Shall we pray? Heavenly Father, once again we ask that you would bless us with your presence through your Holy Spirit, your angels, and help bring this lesson to a conclusion in a clear and concise fashion. We thank you for being with it so far. We ask that you keep the human thoughts, the human ideas out of this, and be just thoughts that are coming for you, for us at this time, in Jesus' name, Amen. Alright, I didn't quite finish off the last presentation. Where we were at in the last presentation was that we were suggesting that when the Great Buildings were thrown down on September 11, 2001, that Revelation 18 verses 1-3, that fulfillment began at that point. We looked at a quote that says that it's in the crisis of the church and the nations, in past biblical history, when the light for that generation is given, and we're saying that the light for this generation was given on September 11, 2001. And this is paralleling when the mighty angel came down in 1840 for the Millerites, and when he comes down he has the book of Daniel open in his hand, and in Revelation 10, John is told to go take that little book and eat it. And you'll see on the bottom of page 8, a quote we've already used twice in this presentation, where Sister White compares the first angel of Revelation 14 that was fulfilled on August 11, 1840. It arrived in 1798, but it was empowered on August 11, 1840. And she's comparing the first angel with the fourth angel. So inspiration is clear that the angels are representing the work of the people of God, and inspiration is clear that the work that was accomplished in the Millerite history at this time period is paralleling the work that is accomplished today. Therefore when this angel comes down in Revelation 18, just as was the case when the angel came down in Revelation 10, he brings a prophetic message with him, the little book. And John was told to go take the little book and eat it. And you'll see from Jeremiah 15 and Ezekiel 3, it's in your notes on the top of page 9, that when a prophet is told to eat the word of God, it's identifying that he is given a testing message for God's people. And Sister White's clear that from 1840 to 1844 there was a testing process that took place in the Millerite history, a progressive testing process. And she says, if you flunked the first test, then you weren't around for the second angel's message, which was the second test. And if you flunked the second test, then you weren't capable of understanding the next test, which is the midnight cry, which prepared you to enter into judgment. When the book comes, the prophet eats it, it's marking the beginning of a testing process for God's people. It's a progressive testing process, a three-step testing process. Please take note, it's a three-step testing process. The first test is the first angel's message. You reject that, then you're not involved with the second angel's message test. For the Millerites, that test was whether or not you were going to come out of the Protestant churches and stand with the Millerites. But if you'd rejected the Millerite message, the first message, you weren't involved with the second test, the question mark of whether you should come out of the Protestant churches. That was the second test. If you did come out of those churches, then you had to come to understand whether you accepted the third test, the midnight cry, which concludes in the judgment. It's a three-step testing process. When a prophet eats the little book, John was told to eat the little book, Jeremiah and Ezekiel give us examples that the eating of the little book is marking the beginning of a testing process. So when the angel of Revelation 18 comes down, it's marking that the testing process for Adventism at the end of the world has begun, and the testing process is a three-step testing process. You'll see from Matthew 3, verses 16, 17, and 4, 1 on page 9, that it's the same test. When Jesus was baptized, a dove came down out of heaven. A dove is a divine symbol. It's paralleling when the angel of Revelation 10 came down in the Millerite history. It's paralleling when the angel of Revelation 18 comes down in our history. And what did Jesus do when he was baptized? He immediately went out into the wilderness to be what? Tested by the devil. How many tests did he submit to? Three tests. It's a testing process that begins when the divine symbol comes down in these histories, and it's a three-step testing process. The three-step testing process is illustrated in the time of the Millerites, it's illustrated in the time of Christ, it's illustrated by Christ himself when he was baptized, and it's going to be repeated here at the end of the world. A three-step testing process. You'll notice on the bottom of page 9, after we've quoted from Matthew where Christ goes into the wilderness after he's baptized to be tested of the devil, from this day with God, page 153, it says, Christ began the work of redemption just where the ruin began. Where did the ruin of mankind begin? Appetite. His first test was on the same point where Adam felled. It was through temptations addressed to the appetite that Satan had overcome a large portion of the human race, and his success had made him feel that the control of this fallen planet was in his hands. So when Jesus comes back, when he sets the example of a progressive testing process, when he's tempted of the devil right after the divine symbol comes down, after the dove comes down, the first test is the health message. Keep that in mind as we move forward. Next page, page 10. Page 10 is from Early Writings, page 259-260. We won't read this because of time, but this is one of the most important points of reference. Here's Sister White in the first paragraph in your notes. She talks about a progressive testing process in the time of Christ. I'll read the first couple sentences there. She 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 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. And as you go on through this paragraph, you find that the Jews that flunked this testing process are left in total darkness, in perfect darkness, she says. As soon as she finishes that, she goes into a progressive testing process in the time of the Millerites. About the third sentence in of the second paragraph, it says, All heaven watched with the deepest interest the reception of the first angel's message. Here's the first test for this history, the first angel's message. 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. So Sister White is comparing the history of Christ, and she says there was a progressive testing process in the history of Christ, and the Jews that flunked that testing process were left in perfect darkness. Then she immediately goes into the Millerite history and describes a three-step progressive testing process, and at the end of the paragraph, those that flunked in the Millerite history, they weren't left in perfect darkness. They were left praying to Satan, which is another illustration of perfect darkness. It's from this testing process that you can demonstrate that when the testing process is repeated in Adventism at the end of the world, that it's Adventism that receives the strong delusion, because the perfect darkness of the history of the Jews and the Millerites praying to Satan are two parallels that are prefiguring the strong delusion that comes upon Adventism because they reject the truth and receive a lie. What am I saying? I'm saying that there are line after line of prophetic testimony that mark that when the divine symbol comes down in these histories, a testing process begins for God's people. So go to page 11. We'll now start into applying some of Belshazzar's history to this time period. We're saying that on September 11, 2001, when the Twin Towers came down, that Revelation 18, verses 1 through 3 began to be fulfilled, and we're saying that what takes place at this time is the beginning of a three-step testing process upon Adventism. And we're going to look at that three-step testing process, and when you look at this three-step testing process throughout these parallel lines of history, you'll find that the first test is always associated with the Reformer. The first angel's message for the Millerites, who's the Reformer that it's associated with? William Miller, his warning message. The warning message in the time of Christ was brought by John the Baptist. John the Baptist was a type of Elijah that brought a warning message. These parallels line up with Noah, who brought a warning message, with Moses, who brought a warning message. So the first test in these parallel lines is always identifying a Reformer message, and what we're saying is that the first test here at the end of the world is the Reform message that's represented in the Spirit of Prophecy. It says in Selected Messages, Book 3, page 84, I'm on page 11. One thing is certain, those Seventh-day Adventists who take their stand under Satan's banner, and where do Seventh-day Adventists take their stand under Satan's banner? Down here in Revelation 18, verse 4, at the Sunday Law. That's where, if I've prepared a character of the Mark of the Beast, that I'm going to line up under Satan's banner at the Sunday Law. But one thing is certain, those Seventh-day Adventists that take their stand under Satan's banner at the Sunday Law will first give up their confidence in the testimonies of God's Spirit. The first test that I fail as a Seventh-day Adventist is the Spirit of Prophecy. There's a progressive three-step testing process in our history, just as there was in the history of the Millerites, in the history of Christ, in the history of John the Baptist. And the first step is a Reformed message, and the Reformed message that confronts Adventism at the end of the world is the Reformed message represented by Ellen White. All are a Reformed message. And brothers and sisters, there's no way to understand, and there is, but there isn't, there isn't any truth that we can understand that we can't understand out of the Bible. I'm not denying that. But for Seventh-day Adventists here at the end of the world, if you're going to come to accept the implications of September 11, 2001, then you have to accept the foundational truths as represented on these two charts. And when the argument comes about these two charts and Bible prophecy and the Spirit of Prophecy says these charts are going to be argued about, this is the old paths of Jeremiah, and there's going to be a group in Adventism that says we will not walk in the old paths. These are the truths that identify the trumpet message, and Jeremiah says the watchmen were raised up that gave a trumpet message, and there's a group in Adventism that says we will not listen to the trumpet message, we will not hearken to it. But the only way that you can really get settled into these foundational truths is if you have full confidence in the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy, because she says things such as this, and we have it in your notes, all the messages given from 1840 to 1844 are to be made forcible now. Does that mean that this is the messages of 1840 to 1844? Does that mean all the messages when Ellen White says that, or does that mean some of the messages? Does she really mean the 2520? Or does she just mean some of these messages? When it comes to the end of the world and establishing the role of Islam on September 11, 2001, if you don't understand that the first woe on this chart is Islam and the second chart is Islam, the second woe on this chart is Islam, then you're not going to be able to understand that the third woe is Islam, and that the third woe arrived in history on September 11, 2001. This truth, this prophetic truth, it demands that Seventh-day Adventists accept the Spirit of Prophecy. If you don't accept the Spirit of Prophecy, you won't see this truth. This is your first test. This is where we stand or fall on the first test, is how we relate to the Spirit of Prophecy. It's been prefigured in all these histories. Notice what she says in Early Writings, page 249. And we've already, in the previous studies, identified that the Millerite history is what? Repeated to the very letter. This history here is repeated to the very letter. We've read those quotes. Early Writings, page 249, those who rejected and opposed the light of the first angel's message lost the light of the second and could not be benefited by the power and glory which attended the message, Behold the Bridegroom coming. Do you believe that? Do you believe that Sister White means that? Because Sister White is saying that in this history here of the Millerites, that if you didn't pass this test, if you rejected the first angel's message and you flunked, you're not even taking the second angel's message test. If you pass the second angel's message test, then you're going to be confronted with the Midnight Cry test, three tests. If that history is repeated to the very letter, then we will have three tests here at the end of the world. And the first test is always a message of reform. The first test for the Millerites was the reformed message of William Miller. So the second test, on page 12, and we're going to go, I'm going to come back into this message in some of these points I'm passing over here. In verse 3 of Revelation 18, it says, For all nations have drunk the wine of the wrath of her fornications, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. And prophetically, this is identifying the combination of church and state. When the kings, representing civil power, fornicate with the church, it's identifying an unlawful relationship. It's the combination of church and state. And the second test for Seventh-day Adventists, the second test in here for Adventists, is the combination of church and state. Notice this next quote from Seventh-day Adventists, Bible Commentary, volume 7, page 976. Already preparations are advancing and movements are in progress. They just confirmed a woman for the Supreme Court of the United States that makes the majority of Supreme Court justices Catholics, with her confirmation. Already preparations are advancing, that's one of the preparations for a Sunday Law, and movements are in progress, which will result in making of an image of the beast. The image of the beast is the combination of church and state with the church in control of the relationship. There is no other definition in inspiration. The image of the beast is the combination of church and state. 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, notice that in this particular passage that we're reading, that it's emphasizing prophetic stuff, preparations, movements, and events, things that you have to see. It's not a test on inward reform and revival, the reform messages of Ellen White, country living, dress reform, health reform, true education. This is emphasizing, this test, we're going to show you that this is the second test, is emphasizing the responsibility to recognize something in prophecy, events, movements, preparations. Second paragraph, the Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes, for it is to be the great test for the people of God. The great test for the people of God is the formation of the image of the beast, but the formation of the image of the beast, which is the combination of church and state, takes place before probation closes. When does probation close for Seventh-day Adventists? At the Sunday Law. So the formation of the church and state in the United States takes place before the Sunday Law in the United States, and Sister White says, it is the great test for the people of God by which their eternal destiny will be decided. Now notice what she says then, this is the test the people of God must have before they are sealed. When are we sealed? When do we receive the seal of God? At the Sunday Law. So there's a test, here's the Sunday Law, this is Revelation 18 verse 4, come out of my people, there is a test for God's people that comes before their probation closes at the Sunday Law. It's the great test of the people of God that comes before they are sealed. It's a test by which their eternal destiny will be decided, and it has to do with the combination of church and state, the formation of the image of the beast in the United States. The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes. For this is the great test for the people of God by which their eternal destiny will be decided. This is the test they must pass before they are sealed. There's a test. We know from all these other prophetic histories that there's three tests in Adventism, and one thing is certain, those Seventh-day Adventists that receive the mark of the beast and take their stand under Satan's banner will first give up their confidence in the testimonies of God's Spirit. They first reject the Spirit of Prophecy. But there's another test. It's the great test for the people of God by which their eternal destiny will be decided, and it has to do with the combination of church and state in the United States that precedes the close of probation, that precedes the Sunday Law. Underneath that quote from Testimonies, Volume 5, page 214, it says, "...not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our character, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us, as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost. When the decree goes forth and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless for eternity." When the decree goes forth, that's the Sunday Law decree. It's at the Sunday Law that we receive the seal of God. "...then the latter rain is poured out as it was on Pentecost. Was the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in the time period of Pentecost? Did the latter rain or the Spirit begin to be poured out before Pentecost in that time period? Yes. The inspiration is clear that when Christ came to the disciples before Pentecost and He breathed upon them, Sister White says, that was, as it were, a few drops that preceded the plentiful showers on Pentecost. Pentecost, at the Sunday Law, when the decree goes forth, when we receive the seal of God, the Holy Spirit is then poured out without measure because the church has been purified. The wheat and tares are separated. Those Adventists that received the mark of the beast are over here. Those that received the seal of God are over here. Then the Holy Spirit is poured out without measure because the wheat and tares are separated. Before this time period, right here, when the mighty angel comes down, there begins to be a sprinkling in Adventism. That's why Sister White says in Testimonies to Ministers 506, she comments on this in both those pages, that the Holy Spirit may be falling on hearts all around them, but they will not receive or recognize it. So there's a time period in Adventism from 2001 until the Sunday Law where the latter rain begins to sprinkle on Adventism, but it's measured. The ones that are receiving it are the ones that are recognizing it. At the Sunday Law, the wheat and tares are separated. It's poured out without measure. Sister White says, The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes. In the following quotes, she's very clear that the only definition of the image of the beast is the combination of church and state with the church in control of the relationship. The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes, before the Sunday Law, for this is the great test for the people of God by which their eternal destiny will be decided. This is the test they must pass before they are sealed. There's a test in here, the image of the beast test, and that image of the beast test for Adventism is represented in verse 3 of Revelation 18. Because in verse 3, you see the pronouncement of Revelation 18, it says, For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. This is a type of the combination of church and state that will take place after the Sunday Law. It's the image of the beast test that takes place in the United States before the Sunday Law. It is the second test for God's people. And one of the things that we identified in our first couple of presentations of this series is that the fall of Babylon, whether it's with Babel, with Belshazzar's Babylon, or with the Millerite history, when Babylon falls, it's governed on a three-step process every time. The fall of Babylon is when a warning message is rejected, right? Whether it's the warning message of Noah and Shem that were given to Nimrod and his cohorts, they're given a warning message as Belshazzar was given a warning message in the story of Nebuchadnezzar. And when that warning message is rejected, the warning message of William Miller is rejected, then there comes a divine pronouncement. With Nimrod, the Lord came down and said, now everything they imagined will take place. With Belshazzar, you had the pronouncement, many, many teckle you farson. With the Millerites, you had the second angel's message, Babylon is fallen. In our day and age, the warning message is empowered here on 2001, as we read, then light is given for that generation. If you receive it, you're blessed, but if you don't receive the light, what happens? You make shipwreck of faith. So verse 2 of Revelation 18, this is Babylon is fallen. This isn't the fall of Babylon, this isn't the perfect fulfillment of the fall of Babylon, this is an imperfect fulfillment, this is a type of the fall of Babylon that will take place here at the Sunday Law. This is marking when Adventism rejects this message. The first test has been rejected by Adventism, now comes the second test, and the second test is the combination of church and state in the United States that precedes the Sunday Law and prepares for the Sunday Law, and the Sunday Law is the third test. Let's continue on, on page 13. Under the third test, it says, the 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. The third test for Adventism is the Sunday Law. The first test, spirit of prophecy. The second test, understanding from prophecy that the combination of church and state is taking place in the United States, it reaches its climax when the Sunday Law is passed. If you go back to page 12, on the bottom of page 12, just so you understand the distinction from Great Controversy 448-449, it says, the enforcement of Sunday keeping on part of the Protestant churches is the enforcement of the worship of the beast. This is down here. This is the Sunday Law, Revelation 18, verse 4. Those who, understanding the claims of the fourth commandment, choose to observe the false instead of the true Sabbath are thereby being homaged to that power by which alone it is commanded. But in the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power, the churches themselves would form an image to the beast, hence the enforcement of Sunday keeping in the United States would be an enforcement of the worship of the beast and his image. It marks the complete fulfillment of the combination of church and state. But the combination of church and state is something that develops its events, its movements that are in progress. It's developed, it reaches its climax at the Sunday Law. Now notice the next quote. It says, the image of the beast, this is Great Controversy 445, represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas. The mark of the beast still remains to be defined. Inspiration is making a specific distinction between the mark of the beast and the image of the beast. The mark of the beast is Sunday enforcement, here in verse 4. The image of the beast is the combination of church and state, and the combination of the church and state doesn't take place in a single day. It's the movements that are in progress, it's the events that are brought about, it's the preparations that are being made that bring church and state together in the United States. This covers a period of time, and when it's taking place, when church and state are coming together in the United States, this is our test. We have to see this. We have to understand that when it reaches its full conclusion, the third test has arrived for Adventism, the close of probation. When the Sunday Law comes in the United States, the door closes for Adventism. Amen? Where do we get the closing of the door as a symbol of the close of probation? Noah. When the ark was closed, when Noah closed the ark door, that represents the close of probation. That lines up perfectly with the Sunday Law in the United States, when probation closes on Adventists. So let me ask you a question. When the animals were getting on the ark, was probation still open? Yes. Before the door closes, there's an event that you're required to see prophetically. The animals are getting on the ark, but when they're all on the ark, you know the door is going to close. The combination of church and state in the United States is the animals getting on the ark for Adventists to see that the door is about to close. The best, the most abundant information on how the combination of church and state is fulfilled in the United States is found in the writings of Ellen White. She talks about it a great deal. If you reject the first test, the spirit of prophecy, you throw away your intellectual ability to understand the second test, which is the combination of church and state. If you flunk the first test, you're not around for the second test. The second test reaches its climax when the third test arrives, the Sunday Law in the United States. Three tests. Now on the bottom of page 13, we're going to start trying to pull this together now. God has given the messages of Revelation 14 their place in the line of prophecy, and their work is not to cease until the close of this earth's history. The first and second angels' messages are still truth for this time, and are to run parallel with that which follows. Now here's what I want you to see, if you would. When the first, second, and third angels' message arrived in the Millerite history, that wasn't the perfect fulfillment. Sister White says it. It was an imperfect fulfillment. The perfect fulfillment of the second angels' message was yet future, she says, and you can't have a first message without a second and a third, and you can't have a third without a first and a second. So they're all one unit of thought. If it was not a perfect fulfillment of the second angels' message in the Millerite history, then it wasn't a perfect fulfillment of the first and the third either. That comes at the end of the world. When it comes to Revelation 18, verses 1 through 3, this is an illustration of the three angels' messages. Clearly, easily, it can be easily seen that when the mighty angel of Revelation 18 comes down, it's paralleling the first angel of the Millerite history, the angel that comes down in Revelation 10. You can demonstrate that the testing process now begins for Adventism that parallels the testing process of the Millerite history. But this, too, is not the perfect fulfillment of the three angels' messages. This here is another type of the perfect fulfillment of the three angels' message, because this here, Revelation 18, verse 1, it is a type of the first angels' message. Verse 2, when it says, Babylon has fallen, this is identifying the rejection of the Protestant churches in 1842, it's paralleling that. Verse 3 is identifying, typifying when church and state come together at the end of the world, but church and state don't come together in the world, and that's what verse 3 says, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with the papacy. That doesn't take place before the Sunday Law in the United States. This history here, Revelation 18, verses 1 through 3, is a type of the first and second angels' messages. It doesn't show that it's paralleling this. And that which follows the first and second angels' message is to run parallel with it. So when we take this verse, verse 4 of Revelation 18, and understand that it is a type of the third message for Adventism, because their first test was the spirit of prophecy, 9-11. Their second test is the image of the beast, a combination of church and state that precedes the Sunday Law. The third test is the Sunday Law. Then in this history here, we have a type of the three angels' messages, and Sister White says that which follows the first and second is to run parallel with it. This is the third in this history. So we're going to bring the third in this history, verse 4, down here to the end of the world, and then this is the perfect fulfillment of the third angels' message. This is the third angels' message that begins when the Sunday Law arrives in history. The Sunday Law in the United States in verse 4. Where does probation close in Revelation 18? It closes down here in verse 21, right? Verse 21 of Revelation 18. This is Revelation 18. This is Revelation 18. Revelation 18 is telling two stories at the same time. The two stories it's telling is how probation closes for God's people in the time of the judgment of living, and then how probation closes for the 11th hour workers, those outside of Adventism, in the time of the judgment of the living. In the history of Christ, in the history of the Millerites, Christ cleansed the temple two times. There are two doors that closed. Judgment begins in the house of God at the end of the world. Judgment begins with Adventism. These verses here, 1 through 4, are first telling us how judgment is concluded on Seventh Day Adventists. At the Sunday Law in the United States, the church is purified, those Seventh Day Adventists that receive the seal of God. They then can identify perfectly, not imperfectly, this is going to repeat these verses, that Babylon has fallen, because Babylon falls fully during the Sunday Law crisis. So here, verse 2 of Revelation 18 is repeated perfectly. When verse 4 arrives, just so we understand it, we have a manifestation of the power of God, because this is where the Holy Spirit is poured out without measure. This is the second manifestation of divinity through humanity, the first, September 11, 2001. It's not just when Christ cleansed the temple, it's when divinity flashes through humanity. It happens twice. It happened here in 2001, marking the beginning of the testing process for Adventism. Their door closes in verse 4. In this history at the end of the world, there are two temple cleansings, two manifestations of divinity through humanity, and this manifestation of the power of God will produce the closing of the door. As the judgment of the living concludes upon Adventism, the door closes at the Sunday Law. But this is a type of the third angel's message, and that which follows the first and the second is to run parallel with it. So when we bring the third angel's message down here, we now see the manifestation of the power of God that is accomplished in that full outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And at this point, verse 2 joins the third angel's message, saying Babylon has fallen. Thereafter, in verse 3, the ten kings of Revelation 17 agree to give their kingdom unto the papacy. This is the kings of the earth committing fornication with the papacy. This is Daniel 11, 42. This is where the whole world is then confronted with the Sunday Law testing time, Revelation 13, verse 14 and onward. And then in verse 21, Michael stands up and human probation closes. The same sequence of events that test in type Adventism and brings the judgment of the closed upon Adventism is repeated as the judgment of the living on the eleventh hour workers is accomplished. In terms of the line of Daniel, this is Daniel 11, verse 41, Sunday Law in the United States. At the Sunday Law in the United States, the third angel's message arrives perfectly. Now the warning against the mark of the beast has arrived in history and now it can truly be proclaimed. Verse 2, Babylon has fallen. But then in verse 42 of Daniel 11, the king of the north, the papacy conquers Egypt, the whole world. The kings of the earth commit fornication with her. Again in Daniel 12, verse 1, Michael stands up and human probation closes. In Revelation 13, verse 11, Sunday Law in the United States. Then the United States goes out to deceive the whole world and in verse 14 commands the whole world to set up an image of the beast. Only one definition of the image of the beast, it's a combination of church and state with the church in control of the relationship. This is verse 3 of Revelation 18, the kings of the earth committing fornication with her. These lines of prophecy are running parallel to one another. Notice page 14, top of the page. I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven, descending to the earth, and again another ascending to heaven, preparing for the fulfillment of some important event. Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth and unite his voice with the voice of the third angel and give power and force to his message. Great power and glory were imparted to the angel and as he descended the earth was lightened with his glory. The light which attended this angel penetrated everywhere and he cried mightily with a strong voice Babylon the greatest fallen has fallen has become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit in the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. The messages of the fall of Babylon as given by the second angel is repeated, it's repeated with the additional mentions of the corruptions which have been entering the churches since 1844. The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join the last work of the third angel's message as it swells to a loud cry and the people of God are thus prepared to stand in the hour of temptation which they are soon to meet. I saw a great light resting upon them and they united fearlessly to proclaim the third angel's message. This history year of Revelation 18 verses 1 through 3 is prefiguring the history of verses 4 and onward. The purification process that's accomplished upon Adventism is based upon a warning message that was empowered on September 11, 2001 when the mighty angel descended and the testing process began in Adventism as they were commanded to go and take the little book and eat it. And this process was to prepare them to stand for the great crisis that begins at the Sunday Law time period. When you take the third angel's message that's typified here and you bring it down here to run it parallel with the first and second one more time, you find now that the testing process for those outside of Adventism is being illustrated. This is the perfect fulfillment of the third angel's message. And the conclusion of this testing process for the eleventh hour workers, it's also to produce the people down here when it's all over that are prepared to stand during the testing time. This testing time is the testing time of the seven last plagues. So the testing process, any way you look at it, these parallels are teaching the same thing. The testing process here is to prepare Seventh-day Adventists to stand during the Sunday Law testing time and beyond. This testing process is also to prepare us to stand during the seven last plagues. Next quote, early writings, page 277. Angels were sent to aid the mighty angel from heaven and I heard voices which seemed to sound everywhere, come out of her my people that you be not partaker of her sins and you receive not of her plagues for her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembered her iniquities. This is verse four, this is the Sunday Law. This message seemed to be in addition to the third message. What's the third message? It's a warning against receiving the mark of the beast. So Revelation 14, when it gives a warning against receiving the mark of the beast and the plagues that you will receive if you accept the mark of the beast, Sister White is saying this message joins with it, it's an addition, it's the message of come out of her. Not only is there a warning about what happens if you stay in her, this message joins with it saying come out of Babylon so you don't receive those plagues. This message seemed to be in addition to the third message, joining it as the midnight cry joined the second angel's message in 1844. The glory of God rested upon the patient waiting saints and they fearlessly gave the last solemn warning proclaiming the fall of Babylon. After here, come out of her my people, the warning against receiving the mark of the beast, then comes the fall of Babylon, verse 2 of Revelation 18. This is the perfect fulfillment and calling upon God's people to come out of her that they might escape her fearful doom. The light that was shed upon the waiting ones penetrated everywhere and those in the churches who had any light, who had not heard and rejected the three messages, obeyed the call and left the fallen churches. Many who had come to years of accountability since this message had been given and the light shone upon them and they were privileged to choose life or death. Some chose life and took their stand with those who were looking for their Lord and keeping all his commandments. The third message was doing its work, all were to be tested upon it and the precious ones were to be called out from the religious bodies. So let's try to bring this to a conclusion now. What we're saying, what we're trying to say here, and if I have my time right, I have about 20 minutes, right? What we're saying is that the first angel's message, which is a warning message, arrived in 1798 and was empowered in 1840. That warning message of the first angel was the everlasting gospel and Sister White says it was the same everlasting gospel that was given to Adam in Genesis chapter 3 which was a promise that Christ would put enmity between the seed of Satan and the seed of Christ. We know that as the Millerites proclaimed the everlasting gospel, they experienced the everlasting gospel because when you get to 1844 you have two groups of people, one that are praying to Satan in the holy place and one that have moved into the most holy place with Christ. Not only have they proclaimed the everlasting gospel of the first angel's message, but they have experienced it. And the everlasting gospel of the first angel's message is a three-step process. The Bible says the work of the Holy Spirit is to convict of sin, righteousness and judgment. Miller's message convicted of sin, that was the first angel's message, and those who received the first angel's message manifested righteousness in the second angel's message which led into judgment. The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict of sin, of righteousness and judgment to come. This history of the Millerites is represented by the first angel's message which was fear God, conviction of sin, give him glory, manifestation of righteousness. For the hour of his judgment has come, judgment has come. This is the everlasting gospel that was proclaimed in the first angel's message in the history of the Millerites. And it's the everlasting gospel that parallels the everlasting gospel of Belshazzar. Because the Millerite history began at the conclusion of the 2520 and it ended with the conclusion of the 2520. And the warning message for Belshazzar was the story of Nebuchadnezzar. And Nebuchadnezzar's story wasn't in history until the conclusion of the 2520. So the warning message for Belshazzar began at the end of the 2520. And the warning message of Nebuchadnezzar illustrates two classes of worshipers. Nebuchadnezzar who rejected the warning in Daniel 4 and therefore was punished for doing so. And Nebuchadnezzar who was converted from the message at the end of the 2520. He represents two classes of worshipers, the seed of Satan, the seed of Christ, who represents the everlasting gospel. In the story of Nebuchadnezzar you have a warning message, the first step, conviction of sin, a manifestation of righteousness when Nebuchadnezzar is raised up here and he glorifies God. And the message of the judgment, judgment message for Belshazzar. Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar represents all the characteristics of the first angel's message that were fulfilled in the Millerite history. And when you get to the end of this history of Belshazzar you have a warning message, first angel's message, that's rejected. The divine pronouncement for the Millerites is Babylon is fallen, but for Belshazzar it's many, many tuckle you farsen, which is 2520. And on that same night judgment arrives. When this 2520 ends, judgment arrives. It's a perfect type anti-type. In these histories you see three tests and you can see them throughout scripture. First angel's message is a test, you flunk that test, you're not around for the second test. The second test has to do with having prophetic discernment to recognize that the image of the beast is coming together, that the animals are getting on the ark. It requires prophetic discernment. It's an emphasis on seeing, a testing message that is, there's a requirement that you recognize, see something from the prophetic word. And the third test is where the door closes. In our history, the first test is a reform. And the symbol of Sister White's reform message is, if you want to place the symbol above all other, that is the symbol of Sister White's reform message, is the health message. And of course this is where Christ's three tests began. The first test for Christ was on appetite. Sister White's first reform message to Adventism, the one that symbolizes them all, is the health message. And then the second test for Adventism is the image of the beast. Do you see that church and state are coming together in the United States and ultimately conclude with the third test, the Sunday Law? Our test has been clearly identified. It parallels the test of the Millerites, the test of Christ, but it also parallels Daniel chapter 1, 2, and 3. Because in Daniel chapter 1, we see God's people at the end of the world, and their first test in chapter 1 of Daniel is what? The health message. Notice under Daniel 1 from the Sanctified Life, page 22. At the end of ten days, the result was found to be quite the opposite of Melzar's expectations. Not only in personal experience, but in physical activity and mental vigor, those who had been temperate in their habits exhibited a marked superiority over their companions who had indulged appetite. As a result of this trial, Daniel and his associates were permitted to continue their simple diet during the whole course of their training for their duties of the kingdom. The life of Daniel is an inspired illustration of what constitutes a sanctified character. God said, them that honor me, I will honor. While Daniel clung to his God with unwavering trust, the spirit of prophetic power came upon him. While he was instructed of man in duties of court life, he was taught of God to read the mysteries of future ages and to present to coming generations through figures and similitudes the wonderful things that would come to pass in the last days. What's a similitude? Because Daniel, she says, was teaching us in similitudes. What's a similitude? You see the definition? Likeness, resemblance, likeness in nature, quality of appearance, as similitude of substance. Let us make man in our image, man in our similitude. Daniel is representing God's people at the end of the world, and in Daniel chapter 1 he's giving us a similitude of God's people at the end of the world. Daniel chapter 1 is identifying the first test for Adventism. First test for Adventism is the spirit of prophecy, and the symbol of the reformed movements that are represented by the spirit of prophecy, the premier symbol, is the health message. In Daniel chapter 1 it is identifying the health message, and for a second testimony to that truth, the three-step testing process in the time of Christ, his first test was appetite. The second test for God's people at the end of the world is illustrated in Daniel chapter 2. In Daniel chapter 2 we have the image of Nebuchadnezzar, the image of the kingdoms of Bible prophecy. And what's the first kingdom? It's the head of gold, is it not? And it represents Babylon. But are we living in that history? Where are we living? We're living down in the time of the toes and the iron and the clay, are we not? So notice, if you're going to take Daniel chapter 2 and bring it down to the end of the world, here's what Sister White says about Daniel chapter 2. We have come to a time when God's sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which the iron was mixed with the miry clay. God has a people, a chosen people, whose discernment must be sanctified, who must not become unholy in laying upon the foundation wood, hay, and stubble. Every soul who is loyal to the commandments of God will see that the distinguishing feature of our faith is the seventh-day Sabbath. If the government would honor the Sabbath as God commanded, it would stand in the strength of God and in defense of the faith once delivered to the saint. But statesmen will uphold the spurious Sabbath. What is this? Statesmen will uphold the spurious Sabbath. This is the image of the beast. This is the combination of church and state. This is when civil power is used to enforce religious dogma. This is the kings of the earth committing fornication with the papacy. But statesmen will uphold the spurious Sabbath and will mingle their religious faith with the observance of this child of the papacy, placing it above the Sabbath which the Lord has sanctified and blessed, setting it apart for man to keep holy as a sign between him and his people to a thousand generations. The mingling of churchcraft and statecraft is represented by the iron and clay. So when we bring Daniel chapter 2 down to the end of the world as a symbol to the iron and clay, which is the last kingdom on planet earth, is representing the combination of church and state. The second test for Adventism at the end of the world is the image of the beast test. The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes for this is the great test for the people of God by which their eternal destiny will be decided. But before that test, one thing is certain, those Seventh-day Adventists that take their stand under Satan's banner will first give up their confidence in the testimonies of God's Spirit. The first test for Adventists is the Spirit of Prophecy, which the symbol of the Spirit of Prophecy's reforms is the health message, which is Daniel chapter 1. The second test for Adventists at the end of the world is the image of the beast, recognizing the combination of church and state, recognizing the implications of the iron and clay of Daniel chapter 2. Notice the next quote, when Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great image was revealed to Daniel in a night vision, his first act was to thank God for this revelation. Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, he explained, for wisdom and might are his. And he changes the times and the seasons, he removeth kings and setteth up kings. He giveth wisdom unto the wise and knowledge of them that know understanding. He revealeth the deep and secret things, he knoweth what is in the darkness and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee and praise thee, O God of my fathers, who has given me wisdom and might and has made known unto me what we desired of thee, for thou hast now made known unto us the king's manner. By the way, in the Spirit of Prophecy, she's absolutely crystal clear, she talks about it over and over again, what allowed Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to receive the blessing of this prophetic understanding in Daniel chapter 2 was what? Daniel chapter 1. They had been faithful in serving God in Daniel chapter 1 on the test over the health message, and because of this, he was allowed spiritually, the Lord was, to give them the following blessing of understanding the prophetic implications. They can't be separated, there cannot be a third without a first and a second, you can't have Daniel 2 without Daniel chapter 1. Continuing on, in past ages, the Lord God of heaven revealed his secret to his prophets. The present and the future are equally clear to him, the voice of God echoes down the ages telling man what is to take place. Kings and princes take their stand at their appointed time, they think they are carrying out their own purposes, but in reality, they are fulfilling the word that God has spoken. Paul declares that the records of God's dealing with mankind in the past are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world have come. Daniel's history is given for what? Our admonition. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. Daniel's God still lives and reigns, he has not closed heaven against his people. As in the Jewish age, so in this age, God reveals his secret to his servants, the prophets. The apostle Peter says, we also have a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto you do well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day start rise in your hearts, knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation, for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. The unbelieving and godless do not discern the importance of the signs of the times foretold in the prophetic word. In ignorance they may refuse to accept the inspired record, but when professed Christians speak sneeringly of the ways and means employed by the great I am to make known, make his purposes known, they show themselves to be ignorant, both of the scriptures and the power of God. The creator knows just what elements he has to deal with in human nature. He knows what means to employ to obtain the desired result. Man's word fails. He who makes the assertions of men, his dependence may well tremble, for he will someday be as a what? Shipwrecked vessel. God's word is infallible and endures forever. Christ says, Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. God's word will endure throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Brothers and sisters, this three-step testing process, the first test for Advent is at the end of the world, the spirit of prophecy, and the symbol of the reformed movements of the spirit of prophecy is the health message, and that first test is represented in Daniel chapter one, in the test of the health message. The second test for Seventh-day Adventists at the end of the world is represented in Revelation 18 verse three, is the combination of church and state. Verse two of Revelation 18, the pronouncement that Babylon has fallen, is simply the divine pronouncement that Seventh-day Adventists have rejected the first test. And that's what we're told. Those who reject the first test cannot be benefited by the second test. The second test is verse three, it's the combination of church and state, as represented by the fornication between the kings of the earth and the beasts. Revelation 18, when it's describing the close of probation for Advent is during the time of the judgment of the living. It says that when the message is empowered here, this message will be understood by those who have confidence in the spirit of prophecy. There come a point that those that do not have confidence in the spirit of prophecy are going to close their door against this message, thus verse two says Babylon has fallen. It's not saying the Seventh-day Adventist church is Babylon. It's just saying that the divine pronouncement identifying that that message has been rejected has arrived. And then comes the next test, which is the image of the beast test, by which our eternal destiny will be decided, which precedes the point in time when our probation closes, which is the third test, the Sunday Law. The first test is Daniel chapter one. The second test, the iron in the clay, is Daniel chapter two. The third test is the Sunday Law, that's Daniel chapter three. Notice some of these quotes under Daniel chapter three. The vainglory and oppression seen in the course pursued by the heathen king Nebuchadnezzar is being and will continue to be manifested in our day. History will repeat itself. In this age the test, the test of what? The test of Nebuchadnezzar's image on the plain of Dura in Daniel chapter three. In this age the test will be on the point of the Sabbath observance. The heavenly universe behold men trampling upon the law of Jehovah making the memorial of God, the sign between him and his commandment keeping people a thing of naught, something to be despised, while a rival Sabbath is exalted as was the golden image in the plain of Dura. Daniel chapter three is the third test for Adventism. It's the Sunday Law test. You'll see just a few of the quotes. Notice the next quote. This is what we'll be sure to occur when the law of God is made void by a national act, Sunday Law in the United States. When Sunday is exalted and sustained by law, then the principles that actuate 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 on the plain of Dura. Daniel chapter three is the Sunday Law test. Daniel chapter two is the image of the beast test, verse three of Revelation 18. Daniel chapter one is the test of the spirit of prophecy as represented by the health message. Daniel chapter six, last quote, page 18 from Great Controversy 626, Sister White says this. As a decree issued by the various rulers of Christendom against commandment keepers shall withdraw protection of the government and abandon them to those who desire their destruction. Now brothers and sisters, this is not the Sunday Law in the United States. Inspiration teaches that first the Sunday Law comes to the United States, then every country on the globe follows their example, and there comes a time when the whole world comes together. Revelation 17, 17, the kings of the earth, the ten kings agree to give their kingdom to the papacy. This is Daniel 11, 42, when the king of the north, the papacy, conquers the world as represented by Egypt. There comes a time when the world is confronted with a world Sunday Law. That's what Sister White is talking about here. The rulers of Christendom will pass the Sunday Law. This comes down here in verse 3 of Revelation 18. This is where the kings of the earth commit fornication with the papacy. They come into the unlawful relationship just before the close of probation. And then Sister White goes in and describes what takes place with the people of God at that time in the last paragraph. She says, Will the Lord forget his people in this trying hour? Did he forget faithful Noah when judgments were visited upon the Antelopean world? Did he forget Lot when fire came down from heaven to consume the cities of the plain? Did he forget Joseph, surrounded by idolaters in Egypt? Did he forget Elijah when the oath of Jezebel threatened him with the fate of the prophets of Baal? Did he forget Jeremiah in the dark and dismal pit of the prison house? Did he forget the three worthies in the fiery furnace? Or Daniel in the lion's den? Daniel in the lion's den, in chapter 6 of Daniel, is representing the testing process that takes place when the ten kings give their kingdom to the papacy, and the death decree against God's people go forth. And Michael stands up and human probation closes, and the seven last plagues arrives in history. Now here's my point in conclusion. There are three tests that confront Adventism at the end of the world, they're progressive tests. The first is the spirit of prophecy. One thing is certain, those Seventh-day Adventists that take their stand under Satan's banner will first give up their confidence in the spirit of prophecy. The second is the image of the beast. The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes. Probation closes at the Sunday Law. This is the great test for the people of God by which their eternal destiny will be decided. This is the test they must have before they're sealed, they're sealed at the Sunday Law. The second test for Seventh-day Adventists is a test about their ability to recognize from prophecy that church and state are coming together in the United States and understand the implications thereof. The animals are getting on the ark, and once they're all on the ark, the door closes and you're lost if you're not ready for that event. That's the second test by which our eternal destiny will be decided. The third is the Sunday Law. In the history of Revelation 18, when the angel came down on September 11, 2001, this event, in order to understand this prophetically and prove it prophetically, you must use the foundational truths of Adventism to understand what the trumpets are, what all these truths are, and the only logical way to defend that is through the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy and the Bible. The Bible, but the remnant people of God, are identified as having not only keeping the commandments of God and having the faith of Jesus, they also have the Spirit of Prophecy. Here you must have the Spirit of Prophecy. This empowers the message for Adventism at this time, and a testing process begins as we're commanded to go and eat this little book, this message. And shortly thereafter, there comes a divine pronouncement that Adventism has rejected this message. The first message has been flunked by some. Now comes the second test. The second test is the image of the beast as represented by the kings of the earth committing fornication with the papacy. Then comes the third test, the Sunday Law. That which follows the first and second is to run parallel to it. When you bring the third message, the Sunday Law, down here and do the parallel, now you see the exact sequence of events. Only this testing process is being accomplished on those outside of Adventism. Same sequence. Mark of the beast, third angel's message, followed by the pronouncement Babylon is fallen. Kings of the earth come together with the papacy. Michael stands up. Human probation closes. This three-step testing process is Daniel 1, 2, 3. These three tests are clearly identified in the first three chapters of Daniel. And then in Daniel 4, you have the warning message of Nebuchadnezzar. That is the everlasting gospel. That is the three-step process of the first angel. And that warning message is the warning message that Belshazzar is held accountable for in Daniel chapter 5. And in that history of Belshazzar, we see the Millerite history perfectly illustrated. The test of the first angel's message is the test of Belshazzar. It begins with the 2520. It ends with the 2520. When it's rejected, that very night judgment comes, he's slain. So Daniel 1 is the first test. Daniel 2 is the second test. Daniel 3 is the third test. Daniel 4 is the everlasting gospel and the first angel's message. Daniel 5 is Millerite history. But Millerite history is repeated in the history of the 144,000. And as Belshazzar rejects the warning message of Nebuchadnezzar, he's rejecting the foundational message of Adventism, prefiguring what's going on in our day and age, as Adventism is rejecting the foundational truths represented on these charts. Daniel chapter 6 is identifying the testing process that takes place among God's people when the whole earth, not just the United States, passes the Sunday law and turns upon the Sabbath keepers. Daniel 1 through 6 is giving a parallel figurative history of the history of the 144,000. And when the Lord reaches the point where he begins to open up these truths, only one thing can be determined, in my understanding, and that is that the handwriting is now up on the wall for Adventism. Shall we pray? Heavenly Father, we wish to be among those that have the ability to stand before you and stand before kings at a time period when the handwriting is on the wall, when Babylon's falling. We wish to be among those that Daniel was representing in chapter 5. But we know that the everlasting gospel produces two classes of worshippers among your people, and that when this message arrives among your people, we're in a Laodicean condition, we are the valley of dead, dry bones, and you've given us free will to respond to this message either accordingly or against. We ask that you do whatever it takes in each of our lives to allow us to put things in order that we might be among those that Daniel is representing here at the end of the world. We wish to participate in finishing this work that we might go home and be with you for eternity. We ask that you accomplish this upon us, in Jesus' name, Amen.