https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfNRqumPVXI
A Divine Service Message
John Thiel mp3
Scripture Reading: Revelation 19:11–15
Revelation 19:11–15 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”
Turkey’s Link with the Approaching Storm
You will remember that what I am doing at these Divine Services — for I don’t know for how long — is to continue to understand the day of God and preparation for that. We have understood that the storm of the day of God has been approaching. As we were just singing that hymn, the pioneers of Adventism were looking forward to the coming of the Lord. And that approaching day has been an approaching experience that has slowly but surely become more and more distinct. Just like a storm arriving — you can see the dark clouds coming, and then there are the wisps of storm that come before the great storm hits.
“We are nearing the judgment. Already the plagues of God are beginning to be poured out upon some parts of the world. God is permitting the plagues to fall. If we would escape these plagues, we must be pure, virtuous, holy, ever remembering that we are God’s property because He has redeemed us. He wants us to cleanse the old temple from every trace of pollution. He wants His people to be healthy Christians, physically and spiritually.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 5, p. 17
Sister White wrote this in 1901. I repeat — already the plagues of God are beginning to be poured out upon some parts of the world. This was a sermon that Sister White gave in the General Conference of 1901.
What do we have here? An approaching storm. The plagues in Sister White’s time were already beginning. And if that’s the case, what a meditation we are here considering in this late hour — 1901 to 2024.
We are beginning to comprehend that indeed the storm is approaching. As we contemplated last week, we have a very important statement that I want to bring back to our understanding and appreciation.
“As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light. And when their test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren.” Great Controversy, p. 608, para. 2
Now these words are very important to pick up. These people who have professed faith in the third angel’s message changed their position — uniting with the world, partaking of its spirit. They have come to view matters in nearly the same light. When their test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side.
In the time of persecution, the faith of the Lord’s servants will be tried, and she goes into the detail of that. This is why I’m sharing these messages — so that we are becoming equipped for what is about to break upon us in the day of God.
Did you notice there that as the storm approaches, there is a religious decline in the life of the ministers who have proclaimed the Three Angels’ Messages? They move from their original position into a worldly interpretation that is surrounding them. They come to view matters in nearly the same light as those around them. This terrible storm that is going to burst upon us has to do even with those who have been faithful Seventh-day Adventists at one stage.
The Four Facets of the Day of God
In the day of God, we are seeing — so far we have seen already — that it is a multifaceted kind of experience, all in consequence because of the human interactions with one another. There is the facet of the religious, the facet of the political, the facet of the social, and the facet of nature. These are the four facets of the day of God that we need to become equipped to understand.
“When Jesus leaves the sanctuary — when Jesus finishes his ministry in the heavenly sanctuary — darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth. In that fearful time the righteous must live in the sight of the holy God without an intercessor. The restraint which has been upon the wicked is removed, and Satan has entire control of the finally impenitent. The world has rejected God’s mercy, despised his love and trampled upon his law. The wicked have passed the boundary of their probation. The spirit of God, persistently resisted, has been at last withdrawn. Unsheltered by divine grace, they have no protection from the wicked one.” Great Controversy, p. 614, para. 1
Can you see the description of the day of the Lord? There will be a boundary that has been passed, and the Spirit of God that has been resisted and withdrawn. Now they are unsheltered by divine grace. They have no protection from the wicked one.
Satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great final trouble. Now here comes a very important detail. As the angels of God cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human passion — remember those four angels holding back the winds? That’s what Sister White is talking about here. They are holding back the winds of human passion. As the angels of God hold in check these fears, all the elements of strife will be let loose — all the elements of strife, whether they be religious, natural, political, or social. The passions of humanity are going to be let loose. The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old. That happens when Jesus leaves the sanctuary. Mark that.
“Of earthquakes in diverse places, of fires, of tempests, of disasters by sea and land, of pestilence, of famine — what weight do these signs have upon you? This is only the beginning of what shall be. The description of the day of God is given through John by the Revelator. The cry of the terror-stricken myriads has fallen upon the ear of John. The great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand? The apostle himself was awed and overwhelmed. If such scenes as this are to come, such tremendous judgments on a guilty world, where will be the refuge for God’s people? How will they be sheltered until the indignation be overpast? John sees the elements of nature — earthquake, tempest, and political strife — represented as being held by the four angels. These winds are under control until God gives the word to let them go.” Testimonies to Ministers, p. 444, para. 2
There is the safety for God’s Church. The angels are still holding on. Before they let go altogether, there is the safety for God’s Church. Why? Because this is what these messages are all about — that we may know before it hits us full bore, that we can be ready for it.
Political Strife and the Vials of God’s Wrath
During this hour, it is my purpose to explore that segment — political strife. Have your Bibles ready and follow through carefully, because the Bible tells us that the faithful servant of God rightly divides the word of truth. We are going to divide it correctly.
Is political strife biblically identified with the plagues of God — the wrath, the outpouring of God’s wrath? Is political strife biblically identified with that? Well, let’s see. Remember we read there that this is the outpouring of God’s wrath, the vials of God’s wrath. Let’s read it there from Jeremiah 25. This is our first revelation from the Bible of the answer to these vials of God’s wrath being political.
Jeremiah 25:15–16 “For thus saith the Lord God of Israel unto me, Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send thee to drink it. And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.”
And then he ventures into all the nations that this wrath is going to be poured upon — all the nations of the world, including Jerusalem and the Jews. Did you notice there it said “because of the sword that I will send among them”? A sword in the Old Testament is always associated with war. So the outpouring of God’s wrath is going to be war.
The Wine Cup of His Fury
Revelation 16:1 “And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.”
Can you see? Vials or wine cup — the wrath of God being poured out. Come back to Jeremiah 25 and see that according to the Bible, the outpouring of God’s wrath is: I will send the sword among them.
Jeremiah 25:29–33 “For I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts. Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.”
Is that military war? Yes. The outpouring of the vials of God’s wrath is military.
Revelation 16:12–16 “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”
A battle. Remember what we read in Jeremiah? Sword. Warfare. A battle of the great day.
Revelation 16:16 And then the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air, and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying, “It is done.”
Remember what we read there in Jeremiah? God shall roar from his habitation. Where is that? From the sanctuary. There the voice of God is being expressed — a great voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne saying, “It is done.” These are the plagues, and God is roaring. And it is directly related to Armageddon. As it continues in verse 19, the great city was divided into three parts and the cities of the nations fell, and the great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. See how that all connects with Jeremiah 25 — the wine cup of his wrath. Here the story of military involvement is plainly expressed.
The Indicator: When Jesus Leaves the Sanctuary
What is the indicator of Jesus leaving heaven, of Jesus leaving his ministry? When do we know, according to Scripture, that these plagues are going to be finally poured out, and this terrible military thing is going to take place amongst nature and the strife of society? When is this going to be triggered? We already read it was going to be triggered when Jesus leaves the sanctuary.
Remember that the Bible was not separated into chapters, so this is the same articulation right through.
Daniel 11:45 – 12:1 “He shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”
Here is the event by which you can tell when Jesus finishes his ministry in heaven. It says at that time Michael shall stand up, and then will commence that terrible time of trouble, the day of God. When does that take place? When the king of the north shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain. There it is. There’s the event.
If you understand correctly who the king of the north is — he places his tabernacle of his government in Jerusalem, because that’s what it is, between the seas and the glorious holy mountain, when he does that, then Jesus stands up. That’s the event.
We want to carefully understand, and we will do this now. Follow very closely and very attentively, because you want to get the correct understanding about this King of the North and how this event of the commencement of this terrible war — besides all the other things — comes about.
The Seven Trumpets and the Wars of History
When Jesus was talking to the disciples in Matthew 24, let’s read there verses 7 and 8. We are going to carefully let the Bible lay out before us this event that will launch the terrible war, that military and political conflict.
Matthew 24:7–8 “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
What is Jesus alluding to? He is soon to leave the disciples. And what is he saying? You will see, after I’m gone, nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom, which will lead to famines, pestilence, earthquakes in diverse places.
After Jesus left, what was the history? If you come to Revelation, you know that the things pointed out are going to be taking place from that time on. So from the time that Jesus left this planet to come back again, there would be wars as well as other events. In Revelation chapters 1, 2, and 3, you talk about the seven churches — that’s the history of the religious experience. Then you come to the seven seals, which are the history of both religious and political circumstances from the time of Christ through to the very end. And then in chapters 8 and 9, you come to the seven trumpets.
What is the correct interpretation in reference to the seven trumpets? We’ve got to let the Bible tell us that. What does a trumpet represent?
Jeremiah 4:19–26 “My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled. How long shall I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet? For my people is foolish, they have not known me… I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger.”
The sound of the trumpet is associated with the alarm of war. And notice what Jeremiah is actually describing here is not just a local scene — this is the earth. The vials of God’s wrath, the fierce anger of God are being poured out, and the consequence is what Jeremiah sees there. But notice he talks about the trumpet and war.
Zephaniah 1:14–16 “The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly; even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.”
The great day of the Lord — that’s what our study is all about. Can you see? Trumpet — to do with destruction by war. A trumpet, an alarm, because there’s going to be destruction by war. The wars that Jesus said are going to take place after he leaves — nation will fight against nation and so on — these wars after the ascension of Jesus are the wars that reveal the demise of the Roman Pagan Empire. At the time when Jesus spoke, the Roman Empire was in control. He was now telling them what he then reveals in the book of Revelation — the wars, the seven trumpets.
As you study the detail of the seven trumpets, we are looking at the destruction of Pagan Rome — the Western Roman Empire, which are the first four trumpets — and then the eastern part of the Roman Empire, which are the last three, and the final destruction at the very end.
These trumpets are the wars that take place that Jesus said are just the beginning of troubles — they’re going to get worse and worse to the very end. And here we read a very interesting statement, the angel talking about the trumpets.
Revelation 8:13 “And I beheld and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound.”
Remember what Jesus said — these are just the beginnings of trouble. Now as we come to the last three trumpets, the angel is saying woe, woe, woe. After the destruction of the Western Roman Empire, which led into the papal control over Western Rome, then come these other three trumpets, these other three wars. And the angel is saying: woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because from that time of the commencement of those last three trumpets, it’s going to lead to the final woe.
Revelation 11:15, 18 “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever… And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.”
You are getting the picture, as we read text by text, that the fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpets are such woe — they have to do with terrible warfare that is the final consequence of God’s wrath in the plagues.
As you study with careful study the detail of the fifth and the sixth trumpet, they are the wars of the Ottoman Empire being established from the 12th century. This is now the Eastern Roman Empire. Remember, Constantine shifted to the east and built a beautiful cathedral. Do you know what that beautiful cathedral has become? In Constantinople — which is today Istanbul — that very church that was built by Constantine is now a Muslim place of worship.
There in this description of the last three of the seven trumpets — the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh — we are watching the Ottoman Empire, which is headed by which nation? Turkey. Turkey was the headquarters of the Ottoman Empire, correct? And so this is our study.
Turkey, the Muslim World, and the King of the North
Turkey — what has it to do with these terrible vials of God’s wrath? The political conflict, those dreadful woes — the Ottomans did terrible warfare. We understand this already. And when it comes to the very end, it’s a final woe of God’s wrath that he uses when the passions of the world are let loose. The dreadful woe culminating in military destruction.
Do you know what happened in the First World War in regards to Turkey? Have you heard of the Dardanelles? That was Turkey being attacked by the Anzacs. There in the First World War, Turkey received a serious blow. Turkey lost in that war and it has been relegated to a European nation. But they had one plan — that they’re going to recover themselves from that. You can hear them even today. You can hear Erdogan in Turkey: “We’re going to get our empire back.” They are resolute.
Turkey and the Muslim world have something to do with the plagues, with the battle of the great day of the Lord, the outpouring of his wrath, as we read it in Jeremiah, as we read it in Revelation. Well, let me come to some scriptures now that will identify Turkey without any question.
Psalm 120:5–7 “Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.”
This is David the warrior. Kedar and Meshech. Now, if you have in your Bibles a map of the Near East in the time of the Assyrian Empire, these names — Kedar and Meshech — are clearly marked. My soul hath long dwelt with him who hateth peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.
According to these ancient maps, Meshech — you know where that is? There. That’s Meshech. Turkey. Way back there. That was already a place that Israel had trouble with. And Kedar? Right here. Arabia. And the watershed of the river Euphrates runs from Turkey through into Arabia. So here we have a biblical description of the problem that Israel has had with Turkey and Arabia — Kedar.
Why is Kedar identified with Arabia, and why are they in cahoots together with Meshech? Let’s go to 1 Chronicles.
1 Chronicles 1:28–29 “The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael. These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar…”
And if you count up all those names, you know how many there are? Twelve. Ishmael had twelve sons. And there you have the distribution of the Ishmaelites across the eastern world. Turkey, Meshech, and Kedar being Arabia — we understand well. And that’s what they all claim, don’t they? Even Erdogan claims he is the son of Ishmael. They have their lineage from the sons of Ishmael, Kedar.
Isaiah 21:16–17 “For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall fail: and the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it.”
These are not a prophetic year — this is a literal year. All the glory of Kedar will fail within a year. Now remember who Kedar was and who Meshech was. All the glory of these will be melted away within a year.
Well, let’s compare.
Revelation 16:12 “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.”
The watershed of the river Euphrates is where all the waters from the mountains of Turkey come rushing down and run into the river Euphrates. The Bible tells you that a river represents the nation through which it runs in prophecy — just like the ocean represents multiple nations, but the river represents the nation through which it runs. So what does it say here? The river Euphrates will be dried up. What was the river Euphrates running through? Meshech, Kedar. And what does this say? They will be dried up.
People argue today that the king of the north is the papacy. By careful Bible study of Daniel chapter 11, it is not the papacy. It’s the king of the north from Israel. Here’s Israel. What’s north of Israel? Turkey. What’s south of Israel? Egypt. King of the north and the king of the south — that’s the territory of Daniel chapter 11. When Turkey, the king of the north, shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain, yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him. Does that sound like the drying up of the river Euphrates? Does that sound like Kedar losing his position within a year? Because the plagues are roughly a year. So Meshech and Kedar — the Muslim world — will be instrumental in part of the outpouring of God’s wrath and the woes of the military conflict. They will be gathered together as we read there in Revelation chapter 16.
Turkey, which is the head of the Muslim empire in the time when the Muslim empire was in control, which is the head of the watershed of the river Euphrates, is there inseparably associated with the wars affecting history while Jesus is mediating. And when he comes to the end of his mediation, those three last trumpets come to their culmination. That’s so plainly concluded by comparing Scripture with Scripture. The reality that the plagues have not just to do with God’s wrath upon the people in some spiritual manner — it is the literal disasters of nature, of social and of political strife. People who are religiously orientated are not picking up on this and are losing their direction.
The day of God is going to be brought on when Jesus finishes his sanctuary work. In that time when they shall plant the tabernacle of their palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain, when Turkey and the Muslim world — which have already got quite a hold in Jerusalem — when the caliphate is moved there, that’s when Jesus stands up and the storm will strike in all its velocity.
The religious ingredient — did you pick it up when we read it there in Revelation 16:14? These three unclean spirits with the doctrines of devils will gather together these nations. The frog that comes out of the mouth of the papacy, the beast, the dragon — paganism, which is also Muslim — and the apostate Protestantism. Three unclean spirits. Can’t you see it? Can’t you see the storm developing? Realise where we stand. This is a doctrine that was taught by the pioneers. I’m sharing with you what the pioneers taught, what the Adventist Church taught in the pioneer years. This will bring on the final day of God — a military devastation as we have been reading it there, the punishment upon the nations.
Christ Returns as King of Kings
How does our scripture reading come into place? Revelation chapter 19. Because Jesus has finished his place in heaven, and here is what is described — what Jesus is doing after he has finished his ministry in heaven. There will be a time of trouble such as never was.
Revelation 19:11–15 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war… And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.”
Can you see scripture laying it out for us? Turkey and its empire that they’re trying to restore and have their headquarters in Jerusalem — can’t you see it taking its place, its course, right now? How close are we?
When they bring their caliphate to Jerusalem, that’s when Jesus is finished. And the plagues and the wars — which, already in the First World War, Turkey was being fought against — Turkey is wanting to come back. And it’s going to come back. And it’s going to lose its power once and for all in those terrible wars. That’s the picture of the scripture.
Indeed, Jesus has stood up and now conducts the final affairs. In the time when he stands up, he then comes as King of kings and Lord of lords to rule and to do what? To tread the winepress of God’s wrath. I can read you many other scriptures where he was bleeding in Gethsemane and on the cross, and he says: I’m going to come, and my vengeance is going to be there, and I’m going to dip my garment in blood again in this time.
The Call to Hide: Why This Matters
Why is this so important? Why is it so important that we get this right, that Christ’s followers get this right at this time? Well, let’s read there in conclusion.
Zephaniah 2:1–3 “Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you. Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.”
Remember what we studied in the Sabbath school lesson — the outcasts of Jerusalem. What is God saying? You better be hidden. You don’t want to end up in the winepress of God’s wrath. You need to study this closely so that you don’t get caught up.
Isaiah 26:20–21 “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: and the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”
There it is — war. And we are to understand this as the Adventists understood it in their early years. Because what did they stand for? What did they place on record as their position in regards to war? They would have no part of it. That was their identification point. They made it a point that they would not partake of any war. Why? One, you can’t follow God and at the same time enter war. And the other, most important part, is — if they would, where would they be caught up? In the winepress of God’s wrath.
Adventism, War, and Non-Combatancy
Do you know that today the Seventh-day Adventist Church does not believe what early Adventists believed? They did go to war in the First World War. They did go to war in the Second World War. And today they still go to war — maybe not as warriors, but as medics. Tell me, if you are in the war as a medic — if you are in the winepress of God’s wrath as a medic — and young people, not only young men, because when they call up these armies, are they going to call up women as well? Young people, if you don’t want to get caught up, you need to know that you’re not going to be part of that.
The whole thing that modern Adventism has made so beautiful before the minds of Adventists is — have you heard of Hacksaw Ridge – Desmond Doss? They glorify the man. And they are going to go into the time of Jacob’s trouble, into the time of the plagues and the time of the vials of God’s wrath. They’re going to be right there in the winepress of God’s wrath.
You and I — young people, adults — we must understand what the message of original Adventism is. There is going to be a literal, physical war that you do not want to be involved in. You are to hide yourself. We are to hide ourselves under the protection of Christ and his angels — that means to be where he wants us to be.
Don’t think that this diminishes the conflict of the plagues in reference to the time of Jacob’s trouble in regards to the papacy. That’s another segment of the day of the Lord, and I will deal with that separately. Here we are dealing with the day of the Lord and war in the destruction of the wicked.
In Conclusion
I pray that God will help us to recognise how we came to all this right now. Daniel chapter 11, verse 45 — ushering in Jesus standing up and the time of trouble such as never was. Turkey has everything to do with it. The king of the north is not the papacy. We’ll deal with the papacy another time.
May God bless His word to us.
Amen.
