The Ellen White Research Project |
Home Shut Door Visions 1844 Top 7 Plagiarism Health Articles Letters FAQ Search Order |
|
The Ellen White Research Project |
Home Shut Door Visions 1844 Top 7 Plagiarism Health Articles Letters FAQ Search Order |
Satan was once an honored angel in heaven, next to Christ. His
countenance, like those of the other angels, was mild and expressive
of happiness. His forehead was high and broad, showing great intelligence.
His form was perfect; his bearing noble and majestic. But when
God said to His Son, "Let us make man in our image,"
Satan was jealous of Jesus. He wished to be consulted concerning
the formation of man, and because he was not, he was filled with
envy, jealousy, and hatred. He desired to receive the highest
honors in heaven next to God.
Until this time all heaven had been in order, harmony, and perfect
subjection to the government of God. It was the highest sin to
rebel against His order and will. All heaven seemed in commotion.
The angels were marshaled in companies, each division with a higher
commanding angel at its head. Satan, ambitious to exalt himself,
and unwilling to submit to the authority of Jesus, was insinuating
against the government of God. Some of the angels sympathized
with Satan in his rebellion, and others strongly contended for
the honor and wisdom of God in giving authority to His Son. There
was contention among the angels. Satan and his sympathizers were
striving to reform the government of God. They wished to look
into His unsearchable wisdom, and ascertain His purpose in exalting
Jesus and endowing Him with such unlimited power and command.
They rebelled against the authority of the Son. All the heavenly
host were summoned to appear before the Father to have each case
decided. It was there determined that Satan should be expelled
from heaven, with all the angels who had joined him in the rebellion.
Then there was war in heaven. Angels were engaged in the battle;
Satan wished to conquer the Son of God and those who were submissive
to His will. But the good and true angels prevailed, and Satan,
with his followers, was driven from heaven.
After Satan and those who fell with him were shut out of heaven,
and he realized that he had forever lost all its purity and glory,
he repented, and wished to be reinstated in heaven. He was willing
to take his proper place, or any position that might be assigned
him. But no; heaven must not be placed in jeopardy. All heaven
might be marred should he be taken back; for sin originated with
him, and the seeds of rebellion were within him. Both he and his
followers wept, and implored to be taken back into the favor of
God. But their sin--their hatred, their envy and jealousy--had
been so great that God could not blot it out. It must remain to
receive its final punishment.
When Satan became fully conscious that there was no possibility
of his being brought again into favor with God, his malice and
hatred began to be manifest. He consulted with his angels, and
a plan was laid to still work against God's government. When Adam
and Eve were placed in the beautiful garden, Satan was laying
plans to destroy them. In no way could this happy couple be deprived
of their happiness if they obeyed God. Satan could not exercise
his power upon them unless they should first disobey God and forfeit
His favor. Some plan must therefore be devised to lead them to
disobedience that they might incur God's frown and be brought
under the more direct influence of Satan and his angels. It was
decided that Satan should assume another form and manifest an
interest for man. He must insinuate against God's truthfulness
and create doubt whether God did mean just what He said; next,
he must excite their curiosity, and lead them to pry into the
unsearchable plans of God-- the very sin of which Satan had been
guilty--and reason as to the cause of His restrictions in regard
to the tree of knowledge. -
Holy angels often visited the garden, and gave instruction to
Adam and Eve concerning their employment and also taught them
concerning the rebellion and fall of Satan. The angels warned
them of Satan and cautioned them not to separate from each other
in their employment, for they might be brought in contact with
this fallen foe. The angels also enjoined upon them to follow
closely the directions God had given them, for in perfect obedience
only were they safe. Then this fallen foe could have no power
over them.
Satan commenced his work with Eve, to cause her to disobey. She
first erred in wandering from her husband, next in lingering around
the forbidden tree, and next in listening to the voice of the
tempter, and even daring to doubt what God had said, "In
the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
She thought that perhaps the Lord did not mean just what He said,
and venturing, she put forth her hand, took of the fruit and ate.
It was pleasing to the eye and pleasant to the taste. Then she
was jealous that God had withheld from them what was really for
their good, and she offered the fruit to her husband, thereby
tempting him. She related to Adam all that the serpent had said
and expressed her astonishment that he had the power of speech.
I saw a sadness come over Adam's countenance. He appeared afraid
and astonished. A struggle seemed to be going on in his mind.
He felt sure that this was the foe against whom they had been
warned, and that his wife must die. They must be separated. His
love for Eve was strong, and in utter discouragement he resolved
to share her fate. He seized the fruit and quickly ate it. Then
Satan exulted. He had rebelled in heaven, and had gained sympathizers
who loved him and followed him in his rebellion. He had fallen
and caused others to fall with him. And he had now tempted the
woman to distrust God, to inquire into His wisdom, and to seek
to penetrate His all-wise plans. Satan knew that the woman would
not fall alone. Adam, through his love for Eve, disobeyed the
command of God, and fell with her.
The news of man's fall spread through heaven. Every harp was hushed.
The angels cast their crowns from their heads in sorrow. All heaven
was in agitation. A council was held to decide what must be done
with the guilty pair. The angels feared that they would put forth
the hand, and eat of the tree of life, and become immortal sinners.
But God said that He would drive the transgressors from the garden.
Angels were immediately commissioned to guard the way of the tree
of life. It had been Satan's studied plan that Adam and Eve should
disobey God, receive His frown, and then partake of the tree of
life, that they might live forever in sin and disobedience, and
thus sin be immortalized. But holy angels were sent to drive them
out of the garden, and to bar their way to the tree of life. Each
of these mighty angels had in his right hand something which had
the appearance of a glittering sword.
Then Satan triumphed. He had made others suffer by his fall. He
had been shut out of heaven, they out of Paradise. -
Sorrow filled heaven, as it was realized that man was lost, and
that world which God had created was to be filled with mortals
doomed to misery, sickness, and death, and there was no way of
escape for the offender. The whole family of Adam must die. I
saw the lovely Jesus and beheld an expression of sympathy and
sorrow upon His countenance. Soon I saw Him approach the exceeding
bright light which enshrouded the Father. Said my accompanying
angel, He is in close converse with His Father. The anxiety of
the angels seemed to be intense while Jesus was communing with
His Father. Three times He was shut in by the glorious light about
the Father, and the third time He came from the Father, His person
could be seen. His countenance was calm, free from all perplexity
and doubt, and shone with benevolence and loveliness, such as
words cannot express. He then made known to the angelic host that
a way of escape had been made for lost man. He told them that
He had been pleading with His Father, and had offered to give
His life a ransom, to take the sentence of death upon Himself,
that through Him man might find pardon; that through the merits
of His blood, and obedience to the law of God, they could have
the favor of God, and be brought into the beautiful garden, and
eat of the fruit of the tree of life.
At first the angels could not rejoice; for their Commander concealed
nothing from them, but opened before them the plan of salvation.
Jesus told them that He would stand between the wrath of His Father
and guilty man, that He would bear iniquity and scorn, and but
few would receive Him as the Son of God. Nearly all would hate
and reject Him. He would leave all His glory in heaven, appear
upon earth as a man, humble Himself as a man, become acquainted
by His own experience with the various temptations with which
man would be beset, that He might know how to succor those who
should be tempted; and that finally, after His mission as a teacher
would be accomplished, He would be delivered into the hands of
men, and endure almost every cruelty and suffering that Satan
and his angels could inspire wicked men to inflict; that He would
die the cruelest of deaths, hung up between the heavens and the
earth as a guilty sinner; that He would suffer dreadful hours
of agony, which even angels could not look upon, but would veil
their faces from the sight. Not merely agony of body would He
suffer, but mental agony, that with which bodily suffering could
in no wise be compared. The weight of the sins of the whole world
would be upon Him. He told them He would die and rise again the
third day, and would ascend to His Father to intercede for wayward,
guilty man.
The angels prostrated themselves before Him. They offered their
lives. Jesus said to them that He would by His death save many,
that the life of an angel could not pay the debt. His life alone
could be accepted of His Father as a ransom for man. Jesus also
told them that they would have a part to act, to be with Him and
at different times strengthen Him; that He would take man's fallen
nature, and His strength would not be even equal with theirs;
that they would be witnesses of His humiliation and great sufferings;
and that as they would witness His sufferings, and the hatred
of men toward Him, they would be stirred with the deepest emotion,
and through their love for Him would wish to rescue and deliver
Him from His murderers; but that they must not interfere to prevent
anything they should behold; and that they should act a part in
His resurrection; that the plan of salvation was devised, and
His Father had accepted the plan.
With a holy sadness Jesus comforted and cheered the angels and
informed them that hereafter those whom He should redeem would
be with Him, and that by His death He should ransom many and destroy
him who had the power of death. And His Father would give Him
the kingdom and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,
and He would possess it forever and ever. Satan and sinners would
be destroyed, nevermore to disturb heaven or the purified new
earth. Jesus bade the heavenly host be reconciled to the plan
that His Father had accepted and rejoice that through His death
fallen man could again be exalted to obtain favor with God and
enjoy heaven.
Then joy, inexpressible joy, filled heaven. And the heavenly host
sang a song of praise and adoration. They touched their harps
and sang a note higher than they had done before, for the great
mercy and condescension of God in yielding up His dearly Beloved
to die for a race of rebels. Praise and adoration were poured
forth for the self-denial and sacrifice of Jesus; that He would
consent to leave the bosom of His Father, and choose a life of
suffering and anguish, and die an ignominious death to give life
to others.
Said the angel, "Think ye that the Father yielded up His
dearly beloved Son without a struggle? No, no. It was even a struggle
with the God of heaven, whether to let guilty man perish, or to
give His beloved Son to die for Him." Angels were so interested
for man's salvation that there could be found among them those
who would yield their glory and give their life for perishing
man, "But," said my accompanying angel, "that would
avail nothing. The transgression was so great that an angel's
life would not pay the debt. Nothing but the death and intercessions
of His son would pay the debt and save lost man from hopeless
sorrow and misery."
But the work of the angels was assigned them, to ascend and descend
with strengthening balm from glory to soothe the Son of God in
His sufferings, and minister unto Him. Also, their work would
be to guard and keep the subjects of grace from the evil angels
and the darkness constantly thrown around them by Satan. I saw
that it was impossible for God to alter or change His law to save
lost, perishing man; therefore He suffered His beloved Son to
die for man's transgression.
Satan again rejoiced with his angels that he could, by causing
man's fall, pull down the Son of God from His exalted position.
He told his angels that when Jesus should take fallen man's nature,
he could overpower Him and hinder the accomplishment of the plan
of salvation.
I was shown Satan as he once was, a happy, exalted angel. Then
I was shown him as he now is. He still bears a kingly form. His
features are still noble, for he is an angel fallen. But the expression
of his countenance is full of anxiety, care, unhappiness, malice,
hate, mischief, deceit, and every evil. That brow which was once
so noble, I particularly noticed. His forehead commenced from
his eyes to recede. I saw that he had so long bent himself to
evil that every good quality was debased, and every evil trait
was developed. His eyes were cunning, sly, and showed great penetration.
His frame was large, but the flesh hung loosely about his hands
and face. As I beheld him, his chin was resting upon his left
hand. He appeared to be in deep thought. A smile was upon his
countenance, which made me tremble, it was so full of evil and
satanic slyness. This smile is the one he wears just before he
makes sure of his victim, and as he fastens the victim in his
snare, this smile grows horrible. -
I was carried down to the time when Jesus was to take upon Himself
man's nature, humble Himself as a man, and suffer the temptations
of Satan.
His birth was without worldly grandeur. He was born in a stable
and cradled in a manger; yet His birth was honored far above that
of any of the sons of men. Angels from heaven informed the shepherds
of the advent of Jesus, and light and glory from God accompanied
their testimony. The heavenly host touched their harps and glorified
God. They triumphantly heralded the advent of the Son of God to
a fallen world to accomplish the work of redemption, and by His
death to bring peace, happiness, and everlasting life to man.
God honored the advent of His Son. Angels worshiped Him.
Angels of God hovered over the scene of His baptism; the Holy
Spirit descended in the form of a dove and lighted upon Him, and
as the people stood greatly amazed, with their eyes fastened upon
Him, the Father's voice was heard from heaven, saying, Thou art
My beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased.
John was not certain that it was the Saviour who came to be baptized
of him in Jordan. But God had promised him a sign by which he
should know the Lamb of God. That sign was given as the heavenly
dove rested upon Jesus, and the glory of God shone round about
Him. John reached forth his hand, pointing to Jesus, and with
a loud voice cried out, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh
away the sin of the world!"
John informed his disciples that Jesus was the promised Messiah,
the Saviour of the world. As his work was closing, he taught his
disciples to look to Jesus, and follow Him as the Great Teacher.
John's life was sorrowful and self-denying. He heralded the first
advent of Christ, but was not permitted to witness His miracles,
and enjoy the power manifested by Him. When Jesus should establish
Himself as a teacher, John knew that he himself must die. His
voice was seldom heard, except in the wilderness. His life was
lonely. He did not cling to his father's family, to enjoy their
society, but left them in order to fulfill his mission. Multitudes
left the busy cities and villages and flocked to the wilderness
to hear the words of the wonderful prophet. John laid the ax to
the root of the tree. He reproved sin, fearless of consequences,
and prepared the way for the Lamb of God.
Herod was affected as he listened to the powerful, pointed testimonies
of John, and with deep interest he inquired what he must do to
become his disciple. John was acquainted with the fact that he
was about to marry his brother's wife, while her husband was yet
living, and faithfully told Herod that this was not lawful. Herod
was unwilling to make any sacrifice. He married his brother's
wife, and through her influence, seized John and put him in prison,
intending however to release him. While there confined, John heard
through his disciples of the mighty works of Jesus. He could not
listen to His gracious words; but the disciples informed him and
comforted him with what they had heard. Soon John was beheaded,
through the influence of Herod's wife. I saw that the humblest
disciples who followed Jesus, witnessed His miracles, and heard
the comforting words which fell from His lips, were greater than
John the Baptist; that is, they were more exalted and honored,
and had more pleasure in their lives.
John came in the spirit and power of Elijah to proclaim the first
advent of Jesus. I was pointed down to the last days and saw that
John represented those who should go forth in the spirit and power
of Elijah to herald the day of wrath and the second advent of
Jesus.
After the baptism of Jesus in Jordan, He was led by the Spirit
into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. The Holy Spirit
had prepared Him for that special scene of fierce temptations.
Forty days He was tempted of Satan, and in those days He ate nothing.
Everything around Him was unpleasant, from which human nature
would be led to shrink. He was with the wild beasts and the devil,
in a desolate, lonely place. The Son of God was pale and emaciated,
through fasting and suffering. But His course was marked out,
and He must fulfill the work which He came to do.
Satan took advantage of the sufferings of the Son of God and prepared
to beset Him with manifold temptations, hoping to obtain the victory
over Him, because He had humbled Himself as a man. Satan came
with this temptation: "If Thou be the Son of God, command
this stone that it be made bread." He tempted Jesus to condescend
to give him proof of His being the Messiah, by exercising His
divine power. Jesus mildly answered him, "It is written,
That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."
Satan was seeking a dispute with Jesus concerning His being the
Son of God. He referred to His weak, suffering condition and boastingly
affirmed that he was stronger than Jesus. But the word spoken
from heaven, "Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee I am well
pleased," was sufficient to sustain Jesus through all His
sufferings. I saw that Christ had nothing to do in convincing
Satan of His power or of His being the Saviour of the world. Satan
had sufficient evidence of the exalted station and authority of
the Son of God. His unwillingness to yield to Christ's authority
had shut him out of heaven.
Satan, to manifest his power, carried Jesus to Jerusalem, and
set Him upon a pinnacle of the temple, and there tempted Him to
give evidence that He was the Son of God, by casting Himself down
from that dizzy height. Satan came with the words of inspiration:
"For it is written, He shall give His angels charge over
Thee, to keep Thee: and in their hands they shall bear Thee up,
lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone." Jesus
answering said unto him, "It is said, Thou shalt not tempt
the Lord thy God." Satan wished to cause Jesus to presume
upon the mercy of His Father and risk His life before the fulfillment
of His mission. He had hoped that the plan of salvation would
fail; but the plan was laid too deep to be overthrown or marred
by Satan.
Christ is the example for all Christians. When they are tempted,
or their rights are disputed, they should bear it patiently. They
should not feel that they have a right to call upon the Lord to
display His power that they may obtain a victory over their enemies,
unless God can be directly honored and glorified thereby. If Jesus
had cast Himself from the pinnacle of the temple, it would not
have glorified His Father; for none would have witnessed the act
but Satan and the angels of God. And it would have been tempting
the Lord to display His power to His bitterest foe. It would have
been condescending to the one whom Jesus came to conquer.
"And the devil, taking Him up into an high mountain, showed
unto Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And
the devil said unto Him, All this power will I give Thee, and
the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever
I will I give it. If Thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall
be Thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind
Me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy
God, and Him only shalt thou serve."
Satan presented before Jesus the kingdoms of the world in the
most attractive light. If Jesus would there worship him, he offered
to relinquish his claims to the possessions of earth. If the plan
of salvation should be carried out, and Jesus should die to redeem
man, Satan knew that his own power must be limited and finally
taken away, and that he would be destroyed. Therefore it was his
studied plan to prevent, if possible, the completion of the great
work which had been commenced by the Son of God. If the plan of
man's redemption should fail, Satan would retain the kingdom which
he then claimed. And if he should succeed, he flattered himself
that he would reign in opposition to the God of heaven.
Satan exulted when Jesus laid aside His power and glory and left
heaven. He thought that the Son of God was then placed in his
power. The temptation took so easily with the holy pair in Eden
that he hoped by his satanic power and cunning to overthrow even
the Son of God, and thereby save his own life and kingdom. If
he could tempt Jesus to depart from the will of His Father, his
object would be gained. But Jesus met the tempter with the rebuke,
"Get thee behind Me, Satan." He was to bow only to His
Father. Satan claimed the kingdom of earth as his and insinuated
to Jesus that all His sufferings might be saved: that He need
not die to obtain the kingdoms of this world; if He would worship
him He might have all the possessions of earth and the glory of
reigning over them. But Jesus was steadfast. He knew that the
time was to come when He would by His own life redeem the kingdom
from Satan, and that, after a season, all in heaven and earth
would submit to Him. He chose His life of suffering and His dreadful
death, as the way appointed by His Father that He might become
a lawful heir to the kingdoms of earth and have them given into
His hands as an everlasting possession. Satan also will be given
into His hands to be destroyed be death, nevermore to annoy Jesus
or the saints in glory. -
After Satan had ended his temptations, he departed from Jesus
for a season, and angels prepared Him food in the wilderness,
and strengthened Him, and the blessing of His Father rested upon
Him. Satan had failed in his fiercest temptations; yet he looked
forward to the period of Jesus' ministry, when he should at different
times try his cunning against Him. He still hoped to prevail against
Him by stirring up those who would not receive Jesus, to hate
and seek to destroy Him. Satan held a special council with his
angels. They were disappointed and enraged that they had prevailed
nothing against the Son of God. They decided that they must be
more cunning and use their power to the utmost to inspire unbelief
in the minds of His own nation as to His being the Saviour of
the world, and in this way discourage Jesus in His mission. No
matter how exact the Jews might be in their ceremonies and sacrifices,
if they could be kept blinded as to the prophecies and be made
to believe that the Messiah was to appear as a mighty worldly
king, they might be led to despise and reject Jesus.
I was shown that Satan and his angels were very busy during Christ's
ministry, inspiring men with unbelief, hate, and scorn. Often
when Jesus uttered some cutting truth, reproving their sins, the
people would become enraged. Satan and his angels urged them on
to take the life of the Son of God. More than once they took up
stones to cast at Him, but angels guarded Him and bore Him away
from the angry multitude to a place of safety. Again, as the plain
truth dropped from His holy lips, the multitude laid hold of Him
and led Him to the brow of a hill, intending to cast Him down.
A contention arose among themselves as to what they should do
with Him, when the angels again hid Him from the sight of the
multitude, and He, passing through the midst of them, went His
way.
Satan still hoped that the great plan of salvation would fail.
He exerted all his power to make the hearts of the people hard
and their feelings bitter against Jesus. He hoped that so few
would receive Him as the Son of God that He would consider His
sufferings and sacrifice too great to make for so small a company.
But I saw that if there had been but two who would have accepted
Jesus as the Son of God and believed on Him to the saving of their
souls, He would have carried out the plan.
Jesus began His work by breaking Satan's power over the suffering.
He restored the sick to health, gave sight to the blind, and healed
the lame, causing them to leap for joy and to glorify God. He
restored to health those who had been infirm and bound by Satan's
cruel power many years. With gracious words He comforted the weak,
the trembling, and the desponding. The feeble, suffering ones
whom Satan held in triumph, Jesus wrenched from his grasp, bringing
to them soundness of body and great joy and happiness. He raised
the dead to life, and they glorified God for the mighty display
of His power. He wrought mightily for all who believed on Him.
The life of Christ was filled with words and acts of benevolence,
sympathy, and love. He was ever attentive to listen to and relieve
the woes of those who came to Him. Multitudes carried in their
own persons the evidence of His divine power. Yet after the work
had been accomplished, many were ashamed of the humble yet mighty
teacher. Because the rulers did not believe on Him, the people
were not willing to accept Jesus. He was a man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief. They could not endure to be governed by
His sober, self-denying life. They wished to enjoy the honor which
the world bestows. Yet many followed the Son of God and listened
to His instructions, feasting upon the words which fell so graciously
from His lips. His words were full of meaning, yet so plain that
the weakest could understand them.
Satan and his angels blinded the eyes and darkened the understanding
of the Jews, and stirred up the chief of the people and the rulers
to take the Saviour's life. Others were sent to bring Jesus unto
them; but as they came near where He was they were greatly amazed.
They saw Him filled with sympathy and compassion, as He witnessed
human woe. They heard Him in love and tenderness speak encouragingly
to the weak and afflicted. They also heard Him, in a voice of
authority, rebuke the power of Satan and bid his captives go free.
They listened to the words of wisdom that fell from His lips,
and they were captivated; they could not lay hands on Him. They
returned to the priests and elders without Jesus. When asked,
"Why have ye not brought Him?" they related what they
had witnessed of His miracles, and the holy words of wisdom, love,
and knowledge which they had heard, and ended with saying, "Never
man spake like this man." The chief priests accused them
of being also deceived, and some of the officers were ashamed
that they had not taken Him. The priests inquired in a scornful
manner if any of the rulers had believed on Him. I saw that many
of the magistrates and elders did believe on Jesus; but Satan
kept them from acknowledging it; they feared the reproach of the
people more than they feared God.
Thus far the cunning and hatred of Satan had not broken up the
plan of salvation. The time for the accomplishment of the object
for which Jesus came into the world was drawing near. Satan and
his angels consulted together and decided to inspire Christ's
own nation to cry eagerly for His blood and heap upon Him cruelty
and scorn. They hoped that Jesus would resent such treatment and
fail to maintain His humility and meekness.
While Satan was laying his plans, Jesus was carefully opening to His disciples the sufferings through which He must pass--that He would be crucified and that He would rise again the third day. But their understanding seemed dull, and they could not comprehend what He told them.
The faith of the disciples was greatly strengthened at the transfiguration,
when they were permitted to behold Christ's glory and to hear
the voice from heaven testifying to His divine character. God
chose to give the followers of Jesus strong proof that He was
the promised Messiah, that in their bitter sorrow and disappointment
at His crucifixion, they would not entirely cast away their confidence.
At the transfiguration the Lord sent Moses and Elijah to talk
with Jesus concerning His sufferings and death. Instead of choosing
angels to converse with His Son, God chose those who had themselves
experienced the trials of earth.
Elijah had walked with God. His work had been painful and trying,
for the Lord through him had reproved the sins of Israel. Elijah
was a prophet of God; yet he was compelled to flee from place
to place to save his life. His own nation hunted him like a wild
beast that they might destroy him. But God translated Elijah.
Angels bore him in glory and triumph to heaven.
Moses was greater than any who had lived before him. He had been
highly honored of God, being privileged to talk with the Lord
face to face, as a man speaks with a friend. He was permitted
to see the bright light and excellent glory that enshrouded the
Father. The Lord through Moses delivered the children of Israel
from Egyptian bondage. Moses was a mediator for his people, often
standing between them and the wrath of God. When the anger of
the Lord was greatly kindled against Israel for their unbelief,
their murmurings, and their grievous sins, Moses' love for them
was tested. God proposed to destroy them and to make of him a
mighty nation. Moses showed his love for Israel by his earnest
pleading in their behalf. In his distress he prayed God to turn
from His fierce anger and forgive Israel, or blot his name out
of His book.
When Israel murmured against God and against Moses because they
could get no water, they accused him of leading them out to kill
them and their children. God heard their murmurings and bade Moses
speak to the rock, that the people might have water. Moses smote
the rock in wrath and took the glory to himself. The continual
waywardness and murmuring of the children of Israel had caused
him the keenest sorrow, and for a little time he forgot how much
the Lord had borne with them, and that their murmuring was not
against him, but against God. He thought only of himself, how
deeply he was wronged, and how little gratitude they manifested
in return for his deep love for them.
It was God's plan to bring often His people into strait places,
and then in their necessity to deliver them by His power, that
they might realize His love and care for them, and thus be led
to serve and honor Him. But Moses had failed to honor God and
magnify His name before the people that they might glorify Him.
In this he brought upon himself the Lord's displeasure.
When Moses came down from the mount with the two tables of stone
and saw Israel worshiping the golden calf, his anger was greatly
kindled, and he threw down the tables of stone and broke them.
I saw that Moses did not sin in this. He was wroth for God, jealous
for His glory. But when he yielded to the natural feelings of
his heart and took to himself the honor which was due to God,
he sinned, and for that sin God would not suffer him to enter
the land of Canaan.
Satan had been trying to find something wherewith to accuse Moses
before the angels. He exulted at his success in leading him to
displease God, and he told the angels that he could overcome the
Saviour of the world when He should come to redeem man. For his
transgression, Moses came under the power of Satan-- the dominion
of death. Had he remained steadfast, the Lord would have brought
him to the Promised Land, and would then have translated him to
heaven without his seeing death.
Moses passed through death, but Michael came down and gave him
life before his body had seen corruption. Satan tried to hold
the body, claiming it as his; but Michael resurrected Moses and
took him to heaven. Satan railed bitterly against God, denouncing
Him as unjust in permitting his prey to be taken from him; but
Christ did not rebuke His adversary, though it was through his
temptation that the servant of God had fallen. He meekly referred
him to His Father, saying, "The Lord rebuke thee."
Jesus had told His disciples that there were some standing with
Him who should not taste of death till they should see the kingdom
of God come with power. At the transfiguration this promise was
fulfilled. The countenance of Jesus was there changed and shone
like the sun. His raiment was white and glistening. Moses was
present to represent those who will be raised from the dead at
the second appearing of Jesus. And Elijah, who was translated
without seeing death, represented those who will be changed to
immortality at Christ's second coming and will be translated to
heaven without seeing death. The disciples beheld with astonishment
and fear the excellent majesty of Jesus and the cloud that overshadowed
them, and heard the voice of God in terrible majesty, saying,
"This is My beloved Son; hear Him."
I was carried down to the time when Jesus ate the Passover supper
with His disciples. Satan had deceived Judas and led him to think
that he was one of Christ's true disciples; but his heart had
ever been carnal. He had seen the mighty works of Jesus, he had
been with Him through His ministry, and had yielded to the overpowering
evidence that He was the Messiah; but Judas was close and covetous;
he loved money. He complained in anger of the costly ointment
poured upon Jesus. Mary loved her Lord. He had forgiven her sins,
which were many, and had raised from the dead her much-loved brother,
and she felt that nothing was too dear to bestow upon Jesus. The
more precious the ointment, the better could she express her gratitude
to her Saviour by devoting it to Him. Judas, as an excuse for
his covetousness, urged that the ointment might have been sold
and given to the poor. But it was not because he had any care
for the poor; for he was selfish, and often appropriated to his
own use that which was entrusted to his care to be given unto
the poor. Judas had been inattentive to the comfort and even to
the wants of Jesus, and to excuse his covetousness he often referred
to the poor. This act of generosity on the part of Mary was a
most cutting rebuke of his covetous disposition. The way was prepared
for Satan's temptation to find a ready reception in the heart
of Judas.
The priests and rulers of the Jews hated Jesus; but multitudes
thronged to listen to His words of wisdom and to witness His mighty
works. The people were stirred with the deepest interest and anxiously
followed Jesus to hear the instructions of this wonderful teacher.
Many of the rulers believed on Him, but dared not confess their
faith lest they should be put out of the synagogue. The priests
and elders decided that something must be done to draw the attention
of the people from Jesus. They feared that all men would believe
on Him. They could see no safety for themselves. They must lose
their position or put Jesus to death. And after they should put
Him to death, there would still be those who were living monuments
of His power. Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, and they
feared that if they should kill Jesus, Lazarus would testify of
His mighty power. The people were flocking to see him who was
raised from the dead, and the rulers determined to slay Lazarus
also, and put down the excitement. Then they would turn the people
to the traditions and doctrines of men, to tithe mint and rue,
and again have influence over them. They agreed to take Jesus
when He was alone; for if they should attempt to take Him in a
crowd, when the minds of the people were all interested in Him,
they would be stoned.
Judas knew how anxious they were to obtain Jesus and offered to
betray Him to the chief priests and elders for a few pieces of
silver. His love of money led him to agree to betray his Lord
into the hands of His bitterest enemies. Satan was working directly
through Judas, and in the midst of the impressive scene of the
last supper, the traitor was devising plans to betray his Master.
Jesus sorrowfully told His disciples that all of them would be
offended because of Him that night. But Peter ardently affirmed
that although all others should be offended because of Him, he
would not be offended. Jesus said to Peter: "Satan hath desired
to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed
for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted,
strengthen thy brethren." Luke 22:31,32.
I beheld Jesus in the garden with His disciples. In deep sorrow
He bade them watch and pray, lest they should enter into temptation.
He knew that their faith was to be tried, and their hopes disappointed,
and that they would need all the strength which they could obtain
by close watching and fervent prayer. With strong cries and weeping,
Jesus prayed, "Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup
from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done." The
Son of God prayed in agony. Great drops of blood gathered upon
His face and fell to the ground. Angels were hovering over the
place, witnessing the scene, but only one was commissioned to
go and strengthen the Son of God in His agony. There was no joy
in heaven. The angels cast their crowns and harps from them and
with the deepest interest silently watched Jesus. They wished
to surround the Son of God, but the commanding angels suffered
them not, lest, as they should behold His betrayal, they should
deliver Him; for the plan had been laid, and it must be fulfilled.
After Jesus had prayed, He came to His disciples; but they were
sleeping. In that dreadful hour He had not the sympathy and prayers
of even His disciples. Peter, who was so zealous a short time
before, was heavy with sleep. Jesus reminded him of his positive
declarations and said to him, "What, could ye not watch with
Me one hour?" Three times the Son of God prayed in agony.
Then Judas, with his band of armed men, appeared. He approached
his Master as usual, to salute Him. The band surrounded Jesus;
but there He manifested His divine power, as He said, "Whom
seek ye?" "I am He." They fell backward to the
ground. Jesus made this inquiry that they might witness His power
and have evidence that He could deliver Himself from their hands
if He would.
The disciples began to hope as they saw the multitude with their
staves and swords fall so quickly. As they arose and again surrounded
the Son of God, Peter drew his sword and smote a servant of the
high priest and cut off an ear. Jesus bade him to put up the sword,
saying, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father,
and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels?"
I saw that as these words were spoken, the countenances of the
angels were animated with hope. They wished then and there to
surround their Commander and disperse that angry mob. But again
sadness settled upon them, as Jesus added, "But how then
shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"
The hearts of the disciples also sank in despair and bitter disappointment,
as Jesus suffered Himself to be led away by His enemies.
The disciples feared for their own lives, and they all forsook
Him and fled. Jesus was left alone in the hands of the murderous
mob. Oh, what a triumph of Satan then! And what sadness and sorrow
with the angels of God! Many companies of holy angels, each with
a tall commanding angel at their head, were sent to witness the
scene. They were to record every insult and cruelty imposed upon
the Son of God, and to register every pang of anguish which Jesus
should suffer; for the very men who joined in this dreadful scene
are to see it all again in living characters.
The angels as they left heaven, in sadness laid off their glittering
crowns. They could not wear them while their Commander was suffering
and was to wear a crown of thorns. Satan and his angels were busy
in the judgment hall to destroy human feeling and sympathy. The
very atmosphere was heavy and polluted by their influence. The
chief priests and elders were inspired by them to insult and abuse
Jesus in a manner the most difficult for human nature to bear.
Satan hoped that such mockery and violence would call forth from
the Son of God some complaint or murmur; or that He would manifest
His divine power, and wrench Himself from the grasp of the multitude,
and that thus the plan of salvation might at last fail.
Peter followed his Lord after His betrayal. He was anxious to
see what would be done with Jesus. But when he was accused of
being one of His disciples, fear for his own safety led him to
declare that he knew not the man. The disciples were noted for
the purity of their language, and Peter, to convince his accusers
that he was not one of Christ's disciples, denied the charge the
third time with cursing and swearing. Jesus, who was at some distance
from Peter, turned a sorrowful reproving gaze upon him. Then the
disciple remembered the words which Jesus had spoken to him in
the upper chamber, and also his own zealous assertion, "Though
all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be
offended." He had denied his Lord, even with cursing and
swearing; but that look of Jesus' melted Peter's heart and saved
him. He wept bitterly and repented of his great sin, and was converted,
and then was prepared to strengthen his brethren.
The multitude were clamorous for the blood of Jesus. They cruelly
scourged Him, and put upon Him an old purple kingly robe, and
bound His sacred head with a crown of thorns. They put a reed
into His hand, and bowed to Him, and mockingly saluted Him, "Hail,
king of the Jews!" They then took the reed from His hand
and smote Him with it upon the head, causing the thorns to penetrate
His temples, sending the blood trickling down His face and beard.
It was difficult for the angels to endure the sight. They would
have delivered Jesus, but the commanding angels forbade them,
saying that it was a great ransom which was to be paid for man;
but it would be complete and would cause the death of him who
had the power of death. Jesus knew that angels were witnessing
the scene of His humiliation. The weakest angel could have caused
that mocking throng to fall powerless and could have delivered
Jesus. He knew that if He should desire it of His Father, angels
would instantly release Him. But it was necessary that He should
suffer the violence of wicked men, in order to carry out the plan
of salvation.
Jesus stood meek and humble before the infuriated multitude, while
they offered Him the vilest abuse. They spit in His face--that
face from which they will one day desire to hide, which will give
light to the city of God and shine brighter than the sun. Christ
did not cast upon the offenders an angry look. They covered His
head with an old garment, blindfolding Him, and then struck Him
in the face and cried out, "Prophesy, who is it that smote
Thee?" There was commotion among the angels. They would have
rescued Him instantly; but their commanding angels restrained
them.
Some of the disciples had gained confidence to enter where Jesus
was and witness His trial. They expected that He would manifest
His divine power, and deliver Himself from the hands of His enemies,
and punish them for their cruelty toward Him. Their hopes would
rise and fall as the different scenes transpired. Sometimes they
doubted, and feared that they had been deceived. But the voice
heard at the mount of transfiguration, and the glory they there
beheld, strengthened their faith that He was the Son of God. They
called to mind the scenes which they had witnessed, the miracles
which they had seen Jesus perform in healing the sick, opening
the eyes of the blind, unstopping the deaf ears, rebuking and
casting out devils, raising the dead to life, and even calming
the wind and the sea. They could not believe that He would die.
They hoped that He would yet rise in power, and with His commanding
voice disperse that bloodthirsty multitude, as when He entered
the temple and drove out those who were making the house of God
a place of merchandise, when they fled before Him as if pursued
by a company of armed soldiers. The disciples hoped that Jesus
would manifest His power and convince all that He was the King
of Israel.
Judas was filled with bitter remorse and shame at his treacherous
act in betraying Jesus. And when he witnessed the abuse which
the Saviour endured, he was overcome. He had loved Jesus, but
had loved money more. He had not thought that Jesus would suffer
Himself to be taken by the mob which he led on. He had expected
Him to work a miracle, and deliver Himself from them. But when
he saw the infuriated multitude in the judgment hall, thirsting
for blood, he deeply felt his guilt; and while many were vehemently
accusing Jesus, Judas rushed through the multitude, confessing
that he had sinned in betraying innocent blood. He offered the
priests the money which they had paid him, and entreated them
to release Jesus, declaring that He was entirely innocent.
For a short time vexation and confusion kept the priests silent.
They did not wish the people to know that they had hired one of
the professed followers of Jesus to betray Him into their hands.
Their hunting Jesus like a thief and taking Him secretly, they
wished to hide. But the confession of Judas, and his haggard,
guilty appearance, exposed the priests before the multitude, showing
that it was hatred that had caused them to take Jesus. As Judas
loudly declared Jesus to be innocent, the priests replied, "What
is that to us? see thou to that." They had Jesus in their
power, and were determined to make sure of Him. Judas, overwhelmed
with anguish, threw the money that he now despised at the feet
of those who had hired him, and, in anguish and horror, went and
hanged himself.
Jesus had many sympathizers in the company about Him, and His
answering nothing to the many questions put to Him amazed the
throng. Under all the mockery and violence of the mob, not a frown,
not a troubled expression, rested upon His features. He was dignified
and composed. The spectators looked upon Him with wonder. They
compared His perfect form and firm, dignified bearing with the
appearance of those who sat in judgment against Him, and said
to one another that He appeared more like a king than any of the
rulers. He bore no marks of being a criminal. His eye was mild,
clear, and undaunted, His forehead broad and high. Every feature
was strongly marked with benevolence and noble principle. His
patience and forbearance were so unlike man that many trembled.
Even Herod and Pilate were greatly troubled at His noble, Godlike
bearing.
From the first, Pilate was convicted that Jesus was no common
man. He believed Him to be an excellent character, and entirely
innocent of the charges brought against Him. The angels who were
witnessing the scene marked the convictions of the Roman governor,
and to save him from engaging in the awful act of delivering Christ
to be crucified, an angel was sent to Pilate's wife, and gave
her information through a dream that it was the Son of God in
whose trial her husband was engaged, and that He was an innocent
sufferer. She immediately sent a message to Pilate, stating that
she had suffered many things in a dream on account of Jesus and
warning him to have nothing to do with that holy man. The messenger,
pressing hastily through the crowd, placed the letter in the hands
of Pilate. As he read, he trembled and turned pale, and at once
determined to have nothing to do with putting Christ to death.
If the Jews would have the blood of Jesus, he would not give his
influence to it, but would labor to deliver Him.
When Pilate heard that Herod was in Jerusalem, he was greatly
relieved; for he hoped to free himself from all responsibility
in the trial and condemnation of Jesus. He at once sent Him, with
His accusers, to Herod. This ruler had become hardened in sin.
The murder of John the Baptist had left upon his conscience a
stain from which he could not free himself. When he heard of Jesus
and the mighty works wrought by Him, he feared and trembled, believing
Him to be John the Baptist risen from the dead. When Jesus was
placed in his hands by Pilate, Herod considered the act an acknowledgment
of his power, authority, and judgment. This had the effect to
make friends of the two rulers, who had before been enemies. Herod
was pleased to see Jesus, expecting Him to work some mighty miracle
for his satisfaction. But it was not the work of Jesus to gratify
curiosity or to seek His own safety. His divine, miraculous power
was to be exercised for the salvation of others, but not in His
own behalf.
Jesus answered nothing to the many questions put to Him by Herod;
neither did He reply to His enemies, who were vehemently accusing
Him. Herod was enraged because Jesus did not appear to fear his
power, and with his men of war he derided, mocked, and abused
the Son of God. Yet he was astonished at the noble, Godlike appearance
of Jesus when shamefully abused, and fearing to condemn Him, he
sent Him again to Pilate.
Satan and his angels were tempting Pilate and trying to lead him
on to his own ruin. They suggested to him that if he did not take
part in condemning Jesus others would; the multitude were thirsting
for His blood; and if he did not deliver Him to be crucified,
he would lose his power and worldly honor and would be denounced
as a believer on the impostor. Through fear of losing his power
and authority, Pilate consented to the death of Jesus. And notwithstanding
he placed the blood of Jesus upon His accusers, and the multitude
received it, crying, "His blood be on us, and on our children,"
yet Pilate was not clear; he was guilty of the blood of Christ.
For his own selfish interest, his love of honor from the great
men of earth, he delivered an innocent man to die. If Pilate had
followed his own convictions, he would have had nothing to do
with condemning Jesus.
The appearance and words of Jesus during His trial made a deep
impression upon the minds of many who were present on that occasion.
The result of the influence thus exerted was apparent after His
resurrection. Among those who were then added to the church, there
were many whose conviction dated from the time of Jesus' trial.
Satan's rage was great as he saw that all the cruelty which he
had led the Jews to inflict on Jesus had not called forth from
Him the slightest murmur. Although He had taken upon Himself man's
nature, He was sustained by a Godlike fortitude, and departed
not in the least from the will of His Father. -
The Son of God was delivered to the people to be crucified; with
shouts of triumph they led the dear Saviour away. He was weak
and faint from weariness, pain, and loss of blood by the scourging
and blows which He had received; yet the heavy cross upon which
He was soon to be nailed was laid upon Him. Jesus fainted beneath
the burden. Three times the cross was placed upon His shoulders,
and three times He fainted. One of His followers, a man who had
not openly professed faith in Christ, yet believed on Him, was
next seized. Upon him the cross was laid, and he bore it to the
fatal spot. Companies of angels were marshaled in the air above
the place. A number of Christ's disciples followed Him to Calvary,
in sorrow, and with bitter weeping. They called to mind His triumphal
ride into Jerusalem but a few days before, when they had followed
Him, crying, "Hosanna in the highest!" and strewing
their garments and the beautiful palm branches in the way. They
had thought that He was then to take the kingdom and reign a temporal
prince over Israel. How changed the scene! How blighted their
prospects! Not with rejoicing, not with cheerful hopes, but with
hearts stricken with fear and despair they now slowly, sadly followed
Him who had been disgraced and humbled, and who was about to die.
The mother of Jesus was there. Her heart was pierced with anguish
such as none but a fond mother can feel; yet, with the disciples,
she still hoped that Christ would work some mighty miracle and
deliver Himself from His murderers. She could not endure the thought
that He would suffer Himself to be crucified. But the preparations
were made, and Jesus was laid upon the cross. The hammer and the
nails were brought. The hearts of the disciples fainted within
them. The mother of Jesus was bowed with agony almost beyond endurance.
Before the Saviour was nailed to the cross, the disciples bore
her from the scene, that she might not hear the crashing of the
spikes as they were driven through the bone and muscle of His
tender hands and feet. Jesus murmured not, but groaned in agony.
His face was pale, and large drops of sweat stood upon His brow.
Satan exulted in the suffering through which the Son of God was
passing, yet feared that his efforts to thwart the plan of salvation
had been in vain, that his kingdom was lost, and that he must
finally be destroyed.
After Jesus had been nailed to the cross, it was raised and with
great force thrust into the place which had been prepared for
it in the ground, tearing the flesh and causing the most intense
suffering. To make the death of Jesus as shameful as possible,
two thieves were crucified with Him, one on each side. The thieves
were taken by force, and after much resistance on their part,
their arms were thrust back and nailed to their crosses. But Jesus
meekly submitted. He needed no one to force His arms back upon
the cross. While the thieves were cursing their executioners,
the Saviour in agony prayed for His enemies, "Father, forgive
them; for they know not what they do." It was not merely
agony of body which Christ endured; the sins of the whole world
were upon Him.
As Jesus hung upon the cross, some who passed by reviled Him,
wagging their heads as if bowing to a king, and said to Him, "Thou
that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save
Thyself. If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross."
Satan used the same words to Christ in the wilderness-- "If
Thou be the Son of God." The chief priests, elders, and scribes
mockingly said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.
If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross,
and we will believe Him." The angels who hovered over the
scene of Christ's crucifixion were moved to indignation as the
rulers derided Him and said, "If He be the Son God, let Him
deliver Himself". They wished there to come to the rescue
of Jesus and deliver Him, but they were not suffered to do so.
The object of His mission was not yet accomplished.
As Jesus hung upon the cross during those long hours of agony,
He did not forget His mother. She had returned to the terrible
scene, for she could not longer remain away from her Son. The
last lesson of Jesus was one of compassion and humanity. He looked
upon the grief-stricken face of His mother, and then upon His
beloved disciple John. He said to His mother, "Woman, behold
thy son!" Then He said to John, "Behold thy mother!"
And from that hour John took her to his own house.
Jesus thirsted in His agony, and they gave Him vinegar and gall
to drink; but when He tasted it, He refused it. The angels had
viewed the agony of their loved Commander until they could behold
no longer, and they veiled their faces from the sight. The sun
refused to look upon the awful scene. Jesus cried with a loud
voice, which struck terror to the hearts of His murderers, "It
is finished." Then the veil of the temple was rent from the
top to the bottom, the earth shook, and the rocks rent. Great
darkness was upon the face of the earth. The last hope of the
disciples seemed swept away as Jesus died. Many of His followers
witnessed the scene of His sufferings and death, and their cup
of sorrow was full.
Satan did not then exult as he had done. He had hoped to break
up the plan of salvation; but it was laid too deep. And now by
the death of Christ he knew that he himself must finally die,
and his kingdom be given to Jesus. He held a council with his
angels. He had prevailed nothing against the Son of God, and now
they must increase their efforts and with their power and cunning
turn to His followers. They must prevent all whom they could from
receiving the salvation purchased for them by Jesus. By so doing
Satan could still work against the government of God. Also it
would be for his own interest to keep from Jesus as many as possible.
For the sins of those who are redeemed by the blood of Christ
will at last be rolled back upon the originator of sin, and he
must bear their punishment, while those who do not accept salvation
through Jesus will suffer the penalty of their own sins.
The life of Christ had ever been without worldly wealth, honor,
or display. His humility and self-denial had been in striking
contrast to the pride and self-indulgence of the priests and elders.
His spotless purity was a continual reproof of their sins. They
despised Him for His humility, holiness, and purity. But those
who despised Him here will one day see Him in the grandeur of
heaven and the unsurpassed glory of His Father.
In the judgment hall He was surrounded by enemies who were thirsting
for His blood; but those hardened ones who cried out, "His
blood be on us, and on our children," will behold Him an
honored King. All the heavenly host will escort Him on His way
with songs of victory, majesty, and might to Him that was slain,
yet lives again, a mighty conqueror.
Poor, weak, miserable man spat in the face of the King of glory,
while a shout of brutal triumph arose from the mob at the degrading
insult. They marred with blows and cruelty that face which filled
all heaven with admiration. They will again behold that face,
bright as the noonday sun, and will seek to flee from before it.
Instead of that shout of brutal triumph, they will wail because
of Him.
Jesus will present His hands with the marks of His crucifixion.
The marks of this cruelty He will ever bear. Every print of the
nails will tell the story of man's wonderful redemption and the
dear price by which it was purchased. The very men who thrust
the spear into the side of the Lord of life will behold the print
of the spear and will lament with deep anguish the part which
they acted in marring His body.
His murderers were greatly annoyed by the superscription, "The
King of the Jews," placed upon the cross above His head.
But then they will be obliged to see Him in all His glory and
kingly power. They will behold on His vesture and on His thigh,
written in living characters, "King of kings, and Lord of
lords." They cried to Him mockingly, as He hung upon the
cross, "Let Christ, the King of Israel, descend from the
cross, that we may see and believe." They will behold Him
then with kingly power and authority. They will demand no evidence
of His being King of Israel; but overwhelmed with a sense of His
majesty and exceeding glory, they will be compelled to acknowledge,
"Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord."
The shaking of the earth, the rending of the rocks, the darkness
spread over the earth, and the loud, strong cry of Jesus, "It
is finished," as He yielded up His life, troubled His enemies
and made His murderers tremble. The disciples wondered at these
singular manifestations; but their hopes were crushed. They were
afraid that the Jews would seek to destroy them also. They felt
assured that such hatred as had been manifested against the Son
of God would not end with Him. Lonely hours they spent in weeping
over their disappointment. They had expected that Jesus would
reign a temporal Prince, but their hopes died with Him. In their
sorrow and disappointment, they doubted whether He had not deceived
them. Even His mother wavered in her faith in Him as the Messiah.
Notwithstanding the disciples had been disappointed in their hopes
concerning Jesus, they yet loved Him and desired to give His body
an honored burial, but knew not how to obtain it. Joseph of Arimathaea,
a wealthy and influential councilor of the Jews and a true disciple
of Jesus, went privately yet boldly to Pilate and begged from
him the Saviour's body. He dared not go openly, because of the
hatred of the Jews. The disciples feared that an effort would
be made by them to prevent the body of Christ from having an honored
resting place. Pilate granted the request, and the disciples took
the lifeless form down from the cross, while in deep anguish they
mourned over their blighted hopes. Carefully the body was wrapped
in fine linen, and laid in Joseph's new sepulcher.
The women who had been Christ's humble followers while He lived,
would not leave Him until they saw Him laid in the tomb and a
stone of great weight placed before the door, lest His enemies
should seek to obtain His body. But they need not have feared;
for I saw that the angelic host watched with untold interest in
the resting place of Jesus, earnestly waiting for the command
to act their part in liberating the King of glory from His prison
house.
Christ's murderers feared that He might yet come to life and escape
them. They therefore asked of Pilate a watch to guard the sepulcher
until the third day. This was granted, and the stone at the door
was sealed, lest His disciples should steal Him away and say that
He had risen from the dead. -
The disciples rested on the Sabbath, sorrowing for the death of
their Lord, while Jesus, the King of glory, lay in the tomb. As
night drew on, soldiers were stationed to guard the Saviour's
resting place, while angels, unseen, hovered above the sacred
spot. The night wore slowly away, and while it was yet dark, the
watching angels knew that the time for the release of God's dear
Son, their loved Commander, had nearly come. As they were waiting
with the deepest emotion the hour of His triumph, a mighty angel
came flying swiftly from heaven. His face was like the lightning,
and his garments white as snow. His light dispersed the darkness
from his track and caused the evil angels, who had triumphantly
claimed the body of Jesus, to flee in terror from his brightness
and glory. One of the angelic host who had witnessed the scene
of Christ's humiliation, and was watching His resting place, joined
the angel from heaven, and together they came down to the sepulcher.
The earth trembled and shook as they approached, and there was
a great earthquake.
Terror seized the Roman guard. Where was now their power to keep
the body of Jesus? They did not think of their duty or of the
disciples' stealing Him away. As the light of the angels shone
around, brighter than the sun, that Roman guard fell as dead men
to the ground. One of the angels laid hold of the great stone
and rolled it away from the door of the sepulcher and seated himself
upon it. The other entered the tomb and unbound the napkin from
the head of Jesus. Then the angel from heaven, with a voice that
caused the earth to quake, cried out, "Thou Son of God, Thy
Father calls Thee! Come forth." Death could hold dominion
over Him no longer. Jesus arose from the dead, a triumphant conqueror.
In solemn awe the angelic host gazed upon the scene. And as Jesus
came forth from the sepulcher, those shining angels prostrated
themselves to the earth in worship, and hailed Him with songs
of victory and triumph.
Satan's angels had been compelled to flee before the bright, penetrating
light of the heavenly angels, and they bitterly complained to
their king that their prey had been violently taken from them,
and that He whom they so much hated had risen from the dead. Satan
and his hosts had exulted that their power over fallen man had
caused the Lord of life to be laid in the grave, but short was
their hellish triumph. For as Jesus walked forth from His prison
house a majestic conqueror, Satan knew that after a season he
must die, and his kingdom pass unto Him whose right it was. He
lamented and raged that notwithstanding all his efforts, Jesus
had not been overcome, but had opened a way of salvation for man,
and whosoever would might walk in it and be saved.
The evil angels and their commander met in council to consider
how they could still work against the government of God. Satan
bade his servants go to the chief priests and elders. Said he,
"We succeeded in deceiving them, blinding their eyes and
hardening their hearts against Jesus. We made them believe that
He was an impostor. That Roman guard will carry the hateful news
that Christ has risen. We led the priests and elders on to hate
Jesus and to murder Him. Now hold it before them that if it becomes
known that Jesus is risen, they will be stoned by the people for
putting to death and innocent man."
As the host of heavenly angels departed from the sepulcher and
the light and glory passed away, the Roman guard ventured to raise
their heads and look about them. They were filled with amazement
as they saw that the great stone had been rolled from the door
of the sepulcher and that the body of Jesus was gone. They hastened
to the city to make known to the priests and elders what they
had seen. As those murderers listened to the marvelous report,
paleness sat upon every face. Horror seized them at the thought
of what they had done. If the report was correct, they were lost.
For a time they sat in silence, looking upon one another's faces,
not knowing what to do or what to say. To accept the report would
be to condemn themselves. They went aside to consult as to what
should be done. They reasoned that if the report brought by the
guard should be circulated among the people, those who put Christ
to death would be slain as His murderers. It was decided to hire
the soldiers to keep the matter secret. The priests and elders
offered them a large sum of money, saying, "Say ye, His disciples
came by night, and stole Him away while we slept." And when
the guard inquired what would be done with them for sleeping at
their post, the Jewish officers promised to persuade the governor
and secure their safety. For the sake of money, the Roman guard
sold their honor, and agreed to follow the counsel of the priests
and elders.
When Jesus, as He hung upon the cross, cried out, "It is
finished," the rocks rent, the earth shook, and some of the
graves were opened. When He arose a victor over death and the
grave, while the earth was reeling and the glory of heaven shone
around the sacred spot, many of the righteous dead, obedient to
His call, came forth as witnesses that He had risen. Those favored,
risen saints came forth glorified. They were chosen and holy ones
of every age, from creation down even to the days of Christ. Thus
while the Jewish leaders were seeking to conceal the fact of Christ's
resurrection, God chose to bring up a company from their graves
to testify that Jesus had risen, and to declare His glory.
Those risen ones differed in stature and form, some being more
noble in appearance than others. I was informed that the inhabitants
of earth had been degenerating, losing their strength and comeliness.
Satan has the power of disease and death, and with every age the
effects of the curse have been more visible, and the power of
Satan more plainly seen. Those who lived in the days of Noah and
Abraham resembled the angels in form, comeliness, and strength.
But every succeeding generation have been growing weaker and more
subject to disease, and their life has been of shorter duration.
Satan has been learning how to annoy and enfeeble the race.
Those who came forth after the resurrection of Jesus appeared
to many, telling them that the sacrifice for man was completed,
that Jesus, whom the Jews crucified, had risen from the dead;
and in proof of their words they declared, "We be risen with
Him." They bore testimony that it was by His mighty power
that they had been called forth from their graves. Notwithstanding
the lying reports circulated, the resurrection of Christ could
not be concealed by Satan, his angels, or the chief priests; for
this holy company, brought forth from their graves, spread the
wonderful, joyful news; also Jesus showed Himself to His sorrowing,
heartbroken disciples, dispelling their fears and causing them
joy and gladness.
As the news spread from city to city and from town to town, the
Jews in their turn feared for their lives and concealed the hatred
which they cherished toward the disciples. Their only hope was
to spread their lying report. And those who wished this lie to
be true accepted it. Pilate trembled as he heard that Christ had
risen. He could not doubt the testimony given, and from that hour
peace left him forever. For the sake of worldly honor, for fear
of losing his authority and his life, he had delivered Jesus to
die. He was now fully convinced that it was not merely an innocent
man of whose blood he was guilty, but the Son of God. Miserable
to its close was the life of Pilate. Despair and anguish crushed
every hopeful, joyful feeling. He refused to be comforted and
died a most miserable death.
Herod's heart had grown still harder; and when he heard that Christ
had risen, he was not much troubled. He took the life of James,
and when he saw that this pleased the Jews, he took Peter also,
intending to put him to death. But God had a work for Peter to
do, and sent his angel to deliver him. Herod was visited with
the judgments of God. While exalting himself in the presence of
a great multitude, he was smitten by the angel of the Lord, and
died a most horrible death.
Early in the morning of the first day of the week, before it was
yet light, holy women came to the sepulcher, bringing sweet spices
to anoint the body of Jesus. They found that the heavy stone had
been rolled away from the door of the sepulcher, and the body
of Jesus was not there. Their hearts sank within them, and they
feared that their enemies had taken away the body. Suddenly they
beheld two angels in white apparel, their faces bright and shining.
These heavenly beings understood the errand of the women and immediately
told them that Jesus was not there; He had risen, but they could
behold the place where He had lain. They bade them go and tell
His disciples that He would go before them into Galilee. With
fear and great joy the women hurried back to the sorrowing disciples
and told them the things which they had seen and heard.
The disciples could not believe that Christ had risen, but, with
the women who had brought the report, ran hastily to the sepulcher.
They found that Jesus was not there; they saw His linen clothes,
but could not believe the good news that He had risen from the
dead. They returned home marveling at what they had seen, also
at the report brought them by the women. But Mary chose to linger
around the sepulcher, thinking of what she had seen, and distressed
with the thought that she might have been deceived. She felt that
new trials awaited her. Her grief was renewed, and she broke forth
in bitter weeping. She stooped down to look again into the sepulcher,
and beheld two angels clothed in white. One was sitting where
the head of Jesus had lain, the other where His feet had been.
They spoke to her tenderly, and asked her why she wept. She replied,
"They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they
have laid Him."
As she turned from the sepulcher, she saw Jesus standing near,
but knew Him not. He spoke to her tenderly, inquiring the cause
of her sorrow and asking whom she was seeking. Supposing that
He was the gardener, she begged Him, if He had borne away her
Lord, to tell her where he had laid Him, that she might take Him
away. Jesus spoke to her with His own heavenly voice, saying,
"Mary!" She was acquainted with the tones of that dear
voice, and quickly answered, "Master!" and in her joy
was about to embrace Him; but Jesus said, "Touch Me not;
for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren,
and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and
to My God, and your God." Joyfully she hastened to the disciples
with the good news. Jesus quickly ascended to His Father to hear
from His lips that He accepted the sacrifice, and to receive all
power in heaven and upon earth.
Angels like a cloud surrounded the Son of God and bade the everlasting
gates be lifted up, that the King of glory might come in. I saw
that while Jesus was with that bright heavenly host, in the presence
of God, and surrounded by His glory, He did not forget His disciples
upon the earth, but received power from His Father, that He might
return and impart power to them. The same day He returned and
showed Himself to His disciples. He suffered them then to touch
Him; for He had ascended to His Father and had received power.
At this time Thomas was not present. He would not humbly receive
the report of the disciples, but firmly and self-confidently affirmed
that he would not believe unless he should put his fingers in
the prints of the nails and his hand in the side where the cruel
spear was thrust. In this he showed a lack of confidence in his
brethren. If all should require the same evidence, none would
now receive Jesus and believe in His resurrection. But it was
the will of God that the report of the disciples should be received
by those who could not themselves see and hear the risen Saviour.
God was not pleased with the unbelief of Thomas. When Jesus again
met with His disciples, Thomas was with them; and when he beheld
Jesus, he believed. But he had declared that he would not be satisfied
without the evidence of feeling added to sight, and Jesus gave
him the evidence which he had desired. Thomas cried out, "My
Lord and my God!" But Jesus reproved him for his unbelief,
saying, "Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed:
blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
In like manner those who have had no experience in the first and
second angels' messages must receive them from others who had
an experience and followed down through the messages. As Jesus
was rejected, so I saw that these messages have been rejected.
And as the disciples declared that there is salvation in no other
name under heaven, given among men, so also should the servants
of God faithfully and fearlessly warn those who embrace but a
part of the truths connected with the third message, that they
must gladly receive all the messages as God has given them, or
have no part in the matter.
While the holy women were carrying the report that Jesus had risen,
the Roman guard were circulating the lie that had been put into
their mouths by the chief priests and elders, that the disciples
came by night, while they slept, and stole the body of Jesus.
Satan had put this lie into the hearts and mouths of the chief
priests, and the people stood ready to receive their word. But
God had made this matter sure, and placed this important event,
upon which our salvation depends, beyond all doubt; and it was
impossible for priests and elders to cover it up. Witnesses were
raised from the dead to testify to Christ's resurrection.
Jesus remained with His disciples forty days, causing them joy
and gladness of heart as He opened to them more fully the realities
of the kingdom of God. He commissioned them to bear testimony
to the things which they had seen and heard concerning His sufferings,
death, and resurrection, that He had made a sacrifice for sin,
and that all who would might come unto Him and find life. With
faithful tenderness He told them that they would be persecuted
and distressed; but they would find relief in recalling their
experience and remembering the words which He had spoken to them.
He told them that He had overcome the temptations of Satan and
obtained the victory through trials and suffering. Satan could
have no more power over Him, but would bring his temptations to
bear more directly upon them and upon all who should believe in
His name. But they could overcome as He had overcome. Jesus endowed
His disciples with power to work miracles, and told them that
although they should be persecuted by wicked men, He would from
time to time send His angels to deliver them; their lives could
not be taken until their mission should be accomplished; then
they might be required to seal with their blood the testimonies
which they had borne.
His anxious followers gladly listened to His teachings, eagerly
feasting upon every word which fell from His holy lips. Now they
certainly knew that He was the Saviour of the world. His words
sank deep into their hearts, and they sorrowed that they must
soon be parted from their heavenly Teacher and no longer hear
comforting, gracious words from His lips. But again their hearts
were warmed with love and exceeding joy, as Jesus told them that
He would go and prepare mansions for them and come again and receive
them, that they might be ever with Him. He promised also to send
the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to guide them into all truth.
"And He lifted up His hands, and blessed them." -
All heaven was waiting the hour of triumph when Jesus should ascend
to His Father. Angels came to receive the King of glory and to
escort Him triumphantly to heaven. After Jesus had blessed His
disciples, He was parted from them and taken up. And as He led
the way upward, the multitude of captives who were raised at His
resurrection followed. A multitude of the heavenly host were in
attendance, while in heaven an innumerable company of angels awaited
His coming. As they ascended to the Holy City, the angels who
escorted Jesus cried out, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory
shall come in." The angels in the city cried out with rapture,
"Who is this King of glory?" The escorting angels answered
in triumph, "The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty
in battle! Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up,
ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in!"
Again the waiting angels asked, "Who is this King of glory?"
and the escorting angels answered in melodious strains, "The
Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory." And the heavenly
train passed into the city of God. Then all the heavenly host
surrounded their majestic Commander, and with the deepest adoration
bowed before Him and cast their glittering crowns at His feet.
And then they touched their golden harps, and in sweet, melodious
strains filled all heaven with rich music and songs to the Lamb
who was slain, yet lives again in majesty and glory.
As the disciples gazed sorrowfully toward heaven to catch the
last glimpse of their ascending Lord, two angels clothed in white
apparel stood by them and said to them, "Ye men of Galilee,
why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is
taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as
ye have seen Him go into heaven." The disciples and the mother
of Jesus, who with them had witnessed the ascension of the Son
of God, spent the following night in talking over His wonderful
acts and the strange and glorious events which had taken place
within a short time.
Satan again counseled with his angels, and with bitter hatred
against God's government told them that while he retained his
power and authority upon earth their efforts must be tenfold stronger
against the followers of Jesus. They had prevailed nothing against
Christ but must overthrow His followers, if possible. In every
generation they must seek to ensnare those who would believe in
Jesus. He related to his angels that Jesus had given His disciples
power to rebuke them and cast them out, and to heal those whom
they should afflict. Then Satan's angels went forth like roaring
lions, seeking to destroy the followers of Jesus. -
With mighty power the disciples preached a crucified and risen
Saviour. Signs and wonders were wrought by them in the name of
Jesus; the sick were healed; and a man who had been lame from
his birth was restored to perfect soundness and entered with Peter
and John into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God
in the sight of all the people. The news spread, and the people
began to press around the disciples. Many ran together, greatly
astonished at the cure that had been wrought.
When Jesus died, the priests thought that no more miracles would
be performed among them, that the excitement would die out and
the people would again turn to the traditions of men. But lo!
right among them the disciples were working miracles, and the
people were filled with amazement. Jesus had been crucified, and
they wondered where His followers had obtained this power. When
He was alive, they thought that He imparted power to them; but
when He died, they expected the miracles to cease. Peter understood
their perplexity and said to them, "Ye men of Israel, why
marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though
by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The
God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers,
hath glorified His Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied
Him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him
go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer
to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life, whom God
hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And His name
through faith in His name hath made this man strong, whom ye see
and know."
The chief priests and elders could not bear these words, and at
their command Peter and John were seized and put in prison. But
thousands had been converted and led to believe in the resurrection
and ascension of Christ by hearing only one discourse from the
disciples. The priests and elders were troubled. They had slain
Jesus that the minds of the people might be turned to themselves;
but the matter was now worse than before. They were openly accused
by the disciples of being the murderers of the Son of God, and
they could not determine to what extent these things might grow
or how they themselves would be regarded by the people. They would
gladly have put Peter and John to death, but dared not, for fear
of the people.
On the following day the apostles were brought before the council.
The very men who had eagerly cried for the blood of the Just One
were there. They had heard Peter deny his Lord with cursing and
swearing when charged with being one of His disciples, and they
hoped again to intimidate him. But Peter had been converted, and
he now saw an opportunity to remove the stain of that hasty, cowardly
denial and to exalt the name which he had dishonored. With holy
boldness, and in the power of the Spirit, he fearlessly declared
unto them, "By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom
ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth
this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which
was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of
the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there
is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must
be saved."
The people were astonished at the boldness of Peter and John and
took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus; for their
noble, fearless conduct was like that of Jesus when before His
enemies. Jesus, by one look of pity and sorrow, reproved Peter
when he had denied Him, and now as he boldly acknowledged his
Lord, Peter was approved and blessed. As a token of the approbation
of Jesus, he was filled with the Holy Spirit.
The priests dared not manifest the hatred which they felt toward
the disciples. They commanded them to go aside out of the council,
and then conferred among themselves, saying, "What shall
we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been
done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem;
and we cannot deny it." They were afraid to have the report
of this good deed spread among the people. Should it become generally
known, the priests felt that their own power would be lost, and
they would be looked upon as the murderers of Jesus. Yet all that
they dared to do was to threaten the apostles and command them
to speak no more in the name of Jesus, lest they die. But Peter
declared boldly that they could but speak the things which they
had seen and heard.
By the power of Jesus the disciples continued to heal the afflicted
and the sick who were brought to them. Hundreds enlisted daily
under the banner of a crucified, risen, and ascended Saviour.
The priests and elders, and those particularly engaged with them,
were alarmed. Again they put the apostles in prison, hoping that
the excitement would subside. Satan and his angels exulted; but
the angels of God opened the prison doors, and, contrary to the
command of the high priests and elders, bade the apostles, "Go,
stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this
life."
The council assembled and sent for their prisoners. The officers
unclosed the prison doors; but those whom they sought were not
there. They returned to the priests and elders and said, "The
prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing
without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no
man within." "Then came one and told them, saying, Behold,
the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and
teaching the people. Then went the captain with the officers,
and brought them without violence: for they feared the people,
lest they should have been stoned. And when they had brought them,
they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach
in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your
doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us."
Those Jewish leaders were hypocrites; they loved the praise of
men more than they loved God. Their hearts had become so hardened
that the most mighty works wrought by the apostles only enraged
them. They knew that if the disciples preached Jesus, His crucifixion,
resurrection, and ascension, it would fasten guilt upon them as
His murderers. They were not as willing to receive the blood of
Jesus as when they vehemently cried, "His blood be on us,
and on our children."
The apostles boldly declared that they ought to obey God rather
than men. Said Peter, "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus,
whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with His
right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance
to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses of
these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given
to them that obey Him." At these fearless words those murderers
were enraged, and determined to imbrue their hands again in blood
by slaying the apostles. They were planning to do this, when an
angel from God moved upon the heart of Gamaliel to counsel the
priests and rulers: "Refrain from these men, and let them
alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come
to nought: but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply
ye be found even to fight against God." Evil angels were
moving upon the priests and elders to put the apostles to death;
but God sent His angel to prevent it by raising up among the Jewish
leaders themselves a voice in favor of His servants. The work
of the apostles was not finished. They were to be brought before
kings to witness to the name of Jesus and to testify of the things
which they had seen and heard.
The priests unwillingly released their prisoners, after beating
them and commanding them to speak no more in the name of Jesus.
"And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing
that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And
daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach
and preach Jesus Christ." Thus the word of God grew and multiplied.
The disciples boldly testified to the things which they had seen
and heard, and through the name of Jesus they performed mighty
miracles. They fearlessly charged the blood of Jesus upon those
who had been so willing to receive it when they were permitted
to have power over the Son of God.
I saw that angels of God were commissioned to guard with special
care the sacred, important truths which were to serve as an anchor
to the disciples of Christ through every generation. The Holy
Spirit especially rested upon the apostles, who were witnesses
of our Lord's crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension-- important
truths which were to be the hope of Israel. All were to look to
the Saviour of the world as their only hope, and walk in the way
which He had opened by the sacrifice of His own life, and keep
God's law and live. I saw the wisdom and goodness of Jesus in
giving power to the disciples to carry on the same work for which
He had been hated and slain by the Jews. In His name they had
power over the works of Satan. A halo of light and glory centered
about the time of Jesus' death and resurrection, immortalizing
the sacred truth that He was the Saviour of the world. -
Disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and many of the priests
were obedient to the faith. Stephen, full of faith, was doing
great wonders and miracles among the people. The Jewish leaders
were stirred to greater anger as they saw priests turning from
their traditions, and from the sacrifices and offerings, and accepting
Jesus as the great sacrifice. With power from on high, Stephen
reproved the unbelieving priests and elders, and exalted Jesus
before them. They could not withstand the wisdom and power with
which he spoke, and as they found that they could prevail nothing
against him, they hired men to swear falsely that they had heard
him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God. They
stirred up the people and took Stephen, and, through false witnesses,
accused him of speaking against the temple and the law. They testified
that they had heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth would
destroy the customs which Moses gave them.
As Stephen stood before his judges, the light of the glory of
God rested upon his countenance. "And all that sat in the
council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been
the face of an angel." When called upon to answer to the
charges brought against him, he began at Moses and the prophets
and reviewed the history of the children of Israel and the dealings
of God with them and showed how Christ had been foretold in prophecy.
He referred to the history of the temple and declared that God
dwelleth not in temples made with hands. The Jews worshiped the
temple and were filled with greater indignation at anything spoken
against that building than if it had been spoken against God.
As Stephen spoke of Christ and referred to the temple, he saw
that the people were rejecting his words; and he fearlessly rebuked
them: "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears,
ye do always resist the Holy Ghost." While they observed
the outward ordinances of their religion, their hearts were corrupt
and full of deadly evil. He referred to the cruelty of their fathers
in persecuting the prophets, and declared that those whom he addressed
had committed a greater sin in rejecting and crucifying Christ.
"Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?
and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of
the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers."
As these plain, cutting truths were spoken, the priests and rulers
were enraged, and they rushed upon Stephen, gnashing their teeth.
"But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly
into heaven, and saw the glory of God," and said, "Behold,
I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right
hand of God." The people would not hear him. "They cried
out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him
with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him."
And he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, lay
not this sin to their charge."
I saw that Stephen was a mighty man of God, especially raised
up to fill an important place in the church. Satan exulted in
his death; for he knew that the disciples would greatly feel his
loss. But Satan's triumph was short; for in that company, witnessing
the death of Stephen, there was one to whom Jesus was to reveal
Himself. Saul took no part in casting the stones at Stephen, yet
he consented to his death. He was zealous in persecuting the church
of God, hunting them, seizing them in their houses, and delivering
them to those who would slay them. Saul was a man of ability and
education; his zeal and learning caused him to be highly esteemed
by the Jews, while he was feared by many of the disciples of Christ.
His talents were effectively employed by Satan in carrying forward
his rebellion against the Son of God, and those who believed in
Him. But God can break the power of the great adversary and set
free those who are led captive by him. Christ had selected Saul
as a "chosen vessel" to preach His name, to strengthen
His disciples in their work, and to more than fill the place of
Stephen.
As Saul journeyed to Damascus, with letters authorizing him to
take men or women who were preaching Jesus, and bring them bound
to Jerusalem, evil angels exulted around him. But suddenly a light
from heaven shone round about him, which made the evil angels
flee and caused him to fall quickly to the ground. He heard a
voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"
Saul inquired, "Who art Thou, Lord?" And the Lord said,
"I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to
kick against the pricks." And Saul, trembling and astonished,
said, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" And the
Lord said, "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be
told thee what thou must do."
The men who were with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but
seeing no man. As the light passed away and Saul arose from the
earth and opened his eyes, he found himself totally deprived of
sight. The glory of the light of heaven had blinded him. They
led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus, and he was three
days without sight, neither did he eat nor drink. The Lord then
sent His angel to one of the very men whom Saul had hoped to take
captive and revealed to him in vision that he should go into the
street called Straight, "and inquire in the house of Judas
for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, and hath
seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his
hand on him, that he might receive his sight."
Ananias feared that there might be some mistake in this matter,
and began to relate to the Lord what he had heard of Saul. But
the Lord said unto Ananias, "Go thy way: for he is a chosen
vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings,
and the children of Israel: for I will show him how great things
he must suffer for My name's sake." Ananias followed the
directions of the Lord, and entered into the house, and putting
his hands on him, said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus,
that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me,
that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy
Ghost."
Immediately Saul received sight and arose and was baptized. He
then taught in the synagogues that Jesus was indeed the Son of
God. All who heard him were amazed and inquired, "Is not
this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem,
and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound
unto the chief priests?" But Saul increased the more in strength,
and confounded the Jews. They were again in trouble. All were
acquainted with Saul's opposition to Jesus and his zeal in hunting
out and delivering up to death all who believed on His name; and
his miraculous conversion convinced many that Jesus was the Son
of God. Saul related his experience in the power of the Holy Spirit.
He was persecuting unto death, binding and delivering into prison
both men and women, when, as he journeyed to Damascus, suddenly
a great light from heaven shone round about him, and Jesus revealed
Himself to him, and taught him that He was the Son of God.
As Saul thus boldly preached Jesus, he exerted a powerful influence.
He had a knowledge of the Scriptures, and after his conversion
a divine light shone upon the prophecies concerning Jesus, which
enabled him clearly and boldly to present the truth and to correct
any perversion of the Scriptures. With the Spirit of God resting
upon him, he would in a clear and forcible manner carry his hearers
down through the prophecies to the time of Christ's first advent
and show them that the scriptures had been fulfilled which referred
to His sufferings, death, and resurrection. -
As the chief priests and rulers witnessed the effect of the relation
of Paul's experience, they were moved with hatred against him.
They saw that he boldly preached Jesus and wrought miracles in
His name, that multitudes listened to him and turned from their
traditions and looked upon the Jewish leaders as the murderers
of the Son of God. Their anger was kindled, and they assembled
to consult as to what was best to be done to put down the excitement.
They agreed that the only safe course was to put Paul to death.
But God knew of their intention, and angels were commissioned
to guard him, that he might live to fulfill his mission.
Led by Satan, the unbelieving Jews watched the gates of Damascus
day and night, that as Paul should pass out, they might immediately
kill him. But Paul had been informed that the Jews were seeking
his life, and the disciples let him down over the wall in a basket
by night. At this failure to carry out their purposes, the Jews
were ashamed and indignant, and Satan's object was defeated.
After this, Paul went to Jerusalem to join himself to the disciples;
but they were all afraid of him. They could not believe that he
was a disciple. His life had been hunted by the Jews in Damascus,
and his own brethren would not receive him; but Barnabas took
him and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how
he had seen the Lord in the way and that he had preached boldly
at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
But Satan was stirring up the Jews to destroy Paul, and Jesus
bade him leave Jerusalem. In company with Barnabas, he went into
other cities, preaching Jesus and working miracles, and many were
converted. As one man was healed who had always been lame, the
people who worshiped idols were about to sacrifice to the disciples.
Paul was grieved, and told them that he and his fellow laborer
were only men and that the God who made heaven and earth, the
sea, and all things that are therein, must alone be worshiped.
Thus Paul exalted God before the people; but he could scarcely
restrain them. The first conception of faith in the true God,
and of the worship and honor due to Him, was being formed in their
minds; and as they were listening to Paul, Satan was urging on
the unbelieving Jews of other cities to follow after Paul to destroy
the good work wrought through him. These Jews stirred up the minds
of those idolaters by false reports against Paul. The wonder and
admiration of the people now changed to hate, and they who a short
time before were ready to worship the disciples, stoned Paul and
drew him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But as the
disciples were standing about Paul and mourning over him, to their
joy he rose up and went with them into the city.
Again, as Paul and Silas preached Jesus, a certain woman possessed
with a spirit of divination followed them, crying, "These
men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us
the way of salvation." Thus she followed the disciples many
days. But Paul was grieved; for this crying after them diverted
the minds of the people from the truth. Satan's object in leading
her to do this was to disgust the people and destroy the influence
of the disciples. Paul's spirit was stirred within him, and he
turned and said to the spirit, "I command thee in the name
of Jesus Christ to come out of her"; and the evil spirit
was rebuked, and left her.
Her masters were pleased that she cried after the disciples; but
when the evil spirit left her, and they saw her a meek disciple
of Christ, they were enraged. They had gathered much money by
her fortunetelling, and now the hope of their gain was gone. Satan's
object was defeated; but his servants caught Paul and Silas, and
drew them into the market place, unto the rulers, and to the magistrates,
saying, "These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our
city." And the multitude rose up together against them, and
the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat
them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast
them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely, who,
having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison
and made their feet fast in the stocks. But the angels of the
Lord accompanied them within the prison walls, and caused their
imprisonment to tell to the glory of God, and show to the people
that God was in the work, and with His chosen servants.
At midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God,
and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations
of the prison were shaken; and I saw that immediately the angel
of God loosed everyone's bands. The keeper of the prison, upon
awaking and seeing the prison doors open, was affrighted. He thought
that the prisoners had escaped, and that he must be punished with
death. But as he was about to kill himself, Paul cried with a
loud voice, saying, "Do thyself no harm: for we are all here."
The power of God there convicted the jailer. He called for a light,
and springing in, came trembling and fell down before Paul and
Silas, and brought them out, and said, "Sirs, what must I
do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." The
keeper of the prison then assembled his whole household, and Paul
preached unto them Jesus. Thus the jailer's heart was united to
those of his brethren, and he washed their stripes, and he and
all his house were baptized that night. He then set food before
them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
The wonderful news of the manifestation of the power of God in
opening the prison doors, and in the conversion of the keeper
and his family, was soon spread abroad. The rulers heard of these
things, and were afraid, and sent to the jailer, requesting him
to let Paul and Silas go. But Paul would not leave the prison
in a private manner; he was not willing that the manifestation
of the power of God should be concealed. He said unto them, "They
have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast
us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily;
but let them come themselves and fetch us out." When these
words were told to the magistrates, and it was known that the
apostles were Roman citizens, the rulers were alarmed for fear
they would make complaint to the emperor of their unlawful treatment.
And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired
them to depart out of the city.
After Paul's conversion, he visited Jerusalem and there preached
Jesus and the wonders of His grace. He related his miraculous
conversion, which so enraged the priests and rulers that they
sought to take his life. But that he might be saved, Jesus again
appeared to him in a vision while he was praying, and said unto
him, "Get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not
receive thy testimony concerning Me." Paul answered, "Lord,
they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that
believed on Thee: and when the blood of Thy martyr Stephen was
shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and
kept the raiment of them that slew him." Paul thought that
the Jews in Jerusalem could not resist his testimony; that they
would consider that the great change in him could be wrought only
by the power of God. But the reply was more decided than before:
"Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles."
During Paul's absence from Jerusalem, he wrote many letters to
different places, relating his experience and bearing a powerful
testimony. But some strove to destroy the influence of those letters.
They were forced to admit that his letters were weighty and powerful,
but they declared that his bodily presence was weak and his speech
contemptible.
The facts in the case were that Paul was a man of great learning,
and his wisdom and manners charmed his hearers. Learned men were
pleased with his knowledge, and many of them believed on Jesus.
When before kings and large assemblies, he would pour forth such
eloquence as would fascinate all before him. This greatly enraged
the priests and elders. Paul could readily enter into deep reasoning
and, soaring up, carry the people with him in the most exalted
trains of thought, bringing to view the deep riches of the grace
of God and portraying before them the amazing love of Christ.
Then with simplicity he would come down to the understanding of
the common people and in a most powerful manner relate his experience,
which called forth from them an ardent desire to become the disciples
of Christ.
Again the Lord appeared to Paul and revealed to him that he must
go up to Jerusalem, that he would there be bound and suffer for
His name. Although he was a prisoner for a great length of time,
yet the Lord carried forward His special work through him. His
bonds were to be the means of spreading the knowledge of Christ
and thus glorifying God. As he was sent from city to city for
his trial, his testimony concerning Jesus and the interesting
incidents of his own conversion were related before kings and
governors, that they should be left without excuse concerning
Jesus. Thousands believed on Him and rejoiced in His name. I saw
that God's special purpose was fulfilled in the journey of Paul
upon the sea; He designed that the ship's crew might thus witness
the power of God through Paul and that the heathen also might
hear the name of Jesus, and that many might be converted through
the teaching of Paul and by witnessing the miracles he wrought.
Kings and governors were charmed by his reasoning, and as with
zeal and the power of the Holy Spirit he preached Jesus and related
the interesting events of his experience, conviction fastened
upon them that Jesus was the Son of God. While some wondered with
amazement as they listened to Paul, one cried out, "Almost
thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Yet the most of those
who heard thought that at some future time they would consider
what they had heard. Satan took advantage of the delay, and, as
they neglected the opportunity when their hearts were softened,
it was forever lost. Their hearts became hardened.
I was shown the work of Satan in first blinding the eyes of the
Jews so that they would not receive Jesus as their Saviour; and
next in leading them, through envy because of His mighty works,
to desire His life. Satan entered one of Christ's own followers
and led him on to betray Him into the hands of His enemies, that
they might crucify the Lord of life and glory.
After Jesus arose from the dead, the Jews added sin to sin as
they sought to hide the fact of His resurrection by hiring the
Roman guard to testify to a falsehood. But the resurrection of
Jesus was made doubly sure by the resurrection of a multitude
of witnesses at the same time. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared
to His disciples, and to above five hundred at once, while those
whom He brought up with Him appeared unto many, declaring that
Jesus had risen.
Satan had caused the Jews to rebel against God by refusing to
receive His Son, and by staining their hands with His most precious
blood. No matter how powerful the evidence now produced that Jesus
was the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, they had murdered
Him, and would not receive any evidence in His favor. Their only
hope and consolation, like that of Satan after his fall, was in
trying to prevail against the Son of God. They therefore continued
their rebellion by persecuting the disciples of Christ, and putting
them to death. Nothing fell so harshly on their ears as the name
of Jesus whom they had crucified; and they were determined not
to listen to any evidence in His favor. As when the Holy Spirit
through Stephen declared the mighty evidence of Jesus' being the
Son of God, they stopped their ears lest they should be convinced.
Satan had the murderers of Jesus fast in his grasp. By wicked
works they had yielded themselves his willing subjects, and through
them he was at work to trouble and annoy the believers in Christ.
He worked through the Jews to stir up the Gentiles against Jesus
and against those who followed Him. But God sent His angels to
strengthen the disciples for their work, that they might testify
of the things they had seen and heard, and at last by their steadfastness,
seal their testimony with their blood.
Satan rejoiced that the Jews were safe in his snare. They still
continued their useless forms, their sacrifices, and ordinances.
As Jesus hung upon the cross and cried, "It is finished,"
the veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom, to
signify that God would no longer meet with the priests in the
temple, to accept their sacrifices and ordinances, and also to
show that the partition wall between the Jews and the Gentiles
was broken down. Jesus had made an offering of Himself for both,
and if saved at all, both must believe in Him as the only offering
for sin, the Saviour of the world.
When the soldier pierced the side of Jesus as He hung upon the
cross, there came out two distinct streams, one of blood, the
other of water. The blood was to wash away the sins of those who
should believe in His name, and the water was to represent that
living water which is obtained from Jesus to give life to the
believer.
I was carried forward to the time when heathen idolaters cruelly
persecuted and killed the Christians. Blood flowed in torrents.
The noble, the learned, and the common people were alike slain
without mercy. Wealthy families were reduced to poverty, because
they would not yield their religion. Notwithstanding the persecution
and sufferings which these Christians endured, they would not
lower the standard. They kept their religion pure. I saw that
Satan exulted and triumphed over their sufferings. But God looked
upon His faithful martyrs with great approbation. The Christians
who lived in that fearful time were greatly beloved of Him, because
they were willing to suffer for His sake. Every suffering endured
by them increased their reward in heaven.
Although Satan rejoiced because of the sufferings of the saints,
yet he was not satisfied. He wanted control of the mind as well
as the body. The sufferings that they endured only drove them
closer to the Lord, leading them to love one another, and causing
them to fear more than ever to offend Him. Satan wished to lead
them to displease God; then they would lose their strength, fortitude,
and firmness. Although thousands were slain, yet others were springing
up to supply their places. Satan saw that he was losing his subjects;
for although they suffered persecution and death, yet they were
secured to Jesus Christ, to be the subjects of His kingdom. Satan
therefore laid his plans to fight more successfully against the
government of God and overthrow the church. He led the heathen
idolaters to embrace a part of the Christian faith. They professed
to believe in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and
proposed to unite with the followers of Jesus, without a change
of heart. Oh, the fearful danger of the church. It was a time
of mental anguish. Some thought that if they should come down
and unite with those idolaters who had embraced a portion of the
Christian faith, it would be the means of their full conversion.
Satan was seeking to corrupt the doctrines of the Bible.
I saw that at last the standard was lowered, and that the heathen
were uniting with the Christians. Although these worshipers of
idols professed to be converted, they brought their idolatry with
them into the church, only changing the objects of their worship
to images of saints, and even of Christ and of Mary His mother.
As the followers of Christ gradually united with them, the Christian
religion became corrupted and the church lost its purity and power.
Some refused to unite with them; such preserved their purity and
worshiped God alone. They would not bow down to an image of anything
in the heavens above or in the earth beneath.
Satan exulted over the fall of so many; and then he stirred up
the fallen church to force those who would preserve the purity
of their religion either to yield to their ceremonies and image
worship or be put to death. The fires of persecution were again
kindled against the true church of Christ, and millions were slain
without mercy.
It was presented before me in the following manner: A large company
of heathen idolaters bore a black banner, upon which were figures
of the sun, moon, and stars. This company seemed to be very fierce
and angry. I was then shown another company bearing a pure white
banner, upon which was written, "Purity and holiness unto
the Lord." Their countenances were marked with firmness and
heavenly resignation. I saw the heathen idolaters approach them,
and there was a great slaughter. The Christians melted away before
them; and yet the Christian company pressed the more closely together,
and held the banner more firmly. As many fell, others rallied
around the banner and filled their places.
I saw the company of idolaters consulting together. Failing to
make the Christians yield, they agreed to another plan. I saw
them lower their banner and then approach that firm Christian
company and make propositions to them. At first their propositions
were utterly refused. Then I saw the Christian company consulting
together. Some said that they would lower the banner, accept the
propositions, and save their lives, and at last they could gain
strength to raise their banner among the heathen. A few, however,
would not yield to this plan, but firmly chose to die holding
their banner rather than to lower it. Then I saw many lower the
banner and unite with the heathen; but the firm and steadfast
would again seize it and bear it on high. I saw that persons were
continually leaving the company of those who bore the pure banner,
and were uniting with the idolaters under the black banner, to
persecute those bearing the white banner. Many were slain, yet
the white banner was held high, and believers were raised up to
rally around it.
The Jews who first aroused the rage of the heathen against Jesus
were not to escape unpunished. In the judgment hall, as Pilate
hesitated to condemn Jesus, the infuriated Jews cried, "His
blood be on us, and on our children." The fulfillment of
this terrible curse which they called down upon their own heads,
the Jewish nation has experienced. The heathen and those called
Christians alike have been their foes. Those professed Christians,
in their zeal for Christ, whom the Jews crucified, thought that
the more suffering they could bring upon them, the better would
God be pleased. Many of the unbelieving Jews were therefore killed,
while others were driven from place to place and were punished
in almost every manner.
The blood of Christ and of the disciples, whom they had put to
death, was upon them, and they were visited with terrible judgments.
The curse of God followed them, and they were a byword and a derision
to the heathen and to so-called Christians. They were degraded,
shunned, and detested, as if the brand of Cain were upon them.
Yet I saw that God had marvelously preserved this people and scattered
them over the world that they might be looked upon as specially
visited by the curse of God. I saw that God had forsaken the Jews
as a nation; but that individuals among them will yet be converted
and be enabled to tear the veil from their hearts and see that
the prophecy concerning them has been fulfilled; they will receive
Jesus as the Saviour of the world and see the great sin of their
nation in rejecting and crucifying Him. -
It has ever been the design of Satan to draw the minds of the
people from Jesus to man, and to destroy individual accountability.
Satan failed in his design when he tempted the Son of God; but
he succeeded better when he came to fallen man. Christianity became
corrupted. Popes and priests presumed to take an exalted position,
and taught the people to look to them for the pardon of their
sins, instead of looking to Christ for themselves.
The people were wholly deceived. They were taught that the popes
and priests were Christ's representatives, when in fact they were
the representatives of Satan, and those who bowed to them worshiped
Satan. The people called for the Bible; but the priests considered
it dangerous to let them have it to read for themselves, lest
they should become enlightened and expose the sins of their leaders.
The people were taught to receive every word from these deceivers
as from the mouth of God. They held that power over the mind which
God alone should hold. If any dared to follow their own convictions,
the same hate which Satan and the Jews exercised toward Jesus
would be kindled against them, and those in authority would thirst
for their blood.
I was shown a time when Satan especially triumphed. Multitudes
of Christians were slain in a dreadful manner, because they would
preserve the purity of their religion. The Bible was hated, and
efforts were made to rid the earth of it. The people were forbidden
to read it, on pain of death; and all the copies which could be
found were burned. But I saw that God had a special care for His
Word. He protected it. At different periods there were but a very
few copies of the Bible in existence, yet He would not suffer
His Word to be lost, for in the last days copies of it were to
be so multiplied that every family could possess it. I saw that
when there were but few copies of the Bible, it was precious and
comforting to the persecuted followers of Jesus. It was read in
the most secret manner, and those who had this exalted privilege
felt that they had had an interview with God, with His Son Jesus,
and with His disciples. But this blessed privilege cost many of
them their lives. If discovered, they were taken to the headsman's
block, to the stake, or to the dungeon to die of starvation.
Satan could not hinder the plan of salvation. Jesus was crucified,
and rose again the third day. But Satan told his angels that he
would make the crucifixion and resurrection tell to his advantage.
He was willing that those who professed faith in Jesus should
believe that the laws regulating the Jewish sacrifices and offerings
ceased at the death of Christ, if he could push them farther and
make them believe that the law of ten commandments also died with
Christ.
I saw that many readily yielded to this device of Satan. All heaven
was moved with indignation as they saw the holy law of God trampled
underfoot. Jesus and all the heavenly host were acquainted with
the nature of God's law; they knew that He would not change or
abrogate it. The hopeless condition of man after the fall caused
the deepest sorrow in heaven, and moved Jesus to offer to die
for the transgressors of God's holy law. But if that law could
be abrogated, man might have been saved without the death of Jesus.
Consequently His death did not destroy the law of His Father,
but magnified and honored it and enforced obedience to all its
holy precepts.
Had the church remained pure and steadfast, Satan could not have
deceived them, and led them to trample on the law of God. In this
bold plan, Satan strikes directly against the foundation of God's
government in heaven and on earth. His rebellion caused him to
be expelled from heaven. After he rebelled, in order to save himself
he wished God to change His law, but was told before the whole
heavenly host that God's law was unalterable. Satan knows that
if he can cause others to violate God's law, he has gained them
to his cause; for every transgressor of that law must die.
Satan decided to go still farther. He told his angels that some
would be so jealous of God's law that they could not be caught
in this snare; the ten commandments were so plain that many would
believe that they were still binding, and therefore he must seek
to corrupt only one of the commandments. He then led on his representatives
to attempt to change the fourth, or Sabbath, commandment, thus
altering the only one of the ten which brings to view the true
God, the Maker of the heavens and the earth. Satan presented before
them the glorious resurrection of Jesus, and told them that by
His rising on the first day of the week, He changed the Sabbath
from the seventh to the first day of the week.
Thus Satan used the resurrection to serve his purpose. He and
his angels rejoiced that the errors they had prepared took so
well with the professed friends of Christ. What one looked upon
with religious horror, another would receive. Thus different errors
were received and defended with zeal. The will of God, so plainly
revealed in His Word, was covered up with errors and traditions,
which have been taught as the commandments of God. Although this
heaven-daring deception will be suffered to be carried on until
the second appearing of Jesus, yet through all this time of error
and deception, God has not been left without witnesses. Amid the
darkness and persecution of the church there have always been
true and faithful ones who kept all of God's commandments.
I saw that the angelic host were filled with amazement as they
beheld the sufferings and death of the King of glory. But I saw
that it was no marvel to them that the Lord of life and glory,
He who filled all heaven with joy and splendor, should break the
bands of death, and walk forth from His prison house, a triumphant
conqueror. Therefore, if either of these events should be commemorated
by a day of rest, it is the crucifixion. But I saw that neither
of these events was designed to alter or abrogate God's law; on
the contrary, they give the strongest proof of its immutability.
Both of these important events have their memorials. By partaking
of the Lord's supper, the broken bread and the fruit of the vine,
we show forth the Lord's death until He comes. The scenes of His
sufferings and death are thus brought fresh to our minds. The
resurrection of Christ is commemorated by our being buried with
Him by baptism, and raised out of the watery grave, in likeness
of His resurrection, to live in newness of life.
I was shown that the law of God would stand fast forever, and
exist in the new earth to all eternity. At the creation, when
the foundations of the earth were laid, the sons of God looked
with admiration upon the work of the Creator, and all the heavenly
host shouted for joy. It was then that the foundation of the Sabbath
was laid. At the close of the six days of creation, God rested
on the seventh day from all His work which He had made; and He
blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because that in it
He had rested from all His work. The Sabbath was instituted in
Eden before the fall, and was observed by Adam and Eve, and all
the heavenly host. God rested on the seventh day, and blessed
and hallowed it. I saw that the Sabbath never will be done away;
but that the redeemed saints, and all the angelic host, will observe
it in honor of the great Creator to all eternity.
Satan commenced his deception in Eden. He said to Eve, "Ye
shall not surely die." This was Satan's first lesson upon
the immortality of the soul, and he has carried on this deception
from that time to the present, and will carry it on until the
captivity of God's children shall be turned. I was pointed to
Adam and Eve in Eden. They partook of the forbidden tree, and
then the flaming sword was placed around the tree of life, and
they were driven from the garden, lest they should partake of
the tree of life, and be immortal sinners. The fruit of this tree
was to perpetuate immortality. I heard an angel ask, "Who
of the family of Adam have passed that flaming sword, and have
partaken of the tree of life?" I heard another angel answer,
"Not one of the family of Adam has passed that flaming sword,
and partaken of that tree; therefore there is not an immortal
sinner." The soul that sinneth, it shall die an everlasting
death-- a death from which there will be no hope of resurrection;
and then the wrath of God will be appeased.
It was a marvel to me that Satan could succeed so well in making
men believe that the words of God, "The soul that sinneth,
it shall die," mean that the soul that sinneth it shall not
die, but live eternally in misery. Said the angel, "Life
is life, whether it is in pain or happiness. Death is without
pain, without joy, without hatred."
Satan told his angels to make a special effort to spread the lie
first repeated to Eve in Eden, "Ye shall not surely die."
And as the error was received by the people, and they were led
to believe that man was immortal, Satan led them on to believe
that the sinner would live in eternal misery. Then the way was
prepared for Satan to work through his representatives and hold
up God before the people as a revengeful tyrant--one who plunges
all those into hell who do not please Him, and causes them ever
to feel His wrath; and while they suffer unutterable anguish,
and writhe in the eternal flames, He is represented as looking
down upon them with satisfaction. Satan knew that if this error
should be received, God would be hated by many, instead of being
loved and adored; and that many would be led to believe that the
threatenings of God's Word would not be literally fulfilled, for
it would be against His character of benevolence and love to plunge
into eternal torments the beings whom He had created.
Another extreme which Satan has led the people to adopt is entirely
to overlook the justice of God, and the threatenings in His Word,
and to represent Him as being all mercy, so that not one will
perish, but that all, both saint and sinner, will at last be saved
in His kingdom.
In consequence of the popular errors of the immortality of the
soul and endless misery, Satan takes advantage of another class
and leads them to regard the Bible as an uninspired book. They
think it teaches many good things; but they cannot rely upon it
and love it, because they have been taught that it declares the
doctrine of eternal misery.
Another class Satan leads on still further, even to deny the existence
of God. They can see no consistency in the character of the God
of the Bible, if He will inflict horrible tortures upon a portion
of the human family to all eternity. Therefore they deny the Bible
and its Author and regard death as an eternal sleep.
There is still another class who are fearful and timid. These
Satan tempts to commit sin, and after they have sinned, he holds
up before them that the wages of sin is not death but life in
horrible torments, to be endured throughout the endless ages of
eternity. By thus magnifying before their feeble minds the horrors
of an endless hell, he takes possession of their minds, and they
lose their reason. Then Satan and his angels exult, and the infidel
and atheist join in casting reproach upon Christianity. They claim
that these evils are the natural results of believing in the Bible
and its Author, whereas they are the results of the reception
of popular heresy.
I saw that the heavenly host were filled with indignation at this
bold work of Satan. I inquired why all these delusions should
be suffered to take effect upon the minds of men when the angels
of God were powerful, and if commissioned, could easily break
the enemy's power. Then I saw that God knew that Satan would try
every art to destroy man; therefore He had caused His word to
be written out, and had made His purposes in regard to the human
race so plain that the weakest need not err. After having given
His word to man, He had carefully preserved it from destruction
by Satan or his angels, or by any of his agents or representatives.
While other books might be destroyed, this was to be immortal.
And near the close of time, when the delusions of Satan should
increase, it was to be so multiplied that all who desired might
have a copy, and, if they would, might arm themselves against
the deceptions and lying wonders of Satan.
I saw that God had especially guarded the Bible; yet when copies
of it were few, learned men had in some instances changed the
words, thinking that they were making it more plain, when in reality
they were mystifying that which was plain, by causing it to lean
to their established views, which were governed by tradition.
But I saw that the Word of God, as a whole, is a perfect chain,
one portion linking into and explaining another. True seekers
for truth need not err; for not only is the Word of God plain
and simple in declaring the way of life, but the Holy Spirit is
given as a guide in understanding the way to life therein revealed.
I saw that the angels of God are never to control the will. God
sets before man life and death. He can have his choice. Many desire
life, but still continue to walk in the broad road. They choose
to rebel against God's government, notwithstanding His great mercy
and compassion in giving His Son to die for them. Those who do
not choose to accept of the salvation so dearly purchased, must
be punished. But I saw that God would not shut them up in hell
to endure endless misery, neither will He take them to heaven;
for to bring them into the company of the pure and holy would
make them exceedingly miserable. But He will destroy them utterly
and cause them to be as if they had not been; then His justice
will be satisfied. He formed man out of the dust of the earth,
and the disobedient and unholy will be consumed by fire and return
to dust again. I saw that the benevolence and compassion of God
in this matter should lead all to admire His character and to
adore His holy name. After the wicked are destroyed from off the
earth, all the heavenly host will say, "Amen!"
Satan looks with great satisfaction upon those who profess the
name of Christ, yet closely adhere to the delusions which he himself
has originated. His work is still to devise new delusions, and
his power and art in this direction continually increase. He led
his representatives, the popes and the priests, to exalt themselves,
and to stir up the people to bitterly persecute and destroy those
who were not willing to accept his delusions. Oh, the sufferings
and agony which the precious followers of Christ were made to
endure! Angels have kept a faithful record of it all. Satan and
his evil angels exultingly told the angels who ministered to these
suffering saints that they were all to be killed, so that there
would not be left a true Christian upon the earth. I saw that
the church of God was then pure. There was no danger of men with
corrupt hearts coming into it; for the true Christian, who dared
to declare his faith, was in danger of the rack, the stake, and
every torture which Satan and his evil angels could invent or
inspire in the mind of man. -
Notwithstanding all the persecution of the saints, living witnesses
for God's truth were raised up on every hand. Angels of the Lord
were doing the work committed to their trust. They were searching
in the darkest places and selecting out of the darkness men who
were honest in heart. These were all buried up in error, yet God
called them, as He did Saul, to be chosen vessels to bear His
truth and raise their voices against the sins of His professed
people. Angels of God moved upon the hearts of Martin Luther,
Melanchthon, and others in different places, and caused them to
thirst for the living testimony of the Word of God. The enemy
had come in like a flood, and the standard must be raised against
him. Luther was the one chosen to breast the storm, stand up against
the ire of a fallen church, and strengthen the few who were faithful
to their holy profession. He was ever fearful of offending God.
He tried through works to obtain His favor, but was not satisfied
until a gleam of light from heaven drove the darkness from his
mind and led him to trust, not in works, but in the merits of
the blood of Christ. He could then come to God for himself, not
through popes or confessors, but through Jesus Christ alone.
Oh, how precious to Luther was this new and glorious light which had dawned upon his dark understanding and driven away his superstition! He prized it higher than the richest earthly treasure. The Word of God was n
dreaded because he could not see beauty in it, was now life, eternal
life, to him. It was his joy, his consolation, his blessed teacher.
Nothing could induce him to leave its study. He had feared death;
but as he read the Word of God, all his terrors disappeared, and
he admired the character of God and loved Him. He searched the
Bible for himself and feasted upon the rich treasures it contained;
then he searched it for the church. He was disgusted with the
sins of those in whom he had trusted for salvation, and as he
saw many others enshrouded in the same darkness which had covered
him, he anxiously sought an opportunity to point them to the Lamb
of God, who alone taketh away the sin of the world.
Raising his voice against the errors and sins of the papal church,
he earnestly endeavored to break the chain of darkness which was
confining thousands and causing them to trust in works for salvation.
He longed to be enabled to open to their minds the true riches
of the grace of God and the excellence of salvation obtained through
Jesus Christ. In the power of the Holy Spirit he cried out against
the existing sins of the leaders of the church; and as he met
the storm of opposition from the priests, his courage failed not;
for he firmly relied upon the strong arm of God, and confidently
trusted in Him for victory. As he pushed the battle closer and
closer, the rage of the priests was kindled still hotter against
him. They did not wish to be reformed. The chose to be left in
ease, in wanton pleasure, in wickedness; and they desired the
church also to be kept in darkness.
I saw that Luther was ardent and zealous, fearless and bold, in
reproving sin and advocating the truth. He cared not for wicked
men or devils; he knew that he had One with him mightier than
they all. Luther possessed zeal, courage, and boldness, and at
times was in danger of going to extremes. But God raised up Melanchthon,
who was just the opposite in character, to aid Luther in carrying
on the work of reformation. Melanchthon was timid, fearful, cautious,
and possessed great patience. He was greatly beloved of God. His
knowledge of the Scriptures was great, and his judgment and wisdom
excellent. His love for the cause of God was equal to Luther's.
The hearts of these men the Lord knit together; they were inseparable
friends. Luther was a great help to Melanchthon when in danger
of being fearful and slow, and Melanchthon in turn was a great
help to Luther when in danger of moving too fast. Melanchthon's
farseeing caution often averted trouble which would have come
upon the cause had the work been left alone to Luther; and ofttimes
the work would not have been pushed forward had it been left to
Melanchthon alone. I was shown the wisdom of God in choosing these
two men to carry on the work of reformation.
I was then carried back to the days of the apostles and saw that
God chose as companions an ardent, zealous Peter and a mild, patient
John. Sometimes Peter was impetuous, and often when this was the
case the beloved disciple would check him. This, however, did
not reform him. But after he had denied his Lord, repented, and
been converted, all he needed to check his ardor and zeal was
a mild caution from John. The cause of Christ would often have
suffered had it been left to John alone. Peter's zeal was needed.
His boldness and energy often delivered them from difficulty and
silenced their enemies. John was winning. He gained many to the
cause of Christ by his patient forbearance and deep devotedness.
God raised up men to cry against the existing sins of the papal
church and carry forward the Reformation. Satan sought to destroy
these living witnesses; but the Lord made a hedge about them.
Some, for the glory of His name, were permitted to seal with their
blood the testimony they had borne; but there were other powerful
men, like Luther and Melanchthon, who could best glorify God by
living and exposing the sins of priests, popes, and kings. These
trembled before the voice of Luther, and his fellow laborers.
Through those chosen men, rays of light began to scatter the darkness,
and very many joyfully received the light and walked in it. And
when one witness was slain, two or more were raised up to take
his place.
But Satan was not satisfied. He could only have power over the
body. He could not make believers yield their faith and hope.
And even in death they triumphed with a bright hope of immortality
at the resurrection of the just. They had more than mortal energy.
They dared not sleep for a moment, but kept the Christian armor
girded about them, prepared for a conflict, not merely with spiritual
foes, but with Satan in the form of men whose constant cry was,
"Give up your faith, or die." These few Christians were
strong in God, and more precious in His sight than half a world
who bear the name of Christ, and yet are cowards in His cause.
While the church was persecuted, its members were united and loving;
they were strong in God. Sinners were not permitted to unite with
the church. Those only who are willing to forsake all for Christ
could be His disciples. These loved to be poor, humble, and Christlike.
-
After this I saw Satan consulting with his angels and considering
what they had gained. True, they had, through fear of death, kept
some timid souls from embracing the truth; but many, even of the
most timid, had received the truth, and thereupon their fears
and timidity immediately left them. As these witnessed the death
of their brethren and beheld their firmness and patience, they
knew that God and angels assisted them to endure such sufferings,
and they grew bold and fearless. And when called to yield their
own lives, they maintained their faith with such patience and
firmness as caused even their murderers to tremble. Satan and
his angels decided that there was a more successful way to destroy
souls, one that would be more certain in the end. Although Christians
were made to suffer, their steadfastness, and the bright hope
that cheered them, caused the weakest to grow strong and enabled
them to approach the rack and the flames undaunted. They imitated
the noble bearing of Christ when before His murderers, and by
their constancy and the glory of God which rested upon them, they
convinced many others of the truth.
Satan therefore decided that he must come in a milder form. He
had already corrupted the doctrines of the Bible, and traditions
which were to ruin millions were taking deep root. Restraining
his hate, he decided not to urge on his subjects to such bitter
persecution, but lead the church to contend for various traditions,
instead of for the faith once delivered to the saints. As he prevailed
on the church to receive favors and honors from the world, under
the pretense of receiving benefits, she began to lose favor with
God. Shunning to declare the straight truths which shut out the
lovers of pleasure and friends of the world, she gradually lost
her power.
The church is not now the separate and peculiar people she was
when the fires of persecution were kindled against her. How is
the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! I saw
that if the church had always retained her peculiar, holy character,
the power of the Holy Spirit which was imparted to the disciples
would still be with her. The sick would be healed, devils would
be rebuked and cast out, and she would be mighty and a terror
to her enemies.
I saw a very large company professing the name of Christ, but
God did not recognize them as His. He had no pleasure in them.
Satan seemed to assume a religious character and was very willing
that the people should think they were Christians. He was even
anxious that they should believe in Jesus, His crucifixion, and
His resurrection. Satan and his angels fully believe all this
themselves, and tremble. But if this faith does not provoke to
good works, and lead those who profess it to imitate the self-denying
life of Christ, Satan is not disturbed; for they merely assume
the Christian name, while their hearts are still carnal, and he
can use them in his service even better than if they made no profession.
Hiding their deformity under the name of Christian, they pass
along with their unsanctified natures, and their evil passions
unsubdued. This gives occasion for the unbeliever to reproach
Christ with their imperfections, and causes those who do possess
pure and undefiled religion to be brought into disrepute. 228
The ministers preach smooth things to suit carnal professors.
They dare not preach Jesus and the cutting truths of the Bible;
for if they should, these carnal professors would not remain in
the church. But as many of them are wealthy, they must be retained,
although they are no more fit to be there than Satan and his angels.
This is just as Satan would have it. The religion of Jesus is
made to appear popular and honorable in the eyes of the world.
The people are told that those who profess religion will be more
honored by the world. Such teachings differ very widely from the
teachings of Christ. His doctrine and the world could not be at
peace. Those who followed Him had to renounce the world. These
smooth things originated with Satan and his angels. They formed
the plan, and nominal professors carried it out. Pleasing fables
were taught and readily received, and hypocrites and open sinners
united with the church. If the truth had been preached in its
purity, it would soon have shut out this class. But there was
no difference between the professed followers of Christ and the
world. I saw that if the false covering had been torn off from
the members of the churches, there would have been revealed such
iniquity, vileness, and corruption that the most diffident child
of God would have had no hesitancy in calling these professed
Christians by their right name, children of their father, the
devil; for his works they did.
Jesus and all the heavenly host looked with disgust upon the scene;
yet God had a message for the church that was sacred and important.
If received, it would make a thorough reformation in the church,
revive the living testimony that would purge out hypocrites and
sinners, and bring the church again into favor with God.
God sent His angel to move upon the heart of a farmer who had
not believed the Bible, to lead him to search the prophecies.
Angels of God repeatedly visited that chosen one, to guide his
mind and open to his understanding prophecies which had ever been
dark to God's people. The commencement of the chain of truth was
given to him, and he was led on to search for link after link,
until he looked with wonder and admiration upon the Word of God.
He saw there a perfect chain of truth. That Word which he had
regarded as uninspired now opened before his vision in its beauty
and glory. He saw that one portion of Scripture explains another,
and when one passage was closed to his understanding, he found
in another part of the Word that which explained it. He regarded
the sacred Word of God with joy and with the deepest respect and
awe.
As he followed down the prophecies, he saw that the inhabitants
of the earth were living in the closing scenes of this world's
history, yet they knew it not. He looked at the churches and saw
that they were corrupt; they had taken their affections from Jesus
and placed them on the world; they were seeking for worldly honor,
instead of that honor which cometh from above; grasping for worldly
riches, instead of laying up their treasure in heaven. He could
see hypocrisy, darkness, and death everywhere. His spirit was
stirred within him. God called him to leave his farm, as He called
Elisha to leave his oxen and the field of his labor to follow
Elijah. With trembling, William Miller began to unfold to the
people the mysteries of the kingdom of God, carrying his hearers
down through the prophecies to the second advent of Christ. With
every effort he gained strength. As John the Baptist heralded
the first advent of Jesus and prepared the way for His coming,
so William Miller and those who joined with him proclaimed the
second advent of the Son of God.
I was carried back to the days of the disciples and was shown
that God had a special work for the beloved John to accomplish.
Satan was determined to hinder this work, and he led on his servants
to destroy John. But God sent His angel and wonderfully preserved
him. All who witnessed the great power of God manifested in the
deliverance of John were astonished, and many were convinced that
God was with him, and that the testimony which he bore concerning
Jesus was correct. Those who sought to destroy him were afraid
to attempt again to take his life, and he was permitted to suffer
on for Jesus. He was falsely accused by his enemies and was shortly
banished to a lonely island, where the Lord sent His angel to
reveal to him events which were to take place upon the earth and
the state of the church down to the end --her backslidings and
the position which she should occupy if she would please God and
finally overcome.
The angel from heaven came to John in majesty, his countenance
beaming with the excellent glory of God. He revealed to John scenes
of deep and thrilling interest in the history of the church of
God and brought before him the perilous conflicts which Christ's
followers were to endure. John saw them passing through fiery
trials, made white and tried, and, finally, victorious overcomers,
gloriously saved in the kingdom of God. The countenance of the
angel grew radiant with joy and was exceeding glorious, as he
showed John the final triumph of the church of God. As the apostle
beheld the final deliverance of the church, he was carried away
with the glory of the scene and with deep reverence and awe fell
at the feet of the angel to worship him. The heavenly messenger
instantly raised him up and gently reproved him, saying, "See
thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that
have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of
Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." The angel then showed John
the heavenly city with all its splendor and dazzling glory, and
he, enraptured and overwhelmed, and forgetful of the former reproof
of the angel, again fell to worship at his feet. Again the gentle
reproof was given, "See thou do it not for I am thy fellow
servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep
the sayings of this book: worship God."
Preachers and people have looked upon the book of Revelation as
mysterious and of less importance than other portions of the Sacred
Scriptures. But I saw that this book is indeed a revelation given
for the especial benefit of those who should live in the last
days, to guide them in ascertaining their true position and their
duty. God directed the mind of William Miller to the prophecies
and gave him great light upon the book of Revelation.
If Daniel's visions had been understood, the people could better
have understood the visions of John. But at the right time, God
moved upon His chosen servant, who, with clearness and in the
power of the Holy Spirit, opened the prophecies and showed the
harmony of the visions of Daniel and John and other portions of
the Bible, and pressed home upon the hearts of the people the
sacred, fearful warnings of the Word to prepare for the coming
of the Son of man. Deep and solemn conviction rested upon the
minds of those who heard him, and ministers and people, sinners
and infidels, turned to the Lord and sought a preparation to stand
in the judgment.
Angels of God accompanied William Miller in his mission. He was
firm and undaunted, fearlessly proclaiming the message committed
to his trust. A world lying in wickedness and a cold, worldly
church were enough to call into action all his energies and lead
him willingly to endure toil, privation, and suffering. Although
opposed by professed Christians and the world, and buffeted by
Satan and his angels, he ceased not to preach the everlasting
gospel to crowds wherever he was invited, sounding far and near
the cry, "Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of
His judgment is come." -
I saw that God was in the proclamation of the time in 1843. It
was His design to arouse the people and bring them to a testing
point, where they should decide for or against the truth. Ministers
were convinced of the correctness of the positions taken on the
prophetic periods, and some renounced their pride, and left their
salaries and their churches to go forth from place to place to
give the message. But as the message from heaven could find a
place in the hearts of but few of the professed ministers of Christ,
the work was laid upon many who were not preachers. Some left
their fields to sound the message, while others were called from
their shops and their merchandise. And even some professional
men were compelled to leave their professions to engage in the
unpopular work of giving the first angel's message.
Ministers laid aside their sectarian views and feelings and united
in proclaiming the coming of Jesus. Wherever the message was given,
it moved the people. Sinners repented, wept, and prayed for forgiveness,
and those whose lives had been marked with dishonesty were anxious
to make restitution. Parents felt the deepest solicitude for their
children. Those who received the message labored with their unconverted
friends and relatives, and with their souls bowed with the weight
of the solemn message, warned and entreated them to prepare for
the coming of the Son of man. Those cases were most hardened that
would not yield to such a weight of evidence set home by heartfelt
warnings. This soul-purifying work led the affections away from
worldly things to a consecration never before experienced.
Thousands were led to embrace the truth preached by William Miller,
and servants of God were raised up in the spirit and power of
Elijah to proclaim the message. Like John, the forerunner of Jesus,
those who preached this solemn message felt compelled to lay the
ax at the root of the tree, and call upon men to bring forth fruits
meet for repentance. Their testimony was calculated to arouse
and powerfully affect the churches and manifest their real character.
And as the solemn warning to flee from the wrath to come was sounded,
many who were united with the churches received the healing message;
they saw their backslidings, and with bitter tears of repentance
and deep agony of soul, humbled themselves before God. And as
the Spirit of God rested upon them, they helped to sound the cry,
"Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment
is come."
The preaching of definite time called forth great opposition from
all classes, from the minister in the pulpit down to the most
reckless, heaven-daring sinner. "No man knoweth the day nor
the hour," was heard from the hypocritical minister and the
bold scoffer. Neither would be instructed and corrected by those
who were pointing to the year when they believed the prophetic
periods would run out, and to the signs which showed Christ near,
even at the doors. Many shepherds of the flock, who professed
to love Jesus, said that they had no opposition to the preaching
of Christ's coming, but they objected to the definite time. God's
all-seeing eye read their hearts. They did not love Jesus near.
They knew that their unchristian lives would not stand the test,
for they were not walking in the humble path marked out by Him.
These false shepherds stood in the way of the work of God. The
truth spoken in its convincing power aroused the people, and like
the jailer, they began to inquire, "What must I do to be
saved?" But these shepherds stepped in between the truth
and the people, and preached smooth things to lead them from the
truth. They united with Satan and his angels, crying, "Peace,
peace," when there was no peace. Those who loved their ease
and were content with their distance from God would not be aroused
from their carnal security. I saw that angels of God marked it
all; the garments of those unconsecrated shepherds were covered
with the blood of souls.
Ministers who would not accept this saving message themselves
hindered those who would have received it. The blood of souls
is upon them. Preachers and people joined to oppose this message
from heaven and to persecute William Miller and those who united
with him in the work. Falsehoods were circulated to injure his
influence; and at different times after he had plainly declared
the counsel of God, applying cutting truths to the hearts of his
hearers, great rage was kindled against him, and as he left the
place of meeting, some waylaid him in order to take his life.
But angels of God were sent to protect him, and they led him safely
away from the angry mob. His work was not yet finished.
The most devoted gladly received the message. They knew that it
was from God and that it was delivered at the right time. Angels
were watching with the deepest interest the result of the heavenly
message, and when the churches turned from and rejected it, they
in sadness consulted with Jesus. He turned His face from the churches
and bade His angels faithfully watch over the precious ones who
did not reject the testimony, for another light was yet to shine
upon them.
I saw that if professed Christians had loved their Saviour's appearing,
if they had placed their affections on Him, and had felt that
there was none upon the earth to be compared with Him, they would
have hailed with joy the first intimation of His coming. But the
dislike which they manifested, as they heard of their Lord's coming,
was a decided proof that they did not love Him. Satan and his
angels triumphed, and cast it in the face of Christ and His holy
angels, that His professed people had so little love for Jesus
that they did not desire His second appearing.
I saw the people of God joyful in expectation, looking for their
Lord. But God designed to prove them. His hand covered a mistake
in the reckoning of the prophetic periods. Those who were looking
for their Lord did not discover this mistake, and the most learned
men who opposed the time also failed to see it. God designed that
His people should meet with a disappointment. The time passed,
and those who had looked with joyful expectation for their Saviour
were sad and disheartened, while those who had not loved the appearing
of Jesus, but embraced the message through fear, were pleased
that He did not come at the time of expectation. Their profession
had not affected the heart and purified the life. The passing
of the time was well calculated to reveal such hearts. 236 They
were the first to turn and ridicule the sorrowful, disappointed
ones who really loved the appearing of their Saviour. I saw the
wisdom of God in proving His people and giving them a searching
test to discover those who would shrink and turn back in the hour
of trial.
Jesus and all the heavenly host looked with sympathy and love
upon those who had with sweet expectation longed to see Him whom
their souls loved. Angels were hovering around them, to sustain
them in the hour of their trial. Those who had neglected to receive
the heavenly message were left in darkness, and God's anger was
kindled against them, because they would not receive the light
which He had sent them from heaven. Those faithful, disappointed
ones, who could not understand why their Lord did not come, were
not left in darkness. Again they were led to their Bibles to search
the prophetic periods. The hand of the Lord was removed from the
figures, and the mistake was explained. They saw that the prophetic
periods reached to 1844, and that the same evidence which they
had presented to show that the prophetic periods closed in 1843,
proved that they would terminate in 1844. Light from the Word
of God shone upon their position, and they discovered a tarrying
time--"Though it [the vision] tarry, wait for it." In
their love for Christ's immediate coming, they had overlooked
the tarrying of the vision, which was calculated to manifest the
true waiting ones. Again they had a point of time. Yet I saw that
many of them could not rise above their severe disappointment
to possess that degree of zeal and energy which had marked their
faith in 1843.
Satan and his angels triumphed over them, and those who would
not receive the message congratulated themselves upon their farseeing
judgment and wisdom in not receiving the delusion, as they called
it. They did not realize that they were rejecting the counsel
of God against themselves, and were working in union with Satan
and his angels to perplex God's people, who were living out the
heaven-sent message.
The believers in this message were oppressed in the churches.
For a time, those who would not receive the message were restrained
by fear from acting out the sentiments of their hearts; but the
passing of the time revealed their true feelings. They wished
to silence the testimony which the waiting ones felt compelled
to bear, that the prophetic periods extended to 1844. With clearness
the believers explained their mistake and gave the reasons why
they expected their Lord in 1844. Their opposers could bring no
arguments against the powerful reasons offered. Yet the anger
of the churches was kindled; they were determined not to listen
to evidence, and to shut the testimony out of the churches, so
the others could not hear it. Those who dared not withhold from
others the light which God had given them, were shut out of the
churches; but Jesus was with them, and they were joyful in the
light of His countenance. They were prepared to receive the message
of the second angel. -
As the churches refused to receive the first angel's message,
they rejected the light from heaven and fell from the favor of
God. They trusted to their own strength, and by opposing the first
message placed themselves where they could not see the light of
the second angel's message. But the beloved of God, who were oppressed,
accepted the message, "Babylon is fallen," and left
the churches.
Near the close of the second angel's message, I saw a great light
from heaven shining upon the people of God. The rays of this light
seemed bright as the sun. And I heard the voices of angels crying,
"Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him!"
This was the midnight cry, which was to give power to the second
angel's message. Angels were sent from heaven to arouse the discouraged
saints and prepare them for the great work before them. The most
talented men were not the first to receive this message. Angels
were sent to the humble, devoted ones, and constrained them to
raise the cry, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out
to meet Him!" Those entrusted with the cry made haste, and
in the power of the Holy Spirit sounded the message, and aroused
their discouraged brethren. This work did not stand in the wisdom
and learning of men, but in the power of God, and His saints who
heard the cry could not resist it. The most spiritual received
this message first, and those who had formerly led in the work
were the last to receive and help swell the cry, "Behold,
the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him!"
In every part of the land, light was given upon the second angel's
message, and the cry melted the hearts of thousands. It went from
city to city, and from village to village, until the waiting people
of God were fully aroused. In many churches the message was not
permitted to be given, and a large company who had the living
testimony left these fallen churches. A mighty work was accomplished
by the midnight cry. The message was heart-searching, leading
the believers to seek a living experience for themselves. They
knew that they could not lean upon one another.
The saints anxiously waited for their Lord with fasting, watching,
and almost constant prayer. Even some sinners looked forward to
the time with terror; but the great mass manifested the spirit
of Satan in their opposition to the message. They mocked and scoffed,
repeating everywhere, "No man knoweth the day nor the hour."
Evil angels urged them on to harden their hearts and to reject
every ray of light from heaven, that they might be fastened in
the snare of Satan. Many who professed to be looking for Christ
had no part in the work of the message. The glory of God which
they had witnessed, the humility and deep devotion of the waiting
ones, and the overwhelming weight of evidence, caused them to
profess to receive the truth; but they had not been converted;
they were not ready for the coming of their Lord.
A spirit of solemn and earnest prayer was everywhere felt by the
saints. A holy solemnity was resting upon them. Angels were watching
with the deepest interest the effect of the message, and were
elevating those who received it, and drawing them from earthly
things to obtain large supplies from salvation's fountain. God's
people were then accepted of Him. Jesus looked upon them with
pleasure, for His image was reflected in them. They had made a
full sacrifice, an entire consecration, and expected to be changed
to immortality. But they were destined again to be sadly disappointed.
The time to which they looked, expecting deliverance, passed;
they were still upon the earth, and the effects of the curse never
seemed more visible. They had placed their affections on heaven,
and in sweet anticipation had tasted immortal deliverance; but
their hopes were not realized.
The fear that had rested upon many of the people did not at once
disappear; they did not immediately triumph over the disappointed
ones. But as no visible tokens of God's wrath appeared, they recovered
from the fear which they had felt and commenced their ridicule
and scoffing. The people of God were again proved and tested.
The world laughed and mocked and reproached them; and those who
had believed without a doubt that Jesus would ere then have come
to raise the dead, and change the living saints, and take the
kingdom, to possess it forever, felt as did the disciples at the
sepulcher of Christ, "They have taken away my Lord, and I
know not where they have laid Him." -
I saw a number of companies that seemed to be bound together by
cords. Many in these companies were in total darkness; their eyes
were directed downward to the earth, and there seemed to be no
connection between them and Jesus. But scattered through these
different companies were persons whose countenances looked light,
and whose eyes were raised to heaven. Beams of light from Jesus,
like rays from the sun, were imparted to them. An angel bade me
look carefully, and I saw an angel watching over every one of
those who had a ray of light, while evil angels surrounded those
who were in darkness. I heard the voice of an angel cry, "Fear
God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come."
A glorious light then rested down upon these companies, to enlighten
all who would receive it. Some of those who were in darkness received
the light and rejoiced. Others resisted the light from heaven,
saying that it was sent to lead them astray. The light passed
away from them, and they were left in darkness. Those who had
received the light from Jesus joyfully cherished the increase
of precious light which was shed upon them. Their faces beamed
with holy joy, while their gaze was directed upward to Jesus with
intense interest, and their voices were heard in harmony with
the voice of the angel, "Fear God, and give glory to Him;
for the hour of His judgment is come." As they raised this
cry, I saw those who were in darkness thrusting them with side
and with shoulder. Then many who cherished the sacred light, broke
the cords which confined them and stood out separated from those
companies. As they were doing this, men belonging to the different
companies and revered by them passed through, some with pleasing
words, and others with wrathful looks and threatening gestures,
and fastened the cords which were weakening. These men were constantly
saying, "God is with us. We stand in the light. We have the
truth." I inquired who these men were, and was told that
they were ministers and leading men who had rejected the light
themselves, and were unwilling that others should receive it.
I saw those who cherished the light looking upward with ardent
desire, expecting Jesus to come and take them to Himself. Soon
a cloud passed over them, and their faces were sorrowful. I inquired
the cause of this cloud and was shown that it was their disappointment.
The time when they expected their Saviour had passed, and Jesus
had not come. As discouragement settled upon the waiting ones,
the ministers and leading men whom I had before noticed, rejoiced,
and all those who had rejected the light triumphed greatly, while
Satan and his evil angels also exulted.
Then I heard the voice of another angel saying, "Babylon
is fallen, is fallen!" A light shone upon those desponding
ones, and with ardent desires for His appearing, they again fixed
their eyes upon Jesus. I saw a number of angels conversing with
the one who had cried, "Babylon is fallen," and these
united with him in the cry, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh;
go ye out to meet Him." The musical voices of these angels
seemed to reach everywhere. An exceedingly bright and glorious
light shone around those who had cherished the light which had
been imparted to them. Their faces shone with excellent glory,
and they united with the angels in the cry, "Behold, the
Bridegroom cometh." As they harmoniously raised the cry among
the different companies, those who rejected the light pushed them
and with angry looks scorned and derided them. But angels of God
wafted their wings over the persecuted ones, while Satan and his
angels were seeking to press their darkness around them, to lead
them to reject the light from heaven.
Then I heard a voice saying to those who had been pushed and derided,
"Come out from among them, and touch not the unclean."
In obedience to this voice, a large number broke the cords which
bound them, and leaving the companies that were in darkness, joined
those who had previously gained their freedom, and joyfully united
their voices with them. I heard the voice of earnest, agonizing
prayer from a few who still remained with the companies that were
in darkness. The ministers and leading men were passing around
in these different companies, fastening the cords more firmly;
but still I heard this voice of earnest prayer. Then I saw those
who had been praying reach out their hands for help toward the
united company who were free, rejoicing in God. The answer from
them, as they earnestly looked to heaven, and pointed upward,
was, "Come out from among them, and be separate." I
saw individuals struggling for freedom, and at last they broke
the cords that bound them. They resisted the efforts which were
made to fasten the cords tighter and refused to heed the repeated
assertions: "God is with us." "We have the truth
with us."
Persons were continually leaving the companies that were in darkness
and joining the free company, who appeared to be in an open field
raised above the earth. Their gaze was directed upward, the glory
of God rested upon them, and they joyfully shouted His praise.
They were closely united and seemed to be wrapped in the light
of heaven. Around this company were some who came under the influence
of the light, but who were not particularly united to the company.
All who cherished the light shed upon them were gazing upward
with intense interest, and Jesus looked upon them with sweet approbation.
They expected Him to come and longed for His appearing. They did
not cast one lingering look to earth. But again a cloud settled
upon the waiting ones, and I saw them turn their weary eyes downward.
I inquired the cause of this change. Said my accompanying angel,
"They are again disappointed in their expectations. Jesus
cannot yet come to earth. They must endure greater trials for
His sake. They must give up errors and traditions received from
men and turn wholly to God and His Word. They must be purified,
made white, and tried. Those who endure that bitter trial will
obtain an eternal victory."
Jesus did not come to the earth as the waiting, joyful company
expected, to cleanse the sanctuary by purifying the earth by fire.
I saw that they were correct in their reckoning of the prophetic
periods; prophetic time closed in 1844, and Jesus entered the
most holy place to cleanse the sanctuary at the ending of the
days. Their mistake consisted in not understanding what the sanctuary
was and the nature of its cleansing. As I looked again at the
waiting, disappointed company, they appeared sad. They carefully
examined the evidences of their faith and followed down through
the reckoning of the prophetic periods, but could discover no
mistake. The time had been fulfilled, but where was their Saviour?
They had lost Him.
I was shown the disappointment of the disciples as they came to
the sepulcher and found not the body of Jesus. Mary said, "They
have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him."
Angels told the sorrowing disciples that their Lord had risen,
and would go before them into Galilee.
In like manner I saw that Jesus regarded with the deepest compassion
the disappointed ones who had waited for His coming; and He sent
His angels to direct their minds that they might follow Him where
He was. He showed them that this earth is not the sanctuary, but
that He must enter the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary
to make an atonement for His people and to receive the kingdom
from His Father, and that He would then return to the earth and
take them to dwell with Him forever. The disappointment of the
first disciples well represents the disappointment of those who
expected their Lord in 1844.
I was carried back to the time when Christ rode triumphantly into
Jerusalem. The joyful disciples believed that He was then to take
the kingdom and reign a temporal prince. They followed their King
with high hopes. They cut down the beautiful palm branches, and
took off their outer garments, and with enthusiastic zeal spread
them in the way; and some went before, and others followed, crying,
"Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in
the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest." The excitement
disturbed the Pharisees, and they wished Jesus to rebuke His disciples.
But He said unto them, "If these should hold their peace,
the stones would immediately cry out." The prophecy of Zechariah
9:9 must be fulfilled; yet the disciples were doomed to a bitter
disappointment. In a few days they followed Jesus to Calvary,
and beheld Him bleeding and mangled upon the cruel cross. They
witnessed His agonizing death and laid Him in the tomb. Their
hearts sank with grief; their expectations were not realized in
a single particular, and their hopes died with Jesus. But as He
arose from the dead and appeared to His sorrowing disciples, their
hopes revived. They had found Him again.
I saw that the disappointment of those who believed in the coming
of the Lord in 1844 was not equal to the disappointment of the
first disciples. Prophecy was fulfilled in the first and second
angels' messages. They were given at the right time and accomplished
the work which God designed to accomplish by them. -
I was shown the interest which all heaven had taken in the work
going on upon the earth. Jesus commissioned a mighty angel to
descend and warn the inhabitants of the earth to prepare for His
second appearing. As the angel left the presence of Jesus in heaven,
an exceedingly bright and glorious light went before him. I was
told that his mission was to lighten the earth with his glory
and warn man of the coming wrath of God. Multitudes received the
light. Some of these seemed to be very solemn, while others were
joyful and enraptured. All who received the light turned their
faces toward heaven and glorified God. Though it was shed upon
all, some merely came under its influence, but did not heartily
receive it. Many were filled with great wrath. Ministers and people
united with the vile and stoutly resisted the light shed by the
mighty angel. But all who received it withdrew from the world
and were closely united with one another.
Satan and his angels were busily engaged in seeking to attract
the minds of as many as possible from the light. The company who
rejected it were left in darkness. I saw the angel of God watching
with the deepest interest His professed people, to record the
character which they developed as the message of heavenly origin
was presented to them. And as very many who professed love for
Jesus turned from the heavenly message with scorn, derision, and
hatred, an angel with a parchment in his hand made the shameful
record. All heaven was filled with indignation that Jesus should
be thus slighted by His professed followers.
I saw the disappointment of the trusting ones, as they did not
see their Lord at the expected time. It had been God's purpose
to conceal the future and to bring His people to a point of decision.
Without the preaching of definite time for the coming of Christ,
the work designed of God would not have been accomplished. Satan
was leading very many to look far in the future for the great
events connected with the judgment and the end of probation. It
was necessary that the people be brought to seek earnestly for
a present preparation.
As the time passed, those who had not fully received the light
of the angel united with those who had despised the message, and
they turned upon the disappointed ones with ridicule. Angels marked
the situation of Christ's professed followers. The passing of
the definite time had tested and proved them, and very many were
weighed in the balance and found wanting. They loudly claimed
to be Christians, yet in almost every particular failed to follow
Christ. Satan exulted at the state of the professed followers
of Jesus. He had them in his snare. He had led the majority to
leave the straight path, and they were attempting to climb up
to heaven some other way. Angels saw the pure and holy mixed up
with sinners in Zion and with world-loving hypocrites. They had
watched over the true disciples of Jesus; but the corrupt were
affecting the holy. Those whose hearts burned with an intense
desire to see Jesus were forbidden by their professed brethren
to speak of His coming. Angels viewed the scene and sympathized
with the remnant who loved the appearing of their Lord.
Another mighty angel was commissioned to descend to earth. Jesus
placed in his hand a writing, and as he came to the earth, he
cried, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen." Then I saw the
disappointed ones again raise their eyes to heaven, looking with
faith and hope for their Lord's appearing. But many seemed to
remain in a stupid state, as if asleep; yet I could see the trace
of deep sorrow upon their countenances. The disappointed ones
saw from the Scriptures that they were in the tarrying time, and
that they must patiently wait the fulfillment of the vision. The
same evidence which led them to look for their Lord in 1843, led
them to expect Him in 1844. Yet I saw that the majority did not
possess that energy which marked their faith in 1843. Their disappointment
had dampened their faith.
As the people of God united in the cry of the second angel, the
heavenly host marked with the deepest interest the effect of the
message. They saw many who bore the name of Christians turn with
scorn and derision upon those who had been disappointed. As the
words fell from mocking lips, "You have not gone up yet!"
an angel wrote them. Said the angel, "They mock God."
I was pointed back to a similar sin committed in ancient times.
Elijah had been translated to heaven, and his mantle had fallen
upon Elisha. Then wicked youth, who had learned from their parents
to despise the man of God, followed Elisha, and mockingly cried,
"Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head." In thus
insulting His servant, they insulted God and met their punishment
then and there. In like manner, those who have scoffed and mocked
at the idea of the saints' going up, will be visited with the
wrath of God, and will be made to feel that it is not a light
thing to trifle with their Maker.
Jesus commissioned other angels to fly quickly to revive and strengthen
the drooping faith of His people and prepare them to understand
the message of the second angel and the important move which was
soon to be made in heaven. I saw these angels receive great power
and light from Jesus and fly quickly to earth to fulfill their
commission to aid the second angel in his work. A great light
shone upon the people of God as the angels cried, "Behold,
the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him." Then I saw
these disappointed ones rise and in harmony with the second angel
proclaim, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet
Him." The light from the angels penetrated the darkness everywhere.
Satan and his angels sought to hinder this light from spreading
and having its designed effect. They contended with the angels
from heaven, telling them that God had deceived the people, and
that with all their light and power they could not make the world
believe that Christ was coming. But notwithstanding Satan strove
to hedge up the way and draw the minds of the people from the
light, the angels of God continued their work.
Those who received the light appeared very happy. They looked
steadfastly toward heaven and longed for the appearing of Jesus.
Some were weeping and praying in great distress. Their eyes seemed
to be fixed upon themselves, and they dared not look upward. A
light from heaven parted the darkness from them, and their eyes,
which had been fixed in despair upon themselves, were turned upward,
while gratitude and holy joy were expressed upon every feature.
Jesus and all the angelic host looked with approbation upon the
faithful, waiting ones.
Those who rejected and opposed the light of the first angel's
message, lost the light of the second, and could not be benefited
by the power and glory which attended the message, "Behold,
the Bridegroom cometh." Jesus turned from them with a frown;
for they had slighted and rejected Him. Those who received the
message were wrapped in a cloud of glory. They greatly feared
to offend God, and waited and watched and prayed to know His will.
I saw Satan and his angels seeking to shut this divine light from
the people of God; but as long as the waiting ones cherished the
light and kept their eyes raised from earth to Jesus, Satan could
have no power to deprive them of its precious rays. The message
given from heaven enraged Satan and his angels, and led those
who professed to love Jesus, but despised His coming, to scorn
and deride the faithful, trusting ones. But an angel marked every
insult, every slight, every wrong, which the children of God received
from their professed brethren.
Very many raised their voices to cry, "Behold, the Bridegroom
cometh!" and left their brethren who did not love the appearing
of Jesus, and who would not suffer them to dwell upon His second
coming. I saw Jesus turn His face from those who rejected and
despised His coming, and then He bade angels lead His people out
from among the unclean, lest they should be defiled. Those who
were obedient to the message stood out free and united. A holy
light shone upon them. They renounced the world, sacrificed their
earthly interests, gave up their earthly treasures, and directed
their anxious gaze to heaven, expecting to see their loved Deliverer.
A holy light beamed upon their countenances, telling of the peace
and joy which reigned within. Jesus bade His angels go and strengthen
them, for the hour of their trial drew on. I saw that these waiting
ones were not yet tried as they must be. They were not free from
errors. And I saw the mercy and goodness of God in sending a warning
to the people of the earth, and repeated messages to lead them
to a diligent searching of heart, and study of the Scriptures,
that they might divest themselves of errors which have been handed
down from the heathen and papists. Through these messages God
has been bringing out His people where He can work for them in
greater power, and where they can keep all His commandments. -
I was shown the grievous disappointment of the people of God that
they did not see Jesus at the expected time. They knew not why
their Saviour did not come; for they could see no evidence that
prophetic time had not ended. Said the angel, "Has God's
word failed? Has God failed to fulfill His promises? No; He has
fulfilled all that He promised. Jesus has risen up and shut the
door of the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary and has opened
a door into the most holy place and entered in to cleanse the
sanctuary. All who wait patiently shall understand the mystery.
Man has erred; but there has been no failure on the part of God.
All was accomplished that God promised; but man erroneously believed
the earth to be the sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the
prophetic periods. It is man's expectation, not the promise of
God, that has failed."
Jesus sent His angels to direct the minds of the disappointed
ones to the most holy place, where He had gone to cleanse the
sanctuary and make a special atonement for Israel. Jesus told
the angels that all who found Him would understand the work which
He was to perform. I saw that while Jesus was in the most holy
place He would be married to the New Jerusalem; and after His
work should be accomplished in the holiest, He would descend to
the earth in kingly power and take to Himself the precious ones
who had patiently waited His return.
I was shown what did take place in heaven at the close of the
prophetic periods in 1844. As Jesus ended His ministration in
the holy place and closed the door of that apartment, a great
darkness settled upon those who had heard and rejected the message
of His coming, and they lost sight of Him. Jesus then clothed
Himself with precious garments. Around the bottom of His robe
was a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate. A breastplate
of curious work was suspended from His shoulders. As He moved,
this glittered like diamonds, magnifying letters which looked
like names written or engraved upon the breastplate. Upon His
head was something which had the appearance of a crown. When fully
attired, He was surrounded by angels, and in a flaming chariot
He passed within the second veil.
I was then bidden to take notice of the two apartments of the
heavenly sanctuary. The curtain, or door, was opened, and I was
permitted to enter. In the first apartment I saw the candlestick
with seven lamps, the table of shewbread, the altar of incense,
and the censer. All the furniture of this apartment looked like
purest gold and reflected the image of the one who entered the
place. The curtain which separated the two apartments was of different
colors and material, with a beautiful border, in which were figures
wrought of gold to represent angels. The veil was lifted, and
I looked into the second apartment. I saw there an ark which had
the appearance of being of the finest gold. As a border around
the top of the ark, was most beautiful work representing crowns.
In the ark were tables of stone containing the ten commandments.
Two lovely cherubs, one on each end of the ark, stood with their
wings outstretched above it, and touching each other above the
head of Jesus as He stood before the mercy seat. Their faces were
turned toward each other, and they looked downward to the ark,
representing all the angelic host looking with interest at the
law of God. Between the cherubim was a golden censer, and as the
prayers of the saints, offered in faith, came up to Jesus, and
He presented them to His father, a cloud of fragrance arose from
the incense, looking like smoke of most beautiful colors. Above
the place where Jesus stood, before the ark, was exceedingly bright
glory that I could not look upon; it appeared like the throne
of God. As the incense ascended to the Father, the excellent glory
came from the throne to Jesus, and from Him it was shed upon those
whose prayers had come up like sweet incense. Light poured upon
Jesus in rich abundance and overshadowed the mercy seat, and the
train of glory filled the temple. I could not long look upon the
surpassing brightness. No language can describe it. I was overwhelmed
and turned from the majesty and glory of the scene.
I was also shown a sanctuary upon the earth containing two apartments.
It resembled the one in heaven, and I was told that it was a figure
of the heavenly. The furniture of the first apartment of the earthly
sanctuary was like that in the first apartment of the heavenly.
The veil was lifted, and I looked into the holy of holies and
saw that the furniture was the same as in the most holy place
of the heavenly sanctuary. The priest ministered in both apartments
of the earthly. He went daily into the first apartment, but entered
the most holy only once a year, to cleanse it from the sins which
had been conveyed there. I saw that Jesus ministered in both apartments
of the heavenly sanctuary. The priests entered into the earthly
with the blood of an animal as an offering for sin. Christ entered
into the heavenly sanctuary by the offering of His own blood.
The earthly priests were removed by death; therefore they could
not continue long; but Jesus was a priest forever. Through the
sacrifices and offerings brought to the earthly sanctuary, the
children of Israel were to lay hold of the merits of a Saviour
to come. And in the wisdom of God the particulars of this work
were given us that we might, by looking to them, understand the
work of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary.
As Jesus died on Calvary, He cried, "It is finished,"
and the veil of the temple was rent in twain, from the top to
the bottom. This was to show that the services of the earthly
sanctuary were forever finished, and that God would no more meet
with the priests in their earthly temple, to accept their sacrifices.
The blood of Jesus was then shed, which was to be offered by Himself
in the heavenly sanctuary. 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 for all who could
be benefited by His mediation, and thus to cleanse the sanctuary.
As the ministration of Jesus closed in the holy place, and He
passed into the holiest, and stood before the ark containing the
law of God, He sent another mighty angel with a third message
to the world. A parchment was placed in the angel's hand, and
as he descended to the earth in power and majesty, he proclaimed
a fearful warning, with the most terrible threatening ever borne
to man. This message was designed to put the children of God upon
their guard, by showing them the hour of temptation and anguish
that was before them. Said the angel, "They will be brought
into close combat with the beast and his image. Their only hope
of eternal life is to remain steadfast. Although their lives are
at stake, they must hold fast the truth." The third angel
closes his message thus: "Here is the patience of the saints:
here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith
of Jesus." As he repeated these words, he pointed to the
heavenly sanctuary. The minds of all who embrace this message
are directed to the most holy place, where Jesus stands before
the ark, making His final intercession for all those for whom
mercy still lingers and for those who have ignorantly broken the
law of God. This atonement is made for the righteous dead as well
as for the righteous living. It includes all who died trusting
in Christ, but who, not having received the light upon God's commandments,
had sinned ignorantly in transgressing its precepts.
After Jesus opened the door of the most holy, the light of the Sabbath was seen, and the people of God were tested, as the children of Israel were tested anciently, to see if they would keep God's law. I saw the third angel pointing upward, showing the disappointed ones the way to the holiest of the heavenly sanctuary. As they by faith enter the most holy, they find Jesus, and hope and joy spring up an
past, from the proclamation of the second advent of Jesus, down
through their experience to the passing of the time in 1844. They
see their disappointment explained, and joy and certainty again
animate them. The third angel has lighted up the past, the present,
and the future, and they know that God has indeed led them by
His mysterious providence.
It was represented to me that the remnant followed Jesus into
the most holy place and beheld the ark and the mercy seat, and
were captivated with their glory. Jesus then raised the cover
of the ark, and lo! the tables of stone, with the ten commandments
written upon them. They trace down the lively oracles, but start
back with trembling when they see the fourth commandment among
the ten holy precepts, with a brighter light shining upon it than
upon the other nine, and a halo of glory all around it. They find
nothing there informing them that the Sabbath has been abolished,
or changed to the first day of the week. The commandment reads
as when spoken by the voice of God in solemn and awful grandeur
upon the mount, while the lightnings flashed and the thunders
rolled; it is the same as when written with His own finger on
the tables of stone: "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all
thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God."
They are amazed as they behold the care taken of the ten commandments.
They see them placed close by Jehovah, overshadowed and protected
by His holiness. They see that they have been trampling upon the
fourth commandment of the decalogue, and have observed a day handed
down by the heathen and papists, instead of the day sanctified
by Jehovah. They humble themselves before God and mourn over their
past transgressions.
I saw the incense in the censer smoke as Jesus offered their confessions
and prayers to His Father. And as it ascended, a bright light
rested upon Jesus and upon the mercy seat; and the earnest, praying
ones, who were troubled because they had discovered themselves
to be transgressors of God's law, were blessed, and their countenances
lighted up with hope and joy. They joined in the work of the third
angel and raised their voices to proclaim the solemn warning.
But few at first received it; yet the faithful continued with
energy to proclaim the message. Then I saw many embrace the message
of the third angel and unite their voices with those who had first
given the warning, and they honored God by observing His sanctified
rest day.
Many who embraced the third message had not had an experience
in the two former messages. Satan understood this, and his evil
eye was upon them to overthrow them; but the third angel was pointing
them to the most holy place, and those who had had an experience
in the past messages were pointing them the way to the heavenly
sanctuary. Many saw the perfect chain of truth in the angels'
messages, and gladly received them in their order, and followed
Jesus by faith into the heavenly sanctuary. These messages were
represented to me as an anchor to the people of God. Those who
understand and receive them will be kept from being swept away
by the many delusions of Satan.
After the great disappointment in 1844, Satan and his angels were
busily engaged in laying snares to unsettle the faith of the body.
He affected the minds of persons who had had an experience in
the messages, and who had an appearance of humility. Some pointed
to the future for the fulfillment of the first and second messages,
while others pointed far back into the past, declaring that they
had been there fulfilled. These were gaining an influence over
the minds of the inexperienced and unsettling their faith. Some
were searching the Bible to build up a faith of their own, independent
of the body. Satan exulted in all this; for he knew that those
who broke loose from the anchor he could affect by different errors
and drive about with divers winds of doctrine. Many who had led
in the first and second messages now denied them, and there was
division and confusion throughout the body.
My attention was then called to William Miller. He looked perplexed
and was bowed with anxiety and distress for his people. The company
who had been united and loving in 1844 were losing their love,
opposing one another, and falling into a cold, backslidden state.
As he beheld this, grief wasted his strength. I saw leading men
watching him, and fearing lest he should receive the third angel's
message and the commandments of God. And as he would lean toward
the light from heaven, these men would lay some plan to draw his
mind away. A human influence was exerted to keep him in darkness
and to retain his influence among those who opposed the truth.
At length William Miller raised his voice against the light from
heaven. He failed in not receiving the message which would have
fully explained his disappointment and cast a light and glory
on the past, which would have revived his exhausted energies,
brightened his hope, and led him to glorify God. He leaned to
human wisdom instead of divine, but being broken with arduous
labor in his Master's cause and by age, he was not as accountable
as those who kept him from the truth. They are responsible; the
sin rests upon them.
If William Miller could have seen the light of the third message,
many things which looked dark and mysterious to him would have
been explained. But his brethren professed so deep love and interest
for him, that he thought he could not tear away from them. His
heart would incline toward the truth, and then he looked at his
brethren; they opposed it. Could he tear away from those who had
stood side by side with him in proclaiming the coming of Jesus?
He thought they surely would not lead him astray.
God suffered him to fall under the power of Satan, the dominion
of death, and hid him in the grave from those who were constantly
drawing him from the truth. Moses erred as he was about to enter
the Promised Land. So also, I saw that William Miller erred as
he was soon to enter the heavenly Canaan, in suffering his influence
to go against the truth. Others led him to this; others must account
for it. But angels watch the precious dust of this servant of
God, and he will come forth at the sound of the last trump. -
I saw a company who stood well guarded and firm, giving no countenance
to those who would unsettle the established faith of the body.
God looked upon them with approbation. I was shown three steps--
the first, second, and third angels' messages. Said my accompanying
angel, "Woe to him who shall move a block or stir a pin of
these messages. The true understanding of these messages is of
vital importance. The destiny of souls hangs upon the manner in
which they are received." I was again brought down through
these messages, and saw how dearly the people of God had purchased
their experience. It had been obtained through much suffering
and severe conflict. God had led them along step by step, until
He had placed them upon a solid, immovable platform. I saw individuals
approach the platform and examine the foundation. Some with rejoicing
immediately stepped upon it. Others commenced to find fault with
the foundation. They wished improvements made, and then the platform
would be more perfect, and the people much happier. Some stepped
off the platform to examine it and declared it to be laid wrong.
But I saw that nearly all stood firm upon the platform and exhorted
those who had stepped off to cease their complaints; for God was
the Master Builder, and they were fighting against Him. They recounted
the wonderful work of God, which had led them to the firm platform,
and in union raised their eyes to heaven and with a loud voice
glorified God. This affected some of those who had complained
and left the platform, and they with humble look again stepped
upon it.
I was pointed back to the proclamation of the first advent of
Christ. John was sent in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare
the way of Jesus. Those who rejected the testimony of John were
not benefited by the teachings of Jesus. Their opposition to the
message that foretold His coming placed them where they could
not readily receive the strongest evidence that He was the Messiah.
Satan led on those who rejected the message of John to go still
farther, to reject and crucify Christ. In doing this they placed
themselves where they could not receive the blessing on the day
of Pentecost, which would have taught them the way into the heavenly
sanctuary. The rendering of the veil of the temple showed that
the Jewish sacrifices and ordinances would no longer be received.
The great Sacrifice had been offered and had been accepted, and
the Holy Spirit which descended on the day of Pentecost carried
the minds of the disciples from the earthly sanctuary to the heavenly,
where Jesus had entered by His own blood, to shed upon His disciples
the benefits of His atonement. But the Jews were left in total
darkness. They lost all the light which they might have had upon
the plan of salvation, and still trusted in their useless sacrifices
and offerings. The heavenly sanctuary had taken the place of the
earthly, yet they had no knowledge of the change. Therefore they
could not be benefited by the mediation of Christ in the holy
place.
Many look with horror at the course of the Jews in rejecting and
crucifying Christ; and as they read the history of His shameful
abuse, they think they love Him, and would not have denied Him
as did Peter, or crucified Him as did the Jews. But God who reads
the hearts of all, has brought to the test that love for Jesus
which they professed to feel. All heaven watched with the deepest
interest the reception of the first angel's message. But many
who professed to love Jesus, and who shed tears as they read the
story of the cross, derided the good news of His coming. Instead
of receiving the message with gladness, they declared it to be
a delusion. They hated those who loved His appearing and shut
them out of the churches. Those who rejected the first message
could not be benefited by the second; neither were they benefited
by the midnight cry, which was to prepare them to enter with Jesus
by faith into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. And
by rejecting the two former messages, they have so darkened their
understanding that they can see no light in the third angel's
message, which shows the way into the most holy place. I saw that
as the Jews crucified Jesus, so the nominal churches had crucified
these messages, and therefore they have no knowledge of the way
into the most holy, and they cannot be benefited by the intercession
of Jesus there. Like the Jews, who offered their useless sacrifices,
they offer up their useless prayers to the apartment which Jesus
has left; and Satan, pleased with the deception, assumes a religious
character, and leads the minds of these professed Christians to
himself, working with his power, his signs and lying wonders,
to fasten them in his snare. Some he deceives in one way, and
some in another. He has different delusions prepared to affect
different minds. Some look with horror upon one deception, while
they readily receive another. Satan deceives some with Spiritualism.
He also comes as an angel of light and spreads his influence over
the land by means of false reformations. The churches are elated,
and consider that God is working marvelously for them, when it
is the work of another spirit. The excitement will die away and
leave the world and the church in a worse condition than before.
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.
But the light will shine, and all who are honest will leave the
fallen churches, and take their stand with the remnant. (262)
The rapping delusion was presented before me, and I saw that Satan
has power to bring before us the appearance of forms purporting
to be our relatives or friends who sleep in Jesus. It will be
made to appear as if these friends were actually present, the
words they uttered while here, with which we were familiar, will
be spoken, and the same tone of voice that they had while living
will fall upon the ear. All this is to deceive the world and ensnare
them into the belief of this delusion.
I saw that the saints must have a thorough understanding of present
truth, which they will be obliged to maintain from the Scriptures.
They must understand the state of the dead; for the spirits of
devils will yet appear to them, professing to be beloved relatives
or friends, who will declare to them unscriptural doctrines. They
will do all in their power to excite sympathy and will work miracles
before them to confirm what they declare. The people of God must
be prepared to withstand these spirits with the Bible truth that
the dead know not anything, and that they who thus appear are
the spirits of devils.
We must examine well the foundation of our hope; for we shall
have to give a reason for it from the Scriptures. This delusion
will spread, and we shall have to contend with it face to face;
and unless we are prepared for it, we shall be ensnared and overcome.
But if we do what we can on our part to be ready for the conflict
that is just before us, God will do His part, and His all-powerful
arm will protect us. He would sooner send every angel out of glory
to make a hedge about faithful souls, than have them deceived
and led away by the lying wonders of Satan.
I saw the rapidity with which this delusion was spreading. A train
of cars was shown me, going with the speed of lightning. The angel
bade me look carefully. I fixed my eyes upon the train. It seemed
that the whole world was on board. Then he showed me the conductor,
a fair, stately person, whom all the passengers looked up to and
reverenced. I was perplexed and asked my attending angel who it
was. He said, "It is Satan. He is the conductor, in the form
of an angel of light. He has taken the world captive. They are
given over to strong delusions, to believe a lie that they may
be damned. His agent, the highest in order next to him, is the
engineer, and others of his agents are employed in different offices
as he may need them, and they are all going with lightning speed
to perdition."
I asked the angel if there were none left. He bade me look in
the opposite direction, and I saw a little company traveling a
narrow pathway. All seemed to be firmly united by the truth. This
little company looked careworn, as if they had passed through
severe trials and conflicts. And it appeared as if the sun had
just arisen from behind a cloud and shone upon their countenances,
causing them to look triumphant as if their victories were nearly
won.
I saw that the Lord has given the world opportunity to discover
the snare. This one thing is evidence enough for the Christian
if there were no other; there is no difference made between the
precious and the vile. Thomas Paine, whose body has now moldered
to dust and who is to be called forth at the end of the one thousand
years, at the second resurrection, to receive his reward, and
suffer the second death, is represented by Satan as being in heaven,
and highly exalted there. Satan used him on earth as long as he
could, and now he is carrying on the same work through pretensions
of having Thomas Paine so much exalted and honored in heaven;
and as he taught here, Satan would make it appear that he is teaching
there. And some who have looked with horror at his life and death,
and his corrupt teachings while living, now submit to be taught
by him--one of the vilest and most corrupt of men, one who despised
God and His law.
He who is the father of lies, blinds and deceives the world by
sending forth his angels to speak for the apostles, and to make
it appear that they contradict what they wrote by the dictation
of the Holy Ghost when on earth. These lying angels make the apostles
to corrupt their own teachings and to declare them to be adulterated.
By so doing, Satan delights to throw professed Christians and
all the world into uncertainty about the Word of God. That holy
Book cuts directly across his track and thwarts his plans; therefore
he leads men to doubt the divine origin of the Bible. Then he
sets up the infidel Thomas Paine, as if when he died he were ushered
into heaven, and now, united with the holy apostles whom he hated
on earth, were engaged in teaching the world.
Satan assigns to each of his angels a part to act. He enjoins
upon them all to be sly, artful, cunning. He instructs some of
them to act the part of the apostles and to speak for them, while
others are to act the part of infidels and wicked men who died
cursing God, but now appear to be very religious. There is no
difference made between the most holy apostles and the vilest
infidels. They are both made to teach the same thing. It matters
not whom Satan makes to speak, if his object is only accomplished.
He was intimately connected with Paine upon earth, aiding him
in his work, and it is an easy thing for him to know the very
words and the handwriting of one who served him so faithfully
and accomplished his purposes so well. Satan dictated much of
Paine's writings, and it is an easy thing for him to dictate sentiments
through his angels now, and make it appear that they come through
Thomas Paine. This is the masterpiece of Satan. All this teaching,
purporting to be from apostles and saints and wicked men who have
died, comes directly from his satanic majesty.
The fact that Satan claims that one whom he loved so well, and
who hated God so perfectly, is now with the holy apostles and
angels in glory, should be enough to remove the veil from all
minds and discover to them the dark, mysterious works of Satan.
He virtually says to the world and to infidels, "No matter
how wicked you are, no matter whether you believe or disbelieve
in God or the Bible, live as you please, heaven is your home;
for all know that if Thomas Paine is in heaven, and so exalted,
they will surely get there." This is so glaring that all
may see if they will. Satan is now doing, through individuals
like Thomas Paine, what he has been trying to do since his fall.
He is, through his power and lying wonders, tearing away the foundation
of the Christian's hope and putting out the sun that is to light
the narrow way to heaven. He is making the world believe that
the Bible is uninspired, no better than a storybook, while he
holds out something to take its place; namely, spiritual manifestations.
Here is a channel wholly devoted to himself, under his control,
and he can make the world believe what he will. The book that
is to judge him and his followers, he puts back into the shade,
just where he wants it. The Saviour of the world he makes to be
no more than a common man; and as the Roman guard that watched
the tomb of Jesus spread the lying report that the chief priests
and elders put into their mouths, so will the poor, deluded followers
of these pretended spiritual manifestations repeat and try to
make it appear that there is nothing miraculous about our Saviour's
birth, death, and resurrection. After putting Jesus in the background,
they attract the attention of the world to themselves and to their
miracles and lying wonders, which, they declare, far exceed the
works of Christ. Thus the world is taken in the snare and lulled
to a feeling of security, not to find out their awful deception
until the seven last plagues shall be poured out. Satan laughs
as he sees his plan succeed so well and the whole world taken
in the snare. -
I saw that Satan bade his angels lay their snares especially for
those who were looking for Christ's second appearing and keeping
all the commandments of God. Satan told his angels that the churches
were asleep. He would increase his power and lying wonders, and
he could hold them. "But," he said, "the sect of
Sabbathkeepers we hate; they are continually working against us,
and taking from us our subjects, to keep the hated law of God.
Go, make the possessors of lands and money drunk with cares. If
you can make them place their affections upon these things, we
shall have them yet. They may profess what they please, only make
them care more for money than for the success of Christ's kingdom
or the spread of the truths we hate. Present the world before
them in the most attractive light, that they may love and idolize
it. We must keep in our ranks all the means of which we can gain
control. The more means the followers of Christ devote to His
service, the more will they injure our kingdom by getting our
subjects. As they appoint meetings in different places, we are
in danger. Be very vigilant then. Cause disturbance and confusion
if possible. Destroy love for one another. Discourage and dishearten
their ministers; for we hate them. Present every plausible excuse
to those who have means, lest they hand it out. Control the money
matters if you can, and drive their ministers to want and distress.
This will weaken their courage and zeal. Battle every inch of
ground. Make covetousness and love of earthly treasures the ruling
traits of their character. As long as these traits rule, salvation
and grace stand back. Crowd every attraction around them, and
they will be surely ours. And not only are we sure of them, but
their hateful influence will not be exercised to lead others to
heaven. When any shall attempt to give, put within them a grudging
disposition, that it may be sparingly."
I saw that Satan carries out his plans well. As the servants of
God appoint meetings, Satan with his angels is on the ground to
hinder the work. He is constantly putting suggestions into the
minds of God's people. He leads some in one way and some in another,
always taking advantage of evil traits in the brethren and sisters,
exciting and stirring up their natural besetments. If they are
disposed to be selfish and covetous, Satan takes his stand by
their side, and with all his power seeks to lead them to indulge
their besetting sins. The grace of God and the light of truth
may melt away their covetous, selfish feelings for a little, but
if they do not obtain entire victory, Satan comes in when they
are not under a saving influence and withers every noble, generous
principle, and they think that too much is required of them. They
become weary of well-doing and forget the great sacrifice which
Jesus made to redeem them from the power of Satan and from hopeless
misery.
Satan took advantage of the covetous, selfish disposition of Judas
and led him to murmur when Mary poured the costly ointment upon
Jesus. Judas looked upon this as a great waste, and declared that
the ointment might have been sold and given to the poor. He cared
not for the poor, but considered the liberal offering to Jesus
extravagant. Judas prized his Lord just enough to sell Him for
a few pieces of silver. And I saw that there were some like Judas
among those who profess to be waiting for their Lord. Satan controls
them, but they know it not. God cannot approve of the least degree
of covetousness or selfishness, and He abhors the prayers and
exhortations of those who indulge these evil traits. As Satan
sees that his time is short, he leads men on to be more and more
selfish and covetous, and then exults as he sees them wrapped
up in themselves, close, penurious, and selfish. If the eyes of
such could be opened, they would see Satan in hellish triumph,
exulting over them and laughing at the folly of those who accept
his suggestions and enter his snares.
Satan and his angels mark all the mean and covetous acts of these
persons and present them to Jesus and His holy angels, saying
reproachfully, "These are Christ's followers! They are preparing
to be translated!" Satan compares their course with passages
of Scripture in which it is plainly rebuked and then taunts the
heavenly angels, saying, "These are following Christ and
His Word! These are the fruit of Christ's sacrifice and redemption!"
Angels turn in disgust from the scene. God requires a constant
doing on the part of His people; and when they become weary of
well-doing, He becomes weary of them. I saw that He is greatly
displeased with the least manifestation of selfishness on the
part of His professed people, for whom Jesus spared not His own
precious life. Every selfish, covetous person will fall out by
the way. Like Judas, who sold his Lord, they will sell good principles
and a noble, generous disposition for a little of earth's gain.
All such will be sifted out from God's people. Those who want
heaven must, with all the energy which they possess, be encouraging
the principles of heaven. Instead of withering up with selfishness,
their souls should be expanding with benevolence. Every opportunity
should be improved in doing good to one another and thus cherishing
the principles of heaven. Jesus was presented to me as the perfect
pattern. His life was without selfish interest, but ever marked
with disinterested benevolence. -
I saw some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, pleading with
God. Their countenances were pale and marked with deep anxiety,
expressive of their internal struggle. Firmness and great earnestness
was expressed in their countenances; large drops of perspiration
fell from their foreheads. Now and then their faces would light
up with the marks of God's approbation, and again the same solemn,
earnest, anxious look would settle upon them.
Evil angels crowded around, pressing darkness upon them to shut
out Jesus from their view, that their eyes might be drawn to the
darkness that surrounded them, and thus they be led to distrust
God and murmur against Him. Their only safety was in keeping their
eyes directed upward. Angels of God had charge over His people,
and as the poisonous atmosphere of evil angels was pressed around
these anxious ones, the heavenly angels were continually wafting
their wings over them to scatter the thick darkness.
As the praying ones continued their earnest cries, at times a
ray of light from Jesus came to them, to encourage their hearts
and light up their countenances. Some, I saw, did not participate
in this work of agonizing and pleading. They seemed indifferent
and careless. They were not resisting the darkness around them,
and it shut them in like a thick cloud. The angels of God left
these and went to the aid of the earnest, praying ones. I saw
angels of God hasten to the assistance of all who were struggling
with all their power to resist the evil angels and trying to help
themselves by calling upon God with perseverance. But His angels
left those who made no effort to help themselves, and I lost sight
of them.
I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen and was shown that
it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the
counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have
its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to
exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will
not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it,
and this is what will cause a shaking among God's people.
I saw that the testimony of the True Witness has not been half
heeded. The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church
hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded.
This testimony must work deep repentance; all who truly receive
it will obey it and be purified.
Said the angel, "List ye!" Soon I heard a voice like
many musical instruments all sounding in perfect strains, sweet
and harmonious. It surpassed any music I had ever heard, seeming
to be full of mercy, compassion, and elevating, holy joy. It thrilled
through my whole being. Said the angel, "Look ye!" My
attention was then turned to the company I had seen, who were
mightily shaken. I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping
and praying in agony of spirit. The company of guardian angels
around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor
from their head to their feet. They moved in exact order, like
a company of soldiers. Their countenances expressed the severe
conflict which they had endured, the agonizing struggle they had
passed through. Yet their features, marked with severe internal
anguish, now shone with the light and glory of heaven. They had
obtained the victory, and it called forth from them the deepest
gratitude and holy, sacred joy.
The numbers of this company had lessened. Some had been shaken
out and left by the way. The careless and indifferent, who did
not join with those who prized victory and salvation enough to
perseveringly plead and agonize for it, did not obtain it, and
they were left behind in darkness, and their places were immediately
filled by others taking hold of the truth and coming into the
ranks. Evil angels still pressed around them, but could have no
power over them.
I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth with
great power. It had effect. Many had been bound; some wives by
their husbands, and some children by their parents. The honest
who had been prevented from hearing the truth now eagerly laid
hold upon it. All fear of their relatives was gone, and the truth
alone was exalted to them. They had been hungering and thirsting
for truth; it was dearer and more precious than life. I asked
what had made this great change. An angel answered, "It is
the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord,
the loud cry of the third angel."
Great power was with these chosen ones. Said the angel, "Look
ye!" My attention was turned to the wicked, or unbelievers.
They were all astir. The zeal and power with the people of God
had aroused and enraged them. Confusion, confusion, was on every
side. I saw measures taken against the company who had the light
and power of God. Darkness thickened around them; yet they stood
firm, approved of God, and trusting in Him. I saw them perplexed;
next I heard them crying unto God earnestly. Day and night their
cry ceased not: "Thy will, O God, be done! If it can glorify
Thy name, make a way of escape for Thy people! Deliver us from
the heathen around about us. They have appointed us unto death;
but Thine arm can bring salvation." These are all the words
which I can bring to mind. All seemed to have a deep sense of
their unworthiness and manifested entire submission to the will
of God; yet, like Jacob, every one, without an exception, was
earnestly pleading and wrestling for deliverance.
Soon after they had commenced their earnest cry, the angels, in
sympathy, desired to go to their deliverance. But a tall, commanding
angel suffered them not. He said, "The will of God is not
yet fulfilled. They must drink of the cup. They must be baptized
with the baptism."
Soon I heard the voice of God, which shook the heavens and the
earth. There was a mighty earthquake. Buildings were shaken down
on every side. I then heard a triumphant shout of victory, loud,
musical, and clear. I looked upon the company, who, a short time
before, were in such distress and bondage. Their captivity was
turned. A glorious light shone upon them. How beautiful they then
looked! All marks of care and weariness were gone, and health
and beauty were seen in every countenance. Their enemies, the
heathen around them, fell like dead men; they could not endure
the light that shone upon the delivered, holy ones. This light
and glory remained upon them, until Jesus was seen in the clouds
of heaven, and the faithful, tried company were changed in a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye, from glory to glory. And the graves
were opened, and the saints came forth, clothed with immortality,
crying, "Victory over death and the grave"; and together
with the living saints they were caught up to meet their Lord
in the air, while rich, musical shouts of glory and victory were
upon every immortal tongue. -
I saw that since the second angel proclaimed the fall of the churches,
they have been growing more and more corrupt. They bear the name
of being Christ's followers; yet it is impossible to distinguish
them from the world. Ministers take their texts from the Word
of God, but preach smooth things. To this the natural heart feels
no objection. It is only the spirit and power of the truth and
the salvation of Christ that are hateful to the carnal heart.
There is nothing in the popular ministry that stirs the wrath
of Satan, makes the sinner tremble, or applies to the heart and
conscience the fearful realities of a judgment soon to come. Wicked
men are generally pleased with a form of piety without true godliness,
and they will aid and support such a religion.
Said the angel, "Nothing less than the whole armor of righteousness
can enable man to overcome the powers of darkness and retain the
victory over them. Satan has taken full possession of the churches
as a body. The sayings and doings of men are dwelt upon instead
of the plain, cutting truths of the Word of God. The spirit and
friendship of the world are at enmity with God. When the truth
in its simplicity and strength, as it is in Jesus, is brought
to bear against the spirit of the world, it at once awakens the
spirit of persecution. Very many who profess to be Christians
have not known God. The natural heart has not been changed, and
the carnal mind remains at enmity with God. They are Satan's faithful
servants, notwithstanding they have assumed another name."
I saw that since Jesus left the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary
and entered within the second veil, the churches have been filling
up with every unclean and hateful bird. I saw great iniquity and
vileness in the churches; yet their members profess to be Christians.
Their profession, their prayers, and their exhortations are an
abomination in the sight of God. Said the angel, "God will
not smell in their assemblies. Selfishness, fraud, and deceit
are practiced by them without the reprovings of conscience. And
over all these evil traits they throw the cloak of religion."
I was shown the pride of the nominal churches. God is not in their
thoughts; their carnal minds dwell upon themselves; they decorate
their poor mortal bodies, and then look upon themselves with satisfaction
and pleasure. Jesus and the angels look upon them in anger. Said
the angel, "Their sins and pride have reached unto heaven.
Their portion is prepared. Justice and judgment have slumbered
long, but will soon awake. Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, saith
the Lord." The fearful threatenings of the third angel are
to be realized, and all the wicked are to drink of the wrath of
God. An innumerable host of evil angels are spreading over the
whole land and crowding the churches. These agents of Satan look
upon the religious bodies with exultation, for the cloak of religion
covers the greatest crime and iniquity.
All heaven beholds with indignation human beings, the workmanship
of God, reduced by their fellow men to the lowest depths of degradation
and placed on a level with the brute creation. Professed followers
of that dear Saviour whose compassion was ever moved at the sight
of human woe, heartily engage in this enormous and grievous sin,
and deal in slaves and souls of men. Human agony is carried from
place to place and bought and sold. Angels have recorded it all;
it is written in the book. The tears of the pious bondmen and
bondwomen, of fathers, mothers, and children, brothers and sisters,
are all bottled up in heaven. God will restrain His anger but
little longer. His wrath burns against this nation and especially
against the religious bodies that have sanctioned this terrible
traffic and have themselves engaged in it. Such injustice, such
oppression, such sufferings, are looked upon with heartless indifference
by many professed followers of the meek and lowly Jesus. And many
of them can themselves inflict, with hateful satisfaction, all
this indescribable agony; and yet they dare to worship God. It
is solemn mockery; Satan exults over it and reproaches Jesus and
His angels with such inconsistency, saying, with hellish triumph,
"Such are Christ's followers!"
These professed Christians read of the sufferings of the martyrs,
and tears course down their cheeks. They wonder that men could
ever become so hardened as to practice such cruelty toward their
fellow men. Yet those who think and speak thus are at the same
time holding human beings in slavery. And this is not all; they
sever the ties of nature and cruelly oppress their fellow men.
They can inflict most inhuman torture with the same relentless
cruelty manifested by papists and heathen toward Christ's followers.
Said the angel, "It will be more tolerable for the heathen
and for papists in the day of the execution of God's judgment
than for such men." The cries of the oppressed have reached
unto heaven, and angels stand amazed at the untold, agonizing
sufferings which man, formed in the image of his Maker, causes
his fellow man. Said the angel, "The names of the oppressors
are written in blood, crossed with stripes, and flooded with agonizing,
burning tears of suffering. God's anger will not cease until He
has caused this land of light to drink the dregs of the cup of
His fury, until He has rewarded unto Babylon double. Reward her
even as she rewarded you, double unto her double according to
her works; in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double."
I saw that the slave master will have to answer for the soul of
his slave whom he has kept in ignorance; and the sins of the slave
will be visited upon the master. God cannot take to heaven the
slave who has been kept in ignorance and degradation, knowing
nothing of God or the Bible, fearing nothing but his master's
lash, and holding a lower position than the brutes. But He does
the best thing for him that a compassionate God can do. He permits
him to be as if he had not been, while the master must endure
the seven last plagues and then come up in the second resurrection
and suffer the second, most awful death. Then the justice of God
will be satisfied.
I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven, descending to the
earth, and again ascending to heaven, preparing for the fulfillment
of some important event. Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned
to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel,
and give power and force to his message. Great power and glory
were imparted to the angel, and as he descended, the earth was
lightened with his glory. The light which attended this angel
penetrated everywhere, as he cried mightily, with a strong voice,
"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." The message of the
fall of Babylon, as given by the second angel, is repeated, with
the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering
the churches since 1844. The work of this angel comes in at the
right time to join in the last great work of the third angel's
message as it swells to a loud cry. And the people of God are
thus prepared to stand in the hour of temptation, which they are
soon to meet. I saw a great light resting upon them, and they
united to fearlessly proclaim the third angel's message.
Angels were sent to aid the mighty angel from heaven, and I heard
voices which seemed to sound everywhere, "Come out of her,
My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive
not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and
God hath remembered her iniquities." This message seemed
to be an addition to the third message, joining it as the midnight
cry joined the second angel's message in 1844. The glory of God
rested upon the patient, waiting saints, and they fearlessly gave
the last solemn warning, proclaiming the fall of Babylon and calling
upon God's people to come out of her that they might escape her
fearful doom.
The light that was shed upon the waiting ones penetrated everywhere,
and those in the churches who had any light, who had not heard
and rejected the three messages, obeyed the call and left the
fallen churches. Many had come to years of accountability since
these messages had been given, and the light shone upon them,
and they were privileged to choose life or death. Some chose life
and took their stand with those who were looking for their Lord
and keeping all His commandments. The third message was to do
its work; all were to be tested upon it, and the precious ones
were to be called out from the religious bodies. A compelling
power moved the honest, while the manifestation of the power of
God brought a fear and restraint upon their unbelieving relatives
and friends so that they dared not, neither had they the power
to, hinder those who felt the work of the Spirit of God upon them.
The last call was carried even to the poor slaves, and the pious
among them poured forth their songs of rapturous joy at the prospect
of their happy deliverance. Their masters could not check them;
fear and astonishment kept them silent. Mighty miracles were wrought,
the sick were healed, and signs and wonders followed the believers.
God was in the work, and every saint, fearless of consequences,
followed the convictions of his own conscience and united with
those who were keeping all the commandments of God; and with power
they sounded abroad the third message. I saw that this message
will close with power and strength far exceeding the midnight
cry.
Servants of God, endowed with power from on high with their faces
lighted up, and shining with holy consecration, went forth to
proclaim the message from heaven. Souls that were scattered all
through the religious bodies answered to the call, and the precious
were hurried out of the doomed churches, as Lot was hurried out
of Sodom before her destruction. God's people were strengthened
by the excellent glory which rested upon them in rich abundance
and prepared them to endure the hour of temptation. I heard everywhere
a multitude of voices saying, "Here is the patience of the
saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the
faith of Jesus."
I was pointed down to the time when the third angel's message
was closing. The power of God had rested upon His people; they
had accomplished their work and were prepared for the trying hour
before them. They had received the latter rain, or refreshing
from the presence of the Lord, and the living testimony had been
revived. The last great warning had sounded everywhere, and it
had stirred up and enraged the inhabitants of the earth who would
not receive the message.
I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with a writer's
inkhorn by his side returned from the earth and reported to Jesus
that his work was done, and the saints were numbered and sealed.
Then I saw Jesus, who had been ministering before the ark containing
the ten commandments, throw down the censer. He raised His hands,
and with a loud voice said, "It is done." And all the
angelic host laid off their crowns as Jesus made the solemn declaration,
"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which
is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous,
let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy
still."
Every case had been decided for life or death. While Jesus had
been ministering in the sanctuary, the judgment had been going
on for the righteous dead, and then for the righteous living.
Christ had received His kingdom, having made the atonement for
His people and blotted out their sins. The subjects of the kingdom
were made up. The marriage of the Lamb was consummated. And the
kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,
was given to Jesus and the heirs of salvation, and Jesus was to
reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.
As Jesus moved out of the most holy place, I heard the tinkling
of the bells upon His garment; and as He left, a cloud of darkness
covered the inhabitants of the earth. There was then no mediator
between guilty man and an offended God. While Jesus had been standing
between God and guilty man, a restraint was upon the people; but
when He stepped out from between man and the Father, the restraint
was removed and Satan had entire control of the finally impenitent.
It was impossible for the plagues to be poured out while Jesus
officiated in the sanctuary; but as His work there is finished,
and His intercession closes, there is nothing to stay the wrath
of God, and it breaks with fury upon the shelterless head of the
guilty sinner, who has slighted salvation and hated reproof. In
that fearful time, after the close of Jesus' mediation, the saints
were living in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor.
Every case was decided, every jewel numbered. Jesus tarried a
moment in the outer apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, and the
sins which had been confessed while He was in the most holy place
were placed upon Satan, the originator of sin, who must suffer
their punishment.
Then I saw Jesus lay off His priestly attire and clothe Himself
with His most kingly robes. Upon His head were many crowns, a
crown within a crown. Surrounded by the angelic host, He left
heaven. The plagues were falling upon the inhabitants of the earth.
Some were denouncing God and cursing Him. Others rushed to the
people of God and begged to be taught how they might escape His
judgments. But the saints had nothing for them. The last tear
for sinners had been shed, the last agonizing prayer offered,
the last burden borne, the last warning given. The sweet voice
of mercy was no more to invite them. When the saints, and all
heaven, were interested for their salvation, they had no interest
for themselves. Life and death had been set before them. Many
desired life, but made no effort to obtain it. They did not choose
life, and now there was no atoning blood to cleanse the guilty,
no compassionate Saviour to plead for them, and cry, "Spare,
spare the sinner a little longer." All heaven had united
with Jesus, as they heard the fearful words, "It is done.
It is finished." The plan of salvation had been accomplished,
but few had chosen to accept it. And as mercy's sweet voice died
away, fear and horror seized the wicked. With terrible distinctness
they heard the words, "Too late! too late!"
Those who had not prized God's Word were hurrying to and fro,
wandering from sea to sea, and from the north to the east, to
seek the Word of the Lord. Said the angel, "They shall not
find it. There is a famine in the land; not a famine of bread,
nor a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of the Lord.
What would they not give for one word of approval from God! but
no, they must hunger and thirst on. Day after day have they slighted
salvation, prizing earthly riches and earthly pleasure higher
than any heavenly treasure or inducement. They have rejected Jesus
and despised His saints. The filthy must remain filthy forever."
Many of the wicked were greatly enraged as they suffered the effects
of the plagues. It was a scene of fearful agony. Parents were
bitterly reproaching their children, and children their parents,
brothers their sisters, and sisters their brothers. Loud, wailing
cries were heard in every direction, "It was you who kept
me from receiving the truth which would have saved me from this
awful hour." The people turned upon their ministers with
bitter hate and reproached them, saying, "You have not warned
us. You told us that all the world was to be converted, and cried,
Peace, peace, to quiet every fear that was aroused. You have not
told us of this hour; and those who warned us of it you declared
to be fanatics and evil men, who would ruin us." But I saw
that the ministers did not escape the wrath of God. Their suffering
was tenfold greater than that of their people. -
I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages, and associating
together in companies, and living in the most solitary places.
Angels provided them food and water, while the wicked were suffering
from hunger and thirst. Then I saw the leading men of the earth
consulting together, and Satan and his angels busy around them.
I saw a writing, copies of which were scattered in different parts
of the land, giving orders that unless the saints should yield
their peculiar faith, give up the Sabbath, and observe the first
day of the week, the people were at liberty after a certain time
to put them to death. But in this hour of trial the saints were
calm and composed, trusting in God and leaning upon His promise
that a way of escape would be made for them. In some places, before
the time for the decree to be executed, the wicked rushed upon
the saints to slay them; but angels in the form of men of war
fought for them. Satan wished to have the privilege of destroying
the saints of the Most High; but Jesus bade His angels watch over
them. God would be honored by making a covenant with those who
had kept His law, in the sight of the heathen round about them;
and Jesus would be honored by translating, without their seeing
death, the faithful, waiting ones who had so long expected Him.
Soon I saw the saints suffering great mental anguish. They seemed
to be surrounded by the wicked inhabitants of the earth. Every
appearance was against them. Some began to fear that God had at
last left them to perish by the hand of the wicked. But if their
eyes could have been opened, they would have seen themselves surrounded
by angels of God. Next came the multitude of the angry wicked,
and next a mass of evil angels, hurrying on the wicked to slay
the saints. But before they could approach God's people, the wicked
must first pass this company of mighty, holy angels. This was
impossible. The angels of God were causing them to recede and
also causing the evil angels who were pressing around them to
fall back.
It was an hour of fearful, terrible agony to the saints. Day and
night they cried unto God for deliverance. To outward appearance,
there was no possibility of their escape. The wicked had already
begun to triumph, crying out, "Why doesn't your God deliver
you out of our hands? Why don't you go up and save your lives?"
But the saints heeded them not. Like Jacob, they were wrestling
with God. The angels longed to deliver them, but they must wait
a little longer; the people of God must drink of the cup and be
baptized with the baptism. The angels, faithful to their trust,
continued their watch. God would not suffer His name to be reproached
among the heathen. The time had nearly come when He was to manifest
His mighty power and gloriously deliver His saints. For His name's
glory He would deliver every one of those who had patiently waited
for Him and whose names were written in the book.
I was pointed back to faithful Noah. When the rain descended and
the flood came, Noah and his family had entered the ark, and God
had shut them in. Noah had faithfully warned the inhabitants of
the antediluvian world, while they had mocked and derided him.
And as the waters descended upon the earth, and one after another
was drowning, they beheld that ark, of which they had made so
much sport, riding safely upon the waters, preserving the faithful
Noah and His family. So I saw that the people of God, who had
faithfully warned the world of His coming wrath, would be delivered.
God would not suffer the wicked to destroy those who were expecting
translation and who would not bow to the decree of the beast or
receive his mark. I saw that if the wicked were permitted to slay
the saints, Satan and all his evil host, and all who hate God,
would be gratified. And oh, what a triumph it would be for his
satanic majesty to have power, in the last closing struggle, over
those who had so long waited to behold Him whom they loved! Those
who have mocked at the idea of the saints' going up will witness
the care of God for His people and behold their glorious deliverance.
As the saints left the cities and villages, they were pursued
by the wicked, who sought to slay them. But the swords that were
raised to kill God's people broke and fell as powerless as a straw.
Angels of God shielded the saints. As they cried day and night
for deliverance, their cry came up before the Lord. -
It was at midnight that God chose to deliver His people. As the
wicked were mocking around them, suddenly the sun appeared, shining
in his strength, and the moon stood still. The wicked looked upon
the scene with amazement, while the saints beheld with solemn
joy the tokens of their deliverance. Signs and wonders followed
in quick succession. Everything seemed turned out of its natural
course. The streams ceased to flow. Dark, heavy clouds came up
and clashed against each other. But there was one clear place
of settled glory, whence came the voice of God like many waters,
shaking the heavens and the earth. There was a mighty earthquake.
The graves were opened, and those who had died in faith under
the third angel's message, keeping the Sabbath, came forth from
their dusty beds, glorified, to hear the covenant of peace that
God was to make with those who had kept His law.
The sky opened and shut and was in commotion. The mountains shook
like a reed in the wind and cast out ragged rocks all around.
The sea boiled like a pot and cast out stones upon the land. And
as God spoke the day and the hour of Jesus' coming and delivered
the everlasting covenant to His people, He spoke one sentence,
and then paused, while the words were rolling through the earth.
The Israel of God stood with their eyes fixed upward, listening
to the words as they came from the mouth of Jehovah and rolled
through the earth like peals of loudest thunder. It was awfully
solemn. At the end of every sentence the saints shouted, "Glory!
Hallelujah!" Their countenances were lighted up with the
glory of God, and they shone with glory as did the face of Moses
when he came down from Sinai. The wicked could not look upon them
for the glory. And when the never-ending blessing was pronounced
on those who had honored God in keeping His Sabbath holy, there
was a mighty shout of victory over the beast and over his image.
Then commenced the jubilee, when the land should rest. I saw the
pious slave rise in victory and triumph, and shake off the chains
that bound him, while his wicked master was in confusion and knew
not what to do; for the wicked could not understand the words
of the voice of God.
Soon appeared the great white cloud, upon which sat the Son of
man. When it first appeared in the distance, this cloud looked
very small. The angel said that it was the sign of the Son of
man. As it drew nearer the earth, we could behold the excellent
glory and majesty of Jesus as He rode forth to conquer. A retinue
of holy angels, with bright, glittering crowns upon their heads,
escorted Him on His way. No language can describe the glory of
the scene. The living cloud of majesty and unsurpassed glory came
still nearer, and we could clearly behold the lovely person of
Jesus. He did not wear a crown of thorns, but a crown of glory
rested upon His holy brow. Upon His vesture and thigh was a name
written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. His countenance was
as bright as the noonday sun, His eyes were as a flame of fire,
and His feet had the appearance of fine brass. His voice sounded
like many musical instruments. The earth trembled before Him,
the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and
every mountain and island were moved out of their places. "And
the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and
the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and
every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of
the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us,
and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and
from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is
come; and who shall be able to stand?" Those who a short
time before would have destroyed God's faithful children from
the earth, now witnessed the glory of God which rested upon them.
And amid all their terror they heard the voices of the saints
in joyful strains, saying, "Lo, this is our God; we have
waited for Him, and He will save us."
The earth mightily shook as the voice of the Son of God called
forth the sleeping saints. They responded to the call and came
forth clothed with glorious immortality, crying, "Victory,
victory, over death and the grave! O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory?" Then the living saints and
the risen ones raised their voices in a long, transporting shout
of victory. Those bodies that had gone down into the grave bearing
the marks of disease and death came up in immortal health and
vigor. The living saints are changed in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, and caught up with the risen ones, and together they
meet their Lord in the air. Oh, what a glorious meeting! Friends
whom death had separated were united, never more to part.
On each side of the cloudy chariot were wings, and beneath it
were living wheels; and as the chariot rolled upward, the wheels
cried, "Holy," and the wings, as they moved, cried,
"Holy," and the retinue of holy angels around the cloud
cried, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!" And the
saints in the cloud cried, "Glory! Alleluia!" And the
chariot rolled upward to the Holy City. Before entering the city,
the saints were arranged in a perfect square, with Jesus in the
midst. He stood head and shoulders above the saints and above
the angels. His majestic form and lovely countenance could be
seen by all in the square. -
Then I saw a very great number of angels bring from the city glorious
crowns--a crown for every saint, with his name written thereon.
As Jesus called for the crowns, angels presented them to Him,
and with His own right hand, the lovely Jesus placed the crowns
on the heads of the saints. In the same manner the angels brought
the harps, and Jesus presented them also to the saints. The commanding
angels first struck the note, and then every voice was raised
in grateful, happy praise, and every hand skillfully swept over
the strings of the harp, sending forth melodious music in rich
and perfect strains. Then I saw Jesus lead the redeemed company
to the gate of the city. He laid hold of the gate and swung it
back on its glittering hinges and bade the nations that had kept
the truth enter in. Within the city there was everything to feast
the eye. Rich glory they beheld everywhere. Then Jesus looked
upon His redeemed saints; their countenances were radiant with
glory; and as He fixed His loving eyes upon them, He said, with
His rich, musical voice, "I behold the travail of My soul,
and am satisfied. This rich glory is yours to enjoy eternally.
Your sorrows are ended. There shall be no more death, neither
sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain."
I saw the redeemed host bow and cast their glittering crowns at
the feet of Jesus, and then, as His lovely hand raised them up,
they touched their golden harps and filled all heaven with their
rich music and songs to the Lamb.
I then saw Jesus leading His people to the tree of life, and again
we heard His lovely voice, richer than any music that ever fell
on mortal ear, saying, "The leaves of this tree are for the
healing of the nations. Eat ye all of it." Upon the tree
of life was most beautiful fruit, of which the saints could partake
freely. In the city was a most glorious throne, from which proceeded
a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal. On each side
of this river was the tree of life, and on the banks of the river
were other beautiful trees bearing fruit which was good for food.
Language is altogether too feeble to attempt a description of
heaven. As the scene rises before me, I am lost in amazement.
Carried away with the surpassing splendor and excellent glory,
I lay down the pen, and exclaim, "Oh, what love! what wondrous
love!" The most exalted language fails to describe the glory
of heaven or the matchless depths of a Saviour's love. -
My attention was again directed to the earth. The wicked had been
destroyed, and their dead bodies were lying upon its surface.
The wrath of God in the seven last plagues had been visited upon
the inhabitants of the earth, causing them to gnaw their tongues
from pain and to curse God. The false shepherds had been the signal
objects of Jehovah's wrath. Their eyes had consumed away in their
holes, and their tongues in their mouths, while they stood upon
their feet. After the saints had been delivered by the voice of
God, the wicked multitude turned their rage upon one another.
The earth seemed to be deluged with blood, and dead bodies were
from one end of it to the other.
The earth looked like a desolate wilderness. Cities and villages,
shaken down by the earthquake, lay in heaps. Mountains had been
moved out of their places, leaving large caverns. Ragged rocks,
thrown out by the sea, or torn out of the earth itself, were scattered
all over its surface. Large trees had been uprooted and were strewn
over the land. Here is to be the home of Satan with his evil angels
for a thousand years. Here he will be confined, to wander up and
down over the broken surface of the earth and see the effects
of his rebellion against God's law. For a thousand years he can
enjoy the fruit of the curse which he has caused. Limited alone
to the earth, he will not have the privilege of ranging to other
planets, to tempt and annoy those who have not fallen. During
this time, Satan suffers extremely. Since his fall his evil traits
have been in constant exercise. But he is then to be deprived
of his power, and left to reflect upon the part which he has acted
since his fall, and to look forward with trembling and terror
to the dreadful future, when he must suffer for all the evil that
he has done and be punished for all the sins that he has caused
to be committed.
I heard shouts of triumph from the angels and from the redeemed
saints, which sounded like ten thousand musical instruments, because
they were to be no more annoyed and tempted by Satan and because
the inhabitants of other worlds were delivered from his presence
and his temptations.
Then I saw thrones, and Jesus and the redeemed saints sat upon
them; and the saints reigned as kings and priests unto God. Christ,
in union with His people, judged the wicked dead, comparing their
acts with the statute book, the Word of God, and deciding every
case according to the deeds done in the body. Then they meted
out to the wicked the portion which they must suffer, according
to their works; and it was written against their names in the
book of death. Satan also and his angels were judged by Jesus
and the saints. Satan's punishment was to be far greater than
that of those whom he had deceived. His suffering would so far
exceed theirs as to bear no comparison with it. After all those
whom he had deceived had perished, Satan was still to live and
suffer on much longer.
After the judgment of the wicked dead had been finished, at the
end of the one thousand years, Jesus left the city, and the saints
and a train of the angelic host followed Him. Jesus descended
upon a great mountain, which as soon as His feet touched it, parted
asunder and became a mighty plain. Then we looked up and saw the
great and beautiful city, with twelve foundations, and twelve
gates, three on each side, and an angel at each gate. We cried
out, "The city! the great city! it is coming down from God
out of heaven!" And it came down in all its splendor and
dazzling glory and settled in the mighty plain which Jesus had
prepared for it.
Then Jesus and all the retinue of holy angels, and all the redeemed
saints, left the city. The angels surrounded their Commander and
escorted Him on His way, and the train of redeemed saints followed.
Then, in terrible, fearful majesty, Jesus called forth the wicked
dead; and they came up with the same feeble, sickly bodies that
went into the grave. What a spectacle! what a scene! At the first
resurrection all came forth in immortal bloom; but at the second
the marks of the curse are visible on all. The kings and noblemen
of the earth, the mean and low, the learned and unlearned, come
forth together. All behold the Son of man; and those very men
who despised and mocked Him, who put the crown of thorns upon
His sacred brow, and smote Him with the reed, behold Him in all
His kingly majesty. Those who spit upon Him in the hour of His
trial now turn from His piercing gaze and from the glory of His
countenance. Those who drove the nails through His hands and feet
now look upon the marks of His crucifixion. Those who thrust the
spear into His side behold the marks of their cruelty on His body.
And they know that He is the very one whom they crucified and
derided in His expiring agony. And then there arises one long
protracted wail of agony, as they flee to hide from the presence
of the King of kings and Lord of lords.
All are seeking to hide in the rocks, to shield themselves from
the terrible glory of Him whom they once despised. And, overwhelmed
and pained with His majesty and exceeding glory, they with one
accord raise their voices, and with terrible distinctness exclaim,
"Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!"
Then Jesus and the holy angels, accompanied by all the saints,
again go to the city, and the bitter lamentations and wailings
of the doomed wicked fill the air. Then I saw that Satan again
commenced his work. He passed around among his subjects, and made
the weak and feeble strong, and told them that he and his angels
were powerful. He pointed to the countless millions who had been
raised. There were mighty warriors and kings who were well skilled
in battle and who had conquered kingdoms. And there were mighty
giants and valiant men who had never lost a battle. There was
the proud, ambitious Napoleon, whose approach had caused kingdoms
to tremble. There stood men of lofty stature and dignified bearing,
who had fallen in battle while thirsting to conquer. As they come
forth from their graves, they resume the current of their thoughts
where it ceased in death. They possess the same desire to conquer
which ruled when they fell. Satan consults with his angels, and
then with those kings and conquerors and mighty men. Then he looks
over the vast army, and tells them that the company in the city
is small and feeble, and that they can go up and take it, and
cast out its inhabitants, and possess its riches and glory themselves.
Satan succeeds in deceiving them, and all immediately begin to
prepare themselves for battle. There are many skillful men in
that vast army, and they construct all kinds of implements of
war. Then with Satan at their head, the multitude move on. Kings
and warriors follow close after Satan, and the multitude follow
after in companies. Each company has its leader, and order is
observed as they march over the broken surface of the earth to
the Holy City. Jesus closes the gates of the city, and this vast
army surround it, and place themselves in battle array, expecting
a fierce conflict. Jesus and all the angelic host and all the
saints, with the glittering crowns upon their heads, ascend to
the top of the wall of the city. Jesus speaks with majesty, saying,
"Behold, ye sinners, the reward of the just! And behold,
My redeemed, the reward of the wicked!" The vast multitude
behold the glorious company on the walls of the city. And as they
witness the splendor of their glittering crowns and see their
faces radiant with glory, reflecting the image of Jesus, and then
behold the unsurpassed glory and majesty of the King of kings
and Lord of lords, their courage fails. A sense of the treasure
and glory which they have lost rushes upon them, and they realize
that the wages of sin is death. They see the holy, happy company
whom they have despised, clothed with glory, honor, immortality,
and eternal life, while they are outside the city with every mean
and abominable thing.
Satan rushes into the midst of his followers and tries to stir
up the multitude to action. But fire from God out of heaven is
rained upon them, and the great men, and mighty men, the noble,
the poor and miserable, are all consumed together. I saw that
some were quickly destroyed, while others suffered longer. They
were punished according to the deeds done in the body. Some were
many days consuming, and just as long as there was a portion of
them unconsumed, all the sense of suffering remained. Said the
angel, "The worm of life shall not die; their fire shall
not be quenched as long as there is the least particle for it
to prey upon."
Satan and his angels suffered long. Satan bore not only the weight
and punishment of his own sins, but also of the sins of the redeemed
host, which had been placed upon him; and he must also suffer
for the ruin of souls which he had caused. Then I saw that Satan
and all the wicked host were consumed, and the justice of God
was satisfied; and all the angelic host, and all the redeemed
saints, with a loud voice said, "Amen!"
Said the angel, "Satan is the root, his children are the branches. They are now consumed root and branch. They have died an everlasting death. They are never to have a resurrection, and God will have a clean universe." I then looked and saw the fire which had consumed the wicked, burning up the rubbish and purifying the earth. Again I looked and saw the earth purified. There was not a single sign of the curse. The broken, uneven surface of the earth now looked like a level, extensive plain. God's entire universe was clean, and the great controversy was forever ended. Wherever we looked, everything upon which the eye rested was beautiful and holy. And all the redeemed host, old and young, great and small, cast their glittering crowns at the feet of their Redeemer, and prostrated themselves in adoration before Him, and worshiped Him that liveth forever and ever. The beautiful new earth, with all its glory, was the eternal inheritance of the saints. The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, was then given to the saints of the Most High, who were to possess it forever, even forever and ever.
