the world. For the idolatrous people, there is no other way for them to escape from the grasp of the ongoing system that gathers the whole world to unite to become one system of government. Satan claims for himself those who worship the works of their hands. I. THE UNIVERSAL PLAN OF GOD REVEALED Dan. 2:29 God gave Nebuchadnezzar His plan through a dream, an answer to his thought regarding the future of his empire. Dan. 2:30 This revelation was given for our sake and to uncover the thoughts of our hearts.

2 Dan. 2:31-44 The future of Babylon according to God's plan: 1. God revealed that He is the only One who can reveal the future. 2. He is the powerful God who enthrones and dethrones kings. 3. He has an eternal kingdom that will destroy the human kingdom. 4. He revealed that Babylon will not last and will be succeeded by other kingdoms inferior to it. 5. God revealed that those who venture to trample God's law will not stay in power and will be destroyed. Dan. 2:13-30 God's people will not be forsaken without His forewarning by revelation. II. THE DUAL SYSTEM OF BABYLON THE FALSE SYSTEM OF RELIGION AND POLITICS 1. The Idolatrous Religion They worship their gods through their works and through images. The gold, silver, brass, iron, and clay are basic elements to make an idol (Ps. 135:15-18; 115:4; Dan. 3:5,12,28; 5:4,23; Eze. 7:20; Rev. 9:20). 2. The man-centered Political system The people were being ruled through human laws. The metallic parts represents their power, glory, strength, morality, and economic status (Dan. 2:41-45). Note: The composite image is the picture of the idolatries of the world that reach their sins into its final objective. God allowed sin to exist to show to the whole universe its true picture the composite image. III. THE REPRESENTATION OF THE COMPOSITE IMAGE. THE SEVEN PARTS OF THE PROPHETIC IMAGE Note: This shows how God is in control. FIRST PART: THE SUCCESSION OF THE EARTHLY (OR ANTI-CHRIST) KINGDOMS: The Image of a Man and its Interpretation (vs and 36-45): 1. The head of gold Babylon BC. 2. The breast and arms of silver Medo-Persia BC. 3. The belly and thigh of brass Greece BC. 4. The legs of iron Rome 168 BC-478 AD. 5. The feet and toes of mixed iron and clay The divided kingdom of Rome/The divided world under the influence of Rome. The church and state.

3 6. The stone ('eben Aramaic) that was quarried not by any human hand from massive rock or mountain (twur Aramaic or tsuwr Hb) is the kingdom of God. 7. The stone or a rock that destroyed the image became a huge mountain or a boulder that covers the whole earth The end of the world, and the world is to be taken back by God's kingdom (See A-7. The Establishment of the Eternal kingdom of God, PP762). Note: No earthly kingdom will stand forever. God's kingdom alone will stand for eternity. As king Nebuccadnezzar purposely built Babylon to be an eternal kingdom the God of heaven revealed to him that Babylon as it represents the earthly kingdom will not last forever. God enthrones and dethrones for He alone has the full control over the whole universe (Dan. 4:17;25; 5:21). God alone is in control. SECOND PART: THE ASSIMILATION OF THE KINGDOMS 1. The Process of Assimilation. a) When Medo-Persia conquered Babylonia, they assimilated its system into their system, including its religion and culture. Greece took the Medo-Persian-Babylonian culture and assimilated everything into its system. Rome swallowed the hook, the eye, the sinker, and the line when they took over the world rule. Now, the Papacy is assimilating all the world's systems. The result is a composite image or system. b) The composite image is the picture of the union of religion and politics. It is a product of the four molding empires. c) The composite image is the symbol of the gathered seeds of idolatry. This is the rebuilding of the tower of Babel. d) The composite image is the symbol on how human glory, morality, and power deteriorated and divided through the process of assimilating the system of wickedness of each empire. (See the Process deterioration and division in this chapter). THE PRODUCT OF ASSIMILATION: THE WHOLE IMAGE THE NEW WORLD SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT Note: a) The whole image is a single unit composed of several units, symbolizing a single system composed of different systems. (Compare it with the golden image of Dan. 3.) a great image literally, "one image that was great." Though the kingdoms were different, it was essentially one and the same world power under different phases, just as the image was one, though the parts were of different metals. Jamieson-Fausset- Brown Commentary (Dan. 2:31).

4 b) The composite is being struck by the rock; the whole image being destroyed signifies that the whole image is completely standing in the last days before its destruction (v.34,35). c) The prophecy it portrays is set for the end of days (v.28). Note: Satan is trying to assimilate all the systems of his divided system for the purpose of taking the complete and permanent control over the world. But as God revealed, no earthly kingdom will have a complete and permanent control over the nations, due to their boastful claims and transgressions against God's law. God's kingdom is the only kingdom that will have complete and permanent control over the world in the future. God will never assimilate these false systems but will destroy them forever to re-establish his total dominion over the whole universe. Through this process of assimilation, the evil characteristics of the conquered nation were gobbled up, resulting in more wickedness. Thus wickedness grew worse by this process of amalgamation. THIRD PART: THE DETERIORATION OF EARTHLY KINGDOMS IN POWER, MORALITY, AND ECONOMY (FROM GOLD TO CLAY) This is the Cycle of Deterioration and Downfall of the Earthly Kingdoms, and the Repetition and Enlargement of History. 1. Gold Babylon, the most glorious, powerful, noble, and richest kingdom ever in the world. The king had full control over his subjects. 2. Silver Medo-Persia, inferior to Babylon. The law-making body had full control over the people represented by the king. 3. Brass Greece, lesser than Medo-Persia, but stronger than the former kingdoms. 4. Iron Rome, strongest and a more ferocious kingdom than the preceding kingdoms. 5. Iron and Clay Rome and the divided world, some are strong and some are weak. Morally weak and more corrupt than the former kingdoms. Note: 1. The deterioration and fall of these kingdoms were the results of their transgression of God's law. They ventured to covet equality with God through their political and religious systems. Their kings claimed to be gods on earth representing the systems of the gods. 2. This deterioration is being applied to the one-world system in the last days. 3. This deterioration is the result of assimilation of wickedness and idolatrous practices of the conquered systems. 4. In proportion to the kingdoms' deterioration of the morality, the military might with its destructive inventions increases. 5. The over-turning of the empires are the great lessons of history.

5 PK501 "In the history of nations the student of God's word may behold the literal fulfillment of divine prophecy. Babylon, shattered and broken at last, passed away because in prosperity its rulers had regarded themselves as independent of God, and had ascribed the glory of their kingdom to human achievement. The Medo-Persian realm was visited by the wrath of Heaven because in it God's law had been trampled underfoot. The fear of the Lord had found no place in the hearts of the vast majority of the people. Wickedness, blasphemy, and corruption prevailed. The kingdoms that followed were even more base and corrupt; and these sank lower and still lower in the scale of moral worth." Ed 176,177 "Every nation that has come upon the stage of action has been permitted to occupy its place on the earth, that it might be seen whether it would fulfill the purpose of "the Watcher and the Holy One." Prophecy has traced the rise and fall of the world's great empires--babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. With each of these, as with nations of less power, history repeated itself. Each had its period of test, each failed, its glory faded, its power departed, and its place was occupied by another." "While the nations rejected God's principles, and in this rejection wrought their own ruin, it was still manifest that the divine, overruling purpose was working through all their movements." RH, February 6, 1900 par. 4 "The image shown to Nebuchadnezzar in the visions of the night represents the kingdoms of the world. The metals in the image, symbolizing the different kingdoms, became less and less pure and valuable, from the head down. The head of the image was of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the sides of brass, and the feet and toes iron mingled with clay. So the kingdoms represented by them deteriorated in value" 2 Tim. 3:1-7 Paul predicts that the moral degradation of the world will peak in the last days. Special Note: The sudden collapse of the economy and morality is the sign of the incoming New World System of Government that will control the world economy, politics, and religion. They will think that through the new system they will have peace and prosperity but the same thing will happen to them. It will deteriorate and fall. FOURTH PART: THE DIVISIONS OF THE COMPOSITE KINGDOM 1. The divisions. The general description of the divided world. a) Dan. 2:41 From the early divisions up to the final (ten) divisions of the fourth kingdom. b) The strength of iron, the influence of Romanism over the world. 2. The era of Roman exertion of influence and power. Partly strong and partly brittle (v.42) The era of toes (iron mixed with clay), the cement structure reinforced by the steel bars.

6 The more the Roman power exerts its force over the clay to unite the world, the more it fractures as the steel bars bend over the cement. Europe tried to unite but failed, and this makes the division stronger. The process to unite them is still going on, even around the whole world. 3. The union of church and state. This divisiveness they will attempt to surmount through the union of church and state. See next discussion. 4. The divisions of the world in the last days. (See Rev. 17). Note: This division in this system is the result of assimilating and practicing the wickedness or idolatries of the former kingdoms they conquered and adopted. In Matt. 12:30, those who are separated from Christ shall be scattered. The results are stiff competitions in trades, and there will be wars and religious persecution. God allowed divisions among the tribes, languages, cultures, and kingdoms or nations of man. This is the barrier to control the wickedness of the earth and to suppress the plan of uniting the world against the children of Light. But this barrier will be put away for the final conflict between good and evil. It was Satan's purpose to create division among men to win them to his side. PCP24 "Before Christ came in person to reveal His Father's character, Satan thought that he would have the whole world on his side. And today the enemy is still playing the game of life with everyone. He seeks to bring in dissension and division. But if we are partakers of the divine nature, we must stand as a united whole. Let us not think that our churches can enjoy God's blessing while in a state of disunion. In this world we are to be representatives of Christ. He has called us to glory and virtue. As He represented the Father, so we are to represent Christ to the world; for in representing Him we are representing the Father." HP319 "Jesus taught His followers that they were debtors both to the Jews and the Greeks, to the wise and the unwise, and gave them to understand that race distinction, caste, and lines of division made by man were not approved of Heaven and were to have no influence in the work of disseminating the gospel. The disciples of Christ were not to make distinctions between their neighbors and their enemies, but they were to regard every man as a neighbor who needed help, and they were to look upon the world as their field of labor, seeking to save the lost. Jesus has given to every man his work, taking him from the narrow circle which his selfishness has prescribed, annihilating territorial lines and all artificial distinctions of society; He marks off no limited boundary for missionary zeal, but bids His followers extend their labors to the uttermost parts of the earth...." FIFTH PART: THE UNION OF KINGDOMS AND OF THE CHURCH AND STATE ( THE PRINCIPLE OF THE COMPOSITE STRUCTURE OF THE SYSTEM)

7 1. The mingling with the seeds of men (v. 43 KJV). The Biblical axiom "the seeds of men" or the "children of men" are used to distinguish the religion of men from the religion of God (Gen. 6:1,2; 11:5; compare Matt. 13:38). 2. The world will resort to unite the church and the state. It is the mingling of churchcraft and statecraft that will make the whole world weaker and more wicked. This will lead to its collapse. 3. The kingdoms of the world will unite under the banner of false religion. They are the scattered children of Babylon that will be gathered together in the last days (Gen.11:1-9). 4. The union of the false religious principles, cultures, political and religious systems. It is the union of paganism like Babylonism Medo-Persianism Grecianism-Romanismfalse Christianity and the rest of the world's religions. 5. The union of Romanism and Christianity (vs. 41,43) (The era of illegitimate union) First phase, the potter's clay and the Iron the Christianity who spouses Romanismresulted Papacy. Papacy gave birth to Sunday observance. Second Phase, the Protestantism mingles with the child of Papacy (Sunday observance) as the United States of America will unite with Romanism and will enforce its principles, forming an image to the beast (Sunday Law). Note: It is the attempt to unify the children of men or the seeds of men (* seed Gen. 3:15), the false religious systems. Romanism will try to mix with the rest of the world's systems-political and religious. The result is the enforcement of Sunday observance. See next part. Extra Note: 1. Potter's clay-(xacap diy-pexaar) Isa. 29:16; 64:8; Jer. 18:4-6; Rom. 9:20-21 (*The relationship of God and man.) The clay is the people, or God's people, the church. 2. Miry clay-(baxacap Tiynaa') or clay of clay (found in Daniel 2:41,43 only). It describes the potter's clay. In pottery, pure clay is used and is best. Ms 63, 1899, pp. 12, 13. (Untitled Manuscript, April 22, 1899.) "We have come to a time when God's sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which the iron was mixed with the miry clay. God has a people, a chosen people, whose discernment must be sanctified, who must not become unholy by laying upon the foundation wood, hay, and stubble. Every soul who is loyal to the commandments of God will see that the distinguishing feature of our faith is the seventh day Sabbath. If the government would honor the Sabbath as God has commanded, it would stand in the strength of God and in defense of the faith once delivered to the saints. But statesmen will uphold the spurious Sabbath, and will mingle their religious faith with the observance of this child of the Papacy, placing it above the Sabbath which the Lord has sanctified and blessed, setting it apart for man to keep holy, as a sign between Him and His people to a thousand generations. The mingling of church craft and state craft is represented by the iron and

8 the clay. This union is weakening all the power of the churches. This investing the church with the power of the state will bring evil results. Men have almost passed the point of God's forbearance. They have invested their strength in politics, and have united with the papacy. But the time will come when God will punish those who have made void His law, and their evil work will recoil upon themselves." GC 443 "When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of "heresy." In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends." Mar179 "When the land which the Lord provided as an asylum for His people, that they might worship Him according to the dictates of their own consciences, the land over which for long years the shield of Omnipotence has been spread, the land which God has favored by making it the depository of the pure religion of Christ--when that land shall, through its legislators, abjure the principles of Protestantism, and give countenance to Romish apostasy in tampering with God's law--it is then that the final work of the man of sin will be revealed. Protestants will throw their whole influence and strength on the side of the Papacy; by a national act enforcing the false sabbath, they will give life and vigor to the corrupt faith of Rome, reviving her tyranny and oppression of conscience. Then it will be time for God to work in mighty power for the vindication of His truth." 4BC1168,1169 (MS 63,1899) "We have come to a time when God's sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which the iron was mixed with the miry clay. God has a people, a chosen people, whose discernment must be sanctified, who must not become unholy by laying upon the foundation wood, hay, and stubble. Every soul who is loyal to the commandments of God will see that the distinguishing feature of our faith is the seventh-day Sabbath. If the government would honor the Sabbath as God has commanded, it would stand in the strength of God and in defense of the faith once delivered to the saints. But statesmen will uphold the spurious sabbath, and will mingle their religious faith with the observance of this child of the papacy, placing it above the Sabbath which the Lord has sanctified and blessed, setting it apart for man to keep holy, as a sign between Him and His people to a thousand generations. The mingling of churchcraft and statecraft is represented by the iron and the clay. This union is weakening all the power of the churches. This investing the church with the power of the state will bring evil results. Men have almost passed the point of God's forbearance. They have invested their strength in politics, and have united with the papacy. But the time will come when God will punish those who have made void His law, and their evil work will recoil upon themselves." Note: All those who ventured to transgress God's law will be united to form the system that will lead the whole world to trample God's law. They will uphold man-made law above God's law by enforcing the false sabbath. They will promote their philosophy, the claim of equality with God. God's people will be branded as enemies of the land.

9 The system is fragile because it is founded on the works of human hands. But Satan will try to overcome this through a common ground: GC588 "Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience." As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord's instrumentalities. The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head the papal power the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. This union is cemented by the great apostate. While he seeks to unite his agents in warring against the truth, he will work to divide and scatter its advocates. Jealousy, evil surmising, evilspeaking, are instigated by him to produce discord and dissension. The members of Christ's church have the power to thwart the purpose of the adversary of souls. At such a time as this let them not be found at variance with one another or with any of the Lord's workers. Amidst the general discord let there be one place where harmony and unity exists because the Bible is made the guide of life. Let the people of God feel that a responsibility rests upon them to build up His instrumentalities. {PM 114.4} This union will lead to their own destruction because it founded on lies. SIXTH PART: THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ANTI-CHRIST SYSTEM (PRINCIPLES OF GOD'S JUDGMENT) 1. The kingdom of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome were all destroyed because their sins had recoiled upon them. They did not escape from God's judgment. The probation given to them had ended, their choices were final. They rejected the mercy and grace of God. 2. The coming new world system of government is in its impending doom because it will stand against the divine law and will blaspheme God. 3. Dan 2:34,35; 2Thes. 2:4-8 The image or anti-christ system will be destroyed at His coming. Note: The world will be destroyed by God because of their own choice. They chose the path that leads to destruction. 1 Cor. 3:9-11 Build something which will glorify God, for the fire will reveal what you have built. Note: This destruction is based on the result only of their chosen way of life, the rejection of God's justice. They who are not built on the rock or in Christ will be destroyed (Matt. 7:26,27).

10 In the exercise of the long suffering of God, He gives to nations a certain period of probation, but there is a point which if they pass, there will be the visitation of God in His indignation; He will punish. The world has been advancing from one degree of contempt for God's law to another, and the prayer may be appropriate at this time, "It is time for Thee, Lord, to work; for they have made void Thy law." (Ps. 119:126). In answer to this prayer ere long the wrath of an offended God will be poured out without mercy, then as we approach this time, be careful what advice and counsel we give to the people who need to be strengthened in Christian experience, lest you prove yourself to be like Aaron who consented to make the golden calf. { } God is slow to anger. He gave the wicked nations a time of probation that they might become acquainted with Him and His character. According to the light given was their condemnation for refusing to receive the light and choosing their own ways rather than God's ways. God gave the reason why He did not at once dispossess the Canaanites. The iniquity of the Amorites was not full. Through their iniquity they were gradually bringing themselves to the point where God's forbearance could no longer be exercised and they would be exterminated. Until the point was reached and their iniquity was full, the vengeance of God would be delayed. All nations had a period of probation. Those who made void God's law would advance from one degree of wickedness to another. Children would inherit the rebellious spirit of their parents and do worse than their fathers before them until God's wrath would fall upon them. The punishment was not less because deferred (MS 58, 1900). {2BC } SEVENTH PART: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD A. THE COMING OF CHRIST The kingdom that surpasses all kingdoms. This is the restoration of Christ's throne. The stone ('eben) that became a massive rock (twur-aramaic or tsuwr-hebrew) or a mountain is God's kingdom that will end all human kingdoms. (See The Rock of Daniel 2) Dan. 2:34,35,44 It is God's kingdom that will rule forever the earth. 1 Cor. 10: 4; 1 Peter 2:8 It represents Christ, the ruler. He is both stone and a rock. The falling of the rock that destroyed the image represents the judgment (Daniel 7:9-27) (--parallelism of Daniel 2 and 7) and the second coming of Christ. (See the topic about the second coming of Christ.) PP762 "Thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith the Lord God; remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him." Ezekiel 21: See also chapter 17:1-21." "The kingdom was then subject to Babylon. When Babylon fell, and Medo-Persia

11 succeeded, it was overturned the first time. When Medo-Persia fell and was succeeded by Greece, it was overturned the second time. When the Greek empire gave way to Rome, it was overturned the third time. And them says the word, "it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him." Who is he whose right it is? "thou... Shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1: And while he was here as "that prophet," a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, the night in which he was betrayed he himself declared, "my kingdom is not of this world." Thus the throne of the Lord has been removed from this world and will "be no more, until he come whose right it is," and then it will be given him. And that time is the end of this world, and the beginning of "the world to come." RH, November 23, 1905 par. 5-6 "The crown removed from Israel passed successively to the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. God says, "It shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him." That time is at hand. Today the signs of the times declare that we are standing on the threshold of great and solemn events. Everything in our world is in agitation. Before our eyes is fulfilling the Saviour's prophecy of the events to precede his coming: "Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars.... Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places."" B. THE SCOFFERS OF THE LAST DAYS 1 Thes. 5:3 Some will defy His coming and will say "peace and safety," but they will be destroyed. 2 Pet. 2:3,4,10 Many will teach that Christ will not come and that the end of the world is not true. AA535 "Looking down through the ages to the close of time, Peter was inspired to outline conditions that would exist in the world just prior to the second coming of Christ. "There shall come in the last days scoffers," he wrote, "walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." But "when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them." 1 Thessalonians 5:3. Not all, however, would be ensnared by the enemy's devices. As the end of all things earthly should approach, there would be faithful ones able to discern the signs of the times. While a large number of professing believers would deny their faith by their works, there would be a remnant who would endure to the end." Note: Many preachers claims divine revelations, that the world will not end but will usher in peace and prosperity through the new world system of government. But this will lead to their destruction! IV. THE IMAGE IS THE SYMBOL OF SATAN'S CHARACTER. 1. The Image versus the Holy Spirit: The world is systematically rejecting the Holy Spirit by persistently upholding the degrading, degenerating, and corrupting philosophy of

12 Babylon. By conquering nations, the conquerors absorb more idolatries from its prey that eventually will form the fullness of Satan's character. This will result in the withdrawal of the Holy Spirit from them. This image is the character of Satan that will be fully transformed in the lives of those who are rejecting the truth. 2. The Holy Spirit and God's people: Through the progress of the controversy, the truth is being progressively revealed to God's people. The Holy Spirit is being poured out upon them, transforming them to the fullness of Christ's image, while the world is being transformed into the degenerating image. The dividing line between the ungodly and the true Christian will be drawn. GC588 "The line of distinction between professed Christians and the ungodly is now hardly distinguishable. Church members love what the world loves and are ready to join with them, and Satan determines to unite them in one body and thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into the ranks of spiritualism. Papists, who boast of miracles as a certain sign of the true church, will be readily deceived by this wonder-working power; and Protestants, having cast away the shield of truth, will also be deluded. Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium."