Article

# The Seventy Forgotten Years of Tyre

Sedamdeset zaboravljenih godina Tira

The Seventy Forgotten Years of Tyre

Sedamdeset zaboravljenih godina Tira

Author

Jeff Pippenger

Published

August 12, 2023

Formats

PDF
Word
Song MP3

All the prophets identify the end of the world.

Svi proroci prepoznaju svršetak svijeta.

> “Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours, so that their prophesying is in force 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 they did 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. . . .

> „Svaki od drevnih proroka govorio je manje za svoje vrijeme nego za naše, tako da je njihovo prorokovanje na snazi za nas. ‘A sve se to njima događalo za primjer; i napisano je za upozorenje nama, kojima su došli svršeci vjekova.’ 1. Korinćanima 10:11. ‘Njima je bilo objavljeno da ne sebi, nego nama služe onim što vam je sada naviješteno po onima koji su vam propovijedali evanđelje po Duhu Svetome poslanom s neba; u što anđeli žele proniknuti.’ 1. Petrova 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.” Selected Messages, book 3, 338, 339.

> „Biblija je nagomilala i sabrala svoja blaga za ovaj posljednji naraštaj. Svi veliki događaji i svečani prizori iz povijesti Staroga zavjeta bili su, i jesu, ponavljani u crkvi u ovim posljednjim danima.” Selected Messages, knjiga 3, 338, 339.

All the books of the Bible conclude in the book of Revelation.

Sve knjige Biblije završavaju u Knjizi Otkrivenja.

> “In the Revelation all the books of the Bible meet and end.” Acts of the Apostles, 585.

> „U Otkrivenju se sve knjige Biblije susreću i završavaju.“ Djela apostolska, 585.

The final warning message for planet earth’s inhabitants is identified in Revelation eighteen.

Posljednja poruka upozorenja stanovnicima planeta Zemlje prepoznaje se u osamnaestom poglavlju Otkrivenja.

> And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 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, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. Revelation 18:1–3.

> I nakon toga vidjeh drugoga anđela kako silazi s neba, imajući veliku vlast; i zemlja se rasvijetli od njegove slave. I povika snažno jakim glasom govoreći: Pade, pade Babilon veliki i postade prebivalište đavola, i tamnica svakomu nečistomu duhu, i krletka svakoj nečistoj i mrskoj ptici. Jer svi su narodi pili od vina gnjeva njezina bludničenja, i kraljevi zemaljski s njom su bludničili, i trgovci zemaljski obogatili su se od obilja njezinih raskoši. Otkrivenje 18:1–3.

The phrase “Babylon the great” represents the Roman Catholic church and in Isaiah chapter twenty-three “Babylon the great” is represented as Tyre.

Izraz „Babilon veliki” predstavlja Rimokatoličku crkvu, a u dvadeset i trećem poglavlju Izaije „Babilon veliki” prikazan je kao Tir.

> The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them. Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished. And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations. Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins. As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn. Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength. He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the Lord hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof. And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest. Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste. And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing. Isaiah 23:1–18.

> Proroštvo o Tiru. Naricajte, lađe taršiške, jer je razoren, te nema ni kuće ni ulaza; iz zemlje Kitimske objavljeno im je. Umuknite, stanovnici otoka, tebe su napunili trgovci sidonski koji prelaze morem. I po velikim vodama sjeme Šihora, žetva rijeke, bijaše njezin prihod; i ona bijaše tržnica narodima. Postidi se, Sidone, jer more je progovorilo, sila morska govoreći: Ne trpim porođajne muke niti rađam, ne othranjujem mladiće niti odgajam djevice. Kao na vijest o Egiptu, tako će se silno mučiti na vijest o Tiru. Prijeđite u Taršiš; naricajte, stanovnici otoka. Je li to vaš radosni grad, kojemu je postanak od drevnih dana? Njezine će je vlastite noge odnijeti daleko da se skita. Tko je ovo naumio protiv Tira, grada koji ovjenčava, čiji su trgovci knezovi, čiji su prekupci uglednici zemlje? Gospodin nad vojskama naumio je to, da oskvrne oholost svake slave i da izvrgne preziru sve uglednike zemlje. Razlij se po svojoj zemlji kao rijeka, kćeri Taršiška; nema više snage. On je ispružio svoju ruku nad morem, potresao kraljevstva; Gospodin je izdao zapovijed protiv trgovačkoga grada da uništi njegove utvrde. I reče: Nećeš se više veseliti, ti potlačena djevice, kćeri Sidonska; ustani, prijeđi u Kitim; ni ondje nećeš imati počinka. Evo zemlje Kaldejaca; toga naroda ne bijaše, dok ga Asirac ne utemelji onima koji prebivaju u pustinji; podigoše njegove kule, uzdigoše njegove palače, i on ga pretvori u ruševinu. Naricajte, lađe taršiške, jer je razorena vaša snaga. I dogodit će se u onaj dan da će Tir biti zaboravljen sedamdeset godina, prema danima jednoga kralja; nakon završetka sedamdeset godina Tir će pjevati kao bludnica. Uzmi harfu, obilazi gradom, bludnice zaboravljena; milo zasviraj, pjevaj mnoge pjesme, da te se sjete. I dogodit će se nakon završetka sedamdeset godina da će Gospodin pohoditi Tir, i ona će se vratiti svojoj zaradi te će bludničiti sa svim kraljevstvima svijeta po licu zemlje. A njezina trgovina i njezina zarada bit će svetinja Gospodinu; neće se gomilati niti pohranjivati, jer će njezina trgovina biti za one koji prebivaju pred Gospodinom, da jedu u izobilju i za trajnu odjeću. Izaija 23:1–18.

Sister White writes: “All the great events and solemn transactions of Old Testament history have been, and are, repeating themselves in the church in these last days.”

Sestra White piše: „Svi veliki događaji i svečani prizori povijesti Staroga zavjeta ponavljali su se i ponavljaju se u crkvi u ovim posljednjim danima.”

Isaiah twenty-three addresses the prophetic relationships of the United Nations, the Papacy, the United States and Islam. In order to recognize these truths certain symbols in the chapter must be defined by Inspiration. Once the symbols are defined, the sequence of events is fairly straightforward. The symbols in the chapter that need to be defined are:

Izaija dvadeset treće poglavlje obrađuje proročke odnose Ujedinjenih naroda, Papinstva, Sjedinjenih Američkih Država i islama. Da bi se te istine prepoznale, određeni simboli u tom poglavlju moraju biti određeni Nadahnućem. Kada se simboli odrede, slijed događaja prilično je jasan. Simboli u tom poglavlju koje treba odrediti jesu:

The Burden, Tyre, The harlot, The Assyrian, The land of the Chaldeans, Towers and Palaces, Tarshish, The Seed of Sihor, The Land of Chittim, Zidon, The Merchants City, The report of Egypt and the report of Tyre, The Howling, A Daughter, Seventy Years, The Days of One King, Forgetting, and Remembering

Proroštvo o Tiru, Bludnica, Asirac, Zemlja Kaldejaca, Kule i palače, Taršiš, Sjeme Sihora, Zemlja Kitima, Sidon, Grad trgovaca, Glas o Egiptu i glas o Tiru, Naricanje, Kći, Sedamdeset godina, Dani jednoga kralja, Zaboravljanje i prisjećanje

The word “burden” in verse one identifies a prophecy of doom against the kingdom of Tyre.

Riječ „breme” u prvome retku označava proročanstvo propasti protiv kraljevstva Tira.

Burden: H4853—From H5375; a burden; specifically tribute, or (abstractly) porterage; figuratively an utterance, chiefly a doom, especially singing; mental, desire: – burden, carry away, prophecy, X they set, song, tribute.

Breme: H4853 — Od H5375; breme; posebno danak, ili (apstraktno) nošenje tereta; figurativno izričaj, ponajprije osuda, osobito pjevanje; u umu, želja: – breme, odnijeti, proroštvo, X oni postavljaju, pjesma, danak.

The burden of Tyre is one of many passages in the Bible where the final judgment of the Roman Catholic church is identified. A “burden” by use and definition is a prophecy, and primarily a prophecy of doom. There are eleven “burdens” in Isaiah and eight times the word is used to describe a burden carried on the shoulders. The eleven times the word “burden” is represented as prophecy of doom are Isaiah 13:1; 15:1; 17:1; 19:1; 21:1, 11, 13; 22:1; 30:6 and of course chapter twenty-three where we find the burden of Tyre. It is worthwhile to place all of Isaiah’s prophecies of doom together in order to evaluate which power is being represented in the last days. Eleven prophecies of doom are difficult to cover at one time, so I will give a brief definition of each doom prophecy to set the context for chapter twenty-three.

Proroštvo protiv Tira jedno je od mnogih mjesta u Bibliji na kojima se prepoznaje konačni sud nad Rimokatoličkom crkvom. „Proroštvo protiv” prema uporabi i definiciji jest proročanstvo, i to ponajprije proročanstvo propasti. U Izaiji postoji jedanaest takvih „proroštava protiv”, a osam se puta ta riječ rabi da opiše teret nošen na ramenima. Jedanaest puta kada je riječ „proroštvo protiv” prikazana kao proročanstvo propasti jesu: Izaija 13:1; 15:1; 17:1; 19:1; 21:1, 11, 13; 22:1; 30:6 i, naravno, dvadeset treće poglavlje gdje nalazimo proroštvo protiv Tira. Korisno je sve Izaijine proročke objave propasti staviti zajedno kako bi se procijenilo koja je sila predstavljena u posljednjim danima. Jedanaest proročanstava propasti teško je obuhvatiti odjednom, stoga ću dati kratku definiciju svakoga proročanstva propasti kako bih postavio kontekst za dvadeset treće poglavlje.

In chapter thirteen the prophecy of doom against Babylon is modern Babylon at the end of the world, which is the whore of Rome that is also illustrated in chapter seventeen of the book of Revelation.

U trinaestom poglavlju proročanstvo o propasti protiv Babilona odnosi se na suvremeni Babilon na svršetku svijeta, koji je rimska bludnica, a koja je također prikazana u sedamnaestom poglavlju knjige Otkrivenja.

> And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Revelation 17:1–5.

> I dođe jedan od sedmorice anđela koji imahu sedam čaša te progovori sa mnom govoreći mi: Dođi ovamo; pokazat ću ti sud nad velikom bludnicom koja sjedi na mnogim vodama; s kojom su kraljevi zemaljski blud činili, i stanovnici zemlje opili se vinom bluda njezina. I odnese me u duhu u pustinju: i vidjeh ženu gdje sjedi na zvijeri skerletne boje, punoj bogohulnih imena, koja imaše sedam glava i deset rogova. A žena bijaše odjevena u grimiz i skerlet te nakićena zlatom i dragim kamenjem i biserjem, držeći u ruci zlatnu čašu punu gadosti i nečistoće bluda svojega; a na čelu joj bijaše napisano ime: TAJNA, VELIKI BABILON, MAJKA BLUDNICA I GADOSTI ZEMALJSKIH. Otkrivenje 17:1–5.

I need to digress a little. The purpose of the study of the prophecy of Tyre is ultimately to align the prophetic history of the United States with that of the Seventh-day Adventist church. We will show that the government of the United States is one horn on the lamb-like beast of Revelation thirteen and that Protestantism that came out of the Dark Ages was the other horn. The horn of Protestantism became Millerite Adventism at the point the Protestants of the United States rejected the first angel’s message. When we have that in place, we will show that the history of the Protestant horn and the history of the Republican horn run parallel to one another and possess parallel prophetic characteristics. After all they are on the same beast representing that both horns are contemporary to one another. I will illustrate one example of this parallel of the horns of church and state in the United States. They both ‘forget’ in their own way.

Moram malo skrenuti s teme. Svrha proučavanja proročanstva o Tiru u konačnici je uskladiti proročku povijest Sjedinjenih Američkih Država s poviješću Crkve adventista sedmoga dana. Pokazat ćemo da je vlada Sjedinjenih Američkih Država jedan rog na janjetu sličnu zvijeri iz trinaestog poglavlja Otkrivenja, a da je protestantizam koji je izišao iz mračnoga srednjeg vijeka bio drugi rog. Rog protestantizma postao je mileritski adventizam u trenutku kada su protestanti Sjedinjenih Američkih Država odbacili poruku prvoga anđela. Kada to utvrdimo, pokazat ćemo da povijest protestantskoga roga i povijest republikanskoga roga teku usporedno jedna s drugom i posjeduju usporedna proročka obilježja. Uostalom, oni su na istoj zvijeri, što predstavlja da su oba roga suvremena jedan drugomu. Navest ću jedan primjer te usporednosti rogova crkve i države u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama. Oboje na svoj način „zaboravljaju“.

Isaiah twenty-three marks the prophetic point that the papal power is forgotten for seventy years, and in those seventy symbolic years men forget the papacy and why the Dark Ages are called the Dark Ages. The Protestant horn’s motto when they separated from the Catholic church was the Bible and the Bible alone. They forgot that the Bible informs us who the papacy really is. They forgot the message enshrined in the sacred document they were entrusted with, and professed to be the champion defenders of.

Dvadeset i treće poglavlje Izaije označava proročku točku u kojoj je papinska vlast zaboravljena tijekom sedamdeset godina, a u tih sedamdeset simboličkih godina ljudi zaboravljaju papinstvo i zašto se Mračni vijekovi nazivaju Mračnim vijekovima. Geslo protestantskoga roga, kada su se odvojili od Katoličke crkve, bilo je: Biblija i samo Biblija. Zaboravili su da nas Biblija obavještava tko papinstvo doista jest. Zaboravili su poruku pohranjenu u svetom dokumentu koji im je bio povjeren i za koji su tvrdili da su njegovi prvaci branitelji.

> “Those who become confused in their understanding of the word, who fail to see the meaning of antichrist, will surely place themselves on the side of antichrist. There is no time now for us to assimilate with the world. Daniel is standing in his lot and in his place. The prophecies of Daniel and of John are to be understood. They interpret each other. They give to the world truths which everyone should understand. These prophecies are to be witness in the world. By their fulfillment in these last days, they will explain themselves.” Kress Collection, 105.

> „Oni koji se zbune u svojem razumijevanju Riječi, koji ne uspiju uvidjeti značenje antikrista, zasigurno će se svrstati na stranu antikrista. Sada nije vrijeme da se poistovjećujemo sa svijetom. Daniel stoji u svojem dijelu i na svojem mjestu. Proročanstva Daniela i Ivana treba razumjeti. Ona tumače jedno drugo. Ona svijetu daju istine koje bi svatko trebao razumjeti. Ta proročanstva trebaju biti svjedočanstvo u svijetu. Svojim ispunjenjem u ovim posljednjim danima, ona će sama sebe objasniti.” Kress Collection, 105.

Likewise, the Republican horn representing the government of the United States was to be by the people and for the people, but the citizens of the United States have also forgotten the sacred document that they were entrusted with. That sacred document is the Constitution of the United States and the motto of the government that was designed to be for the people was the separation of church and state. They have forgotten the message of the Constitution they were entrusted with, and professed defenders of.

Isto tako, republikanski rog, koji predstavlja vladu Sjedinjenih Američkih Država, trebao je biti od naroda i za narod, ali su i građani Sjedinjenih Američkih Država zaboravili na sveti dokument koji im je bio povjeren. Taj sveti dokument jest Ustav Sjedinjenih Američkih Država, a geslo vlade koja je bila zamišljena da bude za narod bilo je odvajanje Crkve od države. Zaboravili su poruku Ustava koji im je bio povjeren i čiji su se branitelji priznavali.

> “And let it be remembered, it is the boast of Rome that she never changes. The principles of Gregory VII and Innocent III are still the principles of the Roman Catholic Church. And had she but the power, she would put them in practice with as much vigor now as in past centuries. Protestants little know what they are doing when they propose to accept the aid of Rome in the work of Sunday exaltation. While they are bent upon the accomplishment of their purpose, Rome is aiming to re-establish her power, to recover her lost supremacy. Let the principle once be established in the United States that the church may employ or control the power of the state; that religious observances may be enforced by secular laws; in short, that the authority of church and state is to dominate the conscience, and the triumph of Rome in this country is assured.

> „I neka se upamti: hvalisanje je Rima da se on nikada ne mijenja. Načela Grgura VII. i Inocenta III. još su uvijek načela Rimokatoličke crkve. I kada bi samo imao moć, on bi ih sada provodio s jednakom snagom kao i u prošlim stoljećima. Protestanti slabo znaju što čine kada predlažu da prihvate pomoć Rima u djelu uzvisivanja nedjelje. Dok su zaokupljeni ostvarenjem svoje namjere, Rim teži ponovno uspostaviti svoju vlast, povratiti svoju izgubljenu prevlast. Jednom li se u Sjedinjenim Državama uspostavi načelo da crkva može upotrebljavati ili nadzirati moć države; da se vjerski obredi mogu nametati svjetovnim zakonima; ukratko, da vlast crkve i države treba vladati savješću — pobjeda Rima u ovoj zemlji bit će osigurana.“

> “God’s word has given warning of the impending danger; let this be unheeded, and the Protestant world will learn what the purposes of Rome really are, only when it is too late to escape the snare. She is silently growing into power. Her doctrines are exerting their influence in legislative halls, in the churches, and in the hearts of men. She is piling up her lofty and massive structures in the secret recesses of which her former persecutions will be repeated. Stealthily and unsuspectedly she is strengthening her forces to further her own ends when the time shall come for her to strike. All that she desires is vantage ground, and this is already being given her. We shall soon see and shall feel what the purpose of the Roman element is. Whoever shall believe and obey the word of God will thereby incur reproach and persecution.” The Great Controversy, 581.

> „Božja riječ dala je upozorenje o nadolazećoj opasnosti; ako se na to ne obrati pozornost, protestantski će svijet spoznati kakve su doista namjere Rima tek kada bude prekasno da izbjegne zamku. Ona potiho raste u moći. Njezini nauci vrše svoj utjecaj u zakonodavnim dvoranama, u crkvama i u srcima ljudi. Ona podiže svoje uzvišene i goleme građevine, u čijim će se tajnim odajama ponoviti njezina nekadašnja progonstva. Potajno i neopaženo ona jača svoje snage kako bi promicala vlastite ciljeve kada dođe vrijeme da zada udarac. Sve što želi jest povoljan položaj, a to joj se već daje. Uskoro ćemo vidjeti i osjetiti koja je namjera rimskog elementa. Tko god bude vjerovao i slušao Božju riječ, time će navući na sebe prijekor i progonstvo.“ The Great Controversy, 581.

If you can locate any dictionary that was published before 1950, and look up “scarlet colored woman” or some variation of that phrase from Revelation seventeen, every one of those pre-1950 dictionaries identifies that the Roman Catholic church is the whore of Revelation seventeen. The United States, Revelation thirteen’s two-horned earth-beast forgets its past, whether it be the horn of Protestantism or the horn of Republicanism. Both of these institutions came about from the protest against the religious tyranny of the papacy and the political tyranny of the kings that supported her, or as the Bible says, the kings that “committed fornication” with her. Before we take up Isaiah twenty-three, we will briefly give an overview of the other ten times Isaiah identifies a ‘prophecy of doom,’ for all of the eleven “burdens” are just that.

Ako možete pronaći bilo koji rječnik objavljen prije 1950. godine i potražiti „ženu obučenu u skrlet” ili neku inačicu toga izraza iz sedamnaestog poglavlja Otkrivenja, svaki od tih rječnika objavljenih prije 1950. utvrđuje da je Rimokatolička crkva bludnica iz sedamnaestog poglavlja Otkrivenja. Sjedinjene Američke Države, zemaljska zvijer s dva roga iz trinaestog poglavlja Otkrivenja, zaboravljaju svoju prošlost, bilo da je riječ o rogu protestantizma ili rogu republikanizma. Obje su te ustanove proizašle iz prosvjeda protiv vjerske tiranije papinstva i političke tiranije kraljeva koji su je podupirali, ili, kako Biblija kaže, kraljeva koji su s njom „činili blud”. Prije nego što se pozabavimo dvadeset trećim poglavljem Izaije, ukratko ćemo dati pregled ostalih deset mjesta na kojima Izaija iznosi „proročanstvo o propasti”, jer svih jedanaest „bremena” upravo su to.

Isaiah thirteen is the burden of Babylon in the “last days.” Babylon, though controlled and directed by the Catholic church in the last days is made up of three powers that lead the world to Armageddon in chapter sixteen of Revelation. In chapter thirteen’s prophecy of doom against modern Babylon there are three powers represented; Babylon, Lucifer and Assyria representing the beast (Assyria), the dragon (Lucifer) and the false prophet (Babylon). Assyria and Babylon are the two desolating powers God employed to punish ancient Israel and Assyria came first taking the northern ten tribes into captivity and thereafter Babylon took the southern two tribes of Judah.

Izaija trinaest jest proroštvo protiv Babilona u „posljednjim danima“. Babilon, premda je u posljednjim danima pod nadzorom i upravom Katoličke crkve, sastoji se od triju sila koje vode svijet u Armagedon u šesnaestom poglavlju Otkrivenja. U proroštvu trinaestog poglavlja o propasti suvremenog Babilona predstavljene su tri sile: Babilon, Lucifer i Asirija, koji predstavljaju Zvijer (Asiriju), Zmaja (Lucifera) i Lažnog proroka (Babilon). Asirija i Babilon dvije su pustošne sile koje je Bog upotrijebio da kazni drevni Izrael, a Asirija je došla prva, odvodeći sjevernih deset plemena u sužanjstvo, nakon čega je Babilon odveo južna dva plemena Judina.

> Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. Jeremiah 50:17, 18.

> Izrael je raspršena ovca; lavovi su ga otjerali: najprije ga je proždro kralj Asirije, a na kraju mu je ovaj Nabukodonozor, kralj Babilona, polomio kosti. Stoga ovako govori Jahve nad vojskama, Bog Izraelov: Evo, kaznit ću kralja babilonskoga i njegovu zemlju, kao što sam kaznio kralja asirskoga. Jeremija 50,17.18.

First Assyria took the northern ten tribes of Israel into captivity and thereafter Babylon took the southern two tribes of Judah into captivity. Both of these captivities were fulfillment of Leviticus twenty-six’s “seven times.” The “seven times” of Leviticus was the very first “time prophecy” William Miller discovered, and it identifies that when Assyria captured the northern tribe it marked the beginning of a scattering that continued for twenty-five hundred and twenty years. That period began at their captivity in 723BC and ended at the “time of the end” in 1798. The southern tribes were taken by Babylon in 677BC, beginning the “seven times” against Judah which ended at the same point as the 2300-year prophecy of Daniel eight verse fourteen, on October 22, 1844. Assyria and Babylon fulfilled the same purpose of punishment against the rebellion of God’s people, but the punishment was first carried out by Assyria and then by Babylon.

Najprije je Asirija odvela u sužanjstvo sjevernih deset plemena Izraelovih, a potom je Babilon odveo u sužanjstvo južna dva plemena Judina. Oba ova sužanjstva bila su ispunjenje levitskih „sedam vremena” iz Levitskog zakonika 26. Ta „sedam vremena” iz Levitskog zakonika bilo je prvo „vremensko proročanstvo” koje je William Miller otkrio, i ono pokazuje da je, kada je Asirija zarobila sjeverno pleme, time bio označen početak raspršenja koje je trajalo dvije tisuće petsto dvadeset godina. To je razdoblje započelo njihovim sužanjstvom 723. pr. Kr. i završilo u „vremenu svršetka” 1798. godine. Južna su plemena odvedena od Babilona 677. pr. Kr., čime su započela „sedam vremena” protiv Jude, koja su završila u istoj točki kao i proročanstvo o 2300 godina iz Daniela 8,14, 22. listopada 1844. Asirija i Babilon ispunili su istu svrhu kazne nad pobunom Božjega naroda, ali je kazna najprije bila izvršena po Asiriji, a potom po Babilonu.

In the prophetic relationship of the three powers in chapter thirteen Babylon is the image of Assyria, for she came after but did the same work against God’s people.

U proročkom odnosu triju sila u trinaestom poglavlju Babilon je slika Asirije, jer je došao poslije, ali je obavljao isto djelo protiv Božjega naroda.

In chapter fifteen, the burden against Moab is against the Protestant churches.

U petnaestom poglavlju proroštvo protiv Moaba usmjereno je protiv protestantskih crkava.

> “This description of Moab represents the churches that have become like Moab. They have not stood at their post of duty as faithful sentinels. They have not cooperated with the heavenly intelligences by exercising their God-given ability to do the will of God, pressing back the powers of darkness, and using every power God has given them to advance truth and righteousness in our world. They have a knowledge of the truth, but they have not practiced what they know.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 4, 1159.

> „Ovaj opis Moaba predstavlja crkve koje su postale poput Moaba. One nisu stajale na svojoj dužnosti kao vjerni stražari. Nisu surađivale s nebeskim bićima tako što bi primjenjivale svoju od Boga danu sposobnost da vrše volju Božju, potiskujući sile tame i koristeći svaku sposobnost koju im je Bog dao za unapređivanje istine i pravednosti u našem svijetu. One imaju spoznaju istine, ali nisu provodile ono što znaju.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, svezak 4, 1159.

The Protestant church that has fallen is the church that continued to walk with the Lord when the rest of Protestantism fled at the second angel’s message. Moab is Adventism, the fallen Protestant horn.

Pala protestantska crkva jest crkva koja je nastavila hoditi s Gospodinom kada je ostatak protestantizma pobjegao pred viješću drugoga anđela. Moab je adventizam, pali protestantski rog.

Chapter seventeen is about Damascus, and it is identified as a city that is taken away. A city is a symbol of a kingdom and the kingdom that is taken away in the “last days” is the United States.

Sedamnaesto poglavlje govori o Damasku, i on je označen kao grad koji će biti uklonjen. Grad je simbol kraljevstva, a kraljevstvo koje će biti uklonjeno u „posljednjim danima” jesu Sjedinjene Američke Države.

Chapter nineteen is the prophecy of doom against Egypt, representing the United Nations and the whole world.

Devetnaesto poglavlje proročanstvo je propasti protiv Egipta, koji predstavlja Ujedinjene narode i sav svijet.

The next three prophecies of doom in chapter twenty-one are against the terrible desert land of the south, Dumah and Arabia. These three prophecies of doom identify Islam, in agreement with the three woes of Revelation 8:13.

Sljedeća tri proročanstva o propasti u dvadeset i prvom poglavlju usmjerena su protiv strašne pustinjske zemlje na jugu, Dume i Arabije. Ta tri proročanstva o propasti prepoznaju islam, u skladu s tri jao iz Otkrivenja 8,13.

The prophecy of doom in chapter twenty-two portrays the separation of the Laodicean Adventists from the Philadelphian Adventists at the Sunday law.

Proročanstvo propasti u dvadeset i drugom poglavlju prikazuje odvajanje laodicejskih adventista od filadelfijskih adventista prilikom nedjeljnog zakona.

And then in chapter thirty we find the burden of the beasts of the south, which is a second illustration of the rebellion of Laodicean Adventists. Bringing all the burdens of Isaiah together virtually addresses every prophetic player in the “last days.” I am selecting Isaiah twenty-three in order to demonstrate that the history of the United States, as the sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy, reigns from 1798 to the Sunday law.

A zatim u tridesetom poglavlju nalazimo breme zvijeri juga, što je druga ilustracija pobune laodicejskih adventista. Obuhvaćanje svih bremena iz Izaije zajedno praktično se obraća svakom proročkom sudioniku u „posljednjim danima“. Odabirem Izaiju dvadeset i tri kako bih pokazao da povijest Sjedinjenih Američkih Država, kao šestoga kraljevstva biblijskog proročanstva, vlada od 1798. do zakona o nedjelji.

Because “each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours, so that their prophesying is in force for us,” every prophetic utterance is addressing the events at the end of the world. This truth combined with the fact that “all the books of the Bible meet and end” in the book of Revelation, establishes the book of Revelation as the point of reference for aligning the prophetic testimony about the events at the end of the world.

Budući da je „svaki od drevnih proroka govorio manje za svoje vrijeme nego za naše, tako da je njihovo prorokovanje na snazi za nas“, svaka proročka izjava odnosi se na događaje na svršetku svijeta. Ta istina, zajedno s činjenicom da se „sve knjige Biblije sastaju i završavaju“ u knjizi Otkrivenja, uspostavlja knjigu Otkrivenja kao uporišnu točku za usklađivanje proročkoga svjedočanstva o događajima na svršetku svijeta.

In the seventeenth chapter of Revelation, we see the great whore that commits fornication with the kings of the earth and her final judgment.

U sedamnaestom poglavlju Otkrivenja vidimo veliku bludnicu koja bludniči sa kraljevima zemaljskim i njezin konačni sud.

> And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. Revelation 17:1, 2.

> I dođe jedan od sedam anđela koji imahu sedam čaša te progovori sa mnom govoreći mi: Dođi ovamo; pokazat ću ti sud nad velikom bludnicom koja sjedi na mnogim vodama; s kojom su kraljevi zemaljski blud činili, i stanovnici zemlje opili se vinom njezina bluda. Otkrivenje 17:1, 2.

The prophets never contradict one another.

Proroci nikada ne proturječe jedan drugomu.

> And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 1 Corinthians 14:32, 33.

> I duhovi proroka podložni su prorocima. Jer Bog nije začetnik zbrke, nego mira, kao u svim crkvama svetih. 1. Korinćanima 14:32, 33.

At the end of the world “the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters,” the great whore with “whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,” the great whore that has made “the inhabitants of the earth” drunk “with the wine of her fornication;” is represented by Isaiah as the “harlot” who is forgotten for “the days of one king,” or seventy prophetic years. When the seventy years conclude Tyre “shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world.” Isaiah’s harlot is John’s great whore. Isaiah’s harlot and John’s whore represent the Roman Catholic church, for a woman is a symbol of a church in God’s Word.

Na svršetku svijeta „sud velike bludnice koja sjedi na mnogim vodama“, velike bludnice „s kojom su kraljevi zemaljski bludničili“, velike bludnice koja je „stanovnike zemlje“ opila „vinom svoga bluda“; kod Izaije je predstavljena kao „bludnica“ koja biva zaboravljena za „dane jednoga kralja“, odnosno sedamdeset proročkih godina. Kada se tih sedamdeset godina navrši, Tir „će bludničiti sa svim kraljevstvima svijeta“. Izaijina bludnica jest Ivanova velika bludnica. Izaijina bludnica i Ivanova bludnica predstavljaju Rimokatoličku crkvu, jer je žena u Božjoj Riječi simbol crkve.

> Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Ephesians 5:22–33.

> Žene, pokoravajte se svojim muževima kao Gospodinu. Jer muž je glava ženi, kao što je i Krist glava Crkvi; i on je Spasitelj tijela. Stoga, kao što se Crkva pokorava Kristu, tako neka se i žene pokoravaju svojim muževima u svemu. Muževi, ljubite svoje žene, kao što je i Krist ljubio Crkvu te sebe predao za nju, da je posveti očistivši je kupelju vode u riječi, da je sebi privede kao slavnu Crkvu, bez ljage ili bore ili ičega tomu slična, nego da bude sveta i bez mane. Tako su i muževi dužni ljubiti svoje žene kao svoja vlastita tijela. Tko ljubi svoju ženu, sebe ljubi. Ta nitko nikada nije mrzio svoje vlastito tijelo, nego ga hrani i njeguje, kao i Gospodin Crkvu. Jer udovi smo njegova tijela, od njegova mesa i od njegovih kostiju. Stoga će čovjek ostaviti oca i majku te prionuti uza svoju ženu, i njih će dvoje biti jedno tijelo. Ovo je velika tajna, a ja govorim o Kristu i o Crkvi. Stoga neka svaki od vas ljubi svoju ženu kao samoga sebe, a žena neka iskazuje poštovanje svome mužu. Efežanima 5:22–33.

The apostle Paul identifies that the church of Christ is prophetically represented as a woman. Therefore, a woman in prophecy is a church, but Christ’s church is “holy and without blemish.” An unholy church is represented as an unholy woman, thus Isaiah identifies a harlot and John a whore. They represent the papacy as a whore and God’s church is a virgin.

Apostol Pavao prepoznaje da je Kristova crkva proročki predstavljena kao žena. Stoga je žena u proročanstvu crkva, no Kristova je crkva „sveta i bez mane“. Nesveta crkva predstavljena je kao nesveta žena; tako Izaija označuje bludnicu, a Ivan kurvu. One predstavljaju papinstvo kao kurvu, a Božja je crkva djevica.

> For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2.

> Jer ja revnujem za vama Božjom ljubomorom, jer sam vas zaručio za jednoga muža, da vas privedem Kristu kao čistu djevicu. 2. Korinćanima 11,2.

Not only is God’s church represented as a virgin, but she is espoused to only one husband. Tyre and John’s great whore commit fornication with the kings of the earth. The Catholic church has relations with several men, not one. Daniel informs us the kings are kingdoms.

Božja Crkva nije samo prikazana kao djevica, nego je zaručena samo za jednoga muža. Tir i velika bludnica iz Ivanova viđenja čine blud s kraljevima zemaljskim. Katolička crkva ima odnose s više muškaraca, a ne s jednim. Daniel nas obavješćuje da su kraljevi kraljevstva.

> This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. Daniel 2:36–40.

> Ovo je san; a njegovo ćemo tumačenje kazati pred kraljem. Ti, o kralju, jesi kralj nad kraljevima; jer Bog nebeski dao ti je kraljevstvo, moć, silu i slavu. I gdje god prebivaju sinovi ljudski, zvijeri poljske i ptice nebeske dao je u tvoju ruku te te je učinio vladarem nad svima njima. Ti si ta glava od zlata. A nakon tebe ustat će drugo kraljevstvo, manje od tvojega, i potom treće kraljevstvo od mjedi, koje će vladati svom zemljom. I četvrto će kraljevstvo biti jako kao željezo; jer kao što željezo sve razbija i satire, tako će ono, poput željeza koje sve to lomi, razbiti i zdrobiti. Daniel 2:36–40.

In Daniel two, the kingdoms of Bible prophecy are identified and explained. As Daniel explains the dream to Nebuchadnezzar, he informs Nebuchadnezzar that he is the head of gold. The head of gold is a king, but a king represents a kingdom. The Roman Catholic church is the great harlot that commits fornication with all the kings of the earth at the end of seventy prophetic years. The kings are symbolic of men, and Tyre is an impure woman. A woman is a church, a whore is an unholy church; a man is a king and a king is a kingdom. A woman is a church and a king is a state. The unlawful relationship of these two entities represents spiritual fornication.

U drugom poglavlju Daniela kraljevstva biblijskog proroštva prepoznata su i objašnjena. Dok Daniel tumači san Nabukodonozoru, obavještava Nabukodonozora da je on glava od zlata. Glava od zlata jest kralj, ali kralj predstavlja kraljevstvo. Rimokatolička crkva velika je bludnica koja čini blud sa svim kraljevima zemlje na kraju sedamdeset proročkih godina. Kraljevi su simbol muškaraca, a Tir je nečista žena. Žena je crkva, bludnica je nesveta crkva; muškarac je kralj, a kralj je kraljevstvo. Žena je crkva, a kralj je država. Nezakonit odnos tih dvaju entiteta predstavlja duhovni blud.

The Constitution of the United States is a divine document that enshrines the necessity of keeping these two entities separate. Though we are not yet finished with identifying Tyre as the Roman Catholic church, it seems appropriate at this point to address another symbol in Isaiah twenty-three that explains the symbolism of man and woman—church and state.

Ustav Sjedinjenih Američkih Država božanski je dokument koji utvrđuje nužnost održavanja razdvojenosti tih dvaju entiteta. Premda još nismo završili s poistovjećivanjem Tira s Rimokatoličkom crkvom, čini se prikladnim da se na ovome mjestu osvrnemo na još jedan simbol u Izaiji dvadeset i trećem koji objašnjava simboliku muškarca i žene — crkve i države.

> Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin. Isaiah 23:13.

> Evo zemlje Kaldejaca; toga naroda ne bijaše, dok je Asirac ne utemelji za one koji prebivaju u pustinji: podigoše njezine kule, uzdigoše njezine palače; i on je pretvori u ruševinu. Izaija 23:13.

In the verse, the Assyrian founded the land of the Chaldeans and set up both “towers” and “palaces.” The Assyrian is a symbol of Nimrod, and the Chaldeans represent the religious leaders of Babylon’s mystery religions. A “tower” is a symbol of a church. When Jesus set forth the parable of the vineyard, Sister White comments on the parable as follows:

U retku je Asirac utemeljio zemlju Kaldejaca i podigao i „kule” i „palače”. Asirac je simbol Nimroda, a Kaldejci predstavljaju vjerske vođe babilonskih tajanstvenih religija. „Kula” je simbol crkve. Kad je Isus iznio prispodobu o vinogradu, sestra White ovako komentira tu prispodobu:

> “In the parable the householder represented God, the vineyard the Jewish nation, and the hedge the divine law which was their protection. The tower was a symbol of the temple.” Desire of Ages, 596.

> „U prispodobi je domaćin predstavljao Boga, vinograd židovski narod, a ograda božanski zakon koji je bio njihova zaštita. Kula je bila simbol hrama.” Čežnja vjekova, 596.

The Assyrian founded the land of the Chaldeans who set up a church (tower) and a “palace.” A “palace’ represents a “king” which in turn represents a kingdom. A kingdom is also represented as a city.

Asirac je utemeljio zemlju Kaldejaca koji su podigli crkvu (kulu) i „palaču“. „Palača“ predstavlja „kralja“, koji pak predstavlja kraljevstvo. Kraljevstvo se također prikazuje kao grad.

> And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. Genesis 11:4.

> I rekoše: Hajde da sebi sazidamo grad i kulu kojoj će vrh dopirati do neba; i steknimo sebi ime, da se ne raspršimo po svoj zemlji. Postanak 11,4.

The “tower” and “palace” that the Assyrian founded are the “city” and “tower” which Nimrod built.

„kula” i „palača” koje je Asirac utemeljio jesu „grad” i „kula” koje je sagradio Nimrod.

> And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Revelation 11:8.

> I njihova će mrtva tijela ležati na ulici velikoga grada, koji se duhovno naziva Sodoma i Egipat, gdje je i Gospodin naš bio razapet. Otkrivenje 11,8.

Inspiration informs us the “great city” in Revelation eleven represents the kingdom of France during the period of the French Revolution.

Nadahnjuje nas obavješćuje da „veliki grad” u jedanaestom poglavlju Otkrivenja predstavlja kraljevstvo Francuske u razdoblju Francuske revolucije.

> “‘The great city’ in whose streets the witnesses are slain, and where their dead bodies lie, is ‘spiritually’ Egypt. Of all nations presented in Bible history, Egypt most boldly denied the existence of the living God and resisted His commands. No monarch ever ventured upon more open and highhanded rebellion against the authority of Heaven than did the king of Egypt. When the message was brought him by Moses, in the name of the Lord, Pharaoh proudly answered: ‘Who is Jehovah, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, and moreover I will not let Israel go.’ Exodus 5:2, A.R.V. This is atheism, and the nation represented by Egypt would give voice to a similar denial of the claims of the living God and would manifest a like spirit of unbelief and defiance. ‘The great city’ is also compared, ‘spiritually,’ to Sodom. The corruption of Sodom in breaking the law of God was especially manifested in licentiousness. And this sin was also to be a pre-eminent characteristic of the nation that should fulfill the specifications of this scripture.

> „‘Veliki grad’ na čijim su ulicama svjedoci ubijeni i gdje leže njihova mrtva tijela jest ‘duhovno’ Egipat. Od svih naroda prikazanih u biblijskoj povijesti, Egipat je najodvažnije nijekao postojanje živoga Boga i opirao se Njegovim zapovijedima. Nijedan se vladar nikada nije usudio na otvoreniju i drskiju pobunu protiv autoriteta Neba od egipatskoga kralja. Kada mu je Mojsije, u ime Gospodnje, donio poruku, faraon je oholo odgovorio: ‘Tko je Jahve da poslušam glas njegov i pustim Izraela? Ne poznajem Jahvu, niti ću pustiti Izraela.’ Izlazak 5:2. To je ateizam, i narod koji je predstavljen Egiptom dao bi glas sličnom nijekanju prava živoga Boga i pokazao bi isti duh nevjere i prkosa. ‘Veliki grad’ također se, ‘duhovno’, uspoređuje sa Sodomom. Pokvarenost Sodome u prijestupu Božjega zakona osobito se očitovala u razvratnosti. A taj je grijeh također trebao biti istaknuto obilježje naroda koji će ispuniti odrednice ovoga Pisma.“

> “According to the words of the prophet, then, a little before the year 1798 some power of satanic origin and character would rise to make war upon the Bible. And in the land where the testimony of God’s two witnesses should thus be silenced, there would be manifest the atheism of the Pharaoh and the licentiousness of Sodom.

> „Prema riječima proroka, dakle, nešto prije godine 1798. uzdigla bi se neka sila sotonskoga podrijetla i obilježja da povede rat protiv Biblije. A u zemlji u kojoj bi svjedočanstvo dvaju Božjih svjedoka tako bilo ušutkano, očitovao bi se faraonov ateizam i razvratnost Sodome.

> “This prophecy has received a most exact and striking fulfillment in the history of France. During the Revolution, in 1793, ‘the world for the first time heard an assembly of men, born and educated in civilization, and assuming the right to govern one of the finest of the European nations, uplift their united voice to deny the most solemn truth which man’s soul receives, and renounce unanimously the belief and worship of a Deity.’—Sir Walter Scott, Life of Napoleon, vol. 1, ch. 17. ‘France is the only nation in the world concerning which the authentic record survives, that as a nation she lifted her hand in open rebellion against the Author of the universe. Plenty of blasphemers, plenty of infidels, there have been, and still continue to be, in England, Germany, Spain, and elsewhere; but France stands apart in the world’s history as the single state which, by the decree of her Legislative Assembly, pronounced that there was no God, and of which the entire population of the capital, and a vast majority elsewhere, women as well as men, danced and sang with joy in accepting the announcement.’—Blackwood’s Magazine, November, 1870.” The Great Controversy, 269.

> „Ovo je proročanstvo dobilo najtočnije i najupečatljivije ispunjenje u povijesti Francuske. Tijekom Revolucije, 1793. godine, ‘svijet je po prvi put čuo skupštinu ljudi, rođenih i odgojenih u civilizaciji, kako, prisvajajući sebi pravo da upravlja jednim od najizvrsnijih europskih naroda, podižu svoj zajednički glas da zaniječu najsvečaniju istinu koju prima ljudska duša te jednodušno odbace vjeru u Božanstvo i štovanje Božanstva.’ — Sir Walter Scott, Life of Napoleon, sv. 1, pogl. 17. ‘Francuska je jedini narod na svijetu o kojem je sačuvan vjerodostojan zapis da je kao narod podigla svoju ruku u otvorenoj pobuni protiv Tvorca svemira. Bilo je mnogo hulitelja, mnogo nevjernika, i još ih ima, u Engleskoj, Njemačkoj, Španjolskoj i drugdje; ali Francuska stoji izdvojena u svjetskoj povijesti kao jedina država koja je odlukom svoje Zakonodavne skupštine proglasila da nema Boga, i čije je cjelokupno stanovništvo prijestolnice, a velika većina i drugdje, žene kao i muškarci, plesalo i pjevalo od radosti prihvaćajući tu objavu.’ — Blackwood’s Magazine, studeni 1870.” Velika borba, 269.

The “great city” in Revelation eleven was the nation of France that passed a “decree of her Legislative Assembly” pronouncing that there was no God. The decree was an expression of atheism as represented by the rebellion of Pharaoh. A great city is a kingdom, or a “nation” or a “state.” In Revelation eleven France consists of two symbols—Egypt and Sodom.

„Veliki grad” u jedanaestom poglavlju Otkrivenja bio je narod Francuske koji je donio „odluku svoje Zakonodavne skupštine” proglašavajući da Boga nema. Ta je odluka bila izraz ateizma, kako ga predstavlja faraonova pobuna. Veliki grad jest kraljevstvo, ili „narod” ili „država”. U jedanaestom poglavlju Otkrivenja Francuska se sastoji od dvaju simbola — Egipta i Sodome.

We are informed, “This is atheism, and the nation represented by Egypt would give voice to a similar denial of the claims of the living God and would manifest a like spirit of unbelief and defiance. ‘The great city’ is also compared, ‘spiritually,’ to Sodom. The corruption of Sodom in breaking the law of God was especially manifested in licentiousness.”

Obaviješteni smo: „To je ateizam, a narod predstavljen Egiptom izrazio bi slično nijekanje zahtjeva živoga Boga i očitovao srodan duh nevjere i prkosa. ‘Veliki grad’ također se, ‘duhovno’, uspoređuje sa Sodomom. Pokvarenost Sodome u kršenju Božjega zakona osobito se očitovala u razuzdanosti.”

The great city or nation of France is symbolically represented by a nation (Egypt) and a city (Sodom.) Egypt “would give voice,” and the speaking of a nation represents statecraft, not churchcraft. Egypt was the state and Sodom was the church is the representation found in chapter eleven of Revelation

Veliki grad ili narod Francuske simbolički je predstavljen narodom (Egipat) i gradom (Sodoma). Egipat bi „dao glas“, a govor naroda predstavlja državnu politiku, a ne crkvenu upravu. Egipat je bio država, a Sodoma crkva — to je prikaz koji nalazimo u jedanaestom poglavlju Otkrivenja.

> “The ‘speaking’ of the nation is the action of its legislative and judicial authorities.” The Great Controversy, 442.

> „‘Govorenje’ naroda djelovanje je njegovih zakonodavnih i sudskih vlasti.” The Great Controversy, 442.

In Revelation eleven John sets forth the events of the French Revolution in prophetic symbolism. The actual Revolution provided ample historical evidence of the validity of John’s predictions in the chapter. John predicted, then the French Revolution fulfilled the prediction, and then in turn—both the prediction and the historical fulfillment of the prediction identify and parallel events at the end of the world, when once again a corrupt state is combined with a corrupt church. Of course, a bloodbath follows that unholy marriage. The kingdom of God is also a great city.

U jedanaestom poglavlju Otkrivenja Ivan iznosi događaje Francuske revolucije u proročkoj simbolici. Sama Revolucija pružila je obilje povijesnih dokaza o valjanosti Ivanovih predviđanja u tom poglavlju. Ivan je prorekao, zatim je Francuska revolucija ispunila proročanstvo, a potom — i proročanstvo i njegovo povijesno ispunjenje — predočuju i uspoređuju događaje na svršetku svijeta, kada se ponovno iskvarena država sjedinjuje s iskvarenom crkvom. Naravno, nakon toga nesvetog braka slijedi krvoproliće. Kraljevstvo Božje također je veliki grad.

> And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. Revelation 21:10.

> I odnese me u duhu na veliku i visoku goru te mi pokaza onaj veliki grad, sveti Jeruzalem, gdje silazi s neba od Boga. Otkrivenje 21,10.

> “The coming of the bridegroom, here brought to view, takes place before the marriage. The marriage represents the reception by Christ of His kingdom. The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which is the capital and representative of the kingdom, is called ‘the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ Said the angel to John: ‘Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ ‘He carried me away in the spirit,’ says the prophet, ‘and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.’ Revelation 21:9, 10.” The Great Controversy, 426.

> „Dolazak zaručnika, koji se ovdje stavlja pred oči, zbiva se prije svadbe. Svadba predstavlja Kristovo primanje njegova kraljevstva. Sveti Grad, Novi Jeruzalem, koji je prijestolnica i predstavnik kraljevstva, naziva se ‘zaručnica, žena Jaganjčeva’. Anđeo reče Ivanu: ‘Dođi amo, pokazat ću ti zaručnicu, ženu Jaganjčevu.’ ‘I prenese me u duhu’, kaže prorok, ‘i pokaza mi onaj veliki grad, sveti Jeruzalem, gdje silazi s neba od Boga.’ Otkrivenje 21:9, 10.“ Velika borba, 426.

Nimrod’s rebellion is represented by his building a tower and a city, which typifies the combination of church and state at the end of the world, for all the prophets spoke of the end of the world. Nimrod’s rebellion was also a continuation of the rebellion of Lucifer whose desire was to take control of both God’s church and God’s state.

Nimrodova pobuna prikazana je njegovim građenjem kule i grada, što predočuje spoj crkve i države na svršetku svijeta, jer su svi proroci govorili o svršetku svijeta. Nimrodova pobuna bila je također nastavak pobune Lucifera, čija je želja bila preuzeti vlast i nad Božjom crkvom i nad Božjom državom.

> How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:12–14.

> Kako pade s neba, o Luciferu, sine zorin! kako si oboren na zemlju, ti koji si oslabljivao narode! Jer si govorio u srcu svome: Uzići ću na nebesa, povisit ću prijestolje svoje iznad zvijezda Božjih; sjest ću i na goru zbora, na krajnjem sjeveru; uzdići ću se iznad visina oblaka; bit ću kao Svevišnji. Izaija 14:12–14.

As Isaiah reveals Lucifer’s secret heart-desires to be “like the most High,” he points out that Lucifer is seeking to be seated in two distinctly different chairs. He wishes to “exalt” his “throne above the stars of God” and to “sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.”

Dok Izaija razotkriva Luciferove tajne želje srca da bude „kao Svevišnji“, on ističe da Lucifer nastoji sjesti na dvije izrazito različite stolice. On želi „uzvisiti“ svoje „prijestolje iznad zvijezda Božjih“ i „sjediti i na gori zbora, na krajnjem sjeveru“.

The throne is a symbol of the king’s authority—or state authority and “the sides of the north” is God’s church.

Prijestolje je simbol kraljeve vlasti — odnosno državne vlasti — a „strane sjevera” Božja su crkva.

> A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge. Psalm 48:1–3.

> Pjesma i psalam sinova Korahovih. Velik je Gospodin i dostojan svake hvale u gradu Boga našega, na svetoj gori njegovoj. Divna je po svome položaju, radost svoj zemlji, gora Sion, na krajnjem sjeveru, grad velikoga Kralja. Bog je poznat u palačama njegovim kao utočište. Psalam 48:1–3.

Jerusalem is “the city of the great King,” thus marking the political throne of God, and Jerusalem is also “the mountain of his holiness,” “on the sides of the north,” thus marking the religious throne of God. From the beginning Satan’s rebellion and warfare are portrayed within the context of his desire to rule over both God’s church and God’s state. Satan thereafter led in the rebellion of Nimrod and the land that he founded for the Chaldeans is represented as a land where Nimrod built both a tower and a city—church and state.

Jeruzalem je „grad velikoga Kralja“, čime se označuje političko prijestolje Božje, a Jeruzalem je također „gora svetosti njegove“, „na sjevernim stranama“, čime se označuje vjersko prijestolje Božje. Od samoga početka Sotonina pobuna i ratovanje prikazani su u okviru njegove želje da zavlada i nad crkvom Božjom i nad državom Božjom. Sotona je potom predvodio Nimrodovu pobunu, a zemlja koju je on utemeljio za Kaldejce predstavljena je kao zemlja u kojoj je Nimrod sagradio i kulu i grad — crkvu i državu.

Therefore, when Isaiah’s harlot and John’s great whore commit fornication with the kings of the earth, prophecy is marking that an unholy relationship takes place between the Roman Catholic church and the kings of the earth at the end of seventy prophetic years.

Stoga, kada Izaijina bludnica i Ivanova velika bludnica čine blud s kraljevima zemaljskim, proročanstvo označuje da se na svršetku sedamdeset proročkih godina uspostavlja nesvet odnos između Rimokatoličke crkve i kraljeva zemaljskih.

Isaiah’s line of prophecy describes the judgment of the harlot Tyre in chapter twenty-three and John describes the same judgment with the symbol of a scarlet-colored woman who is identified as “Babylon the great.” A third witness to the same judgment of the same whore is as follows:

Izaijin niz proroštva opisuje sud nad bludnicom Tirom u dvadeset trećem poglavlju, a Ivan opisuje isti sud simbolom žene grimizne boje, koja je označena kao „Babilon veliki“. Treći svjedok istoga suda nad istom bludnicom glasi ovako:

> “The woman (Babylon) of Revelation 17 is described as ‘arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness: . . . and upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots.’ Says the prophet: ‘I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.’ Babylon is further declared to be ‘that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.’ Revelation 17:4–6, 18. The power that for so many centuries maintained despotic sway over the monarchs of Christendom is Rome.” The Great Controversy, 382.

> „Žena (Babilon) iz Otkrivenja 17 opisana je kao ‘odjevena u purpur i skerlet te nakićena zlatom i dragim kamenjem i biserjem, držeći u ruci zlatnu čašu punu gadosti i nečistoće: ... a na njezinu čelu bijaše napisano ime: Tajna, Babilon veliki, majka bludnicama.’ Prorok kaže: ‘I vidjeh ženu pijanu od krvi svetih i od krvi Isusovih mučenika.’ Nadalje se za Babilon izjavljuje da je ‘onaj veliki grad koji kraljuje nad kraljevima zemaljskim.’ Otkrivenje 17,4–6.18. Sila koja je tijekom tolikih stoljeća održavala despotsku vlast nad vladarima kršćanstva jest Rim.” Velika borba, 382.

Tyre is the Roman Catholic church in the “last days.” At that time the papacy will go forth and sing her seductive songs to the kings of the earth, thus leading the kings into the act of fornication, which is prophetically the combination of church and state.

Tir je Rimokatolička crkva u „posljednjim danima“. U to će vrijeme papinstvo izići i pjevati svoje zavodljive pjesme kraljevima zemaljskim, vodeći tako kraljeve u čin bludništva, što je u proročkom smislu sjedinjenje crkve i države.

> And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. Isaiah 23:15.

> I dogodit će se u onaj dan da će Tir biti zaboravljen sedamdeset godina, prema danima jednoga kralja; a nakon svršetka sedamdeset godina Tir će pjevati kao bludnica. Izaija 23,15.

A king is a kingdom in Bible prophecy, so Tyre shall be forgotten during the time when a prophetic kingdom rules for seventy years.

Kralj je kraljevstvo u biblijskom proročanstvu, tako da će Tir biti zaboravljen za vrijeme dok jedno proročko kraljevstvo vlada sedamdeset godina.

> And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. Isaiah 23:15–17.

> I bit će u onaj dan da će Tir biti zaboravljen sedamdeset godina, prema danima jednoga kralja; nakon svršetka sedamdeset godina Tir će pjevati kao bludnica. Uzmi harfu, obilazi grad, ti bludnice koja si bila zaboravljena; zasviraj milozvučno, pjevaj mnoge pjesme, da bi te se spomenuli. I bit će nakon svršetka sedamdeset godina da će Gospod pohoditi Tir, i ona će se vratiti svojoj zaradi te će bludničiti sa svim kraljevstvima svijeta po svoj površini zemlje. Izaija 23:15–17.

During the days of one kingdom that rules for seventy prophetic years the Roman Catholic church will be forgotten. At the end of the seventy years, the papal power will “make sweet melody, sing many songs.” Prophetically a “song” represents “experience.”

Tijekom dana jednoga kraljevstva koje vlada sedamdeset proročkih godina, Rimokatolička crkva bit će zaboravljena. Na kraju sedamdeset godina, papinska će vlast „slatko pjevati, pjevati mnoge pjesme”. Proročki, „pjesma” predstavlja „iskustvo”.

> “Upon the crystal sea before the throne, that sea of glass as it were mingled with fire,—so resplendent is it with the glory of God,—are gathered the company that have ‘gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name.’ With the Lamb upon Mount Zion, ‘having the harps of God,’ they stand, the hundred and forty and four thousand that were redeemed from among men; and there is heard, as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of a great thunder, ‘the voice of harpers harping with their harps.’ And they sing ‘a new Song’ before the throne, a song which no man can learn save the hundred and forty and four thousand. It is the song of Moses and the Lamb—a song of deliverance. None but the hundred and forty-four thousand can learn that song; for it is the song of their experience—an experience such as no other company have ever had. ‘These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.’ These, having been translated from the earth, from among the living, are counted as ‘the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.’ Revelation 15:2, 3; 14:1-5. ‘These are they which came out of great tribulation;’ they have passed through the time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation; they have endured the anguish of the time of Jacob’s trouble; they have stood without an intercessor through the final outpouring of God’s judgments. But they have been delivered, for they have ‘washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’ ‘In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault’ before God. ‘Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.’ They have seen the earth wasted with famine and pestilence, the sun having power to scorch men with great heat, and they themselves have endured suffering, hunger, and thirst. But ‘they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.’ Revelation 7:14-17.” The Great Controversy, 648.

> „Na kristalnom moru pred prijestoljem, tome staklenom moru kao pomiješanom s ognjem — tako blistavom od slave Božje — okupljeno je mnoštvo onih koji su „pobijedili zvijer i kip njezin i žig njezin i broj imena njezina“. S Janjetom na gori Sionu, „imajući harfe Božje“, stoje njih sto četrdeset i četiri tisuće, koji su otkupljeni između ljudi; i čuje se, kao šum mnogih voda i kao tutnjava silnoga groma, „glas svirača koji sviraju na svojim harfama“. I pjevaju „novu pjesmu“ pred prijestoljem, pjesmu koju nitko ne može naučiti osim onih sto četrdeset i četiri tisuće. To je pjesma Mojsijeva i Janjetova — pjesma izbavljenja. Nitko osim sto četrdeset i četiri tisuće ne može naučiti tu pjesmu, jer je to pjesma njihova iskustva — iskustva kakvo nijedno drugo mnoštvo nikada nije imalo. „To su oni koji idu za Janjetom kamo god Ono ide.“ Oni, budući da su preneseni sa zemlje, između živih, smatraju se „prvencima Bogu i Janjetu“. Otkrivenje 15:2, 3; 14:1-5. „To su oni koji dolaze iz velike nevolje“; oni su prošli kroz vrijeme tjeskobe kakve nije bilo otkako je naroda; podnijeli su muku vremena Jakovljeve nevolje; stajali su bez posrednika tijekom konačnoga izlijevanja Božjih sudova. Ali bili su izbavljeni, jer su „oprali svoje haljine i ubijelili ih u krvi Janjetovoj“. „U njihovim ustima ne nađe se prijevare, jer su bez mane“ pred Bogom. „Zato su pred prijestoljem Božjim i služe Mu dan i noć u Njegovu hramu; i Onaj koji sjedi na prijestolju prebivat će među njima.“ Vidjeli su zemlju opustošenu glađu i pomorom, sunce koje ima moć paliti ljude velikom žegom, a i sami su podnosili patnju, glad i žeđ. Ali „neće više gladovati ni žeđati; niti će sunce udarati po njima, niti ikakva žega. Jer Janje koje je posred prijestolja pasti će ih i voditi na izvore voda života; i Bog će otrti svaku suzu s njihovih očiju.“ Otkrivenje 7:14-17.“ Velika borba, 648.

> “‘In His temple doth everyone speak of His glory’ (Psalm 29:9), and the song which the ransomed ones will sing—the song of their experience—will declare the glory of God: ‘Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the ages. Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy.’ Revelation 15:3, 4, R.V.” Education, 308.

> „‘U Njegovu Hramu svi govore o Njegovoj slavi’ (Psalam 29,9), a pjesma koju će otkupljeni pjevati — pjesma njihova iskustva — objavljivat će slavu Božju: ‘Velika su i čudesna djela Tvoja, Gospodine Bože, Svemogući; pravedni su i istiniti putovi Tvoji, Kralju vjekova. Tko da Te se ne boji, Gospodine, i ne proslavi ime Tvoje? Jer Ti si jedini svet.’ Otkrivenje 15,3.4, R.V.” Odgoj, 308.

At the end of seventy prophetic years the papacy will “make sweet melody, sing many songs, that” she “mayest be remembered.” At the end of the kingdom that rules for seventy prophetic years the Roman Catholic church will remind the world of the experience of her past history. In that history she ruled as the moral authority in a relationship between her and the kings of Europe. That history is rightly identified as the Dark Ages, and all the darkness that might in any way be associated with the history where the Papacy ruled over the kings of Europe can be attributed to the very foundational action that produced all the following darkness. That action was the combination of church and state, the combination of the kings of Europe and the Catholic church. In a biblical marriage the man is to rule over the woman, but the fornication that took place in that history was upside down from the true order of the relationship of man and woman.

Na svršetku sedamdeset proročkih godina papinstvo će „lijepo svirati, pjevati mnoge pjesme, da“ bi „bila upamćena“. Na svršetku kraljevstva koje vlada sedamdeset proročkih godina Rimokatolička crkva podsjetit će svijet na iskustvo svoje prošle povijesti. U toj je povijesti vladala kao moralni autoritet u odnosu između sebe i kraljeva Europe. Ta je povijest s pravom prepoznata kao Mračni srednji vijek, i sva tama koja se na bilo koji način može povezati s poviješću u kojoj je papinstvo vladalo nad kraljevima Europe može se pripisati samom temeljnom činu koji je proizveo svu potonju tamu. Taj je čin bio sjedinjenje crkve i države, sjedinjenje kraljeva Europe i Katoličke crkve. U biblijskom braku muškarac treba vladati nad ženom, ali blud koji se dogodio u toj povijesti bio je izvrnut u odnosu na pravi poredak odnosa muškarca i žene.

At the end of seventy years there will be a great crisis when the kingdom of Bible prophecy that rules the world during the period of time when the Papacy is prophetically forgotten comes to a conclusion. The worldwide crisis produced by the collapse of that kingdom opens the door for the Catholic church to begin to inform the world that in order to navigate the troublous times produced by the collapse of that kingdom, the world must submit to the moral authority of the Roman Catholic church, as illustrated in the history of the Dark Ages.

Na kraju sedamdeset godina nastupit će velika kriza kada se kraljevstvo biblijskog proroštva koje vlada svijetom tijekom razdoblja u kojem je Papinstvo proročki zaboravljeno privede svojem završetku. Sveopća kriza nastala slomom toga kraljevstva otvara vrata Katoličkoj crkvi da počne obavještavati svijet kako se, da bi se prošlo kroz tegobna vremena prouzročena slomom toga kraljevstva, svijet mora podložiti moralnom autoritetu Rimokatoličke crkve, kao što je prikazano u povijesti mračnog srednjeg vijeka.

When the kingdom ends and the papacy sings the song of her past experience, an experience that historians label as darkness; so how could that dark history possibly be a message for the papacy to share with the kings of the earth that would convince them to commit fornication with her? In a great crisis why would the experience of the past ages, (her song) her experience before she was forgotten prophetically, provide the logic for the kings of the earth to accept the experience of darkness as the solution for their great crisis?

Kad kraljevstvo završi i papinstvo zapjeva pjesmu svojega prošlog iskustva, iskustva koje povjesničari označuju kao tamu; kako bi onda ta mračna povijest uopće mogla biti poruka koju bi papinstvo podijelilo s kraljevima zemaljskim, a koja bi ih uvjerila da s njom počine blud? U velikoj krizi, zašto bi iskustvo prošlih vjekova, (njezina pjesma) njezino iskustvo prije nego što je proročki bila zaboravljena, pružilo logiku kraljevima zemaljskim da prihvate iskustvo tame kao rješenje za svoju veliku krizu?

> “A large class, even of those who look upon Romanism with no favor, apprehend little danger from her power and influence. Many urge that the intellectual and moral darkness prevailing during the Middle Ages favored the spread of her dogmas, superstitions, and oppression, and that the greater intelligence of modern times, the general diffusion of knowledge, and the increasing liberality in matters of religion forbid a revival of intolerance and tyranny. The very thought that such a state of things will exist in this enlightened age is ridiculed. It is true that great light, intellectual, moral, and religious, is shining upon this generation. In the open pages of God’s Holy Word, light from heaven has been shed upon the world. But it should be remembered that the greater the light bestowed, the greater the darkness of those who pervert and reject it.

> „Velik broj ljudi, čak i među onima koji na rimokatolicizam ne gledaju s naklonošću, jedva nazire ikakvu opasnost od njegove moći i utjecaja. Mnogi tvrde da su intelektualna i moralna tama koja je prevladavala tijekom srednjega vijeka pogodovale širenju njegovih dogmi, praznovjerja i tlačenja te da veća prosvijećenost suvremenoga doba, opća raširenost znanja i sve veća liberalnost u pitanjima vjere onemogućuju obnovu netrpeljivosti i tiranije. Sama pomisao da bi takvo stanje moglo postojati u ovom prosvijećenom dobu izlaže se ruglu. Istina je da velika svjetlost, intelektualna, moralna i vjerska, obasjava ovaj naraštaj. Na otvorenim stranicama svete Božje Riječi svjetlost s neba izlila se na svijet. Ali treba imati na umu da što je veća darovana svjetlost, to je veća tama onih koji je izvrću i odbacuju.“

> “A prayerful study of the Bible would show Protestants the real character of the papacy and would cause them to abhor and to shun it; but many are so wise in their own conceit that they feel no need of humbly seeking God that they may be led into the truth. Although priding themselves on their enlightenment, they are ignorant both of the Scriptures and of the power of God. They must have some means of quieting their consciences, and they seek that which is least spiritual and humiliating. What they desire is a method of forgetting God which shall pass as a method of remembering Him. The papacy is well adapted to meet the wants of all these. It is prepared for two classes of mankind, embracing nearly the whole world—those who would be saved by their merits, and those who would be saved in their sins. Here is the secret of its power.

> „Molitveno proučavanje Biblije pokazalo bi protestantima pravi karakter papinstva i navelo ih da ga se gnušaju i da ga se klone; ali mnogi su tako mudri u vlastitoj uobraženosti da ne osjećaju potrebu ponizno tražiti Boga kako bi bili uvedeni u istinu. Premda se ponose svojim prosvjetljenjem, ne poznaju ni Pisma ni Božju silu. Moraju imati neko sredstvo kojim će umiriti svoju savjest, pa traže ono što je najmanje duhovno i ponižavajuće. Ono što žele jest način da zaborave Boga koji će se prikazivati kao način da Ga se sjećaju. Papinstvo je dobro prilagođeno da udovolji potrebama svih takvih. Ono je pripravljeno za dva razreda ljudi, koji obuhvaćaju gotovo sav svijet — one koji bi se spasili svojim zaslugama i one koji bi se spasili u svojim grijesima. U tome je tajna njegove moći.“

> “A day of great intellectual darkness has been shown to be favorable to the success of the papacy. It will yet be demonstrated that a day of great intellectual light is equally favorable for its success. In past ages, when men were without God’s word and without the knowledge of the truth, their eyes were blindfolded, and thousands were ensnared, not seeing the net spread for their feet. In this generation there are many whose eyes become dazzled by the glare of human speculations, ‘science falsely so called;’ they discern not the net, and walk into it as readily as if blindfolded. God designed that man’s intellectual powers should be held as a gift from his Maker and should be employed in the service of truth and righteousness; but when pride and ambition are cherished, and men exalt their own theories above the word of God, then intelligence can accomplish greater harm than ignorance. Thus the false science of the present day, which undermines faith in the Bible, will prove as successful in preparing the way for the acceptance of the papacy, with its pleasing forms, as did the withholding of knowledge in opening the way for its aggrandizement in the Dark Ages.” The Great Controversy, 572.

> „Pokazalo se da je vrijeme velike intelektualne tame povoljno za uspjeh papinstva. Još će se pokazati da je vrijeme velike intelektualne svjetlosti jednako povoljno za njegov uspjeh. U prošlim vjekovima, kada su ljudi bili bez Božje riječi i bez spoznaje istine, oči su im bile povezane, a tisuće su bile uhvaćene u zamku, ne videći mrežu razapetu pred njihovim nogama. U ovom naraštaju ima mnogo onih čije oči zasljepljuje blještavilo ljudskih nagađanja, ‘znanosti lažno tako nazvane’; oni ne razabiru mrežu i upadaju u nju jednako spremno kao da su povezanih očiju. Bog je odredio da čovjekove intelektualne sposobnosti budu smatrane darom njegova Stvoritelja i da budu upotrijebljene u službi istine i pravednosti; ali kada se njeguju oholost i častohleplje, i ljudi uzdižu vlastite teorije iznad Božje riječi, tada inteligencija može nanijeti veću štetu nego neznanje. Tako će lažna znanost sadašnjega doba, koja potkopava vjeru u Bibliju, biti jednako uspješna u pripravljanju puta za prihvaćanje papinstva, s njegovim privlačnim oblicima, kao što je uskraćivanje znanja bilo uspješno u otvaranju puta njegovu uzdizanju u mračnim vjekovima.“ Velika borba, 572.

> “Roman Catholics acknowledge that the change in the Sabbath was made by their church, and they cite this very change as evidence of the supreme authority of the church. They declare that by observing the first day of the week as the Sabbath, Protestants are recognizing her power to legislate in divine things. The Roman church has not relinquished her claim to infallibility; and when the world and the Protestant churches accept a spurious Sabbath of her creating, while they reject the Sabbath of Jehovah, they virtually acknowledge this claim. They may cite the authority for this change, but the fallacy of their reasoning is easily discerned. The papist is sharp enough to see that Protestants are deceiving themselves, willingly closing their eyes to the facts in the case. As the Sunday institution gains favor, he rejoices, feeling assured that it will eventually bring the whole Protestant world under the banner of Rome.

> „Rimokatolici priznaju da je promjenu subote izvršila njihova crkva te upravo tu promjenu navode kao dokaz vrhovnog autoriteta crkve. Izjavljuju da protestanti, svetkujući prvi dan tjedna kao subotu, priznaju njezinu vlast da propisuje zakone u božanskim stvarima. Rimska crkva nije se odrekla svojega zahtjeva za nepogrješivošću; a kada svijet i protestantske crkve prihvate krivotvorenu subotu koju je ona ustanovila, dok odbacuju subotu Jehovinu, oni time zapravo priznaju taj zahtjev. Oni se mogu pozivati na autoritet za tu promjenu, ali pogrešnost njihova rasuđivanja lako se razabire. Papist je dovoljno pronicav da vidi kako protestanti obmanjuju sami sebe, svojevoljno zatvarajući oči pred činjenicama u tom pitanju. Kako ustanova nedjelje stječe naklonost, on se raduje, uvjeren da će naposljetku dovesti sav protestantski svijet pod stijeg Rima.“

> “The change of the Sabbath is the sign or mark of the authority of the Roman church. Those who, understanding the claims of the fourth commandment, choose to observe the false Sabbath in the place of the true, are thereby paying homage to that power by which alone it is commanded. The mark of the beast is the papal Sabbath, which has been accepted by the world in the place of the day of God’s appointment.

> “Promjena subote znak je ili obilježje vlasti Rimske crkve. Oni koji, razumijevajući zahtjeve četvrte zapovijedi, odluče svetkovati lažnu subotu umjesto prave, time odaju počast onoj vlasti kojom je jedino ona zapovjeđena. Žig Zvijeri jest papinska subota, koju je svijet prihvatio umjesto dana koji je Bog odredio.

> “But the time to receive the mark of the beast, as designated in prophecy, has not yet come. The testing time has not yet come. There are true Christians in every church, not excepting the Roman Catholic communion. None are condemned until they have had the light and have seen the obligation of the fourth commandment. But when the decree shall go forth enforcing the counterfeit Sabbath, and when the loud cry of the third angel shall warn men against the worship of the beast and his image, the line will be clearly drawn between the false and the true. Then those who still continue in transgression will receive the mark of the beast in their foreheads or in their hands.

> „Ali vrijeme za primanje žiga Zvijeri, kako je određeno u proroštvu, još nije došlo. Vrijeme kušnje još nije nastupilo. U svakoj crkvi ima istinskih kršćana, ne isključujući ni rimokatoličku zajednicu. Nitko nije osuđen dok ne primi svjetlo i ne uvidi obvezatnost četvrte zapovijedi. Ali kada bude izdan dekret kojim se nameće krivotvorena subota, i kada snažan poklik trećega anđela bude upozoravao ljude protiv štovanja Zvijeri i njezina lika, crta razdvajanja između lažnoga i istinitoga bit će jasno povučena. Tada će oni koji i dalje ustraju u prijestupu primiti žig Zvijeri na svoja čela ili na svoje ruke.

> “With rapid steps we are approaching this period. When Protestant churches shall unite with the secular power to sustain a false religion, for opposing which their ancestors endured the fiercest persecution, then will the papal Sabbath be enforced by the combined authority of church and state. There will be a national apostasy, which will end only in national ruin.” Bible Training School, February 2, 1913.

> „Ubrzanim koracima približavamo se tom razdoblju. Kad se protestantske crkve ujedine sa svjetovnom vlašću kako bi poduprle lažnu religiju, zbog protivljenja kojoj su njihovi preci podnosili najžešći progon, tada će papinska subota biti nametnuta združenim autoritetom crkve i države. Nastupit će nacionalni otpad, koji će završiti jedino nacionalnom propašću.” Bible Training School, 2. veljače 1913.

We have now touched upon five of the symbols we are seeking to identify before we fully address the chapter itself. A city is a kingdom in Bible prophecy and in Isaiah twenty-three there are two kingdoms that are closely related, but distinctly different. The first is the “crowning city” and the other is the “merchant city.” In the last days the power who is in control of the three-fold union of the dragon, beast and false prophet is the papacy. It is the kingdom that has the crown.

Sada smo se dotaknuli pet simbola koje nastojimo prepoznati prije nego što se u cijelosti pozabavimo samim poglavljem. Grad je u biblijskom proročanstvu kraljevstvo, a u Izaiji dvadeset i tri postoje dva kraljevstva koja su usko povezana, ali jasno različita. Prvo je „grad koji kruni“, a drugo je „trgovački grad“. U posljednjim danima sila koja upravlja trostrukim savezom zmaja, zvijeri i lažnog proroka jest papinstvo. To je kraljevstvo koje ima krunu.

> “As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities. The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head—the papal power—the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. This union is cemented by the great apostate. While he seeks to unite his agents in warring against the truth he will work to divide and scatter its advocates. Jealousy, evil surmising, evilspeaking, are instigated by him to produce discord and dissension.” Testimonies, volume 7, 182.

> „Kako se približavamo posljednjoj krizi, od presudne je važnosti da među Gospodnjim oruđima vladaju sklad i jedinstvo. Svijet je ispunjen olujom, ratom i razdorom. Ipak, pod jednom glavom — papinskom vlašću — ljudi će se ujediniti da se suprotstave Bogu u osobi Njegovih svjedoka. To je jedinstvo učvršćeno po velikom otpadniku. Dok nastoji ujediniti svoje oruđe u ratovanju protiv istine, on će djelovati da podijeli i rasprši njezine zagovornike. Ljubomora, zla sumnjičenja, zlobni govori, od njega su potaknuti kako bi proizveli nesklad i razdor.“ Testimonies, svezak 7, 182.

The kingdom with the crown is Tyre, which means, “a rock.” In this chapter Tyre represents the papacy that works to counterfeit Christ, for the papacy is antichrist. The word “anti” in antichrist means “in place of.” The papacy seeks to counterfeit Christ at every level, and the name Tyre means rock, for the papacy is a counterfeit of the “Rock of Ages.”

Kraljevstvo s krunom jest Tir, što znači „stijena“. U ovom poglavlju Tir predstavlja papinstvo koje nastoji oponašati Krista, jer je papinstvo antikrist. Riječ „anti“ u antikrist znači „na mjestu“. Papinstvo nastoji oponašati Krista na svakoj razini, a ime Tir znači stijena, jer je papinstvo krivotvorina „Stijene vjekova“.

> Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength. He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the Lord hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof. Isaiah 23:8–11.

> Tko je smislio ovu odluku protiv Tira, grada koji kruni, čiji su trgovci knezovi, čiji su trgovci uglednici zemlje? Gospod nad vojskama to je naumio da oskvrne oholost sve slave i da izvrgne preziru sve uglednike zemlje. Prođi svojom zemljom kao rijeka, kćeri Taršiša: više nema snage. Ispružio je svoju ruku nad morem, potresao je kraljevstva; Gospod je izdao zapovijed protiv trgovačkoga grada da razori njegove utvrde. Izaija 23:8–11.

We intend to show upon many witnesses that “the shaking of the kingdoms” is accomplished by God, through Islam. Islam is the power that angers the nations and is used to shake the nations. At this point we are identifying that the Lord has determined to bring into contempt “all the honorable of earth,” who are the “merchants” and “traffickers” whose “strong holds” are to be destroyed. The merchant city and the crowning city “have provoked the displeasure of heaven” and the Lord has purposed to destroy their “strong holds” and that represents the economy. The collapse of the economy occurs before the Sunday law in the United States, for before the Sunday law the citizens of the United States are demanding to be returned “to divine favor and temporal prosperity.” Their argument is that the judgments of God will not end until Sunday is “strictly enforced.” Several Bible witnesses agree that we are on the verge of a tremendous crash in the economy of the world. That crash occurs before the Sunday law, just as the crash of 1837, occurred before October 22, 1844.

Namjeravamo na temelju mnogih svjedočanstava pokazati da „potresanje kraljevstava” izvršava Bog, preko islama. Islam je sila koja srdi narode i kojom se narodi potresaju. U ovom trenutku utvrđujemo da je Gospod odredio izvrgnuti preziru „sve uglednike zemlje”, koji su „trgovci” i „prometnici” čija će „uporišta” biti razorena. Trgovački grad i grad koji kruni „izazvali su nezadovoljstvo neba”, te je Gospod naumio razoriti njihova „uporišta”, a to predstavlja gospodarstvo. Slom gospodarstva događa se prije nedjeljnog zakona u Sjedinjenim Državama, jer prije nedjeljnog zakona građani Sjedinjenih Država zahtijevaju da im se vrati „božanska naklonost i vremeniti napredak”. Njihov je argument da Božji sudovi neće prestati sve dok se nedjelja ne bude „strogo provodila”. Nekoliko biblijskih svjedočanstava slaže se da stojimo na pragu silovitoga sloma u gospodarstvu svijeta. Taj se slom događa prije nedjeljnog zakona, kao što se i slom iz 1837. dogodio prije 22. listopada 1844.

> “And then the great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve God are causing these evils. The class that have provoked the displeasure of Heaven will charge all their troubles upon those whose obedience to God’s commandments is a perpetual reproof to transgressors. It will be declared that men are offending God by the violation of the Sunday sabbath; that this sin has brought calamities which will not cease until Sunday observance shall be strictly enforced; and that those who present the claims of the fourth commandment, thus destroying reverence for Sunday, are troublers of the people, preventing their restoration to divine favor and temporal prosperity. Thus the accusation urged of old against the servant of God will be repeated and upon grounds equally well established: ‘And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.’ 1 Kings 18:17, 18. As the wrath of the people shall be excited by false charges, they will pursue a course toward God’s ambassadors very similar to that which apostate Israel pursued toward Elijah.” The Great Controversy, 590.

> „A tada će veliki varalica uvjeriti ljude da oni koji služe Bogu uzrokuju ta zla. Skupina koja je izazvala nezadovoljstvo Neba svalit će sve svoje nevolje na one čija je poslušnost Božjim zapovijedima trajni ukor prijestupnicima. Bit će proglašeno da ljudi vrijeđaju Boga kršenjem nedjeljne subote; da je taj grijeh donio nesreće koje neće prestati dok se svetkovanje nedjelje ne bude strogo provodilo; i da oni koji iznose zahtjeve četvrte zapovijedi, razarajući tako poštovanje prema nedjelji, uznemiruju narod i sprječavaju njegov povratak božanskoj naklonosti i vremenitom blagostanju. Tako će se ponoviti optužba nekoć iznesena protiv Božjega sluge, i to na jednako dobro utemeljenim osnovama: ‘A kad Ahab ugleda Iliju, reče mu Ahab: Jesi li ti onaj koji unesrećuje Izraela? A on odgovori: Nisam ja unesrećio Izraela, nego ti i dom oca tvojega, jer ste ostavili zapovijedi Gospodnje, a ti si pošao za Baalima.’ 1 Kings 18:17, 18. Kako se srdžba naroda bude raspaljivala lažnim optužbama, oni će prema Božjim vjesnicima postupati vrlo slično onome kako je otpadnički Izrael postupao prema Iliji.” The Great Controversy, 590.

Elijah confronting the prophets of Baal and the priests of the grove on Mount Carmel represents the Sunday law. The message for the church was “choose this day whom you will serve.” When this history is repeated at the Sunday law the question is “which day are you going to choose, for the day you pick indicates whom you serve.” Before Mount Carmel was three and a half years of severe drought. Before the Sunday law there is a series of Sunday laws, but they have not been “strictly enforced.” The principle associated with a Sunday law is that national apostacy is followed by national ruin. The example of that is Constantine in the year 321 passed a Sunday law and shortly thereafter the first four trumpets of Revelation chapter eight began to bring Western Rome to its conclusion by the year 476. The story of Constantine is important for it included a progressive exalting of Sunday, and simultaneous progressive restrictions on the seventh-day Sabbath. The progressive history reached its conclusion when the citizens were forced to observe Sunday or be persecuted for keeping the Sabbath. That is also the conclusion of the escalating Sunday legislation in the United States. One principle associated with Sunday worship enforcement is “national apostasy is followed by national ruin.” This principle means escalating Sunday law enforcements, produces an escalation of God’s judgments, before the actual Sunday law of Revelation thirteen verse eleven. Every enactment will bring a corresponding ruin. The judgments the citizens are accusing the Sabbath-keepers of producing are actually produced by the escalating enforcement of Sunday legislation. We have included a passage from The Great Controversy, which I titled Sunday Progression. I would recommend that you read that once again. It is in the category entitled The Spirit of Prophecy.

Ilija, suočen s prorocima Baalovim i svećenicima gaja na gori Karmelu, predstavlja nedjeljni zakon. Poruka za crkvu glasila je: „izaberite danas komu ćete služiti.” Kada se ta povijest ponovi pri nedjeljnom zakonu, pitanje glasi: „koji ćete dan izabrati, jer dan koji odaberete pokazuje komu služite.” Prije gore Karmela bile su tri i pol godine teške suše. Prije nedjeljnog zakona postoji niz nedjeljnih zakona, ali oni još nisu bili „strogo provođeni”. Načelo povezano s nedjeljnim zakonom jest da nakon nacionalnog otpada dolazi nacionalna propast. Primjer za to jest Konstantin, koji je godine 321. donio nedjeljni zakon, a nedugo potom prva četiri trubljenja iz Otkrivenja, 8. poglavlja, počela su privoditi Zapadni Rim njegovu kraju do godine 476. Priča o Konstantinu važna je jer je uključivala postupno uzdizanje nedjelje i istodobno postupna ograničenja sedmoga dana subote. Ta je postupna povijest dosegla svoj zaključak kada su građani bili prisiljeni svetkovati nedjelju ili biti progonjeni zbog držanja subote. To je također zaključak sve strožeg nedjeljnog zakonodavstva u Sjedinjenim Državama. Jedno načelo povezano s nametanjem bogoslužja nedjeljom glasi: „nakon nacionalnog otpada dolazi nacionalna propast.” To načelo znači da pojačano provođenje nedjeljnih zakona proizvodi pojačavanje Božjih sudova, prije samoga nedjeljnog zakona iz Otkrivenja 13, 11. redak. Svako donošenje takva zakona donijet će odgovarajuću propast. Sudovi za koje građani optužuju one koji drže subotu da ih izazivaju zapravo su proizvedeni pojačanim provođenjem nedjeljnog zakonodavstva. Uvrstili smo odlomak iz Velike borbe, kojemu sam dao naslov Napredovanje nedjelje. Preporučio bih da to još jednom pročitate. Nalazi se u kategoriji naslovljenoj Duh proroštva.

> “God has revealed what is to take place in the last days, that His people may be prepared to stand against the tempest of opposition and wrath. Those who have been warned of the events before them are not to sit in calm expectation of the coming storm, comforting themselves that the Lord will shelter His faithful ones in the day of trouble. We are to be as men waiting for their Lord, not in idle expectancy, but in earnest work, with unwavering faith. It is no time now to allow our minds to be engrossed with things of minor importance. While men are sleeping, Satan is actively arranging matters so that the Lord’s people may not have mercy or justice. The Sunday movement is now making its way in darkness. The leaders are concealing the true issue, and many who unite in the movement do not themselves see whither the undercurrent is tending. Its professions are mild and apparently Christian, but when it shall speak it will reveal the spirit of the dragon. It is our duty to do all in our power to avert the threatened danger. We should endeavor to disarm prejudice by placing ourselves in a proper light before the people. We should bring before them the real question at issue, thus interposing the most effectual protest against measures to restrict liberty of conscience. We should search the Scriptures and be able to give the reason for our faith. Says the prophet: ‘The wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.’” Testimonies, volume 5, 452.

> „Bog je otkrio što će se zbiti u posljednjim danima, kako bi Njegov narod bio pripravljen opstati nasuprot oluji protivljenja i gnjeva. Oni koji su upozoreni na događaje što su pred njima ne smiju sjediti u mirnom iščekivanju nadolazeće oluje, tješeći se da će Gospodin zakloniti svoje vjerne u dan nevolje. Trebamo biti kao ljudi koji čekaju svoga Gospodara, ne u besposlenom iščekivanju, nego u ozbiljnom radu, s nepokolebljivom vjerom. Sada nije vrijeme da dopustimo da nam um bude zaokupljen stvarima od manje važnosti. Dok ljudi spavaju, Sotona djelatno uređuje prilike tako da Gospodnji narod ne bi imao milosti ni pravde. Pokret za nedjelju sada napreduje u tami. Vođe prikrivaju pravo pitanje, a mnogi koji se pridružuju tom pokretu ni sami ne vide kamo teži podzemna struja. Njegova su isticanja blaga i naizgled kršćanska, ali kad progovori, otkrit će duh zmaja. Naša je dužnost učiniti sve što je u našoj moći da odvratimo prijeteću opasnost. Trebamo nastojati razoružati predrasude stavljajući se pred narod u pravom svjetlu. Trebamo im iznijeti stvarno pitanje o kojem je riječ, i tako uložiti najučinkovitiji prosvjed protiv mjera kojima se ograničava sloboda savjesti. Trebamo istraživati Pisma i biti kadri dati razlog svoje vjere. Prorok kaže: ‘Bezbožnici će bezbožno činiti; i nijedan od bezbožnika neće razumjeti; ali razumni će razumjeti.’“ Svjedočanstva, svezak 5, 452.

It is difficult to recognize the movement for Sunday legislation, for it is making its way in “darkness” and the papacy is “stealthily and unsuspectedly” “strengthening her forces to further her own ends.” It is a fact that the work to pass Sunday legislation in darkness is a central issue in the testing process of the one hundred and forty-four thousand. “None of the wicked shall understand” according to Daniel and Sister White. The “wicked” in Daniel are Matthew’s “foolish virgins,” who Sister White identifies as Laodiceans. The wise will understand the events that are now taking place, even if the history around us appears to contradict God’s word. Do we believe God’s word or what is happening around us? Yet we have been forewarned that the end would be as the days of Noah.

Teško je prepoznati pokret za zakonodavstvo o nedjelji, jer on napreduje u „tami“, a papinstvo „potajno i neopaženo“ „jača svoje snage kako bi unaprijedilo svoje vlastite ciljeve“. Činjenica je da je djelo donošenja zakonodavstva o nedjelji u tami središnje pitanje u procesu kušnje sto četrdeset i četiri tisuće. „Nijedan od bezbožnika neće razumjeti“, prema Danielu i sestri White. „Bezbožnici“ u Danielu jesu Matejeve „lude djevice“, koje sestra White poistovjećuje s laodicejcima. Mudri će razumjeti događaje koji se sada zbivaju, čak i ako se čini da povijest oko nas proturječi Božjoj riječi. Vjerujemo li Božjoj riječi ili onome što se događa oko nas? Pa ipak, unaprijed smo upozoreni da će svršetak biti kao u Noinim danima.

> “The world, full of rioting, full of godless pleasure, is asleep, asleep in carnal security. Men are putting afar off the coming of the Lord. They laugh at warnings. The proud boast is made, ‘All things continue as they were from the beginning.’ ‘Tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.’ 2 Peter 3:4; Isaiah 56:12. We will go deeper into pleasure loving. But Christ says, ‘Behold, I come as a thief.’ Revelation 16:15. At the very time when the world is asking in scorn, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’ the signs are fulfilling. While they cry, ‘Peace and safety,’ sudden destruction is coming. When the scorner, the rejecter of truth, has become presumptuous; when the routine of work in the various money-making lines is carried on without regard to principle; when the student is eagerly seeking knowledge of everything but his Bible, Christ comes as a thief.

> „Svijet, pun razuzdanosti, pun bezbožnoga uživanja, spava, spava u tjelesnoj sigurnosti. Ljudi udaljuju od sebe dolazak Gospodnji. Smiju se opomenama. Oholi se hvale: ‘Sve ostaje kao što bijaše od početka.’ ‘Sutra će biti kao danas, i još mnogo obilnije.’ 2 Peter 3:4; Isaiah 56:12. Još ćemo dublje tonuti u ljubav prema užicima. Ali Krist kaže: ‘Evo, dolazim kao tat.’ Revelation 16:15. Upravo u vrijeme kada svijet podrugljivo pita: ‘Gdje je obećanje o Njegovu dolasku?’ znakovi se ispunjavaju. Dok viču: ‘Mir i sigurnost’, dolazi iznenadna propast. Kada podrugljivac, onaj koji odbacuje istinu, postane drzak; kada se uobičajeni tijek rada u različitim granama stjecanja novca nastavlja bez obzira na načela; kada učenik gorljivo traži znanje o svemu osim o svojoj Bibliji, Krist dolazi kao tat.“

> “Everything in the world is in agitation. The signs of the times are ominous. Coming events cast their shadows before. The Spirit of God is withdrawing from the earth, and calamity follows calamity by sea and by land. There are tempests, earthquakes, fires, floods, murders of every grade. Who can read the future? Where is security? There is assurance in nothing that is human or earthly. Rapidly are men ranging themselves under the banner they have chosen. Restlessly are they waiting and watching the movements of their leaders. There are those who are waiting and watching and working for our Lord’s appearing. Another class are falling into line under the generalship of the first great apostate. Few believe with heart and soul that we have a hell to shun and a heaven to win.

> „Sve je na svijetu u previranju. Znakovi vremena zloslutni su. Događaji koji dolaze bacaju svoje sjene unaprijed. Duh se Božji povlači sa zemlje, i nesreća slijedi za nesrećom na moru i na kopnu. Ima oluja, potresa, požara, poplava, ubojstava svake vrste. Tko može pročitati budućnost? Gdje je sigurnost? Ni u čemu što je ljudsko ili zemaljsko nema izvjesnosti. Ljudi se ubrzano svrstavaju pod stijeg koji su izabrali. Nemirno čekaju i promatraju pokrete svojih vođa. Ima onih koji čekaju, promatraju i rade za pojavu našega Gospodina. Druga skupina stupa u redove pod zapovjedništvom prvoga velikog otpadnika. Malo ih srcem i dušom vjeruje da postoji pakao kojega se treba kloniti i nebo koje treba zadobiti.“

> “The crisis is stealing gradually upon us. The sun shines in the heavens, passing over its usual round, and the heavens still declare the glory of God. Men are still eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying, and giving in marriage. Merchants are still buying and selling. Men are jostling one against another, contending for the highest place. Pleasure lovers are still crowding to theaters, horse races, gambling hells. The highest excitement prevails, yet probation’s hour is fast closing, and every case is about to be eternally decided. Satan sees that his time is short. He has set all his agencies at work that men may be deceived, deluded, occupied and entranced, until the day of probation shall be ended, and the door of mercy be forever shut.

> „Kriza nam se postupno prikrada. Sunce sja na nebesima, prelazeći svojim uobičajenim putom, a nebesa još uvijek objavljuju slavu Božju. Ljudi još uvijek jedu i piju, sade i grade, žene se i udaju. Trgovci još uvijek kupuju i prodaju. Ljudi se još uvijek guraju jedan protiv drugoga, boreći se za najviše mjesto. Ljubitelji užitaka još uvijek hrle u kazališta, na konjske utrke, u kockarnice. Vlada najveće uzbuđenje, a ipak se vrijeme kušnje brzo privodi kraju i svaki će slučaj uskoro biti zauvijek odlučen. Sotona vidi da je njegovo vrijeme kratko. Pokrenuo je sva svoja sredstva kako bi ljudi bili zavedeni, obmanuti, zaokupljeni i opčinjeni, sve dok se ne navrši dan kušnje i vrata milosti ne budu zauvijek zatvorena.“

> “Solemnly there come to us down through the centuries the warning words of our Lord from the Mount of Olives: ‘Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.’ ‘Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.’” Desire of Ages, 635, 636.

> „Svečano do nas kroz stoljeća dopiru riječi upozorenja našega Gospodina s Maslinske gore: ‘Pazite na sebe da vam srca ne otežaju proždrljivošću, pijanstvom i brigama ovoga života, pa da vas onaj dan ne zatekne iznenada.’ ‘Bdijte dakle i molite se svagda da se uzmognete smatrati dostojnima izbjeći sve ovo što će doći i stati pred Sina Čovječjega.’” Čežnja vjekova, 635, 636.

In chapter twenty-three of Isaiah Zidon is the United States and Tyre is the papacy. Tyre and Zidon were ancient contemporary Phoenician cities located on the Mediterranean coast. They were known for their maritime trade, wealth, and influence in the ancient world. Zidon and its “merchants” replenished Tarshish in the passage. Zidon’s merchants trafficked the “seed of Sihor,” which is “the harvest of a river,” and is the fruit “of the river,” and it is “her revenue,” for she is the “mart of nations.” All the prophets speak of the end of the world, so who is the mart of nations at the end of the world? It’s the USA.

U dvadeset i trećem poglavlju Izaije Zidon su Sjedinjene Američke Države, a Tir je papinstvo. Tir i Zidon bili su drevni suvremeni fenički gradovi smješteni na obali Sredozemnoga mora. Bili su poznati po svojoj pomorskoj trgovini, bogatstvu i utjecaju u drevnome svijetu. Zidon i njegovi „trgovci” u tom odlomku opskrbljivali su Taršiš. Zidonovi su trgovci trgovali „sjemenom Šihora”, koje je „žetva rijeke”, i plod je „rijeke”, i to je „njezin prihod”, jer ona je „trg naroda”. Svi proroci govore o svršetku svijeta, pa tko je trg naroda na svršetku svijeta? To su Sjedinjene Američke Države.

Sihor is a river in Egypt (likely the Nile delta) and is used to represent the wealth of the world, for Egypt is the world. Zidon’s “virgin daughter” represents the last generation of the USA, and she is oppressed from the martial law that accompanies the Sunday law and the national ruin that immediately follows. Those virgins of Zidon are rebuked by the question concerning Tyre saying, “is this your joyous city” (kingdom) that the USA rejoiced in? Is “this the kingdom “whose antiquity is of ancient days,” when according to the passage it was founded by Nimrod, just after the flood?

Sihor je rijeka u Egiptu (vjerojatno delte Nila) i koristi se kao prikaz bogatstva svijeta, jer Egipat je svijet. „Djevica kći” Sidona predstavlja posljednji naraštaj SAD-a, i ona je potlačena zbog vojnoga stanja koje prati nedjeljni zakon i nacionalnu propast koja neposredno zatim slijedi. Te djevice Sidona ukoravaju se pitanjem o Tiru koje glasi: „je li ovo vaš radosni grad” (kraljevstvo) u kojemu se SAD radovao? Je li „ovo kraljevstvo „čija je starina od drevnih dana”, kada je, prema tom odlomku, bilo utemeljeno od Nimroda, neposredno nakon potopa?

God has determined and “purposed” for “Tyre, the crowning city,” to punish her. The papacy’s punishment includes the collapse of the financial structure of the world, for “the Lord hath given” “a commandment against” “Zidon” “the merchant city,” (the United States.) His commandment “to destroy the strong holds,” or the economy of the United States is the Sabbath commandment, for national apostasy is followed by national ruin.

Bog je odredio i „namjerio” kazniti „Tir, grad koji ovjenčava”. Kazna papinstva uključuje slom financijske strukture svijeta, jer „Gospodin je dao” „zapovijed protiv” „Sidona” „trgovačkoga grada” (Sjedinjenih Država). Njegova zapovijed „da uništi utvrde”, odnosno gospodarstvo Sjedinjenih Država, jest zapovijed o suboti, jer nakon nacionalnog otpada slijedi nacionalna propast.

The punishment of the papacy begins with the economic collapse of the entire world in response to the economy of the United States being destroyed. Zidon has a “house” associated with its economy, thus representing a financial structure that is destroyed, for you can no longer enter in. No more investments or profits from that “house,” for it is destroyed. The destruction takes place at the Sunday law, even though prior to the Sunday law there are already escalating judgments. When the collapse hits, the papacy, the USA with its merchant princes and honorable traffickers and the ships of Tarshish are going to “howl.”

Kazna papinstva započinje gospodarskim slomom cijeloga svijeta kao odgovorom na uništenje gospodarstva Sjedinjenih Američkih Država. Sidon ima „dom” povezan sa svojim gospodarstvom, te tako predstavlja financijsku strukturu koja je razorena, jer više ne možeš ulaziti u nju. Nema više ulaganja ni dobiti iz toga „doma”, jer je razoren. To se razorenje zbiva u vrijeme nedjeljnoga zakona, premda i prije nedjeljnoga zakona već postoje sve jače osude. Kada slom nastupi, papinstvo, Sjedinjene Američke Države sa svojim trgovačkim knezovima i časnim trgovcima te lađe taršiške, stat će „zavijati”.

The location of “Tarshish” in the passage is associated with wealth in antiquity, and the ships of Tarshish in the Bible are the premier symbol of economic strength.

Mjesto „Taršiša” u ovom odlomku povezano je s bogatstvom u starini, a lađe Taršiša u Bibliji vrhunski su simbol gospodarske snage.

> For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 2 Chronicles 9:21, 22.

> Jer su kraljeve lađe odlazile u Taršiš sa slugama Hiramovim; jednom u tri godine vraćale su se lađe iz Taršiša donoseći zlato i srebro, bjelokost, majmune i paunove. I kralj Salomon nadmaši sve kraljeve na zemlji bogatstvom i mudrošću. 2 Ljetopisa 9,21.22.

Ships represent economic strength, and Tarshish is the leading economic ship in Bible prophecy. The final generation of Tarshish, represented by the “daughter” of Tarshish is told to “pass through thy land as a river,” and what she finds is that her land has “no more strength,” and can no longer “rejoice” over the kingdom of Tyre. The strength they were looking for was the former economic strength of Zidon, but it was gone for the sea had spoken “saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins,” thus identifying the final generation of the sea, which is the peoples of the world lamenting the destruction of the economy of the world and at which point the people of the world wake up to the reality that they are the last generation of earth’s history, and its too late to prepare for eternal life.

Lađe predstavljaju gospodarsku snagu, a Taršiš je vodeća gospodarska lađa u biblijskom proroštvu. Posljednjem naraštaju Taršiša, predstavljenom „kćeri“ Taršiša, rečeno je da „prijeđeš preko svoje zemlje kao rijeka“, a ono što nalazi jest da njezina zemlja „više nema snage“ te se više ne može „radovati“ nad kraljevstvom Tira. Snaga koju su tražili bila je prijašnja gospodarska snaga Sidona, ali nje više nije bilo, jer je more progovorilo „govoreći: Ne mučim se porodom niti rađam djece; niti odgajam mladiće, niti podižem djevice“, čime se prepoznaje posljednji naraštaj mora, to jest narodâ svijeta koji nariču zbog uništenja gospodarstva svijeta, i u tom se trenutku narodi svijeta bude za stvarnost da su oni posljednji naraštaj povijesti Zemlje te da je prekasno pripraviti se za vječni život.

> “Money will soon depreciate in value very suddenly when the reality of eternal scenes opens to the senses of man.” Evangelism, 62.

> „Novac će uskoro vrlo naglo izgubiti na vrijednosti kada se stvarnost vječnih prizora otvori ljudskim osjetilima.“ Evangelizam, 62.

There are two “reports” or messages that cause pain to everyone in the passage. The first “report” concerns Egypt and the second “report” is Tyre. The report of Egypt is in the past tense for Isaiah says, “as at the report concerning Egypt,” thus showing that God had done something with Egypt prior to His destruction of Zidon (the USA.) What God did to Egypt, that also represents the “report” of Egypt, is that He destroyed Egypt in connection with the first time God entered into covenant with a chosen people. The two reports are the same “report.” The report of Egypt is the beginning and the report of Tyre is the ending. The Alpha and Omega has illustrated the covenant with the one hundred and forty-four thousand in the last days with the beginning history of that subject. The “report” concerning Egypt is the Red Sea deliverance when Pharaoh and his host were destroyed, which typifies the final deliverance of God’s people as represented by the “report” which is the “burden of Tyre.”

Postoje dva „izvještaja” ili poruke koje svima u tom odlomku nanose bol. Prvi se „izvještaj” odnosi na Egipat, a drugi „izvještaj” jest Tir. Izvještaj o Egiptu izražen je u prošlom vremenu, jer Izaija kaže: „kao na vijest o Egiptu”, pokazujući tako da je Bog nešto učinio s Egiptom prije nego što je uništio Sidon (SAD.) Ono što je Bog učinio Egiptu također predstavlja „izvještaj” o Egiptu, a to je da je uništio Egipat u vezi s prvim putem kada je Bog stupio u savez s izabranim narodom. Ta su dva izvještaja isti „izvještaj”. Izvještaj o Egiptu jest početak, a izvještaj o Tiru jest svršetak. Alfa i Omega prikazao je savez sa sto četrdeset i četiri tisuće u posljednjim danima početnom poviješću toga predmeta. „Izvještaj” o Egiptu jest izbavljenje na Crvenome moru kada su faraon i njegova vojska bili uništeni, što je praslika konačnog izbavljenja Božjega naroda kako je predstavljeno „izvještajem” koji je „breme o Tiru.”

The power represented in the Bible that destroys the ships of Tarshish is Islam. The subject of Islam will be taken up later, so we will address the subject more fully at a later time. It is represented in the passage as “Chittim” an ancient word for Cyprus, and the passage says that the destruction of Zidon and Tyre is revealed from “Chittim.” The symbol of Islam includes a very specific illustration of the destruction of the United States in Bible prophecy.

Sila predstavljena u Bibliji koja uništava lađe Taršiša jest islam. O temi islama bit će riječi kasnije, stoga ćemo se njome potpunije pozabaviti u kasnije vrijeme. U odlomku je prikazan kao „Kitim”, drevni naziv za Cipar, a odlomak kaže da se propast Sidona i Tira objavljuje iz „Kitima”. Simbol islama uključuje vrlo određeni prikaz uništenja Sjedinjenih Država u biblijskom proroštvu.

It is important to follow the days and years referenced in the book of Isaiah for they often identify the prophetic time of the passage that follows. Isaiah twenty-three follows the “burden” of the valley of vision in chapter twenty-two, that is preceded by chapter twenty-one that has three burdens,” and all three identify Islam. Before that chapter, in verse one of chapter twenty the setting of the prophetic history where the following prophecies of doom are identified in the following chapters.

Važno je pratiti dane i godine na koje se upućuje u knjizi Izaijinoj, jer oni često određuju proročko vrijeme odlomka koji slijedi. Izaija dvadeset i treće poglavlje slijedi nakon „proroštva” o dolini viđenja u dvadeset i drugom poglavlju, kojemu prethodi dvadeset i prvo poglavlje, koje ima tri „proroštva”, a sva tri označuju islam. Prije toga poglavlja, u prvom retku dvadesetoga poglavlja, nalazi se okvir proročke povijesti u kojemu su prepoznata sljedeća proročanstva propasti u narednim poglavljima.

> In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it. Isaiah 20:1.

> U godine kad je Tartan došao u Ašdod (kad ga je poslao Sargon, kralj Asirije), i zaratio protiv Ašdoda te ga zauzeo. Izaija 20,1.

The word “Tartan” may be a name or it is most likely a title of a military leader. Tartan came to Ashdod, a city in Egypt and took it in the period of history when the Assyrians were progressively taking control of the world. Assyria typified Babylon. Both Assyria and Babylon were kingdoms that came from the north, kingdoms identified as “lions” that “scattered” God’s sheep and both receive the same punishment. Assyria was first Babylon was last.

Riječ „Tartan” može biti ime, ili je najvjerojatnije naslov vojskovođe. Tartan je došao u Ašdod, grad u Egiptu, i zauzeo ga u onom povijesnom razdoblju kada su Asirci postupno preuzimali vlast nad svijetom. Asirija je bila praslika Babilona. I Asirija i Babilon bila su kraljevstva koja su došla sa sjevera, kraljevstva označena kao „lavovi” koji su „raspršili” Božje ovce, i oba primaju istu kaznu. Asirija je bila prva, Babilon je bio posljednji.

> Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. Jeremiah 50:17, 18.

> Izrael je raspršena ovca; lavovi su ga otjerali: najprije ga je proždro kralj Asirije; a naposljetku mu je ovaj Nabukodonozor, kralj Babilona, polomio kosti. Stoga ovako govori Jahve nad vojskama, Bog Izraelov: Evo, kaznit ću kralja babilonskoga i njegovu zemlju, kao što sam kaznio kralja asirskoga. Jeremija 50,17.18.

Prophetically they are both the “haughty Assyrian.”

Proročki, obojica su „ohol Asirac.”

> “When Sennacherib, the haughty Assyrian, reproached and blasphemed God, and threatened Israel with destruction, ‘it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand.’ There were ‘cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains,’ from the army of Sennacherib. ‘So he returned with shame of face to his own land.’ [2 Kings 19:35; 2 Chronicles 32:21.]” The Great Controversy, 512.

> „Kad je Senaherib, oholi Asirac, sramotio i hulio na Boga te prijetio Izraelu uništenjem, ‘dogodilo se te noći da je anđeo Gospodnji izišao i pobio u taboru Asiraca sto osamdeset i pet tisuća.’ Bijahu ‘istrijebljeni svi hrabri junaci, vođe i zapovjednici’ iz vojske Senaheribove. ‘Tako se vrati posramljena lica u svoju zemlju.’ [2 Kings 19:35; 2 Chronicles 32:21.]” Velika borba, 512.

The year that “Tartan came unto Ashdod” and “took it,” represents the progressive conquering of the world by the papal power as illustrated in the last six verses of Daniel eleven. The history of the Sunday law crisis, which is the “last days” of the investigative judgment, and which leads directly into the executive judgment, (the seven last plagues) is the historical setting represented by the “year” that Tartan came to Ashdod. With the context of that history in place Isaiah then gives three prophecies of doom concerning Islam, one concerning Laodicean Adventism and then the burden of Tyre. Chapter twenty-four is one of the classic examples of the seven last plagues that is followed by chapter twenty-five representing the final deliverance of God’s people, where we find God’s people expressing one of the most well-known statements during the great time of trouble.

Godina kada je „Tartan došao u Ašdod” i „uzeo ga” predstavlja postupno osvajanje svijeta od strane papinske vlasti, kako je prikazano u posljednjih šest redaka jedanaestog poglavlja Daniela. Povijest krize nedjeljnoga zakona, koja je „posljednji dani” istražnoga suda i koja vodi izravno u izvršni sud (sedam posljednjih zala), povijesni je okvir predstavljen „godinom” kada je Tartan došao u Ašdod. Nakon što je kontekst te povijesti postavljen, Izaija zatim iznosi tri proročanstva propasti u vezi s islamom, jedno u vezi s laodicejskim adventizmom, a potom i breme Tira. Dvadeset i četvrto poglavlje jedan je od klasičnih primjera sedam posljednjih zala, nakon kojega slijedi dvadeset i peto poglavlje koje predstavlja konačno izbavljenje Božjega naroda, gdje nalazimo Božji narod kako tijekom velikoga vremena nevolje izriče jednu od najpoznatijih izjava.

> And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. Isaiah 25:9.

> I reći će se u onaj dan: Evo, ovo je Bog naš; njega smo čekali, i on će nas spasiti; ovo je Gospodin; njega smo čekali, radovat ćemo se i veseliti se njegovu spasenju. Izaija 25,9.

The one hundred and forty-four thousand are the wise virgins that waited for their Lord to come to the wedding, though He tarried in agreement with the parable of the ten virgins. They are not Laodiceans, they are Philadelphians. Up to this point this article has been setting the context.

Sto četrdeset i četiri tisuće jesu mudre djevice koje su čekale da njihov Gospodin dođe na svadbu, premda je zakasnio u skladu s prispodobom o deset djevica. One nisu Laodicejci, nego Filadelfijci. Do ove je točke ovaj članak postavljao kontekst.

In 1798, Napoleon took the pope captive delivering the prophetic deadly wound that is healed at the end of the world according to Revelation thirteen. At that point the United States took its place as the sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy according to Daniel two, seven, eight and eleven and Revelation twelve, thirteen, sixteen, seventeen and eighteen. From that point on both the Republican horn of the United States and the Protestant horn (Adventism) have forgotten who the papacy is. 1798 is the first year that the nations of the rest of the world acknowledged the United States as a sovereign nation, and it is also the year the first angel’s message arrived in history.

Godine 1798. Napoleon je zarobio papu, nanijevši tako proročku smrtonosnu ranu koja biva iscijeljena na svršetku svijeta prema trinaestom poglavlju Otkrivenja. U tom je trenutku Sjedinjene Države zauzele svoje mjesto kao šesto kraljevstvo biblijskog proročanstva prema Danielu 2, 7, 8 i 11 te Otkrivenju 12, 13, 16, 17 i 18. Od toga trenutka i republikanski rog Sjedinjenih Država i protestantski rog (adventizam) zaboravili su tko je papinstvo. Godina 1798. prva je godina u kojoj su narodi ostatka svijeta priznali Sjedinjene Države kao suverenu naciju, a ujedno je i godina kada je u povijest stigla poruka prvoga anđela.

The “motto” of a Protestant at that time was, “the Bible and the Bible only.” Protestants identify themselves as defenders of the Bible alone, and when Adventism took their mantel at the arrival of the second angel, they accepted that “motto,” and were afterward labelled the “people of the book.” They had been given, through the ministry of William Miller a set of rules that would, if properly employed open the Bible to the minds of all who wished to hear. Miller’s Rules of Prophetic Interpretation are what inspiration says we must study if we are to give the third angel’s message.

„Geslo“ jednoga protestanta u to vrijeme bilo je: „Biblija i samo Biblija.“ Protestanti se prepoznaju kao branitelji same Biblije, a kada je adventizam, o dolasku drugoga anđela, preuzeo njihov plašt, prihvatio je to „geslo“ te je potom bio nazvan „narodom knjige“. Kroz službu Williama Millera bio im je dan skup pravila koja bi, ako se pravilno primijene, otvorila Bibliju umovima svih koji su željeli čuti. Millerova pravila proročkoga tumačenja ono su za što nadahnuće kaže da moramo proučavati ako želimo naviještati poruku trećega anđela.

> “Said Christ, ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.’ Again he said, ‘I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.’ The light of truth is going forth like a burning lamp, and those who love the light will not walk in darkness. They will study the Scriptures, that they may know of a surety that they are listening to the voice of the true Shepherd, and not that of a stranger.

> „Rekao je Krist: ‘Ako tko hoće ići za mnom, neka se odrekne samoga sebe, i uzme svoj križ, i slijedi me.’ Opet je rekao: ‘Ja sam svjetlost svijeta; tko ide za mnom, neće hoditi u tami.’ Svjetlo istine izlazi poput goruće svjetiljke, i oni koji ljube svjetlo neće hoditi u tami. Proučavat će Pisma, kako bi sa sigurnošću znali da slušaju glas pravoga Pastira, a ne glas tuđinca.”

> “Those who are engaged in proclaiming the third angel’s message are searching the Scriptures upon the same plan that Father Miller adopted. In the little book entitled Views of the Prophecies and Prophetic Chronology, Father Miller gives the following simple but intelligent and important rules for Bible study and interpretation:

> „Oni koji su uključeni u navješćivanje poruke trećega anđela istražuju Sveta pisma prema istom načelu koje je usvojio otac Miller. U maloj knjizi pod naslovom Views of the Prophecies and Prophetic Chronology, otac Miller iznosi sljedeća jednostavna, ali razumna i važna pravila za proučavanje i tumačenje Biblije:

> “‘1. Every word must have its proper bearing on the subject presented in the Bible; 2. All Scripture is necessary, and may be understood by diligent application and study; 3. Nothing revealed in Scripture can or will be hid from those who ask in faith, not wavering; 4. To understand doctrine, bring all the scriptures together on the subject you wish to know, then let every word have its proper influence; and if you can form your theory without a contradiction, you cannot be in error; 5. Scripture must be its own expositor, since it is a rule of itself. If I depend on a teacher to expound to me, and he should guess at its meaning, or desire to have it so on account of his sectarian creed, or to be thought wise, then his guessing, desire, creed, or wisdom is my rule, and not the Bible.’

> „1. Svaka riječ mora imati svoje odgovarajuće značenje u odnosu na predmet iznesen u Bibliji; 2. Cijelo je Pismo nužno i može se razumjeti marljivom primjenom i proučavanjem; 3. Ništa što je otkriveno u Pismu ne može niti će biti skriveno od onih koji ištu u vjeri, ne kolebajući se; 4. Da bi se razumjela doktrina, treba sabrati sva Pisma o predmetu koji želite upoznati, a zatim svakoj riječi dopustiti njezin odgovarajući utjecaj; i ako svoju teoriju možete oblikovati bez proturječja, ne možete biti u zabludi; 5. Pismo mora biti vlastiti tumač, budući da je samo sebi pravilo. Ako ovisim o učitelju da mi ga protumači, a on nagađa o njegovu značenju, ili želi da ono bude takvo zbog svojega sektaškog vjerovanja, ili da bi ga se smatralo mudrim, tada su njegovo nagađanje, želja, vjerovanje ili mudrost moje pravilo, a ne Biblija.’“

> “The above is a portion of these rules; and in our study of the Bible we shall all do well to heed the principles set forth.

> „Gore navedeno predstavlja dio ovih pravila; i svi ćemo dobro učiniti da u svojem proučavanju Biblije obratimo pozornost na iznesena načela.

> “Genuine faith is founded on the Scriptures; but Satan uses so many devices to wrest the Scriptures and bring in error, that great care is needed if one would know what they really do teach. It is one of the great delusions of this time to dwell much upon feeling, and to claim honesty while ignoring the plain utterances of the word of God because that word does not coincide with feeling. Many have no foundation for their faith but emotion. Their religion consists in excitement; when that ceases, their faith is gone. Feeling may be chaff, but the word of God is the wheat. And ‘what,’ says the prophet, ‘is the chaff to the wheat?’

> „Istinska vjera utemeljena je na Svetom pismu; ali Sotona se služi tako mnogim lukavstvima da izvrne Sveto pismo i uvede zabludu, da je potrebna velika opreznost želi li se znati što ono doista naučava. Jedna od velikih obmana ovoga vremena jest mnogo se zadržavati na osjećajima i pozivati se na iskrenost, dok se zanemaruju jasne izjave riječi Božje zato što se ta riječ ne podudara s osjećajima. Mnogi za svoju vjeru nemaju nikakav drugi temelj osim osjećaja. Njihova se religija sastoji u uzbuđenju; kada ono prestane, njihova je vjera nestala. Osjećaj može biti pljeva, ali riječ Božja jest pšenica. A ‘što je’, kaže prorok, ‘pljeva prema pšenici?’”

> “None will be condemned for not heeding light and knowledge that they never had, and they could not obtain. But many refuse to obey the truth that is presented to them by Christ’s ambassadors, because they wish to conform to the world’s standard; and the truth that has reached their understanding, the light that has shone in the soul, will condemn them in the Judgment. In these last days we have the accumulated light that has been shining through all the ages, and we shall be held correspondingly responsible. The path of holiness is not on a level with the world; it is a way cast up. If we walk in this way, if we run in the way of the Lord’s commandments, we shall find that the ‘path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.’” Review and Herald, November 25, 1884.

> “Nitko neće biti osuđen zato što nije poslušao svjetlo i spoznaju koje nikada nije imao i koje nije mogao steći. Ali mnogi odbijaju poslušati istinu koja im se iznosi po Kristovim poslanicima, jer se žele prilagoditi mjerilu svijeta; i istina koja je doprla do njihova razumijevanja, svjetlo koje je zasjalo u duši, osudit će ih na Sudu. U ovim posljednjim danima imamo nagomilano svjetlo koje je svijetlilo kroz sva vjekovna razdoblja, i bit ćemo razmjerno tomu smatrani odgovornima. Put svetosti nije na istoj razini sa svijetom; to je uzdignut put. Ako hodimo tim putem, ako trčimo putem zapovijedi Gospodnjih, ustanovit ćemo da je ‘staza pravednika kao sjajna svjetlost, koja sve jače svijetli do potpunoga dana.’” Review and Herald, 25. studenoga 1884.

You can read in more detail about William Miller’s rules in the Article entitled William Miller under the Prophetic Keys category.

O pravilima Williama Millera možete detaljnije čitati u članku pod naslovom William Miller u kategoriji Proročki ključevi.

In “our study of the Bible we shall all do well to heed the principles set forth” within “Father Miller’s” rules of prophetic interpretation. The horn of Protestantism was given the sacred document we call the Bible, and also given the responsibility to defend and promote the principles contained therein, and the Protestant horn was also given a set of rules to rightly divide the sacred documents’ meaning and intent.

U „našem proučavanju Biblije svi ćemo učiniti dobro ako obratimo pozornost na načela izložena” u pravilima proročkoga tumačenja „oca Millera”. Rog protestantizma dobio je sveti spis koji nazivamo Biblijom, a također mu je povjerena odgovornost da brani i promiče načela sadržana u njemu; i protestantskom je rogu također dan skup pravila kako bi ispravno razlučivao značenje i nakanu svetoga spisa.

The horn of Republicanism was given a sacred document we call the Constitution, and also given the responsibility to defend and promote the principles contained therein. The Republican horn was also given a set of rules to rightly divide the sacred documents’ meaning and intent. The rules given to rightly divide the Constitution is the Bill of Rights and it enshrines the most important purpose of the Constitution in the first rules of the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment listed in the Bill of Rights is the freedom of religion, expression, speech, and the press.

Rogu republikanizma dan je sveti dokument koji nazivamo Ustavom, a također mu je dana i odgovornost da brani i promiče načela sadržana u njemu. Republikanističkom rogu također je dan skup pravila za ispravno razlučivanje značenja i nakane svetih dokumenata. Pravila dana za ispravno razlučivanje Ustava jesu Povelja o pravima, i ona u prvim odredbama Povelje o pravima utjelovljuje najvažniju svrhu Ustava. Prvi amandman naveden u Povelji o pravima jest sloboda vjere, izražavanja, govora i tiska.

> “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” U.S. Constitution, amend. I

> „Kongres ne smije donijeti nikakav zakon koji se odnosi na uspostavu religije ili zabranjuje njezino slobodno ispovijedanje; niti ograničava slobodu govora ili tiska; niti pravo naroda da se mirno okuplja i da podnosi predstavke Vladi radi ispravljanja nepravdi.” Ustav SAD-a, amandman I.

The Sunday law is an open attack against the first issue of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion, which is eliminated at the Sunday law, thus marking the end of the Constitution, the end of the United States as the sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy and the beginning of the persecution against those who are then proclaiming the third angel’s message in a loud cry. Those who are proclaiming the loud cry of the third angel and protesting against the destruction of the first Amendment and the Constitution are persecuted by those who were supposed to be upholding and applying the sacred rules, which defend the sacred document they were ordained to defend. This is an illustration of understanding and applying the parallel histories of the two horns of the lamb-like earth beast. The founding Fathers of the Constitution parallel Father Miller. The term Father used for Miller is used to designate a leader, not a popish priest. The Bible forbids calling men father who are professing to be spiritual guides. The Millerites are named after their father, as is often the case. To miss this distinction is to miss some of what the Elijah message means, when it turns the hearts of the fathers unto the children and vice-versa.

Nedjeljni zakon otvoren je napad na prvi članak Ustava, koji jamči slobodu vjeroispovijesti, a koji se nedjeljnim zakonom ukida, označujući tako kraj Ustava, kraj Sjedinjenih Država kao šestoga kraljevstva biblijskog proročanstva i početak progonstva protiv onih koji tada glasnim pokličem objavljuju poruku trećega anđela. Oni koji objavljuju glasni poklič trećega anđela i prosvjeduju protiv uništenja Prvog amandmana i Ustava bivaju progonjeni od onih koji su trebali podupirati i primjenjivati sveta pravila, koja brane sveti dokument što su bili zaređeni braniti. To je prikaz razumijevanja i primjene usporednih povijesti dvaju rogova jaganjcu slične zemaljske zvijeri. Oci utemeljitelji Ustava odgovaraju ocu Milleru. Izraz otac, upotrijebljen za Millera, rabi se da označi vođu, a ne papističkoga svećenika. Biblija zabranjuje nazivati ljude ocem kada se oni izjašnjavaju kao duhovni vođe. Milleriti su nazvani po svom ocu, kao što je to često slučaj. Propustiti ovu razliku znači propustiti dio onoga što poruka Ilijina znači kada obraća srca otaca k djeci i obratno.

The United States in Isaiah twenty-three is the sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy and it remains so until it overturns its Constitution at the rapidly approaching Sunday law. The sixth kingdom rules for seventy prophetic years, which are the days of one king. The kingdom (a king is a kingdom) that ruled for seventy years was Babylon. During the seventy years the horn of the state was the government of Babylon and the horn of the church was the Chaldeans. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego represent the one hundred and forty-four thousand. Both horns and God’s people are represented in Daniel’s testimony. The seventy years of captivity in Babylon was the days of one king that Isaiah employs to identify that the prophetic history of the United States and the history of Adventism as 1798 until the Sunday law.

Sjedinjene Američke Države u Izaiji dvadeset i tri šesto su kraljevstvo biblijskog proroštva i to ostaju sve dok ne obore svoj Ustav pri nedjeljnom zakonu koji se ubrzano približava. Šesto kraljevstvo vlada sedamdeset proročkih godina, koje su dani jednoga kralja. Kraljevstvo (kralj je kraljevstvo) koje je vladalo sedamdeset godina bio je Babilon. Tijekom tih sedamdeset godina rog države bio je babilonska vlast, a rog crkve bili su Kaldejci. Danijel, Šadrak, Mešak i Abednego predstavljaju sto četrdeset i četiri tisuće. Oba roga i Božji narod prikazani su u Danijelovu svjedočanstvu. Sedamdeset godina sužanjstva u Babilonu bili su dani jednoga kralja kojima se Izaija služi kako bi utvrdio da je proročka povijest Sjedinjenih Američkih Država i povijest adventizma od 1798. do nedjeljnog zakona.

Identifying that the line of prophetic history for both horns of the United States allows us to consider the ending and beginning, with the two horn witnesses to identify the characteristic of the other horn. After all the horns were the same. In Daniel there were horns, some broken, with horns that grew out of the broken horn. Some horns in Daniel were not the same size as each other, coming up later than the other. Not so, with the two horns of the United States. Those two horns parallel each other through the same history and produce the same waymarks, though different from one another in terms of their purpose. There are caveats within the history that are also important to understand.

Prepoznavanje da linija proročke povijesti za oba roga Sjedinjenih Država omogućuje da razmotrimo svršetak i početak, pri čemu dva roga kao svjedoci služe za utvrđivanje obilježja drugoga roga. Uostalom, rogovi su bili isti. U Danielu su bili rogovi, neki slomljeni, a iz slomljenoga roga izrasli su drugi rogovi. Neki rogovi u Danielu nisu bili iste veličine kao drugi, uzdižući se kasnije od drugoga. Nije tako s dvama rogovima Sjedinjenih Država. Ta dva roga usporedna su jedan s drugim kroz istu povijest i proizvode iste međaše, premda se razlikuju jedan od drugoga u pogledu svoje svrhe. U toj povijesti postoje i zadrške koje je također važno razumjeti.

In the beginning of Adventism there was a change from the prophetic history represented by the church of Philadelphia unto the church of Laodicea. There must be therefore at the end a change from the prophetic history of Laodicea. The Revelation of Jesus Christ includes the light of this understanding and it is part of what is being unsealed at this time.

Na početku adventizma došlo je do promjene iz proročke povijesti koju predstavlja crkva u Filadelfiji u onu crkve u Laodiceji. Stoga na kraju mora doći do promjene iz proročke povijesti Laodiceje. Otkrivenje Isusa Krista obuhvaća svjetlo toga razumijevanja i ono je dio onoga što se u ovo vrijeme razotkriva.

And “after the end of seventy years” the pope will “sing” and the “forgotten” “harlot” will be remembered. She is “remembered” at the Sunday law, where the issue is between the worship of the sun, or the worship of the day that God’s law informed mankind to “remember.”

I „nakon isteka sedamdeset godina” papa će „pjevati”, a „zaboravljena” „bludnica” bit će upamćena. Ona biva „spomenuta” pri nedjeljnom zakonu, gdje je pitanje između štovanja sunca ili štovanja dana za koji je Božji zakon uputio čovječanstvo da ga se „spominje”.

In this article we have identified that the history of Babylon’s seventy-year rule typifies the history of the United States from 1798 until the Sunday law. In a previous article and often in Habakkuk’s Tables we identify that the captivity in and deliverance from Egypt, also typifies the history of the United States and God’s people. Those four histories of Babylon, Egypt, Adventism and the United States are not the only lines to bring upon these lines, but when we apply the rule of first mention to those four lines—it is absolutely amazing. I will close this article with one simple and partial illustration of what I mean, and what I intend to continue with when we further address the history of Isaiah twenty-three at a later time.

U ovom smo članku utvrdili da povijest sedamdesetogodišnje vladavine Babilona predočuje povijest Sjedinjenih Država od 1798. godine do nedjeljnog zakona. U prethodnom članku, a često i u Habakukovim tablicama, utvrđujemo da su sužanjstvo u Egiptu i izbavljenje iz njega također predslika povijesti Sjedinjenih Država i Božjega naroda. Te četiri povijesti Babilona, Egipta, adventizma i Sjedinjenih Država nisu jedine linije koje se mogu dovesti na ove linije, ali kada na te četiri linije primijenimo pravilo prvoga spominjanja — to je naprosto zadivljujuće. Ovaj ću članak zaključiti jednim jednostavnim i djelomičnim prikazom onoga što pod time mislim i onoga što namjeravam nastaviti kada se kasnije budemo dalje bavili poviješću Izaije dvadeset i tri.

The history of Babylon has a converted king at the beginning and a wicked king at the end. Doesn’t matter if it were Biden or Trump, for the book of Daniel teaches that it is God who sets up rulers and takes them down. What can be sure about either a Democrat or Republican leader at the time of the Sunday law is that they are a wicked leader. Nebuchadnezzar was Babylon, he was the tyrant of Babylon, willing to throw three good men into the fire. But he was eventually converted to Daniel’s God. Not so with the last leader Belshazzar. He was a wicked king. The United States in prophecy begins as a lamb, a symbol of Christ and His sacrifice for mankind. At the end the United States will speak as a dragon. The change from Christ to Satan in this line of history is represented by the difference of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar.

Povijest Babilona na svojem početku ima obraćenoga kralja, a na svojem kraju opakoga kralja. Nije važno bi li to bio Biden ili Trump, jer knjiga proroka Daniela uči da je Bog taj koji postavlja vladare i obara ih. Ono što se sa sigurnošću može reći o bilo kojem demokratskom ili republikanskom vođi u vrijeme nedjeljnoga zakona jest da je on opak vođa. Nabukodonozor je bio Babilon; bio je tiranin Babilona, spreman baciti trojicu dobrih ljudi u oganj. Ali je naposljetku bio obraćen Bogu Danielovu. Tako nije bilo s posljednjim vođom, Baltazarom. On je bio opak kralj. Sjedinjene Američke Države u proročanstvu započinju kao janje, simbol Krista i Njegove žrtve za čovječanstvo. Na kraju će Sjedinjene Američke Države govoriti kao zmaj. Promjena od Krista k Sotoni u ovoj povijesnoj liniji predstavljena je razlikom između Nabukodonozora i Baltazara.

> “Belshazzar had been given many opportunities for knowing and doing the will of God. He had seen his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar banished from the society of men. He had seen the intellect in which the proud monarch gloried taken away by the One who gave it. He had seen the king driven from his kingdom, and made the companion of the beasts of the field. But Belshazzar’s love of amusement and self-glorification effaced the lessons he should never have forgotten; and he committed sins similar to those that brought signal judgments on Nebuchadnezzar. He wasted the opportunities graciously granted him, neglecting to use the opportunities within his reach for becoming acquainted with truth. ‘What must I do to be saved?’ was a question that the great but foolish king passed by indifferently.” Bible Echo, April 25, 1898.

> „Belšazaru su bile dane mnoge prilike da upozna i vrši volju Božju. Vidio je kako je njegov djed Nabukodonozor bio prognan iz društva ljudi. Vidio je kako mu je Onaj koji mu ga je dao oduzeo razum kojim se oholi vladar ponosio. Vidio je kako je kralj bio istjeran iz svojega kraljevstva i učinjen drugom poljskim zvijerima. Ali Belšazarova ljubav prema zabavi i samouzvisivanju izbrisala je pouke koje nikada nije smio zaboraviti; i počinio je grijehe slične onima koji su navukli osobite sudove na Nabukodonozora. Proigrao je prilike koje su mu milostivo bile dane, zanemarujući iskoristiti mogućnosti koje su mu bile nadohvat ruke da se upozna s istinom. ‘Što mi treba činiti da se spasim?’ bilo je pitanje preko kojega je veliki, ali bezumni kralj ravnodušno prešao.” Bible Echo, 25. travnja 1898.

Notice that the wicked Belshazzar was the foolish king. He suffered the same judgment as his father Nebuchadnezzar, for both judgments were represented as the “seven times” of Leviticus twenty-six. Nebuchadnezzar was in the fields living like a beast for twenty-five hundred and twenty days, which is seven biblical years and his son Belshazzar’s judgment which written on the wall represents twenty-five hundred and twenty as well. The difference was the judgment against Nebuchadnezzar converted him and made him a wise king, whereas Belshazzar’s judgment was upon the foolish king.

Zapazite da je opaki Belšazar bio bezuman kralj. Podnio je istu osudu kao i njegov otac Nabukodonozor, jer su obje osude bile predstavljene kao „sedam vremena” iz Levitskog zakonika dvadeset šest. Nabukodonozor je bio u poljima, živeći kao zvijer, dvije tisuće petsto i dvadeset dana, što je sedam biblijskih godina, a osuda njegova sina Belšazara, koja je bila napisana na zidu, također predstavlja dvije tisuće petsto i dvadeset. Razlika je bila u tome što je osuda nad Nabukodonozorom obratila njega i učinila ga mudrim kraljem, dok je Belšazarova osuda bila nad bezumnim kraljem.

> “To the last ruler of Babylon, as in type to its first, had come the sentence of the divine Watcher: ‘O king, . . . to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.’ Daniel 4:31.” Prophets and Kings, 533.

> „Posljednjem vladaru Babilona, kao u slici i njegovu prvome, došla je presuda božanskoga Stražara: ‘O kralju,… tebi se govori; kraljevstvo je odstupilo od tebe.’ Daniel 4:31.” Proroci i kraljevi, 533.

The handwriting on the wall for the last president is the first amendment which identifies the “wall” of separation of church and state, which the final foolish king does not understand. The “seven times” of Leviticus twenty-six represents a “scattering of the people” that is accomplished by the king of the north at the Sunday law. That scattering is the national ruin that follows the Sunday law. The sixth nation forgot the lessons of their founding fathers who penned the Constitution to protect not only from a corrupt church, but also from the tyrannical European kings that the corrupt woman slept with. The founding fathers represent those who rejected the papacy and the kings of Europe for they knew from their own experience after coming out of a scattering of twelve hundred and sixty years of papal darkness, that protections against that type of tyranny must be the center piece of their new Constitution. They were wise fathers, they were lamb-like, but not so with the last father, for he will speak as a dragon. The Fathers came out of a scattering and the son goes back into a scattering. The tyrant in both instances is the first papacy and the last papacy.

Natpis na zidu za posljednjeg predsjednika jest Prvi amandman, koji prepoznaje „zid” razdvajanja crkve i države, a koji posljednji bezumni kralj ne razumije. „Sedam vremena” iz Levitskog zakonika dvadeset i šest predstavlja „raspršenje naroda” koje izvršava kralj sjevera pri nedjeljnom zakonu. To raspršenje jest nacionalna propast koja slijedi nakon nedjeljnog zakona. Šesta nacija zaboravila je pouke svojih otaca utemeljitelja koji su sastavili Ustav da bi pružili zaštitu ne samo od iskvarene crkve, nego i od tiranskih europskih kraljeva s kojima je bludnica spavala. Oci utemeljitelji predstavljaju one koji su odbacili papinstvo i kraljeve Europe, jer su iz vlastitog iskustva, nakon što su izašli iz raspršenja od tisuću dvjesto i šezdeset godina papinske tame, znali da zaštite protiv takve vrste tiranije moraju biti središnji dio njihova novog Ustava. Bili su mudri oci, bili su nalik janjetu, ali nije tako s posljednjim ocem, jer će on govoriti kao zmaj. Oci su izašli iz raspršenja, a sin se vraća u raspršenje. Tiranin je u oba slučaja prvo papinstvo i posljednje papinstvo.

The symbol of the judgment upon Nebuchadnezzar, the first king and the last king Belshazzar was the “seven times” scattering of Leviticus twenty-six. Nebuchadnezzar lived it, and Belshazzar had it written upon the wall as his epitaph the very night he died. The symbol of the Republican horn in the beginning was its escape from the king of the north’s bondage and the symbol of the Republican horn at its end is captivity brought about from the king of the north. The Sunday law is the “very night” that it dies as the sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy. In all four illustrations, Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar, and the beginning and ending of the Republican horn the twenty-five twenty of Leviticus twenty-six, is the symbol represented at the beginning and the ending. That represents the signature of Alpha and Omega.

Simbol suda nad Nabukodonozorom, prvim kraljem, i nad posljednjim kraljem Baltazarom bilo je „sedam vremena” rasijanja iz Levitskog zakonika dvadeset i šest. Nabukodonozor ga je proživio, a Baltazaru je ono bilo napisano na zidu kao njegov nadgrobni natpis upravo one noći kada je umro. Simbol republikanskog roga na njegovu početku bio je njegovo izbavljenje iz ropstva kralja sa sjevera, a simbol republikanskog roga na njegovu kraju jest sužanjstvo prouzročeno od kralja sa sjevera. Zakon o nedjelji jest „upravo ona noć” u kojoj on umire kao šesto kraljevstvo biblijskog proročanstva. U sva četiri prikaza — Baltazaru, Nabukodonozoru te početku i završetku republikanskog roga — dvadeset i pet dvadeset iz Levitskog zakonika dvadeset i šest jest simbol koji je prikazan na početku i na svršetku. To predstavlja potpis Alfe i Omege.

The first “time prophecy” William Miller discovered was the twenty-five twenty of Leviticus twenty-six. It was the first stone in the foundation that Jesus laid through the work of Miller. It was also the first foundational truth that was set aside by Adventism in 1863. When all of Miller’s stones of truth were put into the foundation, those truths were represented on the two tables of Habakkuk, which are the 1843 and 1850 pioneer charts. Those two tables represent the covenant relationship between God and His denominated people just as the two tables of the Ten Commandments represented the covenant with ancient Israel.

Prvo „vremensko proročanstvo” koje je William Miller otkrio bilo je dvadeset i pet dvadeset iz Levitskog zakonika dvadeset i šest. To je bio prvi kamen u temelju koji je Isus položio kroz Millerovo djelo. To je također bila prva temeljna istina koju je adventizam odbacio 1863. godine. Kada su svi Millerovi kameni istine bili položeni u temelj, te su istine bile prikazane na dvije Habakukove ploče, a to su pionirske karte iz 1843. i 1850. godine. Te dvije ploče predstavljaju saveznički odnos između Boga i Njegova imenovana naroda, kao što su dvije ploče Deset zapovijedi predstavljale savez sa starim Izraelom.

At the end of Laodicean Adventism, when it is spewed out of the mouth of the Lord at the Sunday law, the handwriting on the wall is those two sacred pioneer charts. Charts which they are unable to read, for they refused to be benefitted by the warning message in their beginning of their history….

Na završetku laodicejskog adventizma, kada bude izbačen iz usta Gospodnjih pri nedjeljnom zakonu, natpis na zidu jesu one dvije svete pionirske karte. Karte koje oni nisu u stanju pročitati, jer su odbili okoristiti se porukom upozorenja na početku svoje povijesti….

The financial crisis of 1837 in the United States was a complex event triggered by a combination of economic factors, policies, and speculative activities.

Financijska kriza iz 1837. godine u Sjedinjenim Državama bila je složen događaj potaknut kombinacijom gospodarskih čimbenika, politika i špekulativnih aktivnosti.

Speculative Bubble: In the years leading up to 1837, there was a speculative boom in land and investments, driven in part by the westward expansion of the country. Land speculation, particularly in the western frontier, led to inflated land prices and excessive borrowing.

Špekulativni balon: U godinama koje su prethodile 1837. došlo je do špekulativnog procvata u zemljištu i ulaganjima, potaknutog dijelom širenjem zemlje prema zapadu. Špekulacije zemljištem, osobito na zapadnoj granici, dovele su do prenapuhanih cijena zemljišta i prekomjernog zaduživanja.

Easy Credit and Speculative Lending: Banks and financial institutions were issuing large amounts of credit and loans, often without adequate collateral. This easy access to credit contributed to the speculative frenzy and increased the risks of financial instability.

Laki kredit i špekulativno kreditiranje: banke i financijske institucije odobravale su velike iznose kredita i zajmova, često bez odgovarajućega kolaterala. Ovaj lak pristup kreditu pridonio je špekulativnoj groznici i povećao rizike financijske nestabilnosti.

Overexpansion of Banks: Banks were expanding their operations rapidly, often issuing more paper money (banknotes) than they had specie (gold and silver) to back it up. This practice, known as “wildcat banking,” resulted in an overabundance of unregulated and unreliable currency in circulation.

Pretjerano širenje banaka: Banke su brzo širile svoje poslovanje, često izdajući više papirnatog novca (novčanica) nego što su imale vrste (zlata i srebra) kao pokriće za njega. Ta praksa, poznata kao „wildcat banking“, dovela je do preobilja neregulirane i nepouzdane valute u optjecaju.

Jackson’s Economic Policies: President Andrew Jackson’s policies played a role in exacerbating the crisis. He issued the Specie Circular in 1836, which required that public lands be purchased with hard currency (gold and silver) rather than paper money. This led to a rush to convert banknotes into specie, causing financial strains and bank failures.

Jacksonove ekonomske politike: Politike predsjednika Andrewa Jacksona odigrale su ulogu u pogoršanju krize. Godine 1836. izdao je okružnicu Specie Circular, kojom je zahtijevao da se javna zemljišta kupuju tvrdim novcem (zlatom i srebrom), a ne papirnatim novcem. To je dovelo do navale na pretvaranje bankovnih novčanica u kovani novac, uzrokujući financijske napetosti i propast banaka.

International Factors: The crisis in the United States was also influenced by international economic conditions. A slump in the British economy, a major trading partner of the United States, led to a reduction in demand for American goods and exports. This, in turn, affected American businesses and contributed to economic distress.

Međunarodni čimbenici: Na krizu u Sjedinjenim Državama također su utjecale međunarodne gospodarske prilike. Zastoj u britanskom gospodarstvu, glavnom trgovinskom partneru Sjedinjenih Država, doveo je do smanjenja potražnje za američkom robom i izvozom. To je, zauzvrat, pogodilo američka poduzeća i pridonijelo gospodarskim teškoćama.

Panic and Bank Runs: In May 1837, a series of financial shocks, including bank failures and credit contractions, led to a panic among investors and depositors. This panic triggered a wave of bank runs and a severe contraction of credit.

Panika i navale na banke: U svibnju 1837. niz financijskih šokova, uključujući propasti banaka i stezanje kredita, doveo je do panike među ulagačima i štedišama. Ta je panika izazvala val navala na banke i teško stezanje kredita.

Contraction of Money Supply: As banks failed and credit tightened, the overall money supply in the economy contracted significantly. This contraction of money aggravated economic difficulties and deepened the recession. The combination of these factors led to a severe economic downturn, characterized by bank failures, unemployment, reduced consumer spending, and a general economic depression.

Smanjenje novčane mase: Kako su banke propadale, a kreditiranje se pooštravalo, ukupna novčana masa u gospodarstvu znatno se smanjila. To smanjenje novčane mase pogoršalo je gospodarske poteškoće i produbilo recesiju. Spoj tih čimbenika doveo je do teškoga gospodarskog pada, obilježenoga propadanjem banaka, nezaposlenošću, smanjenom potrošnjom i općom gospodarskom depresijom.

> “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.” Life Sketches, 196.

> „Nemamo se čega bojati za budućnost, osim ako zaboravimo put kojim nas je Gospodin vodio i Njegov nauk u našoj prošloj povijesti.” Life Sketches, 196.

Back to Articles