CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 

"THE KINGS OF THE EARTH ... MADE DRUNK WITH 
THE WINE OF HER FORNICATION.;" FALSE DOCTRINES 
CAUSE THE PERSECUTING BEAST "TO COME UP OUT 
OF THE ABYSS" (R.V.). THE IMPORTANCE OF TRUE 
DOCTRINE IN RECEIVING THE POWER OF THE LATTER RAIN. 

Still working upon the principle that the things of Babylon are mentioned in the Apocalypse as counterfeits of the things of Christ, we have occasion to note yet another item mentioned because it is a counterfeit of the true, namely, the wine given by Babylon that makes the nations and the people of earth drunk–see Rev. 14:8; 17:2; 18:3. Wine is employed in Scripture as a symbol of doctrine-see Matt. 9:17; etc. Fermented wine represents false doctrines; doctrines that have poison in them similar .to alcohol in fermented wine; doctrines that becloud the brain and benumb the moral sensibilities of those who imbibe them. This is the wine that the Babylonian whore gives to the kings and people of earth. "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication" (Rev. 14:8); "And the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication" (Rev. 17:2); "For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication" (Rev. 18:3). Thus emphasis is placed upon the potency of the wine that Babylon gives to the people of the world to drink, that stupefies their spiritual perceptions and poisons their thoughts, making them moral inebriates, and causing the beast of persecution "to come up out of the abyss" (R.V.). 

The Apocalypse is a book of opposites: light and darkness; truth and error; good and evil; Christ and Satan; the Lamb and the beast; the Lord's church and the synagogue of Satan; the forces of Heaven and the forces of earth; Messengers from on high and messengers from beneath; Movements from above and movements from the bottomless pit; the health-begetting wines of true doctrine and the corrupting wines of false doctrine. The Apocalypse places the opposing forces in opposition, and this is done in such a way that when one is under consideration the other will naturally present itself to the thoughtful reader. Error should not be seen in a purely negative way; it should be viewed as the opposite of truth. Satan conceives error as a means of hiding the truth. No one who has his mind darkened with the errors Satan

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prepares is able to see the truth. Writing of those "that are lost", Paul says: "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Cor. 4:3, 4). Men are deluded when they "hold the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom. 1:18). They "hold the truth" but in such a way that it is ineffectual, for it is covered with "unrighteousness". Satan's most successful method is that of deception. He mixes error with truth. "Error is never harmless. It never sanctifies, but always brings confusion and dissension. It is always dangerous. The enemy has great power over minds that are not thoroughly fortified by prayer and established in Bible truth" (5T. 292). 

Error warps the mind and prepares the way for Satan's power, just as the power of God goes with truth. Notice the following from the pen of the Lord's servant: 

"The Comforter is called `the Spirit of truth.' His work is to define and maintain truth. He first dwells in the heart as the Spirit of truth, and thus He becomes the Comforter. There is peace and comfort in the truth, but no real peace or comfort can be found in falsehood. It is through false theories and traditions that Satan gains his power over the mind. By directing men to false standards he misshapes the character. Through the Scriptures the Holy Spirit speaks to the mind, and impresses truth upon the head. Thus He exposes error, and expels it from the soul. It. is by the Spirit of truth working through the Word of God, that Christ subdues His chosen people to Himself" (DA. 671). The Lord's servant says: "The perfection of character He requires can be "obtained only by becoming familiar with His Word" (Counsels to Teachers, P. 455). 

In the following extract from the "Medical Ministry", p. 89, God warns against the exceeding deceitfulness of error: 

"The mind in which error has once taken possession can never expand freely to truth, even after investigation. The old theories will claim recognition. The understanding of things that are true and elevated and sanctifying will be confused. Superstitious ideas will enter the mind, to mingle with the true, and these ideas are always debasing in their influence. . . Cleave to the word, ‘It is written’. Cast out of the mind the dangerous, obtrusive theories which, if entertained, will hold the mind in bondage, so that the man shall not become a new creature in Christ. The mind must be constantly restrained and guarded." 

Satan's most successful method is that of deception–he mixes error with truth. Paul declared: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness" (2 Cor. 11:13-15). 

In previous chapters we have shown that the Babylonian system counterfeits the things of Christ; this Satanic organization is bitterly opposed to Christ but hides its enmity under the guise of reverence for Christ. The servant of the Lord says: "Satan is Christ's personal enemy, but in his opposition to Christ he 

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counterfeits the Saviour's work: "Satan has ever been ambitious to counterfeit the work of Christ, and establish his own power and claims. He does not generally do this openly and boldly. He is artful, and knows that the most effectual way for him to accomplish his work, is to come to poor, fallen man in the form of an angel of light. Satan came to Christ in the wilderness in the form of a beautiful young man– more like a monarch than a fallen angel,–with scripture in his mouth" (1T. 293). 

Jesus "breathed on" the disciples, "and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost" (John 20:22). The Lord's servant says: "I saw that Satan was working through agents in a number of ways . . . not by the power of the Holy Ghost, but by the power of Satan breathed upon these agents, and through them to the people. . . . God will work in power for His people; and Satan will be permitted to work also" (EW. 43, 44). When those who know the truth regarding the ministry of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary "pray, 'My Father, give us Thy Spirit', then Jesus would breathe upon them the Holy Ghost". Describing those who have not followed the light, the Lord's servant says that "Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence" (EW. 55, 56). 

"Satan himself abode not in the truth; he is the mystery of iniquity. Through his subtlety he gives to his soul-destroying errors the appearance of truth. Herein is his power to deceive. It is because they are a counterfeit of the truth that spiritualism, theosophy, and the like deceptions gain such power over the minds of men. Herein is the masterly working of Satan. He pretends to be the saviour of man, the benefactor of the human race, and thus he more readily lures his victims to destruction" (TM. 365). 

"As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ" (GC. 624). "And Satan, surrounded by evil angels, and claiming to be God, will work miracles of all kinds, to deceive, if possible the very elect" (9T. 16). See also 5T. 80. 

"Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world... . Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of Spiritualism" (GC. 562).   Every sermon on the immortality of the soul is thus preparing  for this gigantic delusion. Those who reject the Sabbath truth will maintain "that the fast-spreading corruption is largely attributable to the desecration of the so-called `Christian Sabbath', and that the enforcement of Sunday observance would greatly improve the morals of society . . . 

"Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul, and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of Spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hands of Spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this three-fold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience. 

"He [Satan] will appear in the character of an angel of light. Through the agency of Spiritualism, miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and many undeniable wonders will be performed. And as the spirits will profess faith in the Bible, and manifest respect for the institutions of the church, their work will be accepted as a manifestation of divine power. . . 

"Communications from the spirits will declare that God has sent them to convince the rejecters of Sunday of their error, affirming that the laws of the land should be obeyed as the law of God. They will lament the great wickedness 

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in the world, and second the testimony of religious teachers, that the degraded state of morals is caused by the desecration of Sunday. Great will be the indignation against all who refuse to accept their testimony . . . while Satan seeks to destroy those who honour God`s law he will cause them to be accused as law-breakers, as men who are dishonouring God, and bringing judgments upon the world ... he works through both religious and secular authorities, moving them to the enforcement of human laws in defiance of the law of God. Those who honour the Bible Sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and order. . . They will, be accused of disaffection toward the government. Ministers who deny the obligation of the divine law will present from the pulpit the duty of yielding obedience to the civil authorities as ordained of God. In legislative halls and courts of justice, commandment-keepers will be misrepresented and condemned...  

"The dignitaries of church and State will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honour the Sunday" (GC. 587-592). 

"Her [Rome's] doctrines are exerting their influence in legislative halls, in the churches, and in the hearts of men ... her former persecutions will be repeated" (GC. 581). 

Thus by the wine of Babylon earth's multitudes and the kings of the earth are being made drunk and making it possible for the persecuting beast "to come up out of the abyss". 

"The last great delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his marvellous works in our sight. So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true, that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures.... None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict" (GC. 593). 

What people are now doing and thinking is preparing the way for the persecuting beast to emerge from his place of inactivity. This is the import of Rev. 17. We have shown that the loud cry of Rev. 18, represented by an angel coming down from heaven having great power, is mentioned in opposition to the beast pictured in Rev. 17 as ascending out of the bottomless pit. Observe that the Lord's servant after quoting Rev. 18:1-4, says: "With every rejection of truth, the minds of the people will become darker, their hearts more stubborn, until they are entrenched in an infidel hardihood" (GC. 603). Thus, by accepting or rejecting the truths of the Bible, people either join the movement represented by the angel coming down from heaven or of aiding and abetting the resurrection of the persecuting beast from beneath. 

Commenting upon "the woman, Babylon, of Revelation 17. . . having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness", the Lord's servant says: 

"Babylon is said to be 'the mother of harlots'. By her daughters must be symbolized churches that cling to her doctrines and traditions and follow her example of sacrificing the truth and the approval of God, in order to form an unlawful alliance with the world.. . 

"Many of the Protestant churches are following Rome's example of iniquitous connection with 'the kings of the earth'; the State churches, by their relation to secular governments, and other denominations by seeking the world. And the term Babylon–confusion–may be appropriately applied to these bodies" (GC. 382, 3). 

Believing that Sunday observance should be enforced by the State, the churches will eventually believe that the persecution of 

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God's people is a right and proper thing to do (see GC. 603, 615, etc.). 

It will be observed that wherever God's servant describes the persecution that will come to the remnant church, emphasis is given to the fact that that persecution is brought about by the Church working through the State. To this end observe the following extracts which are examples of many more that could be quoted: 

"Fearful is the issue to which the world is to be brought. The powers of earth, uniting to war against the commandments of God, will decree that all 'both small and great' shall conform to the customs of the church by the observance of the false Sabbath. All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties, and it will finally be declared that they are deserving of death... . With the issue thus clearly brought before him, whoever shall trample upon God’s law to obey a human enactment, receives the mark of the beast.... 

"While the observance of the false Sabbath in compliance with the law of the State, contrary to the fourth Commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God's law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other, choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God.... 

"Their [God's people] 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.... 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 angel's message will produce an effect which it could not have had before" (GC. 604, 605). 

The church appeals to the strong-arm of civil power, and in this work, papists and Protestants unite.” (GC 607) 

The statements quoted above from the pen of God's servant are given in the chapter "The Final Warning" which commences by quoting Rev. 18:1-4. In other words, this warning message is to point out the evil of this union of Church and State; and no doubt the exposition we are at present endeavouring to make clear, will be employed in pointing out that this very state of things was pictured in Rev. 17 by the coming of the beast of persecution from its place of inactivity, and declaring that the Lord in His Word has pictured His last warning message as an angel coming down from heaven protesting against this "iniquitous connection" of the professing church "with 'the kings of the earth' ". 

The Lord's servant has explicitly informed us that those who give the last warning message are "symbolized by the angel coming down from Heaven, lightening the earth with his glory, and crying mightily with a strong voice, announcing the sins of Babylon" (GC. 04). What will be particularly declared in that denunciation is also stated: 

"The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of Spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the Papal power-all will he unmasked.; By these solemn warnings the people will be stirred. Thousands upon thousands will listen who have never heard words like these. In amazement they hear the 

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testimony that Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and sing, because of her rejection of the truth sent to her from heaven. (GC. 606). 

As Rev. 17 teaches that the persecuting beast ascends out of the abyss through the union of Church and State, and as that is one of the main burdens of the loud cry depicted in Rev. 18 as an angel coming down from Heaven, we are thus able to see that the loud cry will point to the prophecy of Rev. 17 as describing the conditions then prevailing; even as today we point to Rev. 14:6-14 being fulfilled in the judgment-hour message at present being given to the world. 

The Lord's servant has given definite counsel as to what constitutes the wine of Babylon. She says; 

"The fallen denominational churches are Babylon. Babylon has been fostering poisonous doctrines, the wine of error. This wine of error is made up of false doctrines, such as the natural immortality of the soul, the eternal torment of the wicked, the denial of the pre-existence of Christ prior to His birth in Bethlehem, and advocating and exalting the first day of the week above God's holy and sanctified day. These and kindred errors are presented to the world by the various churches, and thus the Scriptures are fulfilled that say, 'For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.' It is a wrath which is created by false doctrines, and when kings and  presidents drink this wine of the wrath of her fornication, they stirred with anger against those who will not come into harmony with the false and satanic heresies which exalt the false Sabbath, and lead men to trample underfoot God' s memorial." (TM. 62). 

As the wine of Babylon, imbibed by the kings of the earth and the multitudes, who unthinkingly accept the deceptive teachings of apostasy, produces degeneracy and corruption, so the good, wholesome wine of Heaven revivifies and strengthens God's people to proclaim the loud cry. As the Word of God is the "seed" which, with the operation of the Holy Spirit, generates the new life (1 Pet. 1:23), that life is revived and strengthened as often as the Word of God is read and received into the soul. "When ye received the word of God ... ye received it ... as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh in you that believe" (1 Thess. 2:13). The Word of God has sanctifying, creative power:"Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth" (John 17:17). "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17). Man lives "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). "A divine element combines with the human when the soul reaches out after God" (Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 35). "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed ['the germ of life,' Weymouth] remaineth in him" (1 John 3:9). One of the evidences that the miracle of the new birth has been wrought in the soul is the desire to know the Word of God better in order to grow: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Pet. 2:2). From his own experience Peter had found that human weakness could be overcome through assimilating the life of God found in His 

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Holy Word. This is again made clear from his second epistle. He said: "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through a knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord [this knowledge is obtained through the Word of God, plus faith exercised in a daily experience]. . . . Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises [i.e. in the Word of God]: that these ye might be partakers of the divine nature". He then presents his well-known ladder of Christian virtues: "Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge"; etc. See 2 Pet. 1:2-8. Thus he shows that by continual study of the Word of God there is advancement along the Christian highway until eventually "an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom" (v. 11). He concludes his epistle by declaring that "they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.” Thus a correct understanding of the Scriptures is not only a safeguard from falling from grace, but builds one up in the holy faith. His closing words are: "Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 3:16-18). 

Peter exalted the great value of the prophetic word declaring that in it "we have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation" (2 Pet. 1:19 20). "Private interpretations” are those superficial conclusions drawn from a mere surface reading of isolated texts; such do not build up the character. Peter was not the only apostle to warn against being led into "error", into apostasy, by a superficial study of the Bible, for the apostle Paul also, in warning the elders in the meeting at Ephesus of the coming apostasy, said: "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things.... And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you-up, and to give you an inheritance among al them which are sanctified" (Acts 20:29-32). 

One who heeds Scriptural injunctions, will "bring forth out of his treasure things new and old" (Matt. 13:52). Jesus admonished: "Search the Scriptures" (John 5:39). "These [the Bereans] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). 

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Hearing that which was new to them, the Bereans, in their wisdom and nobility, searched the Scriptures to obtain therein the answer to their question, "Are these things true?" Those who follow the instructions given in the Bible, search the Scriptures daily and thus obtain their "daily bread", and it is this constancy of supply that is necessary for growth in a normal child or adult in the Christian walk, even as it is necessary in the natural life. As one progresses in Bible study, one can more readily understand Paul's admonition: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). 

"As knowledge is progressive, so will love, reverence and happiness increase" (GC. 678). Crystal-clear waters are found in running, streams. Stagnation spells decay and death. Jesus says: "Every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.... Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit" (John 15:2, 8). The river seen in Ezekiel's vision (Ezek. 47) deepens as it lengthens. The third angel's Message is calling a people to come out of Babylon to "the faith of Jesus". "These are they which were not defiled with women" (Rev. 14:4)–that is, not defiled with any of the teachings of apostate churches. The third angel's Message calls for purity of heart and purity of doctrine. Only "the pure in heart ... shall see God" (Matt. 5:8; Heb. 12:8). Purity of heart seeks purity of doctrine; purity of doctrine upholds and develops purity of heart. "Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth" (1 Pet. 1:22). God has ordained that by prayer and the study of His Word we shall be "changed ... from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:18). 

"The word of God is the seed. Every seed has in itself a germinating principle. In it the life of the plant is enfolded. So there is life in God's word....In every command any in every promise of the word of God is the power, the very life of God, by which the command may be fulfilled and the promise realized. He who by faith receives the word is receiving the very life and character of God.”(C.O.L. 38). 

We have seen that The persecuting beast from the abyss rises as the result of kings and multitudes drinking the wine of Babylon. Now we are able to see from the foregoing that the glory of the light of the angel with the loud cry comes as the result of a deepening of Christian experience among the people of God, which comes as the result of a better understanding, a better application, of the mighty truths contained in all the prophecies. There is abundant reason for believing that an impetus to a more diligent searching of the Scriptures will come about through light shining from some prophecies that have hitherto been misunderstood. Thus it was at Pentecost. We have shown in previous publications, such as "The Moral Purpose of Prophecy", it was 

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when the disciples understood following the death and resurrection of Christ, and doubtless His personal tuition during the forty days He sojourned with them on earth after His resurrection (see Acts 1:3), the spiritual significance of the prophecies pertaining to Israel, in relation to Jesus reigning in the church, that Pentecostal power came to them. We shall not commence to state again here what we have stated in other publications in regard to this important feature. However, we do wish to state that the latter rain or the loud cry (the same thing–see EW. 27) will be brought about when the church develops spiritual discernment through a closer, heart-searching study of Scriptures and applies such in a closer walk with God in the prayer life and daily experience. 

Then, as in the days of the early disciples, new light will shine forth from prophecies which today are misunderstood, in exactly the same way that the disciples misunderstood them in their pre-pentecostal days. Prophecies that seemed to require a literal fulfillment in or around Jerusalem, were then seen to have a spiritual fulfillment in a world-wide manner in relation to the church. Similarly today, prophecies that have been understood as depicting a military conflict in Palestine will be clearly understood as depicting the final conflict. The light that clears up the misunderstanding concerning the significance of the portrayal of events under the 6th and 7th plagues also throws a flood of light upon the whole of the third angel's Message. As God's people see how much is involved in the understanding of the events under the 6th and 7th plagues they will be amazed to see that practically every last-day prophecy is involved in their true understanding. As one Scripture is seen to dovetail into all the others, there will mount up in the heart a solid faith in the certainty of the third angel's Message; a faith that will endure all the perils and privations of the last days because it will be founded upon the broad foundations of the whole Bible. 

The Lord's servant has repeatedly informed us that clearer light will come and that that clearer light will result in a mighty revival. Observe the following extracts: 

"When we as a people understand what this book means to us, there will be seen among us a great revival. We do not understand fully the lessons it teaches, notwithstanding the injunction given us to search and study . . . When the books of Daniel and the Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entire different religious experience. . . 

“Those who eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God will bring from the books of Daniel and Revelation truth that is inspired by the Holy Spirit. They will start into action forces that can not be repressed. The lips of children will be opened, to proclaim the mysteries that have been hidden from the minds of men. . As we near the close of this world's history, the prophecies relating to the last days especially demand our study. The last book of the New testament scriptures is full of truth that we need to understand....Our own people need to have the light placed before them in clearer lines." (TM. 113) 161 

Thus we are informed that clearer light is to shine forth from the books of Daniel and Revelation and that clearer light will result in "a great revival . . . an entirely different religious experience". 

"There are mines of truth yet to be discovered" (5T. 704). 

"There are glorious truths to come before the people of God" (8T. 322).  

"We have only the glimmerings of the rays of the light yet to come to us" (Rev. and Her., June 3, 1890.)  "There are old, yet new truths to be added to the treasures of our knowledge" (Rev. and Her., February 25, 1890 . 

"There are bright and important truths of which we only discern the shadows" (Ellen G. White, Letter 147, 1897). 

"Investigation of every point that has been received as truth will repay the searcher: he will find precious gems. And in closely investigating every jot and tittle which we think is established truth, in comparing Scripture with Scripture, we may discover errors in our interpretation of Scripture" (Mrs. E. G. White, Rev. and Her, July 10, 1889) 

"The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people is not proof that our ideas are infallible!" (Rev. and Her., December 20, 1892) . 

"We cannot hold that a position once taken, an idea once advocated, is not, under any circumstances, to be relinquished. There is but One Who is infallible –He Who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life"  (TM 105) 

"When God's people are at ease, and satisfied with their present enlightenment, we may be sure that He will not favour them. It is His will that they should be ever moving forward, to receive the increased and ever increasing light that is shining for them" (5T.  708, 709)  

"New light will ever be revealed on the word of God to him who is in living connection with the Sun of Righteousness.... The diligent seeker for truth will find precious rays of light yet to shine forth from the Word of God.... Many gems are yet scattered that are to be gathered together to become the property of the remnant people of God. . . Let no one come to the conclusion that there is no more truth to be revealed.... There is no excuse for anyone in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed. . . . We are not safe when we take the position that we will not accept anything else than that upon which we have settled as truth" (Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 34). 

Thus, by following all the light God sends His people, they will be led "unto the perfect day", for "the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Prov. 4:18). "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning" (Hos. 6:3). "If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed" (John 8:31). "These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.” (Rev. 14:4). 

"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" (Rev. & Her., Nov. 22, 1892). 

The teachings concerning the application of the righteousness of Christ to the heart of believers which were brought to the people of God at the Minneapolis Conference in 1888, was "the beginning, of the light of the angel whose glory shall fill the whole earth". Thus we see that by clearer light upon the Scriptures God's people will be led into the fullness of the light borne 

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by the angel of Rev. 18:1, the glory of which illuminates the earth–that light revealing the righteousness of Christ will be seen in the lives of God's remnant church. This is the teaching found in so many places in the Spirit of Prophecy. 

The light of the angel of Rev. 18:1 comes from the revelation of the righteousness of Christ as revealed first from the Word of God and from that Word in the lives of those who accept the truths contained in the Scriptures. Describing the coming day of revival, the Lord's servant says: 

"In visions of the night representations passed before me of a great reformatory movement among God's people. Many were praising God. The sick were healed, and other miracles were wrought.... Hundreds and thousands were seen visiting families and opening before them the Word  of God. Hearts were convicted by the power of the Holy Spirit, and a spirit of genuine conversion was manifest. On every side doors were thrown open to the proclamation of the truth. The seemed to be lightened [Rev. 18:1] with the heavenly influence (9T. 126) 

An explanation of Rev. 18:1, 2, as given by the Spirit of Prophecy, should be carefully noted: 

"I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven, descending to the earth, and again ascending to heaven, preparing for the fulfillment of some important event. 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. . The light which attended this angel penetrated everywhere, as he cried mightily, with a strong voice 'Babylon is fallen'... . 

The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel's Message, as it swells to a loud cry. And the people of God are thus prepared to stand in the hour of Temptation, which they are soon to meet. I saw a great light resting upon them, and the united to fearlessly proclaim the third angels message.” (EW 277)

Luke 21:8

Christian, Be Not Deceived!