Those who, understanding the claims of the fourth commandment, choose to observe the false instead of the true Sabbath are thereby paying homage to that power by which alone it is commanded. But in the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power, the churches would themselves form an image to the beast; hence the enforcement of Sunday keeping in the United States would be an enforcement of the worship of the beast and his image.

But Christians of past generations observed the Sunday, supposing that in so doing they were keeping the Bible Sabbath; and there are now true Christians in every church, not excepting the Roman Catholic communion, who honestly believe that Sunday is the Sabbath of divine appointment. God accepts their sincerity of purpose and their integrity before Him. But when Sunday observance shall be enforced by law, and the world shall be enlightened concerning the obligation of the true Sabbath, then whoever shall transgress the command of God, to obey a precept which has no higher authority than that of Rome, will thereby honor popery above God. He is paying homage to Rome and to the power which enforces the institution ordained by Rome. He is worshipping the beast and his image. As men then reject the institution which God has declared to be the sign of His authority, and honor in its stead that which Rome has chosen as the token of her supremacy, they will thereby accept the sign of allegiance to Rome–the mark of the beast. And it is not until the issue is thus plainly set before the people, and they are brought to choose between the commandments of God and the commandments of men, that those who continue in transgression will receive the mark of the beast. Great Controversy 449

This is a very important explanation of what the work of the third angel coming to a loud cry is going to bring before the people of this planet.  Before the loud cry is given there are many people who keep Sunday but are not receiving the mark of the beast. It is when the loud cry of the third angel is given that people will make their decisions as to whom they will serve. That is when they receive the mark of the beast, when they make a choice. In other words, the Lord does not inflict a judgment upon people unless they are doing something after He has enlightened them.

In our previous study ‘The Loud Cry’ we learned that the loud cry comes because the people had received the latter rain. In reality, the latter rain is the teacher of righteousness according to righteousness. The Holy Spirit imparts the truth of righteousness in the lives of the people.  The loud cry is as a consequence of this teacher of righteousness upon the people who receive Him.

Isaiah 59:20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

What leads up to the arising and shining is the implementation of the Word of God into His people which He puts into their mouths and shall be embedded into them. It will be sealed into them so that it “shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and forever.”

They are the people whom the LORD has prepared so that when the world is in gross darkness, they will be called upon to arise and shine. As the Holy Spirit had been working in their lives in the former and the latter rain they are finally to arise and shine so that the Lord’s glory shall be seen upon them.  His glory upon them is identified;

Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

There will be a ministry, a people who will have such an influence upon the planet as it is brought here in Revelation 18:1.  It is the glory upon the people of God that is going to cover the whole earth. The earth was lightened with his glory.  The loud cry is in reality the work of the Holy Spirit upon the lives of the people so that they demonstrate the very character of God.

It is the life of Christ in the soul; it is the active principle of love imparted by the Holy Spirit that alone will make our words fruitful.  Reflecting Christ 216

As they proclaim their words it’s what the Holy Spirit has done within that makes their words fruitful.

The love of Christ is the force and power of every message for God that ever fell from human lips. RC 216

The love of Christ, the love of our brethren, will testify to the world that we have been with Jesus and learned of Him. Then will the message of the third angel swell to a loud cry, and the whole earth will be lightened with the glory of the Lord. 6T 401

The love among the people of God will testify to the world.  To live and manifest this perfect character of the love of Christ in such a conspicuous way is identified as the loud cry.  As this powerful glory of God through a people living up to the light that will shine in all its glory, what is the consequence of the loud cry?

2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived

Here is a clear indication that if you are going to really meet up with God’s expectations, if you are going to live godly in Christ Jesus it will inadvertently cause persecution.  That is what our study is here – Sunday laws – in consequence of the loud cry.

The loud cry will be a people standing so powerfully and representing the glory of God that they will suffer persecution.  In the time of the end, the three angel’s time, it will call down a world wide reaction. Why is there going to be a world wide reaction?

Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

We have a rehearsal of what we studied in the second angel. We studied the Sunday laws in the second angel’s message where we saw ancient Babylon, Rome and the USA. We saw that ancient Babylon was a pagan introduction to religion and that was sun worship. We looked at the fact that in Rome and the USA there are laws of Sunday keeping. That was just the introduction but now we are looking at Sunday keeping in the time of the end in reference to this persecution that is triggered off by these faithful people standing there so powerfully. Why is there a world wide reaction?

Revelation 13:3 and he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

The whole world is molded by the beast.  We look at a parallel statement;

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

This is why the world is geared against these people who will be so conspicuous in the glory that covers the whole world.  It is dark in the world but the glory of God will be seen in the darkness upon these people.  As it says in Isaiah the whole world is in blackness. When do the stars shine the brightest? When it is dark as then you can see every star glimmering in the sky. That is the point. All the darkness of the world will make those people who are shining with the glory of God very conspicuous, you can’t hide. The glory of the Lord will be seen upon them.

The whole world is following after the beast,

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

This relates to Revelation 13:16. The beast which is the papacy received a fatal wound but then recovered again and the whole world follows after the beast.

Revelation 13:12 and he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

This is speaking of the other beast (apostate Protestantism). In verse 3 we read that the deadly wound was healed. Who was responsible for that? Apostate Protestantism in USA and the whole world is involved as well.

Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

He CAUSES the whole world to receive the mark of the beast which we have already identified is Sunday keeping, Sunday Laws.  The whole world has been prepared under papal and apostate Protestant America.  The whole world has wandered after the Beast and the whole world is conditioned to accept Sunday as a day of worship.

As these faithful people arise with the loud cry you can see the whole world is aroused because they’re all conditioned and here are these people with the glory of God shining upon them and through them. It’s a startling effect, it arouses the whole world.

He CAUSES all both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond to receive this mark. He has in effect way back already made this change speaking great things against the Most High and changing times and laws. He had control of the politics of the world for 1260 years when the papacy controlled the world.  Then his fatal wound has come in 1798. America then arises and heals the fatal wound and now comes this grand world government that affects the whole world to accept Sunday power.

The allegiance of the few who worship God will therefore arouse the antagonism of Babylon which is Rome, the USA and paganism. The whole gamete of human preparation will now react because it has to do with changed laws. Those especially who are professed Christians who are brought face to face with this challenge will deal with their own people who decide they are going to stand faithful in the loud cry to the Sabbath.  What will they actually do in this conflict?

Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

66:5 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.

The people who have been giving the loud cry and who are demonstrating the power of the Lord will be faced with opposition from the great majority. It has been caused that way. The conflict has to do with those people who tremble at God’s Word.  The people who submit themselves to God’s word arise and shine. The others, the brethren that hated them will be aroused by these do-gooders (that’s the way they will be interpreted) and they will arise and cast them out in the name of the Lord. They will say ‘The Lord be glorified’, whereas they were the faithful ones that were being cast out because they lived a godly life, hence suffer persecution.

Here is the description of it.  As God’s chosen people have given the loud cry, as they have become conspicuous and the whole world has been aroused against them, they have been disassociated from their brethren – what is their experience?

John 16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

16:33 these things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Here is the consequence of standing up and being faithful. A tribulation, a weeping and lamenting on the behalf of those who are God’s children. There’s going to be heart ache and there’s going to be sadness because they are being separated from their brethren. They are being persecuted and as Jesus said yes you will lament and weep and the world around you will be happy and rejoice BUT while that is true your sorrow shall be turned into joy ultimately.

There are two factors that are pressurising the people. One of the factors was what we read in Revelation 13:15-16 where they will enforce the mark of the beast. He will cause death to be upon all who will not worship the Beast and his image.

Revelation 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

That’s one side of the pressure and the opposite side of the pressure is;

Revelation 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

While the pressure is given from the world to receive the mark of the beast God’s people will be declaring sorry, we can’t follow this.  In this conflict you have one of two choices to enter into. Either suffering under the beast and his image and the Sunday Laws or suffering the destruction of the wrath of God. If you receive the mark of the beast you’re going to be destroyed by the wrath of God. If you refuse to receive the mark of the beast you’re going to suffer the persecution of Rome and Apostate Protestantism.

Here is the horrible suffering, one side or the other, and the pressure is on.

Every position of truth taken by our people will bear the criticism of the greatest minds; the highest of the world’s great men will be brought in contact with truth, and therefore every position we take should be critically examined and tested by the Scriptures. Now we seem to be unnoticed, but this will not always be. Movements are at work to bring us to the front, and if our theories of truth can be picked to pieces by historians or the world’s greatest men, it will be done.  EV 69.1

While we lovingly and kindly work together with Jesus and do all the work that Jesus wants us to do, we can worship God freely with no problems but movements are at work to bring us to the front. What are those movements?

We must individually know for ourselves what truth is, and be prepared to give a reason of the hope that we have with meekness and fear, not in a proud, boasting, self-sufficiency spirit, but with the spirit of Christ. We are nearing the time when we shall stand individually alone to answer for our belief. Religious errors are multiplying and entwining themselves with satanic power about the people. There is scarcely a doctrine of the Bible that has not been denied. EV 69.1

Movements have pushed it to the point. We can see today that the whole world is totally out of kilter with the plain simple Word of God. We have all made experiences of it. Those who are our friends just cannot understand because they have been twisted.  Those people who are standing faithful, who are unnoticed will suddenly be brought into notice by the movements that are taking place.  The experience will be one of being brought face to face with the opposers of the truth in the cause.

As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment keepers. They will be threatened with fines and imprisonment, and some will be offered positions of influence, and other rewards and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith. But their steadfast answer is: Show us from the word of God our error–the same plea that was made by Luther under similar circumstances. Those who are arraigned before the courts make a strong vindication of the truth, and some who hear them are led to take their stand to keep all the commandments of God. Thus light will be brought before thousands who otherwise would know nothing of these truths.  GC 607

What is the movement?  The movement of Sunday enforcement.  The Sunday Laws have always been there in Babylon but do not affect us while they are not moving into enforcement. As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes bolder, the faithful people will be brought into prominence.  While they are receiving the latter rain and their characters are being perfected and they are reflecting the glory of God that will be a catalyst to cause many religionists to say they are getting too powerful.

You can see this now. People don’t like the power of the gospel in people. They want to have everybody under an umbrella of their making.  What transpires is a simultaneous movement of the latter rain and the loud cry stimulating and arousing which will cause the Sunday enforcement laws. We mustn’t be surprised that all of a sudden people will pay attention to us by turning to the authorities to force us into submission because they don’t like what we’re representing.

Sunday laws have always been but since 1844 the Sabbath/Sunday question was stirred. The papacy knows this. We have previously read some quotes from the Catholic Catechism. Notice what they know – they know there is no Biblical reason for Sunday laws and  that they are the ones that have enforced it and and the ones that changed it.

We also say that of all Protestants the Seventh Day Adventist are the only group that reason correctly and are consistent with their teaching. It is always somewhat laughable to see the Protestant churches in pulpit and legislature demand the observance of Sunday for which there is nothing in the Bible.  Peter R Tramor, the editor of The Catholic Extension magazine

Knowing that and working continually to bring the world around to them Malachi Martin (a Jesuit) was interviewed in Canada said on radio that the world is now becoming a level playing field where everybody is submitting to the movements of coming together under control. Everybody is being forced. If they don’t come into the order of trade etc. they will be forced into it because they can’t trade any more unless they submit to the program of the world.

As we look at world events, we see that everything is geared. Here are these poor and afflicted people who will stand by the pressure of God’s Word and do want to be destroyed by His wrath. They will stand faithful to that but they will be threatened by death by the decree of the Sunday law enforcement.

The ones that are being preached to will say we don’t want to fall out with the world so we’ll stay with the world but then we will have the wrath of God upon us. This is the terrible stress that is actually transpiring and it will get more and heavier on the minds of the people.  If you look around you it’s already happening, people are continually making choices to be moulded by the world or to be moulded by the kingdom of heaven. The pressure is coming heavier and heavier.  Those few little people are going to be exterminated, they will not be able to buy or sell and if they don’t worship the beast and his image they will be threatened with death.

Heretofore those who presented the truths of the third angel’s message have often been regarded as mere alarmists. Their predictions that religious intolerance would gain control in the United States, that church and state would unite to persecute those who keep the commandments of God, have been pronounced groundless and absurd. It has been confidently declared that this land could never become other than what it has been–the defender of religious freedom. But as the question of enforcing Sunday observance is widely agitated, the event so long doubted and disbelieved is seen to be approaching, and the third message will produce an effect which it could not have had before. GC 605-6

It works simultaneously together. One is presenting the power of the message and the people are reacting to it and the other one is coming in at the same time and very slowly the stage is being set.  People may ask how can that be? America is a free country, there is religious tolerance. No, the whole world is going to be under one thrust and the Sabbath/Sunday question is a big deciding factor. Observe how the heat slowly rises as the swelling of the loud cry takes place. There is a time of peace and a time of trouble that leads to the grand finale.

I saw that the holy Sabbath is, and will be, the separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers; and that the Sabbath is the great question to unite the hearts of God’s dear, waiting saints. I saw that God had children who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They have not rejected the light upon it. And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully. EW 85

Notice what she says at the commencement of the time of trouble.

The commencement of that time of trouble, here mentioned does not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to a short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is in the sanctuary. EW 85

The latter rain and the loud cry causes the people to proclaim the Sabbath more fully and there is a short period before the plagues while Jesus is still in the sanctuary above.

At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel. EW 85

Isn’t that what we have seen in history? As we are living in the time of the three angel’s messages and it is swelling to a loud cry. In 1888 there came the Revelation 18 angel and then after that there was this time of trouble that just got worse and worse before the close of probation.  This was those times of war – the first World War and the second World War.

Why were these wars held in check?  So as not to prevent the work of the third angel.  When the First World War broke out God’s people were being persecuted for not going to war. There was a Sabbath test back then.

At that time the latter rain, or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out. EW 85.

Before the seven last plagues are poured out, there is this time of trouble before the plagues that is being held in check at the same time as the loud cry and the glory of God is being seen upon people who are not succumbing to these Sunday laws and to these pressures that are afoot.  Here is a description of the little time of trouble;

I was shown the inhabitants of the earth in the utmost confusion. War, bloodshed, privation, want, famine, and pestilence were abroad in the land. As these things surrounded God’s people, they began to press together, and to cast aside their little difficulties. Self-dignity no longer controlled them; deep humility took its place. Suffering, perplexity, and privation caused reason to resume its throne, and the passionate and unreasonable man became sane, and acted with discretion and wisdom.  My attention was then called from the scene. There seemed to be a little time of peace. Once more the inhabitants of the earth were presented before me; and again everything was in the utmost confusion. Strife, war, and bloodshed, with famine and pestilence, raged everywhere. Other nations were engaged in this war and confusion. War caused famine. Want and bloodshed caused pestilence. And then men’s hearts failed them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.  1T 268

Here is a description of that time of trouble before the time of the plagues. There is a gap, a little time of peace and then trouble again.  Isn’t that exactly what’s happened? You have the First World War then a little time of peace then the Second World War and now you’ve got the lead up to Armegeddon where we are living right now.

God is pin-pointing for us just where we are living. As this is going on, the Sunday enforcements are all brooding behind the scene. As God’s people keep pressing together and standing up for the truth things are happening as we read in Isaiah 66:5 God’s people are being segregated from the churches. It’s happening around us.  What is written regarding that little time of peace that we still enjoy to some degree now?

Conscientious obedience to the word of God will be treated as rebellion. Blinded by Satan, the parent will exercise harshness and severity toward the believing child; the master or mistress will oppress the commandment-keeping servant. Affection will be alienated; children will be disinherited and driven from home. The words of Paul will be literally fulfilled: All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12. As the defenders of truth refuse to honor the Sunday-Sabbath, some of them will be thrust into prison, some will be exiled, some will be treated as slaves. To human wisdom all this now seems impossible; but as the restraining Spirit of God shall be withdrawn from men, and they shall be under the control of Satan, who hates the divine precepts, there will be strange developments. The heart can be very cruel when God’s fear and love are removed.       As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. GC 607-8

This is all happening in this time of trouble and the time of peace between the trouble – all this is happening. That’s the approaching of the final storm.

By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. In this time of persecution the faith of the Lord’s servants will be tried. GC 607-8

There is the picture before the plagues, before the time of trouble at the very end.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

They are all working to bring about world peace which is why they’ve been working towards a government of the whole world. Then they will say look, we’re getting there, peace and safety but then sudden destruction comes upon the world.

The line of distinction between professed Christians and the ungodly is now hardly distinguishable. Church members love what the world loves and are ready to join with them, and Satan determines to unite them in one body and thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into the ranks of spiritualism. Papists, who boast of miracles as a certain sign of the true church, will be readily deceived by this wonder-working power; and Protestants, having cast away the shield of truth, will also be deluded. Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium. GC 588-9

That is where the world is heading. We have entered into the year 2000 and they are working towards the long expected millennium. We can see they are having a hard time to do it but they’re still working at it. They’re trying to bring the terrorists under control but as they are bringing them under control, they are making laws so that your freedom is being taken away. This is all part of this scenario of preparation until the grand finale takes place. Everyone is working together for this and being affected by this spiritualistic sentimental religious umbrella.

Matthew 24:24 Jesus said if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

While the papacy and apostate Protestantism is doing this, sudden destruction will come at the same time.

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

7:26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

That is what the papacy is going to experience. It says his dominion will be consumed and destroyed unto the end. Ever since the time, and times and dividing of time have passed, the Papacy have been working towards world peace by uniting themselves with America. This is only leading to sudden destruction upon the earth which has all been prepared beforehand.

Daniel 7:27 and the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Remember it said they will cast you out? Be of good cheer.

Daniel 7:21I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them

7:22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

Here you have the time of judgment from 1844 onwards.  Since 1844 the three angel’s messages were being proclaimed. As they were being proclaimed, the events of the development of USA, the fall of the papacy in 1798, the restoration of the wounded head, comes into play with it but it’s all for the purpose of the consuming and destroying unto the end.

God’s people who are alert to these messages know exactly where it’s leading and while they may suffer persecution and may go through all these things but they know it’s heading to its final end.  This is why we need to study these things.

The consumption of papal Babylon will take place at the same time its laws are arraigned against the saints. This is the reason the papacy is going to be consumed because that’s what they’re doing again.  We are involved in an ongoing conflict.  If we will be faithful to the latter rain work and the loud cry ministry we will experience a conflict that is for the consuming and destroying of the papacy.  This is very similar to the three worthies in Daniel. They were involved in the same situation as an illustration to us in the last days.  The fall of Babylon took place while Daniel was part of Babylon and we are seeing the same thing – the fall of Babylon.  Everything is a parallel with what they were experiencing then and we are experiencing now.

Amen.