These, those things which have been, will be repeated. We closed our last presentation with a passage from Review and Herald, October 31st, 1899, where Sister White pulls together the Three Angels Message with the Parable of the Ten Virgins. We want to begin there, just a portion from there. The first, second, and third angels' messages are to be repeated. He who went forth to meet the bridegroom under the messages of the first and second angels refused the third, the last testing message, to be given to the world, and a similar position will be taken when the last call is made. We're studying history, sacred history, and the prophecies associated with those histories to align them with the end of the world, and we're focusing primarily on the Parable of the Ten Virgins, and during the fulfillment of the Parable of the Ten Virgins in 1844, we also have the fulfillment of the Three Angels Message. They're directly related to each other. The Three Angels Message is the very heart of Adventism. It's why we exist. It's what we are to proclaim. There are many ways to correctly present the Three Angels Message. A pastor can present the Three Angels Message from a theological point of view, identifying the everlasting gospel in relation to the judgment hour, followed by a call out of Babylon, the confused church system in the world today, followed by a warning against Sunday worship, the third angels' message, and that would be a correct way to present the Three Angels Message. Another way to correctly present the Three Angels Message is those messages personally. I must personally experience the everlasting gospel and by faith enter into the most holy place to experience with Christ. I must take all of my thoughts, habits, and customs out of Babylon and surrender my life totally to the Lord's way, and I must prepare a character for the seal of God in order to not be among those that receive the mark of the beast. So the Three Angels Message can also correctly be presented as a message of personal experience. Another way that Sister White correctly presents the Three Angels Message is events that were fulfilled in history. She speaks much about this. One passage is counseled to writers and editors, pages 26 and 27. The proclamation of the first, second, and third angels' message have been located by the word of inspiration. Not a peg or pin is to be removed. No human authority has any more right to change the location of these messages than to substitute the New Testament for the Old. So another way to correctly deal with the Three Angels Message is their historical fulfillment. In the future, when the fourth angel's message begins during the latter reign, that will be a historical time period as well. So there's a history associated with these messages. What we started with, this Review and Herald quote, is one of the angles we want to look at the Three Angels Message that Sister White upholds. Another way to correctly present the Three Angels Message is that they were tests. She talked about it being the last testing message given to the world, the third message, but she clearly identifies that all three of these messages were tests and that as we proceed in our study today, we'll find that if you did not pass the first test, you will not be involved with the second test. If you don't have victory at the second test, you won't be involved with the third test. There are successive tests and you need to master each step along the way to be victorious over all three. This is what we're going to look at in the premise of this study in relation to the fact that that was fulfilled during the Parable of the Ten Virgins in 1844 and that it will be fulfilled again to the very letter. Once again, God's people should expect to go through a series of tests that leads up to the separation of the wise and foolish virgins. Another way that the Three Angels Message can be correctly portrayed, and Adventism has not been studying this, this is a largely unknown prophetic understanding in Adventism today, and we have a study that looks very carefully in depth at this, is that the Three Angels Messages are symbolized in Bible prophecy through a combination of numbers. We're titling this presentation the Three-One Combination. That's the combination of numbers that is used in the prophecies of the Bible to illustrate the Three Angels Message in relation to the end of the world. The Three Angels Message followed by a fourth, therefore we call it the Three-One Combination. There's a rule in the Bible that's also not commonly recognized as a prophetic rule, but it certainly is. You can see it represented in several places in the Bible. We'll look at a couple. Matthew 18.16 says, But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. Now this is speaking about how to deal with the brethren's sin, but the principle that is consistent and should be understood prophetically as well, is that in the mouth of two or three witnesses a thing shall be established. This phrase, this truth is presented many times in the Bible. Another place is 2 Corinthians 13.1. This is the third time I'm coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. What we want to identify here is that when we're speaking of this Three-One Combination, very few people in Adventism have ever heard this idea before, and we're going to go through and clearly show you where it's illustrated in Bible prophecy, and I would like you to remember that when you see something in the Word of God illustrated, identified, set forth two or three times, then you can have confidence that it is a truth that is sustained by the Lord. Now what we're saying about this Three-One Combination study is that in Bible prophecy, in histories in the Bible, in parables that are describing the end of the world many times, you'll see a Three-One Combination illustrated, and when you see that symbolized, that it is representing the three angels' message to be followed by the fourth. Now the first place I would like you to consider is in the days of Noah. Noah and his three sons got on the ark, and we're told that as the days of Noah were, so will the coming of the Son of Man be, and Noah and his three sons is this Three-One Combination, and if that's the only place it existed in the Word of God, we'd really be out on a limb to say that Noah and his three sons were illustrating the three angels' message followed by the fourth, but as we proceed, I'm sure that you'll see that it is consistently there in the Bible. Now at least 11 times in the Spirit of Prophecy, Sister White says that Nebuchadnezzar's image in the plain of Dura symbolized the Sunday Law. If you've ever asked yourself, why wasn't Daniel there during that test? And for me, the reason that Daniel wasn't there is because he would have thrown off this Three-One Combination, because Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego represent the three angels' message that come to the time period of the Sunday Law. They come to the time period of Nebuchadnezzar's test. Here's one of those places. Manuscript Releases, Volume 13, page 71. When Sunday is exalted and sustained by law, then the principle that actuates the people of God will be made manifest, as the principle of the three Hebrews was made manifest when Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to worship the golden image in the plain of Dura. We can see what our duty is when the truth is overborne by falsehood. Now this particular passage, beyond teaching the Three-One Combination, reminds us that it's at the Sunday Law test where it will be made manifest what's inside of us. It's there that we're going to demonstrate whether we have a character for the mark of the beast or the seal of God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego represent the three angels' message. When they came to the test, it was then that they were thrown into the flaming fire of Furnace. If the image on the plain of Dura symbolized the Sunday Law test, immediately thereafter we see the flaming fire of Furnace, and we know that national apostasy will be followed by national ruin, little time of trouble, persecution begins. That's what was being illustrated by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And when they were in the fiery Furnace, lo and behold, a fourth appeared among them. There's your Three-One Combination. Now another illustration of the end of the world, we're told, is the Transfiguration, illustrated the second coming of Christ. And it isn't an accident that when Christ went up the mountain during the Transfiguration, that it was with three disciples, three disciples in Christ, representing this Three-One Combination. Early writings, page 164, clearly places the Transfiguration at the end of the world, as illustrating it. A history that points forward to, this is the very premise of our overall study, is those things which have been will be repeated. They symbolize the end of the world. Early writings, 164, Jesus had told his disciples that there were some standing with him who should not taste of death till they should see the kingdom of God come with power. At the Transfiguration, this promise was fulfilled. The countenance of Jesus was there changed and shone like the sun. His raiment was white and glistening. Moses was present to represent those who will be raised from the dead at the second appearing of Jesus. And Elijah, who was translated without seeing death, represented those who will be changed to immortality at the second coming, and will be translated to heaven without seeing death. Disciples beheld the astonishment and fear of the excellent majesty of Jesus, and the cloud that overshadowed them, and heard the voice of God in terrible majesty, saying, This is my beloved son, hear ye him. So we see in this illustration of the end of the world, the three disciples and Christ representing the three angels' message followed by the fourth. As in the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, it was Christ also that was the fourth in the flaming fiery furnace with them. And Sister White, in some passages, compares the three angels' message of Revelation 14 to the people, the movement. And so people representing these messages is consistent with what we understand from the spirit of prophecy about their prophetic implications. Now another passage in the Bible, and we're not going to look at all the places the three-one combination is illustrated, but another passage in the Bible that illustrates the end of the world clearly, is just before the children of Israel were to enter the promised land in Numbers 22. You see Balak, King Balak, wanting to curse Israel, and he calls the prophet Balaam to curse Israel. And Balaam can't do it. All he can do is pronounce three blessings. And please consider as he stands on the mountains and looks out over the encampment of Israel, that he's proclaiming three blessings. He's supposed to be proclaiming curses, but he's giving three proclamations, if you would. And because they're blessing, King Balak gets angry and he sends Balaam home. But if you remember the story, before Balaam went home, he then pronounces a fourth blessing all on his own. We see illustrated in this story of the children of Israel, just before they go in the promised land, three blessings followed by a fourth blessing. Three pronouncements followed by a fourth pronouncement. In this end time situation, the 3-1 combination is illustrated. Now another place where the 3-1 combination is illustrated, that is one of my favorites, is in the 2,300-day prophecy. If you can visualize on a blackboard the 2,300 days set out on a timeline, like we do in Adventism, you know that at the Great Disappointment on October 22nd, 1844, the third angel's message began. It begins when Christ enters the most holy place. So that is also where the 2,300 days come to its conclusion. So the 2,300-day prophecy ends on a number three message, a number three test, the third angel's message. The beginning of the third angel's message brings the 2,300 days to its close. And it isn't an accident that the 2,300-day prophecy begins with the number three. And what I mean by that is we date the starting point for the 2,300-day prophecy from the decrees for the children of Israel to come out of Babylon and rebuild Jerusalem. And if you recall from your studies, we do not start the 2,300-day prophecy on the first decree or the second decree, but on the third decree. It's on the third decree that the 2,300-day prophecy begins, and it's on the third message that the 2,300-day prophecy ends. And please notice the closeness in the grammar of a decree and a message. And if you go into the Bible and the spirit of prophecy, you'll find that the second decree, not the third decree that begins the 2,300 days, but it's the second decree in the Bible and spirit of prophecy that is the only decree of the three decrees that you'll find the call out of Babylon mentioned with the decree and the message associated with that decree. And this is in agreement with the symbolism of these messages because it's the second angel's message that is the call out of Babylon. But nevertheless, what were these decrees all about? The third decree begins the 2,300 days, and the decrees were laws written to allow the children of Israel to come out of Babylon and rebuild Jerusalem. And in several places, Sister White says the work that they did at that time in rebuilding Jerusalem symbolized the work that we are to do at the end of the world. We are symbolically, spiritually to fulfill what they did literally back in that time period. But if you remember, after they came out of Babylon, they went into a time period of backsliding, so to speak. And in order to finish the work of rebuilding Jerusalem, the Lord had to raise up Nehemiah. And before Nehemiah came and was used by the Lord to finish the work of rebuilding Jerusalem, what did he do? He secured a fourth decree from the king before he returned. So we see in this story of the rebuilding of Jerusalem, literally, which parallels the work that we're to do at the end of the world, we see this 3-1 combination. Now we'll also see a 3-1 combination in the days of Christ, but before we look at that, the passage in the Spirit of Prophecy that really upholds that, which we'll look at in a moment, I want to look at one other passage before we go to the one in the days of Christ. And the reason that you look at this 3-1 combination in prophecy is because when you see it illustrated in the different places where it's illustrated, when you bring all of these together and align them together with one another, and a way that's easy for me to understand this is when I went to school, elementary school years ago, they used to have a chart, a pull-down chart that was on see-through material, and they would pull down the first page of this chart, and you would see a skeleton of the human body. And then you would pull down the next page, which was see-through, and you could still see the skeleton, and it laid right over the top, but then you could see the organs of the body. And then you would pull down a third page, and you could still see the organs and the skeleton, but you could see the circulatory system then on the third page. And a few more pages, and you had the whole body illustrated. And in my mind, this is a way to describe how we're to align end-time Bible prophecy. When we take the different places where the 3-1 combination is illustrated in this passage, that passage, that passage, and bring them all together, then we begin to learn certain things about these different messages. And we find that the first message, the second message, the third message, and the fourth message all have specific characteristics associated with them. And when we understand those characteristics, then we understand more of what took place in the 1844 time period. But because that experience is going to be fulfilled again to the very letter, we also understand more about what to expect at the end of the world. Now, in our study called The Prophetic Pattern, which I would encourage you to avail yourself of, we go into this in depth. We're not doing that here. We're just trying to draw a simple overview of this 3-1 combination for the purposes of looking at it in relationship to the Parable of the Ten Virgins. But when you go through this in depth, and you look at the characteristics, they are strongly and clearly upheld in the spirit of prophecy. And one of the characteristics of the first message, when it's portrayed in Bible prophecy, is that it's a message of reform. And when we look at the days of Christ in a moment, you'll see how Sister White does that. The second message has several characteristics associated with it. But the premier one is that the second and fourth message are always the same. And that's why the second angel's message and the fourth angel's message are both a call out of Babylon. They not only are a call out of Babylon, they are both messages that are empowered by the Holy Spirit whenever they're portrayed in the prophecies. The third message is always a judgment message. There's some kind of judgment associated with it. Now, what you need to understand about prophecy is when something is symbolized in prophecy, it does not necessarily give the complete picture. The complete picture is developed when you bring all the prophetic testimony together. There's no way to establish from the story of Noah and his three sons that his first son is representing a reform message, his second son a mighty movement of the Holy Spirit, a call out of Babylon, and his third son a judgment message. That isn't illustrated in Noah. It's when you bring all the testimony together. And you'll see what I mean as we proceed. But another characteristic, and there is characteristics about the history that unfolds in between these messages when you bring it all together. But another characteristic that you'll find is after a third message, there's a disappointment illustrated. The third message in 1844 is followed by what we know as the great disappointment. In a moment when we look at the days of Christ, we'll find that the cross, the judgment of Satan, was followed by a disappointment. And it's the disappointment of the disciples immediately after the cross that Sister White points back to, to illustrate the disappointment of October 22nd, 1844. You'll find in the story of Balak and Balaam that after Balaam pronounced his third blessing of Israel that Balak was disappointed. You'll find that at the test of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had a great appreciation for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were some of the main people in his kingdom and he knew it. Had anybody else during that test refused to bow down, they would have went straight to the fiery furnace. And certainly Nebuchadnezzar lost his control and became enraged over it. But he gave them a second chance indicating that he had wished that they weren't the ones that were refusing this test and therefore had to die. He was disappointed. After the third test, you'll invariably find disappointment. You'll find in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy when they speak about the prophets who realized how few people returned from Babylon after that final decree went forth, that they were disappointed at the amount of people that came out of Babylon. Now with that in mind, let's look at one other place in Scripture where this one, two, three, and then a fourth is illustrated. The first message of reform, the second message of mighty movement of the Holy Spirit, the third message of judgment, the fourth, the same as the second, a mighty movement of the Holy Spirit. When Moses returned to Egypt to be used of the Lord to deliver the children of Israel, he first had to bring a work of reform. If you read the story closely, the children of Israel prior to that had not been keeping the Sabbath. When Moses returned, he worked a reformation on Sabbath keeping and they began to keep Sabbath once again. This enraged Pharaoh and he increased their amount of bricks they had to produce. Nevertheless, Moses brought a message of reform and that was followed by a mighty movement of the Holy Spirit, a second message, and that was illustrated in the plagues that fell upon Egypt. And that second message that was illustrated in the plagues that fell upon Egypt was followed by a judgment of the firstborn during the Passover time, which was a third test. And immediately after that third test, we see the children of Israel between Pharaoh's army and the Red Sea and they're greatly disappointed. It's what has taken place after the third message of disappointment. Fifty days later on Mount Sinai, we see the law given to the children of Israel at Pentecost, which is representing the fifty days later. And this is a mighty movement of the Holy Spirit, just like the second movement was. The mountains shook, the trumpet of God sounded, the people were so frightened that they went face down in the dirt. This was not any human effort. This was a movement of the Holy Spirit and they received the law at this point. And this is a fourth message. Now, in the days of Christ, this 3-1 illustration is also represented. And what I want you to think about here is at the beginning of the 2300-day prophecy, we have a 3-1 combination during the time period of rebuilding Jerusalem, which illustrates the end of the world. At the end of the 2300-day prophecy, we have a 3-1 combination, which is the end of the world. And in the middle of the 2300-day prophecy, during the days of Christ, we have the 3-1 combination illustrated as well, prefiguring the end of the world. But the Daniel 8-14 is the very heart of Adventism. The 2300-day prophecy, therefore, is the very heart of Adventism. And throughout it, the three angels' message followed by the fourth is illustrated. But as we consider the 3-1 combination in the days of Christ, what I want to focus on is that these are three tests, and they are tests that if you don't pass the first test, you're not involved with the second. Don't pass the second, you're not involved with the third. And in early writings, page 259, this is what it says, I was pointed back to the proclamation of the first Advent of Christ. John was sent in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare the way of Jesus. Those who rejected the testimony of John were not benefited by the teachings of Jesus. Their opposition to the message that foretold his coming placed them where they could not readily receive the strongest evidence that he was the Messiah. Satan led on those who rejected the message of John to go still farther, to reject and crucify Christ. In doing this, they placed themselves where they could not receive the blessing on the day of Pentecost, which would have taught them the way into the heavenly sanctuary. Many look with horror at the course of the Jews in rejecting and crucifying Christ, and as they read the history of his shameful abuse, they think they love him, and would not have denied him as did Peter, or crucified him as did the Jews. But God, who reads the hearts of all, has brought to the test that love for Jesus, which they professed to fill. All heaven watched with the deepest interest the reception of the first angel's message. But many who professed to love Jesus, and who shed tears as they read the story of the cross, derided the good news of his coming. Instead of receiving the message with gladness, they declared it to be a delusion. They hated those who loved his appearing, and shut them out of the churches. Those who rejected the first message could not be benefited by the second. Neither were they benefited by the midnight cry, which was to prepare them to enter with Jesus by faith into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. And by rejecting the two former messages, they have so darkened their understanding that they can see no light in the third angel's message, which shows the way into the most holy place. I saw that as the Jews crucified Christ, so the nominal churches have crucified these messages, and therefore they have no knowledge of the way into the most holy, and they cannot be benefited by the intercession of Jesus there. Like the Jews who offered their useless sacrifices, they offer up their useless prayers to the apartment which Jesus has left, and Satan, pleased with the deception, assumes a religious character and leads the minds of these professed Christians to himself, working with his power, his signs, and lying wonders to fasten them in his snares. Sister White goes back to the days of Christ and points to the message that John the Baptist brought. In other places we haven't time to look at, Sister White compares the work that William Miller did, a reform work, with John the Baptist. In this passage, Sister White compares John the Baptist with Elijah. A first message, the message that William Miller symbolizes, the message that John the Baptist symbolizes, is a message of reform. It's followed by the second angel's message, a mighty movement of the Holy Spirit, and when Sister White illustrates the second angel's message, more often than not, what she uses to illustrate that is the triumphal entry of Jesus just before the cross, when he told the Pharisees who were asking him to make the people be quiet that if they would not speak, the very rocks would cry out, and Christ meant that. If there was no people to go into Jerusalem with Christ, the very rocks would have been shouting out praises to his name. Definitely a mighty working of the Holy Spirit. This is what Sister White points to as paralleling the second angel's message and the judgment, the great disappointment, the judgment, the beginning of the third angel's message, is paralleled at the cross, a judgment message, where Satan is judged, followed by the disappointment of the disciples, paralleling the great disappointment. And then after that, we see Pentecost illustrated, which is paralleling in our day, and Sister White says this over and over again, the latter rain, the fourth angel's message, which we're waiting for. Now, what we want to see in this passage is if you did not receive the message of John the Baptist, you couldn't be benefited by the message of Jesus, and if you couldn't be benefited by Jesus' message, you weren't going to be around at Pentecost. And then she compares it with the 1844 time period. If you rejected the message of William Miller, then you weren't involved with the next test, which was when the churches closed their doors to the Millerites. And if you stayed in the churches and didn't follow on with the Millerites after the doors to the churches were closed, you weren't going to be benefited by the midnight cry, and if you weren't going to receive the midnight cry, you weren't going to be involved in the third test, which was the great disappointment. And these series of tests were part and parcel of the fulfillment of the Parable of the Ten Virgins. We started with the passage today that we closed with in our last presentation, where the Parable of the Ten Virgins is directly related to the three angels' message. Now, what does that mean for us? It means that at the end of the world, we should expect to see a series of three tests. Now, as we consider these different messages and these tests, the characteristics associated with them build our understanding of these events. And I want to go back to another history that parallels these messages that Sister White points out to us, and this is the very premise of our study, is that the things which have been will be repeated, and Sister White says the cleansing of the temple two times by Christ parallels the second and fourth angels' message. Let's read this. Selected Messages, book two, page 118. When Jesus began his public ministry, he cleansed the temple from its sacrilegious profanation. Among the last acts of his ministry was the second cleansing of the temple. So in the last work for the warning of the world, two distinct calls are made to the churches. The second angels' message is Babylon has fallen, has fallen that great city because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, Revelation 14.8. And in the loud cry of the third angels' message, a voice is heard from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, that you be not partaker of her sins and that you receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities, Revelation 18.4 and 5. Sister White identifies the two cleansing of the temple with the second and fourth angels' message, and what took place at the cleansing of the temple is the greatest majority of the people in the temple fled and left the humble, the children, and the lame. Now, what that's teaching us today is that during the conclusion, the climax of the second angels' message at the great disappointment in 1844, a movement that the day before October 22nd consisted of 50,000 people went down to 50. A thousand to one ratio, the temple was cleansed. The greatest majority of the people left the truth, and you never find a place where those foolish virgins are ever illustrated in the spirit of prophecy as coming back to the truth. In fact, we just read a passage where they begin to pray to the holy place, and Satan takes up religious guise and begins to lead them. They close their probation from 50,000 down to 50 during the second angels' message, paralleling the history of the first time that Christ cleansed the temple. And in our day, just ahead, Christ is going to cleanse the temple once again, only he does it at the end of the world, at the Sunday law test, and the information is clear in the spirit of prophecy. Friends, the greatest majority of Seventh-day Adventists are going to receive the mark of the beast at the Sunday law test. The temple will be cleansed once again, and it will be merciful if the ratio is a thousand to one, as it was in 1844. The indications, the implication, what's implied in the spirit of prophecy is that a thousand one ratio would be merciful. It's going to be worse than that. Many are called, few are chosen, as the days of Noah, as the days of Lot. Friends, what's ahead of us is the second cleansing of the temple, and these are the characteristics of the second and fourth angels' message, and there are other characteristics, but I wanted you to see the significance of these messages, as they're illustrated in the combination 3-1 in the Bible, and how their characteristics add to what we understand as Seventh-day Adventists. Now, another prophetic clue about these two time periods of 1844, and just ahead of us, is that the time period of 1844 was the time period in Revelation known as Philadelphia, but where we're at today is Laodicea, and in Revelation 2 and 3, where we see the seven churches illustrated that portray the Christian history, you'll only find two of those churches, Philadelphia and Laodicea, that say anything about doors, and the message to Philadelphia in chapter 3, verse 7 and 8 says this, and to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, these things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth, I know thy works, behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it, for thou has a little strength, and has kept my word, and has not denied my name. Sister White speaks a great deal about this passage. This is the great disappointment when the doors opened in the most holy place. This is where probation closed for the foolish virgins in 1844. Philadelphia, the testimony to the Philadelphian church, is identifying a close of probation for the Philadelphians here. It parallels the fulfillment of the parable of the ten virgins, where the foolish virgins do not find entrance to the marriage feast. This is going to be repeated on our day, but our day we are Laodiceans, and in the Laodicean message there is also a door. Revelation 3, 14, and 20, and under the angel of the church of Laodiceans write, these things saith the faithful and the true witness, the beginning of the creation of God, behold I stand at the door, and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Sister White says our greatest need is for a revival. She identifies a revival as a return to spiritual life. We are spiritually dead. In other words, Christ is outside of us. If we're going to be prepared for the time period where probation closes on the modern day virgins, then we will have to have Christ inside of us, and part of the testimony about having the character ready for this test is our willingness to receive the early reign, the experience of Christ in our day-to-day life, moment by moment, prior to the latter reign, and if we refuse to let Christ into our life, then we, in essence, close our probation ourselves, and that's the close of probation as illustrated in Laodicea, and most Laodiceans are going to refuse Christ's entrance, and when the test comes, it's going to be made manifest that they never allowed him in. That's why Laodicea and Philadelphia also parallel the history of the three angels message in 1844, the fourth angel's message here in our time, the parable of the ten virgins, then the parable of the ten virgins in the future. There's three places in the spirit of prophecy where Sister White identifies the foolish virgins as Laodiceans. Here's one, Review and Herald, August 19, 1890. The state of the church represented by foolish virgins is also spoken of as the Laodicean state. Here, Sister White ties together for us this testimony about Philadelphia and Laodicea with the testimony of the parable of the ten virgins, which is clearly tied together with the three angels message, which are three tests. So, what are we getting at? Now, in our presentation called The Prophetic Pattern, which is eight hours of material, we go into this pattern, this three-one combination in depth, and look at the characteristics very carefully. We look at other places that it's illustrated in the Bible than what we spoke about here today, and then we conclude by identifying how it impacts us at the end of the world and how it becomes present truth, and we haven't the time to look at that in depth, but we do need to see this sequence of tests before we get to our conclusion of this study. So, here's what we're saying. The third test for us today will be the Sunday Law test, where it will be made manifest what character we have developed, and there will be two preceding tests, and the first test of the three, one, two, three, the first test of the three will be a Reformed message, and if we had time to look at it in The Prophetic Pattern, we do have time, we do look at it. The first test is the ministry of Ellen White, the Reformed message contained in the testimonies, and friends, you'll find that if we refuse and reject the testimonies, we eliminate the information base to see the second test, and we also eliminate the spiritual experience necessary to see the second test. The Reformed message by Sister White, the country living, identifying where we need to be to receive the ability to hear God's voice by ourselves, on our own, the information on healthful living that allows our minds to be cleared of where we can hear that voice, all of the presentation of the Spirit of Prophecy is to provide an environment where we can individually be a wise virgin, come to the Sunday Law test, and receive the seal of God, but also, in relation to that, we're going to find what the second test is in just a moment, and the second test is a spiritual visual test, and the test is involved with seeing the combination of church and state in the United States, and we'll explain that in a minute, and when we see church and state coming together in the United States, it's a test in the sense that it is telling us that as soon as they reach maturity, there's a Sunday Law. In other words, when you see church and state coming together, you know a Sunday Law is imminent, probation is about to close, you better bring your life into agreement with that truth. If you refuse that warning that comes under the second test, the image of the beast test, the combination of church and state, then you're not around for the Sunday Law test because you do not prepare. The Sunday Law test comes to you as an overwhelming surprise, and you wake up to find that you have no oil in your vessel, but here's the part I want you to see in relation to the first test. The first test being the ministry of Ellen White. It's in the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy that so much clear prophetic information about how church and state comes together in the United States is identified, and if you at the first test in relation to the Spirit of Prophecy decide that you don't want anything to do with the testimonies, you do not want to read that, you just want to be a Bible Christian, then you cut off the prophetic source for information that clearly identifies that church and state are coming together. You cut off the ability for the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart and say, you see what you've just seen on the television, you see what you just heard on the radio, what you just read in the newspaper, remember this passage in the Spirit of Prophecy, see how they go together. You've eliminated the possibility of the Holy Spirit to drive these truths home and allow you to wake up. Now, first test, a reform message, the ministry of Sister White. Third test, probation closes at the Sunday Law. The second test we're saying is the image of the beast test, and in the very first presentation of this series, we developed some precedents that we needed to refer back to when we get to these concluding parts, and a couple of them were this. Probation closes at the Sunday Law. Now, we know that we individually, as Laodiceans, close our probation before the Sunday Law. The Sunday Law is simply where it's made manifest, but prophetically, as far as putting it on a prophetic chart, probation closes for Adventists at the Sunday Law test, where they will manifest whether they have the character for the seal of God or the character for the mark of the beast, even though they have developed that character prior to that time. That's where it's made manifest. Another precedent that we set forth in the first presentation is that it's at the Sunday Law test that we are sealed. It's at the Sunday Law test that we receive the mark of the beast. Also in there, it's at that time period at the Sunday Law test where we're going to receive the latter rain after that. Now, probation closes at the Sunday Law test. We are sealed at the Sunday Law test. Now, listen to this passage in the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 7, page 976, and this is what we're suggesting is identifying that second test, and we're going to call it the image of the beast test. Here we go. Already preparations are advancing and movements are in progress, which will result in making an image to the beast. Events will be brought about in the earth's history that will fulfill the predictions of prophecy for these last days. The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes, for it is the great test for the people of God by which their eternal destiny will be decided. This is the test the people of God must have before they are sealed. All who have proved their loyalty to God by observing His law and refusing to accept the spurious Sabbath will rank under the banner of the Lord God, Jehovah, and will receive the seal of the living God. Those who yield to the truth of heavenly origin and accept the Sunday Sabbath will receive the mark of the beast. She emphasizes in those last two sentences is that at the Sunday Law that we're sealed, and in that paragraph where she emphasizes that, she says, this is the test we must have before we're sealed, before the Sunday Law test, before the seal goes forth. There's a test that we must have, and in the previous paragraph, she says, this is the test by which our eternal destiny is decided. Now, friends, this is the image of the beast test, and the clue to understanding it is in the first paragraph in this passage. There's three small paragraphs that we just read, and the first paragraph says something very significant. It says, already preparations are advancing and movements are in progress. Events will be brought about. The image of the beast test is a test involving the preparations, movements, and events that develop the image of the beast. And, friends, there's a lot of ridiculous speculation about what the image of the beast is in Adventism today. It's very clear in the Spirit of Prophecy. There's only one definition for the image of the beast in the Spirit of Prophecy. She says it in a variety of ways, but it always is the same thing. It's a combination of church and state. It's when secular power is used to enforce religious dogma or sustain religious institutions. She says it over and over again. The image of the beast is the combination of church and state in the United States, and she says that before probation closes, church and state is going to come together. The image of the beast is going to be formed, and there will be preparations and movements and events that will bring about the combination of church and state, and it's up to us to spiritually recognize that these events, preparations, and movements are underway. The movements, when we do the prophetic pattern study, the movements are the movements like the Holy Laughter Revival, the Promise Keeper Movement, the Christian Coalition Movement, perhaps the most pronounced movement. Events are things like, in 1996, the majority of the Supreme Court becoming Catholic for the first time in history. In 1996, should those members in Congress that are put there by the Christian Coalition and Catholics in Congress come together, they can pass any law they want. Since 1996, that took place. That's an event. Preparation are some of the rulings that are taking place in the Supreme Court. Recently, the Supreme Court made a new step. It ruled in favor of school vouchers. If you understand the history of the school vouchers issue and the development of the Constitution, there was a battle when the Constitution was written on the subject of school vouchers, and the Constitution was written specifically to disallow it. And here, recently, the United States Supreme Court has ruled in favor of allowing that to take place. Friends, that's a preparation, a legal precedent that's preparing the way for the overturning of the Constitution, which we know takes place at the Sunday Law. But before the Constitution can be totally destroyed and a Sunday Law enforced, there will be legal rulings that take place to prepare the way, and those legal rulings are the formation of the image of the beast. Now, in the Great Controversy, 445, it says this, the image of the beast represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when Protestant churches shall seek the aid of civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas. The mark of the beast still remains to be defined. The mark and the image are two different things. The mark of the beast is Sunday keeping. The image of the beast is the combination of church and state. Great Controversy, 443, 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. Combination of church and state. The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes. Probation closes at the Sunday Law. Before probation closes, church and state will come together in the United States. And you and I need to see that because that's the test by which our eternal destiny is decided. That's the test we must pass before we're sealed. Now, the premise of this study is that histories and prophecies are repeated at the end of the world and that's where some of the greatest light comes to us at the end of the world. So, let me ask you a question. At least 11 places Sister White says that Nebuchadnezzar's image on the plain of Dura symbolizes Sunday Law. It doesn't symbolize the image of the beast at the end of the world. It symbolizes the mark of the beast at the end of the world. Nebuchadnezzar's image symbolized the Sunday Law. There's a history there that I want to consider here. Was Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego the only Hebrews on the plain of Dura? No way. There was a great deal of work that had to go into building that image. Some people say it was solid gold. Some people say it was framed and then it was gold plated. Whichever it was, there was a great deal of manpower involved in digging the mold in the ground or in framing it up and plating it. And you know who would have done that manpower? The Hebrew slaves. The Hebrew slaves heard the band practicing. They knew the test was coming. They could see it. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego represent those that were prepared. They saw it and they got ready. And in our day, we have a test, a spiritual vision test that the image of the beast is going up in the United States and that our probation is about to close. And it directly relates to the first test, friends. If you want to hear or if you want to see the things that take place in the United States in preparing for the image of the beast, read the great controversy. Read the testimonies. It's in the writing of the spirit of prophecy where the light is about the image of the beast. Now, I know and I believe that everything we need to understand can be found in the Bible. But I also believe that the same spirit that inspired the Bible writers inspired Sister White. And the information about the image of the beast in the Bible is accurate. It's all you need if you have the wisdom of Solomon. But for us living here at the end of the world, us Laodiceans, where our greatest need is for a revival, if we will not avail ourselves of the information in the spirit of prophecy on the image of the beast, we're not going to see what's going on in Congress, what's going on with the Christian right, is part of the fulfillment of church and state coming together in the United States. And we're going to be found unready. Now, in relationship to this, the history on the plain of Dura, parallels, the Hebrews had opportunity to see a test was coming. The test symbolizes a Sunday law where probation closes. The Sunday law where the door is closed on the foolish virgins. Now, we get the term, the closing of the door is a close of probation from the history of Noah. So, let me ask you a question. In the history of Noah, probation closes when the door on the ark is closed. The antediluvians that lived during that time, when they seen the animals getting on the ark, was probation still open? Yes. They could have got on the ark with the animals. They didn't, but they could have. Probation was still open. They had a visual test that preceded the close of probation. Just as the Hebrews on the plain of Dura had a visual test that preceded the close of probation. And in our day, there's a visual test that precedes the close of probation. The close of probation takes place at the Sunday law. The visual test, the test by which our eternal destiny will be decided, the test that takes place before we are sealed, is that the test on whether or not we will see the preparations, the movements, and events that are identifying that church and state are coming together in the United States. In our concluding study, we're going to look at the of all the events that come together in the formation of the image of the beast. There is one that Sister White emphasizes above all the other. And when she does, she emphasizes that it's time to wake up. It's the last call, wake up or die. And in our next presentation, we'll look at that. But it concerns the attack on the Constitution by religious amendments. And brothers and sisters, the first of those amendments arrived in January of this year. It didn't pass, but the onslaught has begun. And she's specific that when you see it beginning, not when you see it pass, when you see the attack of the amendments, that's your time to wake up. Now, when we look at that, we're going to go back into a history of Sister White when there was a movement for Sunday legislation. And the movement that was leading out in this was the National Reform Movement. And as we take that history and bring it to the end of the world, and I would suggest to you that this same rule applies with Sister White and her time period on earth as it does with the Bible. Each of the ancient prophets spoke more for our days than the days in which they lived. Sister White's prophetic testimony during her day and age comes forward to the end of the world. And when we look at the characteristics that she identified with the movement by the National Reform Movement to bring in a Sunday law and bring it to our day, it's none other than the Christian Coalition. And it's easy to see. And the Christian Coalition is in the process of presenting amendments to overturn the Constitution. And that's what we'll look at next time. But there will be several specifications of that presentation that we want to look at. And one of them is this, friends. The message for the hour has to do with this amendment issue that's designed to bring in the Sunday law. That's the messengers that God is sending out. And we'll emphasize that more next time. But let's look at this passage from Manuscript Releases, volume 16, page 237. This land has been the home of the oppressed, the witness for liberty of conscience, and the great center of scriptural light. God has sent messengers who have studied their Bibles to find what is truth and studied the movements of those who are acting their part in fulfilling prophecy and bringing about the religious amendment, which is making void the law of God and thus giving ascendancy to the man of sin. And shall no voice be raised of direct warning to arouse the churches to their dangers? Shall we let things drift and let Satan have the victory without a protest? God forbid. You see, this message that these messengers are bringing about the amendment to the Constitution that's going to overturn it and bring in the Sunday law. This is the message that's designed to arouse God's people. And at the end of the world, God's people are going to reenact the parable of the ten virgins. And there is a specification in that parable where there's a cry that comes at midnight, behold the bridegroom cometh. And that's what arouses the virgins. And in our next presentation, we're going to describe exactly what that information is about. And it's here. It's the final movements of bringing church and state together are underway. And most of Adventism is strictly sleeping on. Let us look at one more passage here from an appeal to our ministers and conference committees, page 38 and 39. We are standing upon the threshold of great and solemn events. The whole earth is to be lightened with the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the channels of the great deep. Prophecies are being fulfilled and stormy times are before us. Old controversies, which have apparently been hushed for a long time, will be revived and new controversies will spring up. New and old will co-mingle and this will take place right early. The angels are holding the four winds that they shall not blow until specified work of warning is given to the world. But the storm is gathering. The clouds are loading, ready to burst upon the world. And to many, it will be as a thief in the night. Many smiled and would not believe when we told them 20 or 30 years ago that Sunday would be urged upon all the world and a law be made to compel its observance and force conscience. We see it being fulfilled. All that God has said of the future will surely come to pass. Not one thing will fail of all that he has spoken. Protestantism is now reaching hands across the gulf to clasp hands with the papacy and a confederacy is being formed to trample out of sight the Sabbath of the fourth commandment and the man of sin, who at the instigation of Satan instituted the spurious Sabbath, this child of the papacy, will be exalted to take the place of God. All heaven is represented to me as watching the unfolding of events. A crisis is to be revealed in the great and prolonged controversy in the government of God on earth. Something great and decisive is to take place and that right early. If any delay, the character of God and his throne will be compromised. The armory of heaven is open. All the universe of God and its equipments are ready. One word has justice to speak and there will be a terrific representations upon the earth of the wrath of God. There will be voices and thunderings and lightnings and earthquakes and universal desolation. Every movement in the universe of heaven is to prepare the world for the great crisis. Intensity is taking possession of every earthly element and as a people who have had great light and wonderful knowledge, many of them are represented by the five sleeping virgins with their lamps, but no oil in their vessels, cold, scentless, with a feeble waning piety. While a new life is being diffused and springing up from beneath and taking fast hold of all Satan's agencies preparatory to the last great conflict and struggle, a new light and life and power is descending from on high and taking possession of God's people who are not dead, as many now are in trespasses and sins. The people who will now see what is soon to come upon us by what is being transacted before us will no longer trust in human inventions and will feel that the Holy Spirit must be recognized, received, presented before the people that they may contend for the glory of God and work everywhere in the byways and highways of life for the saving of the souls of their fellow men. The only rock that is sure and steadfast is the rock of ages. The only who build on this rock, those only who build on this rock are secure. Friends, several things in this passage of premier importance is that the angels are holding back the winds right now. Everything's already in place for a Sunday Law. It's simply that God's people aren't ready. All heaven is waiting, but most of us are sleeping and it's going to come as an unrecognized, overwhelming, sudden catastrophe to the foolish virgins. They have no oil in their vessels. At the very time that Satan is springing into power, they're asleep. But she also says, at this time, those that are in that condition, that there's a power descending. And this is what we talked about in earlier study. The sprinklings of the latter rain are taking place now, right now. Now, we're looking at these histories to bring the testimony together at the end of the world. I want to close with one passage here from the Great Controversy 343-344. The work of God in the earth presents from age to age a striking similarity in every great reformation or religious movement. The principles of God's dealing with men are ever the same. The important movements of the present have their parallel in those of the past, and the experience of the church in former ages has lessons of great value for our own time. Even the prophets who were favored with special illumination of the spirit did not fully comprehend the import of the revelations committed to them. The meaning was to be unfolded from age to age, as the people of God should need the instruction therein contained. Peter, writing of the salvation brought to light through the gospel, says, Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ, which was in them, did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow, unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister. 1 Peter 1.10-12. Yet while it was not given to the prophets to understand fully the things revealed to them, they earnestly sought to obtain all the light which God had been pleased to make manifest. They inquired and searched diligently, searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ, which was in them, did signify. What a lesson to the people of God in the Christian age, for whose benefit these prophecies were given to his servants, unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves, but unto us did they minister. Witness those holy men of God as they inquired and searched diligently concerning revelations given them for generations that were yet unborn. Contrast their holy zeal with the listless unconcern with which the favored ones of later ages treat this gift of heaven. What a rebuke to these ease-loving, world-loving, indifferent, which is content to declare that the prophecies cannot be understood.