a peg in a sure place

This crisis will force the churches to the point where they will have to have the Image set up in their behalf or they themselves will cease to exist. It will be a matter of their own survival. So serious will the situation have become, so desperate the plight to which the world will have come, that something will have to be done to meet the situation.

On every hand the church will see faith in her institutions and her authority fading away. Conscious of the fact that they are powerless to reach and hold the people, conscious of the fact that they cannot stem the rising tide of evil, the churches will be forced to seek power where it can be found. But they have rejected the power of God and have confirmed themselves in that rejection to the point where they have no mind to confess the sin and return to the Lord. Therefore they must find some other power and they will. The only other power that is available is the power of force, the means whereby a man is compelled to do that which it is not in him do do.

But such power is vested, not in the church, but in the state. It is not the way of God to force anyone to do anything. God desires only willing and cheerful obedience. He looks for a people who are willing to be made willing by trusting wholly in the merits of the blood of a crucified and risen Savior.

But the power of the state is such that it can obtain obedience to its laws only by force. It has no other means. Therefore, when the church has lost the power of God, the power to appeal to the heart of man, and needs the power of force, then she will go to the State and obtain from it the power which it has, the power of force, and, when she has obtained that, then she will have set up the image of the beast. But such a situation will not have arrived in a moment. It will be the culmination of a long process beginning with the rejection of the power of God, followed by the consequent inroads of immorality, vice, spiritualism, violence, rebellion, and such like.

If they were but to see that this is the outworking of their own mischievious course of action and thus be led to repent of that which caused the problem, that one wrong action leads to another and then another until the matter reaches crisis proportions and a desperate church calls in the power of the State to do that which she is powerless to do.

This is the procedure, long and remorseless, which leads up to the Image of the Beast. Already this is well advanced and shortly we shall see the fruition of it all.

sky

While the devil is marshalling his forces, the Lord is also preparing His. It is a sad picture wherein the armies of the Lord cause many delays by their failure to measure up to the standards the Lord requires and generations pass away before the Lord finally has the army prepared.

For this reason the four winds of strife are held in check until this preparation is complete and then will be released the powers of heaven and earth for this last great conflict between the beast and his image on the one hand, and the armies of the living God on the other hand. This will be the final and the finishing conflict which will ring down the curtain on this earth's history and usher in the glorious second coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It is a conflict in which everyone of us is going to be involved should we live the short period of time until it comes, whether we like it or not. In this conflict every man, woman and child is going to have to take a stand on the one side or the other. There will be no neutrals then. The very force of the pressures of the great controversy will demand this to be so, and each must and will have to give his answer the one way or the other. Therefore, the subject of that conflict must be one which is of vital interest to all who live upon the earth at this time.

The issues in this warfare are spiritual, but this is not to say that the weapons of force are not going to be employed by those who are accustomed to gaining their ends by these means. But on the side of the Lord, the weapons will be spiritual and not carnal, and God, through His faithful few, will resist the powers of darkness by the proclamation of a mighty and a powerful message, which message is contained in the first part of Revelation 18.

sky

As we are interested in the order of last day events here, let us look at this Scripture from that point of view.

Considerable light is thrown on the matter by comparing it with a very similar message which is found in Revelaltion 14:8. This is the message of the second angel, "preached in the summer of 1844," Great Controversy, 389.

Its proclamation followed the sounding forth of the first angel's message which went before it. As a result of the rejection of that message, "The churches then experienced a moral fall in consequence of their refusal of the light of the Advent Message." Ibid, 389.

But note this point with care, it is a simple fact of history that that message could not go until it could be proclaimed as present truth in very truth. God does not lie in His messages. They speak the truth, so therefore, when He sends a message that Babylon is fallen, then that message does not come until Babylon is fallen.

This then brings us to the point where we can compare with profit the second angel's message of Revelation 14:8, and the message of the angel of Revelation 18:1-4. At first they may seem to be identical but there is a very vital difference and it is this, the second angel announces that Babylon is fallen, while the fourth angel announces that Babylon The Great is fallen. It is very much in order here to raise the question as to what difference there is between Babylon and Babylon The Great.

sky

Babylon is the Bible name given to apostate and corrupt forms of religion at war with God, just as the term "Israel" is the identifying name given to the loyal and true people of God. And, in the New Testament period through to the coming of Christ, these two, Babylon and Israel, uphold respectively the same principles, evil and righteousness, as were held by the Babylon and the Israel of the Old Testament.

We well understand that the Papacy and ancient Rome, held the principles of Babylon and in unrigheousness warred against God and His truth in the person of His saints. But they were not the Babylon which fell in 1844. The Babylon which fell at that time was the Protestant Churches to whom God had sent the light of truth and who flatly refused to receive that truth.

It follows then that if the term BABYLON applies to A PART OF THE WHOLE, then the term BABYLON THE GREAT must apply to THE WHOLE OF THAT MIGHTY KINGDOM. In other words, as we look at a part of the kingdom, we can truthfully say that this is BABYLON, but when we look at the whole of that mighty confederacy of evil against the Lord of Heaven, we can only say, this is BABYLON THE GREAT.

The message of the angel of Revelation 18 is concerned with Babylon the Great and announces that she is fallen. Therefore, in the light of the above facts in regard to the message of the first and second angel's messages, it is evident that that message cannot and will not go under God's direction and leadership, until the fact of it is accomplished and it can be stated in very truth that Babylon the Great is fallen.

This immediately raises the question as to whether this is already present truth or is it a situation yet to be reached. There are always those who run ahead of the Lord, and it is needful that we test their claims by the word of the living God.

to be continued

EastCoastRemnant said:

Reading with extreme interest... great post!!

Click to expand...

Thanks ECR. Praise the Lord! That ought to keep me going for a while. hehe

We learn from the book The Great Controversy page 603, that that message was still future at the time of the writing of this last edition in 1911. After quoting the scripture from Revelation 18:1-4, the text goes on to say,

"This Scripture points forward to a time when the announcement of the fall of Babylon, as made by the second angel of Revelation 14, is to be REPEATED with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the various organizations that constitute Babylon, since that message was first given in the summer of 1844."

The time referred to in the above statement is not a moment of time but a period of time. It is the period of time, as yet of unknown length, during which the message goes forward announcing the fall of Babylon the Great and calling on the true people of God to come out of her. It was still future at the time of the writing of the above, but for how long in the future?

Inasmuch as we know that there will never be another message based on definite time, (7 BC 971) then we cannot expect that we shall be informed anywhere of the exact date, but we can expect to be told of the exact CONDITIONS which will bring Babylon the Great to the place where the message can go forth IN TRUTH that she is fallen.

Let us then begin to trace the evidence telling this to us. On the very next page to that quoted above we read,

"Of Babylon, at the time brought to view in this prophecy, it is declared, 'Her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembered her iniquities.' She has filled up the measure of her guilt and destruction is about to fall upon her. But God still has a people in Babylon; and before the visitation of His judgments, these faithful ones must be called out that they 'partake not of her sins and receive none of her plagues.'"

The time brought to view in this prophecy is the time when the message goes forth that Babylon the Great is fallen. It is therefore also the time when the CONDITION will have been reached WHEN THE SINS OF BABYLON HAVE REACHED AS HIGH AS HEAVEN and she will have FILLED UP THE MEASURE OF HER GUILT. There is coming a time when the whole of Babylon in one vast confederacy will have come to the place where they will have reached the LIMIT OF REBELLION against the God of Heaven.

And we are able to ascertain from the prophetic word just what EVENT will bring them to the place where their sins will have reached unto heaven.

sky

Here are two statements, which, when read together give us the information we are seeking.

In the first one you will read that THE LAW OF GOD IS TO BE MADE VOID WHEN THE SUNDAY LAW IS PAST. This is the time of the setting up of the image of the Beast as we learned earlier in this series.

Then the second statement tells us that THE SINS OF BABYLON WILL HAVE REACHED UNTO HEAVEN WHEN THE LAW OF GOD IS MADE VOID.

Those words then tell us as plainly as it ever could be told that the point of time when Babylon the Great is finally fallen is that point of time when the law of God is made void in the land by the enforcement of the Sunday law, by which act they fill up the measure of their guilt and their sins will reach unto Heaven above. Read the truth of it in these statements:

"A time is coming when the law of God is, in a special sense, to be made void in the land. The rulers of our nation will, by legistative enactments, enforce the Sunday law, and thus God's people will be brought into great peril. When our nation, in its legislative councils, shall enact laws to bind the consciences of men in regard to their religious privileges, enforcing Sunday observance and bringing oppressive power to bear against those who keep the seventh-day Sabbath, the law of God will, to all intents and purposes, be made void in our land; and national apostasy will be followed by national ruin." RH Dec.18, 1888.

"The sins of the world will have reached unto heaven when the law of God is made void, when the Sabbath of the Lord is trampled in the dust, and men are compelled to accept in its stead an institution of the papacy through the strong hand of the law of the land. In exalting an institution of man above the institution ordained of God, they show contempt for the great Lawgiver, and refuse His sign or seal." RH Nov.5, 1899.

In addition to the above there is also the statement from Testimonies Volume 5:451, where the same truth is expressed as follows,

"By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will DISCONNECT herself FULLY from righteousness."

To disconnect one's self fully from righteousness is to come where one can go no further in departing from the living God. This is to fill up the measure of iniquity and guilt and to have one's sins reach unto heaven itself. And when will this be accomplished? It will be accomplished by the making of the decree which will enforce the worship of the institution of the Papacy which we know to be the enforcement of the Sunday law.

to be continued

sky

Our course of study has now established for us from the prophetic word that the time when the fall of Babylon The Great becomes an established fact, is that point of time when the churches secure the power of the state in the United States of America to enforce the decrees and the dogmas of the church. The decree which will be the special subject of such enforcement will be the one concerning the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for which there is no scriptural authority whatsoever.

We have seen that this truth is so plainly taught that none need to err in the knowing of it. This thing is coming exactly as prophesied and not one of us can stop it, for the powers that be in church and state are determined upon it, and they will have it as fast as they can gain the opportunity. At any time anyone may find some doubt creeping into the mind in regard to this, then let that one read again the words of Revelation 13:11-18.

So much is stated in the Word of God about this thing appearing in Christendom, and, at the same time from the human point of view, it seems so impossible for this thing to appear among the so-called non-Christian nations, that it is necessary for us to consider this question at this stage of our study, as to how extensive this thing will be in the world in the end.

That is to say, in the restoration of the Beast to power with the establishment of the Image of the Beast, how much of the world is involved? Does this thing appear only in Christendom or does it extend to the non-Christian nations as well? Will Russia, China and the Mohammedan world also set up an image to the Beast in their countries and enforce the Sunday as an act of homage to the Papacy as will be done in the Christian world?

Set the Word of God aside and look at the world scene and how swiftly would we declare that it could never happen in such lands as India, China, Arabia and Russia. Look at the manifest hostility, scorn and even open hatred revealed in these nations toward the Christian religion in the world today. So utterly are they opposed to the western nations, who have been losing prestige and standing before them, that one could harldy believe that they ever could or would do homage to the Papacy!

But God sees not as man sees and He knows better than we, the forces which are even now at work in these vast dominions and powers of the earth. God sees and understands long before it even appears that which we neither see nor understand when it is right here with us. But, in His great mercy He has not kept selfishly to Himself that which He has seen and understood of that which we should know for our best good. Plainly He has revealed these things to us in the Word of truth. Ever in the past we have found every such prophetic utterance to be absolutely true and reliable, and from this we can know that in every prophecy as yet unfulfilled, there is the same absolute truth and reliability. When the God of Heaven tells us that it is going to be so, then we just simply know that that is exactly how it is going to be.

sky

So we take our unaided eyes off the confusing and discordant world scene, and look instead upon the Word of God and ask the grave question which is before us and in that Word we shall find that nothing less than the whole world will give its allegiance to the Papacy.

Every nation, kindred, tongue and people on the face of the whole globe will do this and nothing else. It matters not that witness of sight and circumstances may deny this at the time when this is written. The fact is that the Lord has said that it will be so and therefore that is how it will be. God has spoken, and it is only a matter of time before that which He has spoken will most certainly be fulfilled.

Let us turn to the prophetic word and see the truth of it written there. In Revelation 13:8, after reading of the restoration of the Papacy to power comes this statement,

"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

In this verse are brought to view two classes. There are those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life, and obviously they are the ones who serve God in spirit and in truth in every nation, kindred, tongue and people. These are the only exceptions given. All the rest of those who dwell on the earth shall worship the beast. In that day we are going to be among the one or the other of those two classes whether we like it or not. Either we shall be among those who have their names written in the book of life and therefore have the power to resist the power of the beast and his image or we shall be worshippers of that beast and his image.

sky

How this will be is made plain from previous verses in the chapter. In verse 4, it is evident that a situation arises wherein the beast is able to make such a display of power as to intimidate the rest of the world to the place where they say, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"

This is but another way of saying that the beast is too powerful to give anyone the slightest hope of victory in any contest with such a power as he. And so it is then that "power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations," verse 7, as a result of which all who dwell upon the earth shall worship him willingly or unwillingly except for those whose names are written in the book of life.

We look upon the world today and we see that the nations of the earth are divided in their attitude to the papal power with the larger proportion of the earth's people in positive open hostility to the Papacy, and we ask as to how it could be that such could come to the place where they would worship this potentate.

But when we look upon that scene as it is today and draw the conclusions we do, we do it without realizing that our conclusion is dependent upon our holding a certain concept as to what worship is. We naturally think of worship as being a willing thing; of being something that is given because we want to give it. Without a doubt this must be true so far as the worship of the true God is concerned, for it is the only kind of worship acceptable to Him, but it is not true so far as the worship of the Beast and his image is concerned. This is a worship which is forced from the worshiper because the power of the potentate is of such magnitude as to command that worship whether the person desires to give it or not.

sky

For every truth in the New Testament there is a type in the Old and the type of the enforcing of the Sunday worship on the part of modern Babylon is to be found in the enforcement of the worship of the golden image on the plains of Dura in the days of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Nebuchadnezzar was the pope of that day and he it was who called the people of every nation to the worship of his golden image. In Revelation 13, we read that the death penalty hangs over the head of all those who do not worship the Beast and his image. This is but the antitype of the type found in the days of king Nebuchadnezzar, for he threatened with death all those who refused to bow down before the golden image. As it was then so it will be again before probation for the human family closes.

At that time there were gathered the rulers of the people of all the nations of the whole world over which Babylon then had the power. And every one of them was required to worship the power of Babylon under pain of death. Knowing well the spirit of rebellion which dwells in the hearts of the conquered, we can know that many of those who bowed that day bowed, not because they had a mind to worship the golden image, the symbol of the power of Babylon, but because they had a mind not to go in the burning fiery furnace.

They wowshipped it is true, but not because of any love for Babylon, but because of fear of her power, and because they were so held in the grip of her power that they had no choice but to obey or to perish. That which has been will be.

sky

Therefore the hatred which these nations possess for the Papacy and the western world which protects and fosters the Papacy is not evidence at all in the case for not believing that the papacy will gain the worship of the whole world. She will do it because she will obtain the power to do it. A situation will develop through the power of spiritualism and the power of the United States under the leadership of Apostate Protestantism, which will give back to the Papacy the supremacy of the world.

On the plains of Dura there were two classes of people before that image and two only. They were the people of the whole world who bowed before the image and there were the faithful few, only three in number, who had no fear of the power of Babylon and whose names were written in the book of life. These alone did not bow before that image, and so it will be again. But a faithful few will know the power of God, and thus will be able to stand against the power of Babylon the Great.

It is the third angel who gives the specific warning against receiving the mark in his forehead or in his hand. To whom does he give this warning? The answer must be to those who are in danger of doing the very thing against which this warning is given. It therefore must be that the angel will go wherever the people of the earth are in peril of this thing.

If there is no danger to any particular people from this peril, then he will not take the specific warning against the beast and his image to them, but another warning to cover the particular peril in which they stood. That is to say, if, in the last days, Russia, India, China, and Iran, were not going to worship the beast and his image, then there would be no point in warning them against something with which they would never be faced. Therefore, the third angel would not go to them.

But the third angel does go to them. This is made certain by the word of the prophecy which states that "The third angel followed them," that is, the other two angels. Of the first of the other two it is specifically stated that he goes to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people," with his message. Therefore, if the third angel follows him, it can only be that he too takes his message to every nation, and warns every such people of their danger of woshipping the beast and his image. This can only mean that the beast shall be worshipped by people of every nation, kindred and tongue, otherwise the warning would not go to every such people. If there was to be another test to the people of other lands then a different angel would carry a different warning to them.

sky

It is extremely important that we study THE ROLE OF SPIRITUALISM in the setting up of the Image of the beast in the United States of America and in all the world.

In the work of restoration of the Beast and his Image in these last days, the role of SPIRITUALISM is not to be overlooked, for it will play a major part in this return to power of ecclesiastical oppression.

"Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world... little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of SPIRITUALISM... Even in its present form, so far from being more worthy of toleration than formerly, it is really a more dangerous, because a more subtle, deception. While it formerly denounced Christ and the Bible, IT NOW PROFESSES TO ACCEPT BOTH. But the Bible is interpreted in a manner that is pleasing to the unrenewed heart, while its solemn and vital truths are made of no effect. LOVE IS DWELT UPON AS THE CHIEF ATTRIBUTE OF GOD, BUT IT IS DEGRADED TO A WEAK SENTIMENTALISM, making little distinction between good and evil." The Great Controversy,561, 558.

In Matthew 24:24, we are warned that in the last days "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."

The ones against whom we are warned, appearing in plural numbers in these last days are false Christs and false prophets. They come NOT AS OPENED ENEMIES OF THE TRUTH, but as COUNTERFEITS OF THE REAL. Among those who are opposed to God's living truths are men so polite, courteous, helplful, calm and nice that you would ask yourself, How could such a person ever be the enemy of God? Outwardly he bears all the marks of conversion. Surely from all I can see of this man he is a true child of God!

But do not be deceived. That is not the test. The ministers of unrighteousness come among us as angels of light to deceive and draw back God's people. In these last days we will have miracles, genuine, undeniable miracles of apparent conversions, worked by Satan's ministers. They will teach a message which appears to be the doctrine of Christ. It will look the same and sound the same, but God's true people will know by His Word that it is not the same because there are distinct differences.

"Genious, sympathy, even generous deeds, may become decoys of Satan to entice other souls over the precipice of ruin for this life and the life to come." MB 94,95.

"To a superficial observer, persons who are naturally amiable, who are educated and refine, may appear perfect in life," (F.W.32) but do not be deceived, for

"I saw that the mysterious signs and wonders, and false reformations would increase, and spread. The reformations that were shown me, were not reformations from error to truth, but from bad to worse; for those who professed a change of heart, had only wrap about them a religious garb, which covered up the iniquity of a wicked heart. Some appeared to have been really converted, as to deceive God's people, but if their hearts could be seen, they would appear as black as ever." E.G.White, and Her Critics, by F.D. Nichol p.222.(Present Truth, Aug.1849, pp.21,22).

sky

In the book of Revelation, it is made clear that there will be in the final and finishing conflict, a vast gathering of the powers of earth, and that this gathering will be accomplished through the work of the spirits of devils, WORKING MIRACLES. It is also made clear that this vast confederacy of earthly power will be gathered together in opposition against the God of Heaven and against the Lamb, but that in the end the Lord will be the victor in the battle. See Isaiah 8:9-16.

Now these very same miracle working spirits of devils will be the prime agency in the bringing into being the Image of the Beast. This is expressly stated in Revelation 13:11-18. What is this fire that comes down from heaven (first heaven of course)?

Today men in the religious world are looking for the fulfilment of the second Pentecost. In Joel 2:28-32, is foretold the mighty outpouring of the Spirit in the last days. When this true work comes it will be the work of the true Christ and His workers, and the Devil and his evil spirits of devils fears the mighty power to be exercised in this movement.

They will work with all their deceptive power to mislead souls. To do this they will seek to counterfeit the real before it comes so that many will be misled and deceived into a snare before the real movement comes. In this way they miss out on the true because they have become part of the false.

"I saw that God has honest children among the nominal Adventist and the fallen churches, and before the plagues shall be poured out, ministers and people will be called out from these churches and will gladly receive the truth. Satan knows this; and before the loud cry of the third angel is given, he raises an excitement in these religious bodies, that those who have rejected the truth may think that God is with them. He hopes to deceive the honest and lead them to think that God is still working for the churches. But the light will shine, and all who are honest will leave the fallen churches, and take their stand with the remnant." Early Writings, p.261.

The above prophecy from the Book of Joel has already had a fulfilment in the experience of the Apostles at Pentecost. On that day, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and therefore speaking the truth of God, Peter said, "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel." Acts 2:16. It was in that day when the words of Joel were first fulfilled that "fire came down from Heaven in the sight of men" as a testtimony that the Holy Spirit had come in power on the people of God. That was a demonstration of the way in which this prophecy was to be fulfilled and the devil knows it. Inasmuch as he is determined to appear as Christ with the power of God, he will make it appear that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit has come, that Pentecost is being repeated.

The coming down of the fire from heaven which marked the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, was immediately followed by miracles of healing. Likewise we can expect to see miracles of healing sweeping through those churches who, having rejected the light of truth and the message of Sabbath reform, have opened the door to the inroads of spiritualism. And in these expectations we shall not be disappointed in our trust of the sure word of prophecy, for already this thing is being fulfilled before our very eyes. Today there is present in many of the churches a movement of power associated with which are miracles of healing so genuine as to be undeniable.

"And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men and deceived them that dwell upon the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by the sword and did live."

So the whole objective of the bringing of false fire from heaven, the whole objective of working miracles and therefore, the whole objective of the spirits of devils in the last days is to bring into existence the formation of the Image of the Beast.

sky

"Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deception. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The PROTESTANTS of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of SPIRITUALISM, and they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the ROMAN POWER; and under the influence of this three fold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling the rights of conscience." G.C.588; please read 552-560.

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 whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Rev.16:13-14.

"Many will be confronted by the spirits of devils personating beloved relatives or friends and declaring the most dangerous heresies. These visitants will appeal to our tenderest sympathies and will work miracles to sustain their pretensions. We must be prepared to withstand them with the Bible truth that the dead know not anything and that they who thus appear are the spirits of devils... The Apostles, as personated by these lying spirits, are made to contradict what they wrote at the dictation of the Holy Spirit when on earth." G.C. 560,557.

We have the plainest warning that through the teaching of the immortality of the soul, the spirits of devils will make fire come down from heaven, which is to make it appear that the Holy Spirit has been poured out. With equal clarity we have been warned that the spirits of devils have power to do miracles in the sight of men. Therefore we know that it is not safe to accept every appearance of the "Holy Spirit" and every miracle as a witness of the presence of the power of God. More likely it is the counterfeit abroad in its work of deception.

That this is not the work of the Spirit of God is evident from the fact that these people have rejected the message of truth for this time. They are of those who, having rejected the mssages of God sent to the churches in the 1844 period, have fallen lower and lower and further and further into the grip of spiritualism.

sky

"The line of distinction between professed Christians and the ungodly is now hardly distinguishable. Church members love what the world loves, and are ready to join with them; and Satan determines to unite them in one body, and thus strengthens his cause by sweeping all into the ranks of SPIRITUALSIM. Catholics, who boast of miracles as a certain sign of the true church, will be readily deceived by this miracle working power; and Protestants, having cast away the shield of truth, will also be deceived. Catholics, Protestants and worldlings, will alike accept the form of godliness without the power and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long expected millinium." G.C. 588, 589.

But the true people of God will not be deceived. They will know that the work of these forces will be upholding error and not truth. But when Jesus at last appears in the clouds of heaven, then the true children of God will say, "Lo, this is our God. We have waited for Him. We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Isaiah 25:9.

sky

There is yet another means that the Devil uses in his efforts to bring all the people into subjection to himself and that is the instrument of CALAMITY and TROUBLE. While on the one hand through spiritualism he heals the people and thus appears as the benefactor of the race, on the other hand he works in his true role of destroyer.

This is brought to view very clearly in the way in which he afflicted Job, the servant of God. It was he who swept away all of Job's possessions but it was God who was blamed for it by those who came to see and to "comfort" Job.

But Satan was able to go only so far as the Lord allowed him and no more. So today still,

"It is God that shields His creatures, and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer. But the Christian world has shown contempt for the law of Jehovah; and the Lord will do just what He has declared that He would, He will withdraw His blessings from the earth, and remove His protecting care from those who are rebelling against His law; and teaching and forcing others to do the same." G.C.589.

This leaves the door open for Satan to work his will. He will not treat all the same as it will best suit his purpose.

"Satan has control of all whom God does not especially guard. He will FAVOR and PROSPER SOME, in order to further his own designs; and he will BRING TROUBLE UPON OTHERS, and lead men to believe that it is God who is afflicting them." Ibid, p.589.

In the book of Job we have some revelation of the power of Satan to control the elements of nature.

There storm and tempest came at his call to sweep the possessions of God's faithful servant. Since that time his learning and skill have advanced and he has even more power to destroy today. Thus we read,

"While appearing to the children of men as the great physician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster until populous cities are reduced to ruin and to destruction. Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hail-storms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening harvest and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more disastrous. Destruction will be upon both man and beast.'The earth mourneth and fadeth away. The haughty people do languish. The earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances, broken the everlasting covenant." Isa.24:4,5; G.C.590.

It is Satan's constant effort to make it appear that these calamities and disasters are visited upon the earth by the direct decree of God. But

"It is THUS that the great deceiver seeks to conceal his own work... God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression but He leaves the rejectors of His mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown. The Spirit of God, persistently resisted, is at last withdrawn from the sinner, and then there is left no power to control the evil passions of the soul, and no protection from the malice and enmity of Satan." G.G.35,36.

sky