EVENTS CONNECTED WITH THE CLOSE OF PROBATION

Transcription

1 EVENTS CONNECTED WITH THE CLOSE OF PROBATION As Jesus was approaching the fearful time of His betrayal and crucifixion, He desperately tried to forewarn His disciples of the coming crisis. On one occasion His urgent words to them were Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. But when the crisis actually came, Great Controversy 594 tells us The words which they needed to remember were banished from their minds; and when the time of trial came, it found them unprepared. The death of Jesus as fully destroyed their hopes as if he had not forewarned them. Then it draws the analogy to our time when it states So in the prophecies, the future is opened before us as plainly as it was opened to the disciples by the words of Christ. The events connected with the close of probation and the work of preparation for the time of trouble, are clearly presented. But multitudes have no more understanding of these important truths than if they had never been revealed. Satan watches to catch away every impression that would make them wise unto salvation, and the time of trouble will find them unready. God s people should know the times and seasons. Paul told the believers that the multitudes will be ignorant of the times and seasons, yet ye brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief (1 Thessalonians 5:4). We are given some definite clues regarding the procession of final events. In the following passage we find a peg in a sure place to establish the time sequence of the enforcement of Sunday, the sealing and the close of probation. In 7 Bible Comments 976 we read: The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes; for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided.... [Revelation 13:11-17 quoted.].. This is the test that the people of God must have before they are sealed. All who proved their loyalty to God by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious sabbath, will rank under the banner of the Lord God Jehovah, and will receive the seal of the living God. Those who yield the truth of heavenly origin and accept the Sunday sabbath, will receive the mark of the beast. The enforcement of Sunday is pinpointed as preceding the sealing and the close of probation. Enforcing the mark of the beast lights the fuse which triggers the chain reaction of final events. Another piece of the puzzle falls into place when we read this statement from Testimony to Ministers p, 234 which says, The time of the judgment is a most solemn period, when the Lord gathers His own from among the tares. Those who have been members of the same family are separated. A mark is placed upon the righteous. This tells us that the sealing or marking takes place at the judgment. Also see Testimonies to Ministers p Then in 1 Selected Messages p. 125 we find another piece to the puzzle. It shows that the judgment of the living will mark the close of probation for God s professed people. We are fast approaching the close of our probation. Let every soul inquire, How do I stand before God? We know not how soon our names may be taken into the lips of Christ, and our cases be finally decided. We now have the first part of a time frame. It shows that the mark of the beast test is followed by the judgment of the living where the saints are sealed, and probation is closed for those in the house of God who have failed the examination. At this point we might ask where the latter rain and the loud cry fit into the picture? According to Ephesians 4:30, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. It was the former rain that sealed the apostles with the former rain seal. Those who believed in Christ were sealed by the Holy Spirit (6 Bible Commentary p. 1055). Similarly, it will be the latter rain that will seal the 144,000 with the latter rain seal (See 6 Bible Commentary p. 1118). And it is the latter rain that will enable the saints to proclaim the loud cry message of Revelation 18. They will proclaim the fall of Babylon because she has become the habitation of devils and her sins have reached unto heaven. But when does that happen? 7 Bible Commentary p. 977 tells us that The sins 1

2 of the world will have reached unto heaven when the law of God is made void; when the Sabbath of the Lord is trampled in the dust, and men are compelled to accept in its stead an institution of the papacy through the strong hand of the law of the land. Revelation 18:1-5 establishes the fact that the Sunday law comes before the latter rain-loud cry go forth because the loud cry proclaims that Babylon is completely fallen because she has enforced the mark of the beast. If we put all these clues together, we get the following sequence of last day events. 1. First, the image to the beast is set up Sunday is enforced in the USA. This follows the terrible calamities and judgments that will be coming upon the earth at that time. See Great Controversy While the calamities are devastating the earth, the manifestation of miracles through spiritualism and the personal appearing of Satan will be the great catalyst to hasten the enactment of a Sunday law. This will be elaborated more fully on pages 4-6. The enforcement of the mark of the beast causes a mighty sifting among God s people. The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us... Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat ( 5 Testimonies p. 81). 2. Next, the judgment of the living will begin with the house of God ( 1 Peter 4:17) after the Sunday law test. Now, when the great work of judging the living is about to begin, shall we allow unsanctified ambition to take possession of the heart and lead us to neglect the education required to meet the needs in this day of peril? In every case the great decision is to be made whether we shall receive the mark of the beast or his image, or the seal of the living God (6 Testimonies p. 130). Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the experience of God's people in the closing up of the great day of atonement. The remnant church will be brought into great trial and distress. Those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will feel the ire of the dragon and his hosts... All will be required to render obedience to human edicts in violation of the divine law (5 Testimonies p ). 3. The judgment determines who will be sealed by the Holy Spirit in latter rain power. The time of the judgment is a most solemn period, when the Lord gathers His own from among the tares. Those who have been members of the same family are separated. A mark is placed upon the righteous (Testimony to Ministers p. 234). At this time, probation closes for those who have known the truth. The time of God's destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who have 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. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time ( 7 Bible Commentary p. 979) 4. When the loud cry has done its work and the sealing is finished, probation will finally be closed for all. 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. 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 2

3 voice said, "It is done... " 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 " (Early Writings p ). Someone might ask the question, What about the statement which says that the loud cry of the third angel has already begun (in 1888) and that The third angel s message is swelling into a loud cry. A careful reading of the statements that speak of the loud cry beginning in 1888 will reveal that what they had at that time was the beginning of the light whose glory would fill the earth. In 1 Selected Messages p. 363 we read, This is the beginning of the light of the angel whose glory shall fill the whole earth. In other words, it was the beginning of the light that was yet to come. It wasn t the full message, but the preliminary to it. The message that came to the church in 1888 was the message of justification by faith. Because so many believers had fallen into a legalistic kind of religious experience, Christ had to restore the basic truth of justification before they could receive the advanced light on this subject. The 1888 message was the beginning of that great truth of Christ Our Righteousness that will eventually swallow up every other truth, as indicated in SD p. 259: One interest will prevail, one subject ill swallow up every other, Christ Our Righteousness. The reason that truth never developed beyond the preliminary stage was due to the opposition to it. The light that is to lighten the whole earth with its glory was resisted, and by the action of our own brethren has been in a great degree kept away from the world (1 Selected Messages p ). Another point has to do with the outpouring of the latter rain. Many sincere people believe that the latter rain began to fall in But here again, a careful reading of the passages that speak about it will show that the latter rain was hanging over their heads, yet it was prevented from being poured out by the reaction to the messages of Jones and Waggoner. 1 Selected Messages p states, By exciting that opposition Satan succeeded in shutting away from our people, in a great measure, the special power of the Holy Spirit that God longed to impart to them... The light that is to lighten the whole earth with its glory was resisted, and by the action of our own brethren has been in a great degree kept away from the world. A statement in 1 Selected Messages p. 191 appearing in the Review of 1892 indicates that the latter rain was still future. Today you are to have your vessel purified that it may be ready for the heavenly dew, ready for the showers of the latter rain; for the latter rain will come, and the blessing of God will fill every soul that is purified from every defilement. And then 22 years later, we have this statement indicating that Ellen White was still looking forward to the outpouring of the latter rain. Let Christians... ask in faith for the promised blessing, and it will come. The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was the former rain, and glorious was the result. But the latter rain will be more abundant. Signs of the Times, Feb. 17, There are Biblical reasons for believing that the loud cry has not yet taken place. When the loud cry goes forth, it declares that Babylon is fallen and that her sins have reached unto heaven. That doesn t happen until she has enforced the mark of the beast. In 1888 there was a Sunday law bill being debated in the US congress, but it never became law. God evidently held it back because His people we not ready. However, had the message of 1888 been accepted, God would have allowed the final events to move forward and poured out the latter rain. The loud cry would have gone forth declaring, Babylon is fallen, is fallen. Because Ellen White makes the statement in Testimonies to Ministers p. 507 that the latter rain may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it, some have assumed that the latter rain could be a quiet, unobtrusive event. Yet how was it when the former rain was poured out at Pentecost? Was it in small dribbles? Acts 2 states And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty 3

4 wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Of course, not everyone living in Jerusalem at that time realized that the former rain was falling around them. Some said that those who received it were full of new wine. Neither will everyone know or discern when the latter will be falling around them. But it will be a powerful event. Ellen White wrote: I saw the latter rain was coming as [suddenly as] the midnight cry, and with ten times the power (Spalding-Magan Collection p. 4). The sealing latter rain is bestowed at the time of the judgment when sins are blotted out, according to Acts 3:19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. However, this doesn t take place until the mark of the beast has been enforced. So we can know that the latter rain has not yet been poured out and that the loud cry has not yet gone forth. However, we should earnestly be preparing for it by allowing the former rain to do its work of purifying us from every besetment and sinful habit. The Appearing of Satan Here is a question to consider: If the USA would enact a national Sunday law today, how many countries around the world would follow her lead? What about the Hindus or Buddhists, the Muslims or atheists and communists in China and Russia? And how supportive would the secular society in America and Europe be if they were deprived of shopping every day of the week or going to their big sporting events? Would they be interested in a Sunday law that would restrict these things? Not likely. Yet Revelation 13:3 tells us that in the end time, all the world wondered after the beast. The second beast of Revelation 13 which we know is the USA will be foremost in making an image to the beast. And in 6T p. 395 we read, 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 world. How will that ever happen? We have noted what Inspiration tells us about the terrible calamities and the state of society that prevails just before there is a push for Sunday laws. But who will convince the secular people in our society who don t go to church, who don t believe the Bible and who believe that we arrived here as a result of a big bang, that these calamites are striking the earth because Sunday is being desecrated? Perhaps we can find the answer in what is written in Inspiration. Revelation 13:14 tells us that And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And in the Spirit of Prophecy we are given more details on this point. It was by the display of supernatural power, in making the serpent his medium, that Satan caused the fall of Adam and Eve in Eden. Before the close of time he will work still greater wonders. So far as his power extends, he will perform actual miracles. Says the Scripture: "He... deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do...in the last days he will appear in such a manner as to make men believe him to be Christ come the second time into the world. He will indeed transform himself into an angel of light (5T p. 698) Also see 2 Corinthians 11:14 The last great delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true, that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures (G.C. p. 593). Satan s personation of Christ will be his trump card which he will use to deceive the whole world into making void the law of God. 4

5 Fallen angels upon earth form confederations with evil men. In this age antichrist will appear as the true Christ, and then the law of God will be fully made void in the nations of our world. Rebellion against God's holy law will be fully ripe. But the true leader of all this rebellion is Satan clothed as an angel of light. Men will be deceived and will exalt him to the place of God, and deify him (T.M. p. 62) As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ... In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. Revelation 1: 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.... 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 (GC p. 624). The false Christ doesn t reprove the wicked, the immoral, the gays and lesbians or the hypocrites. None of the evil doers are reproved except those who honor and keep God s true Sabbath. Disguised as an angel of light, he will walk the earth as a wonder-worker. In beautiful language he will present lofty sentiments. Good words will be spoken by him, and good deeds performed. Christ will be personified, but on one point there will be a marked distinction. Satan will turn the people from the law of God. Notwithstanding this, so well will he counterfeit righteousness, that if it were possible, he would deceive the very elect. Crowned heads, presidents, rulers in high places, will bow to his false theories (FCE p ). The new and apparently more exalted religion presented by Satan and his agents will become common ground to unite Christians and worldlings into one bond of union. 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 (GC p ). This will be hailed as the path to world peace. But what about other religions like the worshippers of Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Confucius, or the first nations of north America who worship gods like Matchi Manitous? And what about atheistic Communists and Marxists and New Agers? What will persuade them to join the grand movement to usher in the long expected millennium? It seems from the next statement of Inspiration that the deities of non-christian religions will also be personated by Satan s angels to lead their worshippers to unite with the new religion. Note the following: As we near the close of time, there will be greater and still greater external parade of heathen power; heathen deities will manifest their signal power, and will exhibit themselves before the cities of the world (T.M. p ). If Buddha and Brahma and Allah and Karl Marx and John Lenin suddenly appeared to the masses in India, China and Russia, advocating a union with the new ideology, they would be readily deceived. Without knowing the Scriptures, they would have no safeguard against the strong delusions of Satan and his angels. And to counter the Biblical truth of the Bible regarding the true Sabbath for Bible-believing Christians, Satan will apparently have his angels also personate the apostles of Christ, as indicated in the following: 5

6 The apostles, as personated by these lying spirits, are made to contradict what they wrote at the dictation of the Holy Spirit when on earth (G.C. p. 557). The next pressing question is how Satan s delusions and miracles will affect professed Seventh-day Adventists. How will they respond to the deceptions? In the crisis, they would see force in specious reasoning that has had an influence on their minds....when the law of God is made void the church will be sifted by fiery trials, and a larger proportion than we now anticipate, will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils (2 SM p. 368). Satan s personation of Christ will be his masterpiece of deception by which, if possible, he would deceive the very elect. No doubt most Seventh-day Adventists feel secure against being deceived by Satan coming as the false Christ because they know that Satan will not be able to duplicate Christ s coming in power and glory. But that kind of head knowledge may not suffice to keep them from deception unless they have a thorough knowledge of present truth and a close walk with Jesus. Suppose that Satan would declare that he, as Christ, hasn t come in power and glory to resurrect the dead and take everyone to heaven with him, but rather to help enlighten the world with a revelation of his love and goodness, and reach the masses of people in the non-christian religions which the church has not been able to accomplish after over 170 years of missionary effort. What if he claims he has come to finish the work and cut it short in righteousness and prepare the world for His soon appearing? How would professed believers react to what their senses may seem to be actually see happening? We can be sure that Satan knows what God s professed people are expecting in the way of deceptions in these end times and he will adapt his temptations so that they will seem to be very plausible. Adam and Eve were warned about Satan s efforts to deceive them and draw them away from God. When Eve found herself in close proximity to the forbidden tree, she no doubt expected Satan to appear as a fallen angel lingering around the tree. Had she seen him in that form, she would have immediately fled from the place. However, when a serpent began to speak to her in a soft, melodious voice, she was off her guard and entered into conversation with him and thus ultimately was beguiled and captivated by his sophistry. Let us heed the warnings given in the following passages from Inspiration. Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world... Little by little he 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 (G.C. p. 561). Rebellion and apostasy are in the very air we breathe. We shall be affected by them unless we by faith hang our helpless souls upon Christ. If men are so easily misled now, how will they stand when Satan shall personate Christ, and work miracles? Who will be unmoved by his misrepresentations then-- professing to be Christ when it is only Satan assuming the person of Christ, and apparently working the works of Christ? What will hold God's people from giving their allegiance to false christs? (2 SM p. 394). Satan deals with men more guardedly than he dealt with Christ in the wilderness of temptation, for he is admonished that he there lost his case. He is a conquered foe. He does not come to man directly and demand homage by outward worship. He simply asks men to place their affections upon the good things of this world. If he succeeds in engaging the mind and affections, the heavenly attractions are eclipsed. All he wants of man is for him to fall under the deceitful power of his temptations, to love the world, to love rank and position, to love money, and to place his affections upon earthly treasures. If he secures this, he gains all that he asked of Christ. (3T p.480} 6