The End Of Time INTRODUCTION Part 2 Let us now look at − EVENT 1 − THE EXCITEMENT That first event will be a very unusual excitement in the Sunday-keeping churches. Read this: Early Writings, page 261: “I saw that God has honest children among the nominal Adventists 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.”-Early Writings, 261:1. As we will discuss later, the latter rain comes at the beginning of the loud cry; and just after the national Sunday law. But the counterfeit revival-Satan’s counterfeit of the latter rain-will precede the true latter rain upon God’s people. It will appear to be God’s blessing upon the disobedient churches. Satan will use it to extend his influence over the Christian world. This counterfeit revival will be the first event; the event which catapults our nation into the national Sunday law. Here is the order of four special events: (1) the counterfeit revival. (2) the national Sunday law. (3) the latter rain. (4) the loud cry. 3 END OF TIME SERIES Here is a second important statement: Great Controversy, 464: “Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth, there will be, among the people of the Lord, such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. . Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this time, to prepare a people for the Lord’s second coming. The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work; and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavor to prevent it, by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power, he will make it appear that God’s special blessing is poured out; there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest. Multitudes will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will seek to extend his influence over the Christian world. -Great Controversy, 464:2 But, now − WHY IS IT EXCITING? What did we learn from the two statements we have already read? First - It is an excitement. Second - It occurs among the “fallen churches,” among the “nominal Adventists,” “in those religious bodies which have rejected the truth,” and “in those churches which he [Satan] can bring under his deceptive power.” What causes the excitement? 1 -It is a counterfeit outpouring of a spirit which occurs before the true latter rain. 2 - It will appear that God’s special blessing is being given. 3 - It is thought by the people that a great, new religious interest has occurred. 4 - They think God is working marvelously for them. Of course, all that reminds us of the celebration churches-showing us that they are very significant, and very dangerous. We should have nothing to do with them. Something like them-will suddenly erupt into a stupendous excitement which will win so much favor from the general public-that the U.S. Congress will yield to the demand of Protestant churches for a national Sunday law. Why will the churches welcome this excitement? 1 - There will be a supernatural power, which will give these churches greater influence over the secular multitudes. 2 - There will be great emotional excitement and healings. 3 - But, especially important to them, −there will also be church growth −large increases in attendance and membership. Mark it well: the excitement will appear to cause the church growth, and it will be called the “great power of God.” Beware! Beware! Any denomination or local church which tries to use excitement to increase membership is on dangerous ground. And, conversely, any religious organization which is willing to do whatever it takes including sacrificing church standards and beliefs −to gain more members −is on dangerous ground! Any church doing such a thing will erelong be overcome by Satan, unless it repents and returns to right practices. It will become “one of those churches which he [Satan} can bring under his deceptive power.” Here is a companion prediction regarding what will happen at the end of time, before probation closes: We are told there will be shouting, drums, music, and dancing. “The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place Just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. “A bedlam of noise shocks the senses and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a blessing. The powers of satanic agencies blend with the din and noise to have a carnival, and this is termed the Holy Spirit’s working. . Those things which have been in the past will be in the future. Satan will make music a snare by the way in which it is conducted.” -2 Selected Messages, 36:23, 38:1. So there are at least four factors that are part of the excitement: 1 - Satanic power-through a counterfeit outpouring. 2 - Great emotional excitement and-as we will learn later-healings. 3 - Great apparent religious interest, and large increases in church membership. 4 - Drums and wild music-called the “Holy Spirit’s working.” But there is a fifth factor: 5 - That excitement will bring the churches together! SATANIC EXCITEMENT PREPARES CHURCHES FOR THE UNION Now for the question: How can we know that this excitement is the key, first event which will bring on all the other final events? We can know for two reasons: First - We can know that there will be excitement −plenty of it −in the churches, from the union of churches onward till the close of probation and onward to the sounding of the Voice of God. The statements are clear on this. The beginning of that excitement comes just before the national Sunday law. THIS is the beginning of that excitement! Second −It is this excitement, which brings on the union of churches! There is yet something else that this excitement accomplishes; indeed, something that helps make the excitement! This excitement is the beginning, in a very real way, of the reaching across the gulf by the forces of spiritism, Protestantism, and Catholicism to clasp their hands together! The loud cry, which will begin shortly afterward, will bring warning to all the world that it must obey God’s holy ten-commandment law-and not hallow the Sunday, as commanded by the national Sunday law. But, a little before the loud cry, Satan will raise an excitement in the fallen churches which will unify them in their attainment of certain objectives.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 03:52:20 +0000
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