THE SOLEMNITY OF TIME WE ARE LIVING/ AND TIME OF TROUBLE IS JUST AROUND US!

9T 11 We are living in the time of the end. The fast-fulfilling signs of the times declare that the coming of Christ is near at hand. The days in which we live are solemn and important. The Spirit of God is

gradually but surely being withdrawn from the earth. Plagues and judgments are already falling upon
the despisers of the grace of God. The calamities by land and sea, the unsettled state of society, the alarms of war, are portentous. They forecast approaching events of the greatest magnitude. The agencies of evil are

combining their forces and consolidating. They are strengthening for the last great crisis. Great changes
are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones. WHY IT IS SOLEMN? RH, June 19, 1900 par. 10 We are living in probationary time. MAR 341.6 Probationary time is granted us, opportunities and privileges are given us, to make our calling and election sure. How we should prize this precious time, and improve every talent God has given, that we may be faithful stewards over ourselves. MAR 79.3 Now, while probation lingers, while mercy's voice is still heard, is the time for us to put away our sins. 7BC 990.3 None who have had the light of truth will enter the city of God as commandment breakers. His law lies at the foundation of His government in earth and in heaven. If they have knowingly trampled upon and despised His law on the earth, they will not be taken to heaven to do the same work there; there is no change of character when Christ comes. The character building is to go on during the hours of probation. Day by day their actions are registered in the books of heaven, and they will, in the great day of God, be rewarded as their works have been. It will then be seen who receives the blessing. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city" 5T 222.3 Every darling indulgence that hinders our religious life must be cut off. The right eye or the right hand must be sacrificed if it cause us to offend. 5T 215.4 It is now that we must keep ourselves and our children unspotted from the world. It is now that we must wash our robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. It is now that we must overcome pride, passion, and spiritual slothfulness. It is now that we must awake and make determined effort for symmetry of character. " YOU KNOW CHRIST PRAYED FOR THE UNITY OF HIS CHILDREN IN JOHN 17:20-21. WHY WOULD CHRIST PRAYED FOR THIS? OHC 170.4 The most convincing argument we can give to the world of Christ's mission is to be found in perfect unity. . . .In proportion to our unity with Christ will be our power to save souls. BUT WHAT KIND OF UNITY DOES GOD WANTS FROM US? DOES GOD WANTS US TO BE UNITED IN EVERY SINGLE THING IN LIFE? I DONT THINK SO! CAN I APPLY AMOS 3:3 TO SOMEONE WHO DOESNT FOLLOW MY TWO MEALS A DAY? SOMEONE WHO EAT FRUITS AND VEGETABLEAT THE SAME TIME? NO! SO WHAT KIND OF UNITY DOES CHRIST WANTS FROM US? SEE COMMENTS ON JOHN 17. EV 99.3 Diverse in mind, in ideasOne worker may be a ready speaker; another a ready writer; another may have the gift of sincere, earnest, fervent prayer; another the gift of singing; another may have special power to explain the Word of God with clearness. And each gift is to become a power for God, because He works with the laborer. To one 1

God gives the word of wisdom, to another knowledge, to another faith; but all are to work under the same Head. The diversity of gifts leads to a diversity of operations; but "it is the same God which worketh all in all." 1 Corinthians 12:6. OHC 170.3 In union there is strength. In division there is weakness and defeat. PRIDE is sometimes the cause of everything and hard to give it up but we must overcome it before the close of probation. To be content is also hard to give up but we must learn to be content of what we have, otherwise we wont be taken to heaven. 1T 60.3 We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to the sea of glass, when Jesus brought the crowns, and with His own right hand placed them on our heads. He gave us harps of gold and palms of victory. Here on the sea of glass the 144,000 stood in a perfect square. Some had very bright crowns, others not so bright. Some crowns appeared heavy with stars, while others had but few. All were perfectly satisfied with their

crowns.
THE AGENCIES OF EVIL ARE COMBINING THEIR FORCES. WHY? REVELATION 12:12 Therefore rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. AH 327.1 Near the close of this earth's history Satan will work with all his powers in the same manner

and with the same temptations wherewith he tempted ancient Israel just before their entering the Land of Promise. He will lay snares for those who claim to keep the commandments of God, and
who are almost on the borders of the heavenly Canaan. He will use his powers to their utmost in order to entrap souls and to take God's professed people upon their weakest points. MAR 130.3 The great controversy between Christ and Satan, that has been carried forward for nearly six thousand years, is soon to close; and the wicked one redoubles his efforts to defeat the work of Christ in man's behalf and to fasten souls in his snares. To hold the people in darkness and impenitence till the Saviour's

mediation is ended, and there is no longer a sacrifice for sin, is the object which he seeks to accomplish.
WHY WOULD SATAN VERY INTERSTED IN THE CLOSING OF CHRISTS MEDIATION IN THE MOST HOLY PLACE? BECAUSE WHEN CHRIST ENDS HIS WORK IN THE SANCTUARY, PROBATION WILL CLOSE.

When the third angel's message closes, mercy no longer pleads for the guilty inhabitants of the earth. The people of God have accomplished their work. They have received "the latter
GC 613 rain," "the refreshing from the presence of the Lord," and they are prepared for the trying hour before them. Angels are hastening to and fro in heaven. An angel returning from the earth announces that his work is done; the final test has been brought upon the world, and all who have proved themselves loyal to the divine precepts

have received "the seal of the living God." Then Jesus ceases His intercession in the sanctuary above. He
lifts His hands and with a loud voice says, "It is done;" and all the angelic host lay off their crowns as He makes the solemn announcement: "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." Revelation 22:11. Every case

has been decided for life or death. Christ has made the atonement for His people and blotted out their sins. The number of His subjects is made up; "the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of
2

the kingdom under the whole heaven," is about to be given to the heirs of salvation, and Jesus is to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. SO ALL WHO HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES LOYAL TO THE DIVINE PRECEPTS WILL RECEIVE THE SEAL OF GOD. 7BC 970.3 The seal of the living God will be placed upon those only who bear a likeness to Christ in character. 7BC 970.1 Only those who receive the seal of the living God will have the passport through the gates of the Holy City. FLB 288.3 The seal of God will never be placed upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, world-loving man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All who receive the seal must be without spot before God-candidates for heaven. 5T 212.3 The seal of God will be placed upon the foreheads of those only who sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land. Those who link in sympathy with the world are eating and drinking with the drunken and will surely be destroyed with the workers of iniquity. 4BC 1161.5 What is the seal of the living God, which is placed in the foreheads of His people? It is a mark which angels, but not human eyes, can read; for the destroying angel must see this mark of redemption. The angel with the writer's ink horn is to place a mark upon the foreheads of all who are separated from sin and sinners, and the destroying angel follows this angel. GC 614 When He leaves the sanctuary, darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth. In that fearful time the

righteous must live in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor. The restraint which has been
upon the wicked is removed, and Satan has entire control of the finally impenitent. God's long-suffering has ended. The world has rejected His mercy, despised His love, and trampled upon His law. The wicked have passed the boundary of their probation; the Spirit of God, persistently resisted, has been at last withdrawn. Unsheltered by divine grace, they have no protection from the wicked one. Satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great, final trouble. As the angels of God cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human

passion, all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old.
GC 616 The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress described by the prophet as the time of Jacob's trouble. "Thus saith the Lord: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. . . . All faces are turned into paleness. Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble.

As Satan accuses the people of God on account of their sins, the Lord permits him to try them to the uttermost. Their confidence in God, their faith and firmness, will be severely tested. As they review the past, their hopes sink; for in their whole lives they can see little good. They are fully
GC 618 conscious of their weakness and unworthiness. Satan endeavors to terrify them with the thought that their cases are hopeless, that the stain of their defilement will never be washed away. He hopes so to destroy their faith that they will yield to his temptations and turn from their allegiance to God. SO OUR FAITH WILL BE SEVERLY TESTED. IF WE HAVE NOT LEARN TO BE THANKFUL WHEN TRIALS COME THEN WE WILL BE OVERCOME BY THIS. 3

JAMES 1:2-4 JAMES 1:12 ROMANS 8:37-39 HEBREWS 10:35-38 GC 620 Had not Jacob previously repented of his sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud, God would not have heard his prayer and mercifully preserved his life. So, in the time of trouble, if the people of God had unconfessed

sins to appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish, they would be overwhelmed; despair would cut off their faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God for deliverance. But while they have a deep sense of their unworthiness, they have no concealed wrongs to reveal. Their sins have gone beforehand to judgment and have been blotted out, and they cannot bring them to remembrance.
THATS WHY OUR SINS MUST BE PUT AWAY BEFORE JESUS LEAVES THE SANCTUARY OTHERWISE IF WE HAVE ONE SIN UNCONFESSED, WE WILL BE OVERWHELMED, DESPAIR, CUT OFF OUR FAITH IN HIM. BUT IF OUR SINS HAVE BEEN CONFESSED, OUR SINS HAVE GONE BEFOREHAND TO JUDGMENT AND HAVE BEEN BLOTTED OUT AND THEY CANNOT BRING THEM TO REMEMBRANCE. GC 629 The people of God will not be free from suffering; but while persecuted and distressed, while they endure privation and suffer for want of food they will not be left to perish. That God who cared for Elijah will not pass by one of His self-sacrificing children. He who numbers the hairs of their head will care for them, and in time of famine they shall be satisfied. While the wicked are dying from hunger and pestilence, angels will shield the righteous and supply their wants. To him that "walketh righteously" is the promise: "Bread shall be given him; his waters shall

be sure."
SOME ARE WORRIED HOW ARE THEY GOING TO SURVIVE DURING THE TIME OF TROUBLE? THEY ARE EVEN WORRIED TO STAY IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE PLANTS WONT GROW ON WINTER SEASON. CC 91 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light." . . . The standard of their invisible Leader was ever with them. By day the cloud directed their journeyings or spread as a canopy above the host. It served as a protection from the burning heat, and by its coolness and moisture afforded grateful refreshment in the parched, thirsty desert. By night it became a pillar of fire, illuminating their encampment and constantly assuring them of the divine presence. In one of the most beautiful and comforting passages of Isaiah's prophecy, reference is made to the pillar of cloud and of fire to represent God's care for His people in the great final struggle with the powers of evil: "The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for above all the glory shall be a covering. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain" (Isaiah 4:5, 6, margin). In the time of trial before us God's pledge of security will be placed upon those who have kept the word of His patience. Christ will say to His faithful ones: "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast" EW 285.1 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, 4

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. EW 285.2 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. EW 286 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. REVELATION 6:15-17 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 free man, 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? EW 286.2 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." EW 287 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. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.