By John Thiel, mp3

We are often perplexed regarding where we stand in the timeline of God’s plans for us, as a church, as individuals. We are often perplexed. Where do we stand? This has always been a problem in the lives of God’s people in the past. They did not always recognise the present. In the time of Noah, many people didn’t realise that according to God’s timeline, they had to get into that ark. In the time of Babylon, they did not know that they were to be there for those 70 years. They were there, but they were there. God had pointed out to them that they were to be there for 70 years.  If they would listen to the prophecy, they knew that after 70 years they could go back home, but many people did not. In the time of Christ, there was a timeline, a recognition of the verse and then the baptism of Jesus. They did not recognise the timeline for present experience. So for us today, we must know where we should be in God’s timeline.

John 13:19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it is come to pass, you may believe that I am.

You may know that I am. The “I am” says I have told you before, so that as you listen to what I have told you before, when the time comes, you will say, “ah, the ‘I am’ is right here; He has foreshadowed this.” It was present tense to Him, but now it’s present tense in our theories. Speaking of the experience of God’s children, every generation could know that present events are close. 

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

Does that mean you are being prepared? That what God’s people are going through, is it beautiful? Not one cloud has fallen upon His people; He has kept them unscathed. Not one opposing force has risen to counteract His work, not one, not one. What we are going to give you in our experience at this present time goes up here. To Daniel, it was stated in prophecy as the angel explained to him.

In Daniel 9:19 the angel is speaking to Daniel. He said that the last end of the indignation, the last end, will be made known to the prophet. So where are we today? Are we at the last end of the indignation? The last end is as much illuminated by the ‘I am’ as was the past. It is an illumination to this our time. And remember the words of Jesus when He said, “I will be with you even unto the end of the world.” The last end. Jesus illuminates this to our experience.

But now the problem comes, as we have seen with the Jews of the past and the Christians; they did not recognise and discern the actual realities of what God had placed there in prophecy. Why? Because all the way along, it was dependent upon His people to have a correct view of the cross. As soon as we have a faulty understanding of the cross, we do not discern the truth of the prophecy.

The sacrifice of Christ as an atonement for sin is the great truth around which all other truths cluster. In order to be rightly understood and appreciated, every truth in the Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, must be studied in the light which streams from the cross of Calvary, and in connection with the wondrous, central truth of the Saviour’s atonement. 5BC 1137.7

If we are going to discern correctly the prophecies for the last days, what must we have correct first of all? It says to rightly understand and appreciate, it must be studied. Notice from Genesis to Revelation’s prophecy. It must be studied in the light which streams from the cross of Calvary. If the light of the cross of Calvary is not crystal clear in the people’s minds, they will not recognise the prophecies. They will misread the prophecies. That’s exactly what the Pharisees did in the time of Christ. They knew that when the wise men came to say, “Where is Jesus, the King of the Jews?” They were able to tell them that. They knew prophecy, but did they recognise themselves? We can know prophecy and yet miss the correct recognition of that prophecy for that time.

The cross stands alone, a great center in the world. It does not find friends, but it makes them. It creates its own agencies. Christ proposes that men shall become laborers together with God. He makes human beings His instrumentalities for drawing all men unto Himself. A divine agency is sufficient only through its operation on human hearts with its transforming power, making men colaborers with God (The Review and Herald, September 29, 1891). 5BC 1138.1

He makes human beings His instrumentalities for drawing all men unto Himself. A divine agency is sufficient only through its operation on human hearts, with its transforming power, making men co-labourers with God.  In our study this moment, we want to recognise those who are working as co-labourers with God. We want to recognise the history of God’s faithful people through prophecy to identify where we stand in living reality just now, right this very moment. It’s the cross of Jesus that will be the avenue to read. Acts 3:18 to 21 was our scripture reading, talking of this time in reference to the cross of Jesus and recognising the prophecy accordingly.  

Acts 3:18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

This is Peter preaching to the people after the resurrection of Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He says, “The prophets have told us it has been fulfilled”. Everything that has been fulfilled is applied to us today; everything has been fulfilled to this point of time.

Actions 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

We are to recognise Christ at the cross. We recognise what the cross is meant to create. It’s meant to create true repentance. You look at the cross, repent and be converted, and as they repent for their sinfulness and are converted, their sins will be blotted out.

Is this our experience that’s meant to take place now? When the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, the times of refreshing, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and He shall send Jesus, which before was preached unto you. Jesus is coming again and for the people who are living now, heaven is keeping Jesus there until when? Until the times of the restitution of all things which God has spoken of by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

We are being prepared by reading these words that we may see where we stand now, the true lineup of events, so that we can respond to the work of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and unite correctly together in the light of the prophecies that come to that. All who unite in Jesus, all who know the cross correctly in their living experience, practically, all who unite in Jesus, what is written in reference to that? All who will unite with Jesus will suffer with Him to the end of time, the experience of Jesus’ suffering will be theirs. This is God’s true people.

They will know as they study prophecy, and as they see the fulfillment of prophecy happening to them, that’s what they were doing in the dark ages, that people will be persecuted. As they study their prophecy, they don’t know – “yes this is what’s expected from that.” It’s actually written that we’re going to be killed. Just imagine if you were living up to that time, you knew the prophecy, you would have died, and God would have saved you from death. Just look at that one. Then there were those crying and said, “You had a brother at the altar crying, how long did you not avenge us?” Well, you stay there until others have gone in.  Where are we today? Jesus is speaking to His disciples and through His disciples to us today.

John 15:17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

Very important here. He makes that point.

 John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

The cross, that is the issue. The cross which crosses self. As soon as anything is communicated from God, from Jesus, that cuts across self, it is disliked; it is rejected. As we examine the details of the prophecy from this perspective of the cross, we will recognise exactly where it is at.

 Daniel 9:19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

I will show you, I will make note of you, the events of the last end of the indignation. Where was He pointing to identify the last end of the indignation? When was He appointed? He was appointed to Daniel 8:14, up to 2300 days. Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. There was the time prophecy which he said, “I’m going to make you know what will happen in the last end of the indignation from 1844, the end of the 2300 days.” From that moment of 1844, the last end of the indignation will be revealed. We start in our study research from 1844 onwards.

In Revelation 10:10 and 11 is the prophecy in reference to 1844. This will take you a little bit of concentration. I’m going to do the best I can to make it as simple as possible to go through some of this weighty material. But as you go through it, you will see this deeply in your own mind’s eye, exactly where you stand.

Revelation 10:10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it up.

Remember what that little book that was to be digested through the church was? The book of Daniel, that’s what he closed until the time of the end.

Revelation 10:10 And it was in my mouth sweet as honey, and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

There you had the description of God’s people at that time who were anticipating Jesus was going to come in 1844. It was sweet. At last, Jesus is coming; all the loving people are looking forward to that. But there was a bitter disappointment. How many times have God’s people suffered bitter disappointments because they did not recognise the real statements of the prophecy?

Revelation 10:11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

From the disappointment of 1844, the faithful people of God were to keep on preaching until the last end of the indignation. That’s what is written in Revelation 14:6 to 12. That’s the first, second, and third angel’s message. They were the messages, and you will remember that William Foy and Hiram Edson were expecting Jesus to come, and God was showing them these two platforms, the first and the second angels’ messages, and then He showed them the third platform that was to happen, and they said, “No, no, no, that’s not,” they didn’t want to accept that. You see, that’s why they didn’t become the prophets.

A Prophetic Extension

You can see God was showing them the prophecies of the three angels and gave them the indication that there is to be a third angel. But then as you come to Revelation 18, the prophecy extends to another angel in Revelation 18:1 to 4. There is the extension, a prophetic extension. After the first, second, and third angels have been doing their work, there is another angel that has to do his work.

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. 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Here is an angel preaching about the problem of the people, the world. The world does not want Jesus; the world is not going to want this message, but it’s going to be preached without accord. Like the world did not receive Christ, and neither will the world receive this angel. As much as the other angels were rejected, this angel will also be rejected.

Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

The people who understand the cross of Christ and the understanding of this Revelation 18 tool, they will recognise whether this message was received or not. They will recognise as they receive it that they love it, and it’s a refreshing experience, and they will be effective in the world. Then they will also recognise that there comes another voice from heaven, another agency, and here you have four and five agencies that prophecy showed you must go and preach again after the disappointment.

A sequence of events that we must recognise to know where we stand today. Let’s follow that lineup. The three angels represent one. I’ve read it to you many times before. What do the three angels and the other angels represent? They represent the people that are working calmly with their universe.

During the past fifty years of my life, I have been at precious opportunities in obtaining an experience. 2SM 387.1

Did Ellen White have an experience that she knew where she stood? See? That’s back there.

I have had an experience in the first, second, and third angels’ messages. The angels are represented as flying in the midst of heaven proclaiming to the world a message of warning and having a direct bearing upon the people living in the last days of this earth’s history. 2SM 387.1

How specific can you see? Could they stand if they were watching? Could they see it if they were faithful? Sister White could see it; others could see it. But how did it go?

No one hears the voice of these angels, for they are a symbol to represent the people of God who are working in harmony with the universe and heaven. 2SM 387.1

Who will recognise the hypocrisy? Those who are working of heaven. Men and women enlightened by the Spirit of God and sanctified through the truth proclaim the three messages in their order. Will they know where it has been? Will they know the prophecy where it applies to them? Absolutely, because they’re working in harmony with all that has been foreshadowed by the prophets.

Very important, brethren and sisters, that this is what I had been in agony about, that identifying these things, we find ourselves where Jesus found Himself, in disbelief. People move on as though it wasn’t happening. As this was the work of the people in 1888, the three angels’ messages, in 1888, we read something very fascinating for the people who should know what was going on according to prophecy. They’re following the time right now, following very carefully.

The time of test is just upon us, for the loud cry of the third angel has already begun in the revelation of the righteousness of Christ, the sin-pardoning Saviour. This is the beginning of the light of the angel; the glory shall fill the whole earth. Bible Commentary 1, page 784, Review & Herald November 22, 1892.

What angel is that? The one with his glory shall fill the whole earth? The Revelation 18 angel. According to prophecy, we have the exact time for the beginning of that angel. What was the message in 1888? It was the very message of the cross. Only those who recognised that message would know when they stood.

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. This is the message that God commanded to be given to the world. It is the third angel’s message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure. TM 91.2

1888

What happened in 1888? There was the beginning of the Revelation 18 angel. There were the people who were working in unity with the universe of heaven, and there was the importance to recognise that now prophecy identifies their experience. Is that accepted? The true knowledge of the atonement of Jesus. They will be able to recognise that, but they may be given just like in the time of Christ. Sadly, Waggoner and Jones went through a bitter experience at a time when there should be this wonderful beginning of a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit. There is the delineation of prophecy. Notice the description of what happened there in 1888. What she wrote there was the beginning of the angel of Revelation 18.

God still has a people in Babylon, and before the visitation of His judgments… GC 604.1 

Remember the angel said, “I will give you the detail of that which is to happen at the last end of the indignation.” The last end of the indignation is when the angel comes.

Daniel 8: 19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.

…before the visitation of His judgments these faithful ones must be called out, that they partake not of her sins and “receive not of her plagues.” Hence the movement symbolized by the angel coming down from heaven, lightened with its glory and crying mightily with a strong voice announcing the sins of Babylon. In connection with this message, the call is heard, “Come out of them, My people. GC 604.1

Can you see how important it is that we understand? There is a movement commenced, and that movement Sister White described very powerfully.

The Loud Cry Started in 1888

The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message as it swells to an outcry. EW 277

People are saying that the loud is future. It came there, and it was to swell to an outcry, and the angel comes in at the right time. What time was that? 1888.

The work will grow deeper and become more earnest to the very close of time. 2SM 114

What’s that? That which started in 1888 will become more and more intense.

All who are labourers 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. EW 277

It’s already doing it back there. We’re not waiting for the future; it’s already happening. All will earnestly who are working together with the universal head. They will recognise it going on. The Adventist Church actually recognised it in the “Story of the Church,” page 246. That’s their own book that the 1888 work marked the beginning of a great reform.

A Great Reform

It happened there and it continued to intensify, not drop off and happened to come some future time. What did I mean? It had to increase; it would increase in intensity; it would get stronger and stronger and stronger, swelling into a loud cry. Let’s follow that swelling, this movement that gets stronger and stronger instead of falling away and then coming back later on some other time, which people think it’s going to happen. Observe the unfolding of this.

We just read there that the work will grow deeper and deeper, but the little paragraph before that says:

And 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. 2SM 113.3

What’s the prophecy saying? As the 1888 message was given and it swells to the loud cry, as the loud cry is swelling, what is happening in the church? Two parties will be developed, and the battle goes on from there.

As the loud cry develops, as the people who are working with the community of the united work of the angels, it’s an intense battle of warfare, just like it was with the disciples. It didn’t take very long after the outpouring of the early rain of the disciples that they saw persecution. They were empowered by the Holy Spirit, but they were also persecuted, and the Christian church was persecuted right through.

This is no different today. People are expecting something big. But no, what’s happening is persecution as the powerful message is portrayed. Within the church, there will arise conflict and the company that is faithfully working together with God and with the universe of heaven will suffer the same thing as that Jesus suffered. Here is the description of that little company.

I was shown the people of God, and saw them mightily shaken. Some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, were pleading with God. Their countenances were pale, and marked with deep anxiety, expressive of their internal struggle. 1T 179.3

That was what she saw; people struggling in the time of the latter rain which was to swell to a greater power.

Some, I saw, did not participate in this work of agonizing and pleading. They seemed indifferent and careless. They were not resisting the darkness around them, and it shut them in like a thick cloud. The angels of God left these, and I saw them hastening to the assistance of those who were struggling with all their energies to resist the evil angels, and trying to help themselves by calling upon God with perseverance. But the angels left those who made no effort to help themselves, and I lost sight of them. 1T 180.2

 They were no longer part of God’s people. That started off there and as we continue, we follow in the year this is just before 1913 that was written out. What did she see? As all this was happening from 1888 onwards:

The Railroad Depot Platform

LOMA LINDA TRAIN STATION VISION by Elmer M. Johnson.

Brother Will Ross, now deceased, was a personal friend of mine for about 45 years. In our church fellowship we very often spent Sabbath afternoons discussing his experience in the message, and his conversations with Mrs. Ellen G. White.

About 1908, while living in Loma Linda near Sister White, he frequently accompanied her in her walks, and would discuss the message and future events. On one of these occasions, while waiting at the railroad depot, in company with Sister Mcinterfer and Elder D. E. Robinson, (her granddaughter’s husband), Sister White related to the three of them ABOUT THE STORM OF PERSECUTION THAT WAS TO COME UPON SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST.   Brother Will related it to me as follows:

“Sister White told us as we three stood there on the depo platform, that a terrible storm of persecution was coming like a windstorm that blew down every standing object. There was not a Seventh-day Adventist to be seen.  They, like the disciples, forsook Christ and fled.   ALL WHO HAD SOUGHT POSITIONS WERE NEVER SEEN AGAIN. After the storm there was a calm, then the Adventists arose like a great flock of sheep, but there  no shepherds.  They all waited in earnest prayer for help and wisdom, and the Lord answered by helping them to choose leaders from among them who had NEVER SOUGHT POSITIONS BEFORE.  They prayed earnestly for the Holy Spirit which was poured out upon them making them fully ready for service. They then went forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners to give this message to the world. I was astonished, and asked if that applied to Loma Linda, as we were looking in that direction. Sister White replied to my question by stating that IT APPLIED TO THE ENTIRE DENOMINATIONAL WORLD. . It so stunned me that I did not ask any more questions.  Will Ross, Boulder, Colorado

In the year 1943 when Elder D. E. Robinson was visiting the churches in Colorado, I was serving on the platform the Sabbath that Elder Robinson visited the Boulder Church, having with him the large Bible which Sister White held in her hand and leafing through during one of her visions. At the close of the service Brother Ross spoke with Elder Robinson about when he, Sister Mckenter and Sister White were standing on the depot platform visiting together, and Sister White related to him about THE TERRIBLE STORM OF PERSECUTION THAT IS COMING TO SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST. Elder Robinson replied, “Yes, Brother, Ross, I remember it.”  So I documented this reply January 15, 1946, not wishing to forget this important narration related to me by Brother Ross I frequently discussed it with him in later years, and his statemen never varied. – [signed] Elmer M. Johnson

Does relate to the quote that I read in First Testimonies? She lost sight of them. Notice what they did. After this terrible storm, they arose, chose, and organised ministers and leaders among them. Then they prayed earnestly for the aid of the Holy Spirit, which was poured out upon them, making them fully ready for service. They then went forth, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners, to give the message to all the world. Where are we now? When did the storm come?

Men of clear understanding are needed now. God calls upon those who are willing to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Willing to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, to lead out in a work of thorough reformation. I see a crisis before us. And the Lord calls for His laborers to come into life. Every soul should now stand in a position of deeper, truer consecration to God than during the years that have passed. I have been deeply impressed by scenes that have recently passed before me in the night season. There seemed to be a great movement, a work of revival going forward in many places. Our people were moving into life, responding to God’s call. TM 514

A storm came, remember? A crisis. A crisis came and through the crisis, there would be a people who would stand through it. The above statement was written to the General Conference in session in 1913. What happened the next year? It was a crisis, a storm. Why do Adventists know nothing of this? When I was in America, I was showing this and the rising of the Reformation movement out of that terrible experience. One gentleman said there, “Why is it that we haven’t heard of this before?” Can you see what’s the problem? They’ve missed the boat.

The things that Sister White and the prophecy had laid out before them, they needed to recognise. But because the Adventist people did not recognise 1888, they didn’t recognise the crisis. When the First World War broke out, they went to war and they supported the others that went to war and the people that were faithful, what happened to them? They were persecuted as Jesus was. They knew the time and place. They knew the timeline and as they were persecuted, there were only a few people left. Then they came through that crisis, and just as Sister White wrote here, they came up again and chose leaders among them and united together and proclaimed the message with power.

After the First World War, these people went out with power, and the people who were in that experience told their children, they said, “We know that that was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit of Christ.” Across the world, the people heard the message. However, as they always did in the time of Christ, right through to the end, they did not recognise it, or they received it. They missed the boat. This is the timeline. Out of this company arose a company, as she said, prayed for it and the Holy Spirit was poured upon them.

The angel says, look ye, my attention was then turned to the company I had seen who got lighted and shaken. I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping. 1T 181.3

They were weeping and praying with agony of spirit.

The company of guardian angels round them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. They moved in exact order, thermally like a company of soldiers. They organised and they went forward, and they obtained the victory, and it caught forth from them the deepest gratitude and holy, sacred joy. 1T 181.3

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}

When did that happen? After the First World War. That’s when it happened.

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}

That happened during the First World War. She is describing it.

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}

Did you just read the First and the Second World War? Is that what prophecy identified before it happened? Indeed. In the First World War God’s people came together. That’s what was written there. They laid aside their differences, they pressed together and after the war they proclaimed the message under the power of the latter rain. Are we waiting for the latter rain? Interesting. Here we are today, we think the loud cry is still future, we think the latter rain is still future.

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}

That’s what happened, wasn’t it? It was falling on hearts all around them and they were not recognising it. That’s exactly what I pointed out, the 1888 message. If we don’t understand the cross, we will not discern the prophecy unfolding in our experience. That’s the reality.

At no point in our experience can we dispense with the assistance of that which enables us to make the first start. The blessings received under the former rain are needful to us to the end. {TM 507.2}

She describes that we must recognise the former rain and the latter rain in our experience. The following statement she wrote in 1908:

We have now come to the last days of the work of the third angel’s message, {3SM 83.2}

What did I just read? In 1908 Sister White said, we have now come to the last days of the work of the third angel’s message. Now, 1908.

…when Satan will work with increasing power because he knows that his time is short. At the same time there will come to us through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, diversities of operations in the outpouring of the Spirit. This is the time of the latter rain.–Letter 230, 1908. {3SM 83.2}

1908, 1914, 1918 through to 1938, the Second Word War. There is the period. Can you see the exact time prophecy line of everything that was to be happening and that was exactly identifying the timeline? Coming to the experience of this timeline, Sister White describes it in Great Controversy. She describes the very thing which people want to apply for the future:

Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed. As the time comes for it to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified {GC 606.2}

What will they be qualified by?

…rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. {GC 606.2}

Who did she lose sight of? Those who were leaders, trained in literary institutions. Now comes the others who had never had leading positions before.

Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them. The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power–all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people will be stirred. Thousands upon thousands will listen who have never heard words like these. In amazement they hear the testimony that Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and sins, {GC 606.2}

She here describes the whole presentation that these people did. Thousands. That little company that was separated in the First World War multiplied into thousands between the First and the Second World War.

As the controversy extends into new fields and the minds of the people are called to God’s downtrodden law, Satan is astir. The power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it. The clergy will put forth almost superhuman efforts to shut away the light lest it should shine upon their flocks. {GC 607.1}

Do you know that that has happened in the Adventist church? They turned against the very people who were presenting the message. That’s what was happening back there.

Prepare for Court!

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, and some who hear them are led to take their stand to keep all the commandments of God. Thus light will be brought before thousands who otherwise would know nothing of these truths. {GC 607.1}

As this message was being proclaimed and it swelled louder and louder and drew more and more opposition, ultimately as this continues to unfold from the First World War to the Second World War, the opposition will get more and more intense. As it becomes more and more intense:

Conscientious obedience to the word of God will be treated as rebellion. {GC 608.1}

As that is what happens God’s people will end up in the courts when the Sunday law will be enforced. That’s where we are. We are not waiting for this great big work to go and to affect all the world. We are now waiting for the work through the courts where thousands will hear. That’s the line-up of prophecy. It’s all passed by already. If it’s hasn’t been recognised, then these people have missed the boat.

When God’s faithful people will be standing in the courts it will be singly, alone. If you are a faithful servant of God, a faithful follower of Jesus, you must know your message so well that when you are in the courts you’re going to be able to stand for your faith. We must know because we’re going to end up in court. That’s where thousands will hear from here onwards. Not anymore like it was before. It’s through the courts.

This is the prophetic line-up. Sister White describes it in page 612 and that’s where people are reading and saying, it will be more powerful than what happened with the disciples on the day of Pentecost. It’s written on page 612 and people say, well, see! It hasn’t happened therefore it’s going to come in the future! Well it has happened and it was powerful. They just didn’t recognise it. The powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit was more powerful afterwards at this time because it affected so many people worldwide in one go during the First and Second World War. That’s when it happened. Many people don’t recognise it so they’re still looking for this to happen and they say, no, no, no, it’s not in the courts, it’s going to happen in another way again. This is the darkened understanding.

In the light of all this, is there much time left? When the great majority have rejected and not recognised this outpouring? All that is left after the reform movement is the courts. It’s what you and I do today whether we recognise the truth of Jesus or not that we’re going to stand in defence and stand together. Our call for this time is to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. Who is left at this very last moment?

Jeremiah 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: 15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

I will bring you to Zion. Zion written in heaven, that’s where I will bring you to. That’s Hebrews 11. We are come there. I will bring you there, one of a city, two of a family and I will give you my pastors that I send. They are scattered around the world, individuals who are standing faithful to original Adventism. They will feed us with knowledge and understanding. There will be a very small remnant. One of a city and two of a family.

While the past Second World War condition has affected so that it says that they will be afraid of what is coming, isn’t that what is written in Amos chapter 5? As we see prophecy fulfilling ever since the First World War through to the Second World War and this terrible experience of the impact of the Second World War with all its horror, this is the reality:

Amos 5:10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.

Is that what has happened since the Second World War? Anybody that rebukes and speaks correctly. After the Second World War homosexuality was still held tight but it gradually broke open, and anybody who spoke against it was abhorred. To preach the old truths that the pioneers used to teach is abhorred.

Amos 5:11 Forasmuch therefore as your treading [is] upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.

That’s the future of the indignation.

Amos 5:12 For I know your manifold transgressions, and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate [from their right]. 13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it [is] an evil time.

This is our time because if you are going to stand up for the old fashioned truths and rebuke error, you will be abhorred, you will become a prey and the wisdom that must come from the Lord at this time is, hush. Say very little. Haven’t we experienced that? The more we say the worse it gets, the more persecution comes. The prudent will be silent at that time. But, but, but, we’ve got to make a big noise! But we’re supposed to be giving the loud cry! Sorry. It’s nearly over. That’s what the people don’t want to hear. I stand here as a servant of God to tell the people, it’s nearly over.

God give us wisdom to recognise present events, the king of the north, the last generation, all of those prophecies that I have shown. The king of the north is beginning to consider to establish his headquarters in the glorious holy mountain, and that’s when Jesus rises and probation is closed. That’s the present truth. The fig tree, the Hebrew nation, shot again and became a nation again. What did Jesus say about them? He said that when the fig tree shoots again that generation will not pass away till Jesus comes. 1948. It’s nearly all over.

May we understand our position and follow God’s direction for us at this time.

Amen.