Chapter 7
The Global Conflict
Shakespeare wrote: "There is a line by us unseen that crosses every path, the hidden boundary between God's patience and His wrath."
"A great crisis awaits the people of God. A Crisis awaits the world. The most momentous struggle of all the ages is just before us." (1)
"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 nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be written in the book." Daniel 12:1.
When the great warning of Revelation 14:9,10 against receiving the mark of the beast has finished its work, and all have made up their minds, probation closes. God's people have received the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit - "the refreshing from the presence of the Lord." And they're prepared for the trying ordeal ahead. They are sealed with the "seal of the Living God." The wicked are finally left to the master they have chosen. They've rejected God's mercy, despised His tender love, and trampled on His law. Now - unsheltered from Satan's insane wrath, they have no shelter from his power. He will then plunge the entire world into one great, final trouble spoken of in Daniel 12. God's wrath poured out on this planet in rebellion will come in the form of the seven last plagues brought to view in Revelation 16. Just as the ten plagues of Egypt were against the gods that they worshiped, so, the seven last plagues will be especially focused against those who worship the beast, and his image.
As we study this stupendous subject and try to see the whole picture, we find that God is so fair, so kind - and those upon whom these plagues fall are so disobedient, so hateful, that no one in the entire on- looking universe will accuse God of being unfair for judging thus. After the first three devastating plagues, an angel says "Thou art righteous, Oh Lord, . . . because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy." Revelation 16:6.
The heaven-defying law has been passed and God's obedient people have been persecuted, mocked, and sentenced to death - and now - "I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
"And the first angel went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image." Revelation 16:1,2.
Can you imagine sores all over your body!
Notice, these gnawing, painful sores will afflict only those who have the mark of the beast and worship his image. What will it be like when this happens?
Can you picture the evening news telling the shocking story of this gross epidemic? People by the thousands who have received the "mark" for the purpose of saving their jobs and comforts of life now find that their comfort is gone!
Instead of causing them to repent, and pray to God for forgiveness, these terrible sores only cause them to "blaspheme God" and "gnaw their tongues for pain."
God knows that if He gave them a million years more, they wouldn't change. When the plagues begin to fall, you'll know that every case is decided for eternity. Medical science will be helpless then. Can you picture doctors' offices and drug stores packed with shouting, angry, crying victims? What medicine will relieve the throbbing, biting, pain?
Not everyone will get these awful sores. Those who so lately have been persecuted and mocked, are now safe. Angels of God protect them. They have loved and been obedient to their Lord even unto death, and now Jesus is very close to them. Though they'll be sentenced to death, God's people will not die. Jesus will interpose to save them. While the wicked are perishing with pestilence and famine, God's people are sheltered in the shadow of His hand.
All of a sudden the news breaks - the waters have turned to blood!
"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea." Revelation 16:3. Under the third plague the rivers also turn to blood. The word "soul" here means "living creature."
Have you ever seen the blood of a dead man? It putrefies and coagulates into a jelly mass. Those who have hated God's people have tried to shed their blood. Now, picture them in the pain of their feverish boils turning on their faucets for some relief, and out comes the oozing "blood of a dead man." "And I heard another out of the altar say, even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgements." Revelation 16:7.
Look at the beaches! Men are afraid. Where will they drink? They have tried to shed the blood of the obedient. Now they have blood to drink.
Now something unbelievable happens. The atmospheric layer that shields the earth from the scorching heat fails.
"And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give Him glory." Revelation 16:8,9.
Horrible pain is now experienced by the wicked. The combination of scorching heat and raw sores is excruciating.
Miracles will abound, like in Moses day; some from God, some from Satan. The wicked will not realize that the devil has counterfeited the gifts of the Spirit. Many who have worked miracles and done wonderful works, have trampled on God's Sabbath and persecuted those who honored it. They've felt secure in God's favor. But now their rage is great. Concerning the disobedient, Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:21-23. Now their true character is revealed. They "blaspheme God and repent not."
Air-conditioners will not be able to cope with the intense heat. The buildings will be like ovens. For the wicked, there'll be no relief anywhere.
This plague is perfectly suited to the sin of the people. They have honored the "day of the sun" according to the traditions of men - and now God gives them sun! The New English Bible says that men were "fearfully burned" during the fourth plague.
In that day, many will long for the shelter of God's mercy which they have so long despised.
God's people will still be hiding in desolate places, but He who provided food for Elijah in the wilderness will care for them. While the wicked are dying from the pestilence, angels will shield God's faithful people and supply their wants. God's promise is - "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them." Isaiah 33:15,16; 41:17.
While the disobedient are shrieking in pain, reeking with sweat, and their parched throats are raw for thirst, God's promise to His people is: "The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night." Psalms 121:5-7.
In choosing to honor the beast and receive his "mark" instead of honoring God and His "seal," the people have chosen darkness. Now again, God gives them what they've chosen.
"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds." Revelation 16:10,11.
Can you imagine that! I think the human mind is inadequate to conceive of the horror that will engulf all society. People of high society, the rich, men of science, and the ignorant masses will be paralyzed with pain, hate, and panic. Society will be utter chaos! Of these scourges the Bible says: "The land mourneth; . . . because the harvest of the field is perished . . . All the trees of the field are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men." "How do the beasts groan! The herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture." Joel 1:10-12; 17-20. Oh, if they had only responded to God's great kindness. His arms have been stretched out in love. Now it's too late.
The disobedient have decreed that those who've received God's seal cannot buy or sell. Now they themselves are starving with famine and groping in utter darkness. This supernatural darkness is a fit symbol of the gross darkness that has come upon the minds of those who have turned away from the light of truth.
God's people are still hiding out. They've weeks ago lost their jobs, homes, and fled for their lives before insane men urged on by the religious leaders and evil angels. They've given up all for Christ. They've seen the wicked perishing while angels of God provided food for them. To the obedient God's promise is given - "Bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure." "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked . .. there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." Psalms 91:3-10.
By the fifth plague, the whole wicked world is really angry. They've decided that those who honor God's Sabbath of the Bible are the cause of the horrible convulsions of nature and they determine to blot them from the earth!
The date is set. When the clock strikes midnight on a certain day, God's obedient people will be sentenced to death!
To all appearances it seems that the doom of the people of God is fixed. Day and night they cry to God for deliverance. Has God forsaken them? This very experience prepares them for the bliss of heaven as nothing else could.
In the midst of the chaos, the sixth angel pours out his vial -
"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." "And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." Revelation 16:12-14,16.
Here's where the spirits of devils, by their miracles, prepare the rulers and people of the world and "gather them together" to fight against God and His people. This is the global conflict. This is the battle of Armageddon. It's earth's final battle between good and evil. All have taken sides. The wicked are in the majority and seemingly have great advantage - like David against Goliath.
The word "Armageddon" is made of two Hebrew words - "Har" and "Megidon." This is not just a local battle fought in the Valley of Megido. The word "Har" means "mountain." "Armageddon" is the word to denote the great universal battle where the wicked turn against God and His faithful people. This is a world-wide battle. The national Sunday law of the U.S. has spread to all the nations of the world. The Universal law seeks to, in one day, strike a decisive blow that will wipe the hated sect from the face of the earth.
When the great corrupt Christian coalition of the world comes to the place where it causes (amid miracles and Satanic delusion) the leaders ("kings of the earth") to decree that those who will not go along with the Sunday law should be put to death, it brings the world to the place of sealing it's own doom.
The people of God, some still in prison, some hidden in forests and mountains - still plead for God's protection, while companies of armed men, hurried on by evil angels, are preparing to execute the death sentence. It's now - in the darkest hour, that the God of Israel will interpose to deliver His faithful people.
The date has been set to strike one stunning blow that will wipe the hated sect from the face of the earth. At midnight the death decree goes into effect. At midnight - the Mighty God of heaven will interpose to save His people. (2)
Watch what happens -
"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague was exceeding great." Revelation 16:17-21.
BABYLON THE GREAT - THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS has caused all nations to drink of the wine of her mixture of Christian and sun-worshiping practices. Now she drinks of the wine of the wrath of God.
Satan's attempt to enforce the death decree against God's people is the final climax in his king of swindles. God steps in to save His people. And what a deliverance!
Everything in nature goes haywire. The mountains shake like reeds in the wind. The wicked are paralyzed with abject terror and look with amazement upon the scene, while the obedient watch with solemn joy at the signs of their deliverance. Ragged rocks are hurled in every direction. The sea is lashed into fury. The earth heaves and swells. Its surface is breaking apart. Mountain chains sink. Islands disappear. Wicked cities that have become like Sodom are swallowed up by tidal waves. Great hailstones, each "about the weight of a talent" are wreaking havoc. A talent is about 63 pounds. You can see that these, like cannon balls, will beat the wicked cities to a pulp.
Splendid mansions erected by the rich with money embezzled from the poor are dashed to pieces before their eyes. Prison walls tumble down, and God's humble people, who have been held in bondage for their faith are set free.
It's impossible to describe the horror and despair of those who have trampled on God's requirements. The enemies of God's law, from the ministers down, have a new conception of what is truth. Too late, they see the true nature of the counterfeit sabbath that the Roman church has brought in and the shaky foundation they've been building on. Many now see that they're lost. They've chosen the easy, popular way - and have received the mark of the beast. They've followed the religious leaders instead of the plain word of God. They've been led to believe that the majority couldn't be wrong. Now they turn on their ministers and bitterly reproach them for their sorry state. (3)
The global conflict has prepared the way for the coming of Christ and His mighty host of angels during the last of the plagues.
There appears in the sky a cloud which betokens the coming of the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords." In solemn silence God's people gaze upon it as it draws nearer and nearer to the earth. Brighter and brighter it becomes, and more glorious, until it's a great white cloud, its glory like consuming fire. Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror. "And the armies which were in heaven" follow Him. Revelation 19:11,14. The whole heaven seems filled with dazzling forms - "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands." No pen can describe it. No human mind is adequate to imagine the fantastic and holy scene. As the living cloud comes still nearer, every eye beholds the lovely Jesus. There's no crown of thorns on that holy brow, but now a crown of glory rests upon His sacred head. His face outshines the dazzling brightness of the sun.
"And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords." Revelation 19:16.
As the King of Glory descends on the cloud amid terrific majesty, and wrapped in flaming fire, the earth trembles. The ground heaves and swells and the very mountains move from their foundations. "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people." Psalms 50:3,4.
"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 free man 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?" Revelation 6:15-17.
The jokes have stopped. Cursing, lying, lips are now silent. In the middle of their terror the wicked hear the voices of God's people joyfully exclaiming: "Lo this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us." Isaiah 25:9.
While the earth is reeling like a drunkard; amid the terrific roar of thunder, and upheavals of nature, the voice of the Son of God calls His faithful ones of all ages from the grave. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17. God's living people are changed "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." I Corinthians 15:51,52. Those who have been raised from the four corners of the earth, and the living who have just been changed, are "caught up to meet the Lord in the air." 1 Thessalonians 4:16. Angels "gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." "Little children are carried by holy angels to their mother's arms. Friends long separated by death are united, nevermore to part, and with songs of gladness ascend together to the city of God." (4)
What a deliverance! What a Saviour!
I sincerely believe that there's no way for you to read these amazing truths of God's word without having a deep longing to follow Christ all the way and have a part in His glorious kingdom. I know that you would have never read this very unusual book this far unless you had a real interest in learning truth and following Jesus all the way.
You've learned some of Satan's tactics and how he will swindle the world into accepting his greatest hoax. You've learned how to escape receiving the mark of the beast and something of God's great love and mercy in giving us the warning. Now you see that the corrupt woman of Revelation 17 named "Babylon," is the great body of fallen Christianity which has become a mixture of truth and sun-worshiping practices from ancient Babylon. You can see that in Revelation 18:4, when God says, "Come out of her My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues," He's calling you. It's a love call. It's God's last call to all born-again believers to separate themselves from organizations, no matter how friendly and kind the members may be, which are not obeying Jesus fully and keeping all of God's commandments.
Very soon, all will have made their choice for the "seal of God" or the "mark of the beast." It's not just a matter of two days, it's a matter worship, of loyalty - either to God, or to the beast power. Now - while Jesus is pleading His blood for us in the Most Holy Place in heaven - now, when "the hour of His judgement is come" Rev. 14:7 - before our probation is closed forever, before every case is decided for life or death - even now, He is inviting us to surrender all to Him and have life and peace. Soon it will be too late.
Because the lovely Jesus shed His precious blood for me on the cross of Calvary, I choose, by the grace of God, to follow Him all the way, keep all of His commandments, including His seventh-day Sabbath, and receive the "seal of the living God." How about you? Will you choose to be true to Him too? I want to live with Him when He soon comes, don't you? He says, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Revelation 22:14.
Many nowadays are getting a hunger and thirst for truth. The honest are not content any more with a watered down mixture. They want the pure truth. Errors from the pulpit don't just fly over their heads any more. I sincerely believe that you are an honest seeker for truth, otherwise you would never have read this far in seeking to know God's will.
There are other major questions that come to our minds - What about the millennial reign of Christ? What is the unpardonable sin? How can we have freedom from guilt and peace of mind? Why are there so many denominations?
There is not room in this small book to answer these and many other questions that you may have. For this reason, I'm making available to you a second book entitled "Cosmic Conflict." This intriguing volume will answer these and other vital questions which will help us to prepare for Jesus' coming. In the "Cosmic Conflict," you'll be able to learn "Why Were Sin and Suffering Permitted," and "Who Are the Angels." More of Satan's plots will be exposed. You'll be able to discover whether or not there is any organization that actually follows the requirements necessary for a group to constitute the "remnant church" of Revelation 12:17. Also, you'll thrill to discover more about what heaven will be like, and about the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. If you would like to have your own personal copy of this most intriguing ebook, fill out the little order form on the next page. We will rush it to you immediately.
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May God richly bless you and your family as you continue to study His marvelous word! "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."
APPENDIX 1
By the year 476 A.D. the Roman Empire had been broken up into exactly ten kingdoms.
"The historian Machiavelli, without the slightest reference to this prophecy, gives the following list of the nations which occupied the territory of the Western Empire at the time of the fall of Romulus Augustus (476 A.D.), the last emperor of Rome: the Lombards, the Franks, the Burgundians, the Ostrogoths, the Visigoths, the Vandals, the Heruli, the Suevi, the Huns, and the Saxons: ten in all.
"They have never since the breaking up of old Rome been united into one single empire; they have never formed one whole even like the United States. No scheme of proud ambition seeking to reunite the broken fragments has ever succeeded; when such have arisen, they have been invariably dashed to pieces."
"And the division is as apparent now as ever. Plainly and palpably inscribed on the map of Europe this day, it confronts the skeptic with its silent but conclusive testimony to the fulfillment of this great prophecy."
"The Divine Program of the World's History," by H. Grattan Guenness, pgs. 318-321. (As quoted in "Bible Readings For the Home," Review and Herald Publ. Assoc., London, MCMXLII, pgs 216,217).
APPENDIX 1A
THE "BEAST" and the "LITTLE HORN"
1) The "little horn" has the "eyes of man." Daniel 7:8.
2) The "beast" has the number of a man." Revelation 13:18.
3) The "little horn" "wears out the saints of the Most High." Daniel 7:35.
4) The "beast" also "makes war with the saints." Revelation 13:7.
5) The "little horn" speaks "great words against the Most High." Daniel 7:25.
6) The "beast" also "Opened his mouth in blasphemy against God." Revelation 13:6.
7) The "little horn" comes up among the ten horns (10 divisions of Rome.) Daniel 7:8.
8) The "beast" receives it's "power, seat, and great authority" from Rome ... (after the ten divisions were formed). Revelation 13:2.
APPENDIX 2
The 1260 Year Reign of the Beast
The seven verses mentioning the 1260 year time period are all speaking of the same power which persecutes God's people. These texts are as follows: Revelation 13:5, Revelation 11:2, Daniel 7:25, Revelation 12:14, Revelation 11:3, Revelation 12:6 and Daniel 12:7.
The key that unlocks the time prophecies is the principle given in Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34. These verses reveal to us that one day in prophecy equals one literal year. For this reason all time prophecies must be first broken down into days. Using this Bible "key," time prophecies work out perfectly and become easy to understand.
A month in Bible reckoning contains 30 days. A year contains 360 days. This is the formula for understanding all prophetic time.
In Revelation 11:2 and 12:14, the time given is "time," "times," and "half a time." This equals 3 1/2 times. From Daniel 4 we learn that a "time" equals one literal year. In that chapter you'll find that King Nebuchadnezzar lost his mind as Daniel predicted, and crawled around in the field for "seven times." He was in that condition for 7 literal years. So 3 1/2 times equals 3 1/2 years (3 1/2 years contain 1260 days).
Revelation 11:3 and 12:6 plainly give the time as 1260 days (that the beast would persecute God's people).
Using the day for a year principle found in Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34, we see that this power would rule for 1260 years before receiving its "deadly wound." When we take a look at the beast power, we see that this is exactly what has happened. For God to repeat this time period seven times like this shows the importance which He places on it.
Here are the verses in sequence:
Revelation 11:2 and 13:5 describe this power as reigning for 42 months. (42 months with 30 days to a month contain 1260 days.)
Daniel 7:25 and 12:7, and Revelation 12:14 describe the beast as reigning 3 1/2 "times," or years. (3 1/2 prophetic years also contain 1260 days.)
Revelation 11:3 and 12:6 describe this persecuting power as reigning 1260 days. All seven texts describe this power as reigning 1260 prophetic days which is 1260 literal years.
APPENDIX 3
The following extracts are from authoritative works by Catholic dignitaries concerning the title and position of their leader.
"All the names which are attributed to Christ in Scripture, implying His supremacy over the church, are also attributed to the Pope." Bellamin, "On the Authority of Councils," book 2, Chapter 17.
"For thou art the shepherd, thou are the physician, thou art the director, thou art the husbandman, finally thou art another God on earth." Labbe and Cossart's "History of the Councils," Vol. XIV, col. 109.
For the title "Lord God the Pope," see a gloss on the Extravagantes of Pope John XXII, title 14, chapter 4, Declaramus.
In an Antwerp edition of the Extravagantes, the words, "Dominum Deum Nostrum Papam" (Our Lord God the Pope") occur in column 153. In a Paris edition, they occur in column 140.
"Hence the Pope is crowned with a triple crown, as king of heaven, and earth, and purgatory." Prompta Bibliotheca," Feraris, Vol. VI, pg. 26, article "Papa."
In a passage which is included in the Roman Catholic Canon Law, Pope Innocent III declares that the Roman pontiff is "the vicegerent upon earth, not of a mere man, but of very God;" and in a gloss on the passage it is explained that this is because he is the vicegerent of Christ, Who is "very God and very man." See Decretales Domini Gregorii Papae IX (Decretales of the Lord Pope Gregory IX), liberi, de translatione Episcoporum, (on the transference of Bishops), title 7, chapter 3; Corpus Juris Canonice (2nd Leipzig ed., 1881), col. 99; (Paris, 1612), tom. 2, Decretales, col. 205.
INFALLIBILITY
Among the twenty-seven propositions known as the "Dictates of Hildebrand" (under the name of Pope Gregory VII) occur the following:
" 2. That the Roman pontiff alone is justly styled universal. " 6. That no person . . . may live under the same roof with one excommunicated by the Pope. " 9. That all princes should kiss his feet only. "19. That he can be judged by no one. "22. That the Roman Church never erred, nor will it, according to the scripture, ever err. "27. That he can absolve subjects from their allegiance to unrighteous rulers.
In Clark's Commentary on Daniel 7:25, it says:
"They have assumed infallibility, which belongs only to God. They profess to forgive sin, which belongs only to God."
APPENDIX 4
THE BIBLE FORBIDDEN
In the Council of Toulouse, the church leaders ruled: "We prohibit laymen possessing copies of the Old and New Testament . . . We forbid them most severely to have the above books in the popular vernacular." "The lords of the districts shall carefully seek out the heretics in dwellings, hovels, and forests, and even their underground retreats shall be entirely wiped out." Concil Tolosanum, Pope Gregory IX, Anno. Chr. 1229.
The church Council of Tarragona ruled that: "No one may possess the books of the Old and New Testaments in the Romance language, and if anyone possesses them he must turn them over to the local bishop within eight days after the promulgation of this decree, so that they may be burned." D. Lortsch, Histoire de la Bible en France, 1910, p.14.
After the Bible societies were formed they were classed with Communism in an amazing decree. On December 8, l866, Pope Pius IX, in his encyclical Quanta Cura issued the following statement: "Socialism, Communism, clandestine societies, Bible societies . . . pests of this sort must be destroyed by all means."
APPENDIX 5
"WAR WITH THE SAINTS"
"Under these bloody maxims, those persecutions were carried on, from the eleventh and twelfth centuries almost to the present day, (written in 1845), which stand out on the page of history. After the signal of open martyrdom had been given in the canons of Orleans, these followed the extirpation of the Albigenses under the form of a crusade, the establishment of the Inquisition, the cruel attempts to extinguish the Waldenses, the martyrdoms of the Lollards, the cruel wars to exterminate the Bohemians, the burning of Huss and Jerome, and multitudes of other confessors . . . the extinction by fire and sword of the Reformation in Spain and Italy, by fraud and open persecution in Poland, and the massacre of Bartholomew, . . . besides the slow and secret murders of the holy tribunal of the Inquisition." T.R. Birks, M.A. The First Two Visions of Daniel, (London: 1845) pg. 258, 259.
"The number of the victims of the Inquisition in Spain, is given in 'The History of the Inquisition in Spain,' by Llorente, (formerly secretary of the Inquisition), pgs. 206-208. This authority acknowledged that more than 300,000 suffered persecution in Spain alone, of whom 31,912 died in the flames. Millions more were slain for their faith throughout Europe." Printed in Bible Readings For the Home, (Washington: Review & Herald Pub. Assoc., 1942) p. 221.
"The church has persecuted. Only a tyro in church history will deny that . . . one hundred and fifty years after Constantine, the Donatists were persecuted and sometimes put to death . . . . Protestants were persecuted in France and Spain with the full approval of the church authorities . . . . When she thinks it good to use physical force, she will use it." The Western Watchmen (Roman Catholic), of St. Louis.
APPENDIX 6
EDICT AGAINST THE WALDENSES
"A considerable portion of the text of the papal bull issued by Innocent VII in 1487 against the Waldenses (the original of which is in the library of the University of Cambridge) is given, in an English translation, in John Dowling's History of Romanism (1871 ed.), book 6, chapter 5; sec. 62." (Taken from Cosmic Conflict (Washington: Review & Herald Pub. Assoc. 1982) p. 602.
APPENDIX 7
IMAGES
The second Council of Nicea...D. 787, was called to establish image worship in the church. This council is recorded in Ecclesiastical Annals. by Baronius, Vol. 9, pp. 391-407. (Antwerp, 1612); and Charles J. Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church From the Original Documents, book 18, chapter 1, secs. 332, 333; chapter 2, secs. 345-352 (T. and T. Clark ed., 1896), Vol. 5, pp. 260-304, and 342-372.
J. Mendham, in The Seventh General Council, the Second of Nicea. Introduction, Pgs, iii-vi, says - "The worship of images . . . was one of those corruptions of Christianity which crept into the church stealthily and almost without notice or observation. This corruption did not, like other heresies, develop itself at once, for in that case it would have met with decided censure and rebuke.
"Images were first introduced into churches, not to be worshiped, but either in place of books to give instruction to those who could not read, or to excite devotion in the minds of others . . . but it was found that images brought into churches darkened rather than enlightened the minds of the ignorant - degraded rather than exalted the devotion of the worshiper."
APPENDIX 8
CHANGE OF GOD'S LAW
"Although the ten commandments, are found in the Roman Catholic Versions of the Scriptures, yet the faithful are instructed from the catechisms of the church, and not from the Bible. As it appears in these, (catechisms) the law of God has been changed and virtually re-enacted by the Papacy.
"The second commandment, which forbids the making of, and bowing down to images, is omitted in Catholic catechisms, and the tenth, which forbids coveting, is divided into two." "Bible Readings For the Home," (Washington: Review & Herald Pub. Assoc., 1942), p. 221.
APPENDIX 9
THE FIRST SUNDAY LAW
"The earliest recognition of the observation of Sunday as a legal duty is a constitution of Constantine in 321 A.D. enacting that all courts of justice, inhabitants of towns, and workshops were to be at rest on Sunday (venerabili die Solis), with an exception in favor of those engaged in agricultural labor." Encyclopedia Britannica, ninth edition, article "Sunday."
The Latin original is in the Codes Justiniani (Codes of Justinian), lib. 3, title 12, lex. 3. The law is given in Latin and in English in Philip Schaff's History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3, 3d
period, chapter 7, sec. 75, pg. 380, footnote 1. And in Albert Henry Newman's A Manual of Church History, (Philadelphia: The American Baptist
Publication Society, 1933),rev.ed., Vol. 1,pp. 305-307.
And in Leroy E. Froom, The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers (Washington, D.C.: Review & Herald Publishing Asoc., 1950), Vol. 1, pp. 376-381.
APPENDIX 10
"FIRST DAY" BIBLE TEXTS
Millions of conscientious Christians attend church every Sunday, the first day of the week. They do so believing that somewhere, somehow, someone changed the day of worship. Either that, or they aren't aware that God set aside the seventh day, not the first day of the week as His holy day.
It is true, a change has been made.
But by whom? We've discovered that God made the Sabbath during the first week of earth's history. He set it aside as a weekly appointment between man and Himself - as a blessing, a refreshment, a date between two lovers so to speak (God and man.)
If God changed His mind about His special appointment day with us, wouldn't He have recorded so momentous an adjustment in the Bible?
We've already seen that the beast power claims to have made the change, but what does the Bible say about it?
There're eight texts in the New Testament that mention the first day of the week. Look at them carefully.
Matthew 28:1 Mark 16:1,2 Mark 16:9 Luke 24:1 John 20: 1 John 20: 19 Acts 20: 7,8 I Corinthians 16:1,2
The first five texts simply state that the women came to the sepulchre early on the resurrection morning, and that Jesus rose from the dead.
Now look up John 20:19 in your Bible. It tells us that Jesus appeared to the disciples later on the resurrection day. It says that the reason they were assembled was "for fear of the Jews. ''
They were scared. No telling when the Jews might grab them and treat them to the same fate as their Master. They were hiding.
They had seen their beloved Master die on Friday. They "returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment." Luke 23:56. And now they're hiding with the doors shut "for fear of the Jews." John, 20:19.
There's no mention of a change.
The seventh text is Acts 20:7,8. It says "and upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together."
This was a night meeting - the dark part of the first day of the week. In Bible reckoning, the dark part of the day comes before the light part. Genesis 1:5 - "and God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." The dark part comes first.
The Bible reckons a day from sunset to sunset.
The seventh day begins on sunset Friday evening. The first day of the week begins sunset Saturday evening. Paul is together with his friends on the dark part of the first day of the week - Saturday night. This is a farewell get-together. He preached until mid-night, when poor Eutychus falls out the window. (Acts 20:9).
You can imagine how relieved they were when it was found that God spared his life. Verse eleven says that they talked till the break of day and then Paul departed. Verse thirteen shows that Paul spent that Sunday morning traveling to Assos.
There's nothing here either concerning a change of the Sabbath. The New English Bible translates this text like this:
"On the Saturday night, in our assembly for the breaking of bread, Paul, who was to leave the next day, addressed them, and went on speaking until midnight." Acts 20: 7.
The last text mentions the first day of the week in I Corinthians 16:1,2.
It says - "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Calatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come." Verse three tells that he will bring the offering to Jerusalem.
As he had done in Galatia, so Paul also requests of those in Corinth to have a collection all ready when he would come to take it to the poor saints in Jerusalem. There's nothing in the text about a church service, but each person is to "lay by him in store." the first of the week was the best time for the people to set some money aside because later in the week it would be spent. That's true today as well! Paul requested this so that "there be no gatherings when I come." I Corinthians 16:2.
At this time the Christians are suffering hardship in Jerusalem and Paul is making his rounds to the churches taking up a collection for them. (We should be that thoughtful today.)
There's nothing in this text either about a change of God's Sabbath to Sunday.
Concerning worship, what was Paul's custom?
Here it is.
"And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures." Acts 17:2.
Jesus, as our example also had the custom of attending church on Saturday, the seventh day. (Luke 4:.16).
APPENDIX 11
THE CEREMONIAL LAW AND THE TWO COVENANTS
The distinction between the Moral law of God (the ten commandments), and the ceremonial law is plain.
Look carefully at the difference in the two. The one with animal sacrifices was nailed to the cross, the other will stand forever.
10 Commandments
1) Is called the "royal law" lames 2:8.
2) Was spoken by God. Deuteronomy 4:12,13.
3) Was written with the finger of God. Exodus 31:18.
4) Was placed in the ark. Exodus 40:20, Hebrews 9:4.
5) ls to "stand forever and ever." Psalms 111:7,8.
6) Was not destroyed by Christ. Matthew 5:17 & 18.
Ceremonial Law
Is called the law contained in ordinances." Ephesians 2:15.
Was spoken by Moses. Leviticus 1:1-3.
Was written by Moses in a book. II Chronicles 35:12.
Was placed in the side of the ark. Deuteronomy 31:24-26.
Was nailed to the Cross. Colossians 2:14.
Was abolished by Christ. Ephesians 2:15.
The two great commandments are "Love the Lord with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy mind." The second great commandment is "Love your neighbor as yourself." God's ten commandments are hanging on these two. The first four, on the first table, tell us how to love God with all our heart. (Have no other Gods, not worship images, not take God's name in vain, and remember His Sabbath day to keep it holy.) The last six, on the second table deal with loving our neighbor as ourselves. (To honor our parents, not kill, not commit adultery, not steal, not lie, not covet.)
THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS
The old covenant was ratified by the blood of animals (Exodus 24:5-8 and Hebrews 9:19,20) and based upon the promises of the people that they would keep God's law.
The new covenant is based on God's promise to write His law in our hearts and it was ratified with the blood of Christ. (Hebrews 8:10 and Jeremiah 31:33,34.)
Hebrews 8:10 - "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people."
APPENDIX 12
(TIME NOT LOST) It takes the earth exactly 365 day, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 47.8 seconds to go around the sun.
But there's no way to put that into any calendar so our calendar in constantly being updated. That's why we have a "leap year." In 1582 they discovered that the year was a little longer than 365 days, and the astronomers added 10 days to bring: the month up to date, but the weekly cycle was not altered. Thursday the 4th was followed by Friday the 15th. The calendar was updated without altering the weekly cycle in any way.
Of course, even though we've had leap years down through the centuries, the days of the week have never been changed and not even a minute of time has been lost track of!
There have been many ancient calendars. The first modern calendar as we have today was put into use in 45 B.C. by Julius Caesar. The names of the days as we have them now were also used then.
Since the Babylonians worshipped the planets, many anciently began to call the days of the week by the names of the planets. The Hebrews and the Bible writers never did this. This is why, even though the names of the days as we have them today, i.e. Sunday, Monday, etc. existed around the time of Christ, the Bible writers never referred to the days by these names, since they were of Pagan origin. The old Mithra religion from the time of Babylon and Persia led to the naming of the days of the week after the planets. Zoroaster popularized the god, Mithra, in Persia about 630 B.C.
Since Mithra was supposedly a god of great courage, the Roman soldiers became worshippers of it. In their travels they carried the idea of naming the days of the week after the planets among the Teutonic tribes of what is today known as Germany. The Teutons substituted a few of their own gods instead of planets for the names of days. (This was before the time of Christ.) The names stuck, and we've had them ever since. Below is a list of the Teutonic gods and the days of our week.
The name of the Teutonic gods were:
Sun Moon Tiu Woden Thor Frigg Seturn
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Though the calendar is constantly being updated to compensate for the 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 47.8 seconds in the year, yet, the week of seven days has never been altered.
Historians writing around and even before the time of Christ, have referred to "the day of the sun" and "the day of Saturn."
Dr. W.W. Campbell, director of the Lick Observatory in Mount Hamilton, California assures us:
"The week of seven days has been in use ever since the days of Moses, and we have no reason for supposing that any irregularities have existed in the succession of the weeks and their days from that time to the present." D.W. Cross Your Amazing Calendar (Taunton: 1972) pp. 6,7.
Time can be traced to the very second by the positions of the stars! I wrote to the Pentagon in Washington D.C., the Department of Astronomy. And I received a courteous reply. They informed me that from the positions of the stars every moment of time has been kept track of since before 500 B.C.
Dr. J.B. Dimbleby, premier chronologist to the British Chronological and Astronomical Association, after years of careful calculations asserts: "If men refused to observe weeks, and the line of time was forgotten the day of the week could be recovered by observing when the transits of the planets, or eclipses of the Sun and Moon, occurred. These great sentinels of the sky keep seven days with scientific accuracy, thundering out the seven days inscribed on the inspired page." - All Past Time, p. 10.
It's interesting to note how Dr. G.E. Hale, noted astronomer for whom the great "Palomar telescope" has been named, expressed the same truth in five forceful words: "No time has been lost."
A Deeper Study
Satan's Confusing Counterfeits
Suppose you had to summarize the entire Bible in just two words. What words would you choose? I have thought about this, and I believe sin and salvation might be the most accurate answer. After all, Satan entered the picture very early to cause man to sin and to steal away his salvation. Incidentally, that was also the turning point for the human family. You see, God had based everything upon obedience. He had provided all those wonderful gifts—life, righteous character, dominion over the earth, and a beautiful home in the Garden. Then He promised that those blessings would continue without interruption on one condition alone...
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Chapter 1
1) Vandeman, George Destination Life, (Mountain View: Pacific Press Pub. Assoc., 1980), p. 74
2) White, E.G. Cosmic Conflict, (Washington: Review & Herald Pub. Assoc. 1982), P. 388
3) Ibid. P. 389.
4) Violence and the Mass Media, (New York: Harper & Row, 1968), p. 51
5) Ibid. p. 43
6) Life, January, 1988, p. 46
7) Gulley, Norman Is the Majority Moral?, (Washington: Review & Herald, Pub. Assoc., 1981), p. 8
8) Ibid.
9) Ibid. p. 10
10) Ibid.
11) Ibid. p. 20
Chapter 2
1) Smith, Uriah Daniel and Revelation, (Nashville: Southern Publishing Assoc., 1944), p. 42,43
Chapter 3
1) Stringfillow, Bill All in the Name of the Lord, (Clemont: Concerned Publications, 1981), p. 124.
2) Cited in Liberty, June, 1980, p. 13.
3) White, E.G. Cosmic Conflict, (Washington: Review & Herald Pub. Assoc., 1982), p. 38-40.
Chapter 4
1) White, E.G. Cosmic Conflict, (Washington: Review & Herald Pub. Assoc., 1982), p. 498.
2) The Catholic Church, The Renaissance, and Protestantism, p. 182-183.
3) White, E.G. Cosmic Conflict, (Washington: Review & Herald Pub. Assoc., 1982), p. 72.
4) Catholic Mirror, Sept. 23, 1983. (Official organ of Cardinal Gibbons).
5) Catholic Press, (Sydney, Australia), Aug. 25, 1900
Chapter 5
1) Thomas, H.F., Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons, in answer to a letter regarding the change of the Sabbath.
2) Father Enright C.S.S.R. of the Redemptoral College, Kansas City, (In History of the Sabbath), p. 802.
Chapter 6
1) Stringfillow, Bill All in the Name of the Lord, (Clemont: Concerned Publications, 1981), p. 134-135.
2) Catholic Twin Circle, August 25, 1985, Art. "Sacking Sunday."
3) Liberty Confidential Newsletter Vol. 5, 1982.
4) These Times, April, 1982. Norman Gulley, "Life After Death - What About the New Evidence?"
Chapter 7
1) Olson, R.W. The Crisis Ahead (Angwin: Pacific Union College Book Store, 1981), p. 5.
2) White, E.G. Cosmic Conflict, (Washington: Review & Herald Pub. Assoc., 1982), p. 557.
3) Ibid. p. 558-561. 4) Ibid. p. 561-566.
