Chapter 38 : The Final Warning

“I saw another angel come down from Heaven, having great

power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 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.” “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.” [Revelation 18:1, 2, 4.]

This scripture points forward to a time when the announcement

of the fall of Babylon, as made by the second angel [Revelation 14:8]

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. A terrible condition of the religious world is here

described. With every rejection of truth, the minds of the people will

become darker, their hearts more stubborn, until they are entrenched

in an infidel hardihood. In defiance of the warnings which God has

given, they will continue to trample upon one of the precepts of the

decalogue, until they are led to persecute those who hold it sacred.

Christ is set at naught in the contempt placed upon his Word and

his people. As the teachings of Spiritualism are accepted by the

churches, the restraint imposed upon the carnal heart is removed,

and the profession of religion will become a cloak to conceal the

basest iniquity. A belief in spiritual manifestations opens the door [604]

to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, and thus the influence of

evil angels will be felt in the churches.

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.” [Revelation 18:5.] 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 not of her plagues.” Hence the movement

symbolized by the angel coming down from Heaven, lightening

the earth with his glory, and crying mightily with a strong voice,

announcing the sins of Babylon. In connection with his message the

call is heard, “Come out of her, my people.” These announcements,

uniting with the third angel’s message, constitute the final warning

to be given to the inhabitants of the earth.

Fearful is the issue to which the world is to be brought. The powers

of earth, uniting to war against the commandments of God, will

decree that all, “both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,”

[Revelation 13:16.] shall conform to the customs of the church by

the observance of the false sabbath. All who refuse compliance

will be visited with civil penalties, and it will finally be declared

that they are deserving of death. On the other hand, the law of God

enjoining the Creator’s rest-day demands obedience, and threatens

wrath against all who transgress its precepts.

With the issue thus clearly brought before him, whoever shall

trample upon God’s law to obey a human enactment, receives the

mark of the beast; he accepts the sign of allegiance to the power

which he chooses to obey instead of God. The warning from Heaven

is, “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his

mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine

of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the

cup of his indignation.” [Revelation 14:9, 10.]

[605] But not one is made to suffer the wrath of God until the truth

has been brought home to his mind and conscience, and has been

rejected. There are many who have never had an opportunity to

hear the special truths for this time. The obligation of the fourth

commandment has never been set before them in its true light. He

who reads every heart, and tries every motive, will leave none who

desire a knowledge of the truth, to be deceived as to the issues of

the controversy. The decree is not to be urged upon the people

blindly. Every one is to have sufficient light to make his decision

intelligently.

The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty; for it is the point of

truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to

bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between

those who serve God and those who serve him not. While the

observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the

State, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of

allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the

true Sabbath, in obedience to God’s law, is an evidence of loyalty to

the Creator. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission

to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other, choosing

the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God.

[See Appendix, note 13.]

Heretofore those who presented the truths of the third angel’s

message have often been regarded as mere alarmists. Their predictions

that religious intolerance would gain control in the United

States, that church and State would unite to persecute those who

keep the commandments of God, have been pronounced groundless

and absurd. It has been confidently declared that this land could

never become other than what it has been, the defender of religious

freedom. But as the question of enforcing Sunday observance is

widely agitated, the event so long doubted and disbelieved is seen to

be approaching, and the third message will produce an effect which

it could not have had before.

In every generation God has sent his servants to rebuke sin, both [606]

in the world and in the church. But the people desire smooth things

spoken to them, and the pure, unvarnished truth is not acceptable.

Many reformers, in entering upon their work, determined to exercise

great prudence in attacking the sins of the church and the nation.

They hoped, by the example of a pure Christian life, to lead the

people back to the doctrines of the Bible. But the Spirit of God

came upon them as it came upon Elijah, moving him to rebuke the

sins of a wicked king and an apostate people; they could not refrain

from preaching the plain utterances of the Bible,—doctrines which

they had been reluctant to present. They were impelled to zealously

declare the truth, and the danger which threatened souls. The words

which the Lord gave them they uttered, fearless of consequences,

and the people were compelled to hear the warning.

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

rather by the unction of his Spirit than by the training of literary

institutions. 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, because of her

rejection of the truth sent to her from Heaven. As the people go to

their former teachers with the eager inquiry, Are these things so?

[607] the ministers present fables, prophesy smooth things, to soothe their

fears, and quiet the awakened conscience. But since many refuse

to be satisfied with the mere authority of men, and demand a plain

“Thus saith the Lord,” the popular ministry, like the Pharisees of old,

filled with anger as their authority is questioned, will denounce the

message as of Satan, and stir up the sin-loving multitudes to revile

and persecute those who proclaim it.

As the controversy extends into new fields, and the minds of the

people are called to God’s down-trodden 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. By every means at their

command they will endeavor to suppress the discussion of these

vital questions. The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power,

and in this work, papists and Protestants unite. As the movement for

Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will

be invoked against commandment-keepers. 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.

Conscientious obedience to the Word of God will be treated

as rebellion. Blinded by Satan, the parent will exercise harshness

and severity toward the believing child; the master or mistress will

oppress the commandment-keeping servant. Affection will be alienated;

children will be disinherited, and driven from home. The words

of Paul will be literally fulfilled, “All that will live godly in Christ

Jesus shall suffer persecution.” [2 Timothy 3:12.] As the defend- [608]

ers of truth refuse to honor the Sunday-sabbath, some of them will

be thrust into prison, some will be exiled, some will be treated as

slaves. To human wisdom, all this now seems impossible; but as

the restraining Spirit of God shall be withdrawn from men, and they

shall be under the control of Satan, who hates the divine precepts,

there will be strange developments. The heart can be very cruel

when God’s fear and love are removed.

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

the 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. When Sabbathkeepers

are brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these

apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent and

accuse them, and by false reports and insinuations to stir up the

rulers against them.

In this time of persecution the faith of the Lord’s servants will

be tried. They have faithfully given the warning, looking to God

and to his Word alone. God’s Spirit, moving upon their hearts, has

constrained them to speak. Stimulated with holy zeal, and with the

divine impulse strong upon them, they entered upon the performance

of their duties without coldly calculating the consequences of speaking

to the people the word which the Lord had given them. They

have not consulted their temporal interests, or sought to preserve

their reputation or their lives. Yet when the storm of opposition and

reproach bursts upon them, some, overwhelmed with consternation, [609]

will be ready to exclaim, “Had we foreseen the consequences of our

words, we would have held our peace.” They are hedged in with

difficulties. Satan assails them with fierce temptations. The work

which they have undertaken seems far beyond their ability to accomplish.

They are threatened with destruction. The enthusiasm which

animated them is gone; yet they cannot turn back. Then, feeling

their utter helplessness, they flee to the Mighty One for strength.

They remember that the words which they have spoken were not

theirs, but His who bade them give the warning. God put the truth

into their hearts, and they could not forbear to proclaim it.

The same trials have been experienced by men of God in ages

past. Wycliffe, Huss, Luther, Tyndale, Baxter, Wesley, urged that all

doctrines be brought to the test of the Bible, and declared that they

would renounce everything which it condemned. Against these men,

persecution raged with relentless fury; yet they ceased not to declare

the truth. Different periods in the history of the church have each

been marked by the development of some special truth, adapted to

the necessities of God’s people at that time. Every new truth has

made its way against hatred and opposition; those who were blessed

with its light were tempted and tried. The Lord gives a special truth

for the people in an emergency. Who dare refuse to publish it? He

commands his servants to present the last invitation of mercy to the

world. They cannot remain silent, except at the peril of their souls.

Christ’s ambassadors have nothing to do with consequences. They

must perform their duty, and leave results with God.

As the opposition rises to a fiercer height, the servants of God are

again perplexed; for it seems to them that they have brought the crisis.

But conscience and the Word of God assure them that their course

is right; and although the trials continue, they are strengthened to

[610] bear them. The contest grows closer and sharper, but their faith

and courage rise with the emergency. Their testimony is, “We dare

not tamper with God’s Word, dividing his holy law, calling one

portion essential and another non-essential, to gain the favor of the

world. The Lord whom we serve is able to deliver us. Christ has

conquered the powers of earth; and shall we be afraid of a world

already conquered?”

Persecution in its varied forms is the development of a principle

which will exist as long as Satan exists, and Christianity has vital

power. No man can serve God without enlisting against himself

the opposition of the hosts of darkness. Evil angels will assail him,

alarmed that his influence is taking the prey from their hands. Evil

men, rebuked by his example, will unite with them in seeking to

separate him from God by alluring temptations. When these do

not succeed, then a compelling power is employed to force the

conscience.

But so long as Jesus remains man’s intercessor in the sanctuary

above, the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit is felt by rulers

and people. It still controls, to some extent, the laws of the land.

Were it not for these laws, the condition of the world would be much

worse than it now is. While many of our rulers are active agents

of Satan, God also has his agents among the leading men of the

nation. The enemy moves upon his servants to propose measures

that would greatly impede the work of God; but statesmen who fear

the Lord are influenced by holy angels to oppose such propositions

with unanswerable arguments. Thus a few men will hold in check a

powerful current of evil. The opposition of the enemies of truth will

be restrained that the third angel’s message may do its work. When

the final warning shall be given, it will arrest the attention of these

leading men through whom the Lord is now working, and some of

them will accept it, and will stand with the people of God through

the time of trouble.

The angel who unites in the proclamation of the third angel’s [611]

message is to lighten the whole earth with his glory. A work of

world-wide extent and unwonted power is here foretold. The Advent

movement of 1840-44 was a glorious manifestation of the power

of God; the first angel’s message was carried to every missionary

station in the world, and in some countries there was the greatest

religious interest which has been witnessed in any land since the

Reformation of the sixteenth century; but these are to be far exceeded

by the mighty movement under the last warning of the third angel.

The work will be similar to that of the day of Pentecost. As the

“former rain” was given, in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the

opening of the gospel, to cause the upspringing of the precious seed,

so the “latter rain” will be given at its close, for the ripening of the

harvest. “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord;

his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto

us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” [Hosea

6:3.] “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your

God; for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will

cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter

rain.” [Joel 2:23.] “In the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my

Spirit upon all flesh.” “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever

shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” [Acts 2:17, 21.]

The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation

of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which

were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening

of the gospel, are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close.

Here are “the times of refreshing” to which the apostle Peter looked

forward when he said, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that

your sins may be blotted out [in the investigative Judgment], when

the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

and he shall send Jesus.” [Acts 3:19, 20.]

[612] Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with

holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to proclaim the

message from Heaven. By thousands of voices, all over the earth,

the warning will be given. Miracles will be wrought, the sick will be

healed, and signs and wonders will follow the believers. Satan also

works with lying wonders, even bringing down fire from heaven in

the sight of men. [Revelation 13:13.] Thus the inhabitants of the

earth will be brought to take their stand.

The message will be carried not so much by argument as by

the deep conviction of the Spirit of God. The arguments have been

presented. The seed has been sown, and now it will spring up and

bear fruit. The publications distributed by missionary workers have

exerted their influence, yet many whose minds were impressed have

been prevented from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding

obedience. Now the rays of light penetrate everywhere, the truth is

seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God sever the bands

which have held them. Family connections, church relations, are

powerless to stay them now. Truth is more precious than all besides.

Notwithstanding the agencies combined against the truth, a large

number take their stand upon the Lord’s side.