By John Thiel, mp3

Previous studies have shown that to be candidates of the church triumphant we need to reach certain qualifications of which these qualifications were enlarged. We also saw the need of submitting to the counsel of men and women of years of experience in the Lord if we will be of such a church. This study concludes this focus with a study of the church triumphant in prophecy. As previously studied, this church is a very difficult one to join and be part of. We tend to be in a time right now that is very perplexing. We live in perplexing times when it comes to identifying God’s church today and recognising such a church. The perplexing detail is expressed in Matthew 24. Jesus is speaking in reference to our time;

Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.  12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

What meaningful words for us today, to endure unto the end when everything is perplexing when false prophets and iniquity abounds. Jesus gives the picture in prophecy regarding the dark ages; then when the tribulation was over what can we expect?

Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

This is talking of the dark ages and they were being shortened for the elect’s sake. What happens then?

Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here [is] Christ, or there; believe [it] not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before.

I’ve told you, I’ve let you know what to expect. He says that there will be false prophets and false Christs. Many people don’t quite understand what that represents. False prophet’s and false teachers but also false Christs? The church of God is the body of Christ. The head of which is Christ himself. There are many bodies and many Christian churches saying here is the body of Christ or there is Christ and this is the problem. Christians and would be Christians are thrown into confusion because of this perilous time where great wonders are being done in the churches. They claim ‘Christ is us, we are the body of Christ.’ It is so bewildering and perilous that Jesus said if it were possible the very elect could be deceived. Behold I have told you, this is the predicament and peril. Right now in the time immediately imminent of Christ’s return that which perplexes the true Christian the most, is the very question which was asked in the hymn;

Oh, tell me, Thou life and delight of my soul,

Where the flock of Thy pasture are feeding;

I seek Thy protection, I need Thy control;

I would go where my Shepherd is leading.

Oh, tell me the place where the flock are at rest,

Where the noontide will find them reposing!

The tempest now rages, my soul is distressed,

And the pathway of peace I am losing.

Many false prophets shall arise and shall deceive many. There shall be false Christs and many shall say lo here is Christ. Where oh where is your flock Lord? Can we get it clear? Will you tell us?

Song of Solomon 1:7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest [thy flock] to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

There are so many who claim to be your companions, “by the flocks of thy companions”. I don’t want to be diverted by them to pass by and miss out on the very spiritual message that I need to have to get ready for Jesus to come. There are so many claiming and if it were possible, the very elect could be deceived.

We are conscientious Christians, we call Him our beloved Saviour and we realise as conscientious Christians that God doesn’t just deal with individuals, He has a church. We are dependent on the body of Christ. We cannot be independent.

Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Here is the church. What for? For the perfecting of the saints so that we can be the church triumphant.

Ephesians 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Here is the church triumphant that we must reach. So it is through the ministry of His organised church. Here is the predicament. So many organised churches calling themselves Christians today. Do we not need clear scriptural guidance to identify such a church in these perilous times of false prophets and Christs? We read a testimony that tells us that God does have a church and it is not a church splintered into all sorts of atoms.

Some have advanced the thought that, as we near the close of time, every child of God will act independently of any religious organization. . {9T 258.1}

Isn’t this how it feels today? Which organisation are we going to be part of? I think we will stay as we are, independent. That is what has affected the mind today. What does the wisdom of the Lord say?

But I have been instructed by the Lord that in this work there is no such thing as every man’s being independent. The stars of heaven are all under law, each influencing the other to do the will of God, yielding their common obedience to the law that controls their action. And, in order that the Lord’s work may advance healthfully and solidly, His people must draw together. {9T 258.1}

That is what has been instructed by the Lord and you and I are believers who want to be under his instruction. There is no such thing as anyone acting independently of any religious organisation as we come to the close of time.

I know that the Lord loves His church. It is not to be disorganized or broken up into independent atoms. There is not the least consistency in this; there is not the least evidence that such a thing will be. Those who shall heed this false message and try to leaven others will be deceived and prepared to receive advanced delusions, and they will come to nought. {2SM 68.3}

There is no such thing as independent atoms. God’s people need to be part of God’s organisation. Can you see how by this information there is a certain amount of trouble mindedness that can affect us?

God hath a church, and Christ hath declared, “The gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The messengers the Lord sends bear the divine credentials. {2SM 69.4}

God has a church and that church bears the divine credentials and there is no such thing as everybody independent of each other. In our efforts to find such a church we are looking for divine credentials. We want to identify these credentials in these perilous times. We have seen these faithful people will be recognisable by their harmony with Jesus.

Each member of the church should feel under sacred obligations to guard strictly the interests of the cause of God. . . . Jesus has opened to everyone a way by which wisdom, grace, and power may be obtained. He is our example in all things, and nothing should divert the mind from the main object in life, which is to have Christ in the soul, melting and subduing the heart. When this is the case, every member of the church, every professor of the truth, will be Christlike in character, in words, in actions. {AG 110.6}

Every member of the church will be what? Those who are professors of the truth, what will they be? Christ like in character. Here are the credentials that we are looking for. We are talking about Christlikeness. These are the credentials.

The life of Christ was a life charged with a divine message of the love of God, and He longed intensely to impart this love to others in rich measure. Compassion beamed from His countenance, and His conduct was characterized by grace, humility, truth, and love. Every member of His church militant must manifest the same qualities, if He would join the church triumphant. {FE 179.3}

The church triumphant is to be identified by the credentials of Christ’s character. That is where the identification is, the credentials.

The messengers the Lord sends bear the divine credentials. {2SM 69.4}

In answer to the question of Song of Solomon 1:7, there is something else given by which we can identify such a church. What did he say in answer to that question?

Song of Solomon 1:8 If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.

Where does he point to in order to help the people find his flock the church in the last days? Go and look for the footprints in the sand of time which is evinced through prophecy. Our quest is to look for the footprints in the sand of prophecy. Song of Solomon 6 gave us a clear prophetic backdrop to our study. We read that this dove, this pure church that He identified comes in conjunction with many different organisations. Here she stands in her relation with other organisations.

Song of Solomon 6:8 There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number. 9 My dove, my undefiled is [but] one; she [is] the [only] one of her mother, she [is] the choice [one] of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; [yea], the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

Can you see a church that has been born from other churches? Her mother, her sisters, the other concubines, they are all there at this particular junction in time of prophecy and are seeing her and they say yes she is right. When will that be? When she is undefiled and triumphant. That will have taken place when many other churches before her have passed through the prophetic picture of time. Let us identify her.

Song of Solomon 6:10 Who [is] she [that] looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, [and] terrible as [an army] with banners?

There is another prophecy that clearly hinges together with this one.

Revelation 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.  3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.  4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne.  6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days.

The woman is described in verse 1. She is according to the description of Song of Solomon.

Song of Solomon 6:10 Who [is] she [that] looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, [and] terrible as [an army] with banners?

That is the woman but who is she according to the prophecy the woman with a crown of twelve stars? The twelve tribes of Israel because Jesus was born to the Jewish Israeli church and that’s the woman there. According to that prophetic detail we read another prophecy in Isaiah 8. We are tracing this woman from back there.

The Footsteps of the Woman

What took place at the birth of Christ?

Isaiah 8:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

What would happen with the woman with the twelve stars in her crown? Both houses of Israel would find Jesus a stumbling block. That’s what is identified.

Isaiah 8:15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. 16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

At the time that Jesus was born to this woman dressed in the sun with the moon under her feet, what would they do? He was a stumbling block to them. The twelve stars were replaced by whom? My disciples. Both houses of Israel stumbled at Jesus. As they stumbled the twelve apostles continued as the twelve stars and when Judas fell away another replaced him and now you have the twelve stars continuing. She gave birth and she ran into the wilderness. These are the footsteps which we can follow.

Revelation 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man [child]. 14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.  15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.  16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

This is the middle ages and persecution under the papacy. The papacy was working to swallow the faithful church. And what was the earth that swallowed up the flood, the nation that came up out of the earth that helped the woman, none other than the United States of America.

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.

Here are the footsteps of prophecy to the end. The mother that bore her; who was that? First the woman’s seed, then she followed as the remnant of her seed. Here you have a prophetical description of what to expect according to the prophecy of the woman giving birth through to that final church triumphant. The dove that is undefiled. She is the only one of her mother and all the other virgins and churches that are connected with the mother, she is now standing out separately. This is the prophecy according to verse 17. Those footsteps are to be followed according to Revelation chapters 2 and 3. What are they? The seven churches. In a study of the seven churches we can follow the footprints of this woman, this dove, this undefiled. What are the seven churches teaching?

The names of the seven churches are symbolic of the church in different periods of the Christian Era. The number 7 indicates completeness, and is symbolic of the fact that the messages extend to the end of time, while the symbols used reveal the condition of the church at different periods in the history of the world. {AA 585.3}

That statement helps you to correctly appreciate Revelation 12:1. There was the faithful church that gave birth to Jesus. The ones that rejected Jesus were replaced by the twelve apostles which was the faithful church. That faithful church continued to go through the terrible times of the Dark Age’s right through to the end. They would then be the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Christ. They have the credentials but here is the prophecy of them.

Reflecting on this church notice how the testimony of Jesus portrays this church because in today’s church of confusion and organisational institutionalism people are saying it is a church with a name, an institutional church. It is an organisation but follow what the counsel of the Spirit of Prophecy is.

From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the church on earth. In every age the Lord has had His watchmen, who have borne a faithful testimony to the generation in which they lived. These sentinels gave the message of warning; and when they were called to lay off their armor, others took up the work. God brought these witnesses into covenant relation with Himself, uniting the church on earth with the church in heaven. He has sent forth His angels to minister to His church, and the gates of hell have not been able to prevail against His people. {AA 11.2}

They were faithful in giving the testimony to the generation in which they lived. What were they? Faithful people always standing as faithful sentinels of God’s pure truth.

Through centuries of persecution, conflict, and darkness, God has sustained His church. Not one cloud has fallen upon it that He has not prepared for; not one opposing force has risen to counterwork His work, that He has not foreseen. All has taken place as He predicted. He has not left His church forsaken, but has traced in prophetic declarations what would occur, and that which His Spirit inspired the prophets to foretell has been brought about. All His purposes will be fulfilled. His law is linked with His throne, and no power of evil can destroy it. Truth is inspired and guarded by God; and it will triumph over all opposition. {AA 11.3}

So when we come to the grand finale, isn’t prophecy still going to give us clear descriptions of what would occur and clear indication of the pure church?

During ages of spiritual darkness the church of God has been as a city set on a hill. From age to age, through successive generations, the pure doctrines of heaven have been unfolding within its borders. Enfeebled and defective as it may appear, the church is the one object upon which God bestows in a special sense His supreme regard. It is the theater of His grace, in which He delights to reveal His power to transform hearts. {AA 12.1}

She was standing on the moon dressed in the sun, the pure New Testament gospel from which it was reflected in the Old Testament the moon. This is all part of her. Here is this woman all through history and delineated through prophecy. The seven churches were a depiction of the development of this church through those seven periods of time. That which took place at the woman’s time of the birth of Jesus and the reception of the church of that time has continued to unfold through the period of the seven churches. The church in seven periods has had truth unfolding. Notice what happens simultaneously through those successive generations;

 As the light and life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the days of Christ, so it has been rejected in every succeeding generation. Again and again the history of Christ’s withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When the Reformers preached the word of God, they had no thought of separating themselves from the established church; but the religious leaders would not tolerate the light, and those that bore it were forced to seek another class, who were longing for the truth. In our day few of the professed followers of the Reformers are actuated by their spirit. Few are listening for the voice of God, and ready to accept truth in whatever guise it may be presented. {DA 232.2}

The organised church in the time of Christ and the late apostolic church Pergamos, Thyatira, the period of Sardis the protestant church, in every succeeding generation you get exactly the same picture that the authorities of the church do not recognise the pure church that are within it. What do the authorities do with the pure church with Christ within their ranks? They reject the message under the guise that doesn’t harmonise with their understanding. They say “these are not the authorities of the church, these are just upstarts presenting messages that we don’t agree with”. They didn’t accept Jesus, the disciples or the faithful ones all the way through. Few are listening for the voice of God.

Often those who follow in the steps of the Reformers are forced to turn away from the churches they love, in order to declare the plain teaching of the word of God. {DA 232.2}

Can you see the faithful church here? They leave the church of their fathers. They become born away from the church that was their mother and they become a separate daughter. That daughter continues until the next generation.

And many times those who are seeking for light are by the same teaching obliged to leave the church of their fathers, that they may render obedience. {DA 232.2}

Here lies the important principle of why we must understand the footprints. Here is a church that is being ushered out of the organised churches. That is the prophetic footsteps in Isaiah 8. We come to the same principle of Isaiah 8:14-16 in the time of 1844 . We read the application of that scripture in that generation. This is the time when the question of Song of Solomon 1 was asked under the guise of the presentation of the three angels messages. The protestant churches did not accept that because the guise was not acceptable to them.

Both the Houses of Israel

Jesus became a stumbling block to both the houses of Israel. As both the houses of Israel existed in the time of Jesus, were there two houses of Israel that existed in the time of 1844? There was the papacy like the ten tribes who had already fallen and there were the protestant churches who could be equated with Judah. What did both houses do? They rejected the message of Christ in 1844. We arrive at Laodicea who came into existence then.

Christ, amid His sufferings, and being daily rejected of men, looks down the lines two thousand years to His church which would be in existence in the last days, before the close of this earth’s history. {1MR 355.1}

The Lord has had a church from that day, through all the changing scenes of time to the present period, 1893. The Bible sets before us a model church. They are to be in unity with each other, and with God. When believers are united to Christ the living vine, the result is that they are one with Christ, full of sympathy and tenderness and love. When anyone is drawing apart from the organized body of God’s commandment-keeping people, when he begins to weigh the church in his human scales, and begins to pronounce judgment against them, then you may know that God is not leading him. He is on the wrong track. {1MR 355.2}

What church is she talking about? The church that is of sympathy, tenderness and love, the credentials of Gods faithful ministry. God is not leading anyone who attacks the faithful commandment keeping people who stood faithfully upholding the Three Angel’s Messages at that time.

…when he begins to weigh the church in his human scales, and begins to pronounce judgment against them, then you may know that God is not leading him. He is on the wrong track. {1MR 355.2}

God saw his faithful church in 1844 to 1893 and nobody was to oppose it because that was the remnant church of that time. We mustn’t forget what we have been reading before. The organisation of the Laodicean period was the Seventh Day Adventist church. After 1893 was that church faithful during the First World War? Once again another generation in which you have a development of two houses of Israel within the Laodicean period. How did both houses develop from the Adventist church organisation to another house and the remnant of her seed?

 The Lord Jesus will always have a chosen people to serve Him. When the Jewish people rejected Christ, the Prince of life, He took from them the kingdom of God and gave it unto the Gentiles. God will continue to work on this principle with every branch of His work. When a church proves unfaithful to the word of the Lord, whatever their position may be, however high and sacred their calling, the Lord can no longer work with them. Others are then chosen to bear important responsibilities. But, if these in turn do not purify their lives from every wrong action, if they do not establish pure and holy principles in all their borders, then the Lord will grievously afflict and humble them and, unless they repent, will remove them from their place and make them a reproach. . . . {UL 131.3}

What happened in the First World War? Is this statement now relevant again? It is self-evident. God could no longer work with them as they were dishonouring the faithful ones that stood firm on the commandments of God. There is the church faithfully moving on and if that company doesn’t stand faithful they will also be bypassed.

In 1888 there came a message that we know well. At that time we see a prophetic forecast of what to expect as we come to our time.

“Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:44). This is our message, the very message that the three angels flying in the midst of heaven are proclaiming. The work to be done now is that of sounding this last message of mercy to a fallen world. A new life is coming from heaven and taking possession of all God’s people. But divisions will come in the church. Two parties will be developed. The wheat and tares grow up together for the harvest. {2SM 113.3}

Two parties will be developed, both the houses of Israel. That’s what happened in 1888 through to the First World War. As these two parties developed in 1888, how will it continue?

 The work will grow deeper and become more earnest to the very close of time. And all who are laborers together with God will contend most earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. They will not be turned from the present message, which is already lightening the earth with its glory. Nothing is worth contending for but the glory of God. The only rock that will stand is the Rock of Ages. The truth as it is in Jesus is the refuge in these days of error. {2SM 114.1}

That faith delivered in the Seventh Day Adventist church will be fought for by the faithful ones. That is the church triumphant that we must be part of. The company of people who continue to remain faithful and staunch that are passing form one church organisation to the next and to the next.

Yes church organisation is imperative and the people who continue to function together under these messages you can follow through prophecy and you can identify perfectly the church of Revelation 12:17. Who are they? Satan is angry with the woman and goes to make war with who?

The Two Houses of Israel

A Seventh Day Adventist people split into two companies. The SDA Reform Movement and the Seventh Day Adventist church and those two companies will give birth to the pure and undefiled woman of Revelation 12:17 with whom Satan makes war.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

This is Isaiah 8 repeated again and now in the very last moments when we have to make a decision, where do we go Lord, Lord where are you, where is your flock? Here is the answer, don’t say “the temple of the lord are we, come and join us”, don’t say that.

Isaiah 8:12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all [them to] whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.  13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and [let] him [be] your fear, and [let] him [be] your dread.  14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.  16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

How can you identify them?

Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them.

They that say “come and confederate with us” are not the church triumphant. They are not covered, they are not dressed in the sun and there is no light in them no matter how much they claim. Very clearly prophecy gives a clear indication in this perilous time. We can follow the footprints to this very moment. There she is the woman that is dressed in the sun.

Song of Solomon 6:10 Who [is] she [that] looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, [and] terrible as [an army] with banners?

This is an army, these people are functioning together.

I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth in great power. It had effect. I saw those who had been bound; some wives had been bound by their husbands, and some children had been bound by their parents. The honest who had been held or prevented from hearing the truth, now eagerly laid hold of it. All fear of their relatives was gone. The truth alone was exalted to them. It was dearer and more precious than life. They had been hungering and thirsting for truth. I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered: “It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.” {1T 182.2}

Here is a church that stands faithful and can be recognised as the power of the truth stands and is portrayed before the world and here they are my dove, my undefiled under the power of the latter rain.

 The looker-on may discern no difference; but there is One who said that the tares were not to be plucked up by human hands lest the wheat be rooted up also. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then the Lord sends forth His reapers to gather out the tares and bind them in bundles to burn, while the wheat is gathered into the heavenly garner. 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. “They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” Those who have been obedient to God’s commandments will unite with the company of the saints in light; they shall enter in through the gates into the city, and have right to the tree of life. The one shall be taken. His name shall stand in the book of life, while those with whom he associated shall have the mark of eternal separation from God. {TM 234.2}

There is the church triumphant is it not? It is the church that has remained loyal through the experiences of church breakdowns in the organisations. The pure truth is sustained and the credentials of this church are recognised and people join the company of saints in the light. They recognise it. That is the church triumphant that has been faithful through all the years through generation after generation. They will enter into the gates through the city. Why? Because they are triumphant. The church triumphant is identified here as nothing else but an organised company.

Zephaniah 3:12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.  13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make [them] afraid.

In Song of Solomon it says you will feed beside the shepherd’s tents. They will feed and lie down. The church of the footprints, you will find her.

Zephaniah 3:14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

This is the daughter in the last days. Praise the Lord for the prophetic descriptions that we can be contented and happy that we are not going to be deceived if we are the elect even though it could be possible to deceive the very elect.

 There are many doctrines current in our world. There is many a religion current that numbers its thousands and tens of thousands, but there is but one that bears the superscription and the stamp of God. There is a religion of man and a religion of God. We must have our souls riveted to the eternal Rock. Everything in God’s world, both men and doctrines and nature itself, is fulfilling God’s sure word of prophecy and accomplishing His grand and closing work in this world’s history. {12MR 324.1}

We are to be ready and waiting for the orders of God. Nations will be stirred to their very center. Support will be withdrawn from those who proclaim God’s only standard of righteousness, the only sure test of character. And all who will not bow to the decrees of the national councils and obey the national laws to exalt the sabbath instituted by the man of sin to the disregard of God’s holy day, will feel, not the oppressive power of popery alone, but of the Protestant world, the image of the beast. {12MR 324.2}

They church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out–the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths. We must be divested of our self-righteousness and arrayed in the righteousness of Christ. {12MR 324.3}

 The remnant that purify their souls by obeying the truth gather strength from the trying process, exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid the surrounding apostasy. All these, He says, “I have graven . . . upon the palms of my hands” [Isaiah 49:16]. {12MR 325.1}

If you have followed carefully and you may need to go over this again, you will see the beautiful footsteps to our point in time now. We must make it our experience. We have the privilege and joy of making these footsteps our own just now. God give us eyesalve to see and courage to make our choice with the remnant of the woman’s seed.