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HOW MANY MORE YEARS

SHALL WE WAIT FOR JESUS TO RETURN ?

“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.”

— Revelation 14 : 1 —

Every time when we speak of the soon coming of Jesus, then without hesitating those people who listen would immediately wake up to imagine of the second coming of the Lord Jesus in the air. This is the fact, because it is the only coming of Jesus generally known among the Christians in the world today. The message of the second coming of Jesus has been proclaimed everywhere in the world ever since the life time of William Miller and his associates in 1831, and even up to this very moment in our own churches of Seventh-Day Adventists. They have, however, been found wrong to interpret the prophecy of the 2300 days by saying, that the second coming of Jesus would fall in 1843 or 1844, at the end of the 2300 prophetic days of Daniel 8 : 14 , for purifying the earth.

The miss-interpretation by Miller was later corrected by Mrs. Ellen G. White, who then said that not the earth that should be purified at the end of the 2300 prophetic days, but the heavenly sanctuary of God above that should be restored its purification. That is the reason why the coming of Jesus is not to this world, but to the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary above. To this matter Mrs. White wrote in the following words :

The great event which has been occurred since 1844, seemed to be mentioned in the Bible in several modes :

Daniel called it : The purification of the sanctuary (Daniel 8 : 14)

John the Revelator called it : The hour of Judgment, (Revelation 14 : 6-9)

Jesus in His parabolic words called it : The Bridegroom cometh to the marriage (Matthew 25: 6)

Mrs Ellen G. White in 1888 (over 40 years later) clarified it in the following words :

“The judgment has been over forty years in progress on the cases of the dead, and we know not how soon it will pass to the cases of the living.” — Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 692.

“As the books of record are opened in the judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living. Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted, names rejected.”–

The Great Controversy, p. 483.

It is clearly understood that the purification of the sanctuary, which has begun in 1844, is a law process through a Judgment. The Judgment will be held in two stages, the first stage is the Judgment for the dead, those from Adam and Eve up to them who died in this time of the end, and the second stage is for the living, specifically for us Seventh-Day Adventists. The dead, whose names are registered in the Church books, and yet have failed to be justified of their faith, through this process of judgment their names will be blotted out. And when the Judgment passes upon us the living, those whose faith fail to justify them in the sight of Jesus the Advocate, not only their names will be blotted out they are themselves to be slaughtered as well, according to the prophecy of Ezekiel 9.

The Judgment that began in 1844 is now in progress, processing the cases of all people of God who are now sleeping in the dust of the earth. The beginning of the Judgment is identified by the coming of Jesus into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary, or the coming of the Bridegroom to the marriage ( Matthew 25 : 6 ). Since the coming was not so much anticipated by the people in 1844, most of the so-called Christians of the time have lost their status as the people of God, to become the fallen Babylon to meet the voice of the second angel’s message of Revelation 14 : 7.

The beginning of Judgment upon the living in this time of the end, would also be of the same experience, for the experience of the ten virgins of the parable of Jesus in the time of Miller, would again meet its fulfilment in this time of the end. Mrs Ellen G. White as the servant of the Lord has ever warned :

“In the summer and autumn of 1844 the proclamation, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh,“ was given. The two classes represented by the wise and foolish virgins were then developed – one class who looked with joy to the Lord’s appearing, and who had been diligently preparing to meet Him; another class that, influenced by fear and acting from impulse, had been satisfied with a theory of the truth, but were destitute of the grace of God. In the parable, when the bridegroom came, “they that were ready went in with him to the marriage.” – The Great Controversy, p. 426

“The proclamation, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh,” in the summer of 1844, led thousands to expect the immediate advent of the Lord. At the appointed time the Bridegroom came, not to the earth, as the people expected, but to the Ancient of Days in heaven, to the marriage, the reception of His kingdom. “They that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” They were not to be present in person at the marriage; for it takes place in heaven, while they are upon the earth. The followers of Christ are to wait for their Lord, when He will return from the wedding. Luke 12 : 36. But they are to understand His work, and to follow Him by faith as He goes in before God. It is in this sense that they are said to go in to the marriage.” – Ibid., p. 427.

“In the parable, all the ten virgins went out to meet the bridegroom. All had lamps and vessels for oil. For a time there was seen no difference between them. So with the church that lives just before Christ’s second coming. All have knowledge of the Scriptures. All have heard the message of Christ’s near approach, and confidently expect His appearing. But as in the parable, so it is now. A time of waiting intervenes, faith is tried; and when the cry is heard,” Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him,” many are unready. They have no oil in their vessels with their lamps. They are destitute of the Holy Spirit.” – Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 408.

That means, the unexpected coming of the Lord Jesus in 1844, to meet the fulfilment of the parable of Matthew 25 : 6, would again be fulfilled for the second time in this time of the end. And many Seventh-Day Adventists would again be deprived of their status as the people of God. Their names will be blotted out of the Book of Life in the heavenly sanctuary, and they themselves are to be slaughtered physically according to the prophecy of Ezekiel 9.

MILLER’S MISTAKE HAS BEEN REITERATED

BY THE LEADERSHIP OF

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

William Miller and his associates have proclaimed to the world that the second coming of the Lord Jesus would have taken place in 1843 or 1844. They, however, have made a great blunder. To this end Sister White said :

“Jesus did not come to the earth as the waiting, joyful company expected, to cleanse the sanctuary by purifying the earth by fire. I saw that they were correct in their reckoning of the prophetic periods; prophetic time closed in 1844, and Jesus entered the most holy place to cleanse the sanctuary at the ending of the days. Their mistake consisted in not understanding what the sanctuary was and the nature of its cleansing.” — Early Writings, p. 243.

Due to the blunder the Lord then sent Mrs. Ellen G. White to give us the right interpretations of the prophecy. She was then commissioned to proclaim the same prophecy again in its corrected way as mentioned in Revelation 10 : 11 : “And he said unto me, Thou must prophecy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” But contrary to Miller and his associates who proclaimed the prophecy to the whole world, here Mrs. White was commissioned to proclaim again the same prophecy only to m a n y peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. And not unto all of them. It means that Mrs. White and her Spirit of Prophecy message would not as yet enough to accomplish the whole work of salvation in the world.

Therefore may it be understood, that according to the function of the Judgment, to have only the sanctuary of God purified, either here below or above, then the message of the Judgment would belong to only God’s own people in this time of the end.

The emergence of Mrs. Ellen G. White and her associates in 1844 has also fulfilled the coming of the Laodicean Church in the time of the end. Laodicea comes from the Greek words : Lao + Dekei. Lao means people or to speak. Dekei means Judgment. Thus is the Laodicean Church which means the Church of

God commissioned to proclaim the message of Judgment, which is the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14. And the three angels’ messages have nothing to do with the second coming of Jesus. The message of the second coming of Jesus was ever popular since the times of the apostles. Whereas the three angels’ messages were first proclaimed in the time of the end, when the books of Daniel and the Revelation were for the first time interpreted in the Church.

Actually the function of the messages of the three angels of Revelation 14 : 6 – 9, is to prepare the people of God in the time of the end for the Judgment, which has begun in the heavenly sanctuary in 1844. Since the Judgment is going in two phases, the first for the dead and the second for the living , then the preparation for them who later died in the messages of the three angels of Revelation 14 : 6 – 9, is that their sins may be blotted out and their names be retained in the Book of Life. And for them who are living that their sins may be put out of the Book of Life and their names might be retained therein to be chosen into the special company of the 144.000 elects of God.

As an Advocate Jesus is now standing in defence for His people in the heavenly court. He has spilled His blood to die for us, and He has the right to redeem every one of us from the death penalty. The servant of the Lord said :

But what is proclaimed by the leadership of the Laodicean Church for so long up to now ? Are they truly teaching us the messages of the angels of Revelation 14 : 6 – 9, which is the Laodicean message of the Judgment ? Are they truly making all efforts to prepare us for facing the coming Judgment for the living ? The history of the Church has testified by itself, that ever since the failed General Conference of 1888 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, up to this very day, the Seventh-Day Adventist leadership or the angel of the Laodicean Church, has n e v e r b e f o r e proclaimed the Three Angels’ Messages of Revelation 14 : 6 – 9, either through the pulpits or through the Sabbath School Lessons Quarterly. Though all the mistakes of William Miller and his associates have been rectified by Mrs. Ellen G. White in her Spirit of Prophecy publications, the Organization of the General Conference leadership seemed to have been firmed for good to reiterate the falsehood of Miller, to proclaim the second coming of Jesus to the whole world in the near future. This is the reason why the servant of the Lord said :

“Our churches are dying for the want of teaching on the subject of righteousness by faith in Christ, and on k i n d r e d t r u t h s.” “The conviction is gaining ground in the world that Seventh-Day Adventists are giving the trumpet an uncertain sound that they are following in the path of world lings.”— Gospel Workers, p. 301; Testimonies to Ministers, p. 86.

As the Christian world today is voicing the soon coming of the Lord Jesus in this generation with more intensity than ever before, so is the Seventh-Day Adventist world, who will not be left alone to proclaim also on the air through their VOICE OF PROPHECY broadcasting services everywhere : ‘Lift up the trumpet, and sound the alarm, JESUS IS COMING AGAIN !’ Both

BABYLON and the LUKEWARM LAODICEANS have now proven by themselves, that in the true sense the spiritual condition of them are he same.

TRACING THE PROPHETIC EVENTS IN THEIR SEQUENT ORDER IN THE TIME OF THE END

By studying the whole prophecies and the parables of Jesus as revealed and interpreted in the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, we could have testified ourselves that some of the events have now passed into history, and there are yet several more important events to transpire in the near future before we could come to the time to welcome Jesus at His second coming in the air. Let us begin with the first event.

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THE FIRST GREAT EVENT IN 1844

The year 1844 is the end of the long period of the 2300 prophetic days of Daniel 8 : 14. Beginning in that year the purification of the sanctuary commenced in the heavenly court of justice. This is called the Investigative Judgment in the heavenly sanctuary. All the event has been proclaimed widely through the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14 : 6 – 9. And the period since 1844 has been marked as the period of the Laodicean Church, which is the Church tasked to proclaim the message of the Investigative Judgment in the world as prophesied in the following words : ‘THOU MUST PROPHESY AGAIN BEFORE MANY PEOPLES, AND NATIONS, AND TONGUES, AND KINGS.’ – REVELATION 10 : 11.

[2]

THE BEGINNING OF THE MESSAGE OF THE ANGEL

OF REVELATION 18 : 1 OFFERED IN 1888

This is the well-known event of the Minneapolis Conference of the General Conference of SDA held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, in 1888. The result was the great failure for the advancement of the message of Truth proclaimed by the Church up to now. This could be seen from the following statements issued by the servant of the Lord :

“In 1888 the General Conference held in Minneapolis, the angel of Revelation 18 came down to do his work, and was ridiculed, criticized and rejected, and when the message he brings again will swell into a loud cry, it will be ridiculed and spoken against, and rejected by the majority.” — EGW in “Taking up a Reproach.”

“The time of test is just upon us, for the loud cry of the third angel has already begun in the revelation of the righteousness of Christ, the sin-pardoning Redeemer. This is the beginning of the light of the angel whose glory shall fill the whole earth.” – Review and Herald, November 22, 1892.

“How sad, how deeply regrettable, it is that this message of righteousness in Christ should, at the time of its coming, have met with opposition on the part of earnest, well-meaning men in the cause of God ! The message has never been received, nor proclaimed, nor given free course as it should have been in order to convey to the church the measureless blessings that were wrapped within it.”– Review and Herald, August 13, 1889.

And as the result of the Minneapolis failure, the servant of the Lord then said :

“If the people of God has gone to work as they should have gone to work right after the Minneapolis meeting in 1888, the world could have been warned in 2 years and the Lord would have come.” – General Conference Bulletin, 1892. (Quoted from : 1 Shepherd’s Rod, p. 110).

“For 40 years did unbelief, murmuring and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the Land of

Canaan. The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan.” – 1 Selected Messages, p. 69.

[3]

THE COMPLETE MESSAGE OF

THE ANGEL OF REVELATION 18 : 1 COMING IN 1929

Forty years later after the failure of the historical Minneapolis Conference of 1888, the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 was again commissioned to descend to the earth to proclaim the message. It was exactly in 1929 when the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 was again presented to the General Conference Leadership in

America through Brother Victor T. Houteff. And it has become a loud cry ever since in our Seventh – day Adventist churches everywhere up to this moment. However, according to Mrs. Ellen G. White several years before hand, that “when the message he brings again will swell into a loud cry, it will be ridiculed and spoken against, and rejected by the majority.” — EGW in “Taking up a Reproach.”

The message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 in 1929 is The Shepherd’s Rod message by Brother Victor T. Houteff. It is actually the complete message of 1888. Despite the message should have been ridiculed and spoken against, and rejected by the majority of our people, there is a minority in our ranks who are yet proclaiming it up to this very moment. And this is the message that has caused division in our churches : the five wise virgins on the one side, and the five foolish ones on the other side.

This second coming of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 through Brother Victor T. Houteff, would also meet the fulfilment of the coming of the message of Elijah, the prophet. The anti-typical prophet Elijah would emerge in this time of the end with a message. So the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 would also be the message of Elijah, to fulfil the prophecy of Malachi chapter 3 and 4. This is the same message that will be always ridiculed, and spoken against and rejected by the majority of our people. This is what Mrs. White said :

“Prophecy must be fulfilled. The Lord says : ‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.’ Somebody is to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he appears, men may say : ‘You are too earnest, you do not interpret the Scriptures in the proper way. Let me tell you how to teach your message.”— Testimonies to Ministers, p. 475.

As how prophet Elijah of old had condemned the Israelite king Ahab for his transgressions misleading the people of God in the past, so has Victor T. Houteff, in the spirit and power of Elijah in the time of the end, submitted to the General Conference of SDA and its ministers all over the world the Call for a spiritual Revival and a spiritual Reformation. That the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 might be received that they might be revived and reformed. How important is the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 could be seen from the statement of the servant of the Lord, when she said :

“Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message. Great power and glory were imparted to the angel, and as he descended, the earth was lightened with his glory.…………..This message seemed to be an addition to the third message, joining it as the midnight cry joined the second angel’s message in 1844.” – Early Writings, p. 277.

Have you ever seen the General Conference of SDA and its ministers promoting in the churches the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1, that has united his voice with the third angel’s message of the Spirit of Prophecy ? Only through the combination of those two messages in this time of the end, that the earth could be enlightened, that you and me could walk in the light as well as did king David of old, when he said : “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” – Psalm 119 : 105.

The combination of the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 with the third angel’s message of the Spirit of Prophecy would be found in the so-called THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY of Revelation 19 : 10 (margin). This is the whole rules of implementation of the Law of the Ten Commandments of God, especially applied for us in this time of the end. It is THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY which is to prepare the 144.000 elects of God in the near future, to receive the Spirit of the latter rain to be poured out in Jerusalem, Palestine.

[4]

AN EVENT OF MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND SOULS

TO BE CONVERTED IN ONE DAY

In the following statements Mrs. Ellen G. White ever said :

“God will soon do great things for us if we lie humble and believing at His feet. . . . . . .. More than one thousand will soon be converted in one day, most of whom will trace their first convictions to the reading of our publications.” — Review and Herald, November 10, 1885, p. 700.
“The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was “the former rain,” and glorious was the result. But the latter rain will be more abundant.” — Testimony Treasures, vol. 3, p. 211.

The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles, during the Day of the first Pentecost, has produced up to 3000 souls converted in a day. And since the result of the coming outpouring of the Spirit in the Day of the second Pentecost would be more abundant, more than 3000 converted in one day, then it is clear that prior to the coming outpouring of that Spirit, God will do great things for us. More than one thousand will soon be converted in one day, prior to the emergence of the special company of the 144.000 elects of God, and prior to the outpouring of the Spirit of the latter rain.

Since we have never before witnessed more than one thousand souls converted in a day in all the history of the Church, then let it be understood now that the prediction must soon be fulfilled in the very near future. More than one thousand Laodiceans or Seventh-Day Adventists would be converted in one day from their spiritual Luke warmness. Most of them will trace their first convictions to the reading of our publications of THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, and then to join in the group of the five wise virgins. There will be a very great company to be called from among the Laodiceans or Seventh-Day Adventists, but there are only 144.000 in number from among them would be chosen by the Lord Himself. Thus is to be fulfilled the parable of Jesus : “For many be called, but few chosen.” — Matthew 20 : 16 (margin).

The re-organized body of the five wise virgins would be drastically developed in the very near future, and the 144.000 chosen ones of the Lord would soon be emerged from among them to be ready to stand with the Lamb on the mount Zion in the Palestine. Nevertheless not all the wise virgins would be at last delivered to the kingdom in the Palestine, because there are yet among them those who have guiles in their mouths. This is what John the Revelator said in the following words :

“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. …… These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are v i r g i n s. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” – Revelation 14 : 1, 4, 5.

[5]

THE EMERGENCE OF THE 144.000 ELECTS OF GOD,

TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE OUTPOURING OF

THE HOLY SPIRIT OF LATTER RAIN

In regard to the coming outpouring of the Spirit of latter rain, the servant of the Lord, Mrs. Ellen G. White said :

“The commencement of that time of trouble ……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. 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. A t t h a t t i m e ‘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.” — Early Writings, pp. 85, 86.

At that time, at the commencement of that time of trouble in the future, prior to the seven last plagues to be poured out to the earth, THE SPIRIT OF LATTER RAIN will come. At that time all the events of the Day of the first Pentecost would again be brought to view. The power of that Spirit of latter rain, would fully sustain the loud cry of the third angel’s message to be proclaimed unto the entire world, to speed up the accomplishment of the work of salvation in a very short period. We may certainly ask the following question : Who are those in the future to be commissioned by the Lord Jesus to accomplish the work unto the entire world ? The answer is clear, that only those who are to be given the Spirit that have the right to act in the last work of salvation to the world. The servant of the Lord has warned :

“No one of us will ever received the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.” – 5 Testimonies, p. 214.

It is now clear that the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 which has united his voice with the third angel of Revelation 14 ever since 1929, that has produced the loud cry of the third angel message. And this is the message that has prepared the special company of the 144.000 elects of God to receive the seal of God on their foreheads, prior to their deliverance to the Palestine to stand with the Lamb on the

mount Zion. And now in the time of the end, during this time of preparation, let us observe carefully the word of the Lord through His servant Ellen. G. White, when she said :

“Especially in the closing work for the church, i n the s e a l i n g t i m e o f the 1 4 4. 0 0 0, who are to stand without fault before the throne of God, will they feel most deeply the wrongs of God’s professed people. This is forcibly set forth by the prophet’s illustration (Ezekiel 9) of the last work under the figure of the men each having a slaughter weapon in his hand.” — 3 Testimonies, p. 266.

From all the people of God now living in this time of the end, there are only 144.000 elects of God, to receive the outpouring of Spirit of latter rain in the future. This is the special company who are to be sealed from among several millions Seventh-Day Adventists in their respective churches, prior to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem,

Palestine. And then they will go unto all the inhabitants of the world to proclaim the Sabbath more fully. This is shown to Sister White in her following testimony : “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.“ — Early Writings, p. 85.

[6]

THE CLOSE OF PROBATION FOR THE WORLD

The close of probation means the end of all efforts of salvation for the mankind, either here on the earth or in the heavenly sanctuary. So is the end of all chances and opportunities for everyone here in this world of sin to repent of all their transgressions of the Law. The work of purification of the Church through the process of the investigative judgment in the heavenly sanctuary, which began in 1844, would be ended here forever.

Jesus in His status as the Lamb of God during the whole period of probation, who has spilled His blood for the remission of sin of the whole world, would terminate here for ever. And at the same time the loud cry of the third angel’s message, proclaimed unto all the world would also terminate here for ever. To this end Mrs White said :

“I was pointed down to the time when the third angel’s message was closing. The power of God had rested upon His people; they had accomplished their work and were prepared for the trying hour before them. They had received the latter rain, or the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and the living testimony had been revived. The last great warning had sounded everywhere, and it had stirred up and enraged the inhabitants of the earth who would not receive the message.

“I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with a writer’s ink horn by his side returned from the earth and reported to Jesus that his work was done, and the saints were numbered and sealed. Then I saw Jesus, who had been ministering before the ark containing the Ten Commandments, throw down the censer. He raised His hands, and with a loud voice said, “IT IS DONE.” And the entire angelic host laid off their crowns as Jesus made the solemn declaration, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he who is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

“Every case had been decided for life or death. While Jesus has been ministering in the sanctuary, the judgment had been going on for the righteous dead, and then for the righteous living. Christ had received His kingdom, having made the atonement for His people and blotted out their sins. The subjects of the kingdom were made up. The marriage of the Lamb was consummated. And the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, was given to Jesus and the heirs of salvation, and Jesus was to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.” — Early Writings, pp. 279, 280.

And as soon as the probation closed, the next event to transpire is the seven last plagues, which are to befall the wicked ones, one after the other, up to the time when Jesus would be seen coming in the air from afar off.

[7]

THE GLORIOUS EVENT OF

THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN

The glorious event of the second coming of Jesus in the clouds of heaven was ever written by Mrs. Ellen G. White in the following words :

“Soon appeared the great white cloud, upon which sat the Son of Man. When it first appeared in the distance, this cloud looked very small. The angel said that it was the sign of the Son of man. As it drew near the earth, we could behold the excellent glory and majesty of Jesus as He rode forth to conquer. A retinue of holy angels, with bright, glittering crowns upon their heads, escorted Him on His way. No language can describe the glory of the scene. The living cloud of majesty and unsurpassed glory came still nearer, and we could clearly behold the lovely person of Jesus. He did not wear a crown of horns, but a crown of glory rested upon His holy brow. Upon His vesture and thigh was a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lord. …….. …..

“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men , and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said 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 ?” Those who a short time before would have destroyed God’s faithful children from the earth, now witnessed the glory of God which rested upon them. And amid all their terror they heard the voices of the saints in joyful strains, saying, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us.”

“The earth mightily shook as the voice of the Son of God called forth the sleeping saints. They responded to the call and came forth clothed with the glorious immortality, crying, “Victory, victory, over death and the grave! O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” Then the living saints and the risen ones raised their voice in and a long, transporting shout of victory. Those bodies that had gone down into the grave bearing the marks of disease and death came up in immortal health and vigour. The living saints are changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and caught up with risen ones, and together they meet their Lord in the air. Oh, what a glorious meeting! Friends whom death had separated were united, never more to part.” — Early Writings, pp. 286, 287.

ATTENTION!

In this second coming of the Lord Jesus, He would not have His feet standing on the earth. He will only stay in the air to welcome all His redeemed ones coming to Him from the earth. Therefore, the coming of Jesus as a Lamb of God to stand on the mount Zion with the 144.000 mentioned in Revelation 14 : 1, is a separate one. It is the coming when Jesus was still in charge as a redeemer in a lamb-like robe, which has been sacrificed here on earth for the remission of sin. So this is a specific coming of Jesus to stand on the mount Zion, in the Palestine, prior to the close of probation in the heavenly sanctuary.

TRACING THE YEARS OF THE

MAIN EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD

“The Scriptures often employ mathematical means in defining

existence of time and number of years from one Biblical event to another.”

– The Harvest (Tract 3 Supplement) p. 7 —

William Miller has ever employed mathematical means to count the number of years from one Biblical event to another that he at last could have come to October 22, 1844 as the end of the 2.300 prophetic days of Daniel 8 : 14. Despite they should have been deeply disappointed for their mistake, their defining of the date and the month, and the year appeared to be alright. Sister White said:” I saw that they were correct in their reckoning of the prophetic periods; prophetic time closed in 1844, and Jesus entered the most holy place to cleanse the sanctuary at the ending of the days. Their mistake consisted in not understanding what the sanctuary was and the nature of its cleansing.” — Early Writings, p. 243.

There are several statements in THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, in regard to the Biblical events, that could be employed to count a number of years related to those events. Let us specify them further here below.

A. The Year of the Beginning of Creation

The creation of man upon the earth was first realized at the sixth day of the first week of the world history. Adam was the first created human being. And so the first history of man on the earth began at the sixth day of the first week of creation. For us to know exactly when was Adam created, let us read the following statement below :

“During the first twenty-five hundred years of human history, there was no written revelation. Those who had been taught of God, communicated their knowledge to others, and it was handed down from father to son, through successive generations. The preparation of the written word began in the time of Moses. Inspired revelation were then embodied in an inspired book. This work continued during the long period of sixteen hundred years, — from Moses, the historian of creation and the law, to John, the recorder of the most sublime truths of the gospel.” — The Great Controversy, p. 7.

It is clear to know that from ADAM up to MOSES there are 2.500 years, and from MOSES up to JOHN the REVELATOR there are 1.600 years. The total from ADAM to JOHN the REVELATOR, there would be 4.100 years. The writing of the book of Revelation was popularly known among the Christian scholars, to be accomplished in 96. And this is also justified by James White, the husband of Mrs. Ellen G. White, in his booklet entitled : A Word to the Little Flock, p. 13.

Now by means of mathematical calculation (2500 years + 1600 years – 96 years) we would have the year 4.004 BC to be the first year of creation.

B. The Year of the first time Adam and Eve fell in sin

Adam and Eve were permitted to reside in their glorious home of Eden, only as long as they could maintain their obedience to the Law of God, and as long as they could preserve their purity and holiness of characters in the perfect beauty of all heavenly beings. But as soon as they fell into the forbidden ground, against even the smallest things of the commandment of the Lord, then at the same moment they should have been driven out. How long both Adam and his wife had ever enjoyed their glorious heavenly abode in Eden, we do not know, because Moses did not give us the details of the story. However, since the story of the falling in sin of the couple was just very important for us in this time of the end, then the servant of the Lord, Sister Ellen G. White said :

“Satan led men into sin and the plan of redemption was put in operation. For four thousand years, Christ was working for man’s uplifting, and Satan for his ruin and degradation. And the heavenly universe beheld it all.” – The Desire of Ages, p. 759

Satan has led Adam and his wife into sin, and that is the first time the couple fell in sin. And ever since the time, for four thousand years up to AD 31, Christ was working for their uplifting. Then Sister White said :

“In the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. In A.D. 31, three and a half years after His baptism, our Lord was crucified. With the great sacrifice offered upon Calvary, ended that system of offerings which for four thousand years had pointed forward to the Lamb of God. Type had met antitype, and all the sacrifices and oblations of the ceremonial system were there to cease.” – Great Controversy, pp. 327, 328.

Since the four thousand years ended in A.D. 31, then the beginning of the fall of Adam and Eve could be calculated to occur in (4000 years – 31 years) = 3969 B.C. Now we could also have discovered that the couple had ever enjoyed their Eden home for (4004 years – 3969 years) = 35 years.

C. The Year of Men’s deliverance from sin (The Close of Probation)

Mrs. Ellen G. White said :

“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 Great Controversy, p. 656.

“For six thousand years, Satan’s work of rebellion has ‘made the earth to tremble.’ He has ‘made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof.’ And he opened not the house of his prisoners.’ For six thousand years his prison house has received God’s people, and he would have held them captive forever; but Christ has broken his bonds and set the prisoners free.’” Ibid., p. 659.

“Satan’s work of ruin is forever ended. For six thousand years he has wrought his will, filling the earth with woe and causing grief throughout the universe. The whole creation has groaned and travailed together in pain. Now God’s creatures are forever delivered from his presence and temptations. “ –— Ibid, p. 673.

Satan’s work of ruin along the six thousand years began in the time of Adam and Eve, when he successfully gained their fall in sin of the first couple in the year 3969 BC. Therefore for six thousand years, while Jesus works for the uplifting of mankind, then during the same period the time of probation lingers on to give opportunities for men and women to repent of all their transgressions of the Law. Since the six thousand years began in 3969 BC, then the whole period would terminate in the coming year 2031.

As soon as the time of probation closed in 2031, then followed the outpouring of the seven last plagues, one after another upon the wicked ones, who a short time before had despised all calls for repentance through the loud cry of the third’s angel message. The seven last plagues would take a prophetic period of “a season and a time” (Daniel 7 : 12), or in the real term is fifteen months in all. A season is three months, and a time is a year or twelve months.

D. The Year of the second coming of the Lord Jesus

After the outpouring of the seventh plague accomplished upon all the wicked, then the coming of the Lord Jesus in the clouds of heaven would soon immerge to appear in the distance. As the length of the whole period of the seven last plagues has been found, then the second coming of the Lord Jesus would be realized in the year 2031 + 15 months = the year 2033.

“Soon appeared the great white cloud, upon which sat the Son of Man. When it first appeared in the distance, this cloud looked very small. The angel said that it was the sign of the Son of man. As it drew near the earth, we could behold the excellent glory and majesty of Jesus as He rode forth to conquer. A retinue of holy angels, with bright, glittering crowns upon their heads, escorted Him on His way. No language can describe the glory of the scene. The living cloud of majesty and unsurpassed glory came still nearer, and we could clearly behold the lovely person of Jesus. He did not wear a crown of horns, but a crown of glory rested upon His holy brow. Upon His vesture and thigh was a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. …….. ….. “ – Early Writings, p. 286.

With the development of new light and the coming of new truths up to this time of the end, the year of the second coming of Jesus seemed to be no more concealed from us. Only the d a y and h o u r of that coming that are yet to be announced later in the future. The day and hour of His (Jesus) coming would be announced by God (the Father) Himself a moment before that coming. Thus said Mrs White in the following words,

“Soon we heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus’ coming. The living saints, the 144000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.”– Early Writings, p. 15.

“The e x a c t t i m e of the second coming of the Son of man is God’s mystery.”— The Desire of Ages, p. 633. No one knows it, because it is the day and hour, that just to be announced by God Himself prior to that coming.

THE COMING OF JESUS IN A LAMB-LIKE ROBE TO STAND WITH THE 144.000 ON THE MOUNT SION IN PALESTINE

“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.” — John, Revelation 14 : 1.

This is a special coming of Jesus, because He comes not for all the inhabitants of the world, but only to His own Church of the time of the end, which is the Laodicean Church. This coming is not yet known by His people in the time of the apostles, because the book of Revelation was not as yet available in their life time. Even by His people in the time of William Miller, this special coming was not as yet understood, because the book of Revelation, as the complement of the book of Daniel, and where all the books of the Bible meet and end (The Acts of the Apostles, p.585) was not as yet interpreted in their time.

But for us now living in this time of the end, John the Revelator and Sister White said :

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

The combination of the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 (by Bro. Victor T. Houteff) with the third angel’s message of the Spirit of Prophecy (by Mrs. Ellen G. White) in the so-called: THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, which is now enlightening the earth with its glory, could now be testified by every student of the prophecy, that the SPIRIT of TRUTH is now offering us not only the ALL TRUTH of the apostles, but also THE THINGS TO COME as prophesied by the old Testament prophets and the book of Revelation. (Read John 16 : 13). This is what Sister White ever said :

“In ancient times God spoke to men by the mouth of prophets and apostles (in the Bible). In these days (in this time of the end). He speaks to them by the t e s t i m o n i e s o f H i s

S p i r i t (THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY). There was never a time when God instructed His people more earnestly than He instructs them now concerning His will, and the course that He would have them pursue” – Evangelism, p. 255, 256 (In brackets added).

THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY is not the Spirit of God. It is the only living testimonies of His Spirit, in the all written documents of the prophets of the time of the end, which is now leading us unto ALL TRUTH, and revealing to us that THINGS TO COME.

Although the lamb-like coming of Jesus is yet in the future, we may certainly be assured that it is a special coming before the close of probation in the heavenly sanctuary. This could be understood, because the lamb-like robe of Jesus shows that He is yet to accomplish His job as the Redeemer of mankind in the heavenly sanctuary. Therefore this special coming must come to pass b e f o r e the close of probation in year 2031. And the standing of the 144.000 with Jesus at the time is also to testify that the purification of the Church through the investigative judgment, since 1844 in the heavenly sanctuary, has passed to the living in the Laodicean Church on earth. And the 144.000 would be found to be the first fruits of harvest in the Church. The second fruits would be harvested later from the whole world.

From the fact that those 144.000 saints, after their deliverance to the mount Zion in the Palestine, they will yet to stay there up to the second coming of Jesus, could be seen from the following statement by Sister White :

Not only the living saints of the 144.000 in number, but there are many more of the resurrected ones as well, who are to come up in the special resurrection of Daniel 12 : 2, and even those of the great multitude as well, who are to be saved from all over the world by the loud cry of the third angel’s message, before the close of probation in 2031. The special resurrection of Daniel 12 : 2 is not the resurrection of 1 Thessalonians 4 : 16 – 18 or of the Revelation 20 : 6, which is to take place at the second coming of Jesus. This special resurrection was not known in the time of the apostles, because the prophecy of Daniel was not as yet interpreted in their time. But for us now living in this time of the end, we could identify them in THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. Therefore to you and me Sister White said :

“Your work, my work, will not cease with this life. For a little while we may rest in the grave, but, when the call comes, we shall, in the kingdom of God, take up our work once more.” – 7 Testimonies, p. 17.

“Graves are opened, and “many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth ……….. awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12 : 2. All who have died in the faith of the third angel’s message come forth from the tomb glorified, to hear God’s covenant of peace with those who have kept His law. “They also which pierced Him” (Revelation 1 : 7), those that mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, and the most violent opposes of His truth and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory and to see the honour placed upon the loyal and obedient.” – The Great Controversy, p. 637.

“The graves were opened, and those who had died in faith under the third angel’s message, keeping the Sabbath, came forth from their dusty beds, glorified, to hear the covenant of peace that God was to make that God was to make with those who had kept His law.” – Early Writings, p. 285.

The special resurrection is a resurrection especially reserved for the Seventh-Day Adventists of the Laodicean Church, who died in the faith under the third angel’s message, keeping the Sabbath. It is also a mix resurrection, because both the wicked and the righteous would be resurrected together, whereas in the resurrection of 1 Thessalonians 4 : 16 – 18 or of Revelation 20 : 6, only the righteous of the whole world ever since Adam and Eve, would be called to rise.

IT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM IN PALESTINE

In regard to the 144.000 standing with Jesus on the mount Zion, John the Revelator said : “These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins (wise virgins according to the parable of Jesus in Matthew 25 : 1, 2). And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” – Revelation 14 : 1, 4, 5.

When the investigative judgment in the heavenly sanctuary comes up on the cases of the living, then the 144.000 as the first fruits harvest of the living from within the Church, would be delivered to go to Jerusalem in Palestine, whereas all the rest of the living would be perished by the slaughter weapons of the angels of Ezekiel chapter 9. Therefore, after the purification of the Church in the future, the coming kingdom of heaven would no more be likened unto ten virgins as in Matthew 25 : 1, 2, but to be likened only to those categorized by the wise virgins — the 144.000 saints of God. This is the beginning of the establishment of the coming everlasting kingdom of heaven in Jerusalem,

Palestine, prior to the close of probation, and several years before the second coming of Jesus in the clouds of heaven. This is the kingdom which was prophesied by prophet Daniel in the following words :

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed : and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

For as much as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold ; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter : and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof is sure.” – Daniel 2 : 44, 45.

The prophetic mountain means the Church. Therefore the stone is inevitably to be a part of the mountain itself, to meet its application to the special company of the 144.000 saints of God in the future. The same kingdom of heaven was ever taught by Jesus Himself to His disciples and even unto all of us in this time of the end that we may always pray in the following petitions:

“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. T h y k i n g d o m c o m e. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. …..” – Matthew 6 : 9, 10.

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PRECEDED BY THE TIME OF JACOB TROUBLE

(DANIEL 12 : 1)

In the study of the prophecies, the 144.000 were also known by the name the Jacobites, prior to their deliverance to Jerusalem in Palestine. Therefore the experience of Jacob’s time of trouble along his way back to his father’s home in the past would be a type to meet its antitypical experience with the 144.000 after their sealing time expired. We all know how hard the experience of Jacob trouble before his deliverance is. And in the following prophetic words the apostle John related it to us :

“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God : and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed; and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all tribes of the children of Israel. ” — Revelation 7 : 1 – 4.

The four angels are the literal angels of the Lord, holding the four winds of the earth which representing the wrath of the wicked. The four angels were commissioned of the Lord, first to hold the winds until the sealing of the 144.000 accomplished, and secondly that they might hurt the earth, the sea, and the trees as soon as all the servants of the Lord have been sealed. The seal is the mark of deliverance to be put on the foreheads of all the servants of God.

Since Satan’s main objective is to destroy the 144.000 elects of God as early as possible prior to their sealing, then the four angels have to defend their safety following the instructions given them by the angel that ascended in the east. Let us always keep in mind that in the Revelation the angel represents several objects. The silent angel always represents the leadership or the literal angel. We have the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans, which represents the General Conference of SDA and its ministers. Whereas the crying angel would represent a message and its messenger, such as the third’s angel of Revelation 14, which represents the Spirit of Prophecy and Sister Ellen G. White the messenger.

Therefore, that “other angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God : and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels,” must inevitably represent the message of the 144.000 at its early stage, coming in 1845 through the first vision given to Sister Ellen G. White in Portland, Main, United States of America in the east. Now with the coming of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1, to unite his voice with the third’s angel of Revelation 14, in the so-called THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY (Revelation 19 : 10 margin), the voice of the angel is more louder today to warn us, that the wrath of the wicked ones in the churches (the Laodicean Church or Seventh-Day Adventist) against the message and its followers, would be held until the sealing of the 144.000 accomplished. This means that as soon as the sealing completed, there would be a great trouble befalling the 144.000 in the churches. Regarding the wrath of the wicked ones, who are now very much against the sealing message of the 144.000, Daniel had ever prophesied in the following words :

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time : and at that time thy people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book.”— Daniel 12 : 1.

As well as how Jacob got the trouble from his own brother Esau in the past, the coming event in its antitypical nature would also befall the 144.000 before their deliverance to the Promised Land. in

Palestine. And later after their deliverance, then the four angels of the Lord would soon move in to hurt the earth, and the sea, and the trees, in all the churches of the Laodiceans, according to the instructions given them by the loud cry angel. This is to meet its fulfilment in the prophecy of Ezekiel chapter 9.

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THEN A NEW NAME WILL B E GRANTED THEM

As well as Jacob got his name changed to Israel after passing his ordeal, so are the 144.000 future Jacobites as a special company, to get their name changed to a new one, after their being delivered from the darkest hours of the time of Jacob trouble, to Jerusalem in Palestine. This is clearly prophesied by Isaiah the prophet in the following words :

“For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory : and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.”— Isaiah 62 : 1 – 3.

This prophecy has never before been fulfilled, and we should be sure to anticipate it to come to pass in the future. The glorious event would soon to occur, before the close of probation, when the Gentiles shall see the 144.000 emerge in their righteousness, and all the kings of the earth their glory.

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THE OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT OF LATTER RAIN

UPON THE 144.000 SAINTS OF GOD

The investigative judgment in the heavenly sanctuary is in two stages. The first stage is the judgment for the dead, and the second is for the living. The main objective of the judgment is to get a purified Church, cleansed of those who defile it. To that end Sister White said :

“What the Church needs is to be cleansed of those who defile it. The Spirit of reformation must be kindled among us, and this class must be converted or be separated from the Church. We entreat those who have a connection with God to pray earnestly and in faith, and not to stop here, but to work as well as to pray for the purification of the Church.” – Review and Herald, vol. 1, p. 235.

“We need a thorough reformation in all our churches. The converting power of God must come into the Church. Seek the Lord earnestly, put away your sins, and t a r r y i n J e – r u s a l e m till ye be endowed with power from on high. Let God set you apart to the work. Purify your souls by obeying the truth. Faith without works is dead.” – Testimonies to Ministers, p. 449.

When the judgment passes to the living, there would be found only 144.000 living saints in the Church, to be retained their names in the Book of Life in the heavenly sanctuary. They will be brought then to tarry in Jerusalem, Palestine, and there the Spirit of latter rain from on high, will be endowed with power upon them. So with the full power of the Spirit they would have accomplished the proclamation of the loud cry of the third angel’s message unto all the world, a great multitude of an unnumbered company will be won to come out from the Babylon, and the time of probation would be closed in 2031. Here is to be fulfilled the word of the servant of the Lord, when she said :“The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was “the former rain,” and glorious was the result. But the latter rain will be more abundant.” — Testimony Treasures, vol. 3, p. 211.

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WHEN AND BY WHOM IS THE SPIRIT TO BE POURED OUT ?

Actually the outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles is a typical one. And the antitypical event would come to pass in the future, when the Spirit of latter rain will be poured out upon the 144.000 in Jerusalem, Palestine. As well as how Jesus has prepared and unified the 120 disciples for the outpouring of the Spirit along the 40 days after His resurrection, so is He to do the same things with the 144.000 before pouring out His Spirit upon them. So the standing of the Lamb with the 144.000 on the mount

Zion is marking the ceremony of the establishment of the kingdom purified in Palestine. Zion is the royal palace of the king, located in the midst of Jerusalem. Therefore the Spirit will not be poured out upon them at the time, but later when Jesus would have been back to officiate before the golden altar before the throne of God in the heavenly sanctuary. This is clearly shown to us by John the Revelator in the following words :

“And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. … And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altars which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the sencer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.”— Revelation 8 : 1 , 3 – 5.

The study of the investigative judgment in the heavenly sanctuary will include the whole story of the seven seals. So the story of the seven seals would be presented to the Readers in other articles.

Jesus is well-known in heaven as the high priest officiating at the golden altar before the throne of God the Father. Despite John called Him merely, as an angel stood at the altar, there was none other than Jesus Himself, the High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, who officiates at the golden altar up to now for our salvation. Therefore, “when he (Jesus) had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour”— Revelation 8 : 1.

Jesus is the only one worthy to open the seals (Read : Rev. 5 : 9). And as soon as He had opened the seventh seal, the whole heavenly sanctuary would be silent for a space of half an hour, because the judgment for the dead had been accomplished, and Jesus would descend to the earth to stand with the 144.000 on the mount Zion. He would stay on earth with them, to prepare and to have them become of the same mind, seeing eye to eye and speaking the same things (1 Cor. 1 : 10 ; 1 Pet. 3 : 8; Isa 52 : 8), for about the space of half an hour prophetical time. This means Jesus is to be on the earth for about seven literal days. Only for about a week. And then John said :

“… And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altars which was before the throne.”— Revelation 8 : 3.

After being left empty for a space of half an hour, now John saw another angel came and stood again at the golden altar. This means that Jesus is now back again to officiate at the golden altar, and the investigative judgment for the living is now to begin. Now as in the typical event the Spirit of early rain was poured out by Jesus Himself after His return to heaven, so is in the antitypical one in the future, the Spirit of latter rain will be poured out by Jesus Himself out of the heavenly sanctuary upon the 144.000, and even upon all the inhabitants of the kingdom in Palestine. To this end John said : And the angel took the sencer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.”— Rev. 8 : 5. It is the Spirit of latter rain symbolized by the fire of the altar that is to be poured out upon the coming kingdom in Palestine.

THE PURIFICATION OF THE SANCTUARY MEANS

THE SLAYING OF ALL THE WICKED IN THE CHURCH

“Unto two thousand and three hundred days;

then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” – Daniel 8 : 14

The doctrine of the purification of the sanctuary after the end of the 2.300 prophetic days or years of Daniel 8 : 14 have been lost sight of nearly the whole Church and the ministers of the General Conference of SDA. Most of our people think, this doctrine raised by William Miller has met its objective in 1844 and then finished. Only very few among us would care to think, that due to William Miller’s failure to teach the purification of the sanctuary means, that to Ellen G. White and her Church was the commission addressed : “Thou must prophesy again before m a n y peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” – Revelation 10 : 11.

Mrs. White was commissioned to prophesy again to only m a n y peoples, and nations, and not to a l l of them. This should have been understood, because there is yet another new message to come after hers, which is the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1. To this end she herself ever said :

To meet the commission addressed to her in Revelation 10 : 11, Mrs. Ellen G. White has again raised the doctrine of the purification of the sanctuary, and we now have to understand for sure, that ever since October 22, 1844 Jesus has begun to officiate at the golden altar in the heavenly sanctuary, to defend the names of all His people in the investigative judgment, which is now going on there in the sanctuary. The purification of the sanctuary will be conducted through an investigative judgment. The judgment is going on in two stages : first for the dead and secondly for the living. When the investigative judgment has come to our turn to be judged, no one knows. However, Mrs. White has ever said :

Then in regard to the Judgment of the living, the messenger of the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1, Brother Victor T. Houteff said :

“The Judgment of the living on earth commences with Ezekiel 9, but in heaven (in the books) after Ezekiel 9. The Judgment of the Living is in two phases : The first phase is a separation that takes away the wicked from among the righteous, Ezekiel 9. The second phase is the book work when the investigation takes place, and when the sins of the righteous and the names of the wicked are blotted out of the records in Heaven. This second phase, the judicial session in heaven, is what commences after Ezekiel 9.” – The Symbolic Code, Vol. 12, No. 3.

And now we would certainly know, who are those worthy to be categorized as t h e w i c k e d ones in this time of the end ? To this end Gabriel, the angel of the Lord, in his responds to Daniel’s question, said in the following words :

“And I heard, but I understood not : then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said Go thy way, Daniel : for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but t h e w i c k e d shall do wickedly : and none of t h e w i c k e d shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” – Daniel 12 : 8 – 10.

The books of Daniel and the Revelation have now been revealed in THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, to be the new light for the study of all our people. Those who neglect to study the prophecies of the Bible and the Revelation would be categorized as the wicked, because none of them would understand. None of them would ever be striving with all the power God has given them to be among the 144.000, because they deliberately reject every opportunity offered them of God to make them wise unto salvation.

HOW CLOSE IS THE COMING OF

JESUS IN HIS LAMB-LIKE ROBE TO STAND ON

Actually the coming of Jesus on mount Zion would include several main events, either before or after, to occur in a very short period as follows:

a. The sealing of the 144.000 in the churches in the entire world. This event would mark the close of probation for all the Seventh-Day Adventists in the world.

b. As soon as they have been sealed, they will be brought to face a very hard time of Jacob trouble. When the trouble culminates to its highest, they then will be killed. However, in that very critical moments prior to the killing, in the midnight, they will be taken away to go to Jerusalem, to stand with Jesus on mount Zion, in Palestine. This is what was shown to Sister White in her vision, when she said :

“It was at midnight that God chose to deliver His people. As the wicked were mocking around them, suddenly the sun appeared, shining in his strength, and the moon stood still. The wicked looked upon the scene with amazement, while the saints beheld with solemn joy the tokens of their deliverance. Signs and wonders followed in quick succession. Everything seemed turned out of its natural course. The streams ceased to flow. Dark, heavy clouds came up and clashed against each other. But there was one clear place of settled glory, whence came the voice of God like many waters, shaking the heavens and the earth. There was a mighty earthquake. The graves were opened, and those who had died in faith under the third angel’s message, keeping the Sabbath, came forth from their dusty beds, glorified, to hear the covenant of peace that God was to make with those who had kept His law.”— Early Writings, p. 285.

c. Then followed the special resurrection of those in faith under the third angel’s message, keeping the Sabbath.

d. The standing of the 144.000 with the Lamb on mount Zion, to be followed by a new name granted them.

e. Jesus returned to the heavenly sanctuary to officiate before the golden altar. And then He poured out the Spirit of latter rain upon them in the kingdom on earth.

f. The slaying of all the wicked left behind in the churches, soon after the outpouring of the Spirit of latter rain on the 144.000 on mount Zion in Palestine.

Ever since the fall of the ten tribes kingdom of Israel in 721 BC, and the two tribes kingdom of Judah later in 587 BC, up to now, the people of God have never had any chance of establishing their own kingdom on earth. Several promises of the Lord, coming one after another, through the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets, and through John the Baptist of the early Christian Church, even by the Lord Jesus Himself, all of them are yet to be anticipated in the future. Nevertheless, since we are now living in the time of the end, thanks to the words by prophet Isaiah, who again have assured us, when he said :

“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater : So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth : it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” – Isaiah 55 : 10, 11.

Therefore, through the combined messages of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 and the third angel of Revelation 14, interpreted into THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY by the last prophet of the new Testament, Bro. Victor T. Houteff said :

“The church of Christ’s day was determined to have the kingdom set up then, when not all was yet ready for it ; the church of today is determined not to have it now, when ‘the end of all things is at hand’ (1 Pet. 4 : 7) — when the time is fully come ! The Jews wanted back the kingdom which they had lost — a kingdom of sin and sinners. They were eager to be freed from Roman bondage only, instead of from sin and sinners also.” —Mount Zion at the Eleventh Hour, p. 73.

The apostles positively believed that Christ was to set up His kingdom a t His first advent, but they, too, had to change their belief.” – Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 13, pp. 6, 7.

“The Jews wanted a kingdom of their own, a kingdom of this world (saint and sinner in it). Yes, they wanted a kingdom on earth, but none in Heaven. What is more, they wanted it two thousand years ahead of schedule. Now, ironically, in the time of the restoration of the Kingdom, the Denomination takes an opposite attitude: It wants a kingdom in Heaven, but none on earth.” – Timely Greetings, Vol.1, No. 15, p. 20.

According to the schedule, the coming Kingdom would have been established 2.000 years after the first advent of Christ. When shall we start counting: from the year of His birth or from the year of His baptism in 27. Remember that we are now dealing with the law of the Kingdom of God, and the related law science must also be taken into consideration. So the year of His baptism must be taken to be the start of counting. It was just in that year when John the baptist had proclaimed Jesus to the Jews as their king, and that year too has been identified by how the Jews held rallies in the streets to welcome Jesus as their king. The servant of the Lord said :

“When the Son of man rode triumphantly into Jerusalem, they expected Him to be crowned king. The people flocked from the entire region about, and cried, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” Matthew 21 : 9.” – Life Sketches, p. 62.

Every Christian should have to know that the event mentioned above has taken place in year 27, after Jesus was baptized by John the baptist. Therefore, although Mrs. Ellen G. White has ever before said : “We are not to know the definite time either for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit or for the coming of Christ. ……..You will not be able to say that He will come in one, two, or five years, neither are you to put off His coming by stating that it may not be for ten or twenty years.”— Review and Herald, March 22, 1892. N o w in the last remnant of time, since the new light of the last message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 has arrived, we may be more positively convinced that the coming of Jesus prophesied in Revelation 14 : 1 and Malachi 3 : 1 would truly come to pass in year 2027. Both prophecies have dealt with the same event, which is the coming of Jesus in a Lamb-like robe on mount Zion in

Palestine. Finally, from all the stories presented above, we may be tracing again all the main events of history ever since the beginning of creation as follows :

Our planet since the beginning was created in year 4.004 BC.
Adam and Eve have ever enjoyed their purity and holiness of living in the Garden of Eden for about 35 years until year 3969 BC, when they should have been driven out for failing to obey the commandments of God.
Jesus was crucified and died for the atonement of sin of men in year 31. In the same year He has returned to Heaven, and then to pour out His Spirit of early rain upon His disciples.
The writing of the book of Revelation was accomplished in year 96.
Jesus began His mediatory work in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844, to coincide with the beginning of the period of the Laodicean Church on earth.
The coming of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 in the General Conference of SDA, held in 1888, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, which has been rejected by the majority of those attended.
The coming again of the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 in year 1929, which was also to be rejected up to this very day.
More than one thousand to be converted in a day, prior to the emergence of the 144.000.
The time of Jacob trouble following the sealing of the 144.000 elects of God in the churches.
The standing of the 144.000 with the Lamb on the mount Zion in 2027, marking the establishment of the Kingdom on earth. The special or mixed resurrection is to take place soon after the establishment of the Kingdom. Then the outpouring of the Holy Spirit of latter rain. Then followed the proclamation of the loud cry of the third angel’s message unto the entire world.
The Close of Probation for the whole world in year 2031.
Fifteen months for the seven last plagues to be poured out upon the wicked.
The second coming of Jesus in the clouds of heaven in year 2033, and the beginning of the Millennium.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

“The Scriptures often employ mathematical means in defining

existence of time and number of years from one Biblical event to another.”

– The Harvest (Tract 3 Supplement) p. 7 —

We have to know that THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY is very much against time setting of private interpretations. The Scriptures, however, have shown us of how William Miller and his time setting of the end of the 2.300 prophetic days of Daniel 8 : 14 to fall in 1844, had been justified by the Lord. It is because William Miller had employed mathematical means in defining existence of time and number of years from one Biblical event to another, to come up to the October 22, 1844. And he was justified. Since the controversies in the time of Miller concerning time setting, seem to be still alive up to now, that Mrs. White as the servant of the Lord has to say :

Thus it was shown that Scripture gives no warrant for men to remain in ignorance concerning the nearness of Christ’s coming. But those who desired only an excuse to reject the truth closed their ears to this explanation, and the words “No man knoweth the day nor hour” continued to be echoed by the bold scoffer and even by the professed minister of Christ. …………. Like the Pharisees in Christ’s day, many refuse to enter the kingdom of heaven themselves, and those who were entering in they hindered. The blood of these souls will be required at their hands.” – The Great Controversy, p. 372.

“No man knoweth the day nor the hour” was the argument most often brought forward by the rejectors of the advent faith. The scripture is : “Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven but My Father only.” Matthew 24 : 36. A clear and harmonious explanation of this text was given by those who were looking for the Lord, and the wrong use made of it by their opponents was clearly shown.. ………… One saying of the Saviour must not be made to destroy another. Though no man knoweth the d a y nor the h o u r of His coming, we are instructed and required to know when it it is near. We are further taught that to disregard His warning, and refuse or neglect to know when His advent is near, will be as fatal for us as it was for those who lived in the days of Noah not to know when the Flood was coming.” – The Great Controversy, pp. 370, 371.

Though no man now knoweth t h e d a y nor t h e h o u r of His coming, either of His second coming or of His coming to stand with the 144.000 on mounth Zion, we are i n s t r u c t e d and r e q u i r e d to know when i t i s n e a r. And as the day and the hour are yet to be concealed from us, we are to employ mathematical means in defining the existing of time and number of years from one Biblical event to another to find the years of future events, to see the nearness of the coming of Jesus. And especially for us now living in the remnant of this time of the end, through the last message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1, Brother Victor T. Houteff said :

“Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25 : 13). This has reference to the time of the judgment, and not of His coming to earth; for the saints shall know the day and the hour of Christ’s coming in the clouds to receive the redeemed, as it shall be announced by the Father shortly before His coming. (See the Great Controversy, p. 640).” — 2 The Shepherd’s Rod, pp. 184, 185.

“The Judgment of the living on earth commences with Ezekiel 9, but in heaven (in the books) after Ezekiel 9. The Judgment of the Living is in two phases : The first phase is a separation that takes away the wicked from among the righteous, Ezekiel 9. The second phase is the book work when the investigation takes place, and when the sins of the righteous and the names of the wicked are blotted out of the records in Heaven. This second phase, the judicial session in heaven, is what commences after Ezekiel 9.” – The Symbolic Code, Vol. 12, No. 3.

The Judgment for the living on earth commences with Ezekiel 9. This will be coincided with the fulfilment of Joel 2 : 28, 29 (the outpouring of the Holy Spirit of latter rain) in Palestine, which is to be marked by the voices, the thundering, the lightening, and the earthquake, because Brother Houteff said :

“The date of that most glorious event for the righteous, but exceeding solemn for the wicked, will be made known at the fulfillment of the following verse: ‘And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thundering, and lightning’s and an earthquake.’ (Rev. 8 : 5). The casting of the fire from the altar into the earth is the outpouring of the Spirit of God. We have stated before that the book of Revelation is a revealing of prophecies, and not a prophecy of itself. Therefore we find the prediction of this glorious event in Joel 2 : 28, 29. The “voices, and the thundering, and the lightening,” denote the opening of the judgment for the living, as they also denote the opening of the judgment for the dead. (See Rev. 4 : 5). The earthquake will be the sign of the event.” – 2 Shepherd’s Rod. pp. 220 – 221.

The d a t e of “the day and the hour” will be made known by means of ‘the voices, and the thundering, and the lightening, after the expiration of the half an hour silence in the heavenly sanctuary., that is after Jesus returns from mount Zion on earth, to again officiate at the golden altar before the throne of God the Father. “Since only the living saints, the 144.000 in number knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake” (Early Writings, p. 15), we are now obliged to admit that the announcement of the day and the hour will never be given us prior to the sealing of the 144.000, nor even before their standing with the Lamb on the mount Zion in Palestine.

CONCLUSION

The announcement of the day and the hour of Jesus’ coming is actually not for us, because Brother Houteff said : “Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25 : 13). This has reference to the time of the Judgment, and not of His coming to earth (the second coming in the clouds of heaven);….” — 2 The Shepherd’s Rod, pp. 184, 185. (In the brackets is added)

Though the announcement of the day and the hour of Jesus’ coming to stand on the mount Zion would n e v e r be given us, we are yet obliged to know when it is near. This is clearly emphasized in the following statement by Mrs. Ellen G. White :

………… One saying of the Saviour must not be made to destroy another. Though no man knoweth the d a y nor the h o u r of His coming, we are instructed and required to know when it it is near. We are further taught that to disregard His warning, and refuse or neglect to know when His advent is near, will be as fatal for us as it was for those who lived in the days of Noah not to know when the Flood was coming.” – The Great Controversy, pp. 370, 371.

And though the controversies on “the day and hour of Jesus’ coming“ in the time of Miller, seem to be more rampant today among the students of Bible prophesies, the Lord through His servant, Mrs. Ellen. G. White, has ever reminded us in the following words :

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