The title of this series is Those Things Which Have Been Will Be Repeated, and this will be the basic principle that we use throughout this series, that the histories and prophecies that have taken place in sacred history will be repeated at the end of the world, and it's our responsibility to understand these things and apply them. This first presentation will simply be an attempt to build some premises that will be used to develop the more important points in the presentations that follow. This is perhaps the most important study we've ever done, and we're going to take some time to try to strongly develop these premises, and the first one is the repetition that takes place in history. The first quote we'd like to start with is Review and Herald, April 20th, 1897. The Old and New Testaments are linked together by the golden clasp of God. We need to become familiar with the Old Testament scriptures. The unchangeableness of God should be clearly seen. The similarity of his dealings with his people of the past dispensation and of the present should be studied. Under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, Solomon wrote, That which hath been is now, and that which is to be hath already been, and God requireth that which is past. In mercy God repeats his past dealings. He has given us a record of his dealings in the past. This we need to study carefully, for history is repeating itself. We are more accountable than were those whose experience is recorded in the Old Testament for their mistakes, and the results of those mistakes have been chronicled for our benefit. So as Solomon says, That which hath been is now, and that which is to be hath already been. If we're going to understand the end of the world, then we need to understand what has taken place in the past. Another important passage in connection with this is found in Selected Messages, Book 3, page 338. Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours, so that their prophesying is enforced for us. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come, 1 Corinthians 10.11. Not unto themselves, but unto us did they minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, which things the angels desire to look into, 1 Peter 1.12. The Bible has accumulated and bound up together its treasures for this last generation. All the great events and solemn transactions of Old Testament history have been and are repeating themselves in the Church in these last days. Now this passage, when you really consider it, teaches something very important to prophetic study. If, as she says, that the ancient prophets spoke more for our days, for the last generation than they did for their own time, then it means in one sense that they were all telling the same story, because there's only one story here at the end of the world. It has several aspects to it, but it's still just one story. There's only so many way marks, and by way marks I mean prophetic events. There's only so many prophetic events to take place between now and the end of the world, and we can list them out. I'll give you a few of them, not to develop a complete list, but so you'll understand what I mean. We have the Sunday Law purifies the Church. At the Sunday Law, many, many things take place. The Church is purified, the wheat and pears are separated, the gold from the dross, the wives from the foolish virgins, the purification process takes place in the Church at the Sunday Law. That's followed by the latter rain that's poured out upon those that are sealed at the purification of the Church. They begin to give the loud cry message, which is a call out of Babylon, and the eleventh hour workers then come out of the fallen churches of Babylon and stand with those people that are giving the message. Immediately after the Sunday Law, national apostasy is followed by national ruin. The little time of trouble begins. Several things that we understand as way marks take place before the end of the world, and if each of the ancient prophets spoke more for our day than the day in which they lived, it means that they were all telling a portion of these end-time events within their prophecies, and it's our responsibility as students of prophecy to take their information and align it correctly with the end of the world, and as we do so, our understanding of end-time events becomes clearer and clearer, and this is how the Lord intends to lead us through prophecy. Another passage that deals with this repetition of history is found in Book Three of Selected Messages, page 419. The last book of the Old Testament shows us workers taken from the laborers in the field. Others were men of high ability and extensive learning, but the Lord gave them visions and messages. These men of the Old Testament spoke of things transpiring in their day, and Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel not only spoke of things that concerned them as present truth, but their sights reached down to the future and to what should occur in these last days. So the prophets of the Old Testament were speaking of our day, and we have to believe that by faith and seek to understand how their prophecies align with these last day events. Another one is found in Maranatha, page 30. Study revelation in connection with Daniel, for history will be repeated. There's histories, sacred history, that we must understand because as end-time events take place, there's going to be a repetition of those ancient histories. Selected Messages, Book Two, page 109, says this, In history and prophecy, the Word of God portrays the long-continued conflict between truth and error. That conflict is yet in progress. Those things which have been will be repeated. Those things which have been will be repeated. That's the passage where we pull our title for this series from. If we're going to understand what's going to take place at the end of the world, we must understand the things that have taken place in sacred history. The focus of our study will be looking at some of those sacred histories and aligning them with each other to build a clear picture of end-time events. The focus of what we're going to try to put together will be the Sunday Law. As we continue in the following studies, we want to clearly identify what we mean by the Sunday Law that fulfills Bible prophecy. There's Sunday Laws in the world today, and there'll be Sunday Laws, no doubt, that come before the one that is a fulfillment of Revelation 13, 11. But the Sunday Law that we understand as the one that identifies when the United States speaks as a dragon is a specific Sunday Law that has two characteristics with it. It forces you to worship on Sunday and persecutes you for keeping the seventh-day Sabbath. This law is the one that is the testing issue for God's people, that will be the one that purifies the church as the mark of the beast and the seal of God are received by those people that are tested by that. In Review and Herald, December 18, 1888, is a very clear presentation of this particular Sunday Law. A time is coming when the law of God is, in a special sense, to be made void in our land. The rulers of our nation will, by legislative enactments, enforce the Sunday Law, and thus God's people be brought into great peril. When our nation, in its legislative councils, shall enact laws to bind the consciences of men in regard to their religious privileges, enforcing Sunday observance and bringing oppressive power to bear against those who keep the seventh-day Sabbath, the law of God will, to all intents and purposes, be made void in our land, and national apostasy will be followed by national ruin. Now, there are several things that we're going to look at in connection with the Sunday Law, but the first thing before we move on is the Sunday Law that fulfills Bible prophecy, enforces Sunday observance, and brings oppressive power against Sabbath keepers for keeping Sabbath. But one of the things that we're going to look at more closely as we proceed is also mentioned in this passage, and it's that national apostasy will be followed by national ruin. This is an identification of the little time of trouble. Now, some people have pointed out that Sister White never uses the phrase little time of trouble. This is a phrase that exists in Adventism, and they challenge that teaching because she never uses it, but Sister White clearly identifies it, and we'll address that at this point. We're going to look at a passage where she identifies the great time of trouble, and she specifically notes when the great time of trouble begins, when Michael stands up, Daniel 12.1, and she points out that at that point, human probation closes. And then we'll look at another passage where she speaks about the time of trouble, but where it is clearly identified that human probation is still open at that point. So she understood two times of trouble in her setting forth of Bible prophecy. But we'll start with Testimonies, Volume 5, page 212. And at that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince, which standeth for the children of thy people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time. And at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. When this time of trouble comes, every case is decided, there is no longer probation, no longer mercy for the impenitent. The seal of the living God is bond as people, this small remnant, unable to defend themselves from the deadly conflict with the powers of earth that are marshaled by the dragon host, make God their defense. The decree has been passed by the highest earthly authority, that they shall worship the beast and receive his mark under pain of persecution and death. May God help his people now, for what can they do then in such a fearful conflict without his assistance? This is a time of trouble when probation is closed, and it's at this point that God has to intercede and protect his people as the world is turned totally against them. The world at this point has been divided into two classes. In this next passage, we're going to see Sister White refer to a time of trouble where probation is obviously still open, and after we read it through where you can see this, we're going to go back and discuss this passage in depth because it raises a lot of interesting concepts that impact our study. This is from A Word to the Little Flock, page 19. I saw that the Holy Sabbath is and will be the separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers, and that the Sabbath is the great question to unite the hearts of God's dear waiting saints. And if one believed and kept the Sabbath and received the blessing attending it, and then gave it up and broke the holy commandment, they would shut the gates of the holy city against themselves as sure as there was a God that rules in heaven above. I saw that God had children who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They had not rejected light on it. And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully. This enraged the church and nominal Adventists as they could not refute the Sabbath truth. And at this time, God's chosen all saw clearly that we had the truth, and they came out and endured persecution with us. I saw the sword, famine, pestilence, and great confusion in the land. The wicked thought that we had brought the judgments down upon them. They rose up and took counsel to rid the earth of us, thinking that then the evil would be stayed. Here's a time of trouble that commences when God's people are filled with the Holy Ghost and they go out and proclaim the Sabbath more fully. And from this proclamation, God's other children come out and stand through the persecution with these people that are proclaiming the Sabbath more fully. Obviously, probation is still closed or still open during this time of trouble. So even if Sister White never uses the term little time of trouble, she obviously understood that there's a time of trouble that begins at the Sunday Law test, because she mentions here that the Holy Sabbath is the separating wall. And at this point, at the Sunday Law, the little time of trouble begins. And this is in agreement with the places where she points out that at national apostasy will follow national ruin. And in this passage we just read, when describing this time period, she says she sees sword and famine and pestilence and great confusion in the land. This is her way in this passage of describing this national ruin that follows the national apostasy. Now, another thing that we're going to look at as we develop these premises in this first study is that Seventh-day Adventists are the first to close their probation at the Sunday Law test. And one of the things that we'll look at with the close of probation is the symbol in the Bible of a closing of the door representing the close of probation. And in this passage we just read, one of the first things she emphasizes is that at this time period when the Sunday Law test confronts the world, she points to a people that had believed in the Sabbath and kept the Sabbath, received the blessing connected with it, but then they gave it up. And she says, if they gave it up, they would close the gates of the holy city against themselves as sure as there is a God that rules in heaven above. So she's identifying that at the Sunday Law test, there will be people who have formerly believed in the Sabbath that will turn away from the Sabbath and shut the door of heaven against themselves. Here we see the close of probation for a group of people that prior to that time have professed to uphold the Sabbath, and this is describing the separation that takes place in the Adventist church when the Sunday Law first arrives, because you're going to be tested by the light that you have and the people that have the light on the Sabbath Sunday issue when the Sunday Law first begins as Seventh-day Adventists. And those that turn away from the truth at that time close their probation, they close the gates of the holy city against themselves. Now the next thing that she points out in this passage is that those that don't close the gate of the city upon themselves, they're filled with the Holy Ghost. And this is in agreement with another premise we'll look at in a moment, that it's at the Sunday Law that the latter rain begins, this filling of the Holy Ghost is her way of describing the latter rain in this particular passage, and what they do at that time is they go out and they proclaim the Sabbath more fully. The Sabbath Sunday issue will be the issue when the Sunday Law test arrives. That is the third angel's message, the warning against receiving the mark of the beast. So here we clearly see that at the Sunday Law the church is purified with one group closing the door of their probation, the other group receiving the latter rain, and during a time of trouble, what we understand in Adventism as the little time of trouble, when national apostasy is followed by national ruin, during that time God's people receive the latter rain and they go out and proclaim the Sabbath more fully, and God's other people, she says, they come out of Babylon, if we take the whole testimony on this subject, they come out of Babylon and stand with God's faithful during this time period and endure persecution with them. She emphasizes that she sees sword, pestilence, and great confusion in the land, and she says the wicked, in describing the sword, famine, pestilence, and confusion, she says the wicked thought that we had brought the judgments down on them. So these sword, famine, pestilence, and confusion, she also calls the judgments, and we'll look at another passage that's very similar to this where she's going to say that this time period of national ruin is a time of God's destructive judgments, and this is in agreement with what she just said here in connection with sword, famine, pestilence, and confusion, but when she talks about God's destructive judgments in this next passage, she says it's a time of mercy for those who have had no opportunity to learn what the truth is, once again emphasizing that during this time period of God's judgments, the wicked that will not accept the truth are going to blame Adventists for bringing these down upon them, but at that time, it is a time of mercy for those people that are going to respond to the loud cry message. This is from This Day with God, page 163, but notice here in this passage as we go through it, that once again, she's going to describe a group of Adventists that will close their door of probation. This Day with God, page 163. Many who have not known the truth have corrupt, many who have known the truth have corrupted their way before God and have departed from the faith. The broken ranks will be filled up by those represented by Christ as coming in at the eleventh hour. There are many with whom the Spirit of God is striving. The time of God's destructive judgments is a time of mercy for those who have had no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched. His hand is stretched out to save while the door is closed to those who would not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time. This passage clearly parallels the passage from Word to the Little Flock, page 19. She's saying, many who have known the truth, and in Word to the Little Flock, she says, I saw that one had believed the Sabbath and gave it up. They shut the gates of the holy city against themselves. Here she says, many who have known the truth have corrupted their way before God and have departed from the faith. And she's talking about how they're departing from the faith. They were going to be replaced by these 11th hour workers, Sister White refers to them in her writings, sometimes the one hour laborers. They are God's other children in Babylon in some passages. When Christ speaks of them, he says, other sheep I have that are not of this flock and when I call they will come because they'll know his voice. These are the people that are in Babylon that are going to respond to the loud cry message and they're going to fill up the broken ranks of those Adventists that during the Sunday Law test apostatized from the faith. But at the Sunday Law, national apostasy is followed by national ruin. The time of trouble begins. And in this passage, in this day with God, Sister White calls this time period, the little time of trouble as we would call it, the time of God's destructive judgments. But she says it's a time of mercy for those who've had no opportunity to learn what is truth. They've had no opportunity to learn what is truth because under the latter rain, God's people are going to go out and proclaim the Sabbath more fully and they're going to come and stand with us during the time of persecution. But while he's saving those, he says his hand is still stretched out to save while the door is closed to those who would not enter. And those that would not enter are those Adventists who have understood the truth in theory. They are the foolish virgins who had a regard for the truth but did not bring their life into agreement with the truth. And they closed the door, thus their probation closes here at the Sunday Law. Now what we're considering primarily at this point is the little time of trouble. National apostasy is followed by national ruin. But we're picking up several concepts as we go through these passages as well that will have a bearing later on. A couple more on the little time of trouble. This is from Review and Herald, May 2, 1893. The people of the United States have been a favored people, but when they restrict religious liberty, surrender Protestantism, and give countenance to potpourri, the measure of their guilt will be full and national apostasy will be registered in the books of heaven. The result of this apostasy will be national ruin. Another one is Review and Herald, June 15, 1897. Protestants will work upon the rulers of the land to make laws to restore the lost ascendancy of the man of sin who sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Roman Catholic principles will be taken under the care and protection of the state. This national apostasy will speedily be followed by national ruin. The protest of Bible truth will no longer be tolerated by those who have not made the law of God their rule of life. National apostasy, national ruin. National apostasy, time of God's destructive judgment. National apostasy, the commencement of the little time of trouble, the time when sword, famine, pestilence, and great confusion is in the land. Now in the first passage from Review and Herald, May 2, 1893, that we just read here, the first of the two, there's also a concept that we need to consider. She says that at the point when the United States passes a Sunday law, their guilt will be full and national apostasy will be registered in the books of heaven. There's several places where she speaks about it's at the Sunday law where the apostasy of the United States reaches its limit. God has an account with the nations, and when that happens, that is the reason why the national ruin follows. What I want you to see in this is that the Sunday law is the instrument that the Lord uses to bring judgment to a close. The Lord relates to the world, all mankind as a whole. He relates to nations in a specific way. He relates to groups of people such as his church, and he relates to individuals, and he relates to them in the judgment time. We will find, as we study closely, that the Sunday law is the tool that the Lord uses to bring judgment to a close, not simply with individuals, but with groups and with nations and the whole world. One of the things that we haven't taken the time to really understand in Adventism is that the Sunday law is an instrument that the Lord uses to bring the judgment of the living to the close. He is the tool that will divide the whole world into two classes, and in his divine providence, and it's awesome to consider this, we all will bring our own probation to a close by the choices and the decisions we make, whether it's individuals, whether it's a group such as a church, or whether it's a nation, or mankind at large. It will be our choice, not the Lord forcing us to close the door of our probation. But in his divine providence, he's going to bring to fruition these choices at the Sunday law test, which means he's in control of many, many factors that is beyond human reasoning to understand how that many people can reach the point of totally refusing the Lord's grace at the same time. But that is how it takes place, and it's the Sunday law that brings this division first to God's church, and then to the world, and brings judgment to a close. And that's why when Sister White, speaking of the role of the United States in this controversy, when they pass the Sunday law, they have fully disconnected themselves from righteousness. Now another concept that we need to see for our following studies is that symbolically, in the writings of Sister White, when the United States clasps hands with Rome, it's identifying a Sunday law. Now currently, we in the United States are stretching our hands out to Rome, but we haven't clasped hands with Rome because the Sunday law isn't here. We want to identify this very clearly. We have an important presentation that follows this, that deals with this. And so let's start with how, at this time, we're stretching our hands across the gulf. This is Review and Herald, February 21st, 1893. The world is watching our movements with greater interest than we imagine. Many see that what we have told them in regard to the curtailing of religious liberty in our country is coming to pass, although they have denied that such a thing was possible. They have said, when we see that which you predict, when there is danger of a union of church and state, we will acknowledge that you have the truth. But will they acknowledge it? Will they accept the situation and know that the end is near? Protestantism is reaching out its hands to clasp hands with potpourri, and every indication makes manifest that the prophecies are about to be fulfilled. And now men are looking upon those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus to see what will be their course. Friends right now, with what's going on in the political and the religious world, and the world at large, as far as wars, rumors and wars, pestilences, the coming together of a one world government, with all these things that are going on, there's people in the world that are watching Seventh-day Adventists to see if they're going to act in agreement with what they have been preaching for 150 years, because some of these people in the world, even some Adventists, former Adventists, have said, well, when we see church and state coming together, then we'll believe what you're saying and we'll come stand with you. We need to be consistent with our message, because it's clear that it's happening. But what we want to look at here is, in this process that's demonstrating that church and state are coming together, this is where Protestantism is reaching out its hand to clasp hands with potpourri. When they pass the Sunday Law, that's when they clasp hands. Review and Herald, December 11th, 1888. It will appear as though Satan is triumphant and that truth is overborne with falsehood and error, because the people over whom God has spread his shield and the country which has been an asylum to the conscience-oppressed lovers of God and the defenders of his truth are placed in desperate jeopardy through its oppressive legislation. Should our nation observe the principles of Protestantism to give countenance and sanction to the Sunday Law, they will in this act join hands with potpourri, for it will be nothing else than giving life to the tyranny which has been eagerly waiting and watching its opportunity to spring into active despotism. They will in this act, she says, at the Sunday Law, in this act they will join hands with potpourri. Symbolically, prophetically, in the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy, when you see the United States join hands with Rome, it's symbolizing the Sunday Law in the United States. Here's another one. This is from Testimonies, Volume 5, page 711. There are many, even of those engaged in this movement for Sunday enforcement, who are blinded to the results which will follow this action. They do not see that they are striking directly against religious liberty. There are many who have never understood the claims of the Bible Sabbath and the false foundation upon which the Sunday institution rests. Any movement in favor of religious legislation is really an act of concession to the papacy which for so many ages has steadily warred against the liberty of conscience. Sunday observance owes its existence as a so-called Christian institution to the mystery of iniquity, and its enforcement will be a virtual recognition of the principles which are the very cornerstone of Romanism. When our nations shall so abjure the principles of its government as to an act, a Sunday Law Protestantism will in this act join hands with potpourri. It will be nothing else than giving life to the tyranny which has so long been eagerly watching its opportunity to spring again into active despotism. She says the same thing, a little bit different here, but what we want you to see clearly is that it's at the Sunday Law when Protestantism, or the United States, joins hands with Rome. We're going to look at a passage in a following study where this is a very important concept to understand. We'll look at one more passage here before we move out of this understanding. This is from Review and Herald, March 9, 1886. There is one pointed out in prophecy as the man of sin. He is the representative of Satan. Taking the suggestions of Satan concerning the law of God, which is as unchangeable as his throne, this man of sin comes in and represents to the world that he has changed that law, and that the first day of the week instead of the seventh is now the Sabbath. Professing infallibility, he claims the right to change the law of God to suit his own purposes. By so doing, he exalts himself above God and leaves the world to infer that God is fallible. If it were indeed true that God had made a rule of government that needed to be changed, it would certainly show fallibility. But Christ declared that not one jot or tittle of the law should fail until heaven and earth should pass away. The very work he came to do was to exalt that law and to show to the created worlds and to heaven that God is just and that his law need not be changed. But here is Satan's right-hand man, ready to carry on the work that Satan commenced in heaven, that of trying to amend the law of God. And the Christian world has sanctioned his effort by adopting this child of the papacy, the Sunday institution. They have nourished it and will continue to nourish it until Protestantism shall give the hand of fellowship to the Roman power. Then there will be a law against the Sabbath of God's creation, and then it is that God will do his strange work in the earth. He is born long with the perversity of the race. He has tried to win them to himself, but the time will come when they shall have filled the measure of iniquity, and then it is that God will work. This time is almost reached. God keeps a record with the nations. The figures are swelling against them in the books of heaven, and when it shall have become a law that the transgression of the first day of the week shall be met with punishment, then their cup will be full. Several things in this passage. Sister White says the Sunday institution is the child of the papacy and that Protestants have nourished it. They have adopted it. They adopt this child. They nourish it. They continue to nourish it until they give the hand of fellowship to Roman power. She says Protestantism takes in the Sunday institution and supports it and builds its own traditions upon it, but when she says they give their hand to Rome, it's at that point she says, then there will be a law against the Sabbath of God's creation. When they join hands is at the Sunday law. Now also she goes on to say it's at that point that God begins his strange work, and she emphasizes that his strange work begins when the books of heaven have reached the limit. God's strange work is his punishment that takes place as man, nations, churches, the whole world, individuals, totally disconnect themselves from him at the Sunday law test. It's at that point that whether it's an individual, a church, a nation, or the world at large, when they totally stand behind the Sunday law, they've cut themselves off from divine forbearance and they can expect to be confronted with the judgments of God. Now in the quote that we read just before that in Testimonies Volume 5, before we leave this subject of clasping the hands, there's a couple points we want to pull out of there. She says the people in the United States, the people in the world that are pushing for Sunday legislation, they don't understand the consequences, and when we look at the Sunday law issue, we need to recognize that. Protestants don't know where they're going with this, even though Rome does. Protestants don't understand what this is going to bring about once it's reached. Rome does though, in Spirit of Prophecy, Sister White says Rome knows where these things are going. But another point in there that I want to emphasize is she says any movement in favor of religious legislation is really an act of concession to the papacy. Now in a further study, we're going to emphasize that point. Any movement for religious legislation, not simply Sunday legislation, any movement for religious legislation is a movement towards the papacy. Anyway, the clasping of hands between the United States and Rome and Bible prophecy signifies the Sunday law. Now the next concept that we want to develop is that these events come suddenly and unexpectedly. And friends, I would think the Sunday law can be here next year. I have no problem in my mind believing that. But even if it's not coming next year, if it's coming in 50 years, which is ridiculous, it's not coming in 50 years, but even if it was, one thing that we need to understand is prophetically when it does arrive, whether it's tomorrow or 50 years from now or any time in between, when it arrives, it will come suddenly and unexpectedly in the sense that the world is going to be absorbed in other things and it's going to come upon them as the thief in the night. And this understanding must be recognized if you're going to sort through the warning message that is designed to awaken God's people. Review and Herald, March 27th, 1894. The coming of Christ will be, as it were, at midnight when all are sleeping. It will be well for everyone to have his accounts all straightened up before sunset. All his work should be right, all his dealings just between himself and his fellow men. All dishonesty, all sinful practices should be put far away. The oil of grace should be in our vessels with our lamps. There will be some at that late day who will have the appearance of being Christians, but their identity with Christ is only a deception. Sad indeed will be the condition of the soul who has had the form of godliness but denied the power thereof, who is called Christ, Lord, Lord, and yet who is not his image and subscription. The foolish virgins flattered themselves that they would have mercy, that they would obtain an entrance into the marriage feast, but the master answered their plea for admission with a stern refusal, saying, I know you not, and the door was shut. The question is asked, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? God graciously grants a day of probation, a time of test and trial. He gives the invitations, seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. If this invitation is disregarded, if the solemn scenes of the judgment make no impression upon the obdurate heart, if there is no repentance and confession and reformation, then the consequence will surely follow that fearfulness shall surprise the hypocrite. Now she talks in this passage about the closing of the door and the day of probation. Those that are taken by surprise close their probation with realizing that they've been hypocrites, that they're lost, that they didn't prepare, but it comes to them as a surprise. And this first sentence in this passage is very significant if you think about it. She says, the coming of Christ will be as it were at midnight, midnight, twelve o'clock, when all are sleeping. Her next sentence is this, it will be well for everyone to have his accounts all straightened up before sunset. In other words, we have to be prepared before. We can't put off the preparation till midnight. She says we need to have the preparation taken care of before sunset, which is well before midnight. Now, what we're trying to identify here is that these events come suddenly and unexpectedly. Fundamentals of Christian Education, page 335. When all is apparently secure and men retire to contented rest, then the prowling stealthy midnight thief stands upon his prey, stills upon his prey. When it is too late to prevent the evil, it is discovered that some door or window was not secured. Be also ready, for in such an hour as you think not, the Son of Man cometh. People are now settling to rest, imagining themselves secure under the popular churches, but let all beware, lest there is a place left open for the enemy to gain an entrance. Great pain should be taken to keep this subject before the people. The solemn fact is to be kept not only before the people of the world, but before our own churches also, that the day of the Lord will come suddenly, unexpectedly. The fearful warning of prophecy is addressed to every soul. Let no one feel he is secure from the danger of being surprised. Let no one's interpretation of prophecy rob you from the conviction of the knowledge of events which show that the great event is near at hand. Now this isn't just a warning for us that we need to be ready because it's near at hand. It's also a clue that we need to understand when we sort through Bible prophecy. It has to be set in the context that these events come suddenly and unexpectedly. You have to go in with the mindset that to understand the future events of Bible prophecy, and Sister White says we will understand them, we will discern them. People that teach that we don't understand prophecy until they come to pass are in error. We are to understand the things of the future, and if we're going to understand them correctly, then we need to have the context about those events that they are going to come suddenly and unexpectedly. If we don't believe that, then we will fall into the temptation of putting them too far off, and they're going to take us by surprise. Testimonies, volume 8, page 36. We have no time for dwelling on matters that are of no importance. Our time should be given to proclaiming the last message of mercy to a guilty world. Men are needed who move under the inspiration of the Spirit of God. The sermons preached by some of our ministers will have to be much more powerful than they are now, or many backsliders will carry a tame, pointless message which lulls people to sleep. Every discourse should be given under a sense of the awful judgments soon to fall upon the world. The message of truth is to be proclaimed by lips touched with the live coal from the divine altar. My heart is filled with anguish when I think of the tame messages brought by some of our ministers when they have a message of life and death to bear. The ministers are asleep, the lay members are asleep, and the world is perishing in sin. May God help His people to arouse and walk and work as men and women on the borders of the eternal world. Soon, an awful surprise is coming upon the inhabitants of the world. Suddenly, with great power and great glory, Christ will come. Then there will be no time to prepare to meet Him. Now is the time for us to give the warning message. She says, every discourse should be given under the sense of the awful judgments to fall. Now, when do the awful judgments begin? National apostasy is followed by national ruins. We have awful judgments, and Sister White calls them the judgments of God, even now. But what's going to take place when the world begins to demonstrate its choice against God through the passages of Sunday laws? Those judgments are much more devastating, ultimately leading to the seven last plagues when human probation closes. Now another concept that will be very important in our study is that in a crisis, your character is demonstrated. It's not developed in a crisis. We do not develop character in a crisis, we demonstrate it. And this is of supreme importance because what we're going to be looking at is histories that are repeated at the end of the world. One of the histories that we'll look at very closely is the history of the fulfillment of the parable of the ten virgins during the pioneer movement. And when Sister White speaks the parable of the ten virgins, she points out that the midnight cry was a crisis time where character was demonstrated. And when you look at the information connected with that, what it's teaching is that the Sunday law will be the crisis where we demonstrate our character, and we must have our character developed for the seal of God before the Sunday law. And some people will ask, how is it that I would say that the Sunday law closes probation for Adventists in the United States, but here I'm saying that we must have our character prepared for the seal of God before that time? Well, what I understand by that is this. The Sunday law in the United States, the one that fulfills Bible prophecy, is the corporate dividing line for Seventh-day Adventists because it's at that point where Seventh-day Adventists in the United States are going to reveal...