THE TERRIBLE STORM!

WHEN HUMAN PROBATION FINALLY CLOSES

"When individuals commit sins which are too grievous for the Lord to pardon, their names are erased from the book, and they are devoted to destruction. "7 Bible Commentary, 987.

As long as you are convicted that you should repent and return to God, your probationary opportunity has not closed. Those who have sinned away the day of grace are hardened and calloused in sin and have no conscience in what they say and do.

"The day of Gods vengeance is just upon us. The Seal of God will be placed upon the foreheads of those only who sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land. Those who link in sympathy with the world are eating and drinking with the drunken and will surely be destroyed with the workers of iniquity." 5 Testimonies, 212.

"The One who has stood as our Intercessor; who hears all penitential prayers and confessions; who is represented with a rainbow, the symbol of grace and love, encircling His head, is soon to cease His work in the heavenly Sanctuary. Grace and mercy will then descend from the throne, and justice will take their place. He for whom His people have looked will assume His right--the office of Supreme Judge." 7 Bible Commentary, 989.

"God is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish; but His forbearance has a limit, and when the boundary is past, there is no second probation. His wrath will go forth and He will destroy without remedy . . He will punish for every act of oppression. No earthly wisdom can secure wrongdoers against the judgments of heaven." 7 Bible Commentary, 946.

"The cup of iniquity is nearly filled, and the retributive justice of God is about to descend upon the guilty." 4 Testimonies, 489.

After the close of probation, the judgments of God will fall in greater intensity than earlier.

"Gods judgments will be visited upon those who are seeking to oppress and destroy His people. His long forbearance with the wicked emboldens men in transgressions, but their punishment is nonetheless certain and terrible because it is long delayed. The Lord shall rise up . . that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act. Isaiah 28:21. To our merciful God the act of punishment is a strange act. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Ezekiel 33-11 . . The severity of the retribution awaiting the transgressor may be judged by the Lords reluctance to execute justice. The nation with which He bears long, and which He will not smite until it has filled up the measure of its iniquity in Gods account, will finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed with mercy. When Christ ceases His intercession in the Sanctuary, the unmingled wrath threatened against those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark [Rev 14:10; promised in the Third Angels Message] will be poured out. The plagues upon Egypt when God was about to deliver Israel were similar in character to those more terrible and extensive judgments which are to fall upon the world just before the final deliverance of Gods people . . [Some of the plagues are described] . . Terrible as these inflictions are, Gods justice stands fully vindicated. The angel of God declares: Thou art righteous, O Lord . . because Thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets and Thou hast given them blood to drink." Great Controversy, 627-628.

A careful reading of these post-probation passages in Great Controversy reveals the following carefully arranged pattern: (1) Probation ceases as Jesus concludes His ministry in the Most Holy Place (GC 611-614). (2) Satan then brings misery and trouble upon the wicked. He is permitted by God to do this because their probation is now past (GC 614-615). Note this significant paragraph, showing that destructive acts can come in two different ways, directly from God or directly from Satan, when God permits:

"A single angel destroyed all the first-born of the Egyptians and filled the land with mourning. When David offended against God by numbering the people, one angel caused that terrible destruction by which his sin was punished. The same destructive power exercised by holy angels when God commands, will be exercised by evil angels when He permits. There are forces now ready, and only waiting the divine permission, to spread desolation everywhere." Great Controversy, 614.

(3) The focal point of the controversy will continue to be the Sabbath, and therefore a death decree will be enacted against those who faithfully observe it (GC 615-616).

(4) Jacobs Trouble will then take place as Gods people agonize with Him for help; we should now prepare ourselves for what is ahead, for it will include the personation by Satan himself as Christ (GC 616-626).

(5) But, not forgetting His own, God will, by His own angels, pour out the seven last plagues upon the wicked. These plagues represent the beginning of the outpouring of the wrath of God. This outpouring was predicted by the Third Angel. These plagues represent the first part of that wrath (GC 626629).

(6) God will, throughout this entire experience, protect His beloved children (GC 629-634). And that is the outline for chapter 39 of the book, Great Controversy. Read the chapter yourself if you think that this outline is incorrect.

Very carefully, Ellen White separates her discussion and description of two activities. One is various desolations brought on by Satan (GC 614). The other is the seven last plagues as the initiation of the outpouring of the wrath of God upon the wicked (GC 627-629). These two are not the same. Havoc will come to the wicked from two different sources.

A careful reading will show that they both begin when probation closes. The troubles brought on by Satan are not the plagues and wrath of God. The two are carefully separated in this chapter (The Time of Trouble, chapter 39). The one (GC 614) comes directly from Satan; the other directly from God (GC 627-629). The timing of this chapter is between the close of probation and the deliverance of Gods people by the Voice of God, at the time when the death decree is about to be enforced.

"Christ has spoken: Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: Isaiah 26:20-21. Glorious will be the deliverance of those who have patiently waited for His coming and whose names are written in the book of life." Great Controversy, 634.

The above quotation concludes chapter 39. Opening chapter 40, we find still further descriptions of the outpouring of the plagues. Continually the falling of the plagues is linked with the outpouring of the wrath of God. A careful study of the Spirit of Prophecy reveals this wrath of God against sin, and those determinedly clinging to it, is not concluded until the fire falls from Heaven at the close of the millennium.

Note, in the next quotation, that the devils themselves are terribly frightened as these plagues intensify. The demons are not causing them; they wish they would stop! (A parallel passage is Patriarchs and Prophets, 99, where Satan fears for his own life in the midst of the violence of the flood that God has brought upon the world.)

"Great hailstones, every one about the weight of a talent, are doing their work of destruction [Rev 16:9, 21; quoting from the Revelation passage that speaks about the seven last plagues]. The proudest cities of the earth are laid low. The Lordly palaces, upon which the worlds great men have lavished their wealth in order to glorify themselves, are crumbling to ruin before their eyes . . Fierce lightnings leap from the heavens, enveloping the earth in sheet of flame. Above the terrific roar of thunder, voices, mysterious and awful, declare the doom of the wicked . . Their wails [cries of the wicked] are heard above the sound of the elements. Demons acknowledge the deity of Christ and tremble before His power, while men are supplicating for mercy and groveling in abject terror. Said the prophets of old, as they beheld in holy vision the day of God: Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Isaiah 13:6. Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord." Great Controversy, 637-638.

Read the rest of the paragraph.

One receives the impression from reading all this that Satan's joyful fun at causing scattered desolation and carnage here and there, when probation first closed, was later swallowed up by the overwhelming immensity of the seven last plagues as they seemingly intensify in fury with the passing of time, until the devils are so concerned for their own existence in the plagues that they have little time to consider what new deviltry they can inflict. In these judgments from Heaven, demons are trembling at Christ's power, not rejoicing at their own. Also note that these plagues are falling even as the Voice of God sounds from heaven, to deliver the faithful from physical threat (GC 636-638).

"Then I saw that the seven last plagues were soon to be poured out upon those who have no shelter, yet the world regarded them no more than if they were so many drops of water that were about to fall. I was then made capable of enduring the awful sight of the seven last plagues, the wrath of God. I saw that His anger was dreadful and terrible, and if He should stretch forth His hand or lift it in anger, the inhabitants of the world would be as though they never had been or would suffer from incurable sores and withering plagues that would come upon them, and they would find no deliverance, but be destroyed by them. Terror seized me, and I fell upon my face before the angel, and begged of him to cause the sight to be removed, to hide it from me, for it was too dreadful." Early Writings, 6465.

God not only manifests His power in sending judgments on the wicked, but He manifests it in delivering His faithful ones.

"He [God] has always chosen extremities, when there seemed no possible chance for deliverance from Satan's workings, for the manifestation of His power." 5 Testimonies, 714.

"It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the deliverance of His people. The sun appears, shining in its strength. Signs and wonders follow in quick succession. The wicked look with terror and amazement upon the scene, while the righteous behold with solemn joy the tokens of their deliverance. Everything in nature seems turned out of its course. The streams cease to flow. Dark, heavy clouds come up and clash against each other. In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying: It is done. Revelation 16:17." Great Controversy, 636.

"The powers of heaven will be shaken at the voice of God. Then the sun, moon, and stars will be moved out of their places. They will not pass away, but be shaken by the voice of God. Dark, heavy clouds came up and clashed against each other. The atmosphere parted and rolled back; then we could look up through the open space in Orion, whence came the voice of God." Early Writings, 41.

"After the people have heard the voice of God they are in despair and trouble such as never was since there was a nation, and in this the people of God will suffer affliction. The clouds of heaven will clash, and there will be darkness. Then that voice comes from heaven and the clouds begin to roll back like a scroll, and there is the bright, clear sign of the Son of man. The children of God know what that cloud means." 9 Manuscript Releases, 251 (Morning Talk, September 21, 1886).

"The 144,000 triumphed. Their faces were lighted up with the glory of God." Early Writings, 37.

"When the voice of God turns the captivity of His people, there is a terrible awakening of those who have lost all in the great conflict of Life." Great Controversy, 654.

"The day of wrath to the enemies of God is the day of final deliverance to His church." Prophets and Kings, 727.

"The people are fast being lulled to a fatal security, to be awakened only by the outpouring of the wrath of God." Great Controversy, 562 (Signs, December 8, 1909).

"The Lord in judgment will at the close of time walk through the earth, the fearful plagues will begin to fall. Then those who have despised Gods Word, those who have lightly esteemed it, shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it . . The ministers of God have done their last work, offered their last prayers, shed their last bitter tear for a rebellious church and an ungodly people." Maranatha, 264 (Manuscript 1, 1857).

"Gods love has been expressed in His justice no less than in His mercy. Justice is the foundation of His throne, and the fruit of His love." Desire of Ages, 762.

"Every eye in that vast multitude is turned to behold the glory of the Son of God. With one voice the wicked hosts exclaim: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! It is not love to Jesus that inspires this utterance. The force of truth urges the words from unwilling lips. As the wicked went into their graves, so they come forth with the same enmity to Christ and the same spirit of rebellion. They have no new probation in which to remedy the defects of their past lives. Nothing would be gained by this. A lifetime of transgression has not softened their hearts. A second probation, were it given them, would be occupied as was the first in evading the requirements of God and exciting rebellion against Him." Great Controversy, 662.

"At His own will God summons the forces of nature to overthrow the might of His enemies, fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling His word. Psalms 148:8. When the heathen Amorites had set themselves to resist His purposes, God interposed, casting down great stones from heaven upon the enemies of Israel. We are told of a greater battle to take place in the closing scenes of earths history, when Jehovah hath opened His armory, and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation. Jeremiah 50:25. Hast thou, He inquires, entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? Job 38:22-23.

"The revelator describes the destruction that is to take place when the great voice out of the temple of heaven announces, It is done. He says, There fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent. Revelation 1:17, 21." Patriarchs and Prophets, 509.

"In the day of the Lord, just before the coming of Christ, God will send lightnings from heaven in His wrath, which will unite with fire in the earth. The mountains will burn like a furnace, and will pour forth terrible streams of lava, destroying gardens and fields, villages and cities; and as they pour their melted ore, rocks and heated mud into the rivers, will cause them to boil like a pot, and send forth massive rocks and scatter their broken fragments upon the land with indescribable violence. Whole rivers will be dried up. The earth will be convulsed, and there will be dreadful eruptions and earthquakes everywhere. God will plague the wicked inhabitants of the earth until they are destroyed from off it." 3 Spiritual Gifts, 82-83.

"The powers of evil will not yield up the conflict without a struggle. But Providence has a part to play in the Battle of Armageddon." 7 Bible Commentary, 983.

"He on whose vesture is written the name, King of kings and Lord of Lords leads forth the armies of heaven on white horses, clothed in fine linen, clean and white . . The captain of the Lords host will stand at the head of the angels of heaven to direct the battle." 7 Bible Commentary, 982.

"The judgment scene will take place in the presence of all the worlds; for in this judgment the government of God will be vindicated, and His law will stand forth as holy, just, and good: Then every case will be decided, and sentence will be passed upon all. Sin will not then appear attractive, but will be seen in all its hideous magnitude."Sons and Daughters, 361.

"I thought of the day when the judgment of God would be poured out upon the world, when blackness and horrible darkness would clothe the heavens as sackcloth of hair . . My imagination anticipated what it must be in that period when the Lords mighty voice shall give commission to His angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

"Revelation 6 and 7 are full of meaning. Terrible are the judgments of God revealed. The seven angels stood before God to receive their commission. To them were given seven trumpets. The Lord was going forth to punish the inhabitants of the earth . . When the plagues of God shall come upon the earth, hail will fall upon the wicked about the weight of a talent."Maranatha, 284 (Manuscript 59, 1895).

It appears that the terrible immensity of the seven last plagues will continue right down to the second coming of Christ. The devastating intensity of these plagues is mammoth.

"The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and be removed as a cottage. The elements shall be in flames, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll."5 Bible Commentary, 1110.

"The earths crust will be rent by the outbursts of the elements concealed in the bowels of the earth. These elements, once broken loose, will sweep away the treasures of those who for years have been adding to their wealth by securing large possessions at starvation prices from those in their employ." 3 Selected Messages, 391 (Manuscript 24, 1891).

"The great general conflagration is just ahead, when all this wasted labor of life will be swept away in a night and day." 4 Testimonies, 49.

"There will be . . great destruction of human life. But as in the days of the great deluge Noah was preserved in the ark that God had prepared for him. So in these days of destruction and calamity, God will be the refuge of His believing ones. Through the psalmist He declares, Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion . . Then shall we not make the Lord our surety and our defense?" Maranatha, 283 (Letter 258, 1907).

"The Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet . . In the mad strife of their own fierce passions, and by the awful outpouring of Gods unmingled wrath, fall the wicked inhabitants of the earth, priests, rulers, and the people, rich and poor, high and low. And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried. "Great Controversy, 656-657.

" Her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities . . In the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double . . Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire [before it is all over with]: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her . . Such are the judgments that fall upon Babylon in the day of the visitation of Gods wrath. She has filled up the measure of her iniquity; her time has come; she is ripe for destruction." Great Controversy, 653.

"Now they are stripped of all that made them great and are left destitute and defenseless. They look with terror upon the destruction of the idols which they preferred before their Maker . . The gain of a lifetime is swept away in a moment. The rich bemoan the destruction of their grand houses, the scattering of their gold and silver. But their lamentations are silenced by the fear that they themselves are to perish with their idols. The wicked are filled with regret, not because of their sinful neglect of God and their fellow men, but because God has conquered . . The world see the very class whom they have mocked and derided, and desired to exterminate, pass unharmed through pestilence, tempest, and earthquake. He who is to the transgressors of His law a devouring fire, is to His people a safe pavilion . .

"Saith the Lord . . Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! . . Behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings. "Great Controversy, 654-655.

"The wrath of God in the seven last plagues had been visited upon the inhabitants of the earth, causing them to gnaw their tongues from pain and to curse God. The false shepherds had 

been the signal objects of Jehovah's wrath. Their eyes had consumed away in their holes, and their tongues in their mouths, while they stood upon their feet."Early Writings, 289-290.

PEN PICTURES OF THE FINAL CATACLYSM

"The wheat and tares grow together until the harvest, the end of the world. Then the tares are bound in bundles to be burned, and the wheat is gathered into the garner of God. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Then the Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."Christ's Object Lessons, 75.

"Before the Son of man appears in the clouds of heaven, everything in nature will be convulsed. Lightning from heaven uniting with the fire in the earth, will cause the mountains to burn like a furnace, and pour out their floods of lava over villages and cities. Molten masses of rock, thrown into the water by the upheaval of things hidden in the earth, will cause the water to boil and send forth rocks and earth. There will be mighty earthquakes and great destruction of human life. But as in the days of the great Deluge Noah was preserved in the ark that God had prepared for him [Noah], so in these days of destruction and calamity [just before the Second Coming], God will be the refuge of His believing ones." 7 Bible Commentary, 946.

"The tempest is coming, and we must get ready for its fury by having repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord will arise to shake terribly the earth. We shall see troubles on all sides. Thousands of ships will be hurled into the depths of the sea. Navies will go down and human lives will be sacrificed by millions. Fires will break out unexpectedly, and no human effort will be able to quench them, The palaces of earth will be swept away in the fury of the flames. Disasters by rail will become more and more frequent; confusion, collision, and death without a moments warning will occur on the great lines of travel. The end is near, probation is closing. Oh, let us seek God while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near! . . It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger." Messages to Young People, 89-90.

" A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations. He will plead with all flesh; He will give them that are wicked to the sword. Jeremiah 25:31. For six thousand years the great controversy has been in progress; the Son of God and His heavenly messengers have been in conflict with the power of the evil one, to warn, enlighten, and save the children of men. Now all have made their decisions; the wicked have fully united with Satan in his warfare against God. The time has come for God to vindicate the authority of His downtrodden law. Now the controversy is not alone with Satan, but with men. The Lord hath a controversy with the nations; He will give them that are wicked to the sword.

"The mark of deliverance [the Seal of God 5T 212] has been set upon those that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done: Now the angel of death goes forth, represented in Ezekiel's vision by the men with the slaughtering weapons, to whom the command is given: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary: Says the prophet: They began at the ancient men which were before the house. Ezekiel 9:1-6. The work of destruction begins among those who have professed to be the spiritual guardians of the people. The false watchmen are the first to fall . .

" The Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain. Isaiah 26:21. And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth." Great Controversy, 656-657.

"Gods dealings with rebellion will result in fully unmasking the work that has so long been carried on under cover. The results of Satan's rule, the fruits of setting aside the divine statutes, will be laid open to the view of all created intelligences. The law of God will stand fully vindicated. It will be seen that all the dealings of God have been conducted with reference to the eternal good of His people, and the good of all the worlds that He has created. Satan himself, in the presence of the witnessing universe, will confess the justice of Gods government and the righteousness of His law . .

"The time is not far distant when God will arise to vindicate His insulted authority. The Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. Isaiah 26:21 . . How terrible must be His tribunal when He comes for the execution of these sacred statutes. How will those who have trampled upon His authority endure His glory in the great day of final retribution?

. . The voice of the Archangel and the trump of God shall summon, from the whole earth, both the living and the dead to the presence of their Judge . .

"When Christ shall come in glory with His holy angels the whole earth shall be ablaze with the terrible light of His presence. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people. A fiery stream shall issue and come forth from before Him, which shall cause the elements to melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel." Patriarchs and Prophets, 339-340.

"Never since man was created had there been witnessed such a manifestation of divine power as when the law was proclaimed from Sinai . . Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven . . The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter His voice from His holy habitation; and the heavens and the earth shall shake . . And every mountain and island shall be moved out of its place . . Therefore shall all hands be faint, all faces shall be turned into paleness, and every mans heart shall melt. And they shall be afraid . . And I will punish the world for their evil, saith the Lord, and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible . . And they shall say to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? . . for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth. "

"Then it will be seen that Satan's rebellion against God has resulted in ruin to himself and to all that chose to become his subjects . . It will be seen that the wages of sin is death. For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. Satan, the root of every sin, and all evil workers, who are his branches, shall be utterly cut off. An end will be made of sin, with all the woe and ruin that have resulted from it. Says the psalmist, Thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou has put out their name forever and ever. O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end. " Patriarchs and Prophets, 340-341.

"Against every evildoer Gods law utters condemnation. He may disregard that voice, he may seek to drown its warning, but in vain. It follows him. It makes itself heard. It destroys his peace. If unheeded, it pursues him to the grave. It bears witness against him at the judgment. A quenchless fire, it consumes at last soul and body." Education, 144-145.

"From India, from Africa, from China, from the islands of the sea, from the downtrodden millions of so-called Christian lands, the cry of human woe is ascending to God. That cry will not long be unanswered. God will cleanse the earth from its moral corruption, not by a sea of water as in Noah's day, but by a sea of fire that cannot be quenched by any human devising." Christ's Object Lessons, 179.

"The hand of Omnipotence is at no loss for ways and means to accomplish His purposes. He could reach into the bowels of the earth and call forth His weapons, waters there concealed, to aid in the destruction of the corrupt inhabitants of the old world . .

"Water will never destroy the earth again, but the weapons of God are concealed in the bowels of the earth, which He will draw forth to unite with the fire from heaven to accomplish His purpose in the destruction of all those who would not receive the message of warning and purify their souls in obeying the truth and being obedient to the laws of God." 7 Bible Commentary, 946.

"In the bowels of the earth God has in reserve the weapons that He will use to destroy the sinful race. Since the Flood, God has used, to destroy wicked cities, both the water and the fire that are concealed in the earth. In the final conflagration God will in His wrath send lightning from heaven that will unite with the fire in the earth. The mountains will burn like a furnace, and pour forth streams of lava." 7 Bible Commentary, 946-947.

"His wonderful works in their deliverance from bondage and His dealings with them in their travels through the wilderness were not for their benefit alone. These were to be an object lesson to the surrounding nations. The Lord revealed Himself as a God above all human authority and greatness. The signs and wonders He wrought in behalf of His people showed His power over nature and over the greatest of those who worshiped nature. God went through the proud land of Egypt as He will go through the earth in the last days. With fire and tempest, earthquake, and death, the great I AM redeemed His people." Christ's Object Lessons, 286-287.

"At this time [during the Flood] immense forests were buried. These have since been changed to coal, forming the extensive coal beds that now exist, and also yielding large quantities of oil. The coal and oil frequently ignite and burn beneath the surface of the earth. Thus rocks are heated, limestone is burned, and iron ore melted. The action of the water upon the lime adds fury to the intense heat, and causes earthquakes, volcanoes, and fiery issues. As the fire and water come in contact with ledges of rock and ore, there are heavy explosions underground, which sound like muffled thunder. The air is hot and suffocating. Volcanic eruptions follow; and these often failing to give sufficient vent to the heated elements, the earth itself is convulsed, the ground heaves and swells like the waves of the sea, great fissures appear, and sometimes cities, villages, and burning mountains are swallowed up. These wonderful manifestations will be more and more frequent and terrible just before the Second Coming of Christ and the end of the world, as signs of its speedy destruction." Patriarchs and Prophets, 108-109.

"The depths of the earth are the Lords arsenal, whence were drawn weapons to be employed in the destruction of the old world. Waters gushing from the earth united with the waters from heaven to accomplish the work of desolation. Since the Flood, fire as well as water has been Gods agent to destroy very wicked cities. These judgments are sent that those who lightly regard Gods law and trample upon His authority may be led to tremble before His power and to confess His just sovereignty. As men have beheld burning mountains pouring forth fire and flames and torrents of melted ore, drying up rivers, overwhelming populous cities, and everywhere spreading ruin and desolation, the stoutest heart has been filled with terror and infidels and blasphemers have been constrained to acknowledge the infinite power of God." Patriarchs and Prophets, 109.

There are three types of judgments: (1) Less severe, often the removal of possessions or personal injury. Gods goodness is given to lead men to repentance; but, when this fails then His judgments begin to fall, as a last effort to awaken men (as an example, the Battle Creek fires in 1902). (2) More severe, frequently results in death: Without judgments upon the emboldened wicked, the world would soon be demoralized and the righteous would be destroyed; for the evil and criminal-minded would gain the ascendancy and would blot out the faithful from the earth. (An example: During the Dark Ages, international warfare, coupled with the Turkish threat, kept the wicked from focusing their full attention on wiping out the Christians.) (3) Most severe, very often resulting in death: Judgments may fall upon those who have passed their personal probation and whose lives are only a curse to the world (the destruction of Sodom, etc.). As we consider these various types of judgments, we note that the reason for them dictates their nature and intensity.

"Said the prophets of old, referring to scenes like these: Oh that Thou wouldst rend the heavens, that Thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence, as when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make Thy name known to Thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Thy presence! When Thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, Thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at Thy presence. The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers. "Patriarchs and Prophets, 109.

THE DEATH OF THE WICKED AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

After the saints had been delivered by the voice of God, the wicked multitude turned their rage upon one another. The earth seemed to be deluged with blood, and dead bodies were from one end of it to the other." Early Writings, 290.

"The Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet . . In the mad strife of their own fierce passions, and by the awful outpouring of Gods unmingled wrath, fall the wicked inhabitants of the earth, priests, rulers, and the people, rich and poor, high and low. And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried. " Great Controversy, 656-657.

"More terrible manifestations than the world has ever yet beheld, will be witnessed at the Second Advent of Christ. The mountains quake at Him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at His presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before His indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of His anger? Bow Thy heavens, O Lord, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out Thine arrows, and destroy them.

" I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent.

"As lightnings from heaven unite with the fire in the earth, the mountains will burn like a furnace, and will pour forth terrific streams of lava, overwhelming gardens and fields, villages and cities. Seething molten masses thrown into the rivers will cause the waters to boil, sending forth massive rocks with indescribable violence and scattering their broken fragments upon the land. Rivers will be dried up. The earth will be convulsed; everywhere there will be dreadful earthquakes and eruptions. Thus God will destroy the wicked from off the earth."Patriarchs and Prophets, 110.

After the Voice of God sounds from heaven delivering His people from the physical oppression of the wicked, those who are lost realize the terrible situation and turn upon one another, and injury and deaths result. But this is in addition to the outpouring of the wrath of God.

Some therefore speculate that it is the fist-fighting among the wicked, following the Voice of God, that causes all the wicked to die by the time Christ returns. But this is not true. A careful reading of GC 640-644 and 653-656-657 reveals the following:

Although some have died from violence or the plagues, all strife and passion cease when Jesus appears in the skies. The wicked are frozen by fear into silence; and then, as they attempt to run and hide, they are destroyed by the brightness of the presence of Christ. Every man who is destroyed will have destroyed himself (COL 84) . . It is the sins they have clung to that are the cause of their death. The purity of Christ's presence will consume sin, but the wicked have cherished it until they have become identified with it. And then, viewing the brightness of the presence of Christ, they die from its nearness.

"The mark of deliverance has been set upon those that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done. Now the angel of death goes forth, represented in Ezekiel's vision by the men with the slaughtering weapons, to whom the command is given: Slay utterly old and young . . but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary. Says the prophet: They began at the ancient men which were before the house. The work of destruction begins among those who have professed to be the spiritual guardians of the people. The false watchmen are the first to fall."Great Controversy 656.

"At the coming of Christ the wicked are blotted from the face of the whole earth consumed with the spirit of His mouth and destroyed by the brightness of His glory. Christ takes His people to the City of God, and the earth is emptied 

of its inhabitants. Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word. Because they have transgressed the laws . . changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned. Isaiah 24:1, 3, 5-6. The whole earth appears like a desolate wilderness."Great Controversy, 657.

"My attention was again directed to the earth. The wicked had been destroyed, and their dead bodies were lying upon its surface."Early Writings, 289.

During the millennium, Jesus and the righteous are involved in a special work of determining the amount of punishment that each of the wicked shall receive at the time that they are finally blotted from existence in hellfire (Rev 20:4; 1 Cor 6:1-3; EW 52-54, 291; GC 660-661). If it is wrong for God to put the wicked to death for their sins, why is it right for Him and holy beings to decide on the details of that executive sentence?

AFTER THE MILLENNIUM: THE EXECUTIVE JUDGMENT

"In His teachings, Christ sought to impress men with the certainty of the coming judgment, and with its publicity. This is not the judgment of a few individuals, or even of a nation, but of a whole world of human intelligences, of accountable beings. It is to be held in the presence of other worlds, that the love, the integrity, the service, of man for God, may be honored to the highest degree. There will be no lack of glory and honor . . The law of God will be revealed in its majesty; and those who have stood in defiant rebellion against its holy precepts will understand that the law that they have discarded, and despised, and trampled underfoot is Gods standard of character."Review, November 22, 1898.

"Their faces shone with glory, for they were in the express image of Jesus; and as they arose and moved all together to the top of the city, I was enraptured with the sight. Then the wicked saw what they had lost; and fire was breathed from God upon them and consumed them. This was the executive judgment. The wicked then received according as the saints, in unison with Jesus, had meted out to them during the one thousand years. The same fire from God that consumed the wicked purified the whole earth. The broken, ragged mountains melted with fervent heat, the atmosphere also, and all the stubble was consumed."Early Writings, 54.

"When the Judgment shall sit, and everyone shall be judged by the things written in the books, the authority of Gods law will be looked upon in a light altogether different from that in which it is now regarded by the Christian world . . The law of Jehovah is great, even as its Author is great. In the judgment it will be recognized as holy, just, and good in all its requirements. Those who transgress this law will find that they have a serious account to settle with God; for His claims are decisive." 7 Bible Commentary, 986.

"In the presence of the assembled inhabitants of earth and heaven the final coronation of the Son of God takes place. And now, invested with supreme majesty and power, the King of kings pronounces sentence upon the rebels against His government and executes justice upon those who have transgressed His law and oppressed His people . .

"As soon as the books of record are opened, and the eye of Jesus looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed."Great Controversy, 666.

"Though all nations are to pass in judgment before Him, yet He will examine the case of each individual with as close and searching scrutiny as if there were not another being on earth." 7 Bible Commentary, 986.

"The awful spectacle appears just as it was. Satan, his angels, and his subjects have no power to turn from the picture of their own work. Each actor recalls the part, which he performed . . All behold the enormity of their guilt. They vainly seek to hide from the divine majesty of His countenance, outshining the glory of the sun, while the redeemed cast their crowns at the Saviours feet, exclaiming: He died for me! " Great Controversy, 667.

"The whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of God on the charge of high treason against the government of heaven. They have none to plead their cause; they are without excuse; and the sentence of eternal death is pronounced against them." Great Controversy, 668.

"Every question of truth and error in the long-standing controversy has now been made plain. The results of rebellion, the fruits of setting aside the divine statutes, have been laid open to the view of all created intelligences. Satan's own works have condemned him. Gods wisdom, His justice, and His goodness stand fully vindicated. It is seen that all His dealings in the great controversy have been conducted with respect to the eternal good of His people and the good of all the worlds that He has created . . The history of sin will stand to all eternity as a witness that with the existence of Gods law is bound up the happiness of all the beings He has created. With all the facts of the great controversy in view, the whole universe, both loyal and rebellious, with one accord declare: Just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." Great Controversy, 670-671.

"The derisive jests have ceased. Lying lips are hushed into silence. The clash of arms, the tumult of battle, with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood (Isaiah 9:5), is stilled. Nought now is heard but the voice of prayer and the sound of weeping and lamentation. The cry bursts forth from lips so lately scoffing: The great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? The wicked pray to be buried beneath the rocks of the mountains rather than meet the face of Him whom they have despised and rejected.

"That voice which penetrates the ear of the dead, they know. How often have its plaintive, tender tones called them to repentance. How often has it been heard in the touching entreaties of a friend, a brother, a Redeemer. To the rejecters of His grace no other could be so full of condemnation, so burdened with denunciation, as the voice which has so long pleaded: Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die? Ezekiel 33:11. Oh, that it were to them the voice of a stranger! Says Jesus: I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all My counsel, and would none of My reproof. Proverbs 1:24-25. That voice awakens memories which they would fain blot out, warnings despised, invitations refused, privileges slighted . .

"In the lives of all who reject truth there are moments when conscience awakens, when memory presents the torturing recollection of a life of hypocrisy and the soul is harassed with vain regrets. But what are these when compared to the remorse of that day . . when destruction cometh as a whirlwind! Proverbs 1:27. Those who would have destroyed Christ and His faithful people now witness the glory which rests upon them." Great Controversy, 642, 644.

"Too late they are made to see that the Omniscient One is jealous of His law and that He will in no wise clear the guilty . . The whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of God on the charge of high treason against the government of heaven. They have none to plead their cause; they are without excuse; and the sentence of eternal death is pronounced against them . . It is now evident to all that the wages of sin is not noble independence and eternal life, but slavery, ruin, and death." Great Controversy, 668.

"Satan's own works have condemned him. Gods wisdom, His justice, and His goodness stand fully vindicated. It is seen that all His dealings in the great controversy have been conducted with respect to the eternal good of His people and the good of all the worlds that He has created. All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord; and Thy saints shall bless Thee . . With all the facts of the great controversy in view, the whole universe, both loyal and rebellious, with one accord, declare: Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints." Great Controversy, 670-671.

"He (Satan) rushes into the midst of his subjects and endeavors to inspire them with his own fury . . There are none now to acknowledge his supremacy. His power is at an end. The wicked are filled with the same hatred of God that inspires Satan; but they see that their case is hopeless, that they cannot prevail against Jehovah. Their rage is kindled against Satan and those who have been his agents in deception. With the fury of demons they turn upon them, and there follows a scene of universal strife." Story of Redemption, 428.

Prior to the Second Advent, some of the wicked died at the hands of other sinners; at the time of the final destruction of the wicked, though there is "strife," none of them slay one another before the fire falls. As for Satan, we just read, "His power is at an end."

"Every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. The indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and His fury upon all their armies: He hath utterly destroyed them, He hath delivered them to the slaughter. Upon the wicked He shall rain quick burning coals, fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. Fire comes down from God out of heaven. The earth is broken up. The weapons concealed in its depth are drawn forth. Devouring flames burst from every yawning chasm. The very rocks are on fire. The day has come that shall burn as an oven. The elements melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein are burned up. The earths surface seems one molten mass, a vast, seething lake of fire. It is the time of the judgment and perdition of ungodly men the day of vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion. "Great Controversy, 672673.

Fire comes from God, out of heaven, down upon the wicked; in response, fire bursts out of the ground to unite with it and the wicked are consumed by the conflagration. There is no other source for the fire that destroys the impenitent. But even if there were, it would be like a box of matches in comparison with the holocaust which God has started.

Each person is punished exactly the right amount, and then he ceases to exist. Total fairness.

"The wicked receive their recompense in the earth. They, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts. Some are destroyed as in a moment, while others suffer many days. All are punished according to their deeds. The sins of the righteous having been transferred to Satan, he is made to suffer not only for his own rebellion, but for all the sins which he has caused Gods people to commit. His punishment is to be far greater than that of those whom he has deceived. After all have perished who fell by his deceptions, he is still to live and suffer on. In the cleansing flames the wicked are at last destroyed, root and branch, Satan the root, and his followers the branches. The full penalty of the law has been visited; the demands of justice have been met; and heaven and earth, beholding, declare the righteousness of Jehovah." Great Controversy, 673.

Satan could not be trusted to punish people the right amount of time. There is nothing he ever does fairly or correctly. Nothing, not even hellfire, could be entrusted to him. God is just and justice is not met by turning things over to Satan.

"Then they meted out to the wicked the portion which they must suffer, according to their works; and it was written against their names in the book of death. Satan also and his angels were judged by Jesus and the saints. Satan's punishment was to be far greater than those whom he had deceived. His suffering would so far exceed theirs as to bear no comparison with it. After all those whom he had deceived had perished, Satan was still to live and suffer on much longer." Early Writings, 291.

"Also it would be for his [Satan's] own interest to keep from Jesus as many as possible. For the sins of those who are redeemed by the blood of Christ will at last be rolled back upon the originator of sin, and he must bear their punishment, while those who do not accept salvation through Jesus will suffer the penalty of their own sins." Early Writings, 178.

"And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." Revelation 20:9.

"Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 3:12 (Luke 3:17).

"Then are fulfilled the words of the prophet; The indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and His fury upon all their armies: He hath utterly destroyed them, He hath delivered them to the slaughter: Upon the wicked He shall rain quick coals, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup: Fire comes down from God out of heaven. The earth is broken up. The weapons concealed in its depth are drawn forth. Devouring flames burst from every yawning chasm. The very rocks are on fire. The day has come that shall burn as an oven. The elements melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works therein are burned up. The fire of Tophet is prepared for the king, the chief of rebellion; the pile thereof is deep and large, and the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. The earths surface seems one molten mass, a vast, seething lake of fire. It is the time of the judgment and perdition of ungodly menthe day of the Lords vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion. Isaiah 34:8.

"The wicked receive their recompense in the earth. They shall be as stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts. Some are destroyed as in a moment, while others suffer many days. All are punished according to their deeds. The sins of the righteous have been transferred to Satan, the originator of evil, who must bear their penalty."Story of Redemption, 428-429.

"While the earth was wrapped in the fire of destruction, the righteous abode safely in the Holy City. Upon those that had part in the first resurrection, the second death has no power. While God 

is to the wicked a consuming fire, He is to His people both a sun and a shield."Great Controversy, 673.

"I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away. The fire that consumes the wicked purifies the earth. Every trace of the curse is swept away. No eternally burning hell will keep before the ransomed the fearful consequences of sin." Great Controversy, 674.

"Fire comes down from God out of heaven. The earth is broken up. The weapons concealed in its depths are drawn forth. Devouring flames burst from every yawning chasm. The very rocks are on fire. The day has come that shall burn as an oven. The elements melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein are burned up." Great Controversy, 672 (3 Bible Commentary, 1142).

" Then the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be; they shall be as though they had not been. Psalms 37:10; Obadiah 16." Desire of Ages, 763.

"The justice of God is satisfied, and the saints and all the angelic host say with a loud voice, Amen. While the earth is wrapped in the fire of Gods vengeance, the righteous abide safely in the Holy City. Upon those that had part in the first resurrection, the second death has no power (Rev 20:6). While God is to the wicked a consuming fire, He is to His people both a sun and a shield (Ps 84:11)." Story of Redemption, 429.

"The feet of the wicked will never desecrate the earth made new. Fire will come down from God out of heaven and devour them, burn them up root and branch. Satan is the root, and his children are the branches."Early Writings, 52.

"When the flood of waters was at its height upon the earth, it had the appearance of a boundless lake of water, When God finally purifies the earth, it will appear like a boundless lake of fire. As God preserved the ark amid the commotions of the Flood, because it contained eight righteous persons, He will preserve the New Jerusalem, containing the faithful of all ages, from righteous Abel down to the last saint which lived, Although the whole earth, with the exception of that portion where the city rests, will be wrapped in a sea of liquid fire, yet the city is preserved as was the ark, by a miracle of Almighty power. It stands unharmed amid the devouring elements." 3 Spiritual Gifts, 87-88.

"The fire that consumes the wicked purifies the earth. Every trace of the curse is swept away. No eternally burning hell will keep before the ransomed the fearful consequences of sin."Story of Redemption, 430.

There is not one quotation, not one anywhere in the Bible or Spirit of Prophecy in describing the actual destruction of the wicked at the Second Coming, at the final Executive Judgment, or the antitypical instances of it in the Flood and the destruction of Sodom ("As it was in the days of Noah . . and Sodom so shall it be in the days when the Son of Man shall appear.") that says or implies that Satan directly causes the outpouring of fire and destruction which destroys the wicked. Yes, it is true that Satan and the wicked are responsible for it by their sins. But, in the execution of the Judgment, the fire comes from the presence of God and by His direct action.

"His [Christ's] object was to reconcile the prerogatives of justice and mercy, and let each stand separate in its dignity, yet united. His mercy was not weakness, but a terrible power to punish sin because it is sin, yet a power to draw to it the love of humanity." 7 Bible Commentary, 935-936.

"The final overthrow of rebellion and the total eradication of sin, is also a demonstration of Gods unchanging love."Patriarchs and Prophets, 33.

" A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, He will plead with all flesh; He will give them that are wicked to the sword. For six thousand years the great controversy has been in progress; the Son of God and His heavenly messengers have been in conflict with the power of the evil one, to warn, enlighten, and save the children of men. Now all have made their decisions; the wicked have fully united with Satan in his warfare against God. The time has come for God to vindicate the authority of His downtrodden law. Now the controversy is not alone with Satan, but with men. The Lord hath a controversy with the nations; He will give them that are wicked to the sword.

"I am instructed that when the Lords time comes, should no change have taken place in the hearts of proud, ambitious human beings, men will find that the hand that has been strong to save will be strong to destroy. No earthly power can stay the hand of God." 9 Testimonies, 13.

"Said the angel, It is the wrath of God and the Lamb that causes the destruction or death of the wicked." Early Writings, 52.

"God carries with Him the sympathy and approval of the whole universe as step by step His great plan advances to its complete fulfillment. He will carry it with Him in the final eradication of rebellion." Patriarchs and Prophets, 79.

"Every question of truth and error in the long-standing controversy has now been made plain. The results of rebellion, the fruits of setting aside the divine statutes, have been laid open to the view of all created intelligences. The working out of Satan's rule in contrast with the government of God has been presented to the whole universe. Satan's own works have condemned him. God's wisdom, His justice, and His goodness stand fully vindicated . .

"With all the facts of the great controversy in view, the whole universe, both loyal and rebellious, with one accord declare, Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints." Great Controversy, 670-671.

Read the following quotation carefully. First, the warning of judgment to come is given to the world (Rev 14:6-12). After that, the sickle is thrust in, the earth is reaped (Rev 14:14-20).

"[In our day] men in their blindness boast of wonderful progress and enlightenment; but to the eye of Omniscience are revealed the inward guilt and depravity. The heavenly watchers see the earth filled with violence and crime. Wealth is obtained by every species of robbery, not robbery of men only, but of God. Men are using His means to gratify their selfishness. Everything they can grasp is made to minister to their greed. Avarice and sensuality prevail. Men cherish the attributes of the first great deceiver. They have accepted Him as God, and have become imbued with his spirit. But the cloud of judicial wrath hangs over them, containing the elements that destroyed Sodom.

"In his visions of things to come the prophet John beheld this scene. This demon worship was revealed to him, and it seemed to him as if the whole world were standing on the brink of perdition. But as He looked with intense interest he beheld the company of Gods commandment-keeping people . . And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud One sat like the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in Thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for Thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. Revelation 14:12-19.

When the storm of Gods wrath breaks upon the world, it will be a terrible revelation for souls to find that their house is being swept away because it is built upon the sand. Let the warning be given them before it is too late. We should now feel the responsibility of laboring with intense earnestness to impart to others the truths that God has given for this time. We cannot be too much in earnest . .

"Now is the time for the last warning to be given. There is a special power in the presentation of the truth at the present time; but how long will it continue? Only a little while. If there was ever a crisis, it is now. All are deciding their eternal destiny. Men need to be aroused to realize the solemnity of the time, the nearness of the day when human probation shall be ended. Decided efforts should be made to bring the message for this time prominently before the people. The Third Angel is to go forth with great power. Let none ignore this work or treat it as of little importance. The light we have received upon the Third Angels Message is the true light. The Mark of the Beast is exactly what it has been proclaimed to be . .

"There is to be no change in the general features of our work. It is to stand as clear and distinct as prophecy has made it . . No line of truth that has made the Seventh-day Adventist people what they are is to be weakened. We have the old landmarks of truth, experience, and duty, and we are to stand firmly in defense of our principles, in full view of the world . . Satan is constantly seeking to cast a shadow about these messages [of the three angels], so that the people of God shall not clearly discern their import, their time and place . . The Lord God of heaven will not send upon the world His judgments for disobedience and transgression until He has sent His watchmen to give the warning. He will not close up the period of probation until the message shall be more distinctly proclaimed. The law of God is to be magnified; its claims must be presented in their true, sacred character, that the people may be brought to decide for or against the truth." 6 Testimonies, 14-19.

"There must be no toning down of the truth, no muffling of the message for this time. The third angels message must be strengthened and confirmed. The eighteenth chapter of Revelation reveals the importance of presenting the truth in no measured terms but with boldness and power . . There has been too much beating about the bush in the proclamation of the third angels message."Evangelism, 230.

"When God sends men warnings so important that they are represented as proclaimed by holy angels flying in the midst of heaven, He requires every person endowed with reasoning powers to heed the message. The fearful judgments denounced against the worship of the beast and his image (Rev 14:9-11) should lead all to a diligent study . . But the masses of the people turn away their ears from hearing the truth and are turned unto fables. The apostle Paul declared, looking down to the last days: The time will come 

when they will not endure sound doctrine. That time has fully come. The multitudes do not want Bible truth, because it interferes with the desires of the sinful, world-loving heart; and Satan supplies the deceptions which they love."Great Controversy, 594-595.

"The crisis is fast approaching. The rapidly swelling figures show that the time for Gods visitation has about come. Although loath to punish, nevertheless He will punish, and that speedily." 5 Testimonies, 209.

"Instead of being softened by the patience and long forbearance that the Lord has exercised toward them, those who fear not God and love not the truth strengthen their hearts in their evil course. But there are limits even to the forbearance of God, and many are exceeding these boundaries. They have overrun the limits of grace, and therefore God must interfere and vindicate His own honor." 5 Testimonies, 208.

For 6,000 years, God has predicted judgments. When Adam sinned, God sent His angels to require that the pair leave the garden (Gen 3:22-24). Then Cain was reproved by his brother for disobeying God. Following the death of Abel, God sent a divine judgment upon Cain (Gen 4:1-16). Lamech, a descendant of Cain, openly defied God and dared Him to send judgments in response to his sins (Gen 4:23-24; cf. PP 81). Enoch lived a pure life and God gave prophecies through Him that He would some day execute Judgment upon all the world for its sins (Gen 5:21-24, Jude 14-15). Fifteen centuries after Cain (PP 78), the world was nearly demoralized because of the lawlessness of sinners (Gen 6:1-6). And God said that He would destroy them (Gen 6:7-13). Twice He said that He would do it (Gen 6:7, 13) and He did it (Gen 7). Following this, another heavy judgment fell upon the wicked from God when He intercepted their purpose to federate together to destroy the righteous; by changing men's languages, He dispersed them (Gen 11:1-9).