By John Thiel

Scripture Reading: Romans 9:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: 28 For he will finish the work, and cut [it] short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

To no man has been appointed the work of being a rule over his fellow men. The man ruling power that has been coming into our ranks has no sanction in the word. CHL 28.2.

The message of this hour is to be focused on these words spoken out of inspiration;

Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. {TM 299.2}

We are living right on the very moments just prior to Jesus finishing his work just prior to where the loud cry of the third angel will be heard.  Just at the time that the loud cry of the third angel shall be heard God will work in a manner out of the common order of things. The time and the circumstance that is here referred to is written in Joel. We refer to this scripture again so we appreciate this interesting expression out of the common order of things and the time and the circumstance that he will work like this;

Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

2:29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

2:30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

2:32 And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

To provide that deliverance there is the loud cry of the third angel just before the coming of the great day of the Lord. The outpouring of his spirit is just prior to the plagues between the dark day and the signs of the heralding of the work of the three angels. Between the dark day and the close of probation, a time of wonders in the heaven and in the earth occur – blood, fire and pillars of smoke.

We have seen these things transpiring after 1780. We live on the very cusp of the loud cry. In our last study we identified the time of the three angels that lead to another angel in Revelation 18. In 1888 the Lord had begun to give this angel of Revelation 18 the presentation of the righteousness by faith message which was the beginning of this angel;

The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through Elders Waggoner and Jones. This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. {TM 91.2}

The presentation of the word in 1888 was so powerful. It was the very glory of the Revelation 18 angel. Ever since that date in 1888 to this very day today 2008, one hundred and twenty years ago, we have passed through an interesting history in the church represented by the three angels. We are living now one hundred and twenty years down the line. What did we read in Romans of what the Lord will do as it has been prolong for such a long time? In 1888 the Lord could have finished his work but no, the people were not ready. Here we are. What is written is going to take place?

Romans 9:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut [it] short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and been made like unto Gomorrah.

That is what this planet can look forward to – the destruction like Sodom and Gomorrah. If it wouldn’t be for the Lord taking care of his people it would have already happened but the Lord will cut short the work. It’s been a long time. God is going to cut short the work in righteousness. He is going to deal with it by raising a little remnant out of all the churches. A little remnant shall be left. That is where the work is going to take place as he is going to cut short his work in righteousness. Examine the history as it is portrayed in the Word of God and history since 1888 through the period of 120 years that leads to the little remnant;

The Little Remnant

Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

3:17 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:

This is the angel of the church of Laodicea, the people of the judgment. This city in Asia Minor housed the courts and judgment. Since 1844 the judgment is relevant. In this period of time, God says to the ministry, you are lukewarm, you don’t realise your true condition so I’m going to spue you out of my mouth. This is in reference to the leadership of God’s church militant today. They are so full of themselves that they have the truth of the last days. They are so sure here so they say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing.

That condition has brought forth the responses of the leadership to the point that they rejected the 1888 message. They rejected the very message by Waggoner and Jones that was going to uplift the saviour. We are rich. They came to the year 1914 and sold over. God had to turn away from these leaders and knock at the heart of any man.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

There was the invitation, the message of 1888 I want to come in and be part of you. Any man who received the message, comprised the people of the Revelation 18 people. They demonstrated it by keeping all the commandments of God. When the First World War broke out, who stood faithful? The large number went to war. They rejected the very message. In 1914 a separation took place and it was the Revelation 18 angel manifesting itself as a ministry.

Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

We are in this experience since 1888 through to this point in time to 1914. A time of separation took place and there was a ministry proclaiming the faithfulness of the message. However the message goes on to whomsoever overcometh.

The Overcomers in Laodicea

We have the angel which is the church in the Laodicean period, we have the seed of that ministry which became the Revelation 18 angel, and then we have the overcomer. Notice the experience of these people;

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

What is the experience of those whom God will use when he cuts short his work in righteousness? A little remnant. They came through the ministry of the Laodicean people and her seed which is the separation that took place in 1914. However, who does Satan make war with? The remnant of her seed. They are the people who are the overcomers, the people will become the church triumphant.  We are right in that position to arise as an overcomer in these last moments. God will cut short his work in righteousness.

Where shall be protection? It shall be in the remnant. The remnant of her seed is where we are at.

It was the Holy Spirit in the former rain that is leading these people into the latter rain in this period since 1888 when the loud cry of the third angel was to take place. As a consequence of the work the Holy Spirit it is leading to the latter rain. As we look at this event that we are right at the very cusp of, who are the souls and people that are affected by the outpouring of the latter rain?

Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

Do you know the meaning of the word prophesy? It doesn’t mean they will become prophets, but they will preach. They shall preach. Who will preach? Your sons and your daughters.

Joel 2:29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

Who are the souls here? The young people, the hand maids, the little common people. Isn’t that is what is suggested? The common people? Did you notice that it doesn’t say the leaders of the church are going to receive the outpouring? It says your sons, your daughters, your old men, your young men, the servants and the handmaids. Who are they? The common people.

In this closing work of the gospel there is a vast field to be occupied; and, more than ever before, the work is to enlist helpers from the common people. Both the youth and those older in years will be called from the field, from the vineyard, and from the workshop, and sent forth by the Master to give His message. Many of these have had little opportunity for education; but Christ sees in them qualifications that will enable them to fulfil His purpose. If they put their hearts into the work, and continue to be learners, He will fit them to labor for Him. {Ed 269.3}

The Common People

Who are they? The well educated ministers and leaders? No. The work is so great, that these poor individuals are too few so that he has to use those who have had of little opportunity of education. The common people. As we are looking at this period of time, the time of the outpouring of the latter rain and the Lord is pouring his spirit upon the common people, as they receive the outpouring of the latter rain in Gods church, what is written? He is going to fit them to labour for him. How? By the outpouring of his spirit they are going to prophesy because his spirit is poured upon them as they are equipped by the Holy Spirit.

It is God who began the work, and He will finish His work, making man complete in Jesus Christ. But there must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only those who are living up to the light they have will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it. {TM 507.1}

Who are the people that will discern or receive it? It is those who are living up to the light they have that will be fitted and led on. They will be daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues.

Those who are not doing that, who say we are rich and increased with goods, we have all this education, we are the leaders of Gods church will be bypassed, they will be spewed out.

That is what Jesus said. The manner in which they are spewed out is because they do not recognise this work that Jesus is doing. What will he say to these common people who are living up to the light that they are receiving in the former rain leading into the latter rain, what are they saying to them?

The baptism of the Holy Ghost as on the day of Pentecost will lead to a revival of true religion and to the performance of many wonderful works. Heavenly intelligences will come among us, and men will speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Spirit of God. But should the Lord work upon men as He did on and after the day of Pentecost, many who now claim to believe the truth would know so very little of the operation of the Holy Spirit that they would cry, “Beware of fanaticism.” They would say of those who were filled with the Spirit, “These men are full of new wine.” {2SM 57.1}

When souls long after Christ, and seek to become one with Him, then those who are content with the form of Godliness, exclaim “Be careful, do not go to extremes.” When the angels of heaven come among us, and work through human agents, there will be solid, substantial conversions, after the order of the conversions after the day of Pentecost. {2SM 57.2}

Under the guidance under the spirit of God the people will bring their life into harmony with Gods ways. They will be restorers of all the things that have been let go of, repairers of the breach. They will be told you are being extreme, you’re being old fashioned, come back to modern times.

Now brethren, be careful and do not go into or try to create human excitement. But while we should be careful not to go into human excitement, we should not be among those who will raise inquiries and cherish doubts in reference to the work of the Spirit of God; for there will be those who will question and criticize when the Spirit of God takes possession of men and women, because their own hearts are not moved, but are cold and unimpressible. –Letter 27, 1894.

As the spirit of God moves upon the common people who take this seriously, what will many of the leaders do who declare we are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing say? We didn’t teach you that, you are going to extremes, who has been teaching you these things? But we know they are written in the testimony of Jesus, the Spirit of Prophecy. These faithful practises are to be practised that people are not reading and following the spirits guidance on. They are contented where they are and it may be falling upon hearts all around us but will not be received.

In the church militant in the woman’s seed. What will be expected from those who don’t discern or receive this spiritual revival? What will be received from them? Follow carefully what I read in the beginning. What will they do? We have just read it and here this is going to be a big puzzle to them.

Unless those who can help in New York are aroused to a sense of their duty, they will not recognize the work of God when the loud cry of the third angel shall be heard. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands. {TM 299.2}

People who want to dictate and control have been holding back the progress of the work so the Lord has to come in and pour his Holy Spirit upon the common people so he will take the work in his common hands and cut short his work in righteousness through the outpouring of his Holy Spirit upon the common people.

The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness. {TM 299.2}

The Simple Work of the Common People

None of this controlling and working as though it all has to go to the planning of the leadership, it’s when the Lord takes the work with his own hands.

When light goes forth to lighten the earth, instead of coming up to the help of the Lord, they will want to bind about His work to meet their narrow ideas. Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. {TM 299.2}

He will enlist the common people both youth and those in older years and people who have not been educated in the education of the institutions of the church. We live today in a very sophisticated educational program where you’ve got to get degrees. In the work of God you need to get a degree to be a functioning minister. What do they teach in these degrees? The outpouring of the Holy Spirit? No – human education. Using the bible yes, history and all this interesting material but where is the living impact of a changed of the life? It can only happen through the outpouring of his Holy Spirit upon the common people. Just what precisely is the experience of these common people and how will he work in this manner?

He will work through those who can see mercy in misery, and gain in loss. {Ed 270.2}

Who will he work through? Those who can see mercy in misery and gain in loss.

When the Light of the world passes by, privilege will be discerned in hardship, order in confusion, success in apparent failure. Calamities will be seen as disguised blessings; woes, as mercies. Labourers from the common people, sharing the sorrows of their fellow men as their Master shared the sorrows of the whole human race, will by faith see Him working with them. {Ed 270.2}

Who does God work with? People who have sorrows in common with their fellow men. Who are not up there in the hierarchy of the church, but common people. What are they going to battle through? Through the work of the Holy Spirit in their life. We are living right at the very cusp of the outpouring of the wrath of God. In Sr Whites time the droppings of the plagues were already there and we already know the sun is getting hotter and other things. As these things get worse and worse, we are surrounded by calamities. Is that correct? When nature turns out of its normal course, at the very time of these things, what are the common people imbued with? The Holy Spirit so that they can work and see mercy in misery. When you have misery, can you see mercy? The human eye can’t see it but under the power of the Holy Spirit you can see mercy. When you see loss, can you see gain?

When the light o the world passes by, privilege will be discerned in hardship. Do you see privilege in hardship? Unless you have the outpouring of the Holy Spirit you won’t. Hardship I’ve often hear people say, I can’t, it’s too hard. Let the Holy Spirit pour upon you. You will discern privilege in hardship. You will discern order in confusion. Everything is confusing around us, how can we see order? Under the Holy Spirit you can. He will show you. Calamities will be seen as disguised blessing. Woes, terrible woes. I’ve been through woes and I saw mercy in the woe.

Labourers from the common people, sharing the sorrows of their fellow men as their Master shared the sorrows of the whole human race, will by faith see Him working with them. {Ed 270.2}

Those who want the planning of human thinking to govern and control the work of the church can see its worse and worse, more and more problems in the church, and they are scratching their heads pleading with the Lord to govern this church but it’s only going to get worse under the Holy Spirit pouring out upon his remnant people, his workers, the common people will push the battle to the gate. It’s outside of human planning and control and many will oppose it. When I share the message of Ezekiel and the wheels within wheels and the throne of God with the Cherubims, people get weary.

Ezekiel 1:16 The appearance of the wheels and their work [was] like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work [was] as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

Here are four wheels with wheels within wheels moving around.

Ezekiel 10:10 And [as for] their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.

10:11 When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.

10:12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, [were] full of eyes round about, [even] the wheels that they four had.

The spirit of the creatures was within the wheels.

Ezekiel 10:8 And there appeared in the cherubim’s the form of a man’s hand under their wings.

Here are these wheels moving in a very strange manner, very confusing to the human eye but as they are moving, they are moving to in an order not discernable to humans.

The first and second chapters of Ezekiel should also be carefully studied. The wheels within wheels represented in this symbol was confusion to the finite eye. But a hand of infinite wisdom was revealed amid the wheels. Perfect order is brought out of the confusion. Every wheel works in its right place, in perfect harmony with every other part of the machinery. {ChL 26.4} I have been shown that human beings desire too much power. They desire to control, and the Lord God, the mighty worker is left out of their work. The workmen feel qualified to hold the highest place. Let no man attempt to manage that work which should be left in the hands of the great I AM, and who is in His own way planning how the work shall be done. Know that God is the Instructor of His servants, and He will work through whom He will.–Manuscript 143, 1899. {ChL 26.5}

He will work through the common people. As the common people work under the inspiration from the Holy Spirit preach and uphold the wonderful things they have learned from him, it will look like confusion. The one who is governing and conducting the affairs is working according to his way to cut short the work in righteousness. It will be taken right out of the hands of those that want to continue to control and govern according to human expectations.

Ever since 1888 the turmoil, disruption, conditioning and mouldings that have taken place through the First and Second World War have continued on this planet and everything is turned out of its normal course in the world.  In nature and in life principles as well.  As that is taking place people have developed into this generation of accepting as normal the things which are transpiring. In fact we are way off the mark. The majority cannot see the wisdom in Gods order of the work.

As he pours his Holy Spirit upon the common people and they move under the strong impact of Gods Holy Spirit it will be denounced as fanaticism and going to extremes. ‘Steady down, you’re taking the work out of our hands.’

God Will Work Through the Remnant

Ten members, who were walking in all humbleness of mind, would have a far greater power upon the world than has the entire church, with its present numbers and lack of unity. The more there is of the divided, inharmonious element, the less power will the church have for good in the world. {5T 119.1}

We hear all sorts of variations of beliefs and doctrines and carelessly say it’s ok if you do this, it’s alright, we can still do that and others say no we can’t. This is where God says alright where are my few – the remnant? Ten members in the entire world who are walking in all humbleness of mind would have a far greater power on the world than has the entire church than on its present condition. God will cut short his work in righteousness and he is going to work very much outside of the common order of things.

Here is the call. Anyone who will open his heart to the outpouring of his Holy Spirit which is my doctrine which shall fall as the rain, as they open their heart to the pure doctrines of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, they don’t need to be many. How many were there on the plain of Dura that had an effect on the entire world at that time? Three people – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They will be brought up before the courts and as they stand in defence of the truth. Ten people in Australia, ten people in other parts of the world, what an impact.

The media will be in a panic. What’s happening here? How are we going to judge all this? Ten people who are living up to the message of Holy Spirit will create such an uproar that the last few grains of wheat that are Gods people in Babylon will be plucked out in a manner outside of the common order of things. The common people working in harmony with God will humbly submit themselves to out of common order of things and at the same time cling to all the truth that is delivered to the saints.

Amen.