FAITH FUNDAMENTALS IN PROPHECY

ABSTRACT

We stand in the hour when Daniel 9 unlocks the 2300-day prophecy and calls us to readiness before the heavenly Judge as the core message of Daniel 8:14 finds fulfillment in our day.

Heaven’s eternal mercy meets every soul who turns to the prophetic page with a teachable heart, and the angel Gabriel was dispatched to Daniel for our instruction no less than for the prophet’s relief. We stand today where Daniel stood, weighed down by the magnitude of sacred history that has been unfolded to our view, conscious that the books in heaven are open and that the closing work of our great High Priest moves swiftly toward its solemn end. The following pages trace the unbroken line that runs from the love of God revealed in His messengers, through the cleansing of the sanctuary that began in 1844, to the final victory of those who shall stand complete in Christ. We commend this study to the Bible worker, the watchman, and every faithful soul preparing to meet the Lord in the soon-coming day of His appearing.

WHY DOES HEAVEN SEND US MESSENGERS?

Heaven sends messengers to every struggling heart because God Himself reaches into our confusion to plant understanding in the prepared mind, and the angel Gabriel came specifically to lift Daniel from his fainting condition with words of mercy. The book of Daniel records that the heavenly visitor said, “O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding” (Daniel 9:22), and we receive that same loving attention as the community searches the prophetic page today. The Psalmist anchors our confidence in the words, “The LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations” (Psalm 100:5), so every prophetic disclosure rests upon the unchanging character of the Father. The Apostle John testified that “he that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (1 John 4:8), and the prophet David adds that “the LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy” (Psalm 103:8). The prophet Micah lifts his voice in wonder asking, “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?” (Micah 7:18), and the writer of the Hebrews assures us, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16). Through inspired counsel we are told, “God is love. His nature, His law, is love. It ever has been; it ever will be” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 33, 1890), and this unchanging principle governs every prophetic dealing of Heaven with the church. The prophetic messenger writes, “The love of God has been expressed in our redemption” (Steps to Christ, p. 12, 1892), and a passage from the same volume reminds us, “The heart of God yearns over His earthly children with a love stronger than death” (Steps to Christ, p. 21, 1892). In The Desire of Ages we read that “Christ came to reveal the Father” (The Desire of Ages, p. 419, 1898), and through inspired pages we are reminded that “the highest evidence of the divinity of Christ is the love that He revealed for fallen man” (The Desire of Ages, p. 458, 1898), while another passage assures us that “in Him is life, original, unborrowed, underived” (The Desire of Ages, p. 530, 1898). We therefore receive every prophetic disclosure as a token of love, and we open our hearts to the same patient instruction that lifted Daniel from his weakness.

HOW DO WE HONOR RECEIVED LIGHT?

We carry solemn accountability when Heaven grants understanding of sacred timelines, for Gabriel’s instruction placed a heavy stewardship upon Daniel that now rests upon every soul who has heard the third angel’s message. The Saviour declared, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37), and the Apostle Paul added, “He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8). The wise man recorded that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments” (Psalm 111:10), and Moses pressed home upon Israel the searching question, “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him?” (Deuteronomy 10:12). King David rejoiced that “blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments” (Psalm 112:1), and prayed, “Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name” (Psalm 86:11). Through inspired counsel we are told that “our responsibility is in proportion to the light given us of God” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 122, 1868), and a passage from Christ’s Object Lessons reminds us, “It is impossible for any of us by our own power or our own efforts to work this change in ourselves” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 96, 1900). The prophetic messenger writes that “God will accept nothing less than the whole heart” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 504, 1890), and through inspired pages we are reminded that “all true obedience comes from the heart” (The Desire of Ages, p. 668, 1898). In Steps to Christ we read that “the surrender of all our powers to God greatly simplifies the problem of life” (Steps to Christ, p. 46, 1892), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “every act of obedience to Christ, every act of self-denial for His sake, every trial well endured” lays up treasure in heaven (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 332, 1900). We therefore live under the light we have received, knowing that to know our Master’s will and refuse to do it is to invite the loss of every blessing Heaven would bestow.

CAN JUDGMENT TEACH US TO LOVE?

The reality of the investigative judgment compels us to reflect God’s character clearly to every soul still walking in darkness, for Daniel received light not for himself alone but for the strengthening of the people of God. The Lord through Moses commanded, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Leviticus 19:18), and the Psalmist instructed His people to “defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy” (Psalm 82:3). Through Isaiah the Lord pleaded, “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:17), and through Jeremiah He commanded, “Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor” (Jeremiah 22:3). The wise man counsels us to “open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:9), and the Lord through Zechariah added, “Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother” (Zechariah 7:9). In The Great Controversy we read that “as the priest entered the most holy once a year to cleanse the earthly sanctuary, so Jesus entered the most holy of the heavenly, at the end of the 2300 days of Daniel 8, in 1844, to make a final atonement” (The Great Controversy, p. 421, 1911), and the prophetic messenger declares that “the work of the investigative judgment and the blotting out of sins is to be accomplished before the second advent of the Lord” (The Great Controversy, p. 485, 1911). Through inspired counsel we are told that “our influence is a savor of life unto life or of death unto death” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 56, 1876), and a passage from Patriarchs and Prophets reminds us that “the law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all intelligent beings depends upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34, 1890). The inspired pen states that “love for God is demonstrated by love for our fellow men” (Steps to Christ, p. 59, 1892), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “Christ’s followers are to be lights in the world, reflecting the brightness of His character” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 415, 1900). We therefore live out our judgment-hour responsibility toward our neighbor while time for preparation yet remains.

WHO STANDS READY FOR THE JUDGMENT?

We live daily under the searching eye of the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ ministers as our great High Priest in the most holy place and where the antitypical day of atonement steadily advances toward its close. The Apostle Peter warned that “the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17), and Paul reminded the church that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body” (2 Corinthians 5:10). John in vision beheld the solemn scene and wrote, “I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened” (Revelation 20:12), while the wise man counseled, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). The Saviour Himself declared that “the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23), and Solomon affirmed that “God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). In The Great Controversy the prophetic messenger declares, “Thus was presented to the prophet’s vision the great and solemn day when the characters and the lives of men should pass in review before the Judge of all the earth” (The Great Controversy, p. 479, 1911), and the same volume continues that “in the typical service only those who had come before God with confession and repentance, and whose sins, through the blood of the sin offering, were transferred to the sanctuary, had a part in the service of the Day of Atonement” (The Great Controversy, p. 480, 1911). Through inspired counsel we learn that “now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ” (The Great Controversy, p. 623, 1911), and a passage from the same work reminds us that “the books of record in heaven, in which the names and the deeds of men are registered, are to determine the decisions of the judgment” (The Great Controversy, p. 480, 1911). The inspired pen further warns that “every wrong word, every selfish act, every unfulfilled duty, and every secret sin” (The Great Controversy, p. 486, 1911) stands recorded with terrible exactness, and the prophetic voice once wrote that “those whose sins are then found remaining upon the books of record will be appointed to punishment” (The Great Controversy, p. 485, 1911). We therefore maintain a vigilant faithfulness as the heavenly records receive their examination and our cases come up before the Judge of all the earth.

HOW DO THE 2300 DAYS GUIDE US?

The 2300 days provide the prophetic timeline that joins Daniel 8 with Daniel 9 and brings us directly into the cleansing work that began on October 22, 1844. Daniel heard the holy ones speaking and recorded the answer, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed” (Daniel 8:14), and Gabriel returned to interpret with the words, “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks” (Daniel 9:25). The same prophet wrote, “After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself” (Daniel 9:26), and added, “He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease” (Daniel 9:27). The Lord through Habakkuk declared, “The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie” (Habakkuk 2:3), and through Amos He assured us that “the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). In Early Writings the prophetic messenger relates the solemn transition: “I saw the Father rise from the throne, and in a flaming chariot go into the holy of holies within the veil, and sit down” (Early Writings, p. 55, 1882), while another vision records, “I saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and the Son” (Early Writings, p. 54, 1882). The inspired pen explains that “in 1844 our great High Priest entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, to begin the work of the investigative judgment” (The Great Controversy, p. 480, 1911), and through inspired counsel we are told that “the subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God” (The Great Controversy, p. 488, 1911). A passage from the same volume reminds us that “the cleansing of the sanctuary therefore involves a work of investigation, a work of judgment” (The Great Controversy, p. 422, 1911), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “this prophetic period gives us unmistakable proof that God has led us in our past experience” (Life Sketches, p. 196, 1915). We therefore study these timelines diligently so we may stand prepared in this solemn hour when the close of probation draws nearer with every passing day.

WHAT ROLE DOES REPENTANCE PLAY?

True repentance opens the heart to the cleansing that the heavenly sanctuary work alone is able to provide, and we afflict our souls with godly sorrow as we examine our lives in the light streaming from the most holy place. King David’s prayer becomes our own when he cried, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10), and again, “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities” (Psalm 51:9). He pressed further, “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:2), and confessed, “I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me” (Psalm 51:3). The Apostle John assures us that “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9), and the Lord through Isaiah declares, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him” (Isaiah 55:7). In The Great Controversy the prophetic messenger writes, “Every wrong word, every selfish act, every unfulfilled duty, and every secret sin, with every artful temptation, stands recorded with terrible exactness” (The Great Controversy, p. 486, 1911), and a parallel passage warns that “the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God” (The Great Controversy, p. 480, 1911). Through inspired counsel we learn that “we must put away every light, frivolous spirit and engage in earnest warfare against evil tendencies” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 537, 1889), and a passage from the same volume reminds us that “every temptation resisted, every evil overcome, every word of tender pity, every act of self-sacrifice” finds faithful record in heaven (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 489, 1889). The inspired pen states that “the characters and lives of men should pass in review before the Judge of all the earth” (The Great Controversy, p. 479, 1911), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “true repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it” (Steps to Christ, p. 23, 1892). We therefore pursue daily repentance so that our records may reflect the victory that Christ alone is able to give.

CAN WE SHINE IN THIS DARK HOUR?

We shine as lights in this dark world by reflecting the character of Christ while the heavenly records undergo their close examination, and our witness becomes most luminous as the night of error deepens. The Saviour declared, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16), and added, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid” (Matthew 5:14). The prophet Isaiah called us to action with the words, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee” (Isaiah 60:1), and continued, “The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising” (Isaiah 60:3). The Apostle Paul instructed the Philippians to be “blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15), and the wise man assured us that “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18). In The Great Controversy the prophetic messenger explains, “When the investigative judgment closes, Christ will come, and His reward will be with Him to give to every man as his work shall be” (The Great Controversy, p. 490, 1911), and through inspired pages we are reminded that “all are to be judged according to the things written in the books, and rewarded as their works have been” (The Great Controversy, p. 481, 1911). Through inspired counsel we prepare for that hour by maintaining vigilant faithfulness, and a passage from Christ’s Object Lessons reminds us that “Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69, 1900). The inspired pen states that “love for God finds demonstration through love shown to our fellow men” (Steps to Christ, p. 59, 1892), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “every soul not fully surrendered to God, and kept by His power, will form an alliance with Satan” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 524, 1889). We therefore live as beacons of hope so that others may join us in readiness for the soon return of our Lord.

WHY DID DANIEL FAINT BEFORE GABRIEL?

Daniel fainted before Gabriel because the weight of prophetic vision exceeds the natural capacity of the human heart, and we recognize in his collapse the proper response of every soul who beholds the closing scenes of earth’s history. The prophet wrote, “And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it” (Daniel 8:27), and again, “I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me” (Daniel 10:8). The same prophet recorded the angel’s gentle reassurance, “O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong” (Daniel 10:19), and confessed, “How can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me” (Daniel 10:17). The Apostle John on Patmos likewise testified, “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last” (Revelation 1:17), and the prophet Habakkuk cried, “When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones” (Habakkuk 3:16). In Prophets and Kings the prophetic messenger writes, “Daniel was so weighed down with anxiety on behalf of his people that he could not turn aside even to recover his strength” (Prophets and Kings, p. 555, 1917), and a passage from the same volume reminds us that “the lessons taught by Daniel and his companions in Babylon are for our learning” (Prophets and Kings, p. 489, 1917). Through inspired counsel we are told that “the books of Daniel and the Revelation should be carefully studied” (The Great Controversy, p. 341, 1911), and a passage from Testimonies for the Church reminds us that “the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation must be diligently studied” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 19, 1909). The inspired pen further declares that “the Book of Revelation, in connection with the Book of Daniel, especially demands study” (Testimonies to Ministers, p. 112, 1923), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “the truths of Daniel and Revelation are of vital importance, and demand earnest attention” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 128, 1900). We therefore approach these prophecies with the trembling reverence of Daniel, knowing that our cases pass under the same scrutiny that bowed his frame.

WHAT DOES THE SANCTUARY REVEAL?

The heavenly sanctuary reveals the entire plan of salvation through the typical service that Moses was commanded to construct, and we behold in its furniture and its rites the very ministry of our Saviour above. The Lord said to Moses, “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8), and instructed him further, “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount” (Exodus 25:40). The Apostle Paul confirmed this typical relation when he wrote, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle” (Hebrews 8:5), and again, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands” (Hebrews 9:11). The same apostle continued, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12), and concluded, “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Hebrews 9:24). In The Great Controversy the prophetic messenger writes, “The subject of the sanctuary was the key which unlocked the mystery of the disappointment of 1844” (The Great Controversy, p. 423, 1911), and a passage from the same volume reminds us that “the question, What is the sanctuary? is clearly answered in the Scriptures” (The Great Controversy, p. 414, 1911). Through inspired counsel we are told that “the sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christ’s work in behalf of men” (The Great Controversy, p. 488, 1911), and a passage from Patriarchs and Prophets reminds us that “the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary was a figure of the most holy place of the heavenly” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 357, 1890). The inspired pen further declares that “the priestly work of our Lord is taught in the type” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 358, 1890), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “by the blood of Christ the believing sinner is to gain the victory” (The Great Controversy, p. 489, 1911). We therefore search the sanctuary truth with patient diligence, knowing that here alone the past, the present, and the future of redemption are made plain.

WHEN DID CHRIST ENTER THE MOST HOLY?

Christ entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary at the end of the 2300 days, on October 22, 1844, when our great High Priest moved from the holy to the most holy to begin the work of the investigative judgment. The prophet Daniel beheld the scene and wrote, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him” (Daniel 7:13), and added, “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him” (Daniel 7:14). He further described the scene, “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow” (Daniel 7:9), and “the judgment was set, and the books were opened” (Daniel 7:10). The Apostle Paul wrote that “Christ being come an high priest of good things to come… by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:11–12), and the writer of the Hebrews adds, “We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1). In Early Writings the prophetic messenger relates, “I saw the Father rise from the throne, and in a flaming chariot go into the holy of holies within the veil, and sit down” (Early Writings, p. 55, 1882), and the same volume continues, “Then Jesus rose up from the throne, and the most of those who were bowed down arose with Him” (Early Writings, p. 55, 1882). The inspired pen explains that “at the termination of the 2300 days, in 1844, Christ then entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, to perform the closing work of atonement” (The Great Controversy, p. 422, 1911), and through inspired counsel we are told that “the ministration of the priest throughout the year in the first apartment of the sanctuary… represents the work of ministration upon which Christ entered at His ascension” (The Great Controversy, p. 420, 1911). A passage from the same work reminds us that “the cleansing of the sanctuary therefore involves a work of investigation” (The Great Controversy, p. 422, 1911), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “the dispensation in which we are now living is to the antitypical Day of Atonement” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 520, 1889). We therefore mark this transition as the central event of our prophetic age, for upon it depends the whole hope of every soul that names the name of Christ.

WHY MUST OUR SINS BE BLOTTED OUT?

Our sins must be blotted out because the work of the investigative judgment requires the final disposal of every transgression that the believer has confessed and forsaken at the foot of the cross. The Apostle Peter preached, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19), and the Lord through Isaiah declared, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:25). King David sang, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12), and the Lord through Micah promised that He will “cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). The Saviour declared, “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life” (Revelation 3:5), and the Lord through Jeremiah added, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). In The Great Controversy the prophetic messenger writes, “When the investigation in the heavenly courts has been completed and the cases of all who in all ages have professed to be followers of Christ have been examined and decided, then, and not till then, probation will close” (The Great Controversy, p. 490, 1911), and a passage from the same volume reminds us that “all who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names” (The Great Controversy, p. 483, 1911). Through inspired counsel we are told, “Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ” (The Great Controversy, p. 623, 1911), and a passage from the same chapter reminds us that “those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator” (The Great Controversy, p. 425, 1911). The inspired pen further declares that “in the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God” (The Great Controversy, p. 480, 1911), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “their sins, by virtue of the atoning blood of Christ, are transferred, in fact, to the heavenly sanctuary” (The Great Controversy, p. 421, 1911). We therefore plead the blood of the everlasting covenant that our names may stand approved when the books are closed and the great High Priest pronounces the words, “It is done.”

HOW DOES CHARACTER REFLECT CHRIST?

Character reflects Christ as the believer beholds Him by faith, for the transforming power of the Holy Spirit reproduces the divine image in every soul who yields to the heavenly impressions. The Apostle Paul wrote, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18), and again, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). The Apostle John testified, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2), and added, “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3). The Saviour Himself prayed, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17), and Paul instructed the Romans, “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). In Christ’s Object Lessons the prophetic messenger writes, “Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69, 1900), and a passage from The Desire of Ages reminds us that “by beholding Christ we are transformed” (The Desire of Ages, p. 83, 1898). Through inspired counsel we are told that “the work of transformation from unholiness to holiness is a continuous one. Day by day God labors for man’s sanctification, and man is to co-operate with Him” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 532, 1911), and a passage from Steps to Christ reminds us that “it is by beholding that we become changed” (Steps to Christ, p. 89, 1892). The inspired pen further declares that “Christ’s character must be ours” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 67, 1900), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “every Christian is to be a partaker of the divine nature” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 159, 1900). We therefore behold Him daily in the Word, in the sanctuary, and in the cross, knowing that the glory of His character must be reproduced in us before His coming.

WHAT IS THE REMNANT’S COMMISSION?

The remnant’s commission is to proclaim the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14 with the loud cry of the fourth angel, calling every honest soul out of confusion and into the truth as it is in Jesus. John the revelator wrote, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6), and continued, “Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come” (Revelation 14:7). He further heard, “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city” (Revelation 14:8), and “the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, 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” (Revelation 14:9–10). The Apostle then wrote, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12), and the same prophet beheld a final messenger and wrote, “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory” (Revelation 18:1). In The Great Controversy the prophetic messenger writes, “The substance of the special truths for this time is comprised in the messages of the three angels of Revelation 14. Those who hear and receive the message are to make it known to others” (The Great Controversy, p. 458, 1911), and a passage from the same volume reminds us that “the great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening” (The Great Controversy, p. 611, 1911). Through inspired counsel we are told that “the message of the third angel is to be sounded by God’s people. It is to swell to the loud cry” (Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 26, 1946), and through inspired pages we are reminded that “the third angel’s message embraces more than is generally supposed” (The Review and Herald, April 1, 1890). The inspired pen further declares that “we have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us” (Life Sketches, p. 196, 1915), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “in a special sense Seventh-day Adventists have been set in the world as watchmen and light bearers” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 19, 1909). We therefore lift up our voices like trumpets and warn the inhabitants of the earth that the hour of His judgment is come.

WHY MUST WE WATCH AND PRAY?

We must watch and pray because the great adversary intensifies his deceptions as the antitypical day of atonement draws to its close, and the soul that ceases to watch will assuredly fall into snares it never anticipated. Our Saviour warned, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36), and again, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). The Apostle Paul exhorted, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and Peter added, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The Apostle John wrote, “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame” (Revelation 16:15), and Paul further pressed, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). In The Great Controversy the prophetic messenger writes, “We are living in the most solemn period of this world’s history. The destiny of earth’s teeming multitudes is about to be decided” (The Great Controversy, p. 601, 1911), and a passage from the same volume reminds us that “Satan is well aware that all whom he can lead to neglect prayer and the searching of the Scriptures, will be overcome by his attacks” (The Great Controversy, p. 519, 1911). Through inspired counsel we are told that “those who are unwilling to forsake every sin and to seek earnestly for God’s blessing, will not obtain it” (The Great Controversy, p. 619, 1911), and through inspired pages we are reminded that “prayer is the breath of the soul. It is the secret of spiritual power” (Gospel Workers, p. 254, 1915). The inspired pen further declares that “without unceasing prayer and diligent watching we are in danger of growing careless” (Steps to Christ, p. 95, 1892), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “the Christian’s life is not all sunshine, neither is it all darkness” (Steps to Christ, p. 116, 1892). We therefore watch unto prayer with all perseverance, knowing that the night is far spent and the day is at hand.

CAN FAITH OVERCOME THIS WORLD?

Faith overcomes the world because it lays hold upon the promises of God and draws into the soul the very life of Christ, who has Himself overcome on our behalf. The Apostle John testified, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4), and added, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5). The writer of the Hebrews declared, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1), and continued, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is” (Hebrews 11:6). The Saviour assured His disciples, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33), and the Apostle Paul exclaimed, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). In The Desire of Ages the prophetic messenger writes, “Faith is trusting God,—believing that He loves us and knows best what is for our good” (The Desire of Ages, p. 126, 1898), and a passage from the same volume reminds us that “the life of Christ that gives life to the world is in His word” (The Desire of Ages, p. 390, 1898). Through inspired counsel we are told that “the religion of Christ means more than the forgiveness of sin; it means taking away our sins, and filling the vacuum with the graces of the Holy Spirit” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 419, 1900), and a passage from Steps to Christ reminds us that “every promise in the word of God is ours” (Steps to Christ, p. 96, 1892). The inspired pen further declares that “faith and works go hand in hand” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 312, 1900), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “many have an idea that they must do some part of the work alone. They have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, but now they seek by their own efforts to live aright” (The Desire of Ages, p. 676, 1898). We therefore live by faith and not by sight, knowing that He who has begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

WHAT DOES THE LOUD CRY DEMAND?

The Loud Cry demands that we surrender every idol, separate from every form of Babylon, and stand fully clothed in the righteousness of Christ as the angel of Revelation 18 lightens the earth with his glory. John in vision wrote, “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 18:4), and earlier he had heard, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit” (Revelation 18:2). The Apostle Paul instructed, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17), and the prophet Isaiah cried, “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD” (Isaiah 52:11). The Saviour declared, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24), and the Apostle John added, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). In The Great Controversy the prophetic messenger writes, “The message of Revelation 14, proclaiming that Babylon is fallen, must be applied to religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt” (The Great Controversy, p. 383, 1911), and a passage from the same volume reminds us that “the great issue so near at hand will weed out those whom God has not appointed and He will have a pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the latter rain” (Selected Messages, book 2, p. 158, 1958). Through inspired counsel we are told that “the work will be similar to that of the Day of Pentecost. As the ‘former rain’ was given… so the ‘latter rain’ will be given” (The Great Controversy, p. 611, 1911), and through inspired pages we are reminded that “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” (The Great Controversy, p. 612, 1911). The inspired pen further declares that “the third angel’s message will not be comprehended, the light which will lighten the earth with its glory will be called a false light” (Selected Messages, book 2, p. 84, 1958), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “thousands of voices will be imbued with the power to speak forth the wonderful truth of God” (Christian Service, p. 86, 1925). We therefore answer the call to come fully out of Babylon, and we hold up the lamp of present truth that the honest in heart may walk in its light.

CAN HOPE STRENGTHEN OUR HEARTS?

Hope strengthens our hearts because it fastens upon the unchanging promises of the soon-coming King and lifts the soul above the discouragements of the present hour. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13), and added, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Romans 15:13). The writer of the Hebrews declared, “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil” (Hebrews 6:19), and the Apostle Peter rejoiced, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). The prophet Jeremiah recorded the Lord’s assurance, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11), and the Psalmist sang, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him” (Psalm 42:11). In The Great Controversy the prophetic messenger writes, “Soon there appears in the east a small black cloud, about half the size of a man’s hand. It is the cloud which surrounds the Saviour” (The Great Controversy, p. 640, 1911), and a passage from the same volume reminds us that “the people of God will not be free from suffering; but while persecuted and distressed… they are not forsaken” (The Great Controversy, p. 633, 1911). Through inspired counsel we are told that “the darkest hour of the church’s struggle with the powers of evil is that which immediately precedes the day of her final deliverance” (The Great Controversy, p. 633, 1911), and through inspired pages we are reminded that “the religion of Christ uplifts the receiver to a higher plane of thought and action” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 489, 1905). The inspired pen further declares that “we have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us” (Life Sketches, p. 196, 1915), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “the joy of Christ in His soul made His countenance to shine, and gave a special grace to His demeanor” (The Desire of Ages, p. 73, 1898). We therefore wrap the cloak of hope around our hearts, knowing that the glorious appearing of our Saviour will turn our deepest sorrows into everlasting joy.

WHEN SHALL CHRIST APPEAR IN GLORY?

Christ shall appear in glory at the close of the investigative judgment, when the cases of all the righteous and the wicked have been finally decided and probation has closed forever. The Saviour Himself declared, “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30), and added, “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Revelation 22:12). The Apostle Paul wrote, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16), and continued, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). John the revelator beheld the scene and wrote, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True” (Revelation 19:11), and Job confessed, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth” (Job 19:25). In The Great Controversy the prophetic messenger writes, “Soon our eyes were drawn to the east, for a small black cloud had appeared, about half as large as a man’s hand, which we all knew was the sign of the Son of man” (Early Writings, p. 15, 1882), and a passage from the same author reminds us that “amid the reeling of the earth, the flash of lightning, and the roar of thunder, the voice of the Son of God calls forth the sleeping saints” (The Great Controversy, p. 644, 1911). Through inspired counsel we are told that “the living righteous are changed ‘in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye’” (The Great Controversy, p. 645, 1911), and through inspired pages we are reminded that “from the throne issue lightnings, and thunderings, and voices… and on the cloud sits the Son of man” (The Great Controversy, p. 641, 1911). The inspired pen further declares that “the King of kings descends upon the cloud, wrapped in flaming fire” (The Great Controversy, p. 641, 1911), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “we shall be taken to the New Jerusalem, where the saints will reign with Christ a thousand years” (Early Writings, p. 17, 1882). We therefore lift up our heads and rejoice, for our redemption draweth nigh, and the King in His beauty shall be seen by every eye that has watched for His appearing.

WHAT IS OUR PROMISED VICTORY?

Our promised victory is the eternal inheritance of the saints in light, when the redeemed shall stand upon the sea of glass and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb in the presence of God forever. John in vision wrote, “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God” (Revelation 15:2), and continued, “And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty” (Revelation 15:3). The Apostle Paul exulted, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?… But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55, 57), and the Saviour promised, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” (Revelation 3:21). The prophet Isaiah foretold, “And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10), and John added, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). In The Great Controversy the prophetic messenger writes, “The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation” (The Great Controversy, p. 678, 1911), and a passage from the same volume reminds us that “from Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space” (The Great Controversy, p. 678, 1911). Through inspired counsel we are told that “every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased… the years will move on in gladness” (Education, p. 307, 1903), and through inspired pages we are reminded that “the redeemed shall meet and recognize those whose attention they have directed to the uplifted Saviour” (Education, p. 305, 1903). The inspired pen further declares that “the city of God will open its golden gates to receive him who learned while on earth to lean upon God for guidance and wisdom” (Prophets and Kings, p. 254, 1917), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “there the redeemed shall know, even as also they are known” (The Great Controversy, p. 677, 1911). We therefore set our affections upon things above and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

HOW SHALL WE STAND COMPLETE?

We shall stand complete in Christ when His righteousness covers every defect, His character is reproduced in our lives, and our names remain unblotted in the Lamb’s book of life at the close of probation. The Apostle Paul wrote, “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:10), and added, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 1:24). The prophet Zephaniah declared, “The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not” (Zephaniah 3:5), and Paul further encouraged the saints, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). The Saviour Himself promised, “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (Revelation 21:7), and the Apostle John assured us, “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3). In The Great Controversy the prophetic messenger writes, “When the work of the investigative judgment closes, the destiny of all will have been decided for life or death. Probation is ended a short time before the appearing of the Lord in the clouds of heaven” (The Great Controversy, p. 490, 1911), and a passage from the same volume reminds us that “those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator” (The Great Controversy, p. 425, 1911). Through inspired counsel we are told that “their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil” (The Great Controversy, p. 425, 1911), and through inspired pages we are reminded that “Jesus pardons their sins, blots them out from the book of remembrance, and their names are retained in the book of life” (The Great Controversy, p. 483, 1911). The inspired pen further declares that “the followers of Christ are to shine as lights in the world” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 414, 1900), and the prophetic voice once wrote that “the work which the disciples did, we also are to do” (The Desire of Ages, p. 825, 1898). We therefore yield ourselves to the searching, sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, and we lift up our heads in joyful expectation, for the Lord at hand is faithful, and He will surely keep that which we have committed unto Him against that day.

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SELF-REFLECTION

How can I, in my personal devotional life, delve deeper into these prophetic truths, allowing them to shape my character and priorities?

How can we adapt these complex themes to be understandable and relevant to diverse audiences, from seasoned church members to new seekers or those from different faith traditions, without compromising theological accuracy?

What are the most common misconceptions about these topics in my community, and how can I gently but effectively correct them using Scripture and the writings of Sr. White?

In what practical ways can our local congregations and individual members become more vibrant beacons of truth and hope, living out the reality of Christ’s soon return and God’s ultimate victory over evil?

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