6. Sunday Laws (Third Angel)

By John Thiel, Third Angel’s Message, study 6, mp3

Those who, understanding the claims of the fourth commandment, choose to observe the false instead of the true Sabbath are thereby paying homage to that power by which alone it is commanded. But in the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power, the churches would themselves form an image to the beast; hence the enforcement of Sundaykeeping in the United States would be an enforcement of the worship of the beast and his image. {GC 448.3}

But Christians of past generations observed the Sunday, supposing that in so doing they were keeping the Bible Sabbath; and there are now true Christians in every church, not excepting the Roman Catholic communion, who honestly believe that Sunday is the Sabbath of divine appointment. God accepts their sincerity of purpose and their integrity before Him. 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 worshiping the beast and his image. As men then reject the institution which God has declared to be the sign of His authority, and honor in its stead that which Rome has chosen as the 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.” {GC 449.1}

This is a very important explanation of what the work of the third angel coming to a loud cry is going to bring before the people of this planet. Before this loud cry is given there are many people who keep the Sunday but who are not receiving the mark of the beast. It is when the loud cry of the third angel is given and brought before the whole planet that people make their decisions. That is when they receive the mark of the beast, when they make a choice. In others words, the Lord does not inflict a judgment on people unless they are doing something after He has enlightened them.

We recall, as we saw in the previous studies, that the loud cry comes because the people of God have received the latter rain, and the latter rain is the teacher of righteousness according to righteousness. The Holy Spirit imparts the truth of righteousness in the lives of the people, and the loud cry comes as a consequence of the people receiving the teacher of righteousness.

Isaiah 59:20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 21 As for me, this [is] my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that [is] upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 

The lead up to the arising and shining is that the Lord, who is working for His faithful people, implants into His people His words, which He puts into their mouth, and it will be embedded and sealed into them so that they will not depart out of their mouth. Those are the people that He has prepared so that when the world is in gross darkness, they are called upon to arise and to shine. As the Holy Spirit has been working in their lives in the former and the latter rain, they are finally to arise and shine so that the Lord’s glory shall be seen upon them.

His glory upon them is that which is identified in Revelation 18:1. There is a ministry, a people, who have such an influence upon the planet:

Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 

Arise, shine; for thy light is come. It is the glory that is upon the people of God that is going to cover the whole earth. The earth was lightened with his glory. The loud cry is in reality the work of the Holy Spirit upon the lives of the people so that they demonstrate the very character of God.

It is the life of Christ in the soul, it is the active principle of love imparted by the Holy Spirit, that alone will make our words fruitful. {RC 216.2}

As they proclaim with their words, it is actually what the Holy Spirit has done within that makes their words fruitful.

The love of Christ is the force and power of every message for God that ever fell from human lips. {RC 216.2}

The love of Christ, the love of our brethren, will testify to the world that we have been with Jesus and learned of Him. Then will the message of the third angel swell to a loud cry, and the whole earth will be lightened with the glory of the Lord. {6T 401.1} 

To live and manifest this perfect character of the love of Christ in such a conspicuous way, this is what is identified as the loud cry.

As this powerful glory of God is manifested, a people living up to the light that will shine in all its glory, what is the consequence of the loud cry?

2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 

This is a clear indication that, if you are going to really meet up with God’s expectations, if you are going to live godly in Christ Jesus, it will inadvertently cause persecution. That is what this study is about, Sunday laws in consequence of the loud cry. The loud cry is that there will be standing a people so powerfully representing the glory of God that they will suffer persecution. In the time of the end, the time of the three angels, it will call down a worldwide reaction. Why is it going to be a worldwide reaction?

We have now a rehearsal of what we studied in the second angel. We had a study on the Sunday laws. And in the study of ancient Babylon, Rome, and USA, we saw that ancient Babylon was a pagan introduction to religion, and that was sun worship. We saw that in Rome and in USA there are laws of Sunday keeping. That was only the introduction, but now we are looking at Sunday keeping in the time of the end in reference to this persecution that is triggered off by these faithful people standing there representing the glory of God. Why is there a worldwide reaction? This is the Papacy:

Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 

The whole world is molded by the beast. Daniel 7:25 is a parallel statement. This is why the world is geared against these people that will be so conspicuous in their glory that covers the whole world. It is dark in the world but the glory of God will be seen in the darkness upon this people. The scripture of Isaiah 60 says that the whole world is in blackness, and when do the stars shine the brightest? When it is perfectly dark. Then you can see every star glittering in the sky. All the darkness in the world will make those people who are shining with the glory of God very conspicuous. You can’t hide. It’s going to be seen. The glory of the Lord will be seen upon you.

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 

In Revelation 13:3 we have the beast, which is the Papacy, receiving a fatal wound, but then it recovers again and the whole world follows after the beast. Verse 12 then speaks about the other beast. There is the Papacy, and then there is apostate Protestantism, this one:

Revelation 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

In Verse 3, we read that the deadly wound was healed. Who was responsible for that? Apostate Protestant America. And the whole world is involved.

Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

He causes the whole world to receive the mark of the beast, which is Sunday keeping, Sunday Laws. The whole world has been prepared, conditioned under the papacy and apostate Protestant America, to accept the Sunday as a day of worship. As these faithful people arise with the loud cry, the whole world is aroused because they are all conditioned. Here are these people with the glory of God shining upon them and through them. It’s a startling effect. It arouses the whole world.

It says that, He causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive this mark, but he has in effect already made this change in the past, speaking great things against the Most High, and changing times and laws, and he had the control of the politics of the world for 1,260 years. The papacy controlled the world. Now his fatal wound is come, then America comes in and heals the fatal wound, and there comes this grand world government that affects the whole world to accept the Sunday power. The allegiance of the few who worship God will therefore arouse the antagonism of Babylon – which is, Rome, USA, and Paganism. The whole gamut of human preparation will now react, because it has to do with changed laws. Those especially who are professed Christians, who are brought face to face with this challenge, will deal with their own people who in the time of the loud cry decide that they are going to stand faithful to the Sabbath. What will they actually do in this conflict?

The world is geared against these people who have been giving the loud cry, and who are demonstrating the power of the Lord. The great majority is geared against it by these powers because it has been caused that way. What will happen?

Isaiah 66:2 For all those [things] hath mine hand made, and all those [things] have been, saith the LORD: but to this [man] will I look, [even] to [him that is] poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. … 5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

What is the conflict? It has to do with those people who tremble at God’s word, those people who submit themselves to God’s word, who arise and shine. The others, the brethren that hated them because they were aroused by these do-gooders, as they interpret it, will arise and cast them out in the name of the Lord. They will say, Let the Lord be glorified; whereas they were the faithful ones being cast out. They lived a godly life, and therefore they suffer persecution.

The consequence is identified in John 16. Because they have given the loud cry, because they have become conspicuous and the whole world has been aroused against them, and they have been disassociated from their brethren, what is their experience?

John 16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

He shall appear to your joy.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Here is the consequence of standing up and being faithful: a tribulation, a weeping and lamenting on behalf of those who are God’s children. It’s going to be heartache. It’s going to be sadness, because they are being separated from their brethren. As Jesus said, You will lament and weep, and the world around you will be happy. They will rejoice. But while that is true, your sorrow shall be turned into joy, ultimately.

The actual experience is defined by two factors that are pressurizing the people. One of the factors is Revelation 13:15,16. They will enforce the mark of the beast, he will cause that anybody who will not worship the beast and his image will be put to death. This is one side of the pressure.

Revelation 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Here is the reason for the weeping and lamenting.

Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 

That’s one side of the pressure, and the opposite side of the pressure is Revelation 14:9,10, the third angel’s message. While the pressure is given by the world to receive the mark of the beast, this is the pressure upon the life of God’s people, I’m sorry, we can’t follow there because of this:

Revelation 14:9 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, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 

In this conflict, in this drama, you’ve got one of two choices to enter into. Either suffering under the beast and the Sunday laws, or suffering the destruction of the wrath of God. If you receive the mark of the beast you are going to be destroyed by the wrath of God. If you refuse to receive the mark of the beast you are going to suffer the persecution of Rome and apostate Protestantism.  This is the horrible suffering, one side or the other, and the pressure is on.

Every position of truth taken by our people will bear the criticism of the greatest minds; the highest of the world’s great men will be brought in contact with truth, and therefore every position we take should be critically examined and tested by the Scriptures. Now we seem to be unnoticed, but this will not always be. Movements are at work to bring us to the front, and if our theories of truth can be picked to pieces by historians or the world’s greatest men, it will be done. {Ev 69.1} 

While we lovingly and kindly work together with Jesus and do all the work that Jesus wants us to do, if we are not brought into prominence, we are unnoticed, and we can worship God freely without problems, but movements are at work to bring us to the front. What are those movements?

We must individually know for ourselves what is truth, and be prepared to give a reason of the hope that we have with meekness and fear, not in a proud, boasting, self-sufficiency, but with the spirit of Christ. We are nearing the time when we shall stand individually alone to answer for our belief. Religious errors are multiplying and entwining themselves with Satanic power about the people. There is scarcely a doctrine of the Bible that has not been denied.–Letter 6, 1886. {Ev 69.2} 

There is scarcely a doctrine of the Bible that has not been denied. Movements have pushed it to this point. We can see today that the whole world is totally out of kilter with the plain simple Word of God. We have all made experiences of it. Those who are our friends just cannot understand because they have been twisted by religious errors. Those people who are standing faithful, who are unnoticed, will suddenly be brought into notice by the movements that are taking place. The experience will be one of being brought face to face with the opposers of the truth in the courts. Remember, movements are at work to bring us to the front.

As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment keepers. They will be threatened with fines and imprisonment, and some will be offered positions of influence, and other rewards and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith. But their steadfast answer is: “Show us from the word of God our error”–the same plea that was made by Luther under similar circumstances. Those who are arraigned before the courts make a strong vindication of the truth, {GC 607.1} 

What is the movement? The movement for Sunday enforcement. The Sunday Laws that have always been there, in Babylon, don’t affect us as long as they are not enforced. But as the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold, that is what will bring the faithful people into prominence. While God’s people are receiving the latter rain and their characters are being perfected and they are reflecting the glory of God, that in itself will be a catalyst to cause many religionists to say, These are getting too powerful. You can see this. People don’t like the power of the gospel in people. They want to just have everybody under an umbrella of their making. What actually transpires is a simultaneous move of the latter rain and the loud cry stimulating and arousing the people, which will then cause the enforcement of the Sunday laws.

We mustn’t be surprised if all of a sudden people will pay attention to the faithful ones by turning to the authorities to force them into submission, because they don’t like what the people of God are representing. Sunday laws have always been there, but since 1844 the Sabbath/Sunday question has started to be stirred. The Papacy knows this. Notice what they know. As we saw in the study of the second angel on the Sunday laws, the Catholics know that there is no Biblical reason for the Sunday, that they are the ones that have enforced it, and have interpreted it. They recognize that they are the ones that changed it. There is a very interesting statement that they make in regards to what they know:

“We also say that of all Protestants, the Seventh-day Adventists are the only group that reason correctly and are consistent with their teachings. It is always somewhat laughable to see the Protestant churches, in pulpit and legislature, demand the observance of Sundays for which there is nothing in the Bible.”  {Peter R. Tramor, editor of The Catholic Extension magazine}

The Catholics know and understand that they are the ones who have changed the Sabbath to the Sunday, and they know that the Seventh-day Adventists are the ones who are standing according to the simple reading of the Bible. Knowing that, they are working consistently and continually on this earth to bring the world around to them. There was a Dr. Malachi Martin (a Jesuit) who was interviewed on the radio in Canada, and he actually said that the world is now becoming a level playing field where everybody is submitting to the movements of coming together under control. He was describing how all the trades were coming together, how everybody has being forced. If they don’t come into the order of trade, and everything else, they will be forced into it because they can’t trade any more unless they submit to the program of the world. He was saying that the whole world was going to be brought under this control, because trade is going to bring it about as well.

As we now look at world events, we see that everything is geared for that. And here are these poor and afflicted people, and they are going to stand by the pressure of God’s word, We want to be part of God’s kingdom, we don’t want to be destroyed by His wrath. They are going to stand faithful to that, but they will be threatened by the death decree of the Sunday law enforcement. The other ones that are being preached to will say, Oh, we don’t want to fall out with the world, so we’ll stay with the world, but then we’ll have the wrath of God upon us. This is the terrible stress that is actually transpiring, and it will get heavier and heavier upon the minds of the people. If you look around you can see that it is already happening, people are continually making choices to be molded by the world, or to be molded by the kingdom of heaven. The pressure is on. It is getting heavier and heavier.

The ultimate outcome is that those few little people are going to be threatened with extermination. The Sunday laws will be turned against them, and those laws will be such that they won’t be able to buy or sell, and if ultimately they do not worship the beast and his image, they will be threatened with death.

Heretofore those who presented the truths of the third angel’s message have often been regarded as mere alarmists. Their predictions that religious intolerance would gain control in the United States, that church and state would unite to persecute those who keep the commandments of God, have been pronounced groundless and absurd. It has been confidently declared that this land could never become other than what it has been–the defender of religious freedom. But as the question of enforcing Sunday observance is widely agitated, the event so long doubted and disbelieved is seen to be approaching, and the third message will produce an effect which it could not have had before. {GC 605.3} 

It works simultaneously. One is presenting the power of the message and the people are reacting to it, and the other power is coming in at the same time, and very slowly the stage is being set. People may ask, How can that be? America is a free country, there is religious tolerance. But no, the whole world is going to be under one thrust and the Sabbath/Sunday question will be the big deciding factor. Observe how the heat slowly rises as the swelling of the loud cry takes place. We are told by the Spirit of Prophecy that there is a time of peace and a time of trouble that leads to this grand finale.

I saw that the holy Sabbath is, and will be, the separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers; and that the Sabbath is the great question to unite the hearts of God’s dear, waiting saints. I saw that God had 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 85.2} 

At the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost. Notice E. G. White’s explanation of this:

“The commencement of that 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. {EW 85.3}

The latter rain and the loud cry cause the people to proclaim the Sabbath more fully, and there is a short period of the time of trouble before the plagues, while Jesus is still in the sanctuary above.

At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel. {EW 85.3} 

Isn’t that what we have seen in the history? We are living in the time of the three angels’ messages and it is swelling to a loud cry. In 1888 there came the Revelation 18 angel, and then, after that, there was this little time of trouble that just got worse and worse before the close of probation. It is the times of wars – the First World War, the Second World War. But why were these wars held in check? So as not to prevent the work of the third angel. When the First World War broke out God’s people were being persecuted for not going to war. There was a Sabbath test.

Then Sister White says:

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 85.3}

Before the seven last plagues are poured out, there is this time of trouble that is being held in check at the same time that the loud cry and the glory of God is being seen upon people who are not succumbing to the Sunday laws and to the pressures that are afoot. This is the description of that little time of trouble. This is all connected with the period of Sunday laws being enforced under different circumstances.

I was shown the inhabitants of the earth in the utmost confusion. War, bloodshed, privation, want, famine, and pestilence were abroad in the land. As these things surrounded God’s people, they began to press together, and to cast aside their little difficulties. Self-dignity no longer controlled them; deep humility took its place. Suffering, perplexity, and privation caused reason to resume its throne, and the passionate and unreasonable man became sane, and acted with discretion and wisdom. {1T 268.1} 

My attention was then called from the scene. There seemed to be a little time of peace. Once more the inhabitants of the earth were presented before me; and again everything was in the utmost confusion. Strife, war, and bloodshed, with famine and pestilence, raged everywhere. Other nations were engaged in this war and confusion. War caused famine. Want and bloodshed caused pestilence. And then men’s hearts failed them for fear, “and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” {1T 268.2} 

This is a description of that time of trouble before the time of the plagues. You notice that there is a gap, there is trouble, a little time of peace, and then trouble again. Isn’t that exactly what has happened? You had the First World War, then you had a little time of peace, then the Second World War, and now we are living in the lead up to Armageddon. The more I study this the more I can see that God is pin-pointing for us just where we are living. As this is going on, the Sunday enforcements are all brooding behind the scene. As God’s people keep on pressing together and standing up for the truth, things are happening where, as we read in Isaiah 66:5, God’s people are being segregated from the churches. It’s happening around us. What is written regarding that little time of peace that we still enjoy to some degree now?

Conscientious obedience to the word of God will be treated as rebellion. Blinded by Satan, the parent will exercise harshness and severity toward the believing child; the master or mistress will oppress the commandment-keeping servant. Affection will be alienated; children will be disinherited and driven from home. The words of Paul will be literally fulfilled: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12. As the defenders of truth refuse to honor the Sunday-sabbath, some of them will be thrust into prison, some will be exiled, some will be treated as slaves. To human wisdom all this now seems impossible; but as the restraining Spirit of God shall be withdrawn from men, and they shall be under the control of Satan, who hates the divine precepts, there will be strange developments. The heart can be very cruel when God’s fear and love are removed. {GC 608.1}

As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. {GC 608.2} 

This is all happening in this little time of trouble and in the time of peace. That is the approaching of the final storm.

By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. {GC 608.2}

In this time of persecution the faith of the Lord’s servants will be tried. {GC 608.3}

This is the picture of the events before the plagues, before the time of trouble at the very end. This happens as the storm is approaching.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

They are all working to bring about a world peace. That is why they’ve got the world wars, they’re working towards a government of the whole world. They will say, Look, we’re getting there, peace and safety, we’ve got a little trouble spots here, but we’ve got it all under control. Peace and safety. Then sudden destruction comes upon the world.

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. {GC 588.3} 

That is where the world is heading. We have entered into the 21^st century, and they are working towards the long expected millennium. They are going to bring it about. They are having a hard time to do it, but they’re still working at it. They are trying to bring the terrorists under control, but as this is being done, they are already making laws so that your freedom is being taken away. This is all part of this scenario of preparation until the grand finale takes place. Everybody is working together, Yes, let’s work together, this is good, this is wonderful; and they are all being affected by this spiritualistic sentimental religious umbrella. Jesus said that, if it were possible the very elect would be deceived under this scenario.

While the Papacy and apostate Protestantism are doing this, at the same time when they are saying, Peace and safety, we have got it all under a world government, we are doing fine; then sudden destruction will come. While the Papacy is doing all this, it is simultaneously being consumed.

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy [it] unto the end.

That is what the Papacy is going to experience. It says that his dominion will be consumed and destroyed unto the end. Ever since the “time and times and the dividing of time” have passed, while they are working towards this world peace, uniting America with the papal religion, etc., it is leading to sudden destruction, which is all being prepared beforehand. While they are doing their preparation, the Papacy is being consumed and destroyed unto the end.

Daniel 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

They will cast you out for my name’s sake, saying, Let the LORD be glorified. … But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. … He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

Daniel 7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

This happens in the time of judgment when the Ancient of days is sitting, from 1844 onwards.

Since 1844 the three angels’ messages were being proclaimed. As they were being proclaimed, the events of the development of the United States of America, the fall of the Papacy in 1798, the restoration of the wounded head, all that takes place as the latter rain and the loud cry develop. The power of the Papacy and apostate Protestantism comes into play with it, but what purpose is it all for? For the consuming and destroying unto the end. God’s people who are alert to these messages know exactly where it is leading. While they may suffer persecution and go through all these things, they know that it is heading into its final end. The consuming of papal Babylon will take place at the same time that its laws are arraigned against the saints. That is why the Papacy is going to be consumed, because that’s what they are doing again.

We are involved in an ongoing conflict. If we will be faithful to the work of the latter rain and of the loud cry, we are actually experiencing a drama that is for the consuming and the destroying of the Papacy. It is very similar to the three worthies, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were involved in the very same situation as an illustration to us for the last days. The fall of Babylon took place while Daniel was part of Babylon, and we are seeing the same thing – the fall of Babylon. Everything we are experiencing now is a parallel of what they were experiencing there. The final fall and destruction of Babylon is going to take place. We are living in phenomenal times.

We see how those Sunday laws play a huge part in that grand finale of the conflict between God’s people and the Papacy. The Sunday laws will be used to do this, but it will cause the grand closure of the power of the Papacy. That will be their last thrust, and God will use it to destroy them.

Amen.