Posted By: Rick H
Are we at the close of probation? - 09/17/16 03:29 PM
The SOP tells us that probation comes to a close, shortly before the Second Coming.
“Just before we entered it [the time of trouble], we all received the seal of the living God. Then I saw the four angels cease to hold the four winds. And I saw famine, pestilence and sword, nation rose against nation, and the whole world was in confusion.--7BC 968 (1846) pg 229. And also:
“.As yet the four winds are held until the servants of God shall be sealed in their foreheads. Then the powers of earth will marshal their forces for the last great battle.--6T 14 (1900).” Notice it says “we all receive the seal of the living God” and “the four winds are held until the servants of God shall be sealed in their foreheads” Next lets look at what SOP also says will happen at this time:
“The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes, for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided.”--2SM 81 (1890). pg 228
Did you pick up how it says the “great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided” at the time of probation closing.
Lets read more of what the SOP tells us about the image of the beast of the Last Days:
“When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state, and employed it to further her own ends.. In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends. . . . The "image to the beast" represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas.--GC 443, 445 (1911).
So in what way do the daughter churches still follow the Roman Catholic church or the papacy, well we find they follow Sundaykeeping .
Now lets turn to Revelation 13 starting with verse 11:
“11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
Now lets see what the SOP tells us the “great test for the people of God” at the end will be:
“The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not.. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God.” {GC 605.2}
But SOP also says this about the sign or seal of God that the Gods people received:
“This is the test that the people of God must have before they are sealed. All who prove their loyalty to God by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious sabbath, will rank under the banner of the Lord God Jehovah, and will receive the seal of the living God. Those who yield the truth of heavenly origin, and accept the Sunday sabbath, will receive the mark of the beast”…. {Mar 164.4}
Notice it says “by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious sabbath” Now many Adventist tell themselves, I can delay truly giving my life to the Lord till the National Sunday Law, which SOP tells us signals at last, when Christ will be coming:
“The substitution of the laws of men for the law of God, the exaltation, by merely human authority, of Sunday in place of the Bible Sabbath, is the last act in the drama. When this substitution becomes universal, God will reveal Himself. He will arise in His majesty to shake terribly the earth. He will come out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity, and the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”–Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 141.
But if Adventist brethren wait till the National Sunday Law, by this time those who are sealed of God will be decided and those who receive the Mark of the Beast set, so not much will be changed when probation closes. They will already have been lost by this time if they don't act and truly convert and follow Christ. Like the days of Noah, there will be those left on the outside because they didn’t act before the door to the ark closed, and this will happen again when the door of probation will be closed
Now speaking to Gods church the SOP says this:
“The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The observance of the false sabbath will be urged upon us. The contest will be between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. Those who have yielded step by step to worldly demands, and conformed to worldly customs, will then yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. At that time the gold will be separated from the dross. . . . Many a star that we have admired for its brilliance will then go out in darkness. Those who have assumed the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will then appear in the shame of their own nakedness.”–Prophets and Kings, p. 188. {ChS 157.2}
So at the end there will be two groups, those who follow the commandments of men, and those who keep the commandments of God, all 10 not just nine.. One will receive the “Seal of God” the other “Mark of the Beast.” The church “militant” is the church in its present state consisting of wheat and tares, the church “Triumphant” is the church consisting of wheat only, which is close.
Jesus said: “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. . . . So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” {TM 45.1}
The Holy Spirit is being poured out at the end time for those who would be sealed, And this seal is the holy character which the Spirit of God creates in and changes in the saints..
Probation closing whether soon after the National Sunday Law or at its coming, will not change the judgment of those lost and those saved, we must prepare before it comes
“Just before we entered it [the time of trouble], we all received the seal of the living God. Then I saw the four angels cease to hold the four winds. And I saw famine, pestilence and sword, nation rose against nation, and the whole world was in confusion.--7BC 968 (1846) pg 229. And also:
“.As yet the four winds are held until the servants of God shall be sealed in their foreheads. Then the powers of earth will marshal their forces for the last great battle.--6T 14 (1900).” Notice it says “we all receive the seal of the living God” and “the four winds are held until the servants of God shall be sealed in their foreheads” Next lets look at what SOP also says will happen at this time:
“The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes, for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided.”--2SM 81 (1890). pg 228
Did you pick up how it says the “great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided” at the time of probation closing.
Lets read more of what the SOP tells us about the image of the beast of the Last Days:
“When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state, and employed it to further her own ends.. In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends. . . . The "image to the beast" represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas.--GC 443, 445 (1911).
So in what way do the daughter churches still follow the Roman Catholic church or the papacy, well we find they follow Sundaykeeping .
Now lets turn to Revelation 13 starting with verse 11:
“11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
Now lets see what the SOP tells us the “great test for the people of God” at the end will be:
“The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not.. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God.” {GC 605.2}
But SOP also says this about the sign or seal of God that the Gods people received:
“This is the test that the people of God must have before they are sealed. All who prove their loyalty to God by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious sabbath, will rank under the banner of the Lord God Jehovah, and will receive the seal of the living God. Those who yield the truth of heavenly origin, and accept the Sunday sabbath, will receive the mark of the beast”…. {Mar 164.4}
Notice it says “by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious sabbath” Now many Adventist tell themselves, I can delay truly giving my life to the Lord till the National Sunday Law, which SOP tells us signals at last, when Christ will be coming:
“The substitution of the laws of men for the law of God, the exaltation, by merely human authority, of Sunday in place of the Bible Sabbath, is the last act in the drama. When this substitution becomes universal, God will reveal Himself. He will arise in His majesty to shake terribly the earth. He will come out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity, and the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”–Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 141.
But if Adventist brethren wait till the National Sunday Law, by this time those who are sealed of God will be decided and those who receive the Mark of the Beast set, so not much will be changed when probation closes. They will already have been lost by this time if they don't act and truly convert and follow Christ. Like the days of Noah, there will be those left on the outside because they didn’t act before the door to the ark closed, and this will happen again when the door of probation will be closed
Now speaking to Gods church the SOP says this:
“The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The observance of the false sabbath will be urged upon us. The contest will be between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. Those who have yielded step by step to worldly demands, and conformed to worldly customs, will then yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. At that time the gold will be separated from the dross. . . . Many a star that we have admired for its brilliance will then go out in darkness. Those who have assumed the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will then appear in the shame of their own nakedness.”–Prophets and Kings, p. 188. {ChS 157.2}
So at the end there will be two groups, those who follow the commandments of men, and those who keep the commandments of God, all 10 not just nine.. One will receive the “Seal of God” the other “Mark of the Beast.” The church “militant” is the church in its present state consisting of wheat and tares, the church “Triumphant” is the church consisting of wheat only, which is close.
Jesus said: “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. . . . So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” {TM 45.1}
The Holy Spirit is being poured out at the end time for those who would be sealed, And this seal is the holy character which the Spirit of God creates in and changes in the saints..
Probation closing whether soon after the National Sunday Law or at its coming, will not change the judgment of those lost and those saved, we must prepare before it comes