A word of prayer. Heavenly Father, as we study the role and significance of your spirit in this work illustrated by Zachariah, we ask for the presence of your spirit to be in the presentation here and accompany the message wherever it may go on this audio tape. We ask for enlightenment that would prepare us to better serve you, better reflect your character in this hour of earth's history. Let this study be of such a nature that it will bring that type of enlightenment to us. We know that time is short. We want to understand these things correctly, that they might have the right effect upon us that you planned for these truths to have in our life. Let this study impact us in a powerful way. I ask a blessing upon it that it might be used wherever it goes. And I thank you for being with us, giving us this light here at the end of the world that we can understand the things that are coming upon us, in Jesus' name, amen. This is part four of the series Adventism's Parable. In our last presentation we discussed Zachariah 4 and Zachariah symbolizing the wake up in the parable of the ten virgins. He was awoken, he was needed to be instructed about the furnishing of the sanctuary. We identified the context of that passage in chapter 4 as being related to chapter 3. There is no chapter breaks in the word of God in chapter 3. Even without Spirit of Prophecy's comments of Joshua and the angel identifying the day of atonement, we can identify that from just the phrase that the iniquity of the land would be removed during this time period that chapter 3 is taking place and when we follow this truth through the Bible prophecies we realize it's pointing forward to the time period in earth's history where the Lord removes iniquity from his people which is the day of atonement time period. This was the opening context for chapter 4. We see Zachariah awakened, pointing forward to the waking up of the ten virgins in the summer of 1844. We left out the prophecy, so to speak, in the midst of chapter 4 of the prophecy of the work and that's what we're going to take up here today. I want to begin by just going back to verse 5 of chapter 4 to introduce 6 through 10. What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? That's verse 5 of Zachariah 4 and then this is the passage we're going to consider today verses 6 through 10. Then he answered and spake unto me saying this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts who art thou O great mountain before Zerubbabel thou shall become a plain and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shouting crying grace grace unto it moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house his hand shall also finish it and thou shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me unto you for who hath despised the day of small things for they shall rejoice and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven they are the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth. Now what we're suggesting is that this passage here that is kind of drawn outside the rest of Zachariah 4 in the sense that the rest of Zachariah 4 is Zachariah asking about what these olive branches are. This is a miniature these verses a miniature prophecy of the work of God's people that takes place during the Day of Atonement time period during the time period when the iniquity of Israel is removed and Zerubbabel the work that he did is clearly identified in the Spirit of Prophecy as paralleling the work of Adventism Review and Herald May 16 1899 speaking of the mountain in this passage says this the very same difficulties which were created to hinder the restoration and up building of the work of God the great mountains of difficulty which loomed in Zerubbabel's way will be met by all who today are loyal to God and to his work so she's comparing his work his struggles with the difficulties that we have in our work of restoring and up building the work of the Lord today prophets and kings she says it this way page 677 the work of restoration and reform carried on by the returned exiles under the leadership of Zerubbabel Ezra and Nehemiah present a picture of a work of spiritual restoration that is to be wrought in the closing days of this earth's history so this work that is illustrated in Zachariah is our work and therefore as students of prophecy we can look back into these passages and bring them down to our time and seek to learn from them information that will guide us through this work now in Haggai chapter 2 verses 20 to 23 it says this and again the word of the Lord came unto Haggai in the fourth and twentieth day of the month saying speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah saying I will shake the heavens and the earth and I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen and I will overthrow the chariots and those that ride in them and the horses and the riders shall come down every one by the sword of his brother in that day saith the Lord of hosts will I take thee O Zerubbabel my servant the son of Sheal Teal saith the Lord and I will make thee as a signet for I have chosen thee saith the Lord of hosts now in our last presentation I pointed out that in this passage of Zachariah one of the difficulties in sharing this presentation with limited time is there are just some real powerful important biblical prophetic themes that we just can't take time to look at and one of them is this shaking of heavens and earth if you trace this through the Bible and the spirit of prophecy I'm clearly talking to the end of the world time period the battle of Armageddon if you're going to take it into revelation during that time period the shaking of heaven and earth the pouring out of the plagues end of the world scenario so when we see this referred to here and we're not going to take time to trace this is one of the themes that we're not going to trace through the prophecies and I wished we had time to do so because it adds a great deal of information to this but in any case this is a way mark identified here in Haggai that tells us end of the world scenario and in the closing of what we read it said and in that day in the end of the world he's going to make Zerubbabel a signet for he has chosen him so clearly it's simply from Haggai you don't have to use the spirit of prophecy we see that Zerubbabel is symbolizing someone or some group of people and I would suggest to us that this is Adventism at the end of the world and that he has been chosen and that he will be made a signet we want to look at these two themes in prophets and kings 577 578 says to Zerubbabel their leader he who through all the years since the return from Babylon had been so sorely tried was given a most precious message the day was coming the Lord declared when all the enemies of his chosen people would be cast down in that day saith the Lord of hosts I will take thee O Zerubbabel my servant of Israel and make thee as a signet for I have chosen thee verse 23 now the governor of Israel could see the meaning of the providence that had led him through discouragement and perplexity he could discern God's purpose in it all this personal word to Zerubbabel has been left on record for the encouragement of God's children in every age so here sister White's placing this at the end of the world when all the enemies of God's chosen people are going to be cast down now notice that she's talking about God's chosen people and also that Zerubbabel was chosen and this is a theme that we're just going to look at briefly but another important prophetic theme as who's chosen by the Lord and as we see Zerubbabel symbolizing the work at the end of the world and the fact that it's stated that he's chosen and then we can use this theme to confirm that he's symbolizing modern Israel Isaiah 41 8 through 10 says this but thou Israel are my servant Jacob whom I have chosen the seed of Abraham my friend thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth and called thee from the chief men thereof and said unto thee thou art my servant I have chosen thee and not cast thee away fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am God I will strengthen thee I will help thee well I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Israel modern Israel has been chosen by the Lord and Zerubbabel is representing modern Israel for he too was chosen and he is symbolizing this people at the end of the world when all the enemies of God's chosen people will be cast down testimonies volume 2 page 110 I was shown that those who are trying to obey God and purify their souls through obedience to the truth are God's chosen people his modern Israel God says of them through Peter but ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood and a holy nation a peculiar people that ye should show forth the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light now sister white here ties together first Peter with us today and that phrase a chosen generation important phrase to adventism if you haven't ever considered the study we did in the prophetic time series which is made up of three studies put together there is one of those studies in that prophetic time series called God's denominated people and this is one of the truths of adventism is that we have been chosen we are his modern Israel today Zerubbabel is symbolizing modern Israel first Peter 2 4 through 10 is this passage that is speaking to adventism at the end of the world to whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious ye are lively stones remember that phrase that were stones ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house of course this is what Zerubbabel was doing was building up the house of the Lord are built up a spiritual house a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ clearly a parallel of the work that Zerubbabel and Ezra and Nehemiah were carrying on continuing on wherefore also it is contained in the scripture behold I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone elect precious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded unto you therefore which believe he is precious but unto them which be disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient where unto also they were appointed but ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light which in times past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy in this study that we were referring to which would add some insight into the study that we're involved in right now this last phrase from first Peter where it says which in times past were not a people but now are the people of God many in Adventism don't realize that that is speaking about the 1844 time period in 1844 but for only the second time in history God married a people he married ancient Israel at Sinai he married modern Israel in October 22nd 1844 this is a part of the the testimony of the fulfillment of the parable of the ten virgins is the wedding and before that time we were not a people we were not a denominated people we did not have God's law we did not possess his law we were not not an involved God's people were not involved with a covenant with him he they had not been married to him and many other factors but this in times past were not a people but now are a people of God this is the historical time period when Adventism was raised up but this is the chosen generation this isn't the generation that we think of of one man's life this is the generation of of this movement and Zerubbabel is one that symbolizes this movement now not only did it when speaking of Zerubbabel did it talk about him being chosen

chosen as he represented the end of the world. It said that God would make him as a signet. And a signet being the stamp or seal of a king or a ruler. An example of that we can find in Exodus 28 verses 36 and Exodus 39 verse 30 where a signet is identified. Exodus 28 verse 36. And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold and grave upon it like the engravings of a signet holiness to the Lord. And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold and wrote upon it a writing likened to the engravings of a signet holiness to the Lord. Exodus 28 verse 36 and 39 verse 30. The high priest wore this plate on his crown with the signet of holiness to the Lord. In Daniel 6 verse 17 it says, and a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his Lord's that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. Somehow Zerubbabel is going to be made a signet, a seal, a stamp. And remember he is symbolizing God's people at the end of the world here. And in some sense Zerubbabel not only is chosen but he is made a signet. Now a signet, a sign, a seal, of course this brings to mind the Sabbath. Reviewing Herald, April 27, 1911. The sign or seal of God is revealed in the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath, the Lord's memorial of creation. The mark of the beast is the opposite of this, the observance of the first day of the week. This mark distinguishes those who acknowledge the supremacy of the papal authority from those who acknowledge the authority of God. So the sign or seal of God is the Sabbath. Exodus 20, 12 and 19, 20 says this. Exodus 20, 12 and 19 and 20. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbath to be a sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. I am the Lord your God. Walk in my statutes and keep my judgments and do them and hallow my Sabbaths and they shall be a sign between me and you that you may know that I am the Lord your God. Numbers 2, 2 describing how the tribes of Israel would align themselves in their encampment. Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard the ensign of his father's house far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch. Now a sign, an ensign, very similar to a signet. And what I'm suggesting is that Zerubbabel is going to be made in a signet at the end of the world. It's symbolizing that Zerubbabel is representing God's people at the end of the world as they uphold the Sabbath and represent the Sabbath to the world in this time when the Sabbath will be the issue. And this ensign that they're going to be associated with is describing their father's house. You can't see truly see a correct representation of a Sabbath keeper without seeing a representation of that Sabbath keeper's father, the Lord. And this theme of the sign, the signet, or the ensign is a theme, one of the themes that we're going to look at a little bit here in Bible prophecy, but we're not touching all the places. But it is a very important theme in Bible prophecy to recognize. And when we recognize that Zerubbabel is represented as being, symbolizing this sign, we see his connection with end-time Bible prophecy. We see our connection also because he's representing God's people at the end. So let's look at this theme of the ensign, Isaiah 526, and he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth, and behold, they shall come with speed swiftly. At the end of the world, Bible prophecy says there's going to be an ensign lifted up, and this is an ensign that is going to draw God's people into one group. And this ensign is the Sabbath, and it's the Sabbath, the ensign is the Sabbath that God's people will rally around, but also, if you look very carefully as you go through the Old Testament prophecies, it's a twofold work. Not only is it the truth that is going to bring unity into God's people, but that truth, the Sabbath, the ensign, the banner that is portrayed to the world, is what will draw God's other children outside of his church into unity as well. So it's twofold in its portrayal in Bible prophecy. Testimonies, volume 7, page 109. In order that men might not forget the true God, Jehovah gave them a memorial of his love and power, the Sabbath. He says, Verily my Sabbath ye shall keep, for it is a sign between me and you, Exodus 31, 13. Concerning Israel, the Lord declared, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations, Numbers 23, 9. To us, as well as to ancient Israel, these words apply. God's people are to stand alone. The observance of the seventh-day Sabbath is to be a sign between them and God, showing that they are his peculiar people, separate from the world in habit and practice. Through them, God will work to gather from all nationalities a people for himself. Now, this theme, there's another theme we just touched on that we won't have time to look at, and it's this gathering. You take the theme of gathering in Bible prophecy, and it is deep and profound, but the Lord intends to gather his people together into unity, and once we are in unity, he will use this unified people to gather those outside of Adventism into unity, as well. And by using this term, gather, you can trace this story through the Bible, and once again, I would point you to the truth that as you study this gathering, and this is also a theme we will not have time to look at closely, but as you study it, you'll find that there is a gathering that takes place among God's people prior to the gathering that takes place from those outside of God's people. There's two gatherings that take place, but the Sabbath is going to be the focus that draws this gathering together, if that's stated correctly. Isaiah 11, 10 through 12, and in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people. To it shall the Gentiles seek, and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Now, directly connected to this ensign is this theme, and you find this in other Old Testament passages where this ensign is being spoke about. You see connected to it, his rest shall be glorious. This rest, of course, we would understand to be the Sabbath, one of the characteristics of this ensign. And as you go through this prophetic study in the Old Testament looking at this ensign, you realize that this ensign is the Sabbath. This ensign is also Christ, and this ensign is also God's people. They are interchangeable. They are characteristics of this ensign that are portrayed in the different prophecies to give a different focus of the role that the ensign has. The ensign is Christ and his righteousness, but what the Lord is waiting on is for his righteousness to be perfectly reflected in his people. Then he will come, so his people represent that righteousness, and this righteousness is also representative of the Sabbath. Zechariah also talks about this ensign, and earlier when we were reading from 1 Peter, if you remember, we're lively stones, and in this passage in Zechariah, this is one of the terms that he's going to refer to God's people as. This is Zechariah 9 verses 11 through 17. As for thee also, by the blood of the covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water. Turn you to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee. When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as a sword of a mighty man. And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as lightning. And the Lord shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south. The Lord of hosts shall defend them, and shall devour, and subdue with sling stones, and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine, and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar. And the Lord their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people, for they shall be as stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty. Corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids." Now, brothers and sisters, here we're seeing also a theme we haven't, we're not going to look at in depth, but God's people are portrayed in the end of the world as the instruments of war in the hands of the Lord. And now this is a spiritual war, and here we're seeing this is one of the passages where that's portrayed. And it's portrayed in Zion against Greece in this passage. But one of the characteristics when the Lord is talking about his people here, is that they will be filled like bowls. And of course this is the bowls that we talked about last time, that the oil from the pipe fills these golden bowls, which is the vessels that the virgins have. The foolish virgins have no oil in their bowl, in their vessels. The wise virgins have the oil in their bowl or their vessels. And they are going to be like stones of a crown. The crown that is worn by the high priest has upon it the ensign, holiness to the Lord. We're going to be as stones of the crown, stones that are part of the temple that the Lord is raising up in the final days of earth's history. Not the literal temple that Zerubbabel was involved with, but the spiritual temple. And we as his people during this time period are going to be lifted up as an ensign. Now the Sabbath, that is the ensign. That is the issue. The Sabbath Sunday issue is the testing issue that brings judgment to a close. But it's the Sabbath reflected in the life of God's people that allows them to prophetically also be identified as the ensign. First Peter 2.5 says, he also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. And you can take that and see so many connections to the temple service, the literal temple service, that you can go on and on with this theme. In any case, this is who we are to be in the last days. Isaiah 30 verses 15 through 21. For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, in returning and rest shall you be saved. In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength, and you would not. But you said, No, for we will flee upon horses, therefore shall you flee. And we will ride upon the swift, therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one. At the rebuke of five shall you flee, till you be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill. And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you. And therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you. For the Lord is a God of judgment. Blessed are all that wait for him. Blessed are all they that wait for him. For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem. Thou shall weep no more. He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry. When he shall hear it, he will answer thee. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more. But thine eyes shall see thy teachers, and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way. Waki-e-noh.

in it when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left. Now in this passage we're going to be set as a beacon on the top of a mountain, as an end sign on a hill, and if you read closely and you're familiar with the prophetic scenario during this time period, you also see the purification of God's church illustrated here because he's talking about people fleeing and those that will be left, and the ones that are left are the ones that are the beacon on the mountain, and the Lord in many passages describes prophetically the purification of his church, and he always portrays those that are going to be unfaithful, the foolish virgins, the Laodiceans, the however you want to symbolize them, as leaving and the faithful staying, and where they're staying is in Jerusalem and Zion, which is a couple other themes that we haven't time to really get into, but notice that it says here that what we're going to be saved in is in returning and rest, returning to the Lord. Sister White tells us our greatest need is for a revival. Revival won't take place without reformation. The returning to the Lord is this revival and reformation that each of us needs, and the rest of course is experiencing the sanctified spirit that comes, the sanctified experience that comes from genuine Sabbath observance. So we're seeing that God's people, the Sabbath, Christ himself are an end sign that are going to draw first his people into unity at the end of the world, and through them draw other people outside of Adventism to the truth at the end of the world, and Zerubbabel was portrayed in this passage as being a signet. Now, Bible Training School, December 1st, 1903, will bring this theme to a close with this statement. The work of the Holy Spirit is to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. The world can only be warned by seeing those who believe the truth sanctified through the truth, acting upon high and holy principles, showing in a high elevated sense the line of demarcation between those who keep the commandments of God and those who trample them under their feet. The sanctification of the spirit signalizes the difference between those who have the seal of God and those who keep the spurious rest day. When the test comes, it will be clearly shown what the mark of the beast is. It is the keeping of Sunday. Those who, after having heard the truth, continue to regard this day as holy, bear the signature of the man of sin, who thought to change times and laws. Now, here we see the sanctification of the spirit, signalizing those that have the seal of God. And, brothers and sisters, I've had feedback on the study that we do on the judgment of the living. There are many that have been taught in Adventism, and I'm under conviction they haven't studied it very deeply. They've been taught that everyone receives the seal of God at the same time, right before the close of human probation. This paragraph we just read is one of the clearest testimonies to throw that thought out the window. It's talking about the world can only be warned by seeing those who believe the truth, sanctified by the truth. And then it says what the sanctification of the truth is. It's identified by those who have the seal of God, and it contrasts them with those that have the mark of the beast. And then it says when the test comes, the test that is going to allow the characters that we have developed prior to the test to be manifested for all the world to see, the Sunday law arrives. I will demonstrate whether I have prepared a character for the seal of God or the mark of the beast, but those people in the world that can only be warned by seeing people with the seal of God, they can only be warned by seeing those who believe the truth, sanctified through the truth. It's at that point that they're going to pick or choose which side they're going to stand on, and that's what she's talking about. Those who, after having heard the truth, continue to regard this day as holy, Sunday, bear the signature of the man of sin. There's a clear scenario laid down in this paragraph that shows that those people outside of Adventism that are going to make a choice on Sabbath are going to make their choice on Sabbath through the the living witness of God's people who are the first to be confronted with the Sunday test, and those that they are those that receive the seal of God when the testing time begins, and they are those that are the signet, the seal, the end sign, the beacon on the hill that the Lord uses to gather all those that are outside of Adventism. Now, another theme that we're going to just refer to, but is an important theme, is the shakings of heaven and earth, which is part of the story of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah and Haggai, and if you take your concordance and look at the shaking of heaven and earth, you'll see that this is a time period at the end of the world it's placing the passages of prophecy that refer to the shakings of heaven and earth. It isn't in past history, it's at the end of the world, and it's mentioned here in Haggai chapter 2 verses 1 through 9, and there's a couple other themes we're going to take up here after we read these verses. In the seventh month and the one and twentieth day of the month came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying, Speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jezodek, the high priest, and to the residue of his people, saying, Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory, and how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord, and be strong, O Joshua, son of Jezodek, the high priest, and be strong, all you people of the land, saith the Lord, and work, for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts. According to the word that I covenanted with you, when you came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you. Fear ye not, for thus saith the Lord of hosts, yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the glory than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts, and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts." Now the Lord here is promising to make this temple that's built after Jerusalem's destroyed, built when the exiles returned from Babylon, the second temple. He's promising to make it more glorious than Solomon's temple, and we know that this was accomplished not through the creation of a more beautiful temple, but by the fact that Christ came to this temple when he was here on earth. That glory, the glory of Jesus Christ, is what made the second temple more glorious than the former, but this time period of shaking heaven and earth is at the end of the world. It's not simply referring to when Christ was here on earth or back in the days of Zechariah. So one of the things that is being pointed forward to in this passage here is that this work of Zerubbabel, once again, is the work that takes place at the end of the world, but that the temple at the end of the world will be more glorious than even the temple was when Christ was in it, when he was on earth, or than the first temple, Solomon's temple, and it's going to be more glorious in the sense that at the end of the world, the spiritual temple that is restored is going to be when Christ's people perfectly reflect his character. Then he will return. We're familiar with that phrase, but during that time period when Christ's people reach that state of holiness and they are sealed, there's going to be throughout the world a reflection of Christ that is multiplied beyond simply Christ himself being here, and in that sense the spiritual temple, the promise is, is that the glory that is involved with the temple at the end of the world is going to be beyond Solomon's temple or the second temple, and in this note that he, in this passage of Haggai, talks about the silver and the gold being the lords. The silver and the gold is referring to the offerings that were brought to build the temple, both Solomon and the second temple, and Ezra 1, 5, and 6 says, Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites with all them whose spirit God had raised to go and build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered. So the Lord is saying back here in Haggai that the silver and gold is his, that all that we contribute is the Lord's anyway. The substance that it takes to accomplish this work of building this spiritual temple is all the Lord's work. All that we can contribute to it is a willingness to be involved. In 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verses 10 through 17, it says this, According to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon. And let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon. For other foundation can no man lay than than that is laid which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work, the gold and silver are works, every man's work shall be made manifest. For the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Know you not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. So Zerubbabel in this passage in Zechariah 4 that we're speaking about, that we're considering today, is symbolizing God's people at the end of the world. And he is portraying one who begins the work and finishes the work. And brothers and sisters, this work that we're speaking about is the work that's carried out when the parable of the ten virgins is fulfilled. The foundation of Adventism was established. You can start it with the work of William Miller, but it was the movement of the Holy Spirit. The powerful time period that the Holy Spirit was driving the Millerite movement was during the summer of 1844, the second angel's message time period, when the midnight cry came. We're told that the Millerites went out in the very words of scripture and proclaimed, behold the bridegroom cometh. And if you go back and look at the descriptions of that time period, from the fulfillment of the midnight cry up until the great disappointment, you'll see that what was taking place there was a genuine revival that parallels any biblical revival that's illustrated. It was a revival reformation that was being propelled by the Holy Spirit. That was the foundation of Adventism. And it was the foundation also doctrinally. It was that there, those doctrines that were understood there during that time period are the foundations of Adventism. That's the foundation from a different point of view. I just don't want any to stumble over what I'm saying about the foundation. But the foundation that we're looking at, the work that Zerubbabel is being used to portray, doctrines with the work that took place. And Zerubbabel laid the foundation. And as he was being symbolizing in the world, it means that Zerubbabel is symbolizing the work that took place in the 1844 time period. But the promise is that he's also going to place the capstone on it. And the capstone is when this work is finished during the latter rain time period. Somehow, Zerubbabel and the signet that he represents, and the fact that he was chosen, somehow he's representing the work at the beginning, at the end, the end. Review and Herald, January 16th, 1908. The promise, the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this. How his hand shall also finish it was

literally fulfilled. The elders of the Jews built it, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Edu. And they built it and finished it according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia. And this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, the twelfth month, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. So Zerubbabel, in the literal rebuilding of Jerusalem, actually did put the foundation stone and the capstone on that work. But he's symbolizing the work of Adventism, the foundation that took place in 1844 and the capstone that takes place under the latter reign. And we know that no human being has lived through that time period. So once again, clearly symbolizing the people, not a person, symbolizing the Millerites that began this movement, the Adventists that ended, if you want to say it that way. And there are many parallels that you can isolate out of that story. We'll look at one here, Ezra 3, 10 through 13. And as we look at that parallel, we're going to touch on another theme that many people don't pick up on, that theme being that over and over again in Old Testament prophecies that are portraying the latter reign time period, or ones that are portraying the 1844 time period, some people don't realize that that time period is portrayed in Bible prophecy. But both the first moving of the Holy Spirit in the Advent movement and the final one during the latter reign, when you see those portrayed in Bible prophecy many times, you'll see the adjective, shout and cry aloud, cry out, you'll see that word used in the prophetic illustration. And in this passage in Ezra 10, 13, we're going to see that again. Now, the reason that I'm going to take some time to point this out for us is that that's what the midnight cry is all about, and that's what the loud cry of the fourth angel is all about. And let's read Ezra 3, 10 through 13. And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set their priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the son of Asaph, with cymbals to praise the Lord after the ordinance of David, king of Israel. And they sang together by chorus in praise and giving thanks unto the Lord, because he is good, for his mercy endureth forever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of their fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. And many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of weeping of the people. For the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off. Now this loud shout, I would suggest to you, that took place at the foundation of the temple, is symbolizing the midnight cry. But notice that there were some there that were weeping. And Sister White comments on this, that it was that attitude of not rejoicing in the Lord, that the Lord was going forward with his work, but being sorrowful because of the first temple, that hindered and blocked up the accomplishment of the work. It was the wrong attitude to be crying over the first temple, when the present truth message for that time was to be praising the Lord for his goodness, that he was rebuilding the temple. And this very condition that took place at the foundation of the temple, took place at the foundation of Adventism too. Evangelism 695. Had Adventists, after their great disappointment in 1844, held fast their faith and followed on unitedly in the opening providence of God, receiving the message of the third angel and in the power of the Holy Spirit, proclaiming it to the world, they would have seen the salvation of God. The Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts, the work would have been completed, and Christ would have come ere this to receive his people to their reward. But in the period of doubt and uncertainty that followed a disappointment, many of the Advent believers yielded up their faith. Thus the work was hindered and the world was left in darkness. Had the whole Adventist body united upon the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, how widely different would have been our history. Same experience, in a different setting, took place at the foundation of Adventism as took place at the foundation of the temple. Now, this theme shout, some of these that we're going to look at here from the Old Testament, they're better illustrated if you gather more of the context and we have time to look at. But these are passages that if you go in and look closely at, you'll see are illustrating the latter rain time period. And you can't miss that during this time period, God's people are shouting or crying out, proclaiming with a loud voice. This is one of a few of many, many places this is illustrated. Psalms 132 verses 13 to 18. For the Lord hath chosen Zion, one of the themes we've already looked at. He hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest forever. Here will I dwell for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priest with salvation and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. There will I make the horn of David to bud. I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. His enemies will I clothe with shame, but upon him shall his crown flourish. Now this choosing Zion, if you looked at the study we mentioned earlier, God's denominated people, you would see that the Lord chose Zion again for his habitation in 1844. But during the time period of backsliding, there is a need of a revival and reformation. At the end of the world, he is going to choose Zion. And this is what's being described here in this passage in Psalms. And when he does this, when he clothes her priest, and remember we've already read where we are all priests, we're a holy priesthood, we are a chosen generation. When this takes place, God's people will shout aloud for joy. The loud cry is being symbolized here. The Desire of Ages 569 says, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, thy king cometh unto thee. He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the full of an ass. Zechariah 9.9. Now the reason that I'm reading Desire of Ages page 569 is because she's commenting on this passage out of Zechariah 9.9, which is clearly talking about when Christ enters Jerusalem. But Zion was to shout when Christ came into Jerusalem riding on the ass. And the reason that I'm looking at Desire of Ages is because Sister White clearly identifies the triumphal entry here as paralleling the time period of 1844, the time period that we know that the midnight cry was fulfilled. Desire of Ages 569, 500 years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Zechariah thus foretold the coming of the king to Israel. This prophecy is now to be fulfilled. He who has so long refused royal honors now comes to Jerusalem as the promised heir to David's throne. It was on the first day of the week that Christ made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. So triumphal entry, one of the characteristics is that the people are to shout. Now notice this from the Great Controversy. The message, behold the bridegroom cometh, was not so much a matter of argument, though the scripture proof was clear and conclusive. There went with it an impelling power that moved the soul. There was no doubt, no questioning. Upon the occasion of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the people who were assembled from all parts of the land to keep the feast flocked to the Mount of Olives, and as they joined the throng that were escorting Jesus, they caught the inspiration of the hour and helped to swell the shout, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Matthew 21 9. In like manner did unbelievers who flocked to the Adventist meeting, some from curiosity, some merely to ridicule, feel the convicting power attending the message, behold the bridegroom cometh. This shouting prophetically is pointing forward to the second or the fourth angel's message, where the midnight cry is fulfilled, where the loud cry takes place during the latter rain. Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume four, page 1144. Isaiah saw Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem amid the praises and rejoicing of the people. His prophetic words are eloquent in their simplicity, O Zion that bringeth good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain, O Jerusalem that bringeth good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid, say unto the cities of Judah, behold your God, behold the Lord will come with a strong hand and his arms shall rule for him, behold his reward is with him and his work before him, he shall feed his flock like a shepherd and he shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and gently lead those that are with young. So lift up your voice with strength, lift it up. Isaiah 49 through 11. Isaiah saw this time period and he saw that during this time period the people were to lift up their voice. So one more theme and then then or one more thought and then we'll we'll get back to Zerubbabel. Now in our last presentation we talked about a time period when God's people's transgressions would be removed. The time period known as the Day of Atonement, the Anatypical Day of Atonement and I think we read this passage, part of this passage during that last presentation but we're going to look at it again in terms of this shout. This is Isaiah 44, 21 through 28. Remember these, O Jacob in Israel, for thou art my servant, I have formed thee, thou art my servant, O Israel, thou shall not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins return unto me for I have redeemed thee. Now this blotting out takes place prophetically. It's a time period when the iniquity of God's people is removed. It's the time period that Zechariah 3 is talking about with Joshua and the angel. So we're talking about the closing scenes of the Day of Atonement. We're talking about the time period when God's people are sealed but it's those people that are going to give witness to the sanctification of the Spirit that the world can only make its choice by seeing that. So it's not simply one act at the end of the Day of Atonement. There's a process. The quote we read from Bible Training School, December 1st, 1903, the work of the Holy Spirit is to convince the world of sin and of righteousness and judgment. The world can only be warned by seeing those who believe the truth sanctified through the truth. The sanctification of the Spirit signalizes the difference between those who have the seal and those who keep the Spirit's rest day. When the tests come, it will be clearly shown what the mark of the beast is. It is Sunday cleaping. Those who after having heard the truth continue to regard this day as holy bear the signature of the man of sin who sought to chain time and love. So this blotting out back to Isaiah 44 is a process that takes place in the most holy place above in the very near future. It takes place. It'll be manifest. The character that you and I as Adventists have developed will be manifest to the world at the Sunday Law. The Sunday Law that is the fulfillment of Revelation 13, 11. Not a Sunday Law that forbids us to buy gasoline on Sunday, but the Sunday Law that does two things. Persecutes us for keeping Sabbath and forces us to observe Sunday. When that Sunday Law arrives, you and I, understanding the issues, will be held accountable for that light and we will know that this is life or death for us. We will make manifest for those around us what our choice is. At that point, those people that stand firm during that time period will be giving a testimony to the people outside of Adventism. Let me start back in Isaiah 44. I blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgression, and as a cloud thy sins, return unto me, for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it. Shout, you lower parts of the earth, breaking forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree therein, for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob and glorified himself in Israel. What's that put an Adventist in mind to? At least for me, Christ, the last message of warning for the world is the manifestation of Christ's

character and his character is his glory for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob and glorified himself in Israel. This is the beacon. This is Zerubbabel's signet. This is the sign. This is the the seal that is the banner, the beacon on the hill that the world will be drawn to if they're going to serve the Lord. They're either going to be drawn to it or they're going to stumble over it continuing on. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer and he that formed thee from thy womb. I am the Lord that maketh all things, that stretches forth the heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself, that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad, and turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish, that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers, that saith to Jerusalem, thou shall be inhabited, and to the cities of Judah, ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof, that saith to the deep, be dry, and I will be dry, be dry, and I will dry up the rivers, that saith of Cyrus, he is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying to Jerusalem, thou shall be built, and to the temple thy foundation shall be laid. This promise of the Lord glorifying himself in Israel in the time period when Israel's transgression is removed is illustrated by the rebuilding of the temple, laying the foundation of which Zerubbabel is symbolic, and the capstone, and it takes place at the very end of the world, and those people that are involved with this work of restoring the temple, they cry out, they shout. Prophetically, you should recognize that the second angel's message and the fourth angel's message are messages that have a cry connected with them. Both of them are going to have a midnight cry in them, and the loud cry of the fourth angel is what we're waiting for today. Now, let's go back in to the verses that we began with and see if we can't pull some of these concepts in and bring this study to a close. Before we do, let me suggest something for you that, remember, in our last study we pointed out that characters in the Bible are used to symbolize truths beyond simply the predictions that are recorded in the words, and it's obvious that Zerubbabel, we've looked at it from several ways here, Zerubbabel is symbolizing the work of God's people at the end, and one of the added pieces of information as we look at him is his name. Depending on which Bible dictionary you look at, you'll get some kind of a close connection to the definition of what the word Zerubbabel means. If you use the Seventh-day Adventist Bible dictionary, it means offspring of Babylon. Some Bible dictionaries actually say, out of Babylon, and see, when you understand that Zerubbabel's name is symbolizing out of Babylon, and you realize that the work of the foundation of Adventism that is associated with shouting and crying is the second angel's message and the fourth angel's message. When the midnight cry message comes to God's people, both in the second and the fourth angel's message, and at that point the Holy Spirit takes charge of the work. When you realize that the foundation and capstone of the work of building the spiritual temple takes place under those two messages, and that those two messages are a call out of Babylon, then you see why Zerubbabel is used to symbolize the second and the fourth angel's message, and why his name is defined as it is. Now, let's go back through verses six through ten. Then he answered unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts. And for me, one of the things that's important in that passage is that whether in our last study we consider the golden pipes and the oil and the Holy Spirit, or the bowls, the vessels, we as God's people that receive this information, whether you're looking at all the information that was symbolized in our last study, it's all built upon the word of the Lord. And by that I mean the Bible, the Old and New Testament. The strength, the power that is in chapter four of Zechariah is an emphasis upon God's word. And brothers and sisters, as we continue this study on the parable of the ten virgins, I hope that's one of the things that we see is that the Lord is going to use his word, the Bible, and it's going to be the medium that the Holy Spirit is received by the wise virgins. He's going to use that word. He's going to use the Holy Spirit in that fashion to bring about the midnight cry. And this is one of the main emphases here in this little prophecy that we're looking at in verses six through ten, is that it's the Bible. It's the Bible that is the Bible in the sense that the Holy Spirit is bringing messages to us. And those messages, we can only have confidence that those messages are the message from the Holy Spirit when we understand them as coming from God's word. If it's a message outside of God's word, then it must be tested by God's word. And the emphasis here is in agreement with the very emphasis of the heart of the parable of the ten virgins. There's a message that's going to come and awaken his people, not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord. This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel. Now, what are thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou should become a plain. There's going to be difficulties that come in to the work. What Zerubbabel is symbolizing here is the beginning of Adventism and the end of Adventism. He's symbolizing the two times the midnight cry is fulfilled during the second angel's message and the fourth angel's message. He's symbolizing the work of laying the foundation to the spiritual temple at the end of the world and putting the capstone on at the end of the world. And there's difficulties that came into the work immediately after the foundation was laid, and there's been difficulties all along the way, 1888, and on and on and on. I won't march down the backslidden state that we've been going. Well, there is a promise that we need to understand here at the end that the work will be finished. Zerubbabel, in the power of the Holy Spirit, this work is going to come to a conclusion. It says, and he shall bring forth the headstone. Now, what's he going to bring it forth with? With shouting, crying, grace unto it. If we had time, another theme would be to go through and show that when words in this particular context, the context of the second and fourth angel's message, when you see words repeated like grace, grace, it's pointing forward to Babylon is fallen, fallen, because the headstone of the construction of the spiritual temple, the conclusion of our work is going to go forward under the fourth angel's message, which is Babylon is fallen, fallen, but it will go forward in the power of the Holy Spirit, and that's what this shouting, the loud cry, the midnight cry, that's what this shouting is symbolizing, and that's what Zerubbabel is symbolizing. And then, moreover, it says, the word of the Lord came unto me saying, the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, his hand shall also finish it, and thou shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me unto you, for who hath despised the day of small things? Now, the day of small things, interesting study, but one of, if you remember, and we won't look at it, but if you remember the vision, we've mentioned it in part two of this study, the vision of Adventism on the way to heaven, that there was a light behind us on a path, and Christ was in front of us giving us light, but the light behind us was the midnight cry, and people would turn around and despise or doubt that light, and they'd fall off the path. Well, after the midnight cry in 1844, there's been a mountain of difficulties, and that was the day of small things. If you look at the, if you have a Spirit of Prophecy CD-ROM and you run the phrase, day of small things, you'll find that Sister White talks a great deal about it. Day of small things is how the Lord works. He doesn't begin a work by building a giant sanitarium like Kellogg did. He begins a work from a very small beginning. He begins doing the health work out of a spare room in your home, and then if he blesses it, it grows from there, but he doesn't start a work in a giant flashy way, and Adventism started in a very small way. The day before Adventism started, there was 50,000 people in the movement the day it started, and on October 23rd, 1844, they estimate there was 50 people. That's the day of small things. That day of small things came about at the climax of the midnight cry. To doubt the light of the midnight cry is to probably fall off the path on the way to heaven, and that's what Zechariah is saying here. Who hath despised the day of small things? Who's despising the beginning of Adventism? Who has a problem with our beginnings? Because if you do, chances are you're going to be one of those that is portrayed over and over in different dreams and visions by Sister White. You're going to be one of those that's coming up to the foundations of Adventism and wanting to remove this pillar or wanting to remove that pillar. To despise the day of small things is to despise the foundation of the work that Zerubbabel symbolizes. The foundation of the work was the beginning of this movement in 1844. Testimonies, volume 7, page 170. Human power did not establish the work of God, neither can human power destroy it. To those who carry forward his work in face of difficulty and opposition, God will give the constant guidance and guardianship of his holy angels. His work on earth will never cease. The building of his spiritual temple will be carried forward until it shall stand complete, and the headstone shall be brought forth with shouting, grace, grace unto it. Brothers and sisters, the headstone, the finishing of the spiritual temple is the loud cry of the fourth angel. It's when the third angel's message swells into a loud cry. The shouting that is illustrating that time period is something that we should recognize in Bible prophecy. Signs of the Times, November 13th, 1901. The way of the world is to begin with pomp and boasting, exalting human agents, but all this will come to naught. God's way is to make the day of small things the beginning of the glorious triumph of truth and righteousness. Bear in mind that human power and human inventions did not establish the church, and neither will they destroy her. The Great Controversy, 457. The history of ancient Israel is a striking illustration of the past experience of the Adventist body. God led his people in the Advent movement, even as he led the children of Israel from Egypt. In the Great Disappointment, their faith was tested, as was that of the Hebrews at the Red Sea. Had they still trusted to the guiding hand that had been with them in their past experience, they would have seen the salvation of God. If all who had labored unitedly in the work in 1844 had received the third angel's message and proclaimed it in the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts. A flood of light would have been shunned upon the world. Years ago, the inhabitants of the earth would have been warned. The closing work completed, and Christ would have come for the redemption of his people. The fact that this hindrance to the work came in after 1844 has been illustrated throughout Bible history. Not simply at the Red Sea, but those that were crying at the foundation of the the temple that Zechariah and Zerubbabel were involved with brought this same kind of hindrance in. It's been portrayed for what? For those of us that live at the end of the world. And those of us that live at the end of the world need to gain strength from these truths to realize that the promise is that the Lord is going to finish this work the same way he started it. And the way he started it, brothers and sisters,

was by bringing to fulfillment the parable of the ten virgins and he's going to finish it by bringing to fulfillment the parable of the ten virgins and many important characteristics of the parable of the ten virgins we still have several to consider as our study goes on but brothers one of them brothers and sisters one of them that is emphasized so strongly here in Zechariah and there's more in the book of Zechariah that you could build on this but we're limited by time but one of them is that it is from the oil and the oil isn't simply symbolizing the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Godhead it's it's symbolizing the Holy Spirit in the sense as the the medium that the message is conveyed to God's people that is the emphasis of the pipes that also is the very one of the most crucial components of the parable of the ten virgins there is going to be a piece of information designed by God that comes from his word that brings about the final revival among God's people and that's where we're heading is to try to prepare a setting for when we look at that piece of information to not simply see it as a prophetic understanding and we're going to start into that study here and in the near future we don't want to just see it as a an interesting illustration of Bible prophecy we want to see it in the context of what it is God's purpose to do with that information he wants to use that information in his word to put the headstone on his work to finish it to swell the message to a loud cry and I'm hoping that this study has helped strengthen our conviction that the Lord is going to finish his work and that he's going to do it by a thus saith the Lord and that if we're faithful at this time period in earth's history that we'll have the privilege of being those that are ensigns for those outside of Adventism and they too can come and stand with the Lord and the work can be finished and we can go home.