2nd Angel S Message Study Book

2nd ANGEL'S MESSAGE

STUDIES BY BR. JOHN THIEL Compiled by Sr Raelene Lehmann Australian Mission Field International Missionary Society PO Box 1262 MIDLAND WA 6936

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Contents 1. THE JUDGMENT REGARDING BABYLON.....................................................................4 2. APOSTATE PROTESTANTISM.........................................................................................11 3.UNITED STATES OF AMERICA'S ROLE IN PROPHECY..............................................21 4.PAPAL INFILTRATION AND DOMINATION...................................................................31 5.ANCIENT BABYLON ........................................................................................................41 6. ANCIENT AND CURRENT PRACTICES OF BABYLON ..............................................50 7. SUNDAY LAWS..................................................................................................................58 8. SPIRITUALISM..................................................................................................................64 9. THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT...........................................................................................71 10 REFORMATION WITHIN THE CHURCH.......................................................................78

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INTRODUCTION The second angel's message is necessary because the first angel's message was not heeded. In rejecting the first angel's message, a warning needed to be given in the second angel's message - Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. That message was first proclaimed by the servants of God in the summer of 1844. As a result, many left the fallen churches. In connection with this message the midnight cry [SEE MATTHEW 25:1-13.] was given: Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him. In every part of the land light was given concerning this message, and the cry aroused thousands. It went from city to city, from village to village, and into the remote country regions. It reached the learned and talented, as well as the obscure and humble. This was the happiest year of my life. My heart was full of glad expectation; but I felt great pity and anxiety for those who were in discouragement and had no hope in Jesus. We united, as a people, in earnest prayer for a true experience and the unmistakable evidence of our acceptance with God. {CET 51.1} May we also today seek earnestly for a true experience with God in Christ Jesus, as we continue to study this second angels' message and find an answering chord in our heart to Come out of her, my people. Sr Raelene Lehmann

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1. THE JUDGMENT REGARDING BABYLON The study of the first angel's message was very broad. We studied that the first angel was a people who work in harmony with the universe of Heaven. The facilities of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are effectually the working of God for us in the everlasting gospel, which comprises: • • • •

The fall of man The Atonement Jesus being one of us The Ransom

The sanctuary, the old and new covenant settings, the prophecies centring on the gospel and the discipleship training we go through to become His children and how this impacts on the lives of people on this planet were some of the studies of the first angel's message. We ended these studies with the great commission, proclaiming this message to the world. The first angel's message culminated in Revelation 14:7. Let us now begin to look at the second angel's message. Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 This is a judgment but not a judgment of the people. God and Jesus are here. Jesus is standing before God, receiving His kingdom. The timing of this judgment is found in Daniel 7:20-22 The European nations and the little horn power (which is the papacy) war against the saints until the Ancient of Days came and the saints possessed the kingdom. Page 4 of 87

23-26 The fourth beast is the Roman Empire. The 10 horns are the 10 kings. This is an historical representation relating to the fall of the Roman Empire, during which the barbaric tribes took over Rome. The Pope continued to rule til 1798 (1260 days) 26 The judgment commences after the Pope was taken prisoner under Napoleon. This points to the judgment which commences at 1798. Daniel 8:14 The clearing of the sanctuary; the records of all the deeds of the people was to be cleansed. The actual date of that was 457BC to 1844AD. This is the prophetic detail pointing out when the 1st angel's message was given to identify 1844. The first angel's message was given in 1833, ten years before the hour of God's judgment so that all had time to be prepared for the hour of judgment. What does the judgment reveal about the people who claim to be Christians? Revelation 17:1-5 This is the judgment regarding Babylon. In this judgment God's people are being judged. This is the theme of our study. What does the judgment reveal about the churches who claim to be Christian (the whore)? V5 This is the judgment which was entered into since 1844. Babylon the mother of harlots. V9 The seven heads are seven mountain on which the woman sitteth. It is talking about a woman being a church which sits on seven mountains. This is the papal church of Daniel 7 sitting on the Seven Hills of Rome. Look at verse 5 in detail. Mother of harlots indicates there must be daughters. The word Babylon applies to those who, like their mother, are harlots. Page 5 of 87

Isaiah 4:1 The prophetic understanding comes into focus when we study the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 These are seven periods of time. Notice how the churches always became corrupt. They wanted to be called Christian but they were not going to do everything the Lord says: eating their own spiritual food, dressed in their own righteousness. Parallel this with Song of Songs 6:8-10 There is a line up of churches that gave birth to churches. Mothers that gave birth to daughters. As each church is born, it becomes corrupt. Who is she that is the one that is undefiled? Verse 10 The second angel's message follows the first angel's message as the first angel identifies the judgment. The judgment will unveil or reveal the corrupt women professing to be Christian but are Babylon. 1798-1833 Revelation 3:1 Speaks of the church that existed as professing to be Christian. The church in 1798 developed, it was given birth by the papal church, and it came forth from the Dark Ages. This is the Protestant Church. The verse in Revelation 3:1 says they were alive but art dead Revelation 3:7 These are the people that arrive at the judgment hour The people having the message 1833-1844 were learning that they were called to come out of the condition of being dead. Revelation 3:4 These are God's genuine people. The first angel's message was proclaimed to reach these people. But what did the rest of the people in Sardis do with the three angel's messages and what was the outcome?

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GC 378-80 Wherever the cause exists, the same results will follow. He who deliberately stifles his convictions of duty because it interferes with his inclinations will finally lose the power to distinguish between truth and error. The understanding becomes darkened, the conscience callous, the heart hardened, and the soul is separated from God. Where the message of divine truth is spurned or slighted, there the church will be enshrouded in darkness; faith and love grow cold and estrangement and dissension enter. Church members center their interests and energies in worldly pursuits and sinners become hardened in their impenitence. The first angel's message of Revelation 14, announcing the hour of God's judgment and calling upon men to fear and worship Him, was designed to separate the professed people of God from the corrupting influences of the world and to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding. In this message, God has sent to the church a warning, which, had it been accepted, would have corrected the evils that were shutting them away from Him. Had they received the message from heaven, humbling their hearts before the Lord and seeking in sincerity a preparation to stand in His presence, the Spirit and power of God would have been manifested among them. The church would again have reached that blessed state of unity, faith, and love which existed in apostolic days, when the believers were of one heart and of one soul, and spake the word of God with boldness, when the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Acts 4:32, 31; 2:47. If God's professed people would receive the light as it shines upon them from His word, they would reach that unity for which Christ prayed, that which the apostle describes, the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is, he says, one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Ephesians 4:3-5. Such were the blessed results experienced by those who accepted the advent message. They came from different denominations, and their denominational barriers were hurled to the ground; conflicting creeds were shivered to atoms; the unscriptural hope of a temporal millennium was abandoned, false views of the second advent were corrected, pride and conformity to the world were swept away; wrongs were made right; hearts were united in the sweetest fellowship, and love and joy reigned supreme. If this doctrine did this for the few who did receive it, it would have done the same for all if all had received it. But the churches generally did not accept the warning. Their ministers, who, as watchmen unto the house of Israel, should have been the first to discern the tokens of Jesus' coming, had failed to learn the truth either from the testimony of the prophets or from the signs of the times. As Page 7 of 87

worldly hopes and ambitions filled the heart, love for God and faith in His word had grown cold; and when the advent doctrine was presented, it only aroused their prejudice and unbelief. The fact that the message was, to a great extent, preached by laymen, was urged as an instrument against it. As of old, the plain testimony of God's word was met with the inquiry: Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed? And finding how difficult a task it was to refute the arguments drawn from the prophetic periods, many discouraged the study of the prophecies, teaching that the prophetic books were sealed and were not to be understood. Multitudes, trusting implicitly to their pastors, refused to listen to the warning; and others, though convinced of the truth, dared not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. The message which God had sent for the testing and purification of the church revealed all too surely how great was the number who had set their affections on this world rather than upon Christ. The ties which bound them to earth were stronger than the attractions heavenward. They chose to listen to the voice of worldly wisdom and turned away from the heart-searching message of truth. We are to come up to this apprenticeship step by step. But what was too strong? The world. The experience of the few could have been experienced by all the church. The consequences of rejecting this message were seen in the Protestant church. Isaiah 1:18-21 v 18 The everlasting gospel is proclaimed by the first angel's message v 21 The faithful city has become an harlot God reached out to the church that was falling, but they didn't want it. They refused and rebelled; therefore the once faithful organisations of the Protestant church became an harlot. If this message is rejected any time since then the consequences are the same. As the papal church had opportunity during the period of Pergamos, so down through the generations, the same privilege is given and if accepted the result is the same, if rejected, the result is the same. DA 232 As the light and life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the days of Christ, so it has been rejected in every succeeding generation. Again and again the history of Christ's withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When the Reformers preached the word of God, they had no thought of separating themselves from the established church; but the religious leaders would not tolerate the light, and those that bore it were forced to seek another class, who were longing for the truth. In our day few Page 8 of 87

of the professed followers of the Reformers are actuated by their spirit. Few are listening for the voice of God, and ready to accept truth in whatever guise it may be presented. Often those who follow in the steps of the Reformers are forced to turn away from the churches they love, in order to declare the plain teaching of the word of God. And many times those who are seeking for light are by the same teaching obliged to leave the church of their fathers, that they may render obedience. The papal church ......the Protestants..... 1798.....1833(the 1st message)........ The Protestant church did what the papal church did.

angel's

GC 383 The message of Revelation 14 announcing the fall of Babylon, must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt. Since this message follows the warning of the Judgment, it must be given in the last days, therefore it cannot refer to the Romish Church, for that church has been in a fallen condition for many centuries. Furthermore, in the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation, in a message which is yet future, the people of God are called upon to come out of Babylon. According to this scripture, many of God's people must still be in Babylon. And in what religious bodies are the greater part of the followers of Christ now to be found? Without doubt, in the various churches professing the Protestant faith. At the time of their rise, these churches took a noble stand for God and the truth, and his blessing was with them. Even the unbelieving world was constrained to acknowledge the beneficent results that followed an acceptance of the principles of the gospel. In the words of the prophet to Israel, Thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty; for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God. But they fell by the same desire which was the curse and ruin of Israel,--the desire of imitating the practices and courting the friendship of the ungodly. Thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown. The judgment of the whore and her daughters is now brought to light, and the daughters are specifically referred to in Revelation 14:8 Because they rejected the message of the first angel's message, they were proclaimed as Babylon. People who were once pure have become corrupt. Therefore it cannot refer to the Roman church as she has been in a fallen condition for many centuries.

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In what religious bodies are the followers of Christ now to be found? The Protestants; but they fell by the same desire which was the curse and ruin of ancient Israel – the practices and courting with the ungodly. Because the people who heard the first angel's message were attached to the ways of the world, this is why the second angel's message was given in power. God gave them time to arouse them from their condition, but they spurned the opportunity. It is still relevant for us today. The first angel's message is a token of precious unity, but if we don't take it, history repeats and we fall away. In the next studies, we will look at how the fall of the Protestant mind and where it was most reactive (especially in America). We will take a close look at the Sunday Law and the consequences of sun worship, enforcing the practices of Babylon; how pagan spiritualism is working within Christian churches; how the new age movement has taken root along the same track; how there must be reformation within the church, and how the first and second angel's messages pertain to us.

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2. APOSTATE PROTESTANTISM We now look at Babylon in reference to the people who rejected the first angels' message. Who are these people? Protestantism was rejecting the message for its time. What is the kernel of that resistance that came from Protestantism when the first angels’ message was first preached? As we proceed from the first angel to the first angels' message we note that there is a certain caution in the first angel's message which makes the second angel's message necessary. The message was Give God the glory That was the call of the first angel, which identified a call for action. As we study God's Word, it's not just to gain information, it's a call to action. 2 Pet 1:5-7 You can see how the Word of God calls for a diligence. We are looking briefly at the first angel’s message. The first angel calls for this diligence, we are to enter into a sanctification exercise which completes in love. V 10-11 Can you see the action that is called for? As we are called upon to put this diligence into action, we are to make our calling and election sure and to have an entrance into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Phil 2: 12-15 Page 11 of 87

Everything that we study in God's Word is for a particular result. As we give God the glory, we will shine. That is what is embraced in the first angel's message that we do, and shine. This is also addressed in James 1: 22-25, 27 So there we have the call of the first angel in the everlasting gospel to be doers. Many hear the Word of God, they love to hear it and a great impact is made upon the mind, but who is the one who benefits from that impact? 1 John 2: 24-29 What we have heard needs to abide in us. The Godhead picture is presented here again. The Word of God is resplendent with the fact that as I hear, as I respond, it must abide with me and be part of me then I will benefit by it otherwise I will lose it again. We can only benefit from the first angel's message if we abide in it. And that was the case with the early Christian church. UL 158 In the early Christian church there were men who were true Disciples of Christ. They met often together where prayer was want to be made. They could only work to advance those principles that bore the signet of heaven. They first talked with God, ascertained what spirit they themselves were of; then they could closely and critically examine every point, every method, every principle in the light reflected from the Sun of Righteousness. They did not accept strange fire. They took their fire from the divine altar. To them, holy and just principles were sacred, and by cherishing these they kept themselves unspotted from the world. This is the mentality of the early Christians. What did they do? They talked with God, ascertained what spirit they were of, then they could safely closely and critically examine every point, every method, every principle in the light reflected from the Sun of Righteousness. This is real, down to earth Christianity that the first angel's message was representing. The statement in Steps to Christ comes to light here, when we see ourselves as we really are, we are not to stay there in that state of ascertaining what spirit I am of, but as it said there, critically examine God's Word and let it affect me, as the everlasting gospel is meant to do. SC 71 When the mind dwells upon self, it is turned away from Christ, the source of strength and life. Hence it is Satan's constant effort to keep the Page 12 of 87

attention diverted from the Saviour and thus prevent the union and communion of the soul with Christ What happens that prevents us from being diligent? The pleasures of the world, life's cares and perplexities and sorrows, the faults of others, or your own faults and imperfections--to any or all of these he will seek to divert the mind. These are the things that prevent us from focusing on the everlasting gospel that the first angel's message was preaching. The other verse is that gives us a further appreciation on this 2 Corinthians 10:12 The wisdom that we want to gain is to focus to ascertain what spirit we are of, as the disciples did, and then critically examine every truth that applies to us, and thus we keep Jesus before us. This occupation of some who do this leaves others not so occupied behind. As we occupy ourselves with the first angel's message, with the everlasting gospel and all its ramifications that we have studied, those that won't do that are left behind. This is what the second angel's message involves. Those who hear the first angel's message, who don't occupy themselves with it, will fall under the second angel's message. This was illustrated by our last study as we looked at the firs angel's message as it was preached in 1833 by William Miller, the Protestant churches didn't occupy themselves with it. At first they were thrilled with what he was preaching, and then they began to resist it. Why did they become Babylon? Isaiah 1:21 Because they didn't retain the message they received when they first heard it. They were His faithful city, but how is His faithful city become an harlot? Righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers. Something happened with the church that was God's church and received the first angel’s message. Here was the arousing message that called for action GC 379.1 The first angel's message of Revelation 14, announcing the hour of God's judgment and calling upon men to fear and worship Him, was designed to separate the professed people of God from the corrupting influences of the world and to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding

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That's what the first angel's message came to achieve there in that time onwards. In this message, God had sent to the church a warning, which, had it been accepted, would have corrected the evils that were shutting them away from Him. Had they received the message from heaven, having their hearts before the LORD and seeking in sincerity a preparation to stand in His presence, the Spirit and power of God would have been manifest among them. The Church would once again have reached that blessed state of unity, faith and love that existed in apostolic days, when the believers were of one heart, one soul and spoke the Word of God with boldness. When the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. That's how it happens. Such was the experience of those who accepted the Advent message. Those who accepted the first angel's message, they experienced this wonderful thing. Those who occupy themselves with it leave the others behind. GC 380.1 If God's professed people would receive the light as it shines upon them from his Word, they would reach that unity for which Christ prayed, that which the apostle describes, the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is, he says, one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism. [EPH. 4:3-5.] {GC88 379.2} Such were the blessed results experienced by those who accepted the Advent message. They came from different denominations, and their denominational barriers were hurled to the ground; conflicting creeds were shivered to atoms This was the privilege of them there, and it is still the privilege of us today. Unity is the joy of the consequence of that. But the churches generally did not accept the warning. Their ministers, who as watchmen unto the house of Israel, should have been the first to discern the tokens of Jesus' coming, had failed to learn the truth, either from the testimony of the prophets or from the signs of the times. As worldly hopes and ambitions filled the heart, love for God and faith in his Word had grown cold, and when the Advent doctrine was presented, it only aroused their prejudice and unbelief Here we are looking at the affect of the first angel. The message which God had sent for the testing and purification of the church, revealed all too surely how great was the number who had set their affections on this world rather than upon Christ. The ties which bound them to earth were stronger than the attractions heavenward. They chose Page 14 of 87

to listen to the voice of worldly wisdom, and turned away from the heartsearching message of truth. In refusing the warning of the first angel, they rejected the means which Heaven had provided for their restoration. This is what took shape there. By rejecting the first angel's message they rejected the means which Heaven had provided for their restoration. They spurned the gracious messenger that would have corrected the evils which separated them from God, and with greater eagerness they turned to seek the friendship of the world. Here was the cause of that fearful condition of worldliness, backsliding, and spiritual death which existed in the churches in 1844. How has the city become an harlot? Because they rejected the message, and that which they were meant to be benefited by only ended them up in a fearful condition of worldliness, backsliding and spiritual death. We want to explore what apostate Protestantism actually is and ensure that we will remove from that. That's the purpose of this study. We need to know pure Protestantism to be able to differentiate. That is, pure Protestantism based on the content of our initial series, what the early Christians and what they did. This is what we commenced with early on with the first angel's message. This is the pure characteristic of Protestantism. The word protestant' is protesting. What are we protesting against as Protestant Christians? (which the early Christians were.) 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 The Protestants separated themselves from the unbelieving Christians in the dark ages, that's why they were called Protestant. They were not going to be yoked together with unbelievers. Paganism had mingled together with Christianity, and Protestants protested against that. There was no agreement of the temple of God with idols. Jesus made a very simple declaration of the activity of pure Protestantism in John 17:14-16 In the world, but not of the world. As the world had come into the church, Protestants protested. 1 John 2: 15-17 Here is the clear indication of pure Protestantism Page 15 of 87

James 1:27 To keep themselves unspotted from the world. So to become a harlot, an apostate Protestant would mean what? James 4:4 Friendship of the world is enmity with God, this is the harlot, adulterer, Babylon. Babylon was the mother of harlots, identified in Revelation 17:1-2 When the first angel's message was being proclaimed, the people of Sardis heard the message, and as we come to Revelation 2:14 We notice that what the mother had done, in verse 14 (the period of Pergamos where the church was warned) Verse 20 The woman Jezebel (Thyatira) Verse 21 Them that commit adultery with her (the daughters). Let's read this in Great Controversy. Apostate Protestantism that took place when the first angel's message was being proclaimed GC 384-385 What was the origin of the great apostasy? How did the church first depart from the simplicity of the gospel? By conforming to the practices of paganism, to facilitate the acceptance of Christianity by the heathen. That's how it happened. The Christian church thought that if they compromise they will win plenty of others and that's how they were hoping to achieve church growth, by conforming to the practices of paganism. The apostle Paul declared, even in his day, The mystery of iniquity doth already work. 2 Thessalonians 2:7. During the lives of the apostles the church remained comparatively pure. But toward the latter end of the second century most of the churches assumed a new form; the first simplicity disappeared, and insensibly, as the old disciples retired to their graves, their children, along with new converts, . . . came forward and newPage 16 of 87

modelled the cause.--Robert Robinson, Ecclesiastical Researches, ch. 6, par. 17, p. 51. To secure converts, the exalted standard of the Christian faith was lowered, and as the result a pagan flood, flowing into the church, carried with it its customs, practices, and idols. The apostle Paul declared even in his day the iniquity that was already at work That is what happened in the early Christian church as it developed into the papal church, and now as the Protestants protested against that, what happened to the Protestants in later years. It goes on to tell us Has not the same process been repeated in nearly every church calling itself Protestant? As the founders, those who possessed the true spirit of reform, pass away, their descendants come forward and new-model the cause. While blindly clinging to the creed of their fathers and refusing to accept any truth in advance of what they saw, the children of the reformers depart widely from their example of humility, self-denial, and renunciation of the world. Thus the first simplicity disappears. A worldly flood, flowing into the church, carries with it its customs, practices, and idols. Thus the Reformation of Luther and John Wesley who were Protestants because they made a protest. Read the protest that they made. GC 203-204 The Lord forbids the teaching of any other doctrine. . . . The Holy Scriptures ought to be explained by other and clearer texts; . . . this Holy Book is, in all things necessary for the Christian, easy of understanding, and calculated to scatter the darkness. We are resolved, with the grace of God, to maintain the pure and exclusive preaching of His only word, such as it is contained in the biblical books of the Old and New Testaments, without adding anything thereto that may be contrary to it. This word is the only truth; it is the sure rule of all doctrine and of all life, and can never fail or deceive us. He who builds on this foundation shall stand against all the powers of hell, while all the human vanities that are set up against it shall fall before the face of God...... The principles contained in this celebrated Protest . . . constitute the very essence of Protestantism. Now this Protest opposes two abuses of man in matters of faith: the first is the intrusion of the civil magistrate, and the second the arbitrary authority of the church. Instead of these abuses, Protestantism sets the power of conscience above the magistrate, and the authority of the word of God above the visible church. In the first place, it rejects the civil power in divine things, and says with the prophets and apostles, 'We must obey God rather than man. Page 17 of 87

Apostate Protestantism is the reverse of this Revelation 3:1-3 Go back to the protest of the princes and repent. If thou shalt not watch, I shall come upon thee as a thief. The church is apostate, but God is reaching out for her. Romans 6:9-13 deals with this very beautifully. The final apostasy of apostate Protestantism is found in Jude 10-13 Twice dead A revival call is needed. GC 379 The first angel's message of Revelation 14, announcing the hour of God's judgment and calling upon men to fear and worship Him, was designed to separate the professed people of God from the corrupting influences of the world and to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding. In this message, God has sent to the church a warning, which, had it been accepted, would have corrected the evils that were shutting them away from Him. Had they received the message from heaven, humbling their hearts before the Lord and seeking in sincerity a preparation to stand in His presence, the Spirit and power of God would have been manifested among them. The church would again have reached that blessed state of unity, faith, and love which existed in apostolic days, when the believers were of one heart and of one soul, and spake the word of God with boldness, when the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. GC 383 At the time of their rise these churches took a noble stand for God and the truth, and His blessing was with them. Even the unbelieving world was constrained to acknowledge the beneficent results that followed an acceptance of the principles of the gospel. In the words of the prophet to Israel: Thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through My comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God. But they fell by the same desire which was the curse and ruin of Israel--the desire of imitating the practices and courting the friendship of the ungodly. Thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown. Ezekiel 16:14, 15.

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GC 389 second angel's message of Revelation 14 was first preached in the summer of 1844, and it then had a more direct application to the churches of the United States, where the warning of the judgment had been most widely proclaimed and most generally rejected, and where the declension in the churches had been most rapid. But the message of the second angel did not reach its complete fulfillment in 1844. The churches then experienced a moral fall, in consequence of their refusal of the light of the advent message; but that fall was not complete. As they have continued to reject the special truths for this time they have fallen lower and lower. Not yet, however, can it be said that Babylon is fallen,... because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. She has not yet made all nations do this. The spirit of world conforming and indifference to the testing truths for our time exists and has been gaining ground in churches of the Protestant faith in all the countries of Christendom; and these churches are included in the solemn and terrible denunciation of the second angel. But the work of apostasy has not yet reached its culmination. GC 390 Notwithstanding the spiritual darkness and alienation from God that exist in the churches which constitute Babylon, the great body of Christ's true followers are still to be found in their communion. There are many of these who have never seen the special truths for this time. Not a few are dissatisfied with their present condition and are longing for clearer light. They look in vain for the image of Christ in the churches with which they are connected. As these bodies depart further and further from the truth, and ally themselves more closely with the world, the difference between the two classes will widen, and it will finally result in separation. The time will come when those who love God supremely can no longer remain in connection with such as are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Not only in 1844, but ever since that time, the first angel's message has not been received by those who hear it, therefore the second angel's message was needed. The distinction between the two classes has become more distinct. GC 385-6 Alas, to what a fearful extent is that friendship of the world which is enmity with God, now cherished among the professed followers of Christ! How widely have the popular churches throughout Christendom departed from the Bible standard of humility, self-denial, simplicity, and godliness! Said John Wesley, in speaking of the right use of money: Do not waste any Page 19 of 87

part of so precious a talent, merely in gratifying the desire of the eye, by superfluous or expensive apparel, or by needless ornaments. Waste no part of it in curiously adorning your houses; in superfluous or expensive furniture; in costly pictures, painting, gilding. . . . Lay out nothing to gratify the pride of life, to gain the admiration or praise of men. . . . 'So long as thou doest well unto thyself, men will speak good of thee.' So long as thou art 'clothed in purple and fine linen,' and farest 'sumptuously every day,' no doubt many will applaud thy elegance of taste, thy generosity and hospitality. But do not buy their applause so dear. Rather be content with the honor that cometh from God. GC 387.2 In this tide of worldliness and pleasure seeking, self-denial and selfsacrifice for Christ's sake are almost wholly lost. Some of the men and women now in active life in our churches were educated, when children, to make sacrifices in order to be able to give or do something for Christ. But if funds are wanted now, . . . nobody must be called on to give. Oh, no! have a fair, tableau, mock trial, antiquarian supper, or something to eat--anything to amuse the people. GC 390 Revelation 18 points to the time when, as the result of rejecting the threefold warning of Revelation 14:6-12, the church will have fully reached the condition foretold by the second angel, and the people of God still in Babylon will be called upon to separate from her communion. This message is the last that will ever be given to the world; and it will accomplish its work. When those that believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:12), shall be left to receive strong delusion and to believe a lie, then the light of truth will shine upon all whose hearts are open to receive it, and all the children of the Lord that remain in Babylon will heed the call: Come out of her, My people Where do we stand today?

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3.UNITED STATES OF AMERICA'S ROLE IN PROPHECY Revelation 14:8 In our previous studies , we saw how this message applies after the first angel's message has been given and the reaction of those who heard the first angel's message, which called forth the second angel's message. They are addressed as Babylon. Babylon is fallen. Why the term Babylon? Revelation 17:5 in reference to verse 3 The woman sitting on a beast In prophetic symbolism, a beast is a nation and a woman is a church. The church is in connection with a particular empire. Verse 5 The mother of Harlots. Babylon is applied to a harlot church. She is referred to as the mother of harlots. In Revelation 14:8 we read that she is a city. Revelation 17 in verse 18 That great city that reins over the earth, a capital city. verse 9 What is that great city that sits on 7 mountains? Rome. The Vatican within Rome where the woman sits, a church, the mother of harlots. As well as a spiritual church she became a harlot in the following sense Page 21 of 87

Jeremiah 6:2 We read for identification The daughter of Zion, the church Zion is a comely and delicate woman. Isaiah 33:20 Zion is a city, connecting the church with a city. The capital city of God's Jewish church Isaiah 1:21 What God expresses with regard to the woman, Zion, the city. We see that Babylon is the mother of harlots; a church that was once a faithful city and now has become a harlot. GC 382 It was by departure from the Lord, and alliance with the heathen, that the Jewish church became a harlot; and Rome, corrupting herself in like manner by seeking the support of worldly powers, receives a like condemnation. We recall from previous studies on page 384 How has the faithful city become a harlot? GC 384 What was the origin of the great apostasy? How did the church first depart from the simplicity of the gospel? By conforming to the practices of paganism, to facilitate the acceptance of Christianity by the heathen. The apostle Paul declared, even in his day, The mystery of iniquity doth already work. 2 Thessalonians 2:7. During the lives of the apostles the church remained comparatively pure. But toward the latter end of the second century most of the churches assumed a new form; the first simplicity disappeared, and insensibly, as the old disciples retired to their graves, their children, along with new converts, . . . came forward and newmodeled the cause.--Robert Robinson, Ecclesiastical Researches, ch. 6, par. 17, p. 51. To secure converts, the exalted standard of the Christian faith was lowered, and as the result a pagan flood, flowing into the church, carried with it its customs, practices, and idols. --Gavazzi, Lectures, page 278. As the Christian religion secured the favor and support of secular rulers, it was nominally accepted by multitudes; but while in appearance Christians, many remained in substance pagans, especially worshiping in secret their idols.Page 22 of 87

There is the answer, how the faithful church becomes a whore. This expression of the second angel Babylon the great is fallen is applicable to a church that was once faithful and has become a harlot. But in our studies we have seen that the second angel's message applies specifically to the period of time in which the first angel's message had just been given. And that was given after 1798, in 1833. So, what is this Babylon GC 383 The message of Revelation 14, announcing the fall of Babylon must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt. Since this message follows the warning of the judgment, it must be given in the last days; therefore it cannot refer to the Roman Church alone, for that church has been in a fallen condition for many centuries....And in what religious bodies are the greater part of the followers of Christ now to be found? Without doubt, in the various churches professing the Protestant faith. At the time of their rise these churches took a noble stand for God and the truth, and His blessing was with them.... But they fell by the same desire which was the curse and ruin of Israel--the desire of imitating the practices and courting the friendship of the ungodly. Thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown. Ezekiel 16:14, 15. Ezekiel 16: 8 The pure Jewish church in its early days Ezekiel 16:13-15 So this is what happened to Israel of old, she became a harlot So as she became a harlot and the Roman church became a harlot after the early Christians began to be re-modelled, so now the Protestants who had started off well, are following suit as well. On page 385 it says exactly what happened to the Jewish church, what happened to the Roman church GC 385 As the founders, those who possessed the true spirit of reform, pass away, their descendants come forward and new-model the cause. While blindly clinging to the creed of their fathers and refusing to accept any truth in advance of what they saw, the children of the reformers depart widely from their example of humility, self-denial, and renunciation of the world. Thus the first simplicity disappears. A worldly flood, flowing into the church, Page 23 of 87

carries with it its customs, practices, and idols. And there was the display of Babylon in 1833- 1844 The first angel's message was given and it was rejected As you discover the prophecies of the Jewish church, you also discover the prophecies of the Romish church. Is there then prophecy in reference to the Protestant churches that went astray? Is there a parallel connection of a church that becomes so renown that it becomes a political arena like the other ones did, and prophecy would reveal that? Let's turn to Revelation 13:1-3 In reference to the Romish church and notice what follows thereafter. Here is a prophecy of the rise of pagan beastliness and papal beast and then one of its heads wounded to death. We know that in 1798, the papacy received a deadly wound under Napoleon Bonaparte and the pope was taken and died in exile. That prophecy that deals with a deadly wounded inflicted on the papacy in 1798, how was this deadly wound healed? Revelation 13:10 -17, 11 Another beast, just at the time the beast was lead into captivity, he beheld another beast coming up out of the earth. This other beast was responsible for the deadly wound to be healed, he causes all the world to worship him, therefore his deadly wound was healed again. This other beast arises out of the earth and does all the kind of things that the papal beast ws doing before. This empire is able to restore the life of the head (papacy). Let us investigate very clearly what was this beast? What was a world power that was arising in 1798? Here is the documentation in a book called Daniel and Revelation page 536 regarding the rise of this power. Here New England was born and its first baby cry was a thanksgiving to the Lord. The settlement in America Another permanent settlement was made in James Town in 1607. In process of time other settlements were made and colonies organized which were all subject to the English Crown They went to America which was not a nation and out of the ground arises this beast. The population of these colonies according to the publication of August 1855 amounted in 1701 to 262,000; in 1749 1,046,000; in 1775 2,803,000. Then commenced the struggle of the American colonies for independence. Page 24 of 87

1776

They declared themselves a free and independent nation

1777

Delegates from the 13 original states in Congress assembled adopting articles of confederation.

1783

The war of the revolution closed with a treaty of peace with Great Britain whereby the independence of the United States was acknowledged and territory.

1787

The Constitution was framed and ratified

1 March 1789

The Constitution went into effect.

1798

A nation had been formed out of the ground. That nation became such a powerful nation that prophecy refers to it

Daniel 7:25-26 Reference is made to this period of time. The time prophecy culminates in 1798. But the judgment shall sit and they shall take away his dominion and consume and destroy it until the end Here is a prophecy where the fatal wound was inflicted and from the time of the hour of judgment In 1798 was when the papacy received the deadly wound and in 1833 was the hour of the judgment. So we're looking at 35 years the announcement was made (1798 – 1833) . This is the commencement period of the first angel's message which was rejected, and the nation where it was rejected. The city, the kingdom of Protestant America comes into light. William Miller presented the first angel's message and Protestants were tested by the message of the judgement hour and they rejected it. And the judgment as Jesus in the judgment begins to judge all who have named the name of Christ is now including in His judgment Babylon of the Protestants that fell. As Protestantism falls, the rise of USA as a nation comes. The Protestant people rise up as a nation. What is written about this beast which arises? It has two horns like a lamb, but speaks as a dragon. Horns in prophetic symbolism represent within the nation, forms of government The forms of government in USA became Protestantism and Republicanism. Page 25 of 87

GC 441.1 And he had two horns like a lamb. The lamblike horns indicate youth, innocence, and gentleness, fitly representing the character of the United States when presented to the prophet as coming up in 1798. Among the Christian exiles who first fled to America and sought an asylum from royal oppression and priestly intolerance were many who determined to establish a government upon the broad foundation of civil and religious liberty. Their views found place in the Declaration of Independence, which sets forth the great truth that all men are created equal and endowed with the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And the Constitution guarantees to the people the right of self-government, providing that representatives elected by the popular vote shall enact and administer the laws. Freedom of religious faith was also granted, every man being permitted to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience. Republicanism and Protestantism became the fundamental principles of the nation. These principles are the secret of its power and prosperity. Just like Israel had a secret of its power and prosperity The oppressed and downtrodden throughout Christendom have turned to this land with interest and hope. Millions have sought its shores, and the United States has risen to a place among the most powerful nations of the earth. How much we know that today. What does the prophecy indicate? That ultimately it will speak as the dragon. It is included with Babylon of ancient times. Paganism. She became a harlot church. A lamb and a dragon. That is what the second angel's message is pointing at. Babylon the great is fallen, that great city that made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of God Revelation 14:8 What is the wine of the wrath of her fornication? Isaiah 29:9-13 They are drunken by the doctrines that are not established by the Word of God because they cannot understand it, they are drunken, bewildered. They teach the doctrines of man instead of the doctrines of God. That is the wine of Babylon. The doctrines that she teaches, that make people dizzy and confused like alcohol does. It's called Babylon because a person who is drunk babbles. Page 26 of 87

TM 61 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 are 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. The wrath of her fornication. They get angry if you don't agree with them. Those false doctrines are what we don't agree with, therefore it becomes the wrath of her fornication. In this activity on page 383 of Great Controversy the message of Revelation 18 is applicable to the Protestant churches. GC 383 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 favor of the world. And the term Babylon--confusion--may be appropriately applied to these bodies, all professing to derive their doctrines from the Bible, yet divided into almost innumerable sects, with widely conflicting creeds and theories. This is the consequence of the wine of Babylon, widely conflicting set of doctrines and creeds . That was the wine. Then because of that. that was when we broke off when we were reading Revelation 13: 10-17. Revelation 13:12 What does America Protestantism do? Here you have the same treatment of those who would worship God in truth, being persecuted, just like Israel persecuted Isaiah, Jeremiah and so on, the papal church persecuted the Christians, so now the same thing happens in Protestant America ultimately.

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Revelation 13:13 & 14 It has capability to do miracles to such as degree that they can bring fire from out of heaven. The miracle working technology that America has e.g. telephone, electricity, robots. USA has been depended upon for her miracles by the rest of the world. Fire out of heaven came down over Hiroshima, the atomic bomb exploded from above, and fire came down to the earth. To qualify these three powers: the dragon, the beast and the USA Revelation 19: 20 The false prophet has another name, this is none other than apostate Protestantism, USA is here called a false prophet. The image of the beast that USA creates is identified in the Babylonish procedure of Revelation 17:3 What was the beast that they had an image to it? Combination of Church and State. The church (the woman) sits and pulls the reins of the State, keeping it under control. America will create the same thing. They will combine church and state. Apostate Protestantism working through Repblicanism. GC 443 When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of heresy. In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends. That is the image of the beast. Page 28 of 87

GC 445.1 When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result. So as you look at the situation of churches working through politics, you know what is actually transpiring. Revelation 13:15-17 The ultimate fulfilment of Daniel 7:26 is here identified. Daniel 7:26 The activity of Protestant America together with the papal church is actually signing its death warrant, it is actually losing. The ultimate fulfilment is in Revelation 16:13-16 This is where the prophecies culminate ultimately. Paganism, Catholicism, and apostate Protestantism (false prophet). In between the rise of America and its influence to heal the fatal wound of the papacy. As the process of time brings about the results there is a situation that develops, which is identified in Revelation 18:1-3 Another prophecy that is included ultimately among the three angels' messages. From the point in time of the rise of apostate Protestantism when they rejected the message of the first angel's message, from that time onwards, things get worse and worse until the final culmination. As we look at the in between time period, we are looking at where all nations are now part of it not just America, and during this development of the churches getting worse, Babylon becomes the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. As this is going on, another Protestant church is endangered as well. All the churches become involved including this one, here in Matthew.

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Mat 24:45-51 During this period of time, be also ready, we are to give meat in due season. He is still preaching, he is still a servant, but in his heart he saith The Lord delayeth His coming, just as the other churches are getting worse, he will have his portion with them. That is another protestant ministry that goes down with all the other protestants. We read about this very church; TM 265 The world must not be introduced into the church, and married to the church, forming a bond of unity. Through this means the church will become indeed corrupt, and as stated in Revelation, a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 4T 513 If most earnest vigilance is not manifested at the great heart of the work to protect the interests of the cause, the church will become as corrupt as the churches of other denominations. Matthew 24. It is in prophecy that such a thing will happen. The second angel's message is apostasy uniting with the nations and politics to become a harlot. Israel, Rome, Protestantism, Apostate Protestantism in USA.

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4.PAPAL INFILTRATION AND DOMINATION We have been studying to understand what the fall of Babylon identified. That it was those who rejected the message proclaimed to them in the first angel's message. That was particularly in the USA. Then what actually is apostate Protestantism, that is the religious side of the USA being Babylon. Then we looked at the political role of America and their role in prophecy. Now what we are looking at how Protestantism and Republicanism is used by Satan to re-power the papacy and how the papacy are working behind the scenes. This is our study at the moment. How the papacy infiltrated America so that America could be used to again restore the fatal wound that the papacy had received. The rejecters of the first angel's message were announced as Babylon in GC 389 The second angel's message of Revelation 14 was first preached in the summer of 1844, and it then had a more direct application to the churches of the United States, where the warning of the judgment had been most widely proclaimed and most generally rejected, and where the declension in the churches had been most rapid. But the message of the second angel did not reach its complete fulfillment in 1844. It's a message that continued to be proclaimed. The churches had a moral downfall as a result of their refusal of the Advent message, but that fall was not Page 31 of 87

complete. The churches then experienced a moral fall, in consequence of their refusal of the light of the advent message; but that fall was not complete. As they have continued to reject the special truths for this time they have fallen lower and lower. Not yet, however, can it be said that Babylon is fallen,... because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. She has not yet made all nations do this. The spirit of world conforming and indifference to the testing truths for our time exists and has been gaining ground in churches of the Protestant faith in all the countries of Christendom; and these churches are included in the solemn and terrible denunciation of the second angel. But the work of apostasy has not yet reached its culmination We see that churches keep on falling and the new ones that come in out of the condition of the other ones are also falling and declining. Therefore the message of the second angel is not to be confused with applying to Rome. GC 383 The message of Revelation 14, announcing the fall of Babylon must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt. Since this message follows the warning of the judgment, it must be given in the last days; therefore it cannot refer to the Roman Church alone, for that church has been in a fallen condition for many centuries. Babylon cannot refer to the Roman Church, it is to refer to the churches in the last days who have been following in Rome's path. The protestant churches of America were once pure, that is why they raised the American nation, they ran away from the impurities of the European experience. The American nation itself was based on Republicanism , wanting to be pure, and the churches were meant to be pure. They were in total opposition to the papal religion and politics that the papacy was part of. The lamb-like horns of Republicanism and Protestantism. Revelation 13:3 What they were running away from, would spread nonetheless. Verse 8 The reason for the rise of America was to get away from the papal power, but the papal power was recuperated again and spread its influence across all the world. History shows the French Revolution took the pope down and the pope Page 32 of 87

was exiled and the Catholic Church was decimated. The Catholic Church felt they had to do something . One particular man by the name of Ignatius Loyola raised a society called the Society of Jesus Christ known as the Jesuits for the purpose of restoring the honour and power of the papacy to win back total papal dominance. The head of the Jesuit movement is called the black pope. The manifesto of this movement is contained in GC 580.2 The Roman Catholic Church, with all its ramifications throughout the world, forms one vast organization under the control, and designed to serve the interests, of the papal see. Its millions of communicants, in every country on the globe, are instructed to hold themselves as bound in allegiance to the pope. Whatever their nationality or their government, they are to regard the authority of the church as above all other. Though they may take the oath pledging their loyalty to the state, yet back of this lies the vow of obedience to Rome, absolving them from every pledge inimical to her interests. America was the nation that was rising through 1798 and one of the central purposes of the Jesuit movement was to undermine this state by their systematic infiltration. They were prepared to become members and ministers of protestant churches and yet be members of the Jesuit movement. That was part of their manifesto to recover papal domination. GC 581.2 God's word has given warning of the impending danger; let this be unheeded, and the Protestant world will learn what the purposes of Rome really are, only when it is too late to escape the snare. She is silently growing into power. Her doctrines are exerting their influence in legislative halls, in the churches, and in the hearts of men That is their doctrine. The infiltration is in:  legislative halls  churches  lives of individuals The papacy infiltrates USA and finally the USA does the work of the papacy. It's not the papacy that is working up-front, it is working behind the scenes. America is the instrument that is not seen as being used by the papacy.

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Revelation 13:12 Exercising all the power of the first beast (the papacy) because it is working behind the scenes, and causes the earth to worship the first beast. The technological wonders of USA are being used. He causes not dictates. It is subtle work and will affect everyone. GC 579 -580 Since the middle of the nineteenth century, students of prophecy in the United States have presented this testimony to the world. In the events now taking place is seen a rapid advance toward the fulfillment of the prediction. With Protestant teachers there is the same claim of divine authority for Sundaykeeping, and the same lack of Scriptural evidence, as with the papal leaders who fabricated miracles to supply the place of a command from God The Protestant teachers are preaching and teaching the same as the Catholic church did. Why? Because of the infiltration taking place. The assertion that God's judgments are visited upon men for their violation of the Sunday-sabbath, will be repeated; already it is beginning to be urged. And a movement to enforce Sunday observance is fast gaining ground. Who is behind this? While the Protestants say you must have religious liberty, underneath is the force that works to enforce Sunday keeping. Marvelous in her shrewdness and cunning is the Roman Church. She can read what is to be. She bides her time, seeing that the Protestant churches are paying her homage in their acceptance of the false sabbath and that they are preparing to enforce it by the very means which she herself employed in bygone days. Those who reject the light of truth will yet seek the aid of this self-styled infallible power to exalt an institution that originated with her. How readily she will come to the help of Protestants in this work it is not difficult to conjecture. Who understands better than the papal leaders how to deal with those who are disobedient to the church? {GC 580.1} The Roman Catholic Church, with all its ramifications throughout the world, forms one vast organization

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She works subtly, not in an open controlling manner as she did before. This subtle work causes the world to submit itself to the same dictates that the Catholic church used to control the world by. GC 588.1 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 hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience. How subtle, unnoticed by people. Though Rome is behind it all it will CAUSE to worship the beast under USA. The world will see USA doing it, not the papacy. This subtle way of working leaves the papacy in good eyes. e.g the Pope has apologised for the persecution of the Dark Ages. This is the power of control, not like the Dark Ages, but subtle that will finally do its damage. How will we individually be infiltrated? What will USA and its miracles do to us? Revelation 18:3 Here is the biblical inspired illumination of how the people will be infiltrated. We need to especially understand this as Christians. The abundance of her delicacies 2 Peter 2:1-3 Privily, in a private way. They will make merchandise through their merchandise mingle together with their pernicious ways in their false teachings of the Bible. Intermingled with the false doctrines is the merchandising. The false doctrines are delicacies which people will be made merchandise of. Recall how the faithful city became a harlot.

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Who are the faithful? John 17:14-16 They are not of the world, as Jesus was not of the world. This is the faithful church. Who is the harlot, who are the adulterers? James 4:4 Friendship with the world is enmity with God. Christians are meant to be in the world but not of the world or its ways. The world has crept in to the Christian people and they have become an harlot. That is what we read in the past, as you recall GC 379 The first angel's message of Revelation 14, announcing the hour of God's judgment and calling upon men to fear and worship Him, was designed to separate the professed people of God from the corrupting influences of the world and to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding The first angel's message came to arouse them that the world had infiltrated into them. In this message, God has sent to the church a warning, which, had it been accepted, would have corrected the evils that were shutting them away from Him. Had they received the message from heaven, humbling their hearts before the Lord and seeking in sincerity a preparation to stand in His presence, the Spirit and power of God would have been manifested among them. The church would again have reached that blessed state of unity, faith, and love which existed in apostolic days, when the believers were of one heart and of one soul, and spake the word of God with boldness, when the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved There was a condition that caused the presentation of the first angel's message, it's time to go back to original gospel purity, but as that message came to them, they rejected it. Why?

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GC 385 As the founders, those who possessed the true spirit of reform, pass away, their descendants come forward and new-model the cause. While blindly clinging to the creed of their fathers and refusing to accept any truth in advance of what they saw, the children of the reformers depart widely from their example of humility, self-denial, and renunciation of the world. Thus the first simplicity disappears. A worldly flood, flowing into the church, carries with it its customs, practices, and idols. The infiltration is the same infiltration as what happened in the apostolic time and what happens now in the time of the churches of America, what can happen to us. The principle is the same. It is to do with the merchandise of the world in conjunction with religious materials. Notice how we today are conditioned by the abundance of her delicacies, the resplendent richness of worldliness, so that domination of the papacy can take over. Alas, to what a fearful extent is that friendship of the world which is enmity with God, now cherished among the professed followers of Christ! How widely have the popular churches throughout Christendom departed from the Bible standard of humility, self-denial, simplicity, and godliness! Said John Wesley, in speaking of the right use of money: Do not waste any part of so precious a talent, merely in gratifying the desire of the eye, by superfluous or expensive apparel, or by needless ornaments. Waste no part of it in curiously adorning your houses; in superfluous or expensive furniture; in costly pictures, painting, gilding. . . . Lay out nothing to gratify the pride of life, to gain the admiration or praise of men. . . . 'So long as thou doest well unto thyself, men will speak good of thee.' So long as thou art 'clothed in purple and fine linen,' and farest 'sumptuously every day,' no doubt many will applaud thy elegance of taste, thy generosity and hospitality. But do not buy their applause so dear. Rather be content with the honor that cometh from God.But in many churches of our time such teaching is disregarded. {GC 385.2}

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You look now at the houses, the expensive materials, etc. We have become dependent on things that are really not necessities, but we view them as necessities. e.g a couple who had a child but didn't have enough money to buy a basinet for the baby, so they had to put it in the box that used to contain their TV. This kind of infiltration affects the mind in such a way that when it comes to the delicacies of the papacy of false teaching, e.g Easter, Christmas. from pagan papal communication, have become a source of monetary gain by the merchants. The papacy develops a strangle-hold by means of this activity and captivates the attention of the world by reaching their senses and practices of idolatry. 5T: 216 It is now that we must wash our robes of character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. It is now that we must overcome pride, passion, and spiritual slothfulness. It is now that we must awake and make determined effort for symmetry of character. Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. We are in a most trying position, waiting, watching for our Lord's appearing. The world is in darkness. But ye, brethren, says Paul, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. It is ever God's purpose to bring light out of darkness, joy out of sorrow, and rest out of weariness for the waiting, longing soul. What are you doing, brethren, in the great work of preparation? Those who are uniting with the world are receiving the worldly mold and preparing for the mark of the beast. The infiltration is that the world mingles in with the church and as this becomes a dominating force, people are preparing to receive mark of the beast, which is Sunday. Those who are distrustful of self, who are humbling themselves before God and purifying their souls by obeying the truth these are receiving the heavenly mold and preparing for the seal of God in their foreheads. When the decree goes forth and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless for eternity. Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God will never be placed upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, worldloving man or woman When Sunday enforcement comes in what will be caused upon all the people of the earth? They will not be able to buy or sell save those that have the mark of Page 38 of 87

the beast. Can you see the infiltration. When it’s too late, people will wake up. The papal infiltration works through the senses and the enjoyment of the world. As your heart is drawn out to supposed needs contrary to the attitude of the reformers of the past, as you become dependent, it dominates you. The infiltration has slowly made you dependent upon things which you can't do without any more. Then when the ability to purchase that is taken away unless you succumb to their demands you will be in danger of falling. The idolatrous worldliness is a characteristic of papal display. Instead we must be molded for heaven in going in the opposite direction GC 566 Many Protestants suppose that the Catholic religion is unattractive and that its worship is a dull, meaningless round of ceremony. Here they mistake. While Romanism is based upon deception, it is not a coarse and clumsy imposture. The religious service of the Roman Church is a most impressive ceremonial. Its gorgeous display and solemn rites fascinate the senses of the people and silence the voice of reason and of conscience. Doesn't the world fascinate us today? This is the infiltration. This is what they are masters at. The eye is charmed. Magnificent churches, imposing processions, golden altars, jeweled shrines, choice paintings, and exquisite sculpture appeal to the love of beauty. The ear also is captivated. The music is unsurpassed. The rich notes of the deep-toned organ, blending with the melody of many voices as it swells through the lofty domes and pillared aisles of her grand cathedrals, cannot fail to impress the mind with awe and reverence. This outward splendor, pomp, and ceremony, that only mocks the longings of the sin-sick soul, is an evidence of inward corruption. The religion of Christ needs not such attractions to recommend it. In the light shining from the cross, true Christianity appears so pure and lovely that no external decorations can enhance its true worth. It is the beauty of holiness, a meek and quiet spirit, which is of value with God. Brilliancy of style is not necessarily an index of pure, elevated thought. High conceptions of art, delicate refinement of taste, often exist in minds that are earthly and sensual. They are often employed by Satan to lead men to forget the necessities of the soul, to lose sight of the future, immortal life, to turn away from their infinite Helper, and to live for this world alone. A religion of externals is attractive to the unrenewed heart. The pomp and ceremony of the Catholic worship has a seductive, bewitching power, by which many are deceived; and they come to look upon the Roman Church as the very gate of heaven. None but those who have planted their feet Page 39 of 87

firmly upon the foundation of truth, and whose hearts are renewed by the Spirit of God, are proof against her influence. Thousands who have not an experimental knowledge of Christ will be led to accept the forms of godliness without the power. Such a religion is just what the multitudes desire An emotional dream world is created. This is why they want democracy, so the multitudes want it, and those who do not want it will be opposed and condemned by the multitude. The first angel's message needs to be firmly embraced, a strictly non-wordly behaviour so that we will not be infiltrated and dominated. That is what the first angel's message was given for, to cleanse the church from the infiltration. By rejecting the first angel's message you become part of Babylon. GC 488.1 Satan invents unnumbered schemes to occupy our minds, that they may not dwell upon the very work with which we ought to be best acquainted. The archdeceiver hates the great truths that bring to view an atoning sacrifice and an all-powerful mediator. He knows that with him everything depends on his diverting minds from Jesus and His truth. GC 490 There must be deep, faithful searching of heart. The light, frivolous spirit indulged by so many professed Christians must be put away. There is earnest warfare before all who would subdue the evil tendencies that strive for the mastery. The work of preparation is an individual work. We are not saved in groups. The purity and devotion of one will not offset the want of these qualities in another. Though all nations are to pass in judgment before God, yet He will examine the case of each individual with as close and searching scrutiny as if there were not another being upon the earth. Everyone must be tested and found without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. When you see it in the light of the infiltration you can see why it is so. Our focus must be on the first angel's message, and then the second angel's message becomes our message Babylon is fallen I don't want anything to do with it. It' not just a political thing, it's not just a church thing, it's a personal thing.

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5.ANCIENT BABYLON As we recall our last study the papal infiltration that took place was not merely on a political or on a church organisational level, but also on a personal level. GC 384 To secure converts, the exalted standard of the Christian faith was lowered, and as the result a pagan flood, flowing into the church, carried with it its customs, practices, and idols. There was a new modelling of the cause. That's how it happened in the early Christian church. It was again repeated in the Protestant churches. As the founders, those who possessed the true spirit of reform, pass away, their descendants come forward and new-model the cause. While blindly clinging to the creed of their fathers and refusing to accept any truth in advance of what they saw, the children of the reformers depart widely from their example of humility, self-denial, and renunciation of the world. Thus the first simplicity disappears. A worldly flood, flowing into the church, carries with it its customs, practices, and idols. So it's what you can call creeping compromise, which is the exact behaviour of papal infiltration in the Protestant churches, but more startling on a personal level, the individual is just as much in danger. 5T 216 Those who are uniting with the world are receiving the worldly mold and preparing for the mark of the beast. So every individual who does not remain very diligently faithful to that which Page 41 of 87

the original beliefs were is infiltrated, just like the churches were infiltrated. There is a molding, a modelling effect. As the papal infiltration enters into our individual life we are being molded by the world into the same papal way that took place in the past. So that observation of this happening in the apostolic church, in the reformation church and in our time, upon ourselves. Where did all that begin? Did it just pick up in the period of the apostolic church? , how far down the line has this been happening again and again? We already identified that Israel was themselves a harlot. On the same principle of molding, infiltrating, until finally the world has affected every person. The very beginning of that can be traced back to Cain, but we will go only as far as ancient Babylon. Revelation 14:8 The wording is Babylon. So in our effort to find out this infiltration, we look at Babylon that great city. In our studies so far we have identified the USA and before that Rome, but how far back do we go? Babylon. Which city affected all nations ever afterward? We go back to the very beginning, Genesis 1. What was God's way for earth's inhabitants at the very beginning when He first created. What was God's way? Genesis 1:27-28 So when God created Adam and Eve He said go and replenish the earth, spread across the planet and subdue it, have government over the entire fauna and flora of this planet. Genesis 2:7-8 is another revelation of this principle When God created, His original plan was that man should cover and govern the earth. He started him off on the right platform. He Himself provided him a garden, and as he worked in his garden, and when there was a multiplication of humanity they would extend that garden right across the planet. That was God's intention. After they sinned, His intention hadn't changed. Genesis 3:17-19 verse 23

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As you read these words you appreciate that God's intention before sin they should live in a garden and after sin, they should work hard tilling the soil, and working again on a principle of farm life. However, when man was set out of the garden, Cain is a perfect example, and afterwards others. Genesis 4:16-17 What did Cain do when he resisted God's will? Cain builded a city and called it after the name of his son, Enoch. Who was the first city builder? The one contrary to God, he was the city builder. Verses 20-22 Here was the launching out of the arts. It was launched from Cain's line. The arts and city building concept came from those who went out from the presence of the Lord. These wicked people were ultimately slain by the flood, so that wiped out that whole thing. Then after the flood, we come to Genesis 9:20-27 Noah and his three sons with their families were the only inhabitants on the planet. Something came into existence again. Noah did exactly what God intended, but there was a problem. Here was the beginning of another sad event that would colour the history of the world. Ham ridiculed and made fun of seeing his father's nakedness, and it launched out a similar class of people who had been before the flood, Cain's line. This was now Ham's line. Genesis 10:6-12 The self same repetition of those who become decoyed from God's order of things. Cush was one of the sons of Ham. What were these line of Ham doing? Building cities, and the first city built under Nimrod's care was Babel. These city builders came from the cursed line The faithful people like Noah, Shem, Japheth followed God's order and spread across the planet. The cursed settled on the plain of Shinah. The city of Egypt was the next city down on the line from where they were going and Egypt became a great city- building nation. Genesis 11:1-9 vividly describes this.

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Here was the city builder Nimrod. No doubt some of them scattered after God tore down the tower, but some remained in that city. That first city that was built, from that city the people were scattered abroad and carried with them the same influence that they had developed in the city of Babel. PP 118 For a time the descendants of Noah continued to dwell among the mountains where the ark had rested. As their numbers increased, apostasy soon led to division. Those who desired to forget their Creator and to cast off the restraint of His law felt a constant annoyance from the teaching and example of their God-fearing associates, and after a time they decided to separate from the worshipers of God. Accordingly they journeyed to the plain of Shinar, on the banks of the river Euphrates. They were attracted by the beauty of the situation and the fertility of the soil, and upon this plain they determined to make their home. In a city. Here they developed a city to prevent themselves from being scattered across the whole planet. They were just going to concentrate on that beautiful, lush plain, but God scattered them. The observation that we make here is that they desired to forget their Creator, and as the restraint of God's Word, the control of God's Word was conveyed at the hand of those who were true to God, it was a constant annoyance, and they decided to separate from the worshippers of God. These are the important genetic make up principles of how the development of papal infiltration comes about. There is a mentality of not loving the restraint of God's perfect order, so they bring in what paganism is. Nimrod was the person who launched out true paganism, with the sun god and all those things he introduced because they were not willing to submit to God's way. There was the beginning of this terrible condition which the city builders and the great city of Babylon was the launching pad. What was the motive that they built that city? PP 119 The dwellers on the plain of Shinar disbelieved God's covenant that He would not again bring a flood upon the earth. Many of them denied the existence of God and attributed the Flood to the operation of natural causes. Others believed in a Supreme Being, and that it was He who had destroyed the antediluvian world; and their hearts, like that of Cain, rose up in rebellion against Him. One object before them in the erection of the tower was to secure their own safety in case of another deluge. By carrying the structure to a much greater height than was reached by the waters of Page 44 of 87

the Flood, they thought to place themselves beyond all possibility of danger. And as they would be able to ascend to the region of the clouds, they hoped to ascertain the cause of the Flood. The whole undertaking was designed to exalt still further the pride of its projectors and to turn the minds of future generations away from God and lead them into idolatry. What was ancient Babylon built for? To turn the minds of future generations away from God. That's our study, ancient Babylon and its influence on the whole planet. She is the great city that has made all nations to do that. The very make up of the subject which is inculcated in the second angel's message. In other words, on world order, that's Babylon's mentality. That's the same mentality of the city of Rome. That Rome would be the great metropolis of the centre of the world and that kind of mentality of infiltration affected even the church. They made their headquarters in Rome and would have an influence over all the world. This kind of mentality is what we are picking up here under the second angel's message. The wording is so important She has made all nations, that great city We can trace therefore, that all great nations have been affected by this ancient city. Nimrod and his ways molded the whole world. All the details of Baal worship and all pagan worship commenced under Nimrod, even the behaviour pattern of the free-masons and their chequered floors. It will mold us if we permit our minds to be affected by the world. PP 119.2 When the tower had been partially completed, a portion of it was occupied as a dwelling place for the builders; other apartments, splendidly furnished and adorned, were devoted to their idols. The people rejoiced in their success, and praised the gods of silver and gold, and set themselves against the Ruler of heaven and earth You look at the huge buildings they build now, they actually create an entire social function within the building with sports ground in the building itself. This is exactly the same principle of defying God's principle of going out to replenish the earth. They want to do their own thing.

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PP 120-123 The Babel builders had indulged the spirit of murmuring against God. Instead of gratefully remembering His mercy to Adam and His gracious covenant with Noah, they had complained of His severity in expelling the first pair from Eden and destroying the world by a flood. But while they murmured against God as arbitrary and severe, they were accepting the rule of the cruelest of tyrants. Satan was seeking to bring contempt upon the sacrificial offerings that prefigured the death of Christ; and as the minds of the people were darkened by idolatry, he led them to counterfeit these offerings and sacrifice their own children upon the altars of their gods. As men turned away from God, the divine attributes--justice, purity, and love--were supplanted by oppression, violence, and brutality. The men of Babel had determined to establish a government that should be independent of God. As we study ancient Babylon, we see that right through that ancient city which finally became the city of Nebuchadnezzar, continued in its corruption until Belshazzar came and the prophetic details of Babylon there was to be a destruction of Babylon. The city Babylon, when God first confused the languages, means confusion; the other name which they had intended giving it was gate to heaven. This is another meaning of the word. These two meanings are very significant as we continue now PP 125 After the dispersion from Babel idolatry again became well-nigh universal, and the Lord finally left the hardened transgressors to follow their evil ways, while He chose Abraham, of the line of Shem, and made him the keeper of His law for future generations. Abraham had grown up in the midst of superstition and heathenism. Even his father's household, by whom the knowledge of God had been preserved, were yielding to the seductive influences surrounding them, and they served other gods than Jehovah. But the true faith was not to become extinct. God has ever preserved a remnant to serve Him. Adam, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, Shem, in unbroken line, had preserved from age to age the precious revealings of His will. The son of Terah became the inheritor of this holy trust. Idolatry invited him on every side, but in vain. Faithful among the faithless, uncorrupted by the prevailing apostasy, he steadfastly adhered to the worship of the one true God

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Now we come to this principle that while Babylon affected the whole world and all the nations, Abraham continued that unbroken line of unmoveable people who would not participate in this molding and declining. He left behind him a line. Abraham was the father of the faithful. Heb 11:8-10 Here we see a different kind of people. They didn't settle down on this planet, they spread and willingly so, as the Lord called them from among their relatives. And he sojourned in the land of promise and he looked for a city, a different city, a city whose builder and maker is God. All of Abraham's children follow that principle. Like Babylon follows all the way through, the faithful ones follow along in the opposite direction. Galatians 3:29 We are either of the seed of Babylon or of Abraham's seed. Those who are Christ's are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise of a different city all together. Hebrews 13:12-14 For all of those who are of the seed of Abraham, we have no continuing city here. Let us go outside the camp and bear His reproach because we seek for a city to come. This is the stamp of Abraham's seed. Like him who ws looking for a city whose builder and maker was God. We go out of the influence of the Babylonish control under the Abrahamic behaviour. Hebrews 11:14-16 Here it is, God's people seek a heavenly country. They will not return to where their ancestors have been, they have come out, just like Abraham has come out from among his ancestors and they are pilgrims and strangers on the earth as we see in verse 13. This is the characteristic of those who are not going to be part of Babylon. What city are we coming to? Hebrews 12:22 That is the Abrahamic line. Therefore, Babylon that great city, continues throughout all the time, just as Abraham and his seed continues all through history. Page 47 of 87

As we go through the history of Babylon, which was the city of Nebuchadnezzar, one of the seven wonders of the world. Recall the pride of Nimrod and the pride of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel 4:29-31 Notice the description of this pride is perfectly echoed by Nebuchadnezzar. As God spread the pride of Babylon in the time of Nimrod, he did the same thing in Nebuchadnezzar's experience and Nebuchadnezzar lost his sanity for a period of 7 years. It is this city of Babylon that was the pride of Nimrod and the pride of Nebuchadnezzar that is clearly identified in Daniel 1:1-2 Israel became captive to Babylon. That historic event has been used all through Scripture to God's people ending up in Babylon, by the same method as all through history. Jerusalem on earth is affected by Babylon, by this city as we have studied, right down from Babylon, Rome, the Israel of God became captive in Rome, and finally the Israel of God became captive in USA, in that subtle infiltrative way. We follow the curse of God upon Babylon in Isaiah 13:19-22 That's what happened to the ancient city of Babylon. Do you know that Sadam Hussein defied that? He began, for the sake of tourism, to rebuild certain parts of Babylon. Where is he now? He had to hide himself in a tunnel until the American soldiers found him all bearded and completely a shambles and finally executed. That's what happens when people do the opposite of what God says. What God said what was going to happen to Babylon is going to happen to all the Babylonish cities – Rome and USA. When you look at the prophecies the Vatican will be in a lake of fire and brimstone, so also will be the false prophet. The history of infiltration will end up in destruction and the faithful people will come through, who have been affected by Babylon will come out of there, just as Abraham was called to come out of there. The ancient city of Babylon is the precursor to all the others. Babylon (confusion) is also the gate to heaven because its behaviour and pride will be the gate to heaven in the history of the final destruction of the earth because God's people will then find their way to leave this world. It's not until Babylon has been thoroughly dealt with that it will become waste, the whole Page 48 of 87

planet will become waste, like Babylon was made waste, and God will bring it down into this waste. Then God's people will be taken out of the waste and taken into heaven. Revelation 18:8-10 verses 20-24 What a profound declaration of the Bible to encompass all these things in one declaration. The destruction of Babylon will be the gate way to heaven. This is why God's people must not become engulfed in her subtle ways. Jeremiah 4:23-30 Here is the description of the entire Babylon fall. All the cities were broken down. The description here is just what ancient Babylon was dealt with, and now all the cities of earth are dealt with in the same way. All those who are city builders and city dwellers who did not come out of that molding influence of city life would be among those who would be decimated. Not like those who would be like Abraham, different to Lot, who went to the city. There are wonderful parallels all through Scripture.

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6. ANCIENT AND CURRENT PRACTICES OF BABYLON Under the second angel's message, Babylon is always applied to the people, the church having once been faithful became corrupt, from Noah's time right through. So this message is appropriate for people in modern times as it was way back there. Ancient Babylon was the city that set the stage for all the others to follow. Rome today still affects the events of the past for the future. Ancient Babylon has affected the practices through to our history now. GC 385 ...their children, along with new converts, . . . came forward and newmodelled the cause.. To secure converts, the exalted standard of the Christian faith was lowered, and as the result a pagan flood, flowing into the church, carried with it its customs, practices, and idols Many people don't know what pagan means, they think it just means heathen, but it is actually a form of worship. This is what we are looking into. Where did paganism originate? Paganism commenced out of Noah's family after the flood. Genesis 10:6,8,10 You can see the development of paganism if you study the Ham line which lead to Nimrod Page 50 of 87

PP 118 – 119.2 For a time the descendants of Noah continued to dwell among the mountains where the ark had rested. As their numbers increased, apostasy soon led to division. Those who desired to forget their Creator and to cast off the restraint of His law felt a constant annoyance from the teaching and example of their God-fearing associates, and after a time they decided to separate from the worshipers of God. Accordingly they journeyed to the plain of Shinar, on the banks of the river Euphrates. They were attracted by the beauty of the situation and the fertility of the soil, and upon this plain they determined to make their home. Here they decided to build a city, and in it a tower of such stupendous height as should render it the wonder of the world....When the tower had been partially completed, a portion of it was occupied as a dwelling place for the builders; other apartments, splendidly furnished and adorned, were devoted to their idols. So in casting their hearts from the restraint of God they now turned their hearts to a different kind of worship. The people rejoiced in their success, and praised the gods of silver and gold, and set themselves against the Ruler of heaven and earth. So the ancient practices of Babylon came from their idolatrous worship and became the customs of this people. We now identify as we study through what we have just read here that they set themselves against the ruler of heaven and earth. Notice how that took place. The characteristic of their idolatry was that they refused to acknowledge their Creator and set their attention on natural causes so that they worshiped the things of nature instead of the Creator of nature. PP 119.1 The dwellers on the plain of Shinar disbelieved God's covenant that He would not again bring a flood upon the earth. Many of them denied the existence of God and attributed the Flood to the operation of natural causes. Others believed in a Supreme Being, and that it was He who had destroyed the antediluvian world; and their hearts, like that of Cain, rose up in rebellion against Him. So one of the important influences of their replacement worship is to worship the sources in nature that would have caused the flood. We know that the sun in its reaction with water creates rain, etc. This became their study so that they would worship nature not God, including the sun.

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Romans 1:21-25 Here it is spelt out for us. They worshiped the creature more than the Creator. There is the foundation of paganism that developed along Ham's line. As we ponder these words, the practices of ancient Babylon was because the people hated the restraint that was under God's tuition and their practices developed and finally filtered through with that same mind right through to our own time. The demonstration of the principle is put neatly in Ecclesiastes 1: 9-10 What took place after Noah is never obsolete. The practices of today, have been so in the past. It's a commonsense principle. There is a new guise but the same principles are practiced today. There is nothing new under the sun. Going back to Babylon. The originators of Babylon was Ham's line. When did the seed of corruption first arise in Ham? (that affects all pagan religion) Genesis 9:20-24 What had Ham done unto his father. The contrast told you, the others walked backwards. The detail is not depicted, but this is what the seed of paganism does, it is to do with nakedness. PP 117 Noah, speaking by divine inspiration, foretold the history of the three great races to spring from these fathers of mankind. Tracing the descendants of Ham, through the son rather than the father, he declared, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. The unnatural crime of Ham declared that filial reverence had long before been cast from his soul, and it revealed the impiety and vileness of his character. These evil characteristics were perpetuated in Canaan and his posterity, whose continued guilt called upon them the judgments of God. On the other hand, the reverence manifested by Shem and Japheth for their father, and thus for the divine statutes, promised a brighter future for their descendants. To understand paganism, you have to understand what Ham did in his irreverence and his behaviour towards his father's nakedness. Down the line, through the Scriptures we can find the people, the nations that were represented by Ham, and you can see where pagans launched from. Page 52 of 87

What nation did Ham's people make up? Psalms 105:23 Egypt was the land of Ham. Ham's line went down to the horn of Africa. Ham also went to other places as well. Ex 32:4-6 The story of paganism in the land of Ham, where they had the golden calf. They rose up early and offered offerings, sitting down to eat and drink and rose up to play. This is what they did in their worship. Feasting & playing, worshipping idols, worshipping the creature. Verses 17-19 Revelling, singing Verse 25 Naked. This is Ham's behaviour. The children of Israel picked up the practices they saw in Egypt and there they were doing them in the wilderness. 1 Corinthians 10:7 is the summary of this. This is what idolaters are. It's alright for children to play but not for adults. Adults have bigger things to think about. The other nations are depicted; Genesis 10: 15-20 The same behaviour is depicted here as well in these other nations. Canaan is also of Ham's line. God specifically speaks about the Canaanites to be driven out. What were God's people warned not to do? Leviticus 18:3 The practices of Egypt shall you not do, neither the practices of Canaan. Verse 6&7 These are the practices.

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Verse 21-23, 27 These the practices are to do with the seed of Ham that was put into them. All pagan worship and pagan playing sports is associated with nakedness. The Olympics were originally played naked. The behavioural customs and practices that were carried on there has come right down the ages to us today. Deuteronomy 22:5 shows the confusion that they were not to follow These Hematite behaviour patterns are an abomination to God. What has been in the past happens again and again. We have a warning in Philippians 3:18-19 Whose glory is in their shame, they walk contrary to the cross of Jesus Christ. Any of the practices that come from Ham's line are something to resist. 1Timothy 2:8-9 All these practices are summarised here that we are warned against. That we should be like Noah, Japheth and Shem, not Ham. That there should be modesty in apparel, apparel that covers, that nakedness should not appear. Every idol worship is always to do with festive activities. Nimrod was the one who commenced this in Babylon. Nimrod raised himself against God, and he, his wife and son became the originators of sun worship and this corrupt fertility exercise. Ishtah, the goddess of fertility (his wife) Tammuz, a god that the women wept over because he came to an early death Ezekiel 8:10-16 How has the faithful city become an harlot. Everything Nimrod commenced was carried through and Israel picked up. What was Ishtah the beginning of? Easter, the goddess of fertility. Christmas, another pagan practice, and Sunday (sun worship ). Any pagan nation you want to go to changes the name but the principles are the same . The building of the tower of Babel was to control nature, everything inside it has to do with pagan worship and has come down through history in ways that people don't even know any more. e.g. Education – the education principles of Page 54 of 87

mathematics, physics etc was picked up from Egypt, which was picked up from Babylon, the pyramids of Egypt (mathematical skills), astronomy etc based on pagan principles; university degrees can be traced back to the trained people of the past, the systematic study of these people, no time to study God. If you become a doctor, you have to make the Hippocratic oath (Hypocrites) and in the oath are pagan oaths to the gods. To get somewhere, doctors, even Seventh Day Adventists, make this oath because they have been infiltrated with the customs and practices of the world, that are based on pagan principles. The potions of medicine, to study the effect of concentrated poisons to control body functions, is the medicine of today; this is totally from the god Ekron that the king of Israel went to get his healing from. The manipulation that affects nature is always a pagan practice. Coming back to the buildings of the tower and pyramids, they were built in such a way as to fit into the magnetic grid of the planet. The study into free-masonry gives you an understanding of this. The city of Canberra was built in this way to fit into the magnetic grid of the earth. The people that are sitting in there are affected by the magnetic grid. It all comes from Nimrod. Political centralisation, is the characteristic that comes from paganism PP 119 God had directed men to disperse throughout the earth, to replenish and subdue it; but these Babel builders determined to keep their community united in one body, and to found a monarchy that should eventually embrace the whole earth. Thus their city would become the metropolis of a universal empire; its glory would command the admiration and homage of the world and render the founders illustrious. The magnificent tower, reaching to the heavens, was intended to stand as a monument of the power and wisdom of its builders, perpetuating their fame to the latest generations. Is this not the politics of the world? They want to become great and become an empire to rule the world. This is exactly what is recorded; Revelation 13:3 These monopolising powers that came from Nimrod. The mentality of the Roman empire that developed into papal Rome verse 12 These big world powers are gearing to the one world power. Each political power is coloured by Nimrod's mentality of politics Verses 16-17 Page 55 of 87

There is world governing empire mentality where everybody has to submit to this sun worshipping paganism – the Sunday Laws to do with the worship of the beast. We live in these modern times and see all these practices around us and don't realise that Nimrod's mentality is all around us. We accept these pagan practices and customs as normal when in reality they have nothing to do with the faithful Noah and his faithful people. We conclude with some scriptures here that point out to us what is relevant for us at this time, under the three angels' message. 1 John 2: 15-17 The lust of the flesh ( to do with nakedness) The lust of the eyes (what Ham did) The pride of life (what Nimrod did) Is not of the Father, but is of the world. John 17:14-16 In reference to those who are Jesus' people. We are not of the world if we are followers of Jesus Christ. We come apart from all those things we regard as normal around us. We're in it, we can't stop it, but we are not of it . We are not falling in love with these things, we are not occupying our heart's affections with these things. They are for the using, but not to be absorbed in. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 The call is to not be participants with this world. We have made this vow through our baptismal vows. The church that rejected the first angel's message is to be shunned because they have absorbed the same things as original Babylon had done. This is why we don't vote, why we don't participate in sports, the wars because we are not part of this scene. We are strangers here and we are happy to be strangers here because we are of Noah's line, not Ham's line. Hebrews 11:13 Moses was taught in the universities of Egypt, he had a great mind but he had to come out of there, and he refused to be called the son of Pharoah and chose to suffer affliction with the people of God (Verse 25) than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season. Page 56 of 87

We are to be in the world but not of the world, we are to occupy ourselves with other mental exercises. 1 Corinthians 7:31 We use this world, but not abuse it. There is nothing wrong with becoming a scientist etc so long as we don't abuse it. We can use it for the sake of living on this planet and devote myself totally to it, that is abusing it, but if I use it just as a means of income, of sustaining my interests which are of heavenly things, this is using it. Romans 12: 2 While we live in it, your mind must not be conformed. We must have a transformation by the renewing of our mind and live to prove the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, to be totally segregated in heart and mind. To put that into practice, it is the heart and mind being absorbed in the kingdom of heaven and occupying the planet until He comes. Seeing the idols of the world, but not being attracted to them; it does not become part of your mind. This is the material that the three angels' messages deal with, that we become out from the world. While God's people are in the world, like Israel of old, their hearts were with the Lord, but they had to be there because they were in captivity there. He says: If you've been coloured by some of these things, come out because I'm going to take you into captivity. Revelation 18:1-4 God will do what He did with Babylon, destroy it. As God is about to do that again, He is at work through the three angels' messages to identify clearly, like we are doing in these studies, exactly what is wrong and what is right. He summarises, every nation has got it now, they are all absorbed with this same mentality of Nimrod, they have wrapped themselves up with paganism mixed with Christianity and money is being made out of it. As that is made abundantly clear to those who are studying, there is a loud and clear message from heaven under the Holy Spirit saying Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

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7. SUNDAY LAWS Here we are just addressing how Sunday has come into existence as a day of worship in ancient Babylon and thereafter and how the Babylonish churches have developed a strong stand that they would make laws in reference to Sunday. Then in the third angel's message we will see how those Sunday laws will be enacted. Revelation 13:10-13 Apostate Protestantism under the imagery of the beast, that beast that was identified as USA. The beast that was killing and captivating, it itself received a fatal wound and at the time when the papacy was receiving its attacks under Napolean in 1798, this other beast coming up out of the earth was America. The USA in its religious character would eventually be responsible to affect the world so the people would return their respect towards the first beast (the papacy). By the power of its technological wonders, USA had power (verse 15) Enforcing its powers with the government and the religious powers together, the government enforcing the religious powers as the papacy did, USA will do the same. Revelation 13:2-4 We have another reference to the papacy. Do you notice, the image of the beast which made all the world worship the previous beast is connected with the previous beast, and in turn with the dragon, which was pagan religion. They worshiped the dragon, which gave power unto the beast. Now this helps us to understand what we have been studying. We went right back to Babylon in Nimrod's time, and there was the dragon, Page 58 of 87

paganism. Paganism gave power to Rome, and Rome in turn affected the USA and USA returned the compliments back to the papacy again. It is all neatly connected here. Babylon does encompass the entire spectrum from Nimrod's time through to the beast, through to the image of the beast and that other beast of USA. And that is what the judgment reveals in Revelation 17:5 A very comprehensive declaration of the mother and all her daughters. This is what history reveals , Babylon the great, the mother of harlots. It starts at Nimrod's time, through to Rome, through to USA. The picture that we are looking at when we come to the subject of Sunday Laws, we observe with what we were reading there in Revelation chapter 13 in verse 16 about USA was that he causes all to receive a mark. Verse 17 This is the mark of the beast, this law that he causes everyone to receive the mark of the authority of the beast - ancient practices and modern practices. Sunday was the day of the veneration of the sun. Part of Nimrod's worship was to do with Mithra – the worshippers held Sunday sacred and celebrated the birth of the sun on the 25 December. Our observance of Sunday as the Lord's day is derived from Mithraism, the argument that has sometimes used that Sunday was chosen because of the resurrection on that day is not well supported. As a solar festival, Sunday was the sacred day of Mithra, since Mithra was addressed as Dominus (which means Lord), Sunday must have been the Lord's day, long before Christian times. Constantine, speaking of Sunday, says On the venerrable day of the sun let magistrates and people residing in cities rest and let all workshops be closed So there is an ancient Sunday law. These things are often overlooked. It is historically related to ancient Babylon's worship. As sun worship has been passed on to all pagan religions, in the time of Israel, Baal was another name for the sun god. Elijah had something to do with this worship in Israel. He was in conflict with Jezebel. Jezebel ws a sun worshipper and identified by Jesus Christ as the papal church.

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Revelation 2:20 The period of Thyatira, which was the period in which the papal church had dominance, the 1260 years. There He speaks of her as Jezebel. To all Christians in this time the Elijah message is relevant. We see the connection between sun worship and the Elijah message, and God's message for these last days in, Malachi 4::5 today with papal sun worship Elijah who raised his voice against the prophets of Baal would again be raised up as the spirit of Elijah to cause the people to make a decision to worship Baal or God. 1 Kings 18:21 Jezebel was the queen married to Ahab at this time. The people were intermingling the worship of God and the worship of Baal. Is that not what we have been studying all the way through with the worship of the beast and his image? That Christianity (Babylon) is worshipping God in conjunction with Baal, which is to do with sun worship which is to do with Sunday, the veneration of the sun. The ire of Jezebel against Elijah is what is going to be met in the last days under the three angels' messages. 1 Kings 19:1&2 Ahab goes back to Jezebel, then Jezebel sent a message to Elijah. This is the ire of Jezebel. That is the parallel to Revelation 13:15-16 that the people of God that do not submit would be killed. The call of Elijah to God's people Which will you worship, Baal (sun) or the Creator and His day? Revelation 14:9-10 This is the issue of the Elijah message for the last days. Elijah carried out the wrath of God against the Baal worshippers. Here is the same message, there will be destruction of Baal worshippers, those who worship the beast and the image of the beast and receive the mark. That is the Elijah message and the Elijah action. Revelation 15:2 The faithful people have done what Elijah has done, not worshipped Baal. The message is make a choice, make a decision. Those that make that decision are being fought against, just as Jezebel fought against Elijah and wanted to kill Page 60 of 87

him. He escaped, and so will God's people in these very last moments. Is the mark of the beast related to Baal worship? Baal worship was sun worship. The woman, Jezebel, Rome, has a mark of authority. So we are looking at a mark that is the authority of Babylon. From the Converts Catechism of Catholic Doctrine 1951 page 50 What is the 3rd commandment (the biblical 4th)? Keep holy the Sabbath day Which is the Sabbath day? Saturday is the Sabbath day Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday? We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday How prove you that the church has power to command feasts and holy days? By the very act of changing the Sabbath to Sunday that Protestants allow of and therefore they fondly contradict themselves by allowing and keeping most other feasts commanded by the same church:. We see vividly that the Catholic Church has gained its identification and mark of authority by changing the Sabbath to the Sunday which they acknowledge has nothing to do with the Bible declaration. Catholic Extension magazine under Pope Pious 12th ...the Protestants who accept the Bible as the only rule of faith and religion should by all means go back to the observance of the Sabbath. The fact that they do not , but on the contrary, observe Sunday, disqualifies them in the eyes of every thinking man. We Catholics do not accept the Bible as the only rule of faith, besides the Bible we have the living church, the authority of the church as a rule to guide us. We say... this church has the right to change the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament, and hence, we accept her change from Saturday to Sunday. We frankly say, Yes, the church made this change, made this law, as she made many other laws, for instance, the Friday observance, the abstinence of the priesthood, mixed marriages, the regulation of Catholic marriages and a thousand other laws. We also say, that of all Protestants, the Seventh Day Adventists are the only group that reason correctly and are consistent with their Page 61 of 87

teachings. It is always somewhat laughable to see the Protestant churches in legislature demanding the observance of Sunday of which there is nothing in the Bible We see then the Catholic church is open about having authority to change the law, but it's not biblical authority. Church legislation is regarded as rebellion if you don't obey it. If the Bible doesn't say it, Protestantism doesn't believe it, and Catholicism is now picking up on the mark of the beast by keeping Sunday. Sunday is that mark of authority. Therefore we derive the understanding that Sunday is the mark of the beast. As the Sabbath is the identification is God's authority, the mark of the change of that, is the mark of the authority of the beast. When that command is given they will cause everyone to receive a mark in their forehead or hand, it will be applied in the same way as it has been applied all the way through. The nations under the dragon, the beast and Protestantism are brought to submit to the lifestyles that lead to that. That is what is so subtle . People think they can wait til the time when a law is made, not realising that the way it has been done is under this subtle procedure of lifestyle acceptance. The ancient practices being adopted today, you think that it is quite all right to do all those things, like Christmas, Easter, the practices of the pagan aspects of Egyptian mythology, sciences and universities are all acceptable, so people are conditioned to go along with those things. This lifestyle causes us to become attached. We read this principle in GC 608.2 As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel's message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren. When Sabbathkeepers are brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent and accuse them, and by false reports and insinuations to stir up the rulers against them.

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So apostate Protestantism will slip right into the ranks of Sabbath keepers. How does that happen? By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit. By gradual creeping compromise, they partake of its spirit and view matters in nearly the same light as all the others around them. Then when the final test is brought its easy to change as well. 5T 216 It is now that we must overcome pride, passion, and spiritual slothfulness. It is now that we must awake and make determined effort for symmetry of character. Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. We are in a most trying position, waiting, watching for our Lord's appearing. The world is in darkness. But ye, brethren, says Paul, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. It is ever God's purpose to bring light out of darkness, joy out of sorrow, and rest out of weariness for the waiting, longing soul. What are you doing, brethren, in the great work of preparation? Those who are uniting with the world are receiving the worldly mold and preparing for the mark of the beast. If we receive the worldly mold when the mark of the beast (Sunday Law) is caused to be put into place they will naturally fall into place because they have been molded beforehand. Sunday Laws have to do with lifestyle conditioning. It's a cause to effect concept. 5T 213 brought into the time of trouble such as never was. Not all who profess to keep the Sabbath will be sealed. There are many even among those who teach the truth to others who will not receive the seal of God in their foreheads. They had the light of truth, they knew their Master's will, they understood every point of our faith, but they had not corresponding works.... By their lack of devotion and piety, and their failure to reach a high religious standard, they make other souls contented with their position. If we don't receive the seal of God we will receive the mark of the beast. We are to be preparing to not be affected by the Sunday developments, by the conditionings that has been seen over the period of history. Sunday was brought in as a feast day and Sabbath was a fast day, of misery. This kind of method has subtly been enacted on the people since the first, second, and third angels' messages.

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8. SPIRITUALISM The second angel's message in Revelation 14:8 leaves you to puzzle where does spiritualism come into this. If you recall our past studies, where it says Babylon is fallen it particularly pertains to USA, apostate protestantism. We saw how that is fed by Roman Catholicism and how Roman Catholicism was fed by pagan Rome and that was fed by Babylon, way back in Nimrod's time. The ingredient of paganism is what fed and supported and sustained the Babylons thereafter. Paganism infiltrated. Revelation 12:3, 7-9, 12 we identify paganism. The ingredient of paganism, as we studied in our last study, that great red dragon represented pagan Rome with its seven heads, seven forms of government in Rome and the 10 horns which were the 10 barbaric tribes that Rome ruled over , that was all the pagan Roman empire, but you notice that this is synchronised with Satan himself. So paganism is synchronised with Satan, as was mentioned there the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan (verse 9). The whole world is going to be jeopardised, in verse 12, it is woe to every human being that is dwelling on the planet because Satan, the dragon is come down having great wrath, he knows he's got a short time. You can see right through history to our time, Satan, the dragon, Satanism, is Page 64 of 87

rampant through paganism infiltrating into the early Christian church, developing into the beast, that is the papacy, developing into apostate Protestantism. So spiritualism in the time of the second angel is identifiable, because spiritualism is Satan worship. Revelation 16:13-14 leaves you without any shadow of doubt that , Babylon, apostate Protestantism, Roman Babylon and pagan Babylon are three elements with spiritualism intact.   

Paganism Roman Catholicism Apostate Protestantism (the false prophet)

What this is is spiritualism. Three unclean spirits like frogs. Pagan worship involved frogs in Egypt that is why there was a plague of frogs in Egypt, because that is what they were worshipping. What is the foundation of spiritualism? Genesis 3:4-5 Here is the serpent beguiling Eve, and what is the underlying principle behind true spiritualism? The word of God was that if they ate of the tree they shall surely die. Spiritualism has an underlying foundation which is that you will never die. That your life goes on living that was the lie that Satan proclaimed. That deception has to do with the very kernel that runs right through spiritualism all the spiritualistic religions have it. You go on living e.g. in the Catholic Church you either go to heaven or hell. Every pagan influence has to do with life going on after death. Isaiah 8:19 It's a bit of a twist around for the living to the dead that’s the way it should read, they have put the other in between. You go to the dead for the living, the dead will speak to you to communicate to the living. That is total witchcraft that is spiritualism. We see the connection with this with Babylon. Numbers 25:1-3

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They joined themselves unto Baalpeor and called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods. Psalm 106:28 The psalmist qualifies what that meant. So the gods in the worship of paganism was worshipping the dead. If you go back to Nimrod, when his wife died, she was the queen of heaven, they were worshipping the goddess, the sun god Mithrah. That was worshipping the dead. Here the psalmist says ate the sacrifices of the dead. The Bible connects this for us, and this was the very message, the very activity of the witch of Endor, where Saul went to the witch of Endor and she supposedly raised Samuel to tell him his future. So Saul went to the dead for the living and that was witchcraft that was spiritualism. The subject of immortality of the soul is the subject of spiritualism. Deuteronomy 18:10-11 This is the very thing God taught His people to shun entirely. The word necromancer (necrosis means dead) is someone who refers to the dead. GC 551-552 The doctrine of man's consciousness in death, especially the belief that spirits of the dead return to minister to the living, has prepared the way for modern spiritualism. If the dead are admitted to the presence of God and holy angels, and privileged with knowledge far exceeding what they before possessed, why should they not return to the earth to enlighten and instruct the living? If, as taught by popular theologians, spirits of the dead are hovering about their friends on earth, why should they not be permitted to communicate with them, to warn them against evil, or to comfort them in sorrow? How can those who believe in man's consciousness in death reject what comes to them as divine light communicated by glorified spirits? Here is a channel regarded as sacred, through which Satan works for the accomplishment of his purposes. The fallen angels who do his bidding appear as messengers from the spirit world. While professing to bring the living into communication with the dead, the prince of evil exercises his bewitching influence upon their minds. There is a clear appreciation of spiritualism which has to do with the doctrine that when you die your spirit goes on living.

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GC 553.1 Many endeavor to account for spiritual manifestations by attributing them wholly to fraud and sleight of hand on the part of the medium. But while it is true that the results of trickery have often been palmed off as genuine manifestations, there have been, also, marked exhibitions of supernatural power. The mysterious rapping with which modern spiritualism began was not the result of human trickery or cunning, but was the direct work of evil angels, who thus introduced one of the most successful of soul-destroying delusions. Many will be ensnared through the belief that spiritualism is a merely human imposture; when brought face to face with manifestations which they cannot but regard as supernatural, they will be deceived, and will be led to accept them as the great power of God. Here is the appreciation that within the churches of apostate Protestantism, you can see that spiritualism is a very real possibility to fall directly into spiritualism. So Babylon is fallen in the second angel's message, being protestant America, is connected with spiritualism. Revelation 13:2 and 11-13 This is the papal beast. Who gave him his power, authority and seat? Paganism or the dragon (spiritualism). Spiritualism was behind the rise of the papacy. That's what we saw when we read Revelation 16, the three unclean spirits, out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are the spirits of devils, spiritualism. As we think about this, how can beautiful Protestant Christians fall for that spiritualism? Recall our studies that the first angel's message came to them, and the second angel's message came as a consequence that they rejected the first angel's message. When people reject the truth, what can happen to them? If they already have the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, what can happen to them if they reject the truth? 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 What was the wording that we read in the beginning, how the dragon came down and woe to the inhabitants of the earth or he will deceive. The people who reject the first angel's message are protestant Americans with the doctrine that they were faulty in. When they rejected the message, they had Page 67 of 87

no love for the truth, they had no yearning to submit to this powerful manifestation of scriptural truth, so they rejected it and God sent them a strong delusion that they should believe a lie. How would He do that? 2Cor 11:13-15 This is a very vivid and important scripture, by which we can identify that the apostles of Christ who reject the message of the first angel will be infiltrated by deceitful workers who transform themselves into ministers of Christ. So God will send them strong delusions. The people who reject this message will be affected by these so-called apostles of Christ and Satan himself transforming himself into an angel of light. So in these beautiful Protestant churches who have received the message of the first angel and rejected it, and have no love for the truth, these apostles of Satan become apostles of Jesus Christ with a twist, and he sends them strong delusions. How do they do it? 1 Timothy 4:1 How can you seduce a Christian? Wouldn't that mean that you would come with some of the Christians most wonderful hallowed meditations and put a twist on it? They are so attractive, whether it is Christian music, so seductive, just a twist. Whether it is the doctrine of going to heaven and enjoying heaven – there are many seductive programs that these beings use. So observe again from Great Controversy how this seduction takes place. GC 557 – 558 It is true that spiritualism is now changing its form and, veiling some of its more objectionable features, is assuming a Christian guise. But its utterances from the platform and the press have been before the public for many years, and in these its real character stands revealed. These teachings cannot be denied or hidden. Even in its present form, so far from being more worthy of toleration than formerly, it is really a more dangerous, because a more subtle, deception. While it formerly denounced Christ and the Bible, it now professes to accept both. But the Bible is interpreted in a manner that is pleasing to the unrenewed heart, while its solemn and vital truths are made of no effect. Love is dwelt upon as the chief attribute of God, but it is degraded to a weak sentimentalism, making little distinction between good and evil. God's justice, His denunciations of sin, the requirements of His holy law, are all kept out of sight. The people are taught to regard the Decalogue as a dead letter. Pleasing, bewitching fables captivate the senses and lead men to reject the Bible as the foundation of their faith. Christ is as verily denied as before; but Satan has so blinded the Page 68 of 87

eyes of the people that the deception is not discerned. That's frightening. Why should we be afraid of that? Only if we reject truth. If we don't love the truth, then God will send us strong delusions. What will we behold in spiritualism in modern times? GC 588.1 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 hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience. So spiritualism is particularly the area in which Protestants will reach their hands to. If you go through all the Pentecostal religions with their tongue speaking, there it is. When you study tongue speaking you just need to go to the ancient pagans. We just read it there in Isaiah wizards that peep and mutter. What then does this mean in reference to the messages of the three angels? The protestants reaching their hand across the abyss to both spiritualism and Rome. 5T 451 By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. Here we have a vivid description by which you can see precisely where it becomes a reality of the Protestants stretching their hand to clasp hands with spiritualism, we know that the end is near, and that's what the three angels' messages are announcing. You can see that spiritualism has everything to do with the second angel's message. This causes us to introduce our next study as a spiritualistic movement takes shape. Page 69 of 87

GC 588 – 589.1 Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement For the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium. Through spiritualism, Satan appears as a benefactor of the race, healing the diseases of the people, and professing to present a new and more exalted system of religious faith; What is this movement? It's called the New Age Movement, and that is what we will study next.

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9. THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT As we recall our last study was spiritualism as it was addressed in the second angel's message. Ancient Babylon fell into spiritualism and so the USA, apostate Protestantism, by rejecting the first angel's message commenced a path that ultimately they would embrace spiritualism. 5T 451 When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near This concept of what happened back there in 1844 when the first angel's message was rejected, which prompted the preaching of the second angel's message, that Babylon is fallen, here with what we were just reading, by the fact that they rejected it, they were now poised to reach their hand across to the papacy, because they were already being used from that time onwards to restore the fatal wound of the papacy. Now we are looking at the deterioration from that point on and we look at the prophetic picture and see how realistically, this has actually been happening in front of our very eyes. We can recognise that papal protestant amalgamation is taking place. Several years ago even the reformed churches like Lutheranism was playing handies with the Catholic Church. These amalgamation of protestant churches with papal, they're reaching their hands across to each other. Page 71 of 87

Spiritualism that takes place until finally it comes to its fruition. Revelation 18:2-3 the second angel's message is re-iterated here, but goes much deeper. Notice it says has become. It was fallen under the second angel, but now it Has become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Looking at that picture, back in 1844, spiritualism had not so entirely taken hold in the fall, but as the fall continues to our day, we can see its development. GC 390 Notwithstanding the spiritual darkness and alienation from God that exist in the churches which constitute Babylon, the great body of Christ's true followers are still to be found in their communion. There are many of these who have never seen the special truths for this time. Not a few are dissatisfied with their present condition and are longing for clearer light. They look in vain for the image of Christ in the churches with which they are connected. As these bodies depart further and further from the truth, and ally themselves more closely with the world, the difference between the two classes will widen, and it will finally result in separation. This was written just before the turn of the century. At that time there was alienation from God, that's why it was called Babylon is fallen. Separation, until we come to a point when the churches are all amalgamating together, papal and Protestantism until spiritualism actually comes into play vividly among them. At this time we have;  

Babylon (Rome) with its system Babylon (USA Protestantism) with its system

With modern spiritualism lacing both these systems. What else do we have? Spiritualism now comes with its own system GC 588-589 The line of distinction between professed Christians and the ungodly is now hardly distinguishable. Church members love what the world loves and are ready to join with them, and Satan determines to unite them in one body and thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into the ranks of spiritualism. Papists, who boast of miracles as a certain sign of the true church, will be readily deceived by this wonder-working power; and Protestants, having cast away the shield of truth, will also be deluded. Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness Page 72 of 87

without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium. Through spiritualism, Satan appears as a benefactor of the race, healing the diseases of the people, and professing to present a new and more exalted system of religious faith; I don't know if you have been following this but, the system of the papacy and the system of Protestantism, the old form, is changed into a new modern form, even the Catholic church has to change its face from what it used to be to continue to keep the people happy. We hear of laws where Mary has magical powers, this is pure spiritualism and you have all the Protestant churches that have now gone into the revival kind of churches, with pentecostal elements of miracles and speaking in tongues and they all claim that this is Christianity, and yet it's spiritualism as well. As spiritualism is lacing them, the other worldly people are embracing pagan experiences where you study today how the Eastern religions are coming over into the West and this is all penetrating the mentalities of people. So Christians and the worldlings are experiencing a wonderful rapport. Their music, and enjoyments of spiritual manifestations is all harmonising more and more. As we read: Papists, Protestants and worldlings alike accept a form of godliness without the power and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long expected millennium. A movement, what's this? A new system, a more exalted system than the old systems of religion. The Protestants have changed to Catholicism, and Catholics and Protestants are now changing too into this new more exalted system of religious faith. What is the name of this new exalted system, this movement? Have you heard of the New Age Movement. This is the Post-Christian era. Have you heard that? And we now have a more exalted religion, it's post-Christian. While other systems of worship continue as traditions from the past, but only a form, this new one runs along as a separate movement but it includes in it its adherents, people from these other religious denominations. They have all become one, wonderful system. When you follow the story of the ecumenical movement, they have the ecumenical meetings, they have the Aborigines presenting their worship at the ecumenical movement, and the different pagan nations representing their religious exercise and they embrace it. When children go to school they are learning other religions and becoming aware of them all. Everyone is brought into this wonderful system of new religion. Sweeping into the Western world is this movement and the Eastern religion is part and parcel Page 73 of 87

of this New Age Movement. The New Age Movement has all the hallmarks of Eastern religion. Rome, Catholicism, as usual, embraces all who wish to continue in their native forms of worship. As we look at this happening in front of us, we are thrilled to read in Great Controversy that that is the development, its a prophetic picture. New Age Movement: What does it mean? It's a new age. Is there anything new in the world? Is there really anything new in the world? Ecclesiastes 1: 9-11 It makes the New Age Movement a laughable thing. Why is this called the New Age Movement? Because people have forgotten what has gone on before. Verse 11 is very interesting. All it is, is the same as what has been in the past. It is only a repetition of the past, just that people have forgotten what the past was really like. How quickly they forget, they can't see that what they are doing now is the same. As we relate to these three angels' messages, these three angels' messages will illuminate to us that this is nothing new. The Post-Christian Era and yet they still worship. 2 Peter 3:3-6 They are willingly ignorant. Every pagan nation has in its records a world deluge, even the Aborigines. So they are willingly ignorant of that. Being willingly ignorant they scoff at the Biblical religion, in their willing ignorance, what are they doing that was the same as what they did before the flood and what they did straight after the flood? Romans 1: 18-25 This is the scenario of those who are willingly ignorant and who embrace the mentality of the past. They worshipped the creature more than the Creator, they knew better, they still worshipped, but they don't take hold of the pure Word of God any more. They profess themselves to be wise, but they are actually becoming fools. What is this process coming to? Verse 28 Page 74 of 87

Reprobate means apostate. They don't want God or Jesus' words, but they still want to worship. That was just like Cain, he worshipped but in his own way. Cain's line developed a New Age Movement., What did they do? They built cities, and what else? Genesis 4: 16, 19-22 Marriage was brought down, isn't that is what happens today? Using music and the arts to create out of metal, different images. See the Dark Ages with all the structures they created. These were the kind of people who came from Jabal and Tubalcain. Genesis 6:1-3 and 5 Here you have Cain's children with their capabilities and the children of God marrying together with them. This is what you have today, the Christians cohabituating with those who want to take God out of their mind and replace it with gods of their own imaginations to function together, just like we had before the flood; there is nothing new under the sun. As we saw in Genesis 4:21, the line of Cain who walked out from the presence of the Lord, music was a characteristic. Let's have a look at this first in relation to the New Age Movement and observe very closely the way that spiritualism working through these other Christian churches carries the same hallmark of worship in regard to music as the people of Cain's line. When Nebuchadnezzar built that gold image, what did they do when music played? Who is the originator of corrupted music? Ezekiel 28:13-14 What did Lucifer have inside of him? Pipes and tabrets, the same as Jubal used to develop a worship of their own in Cain's line? What does that music do when they are used outside of God's order of things? Daniel 3:7 Why music? Why didn't he just say when we call out to you then you are to fall down and worship? Lucifer is very capable with the art of music, which he uses to cause people to fall down and worship. There's nothing wrong with music, it's when Satan perverts it and it has to do with a different way from the true oldfashioned way of the worship of heaven. Page 75 of 87

We read it here in PP 594.2 Music was made to serve a holy purpose, to lift the thoughts to that which is pure, noble, and elevating, and to awaken in the soul devotion and gratitude to God. What a contrast between the ancient custom and the uses to which music is now too often devoted! How many employ this gift to exalt self, instead of using it to Glorify God! A love for music leads the unwary to unite with world lovers in pleasure gatherings where God has forbidden His children to go. Thus that which is a great blessing when rightly used, becomes one of the most successful agencies by which Satan allures the mind from duty and from the contemplation of eternal things. Music has an effect on the emotions and sentiments of people, and music that is sacred that comes from God effects the emotions and sentiments of people towards God. Cain and Jubal were worshipping themselves and created music that would thrill themselves for themselves. When King Nebuchadnezzar put up that image, the music that was played was of that line. The music of worldly dance music, etc that is created by the people of the world is taken into the music of religious worship in the New Age Movement. When you study carefully into the ways that pagans and ungodly worldly people use music, you discover they use it to mass-mesmerise the people. The Hitler youth were mesmerised by Hitler. He developed schools where the youth were surrounded with Wagoner's music. Wagoner was a spiritualist and he created good classical music with a twist, he mingled it together, just like Lucifer did. Wagoner was the music that Hitler especially used and he used it to mesmerise the Hitler youth to follow him. When you see modern Christianity playing with the drums in their churches, with music that sounds exactly the same as music in the pagan world, you have to realise what's going on. This is one of the things that I saw creeping into the Seventh Day Adventist Church when I was a youth. The New Age Movement uses music just like that. First of all they make everybody happy and dancing, then stirred up into excitement and their emotional life is highly strung, and they are about to fall over from excitement, the music changes to a swooning music and then they all fall on the ground. That's what they are doing in the New Age Movement. This is what happens in the Pentecostal Movement. Just place a Guru in front of the people's mind, just like Hitler was, someone who is an icon in the minds of the people and surround them with music, and they will flock. That's what you see in the papacy, in the TV evangelists. They make the people swoon around them, and then with the people in this condition, Page 76 of 87

Satan will come and impersonate himself. Everyone is conditioned for it. Papists, Protestants and worldlings, he's got it all sown up. What we have been reading in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy is true, they have accumulated over a period of time, so that now the Church, Babylon has people in it that are true Christians and the terrible things that are happening are causing them to separate more and more. Right now the Anglican Church is in a splitting experience because those that are still standing on basic spiritual things cannot tolerate the homosexuality of some of the priests, and they can't stay together any more. What is written for God's people for such a time as this; GC 590 the people who are faithful will be called out under the Revelation 18 angel. Isaiah 52: 7-12 Here are God's people who are identifiable in the last days, God's faithful people who have been separated more and more within their churches will respond. There has to be a united voice, when those who see eye to eye will sing together, they will sing the same message together. Verse 11 How fitting these words are in such a time as the churches of the world are mingling together, as spiritualism is permeating through every company and preparing them for this great millennium that we are entering into where they are expecting everything to come together, just at that time, God's people are being gathered and the call is, the Lord is bringing in Zion, the call is depart ye, depart ye Revelation 18, get out of there, touch no unclean thing. Get out from among them, be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. In the teachings of the three angels' message, this is what it says here in verse 12. We are able to get out without haste. This has been the message from 1844 until now. As we can see what is going on, being God's faithful people, some have already come out and others will come out, because they can see if they open their minds to the three angels' messages. They will recognise the voice of those who are singing together.

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10 REFORMATION WITHIN THE CHURCH This is the final study on the second angel's message. As we have been studying the second angel's message, we have focused on Babylon because that was what the message was. Babylon is fallen, the harlot, the woman (church) that became corrupt. And rejected the first angel's message that was trying to restore her, that was the church of Sardis. As we studied into the Babylonish title, we also beheld that  Rome, being the mother of harlots  Protestants being the daughters  USA being the apostate protestant nation  The dragon being paganism. We looked into the New Age Movement of today which is a mingling of paganism with all these other ingredients, so that we have a new movement of enlightenment that the people call it. Ever since the three angels' message has been proclaimed, we have been living since 1844 in an atmosphere that we must be careful we are not going to be coloured by. It is an atmosphere in which we must proclaim the three angels' messages, because of that atmosphere. We recall when we studied the first angel's message that we looked into the subject of who the angels are. 2SM 387 The angels are represented as flying in the midst of heaven, proclaiming to the world a message of warning, and having a direct bearing upon the people living in the last days of this earth's history. No one hears the voice of these angels, for they are a symbol to represent the people of God who are working in harmony with the universe of heaven. Men and women, enlightened by the Spirit of God and sanctified through the truth, proclaim Page 78 of 87

the three messages in their order. So the people of God who live in the last days, in this atmosphere, are working in harmony with the universe of heaven and are proclaiming this warning ever since 1833 when the first angel's message started. Everything we have studied in regards to the atmosphere of paganism, apostate Protestantism, Catholicism, the New Age spiritualism, this is why the three angels' messages are given, and they are given as the symbols of angels they are the people of God working in harmony with the universe of heaven. That faithful city became a harlot, is it possible that ever since 1844, the people of God who are also identified as faithful since 1844, could follow in the same footsteps as the previous people who were faithful once? Is that possible? This is the purpose of our study now under the second angel, the announcement of Babylon being fallen, that that could also include over this whole period of time, some who are claiming to be God's people and are fallen. 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 The very message that we studied under the first angel's message, that God calls us to be separate, here in verse 16, what agreement has the temple of God with idols? Now we can see how very important it is as we are living under the atmosphere of idolatry, paganism and apostate Protestantism, we are called upon to withdraw ourselves from that Come out from among them. We are to be the temple of God, God's church, so there is a very strong call to be totally distinct from that atmosphere around us. Reading from a quote that enlarges this principle. TMK 305 Christians are to stand out distinct from the world as God's standard bearers, showing in their lives the influence of the transforming grace of Christ. Christians are to stand out as distinct from the world, totally identified as different. page 308 The Scriptures furnish abundant evidence that it is safer to be joined to the Lord and lose the favor and friendship of the world, than to look to the Page 79 of 87

world for favor and support and forget our dependence upon God. The Lord Himself has established a separating wall between the things of the world and the things which He has chosen out of the world and sanctified to Himself. The world will not acknowledge this distinction. . . . But God has made this separation, and He will have it exist. In both the Old and the New Testaments the Lord has positively enjoined upon His people to be distinct from the world, in spirit, in pursuits, in practice; to be a holy nation, a peculiar people, that they may show forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. The east is not farther from the west than are the children of light, in customs, practices, and spirit, from the children of darkness. This distinction will be more marked, more decided, as we near the close of time. These three angels' messages are identifying the world and these worldly churches as one conglomerate that they will have no part in. It is God who has put it that way. In the Old Testament when they failed to live differently they became a harlot and in the three angels' messages that harlotry is identified and brought forth into our understanding. Those people who are preaching this message mustn't just preach it they must also be living it, working in harmony with the universe. So those making up the three angels' messages are of the calibre we have just been reading there and they live under terrible times. To be able to do that is very hard, as we just read there that this distinction will be more marked, more decided as we near the close the time. As we are living in a time that has been described in these studies, we are to be more marked and distinct. The church of God must be like that, if it isn't there must be something wrong. The warning that Jesus gives for this time is written in Matthew 24:11-14 The very things we have been studying about, Jesus gives us warning that there will be false prophets (apostate Protestantism in Revelation is termed the false prophet). As we live in this time iniquity is so abounding that God's love that is in the hearts of God's people is very strongly affected to grow cold. So these three angels' people are in danger, they need to endure unto the end. They will preach the everlasting gospel to all nations and then the end shall come. Here is the grand finale ever since the three angels' messages were introduced, and that was some time ago. TMK 307.5 As we near the close of time, the current of evil will set more and more decidedly toward perdition. We can be safe only as we hold firmly to the Page 80 of 87

hand of Jesus, constantly looking to the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is our mighty Helper. As we read all these things, can you appreciate that this is what we are under? We need to understand the terrible inroads that everything is making around us today. We can only be safe by holding firmly to the hand of Jesus, constantly looking to the Author and Finisher of our faith, who is our mighty Helper. In other words, we can't just be mediocre Christians, we are going to slip and grow cold, we need to be diligent. This danger in which we are living, Jesus then clarifies in Matthew 24:37 and 42-44 In such a time as this the three angels' message people who are announcing the final warning to the world, look at what Jesus says about them Verses 45-47 So at such a time as his the three angels' messages have to be claimed in all their power and this is the meat in due season and at that time when people will be in danger of missing out, there is a faithful ministry that gives this BUT Verse 48 There is an evil servant who begins to smite his fellow servant. Who are they? He begins to play around with the customs and practices of the world. Here is Jesus identifying another company within the time of the three angels' messages. This is not the fallen church this is the company proclaiming the three angels' messages. He shows in his heart by eating and drinking with the drunken that he says in his heart My Lord delayeth His coming. He is not distinct from the world in such a time as this. There are two classes of three angels' message preachers. Revelation 3:14-21 Here are the people of the judgment. Here is the angel (the ministers) of Laodicea. He is talking to the preachers in this period since the first angel's message commenced. He is talking to the servant who will smite his fellow servant, he is talking to the people (preachers) who are eating and drinking with the drunken and don't know it, they are not distinct. Then there is the other class. The servant that lets Jesus in and gives meat in due Page 81 of 87

season because Jesus is in him, he is the temple of Jesus Christ. The period of the three angels includes the church of the message itself, a reformation from worldliness in the church. The people giving the message of the three angels need the message for themselves as well. When did the angel of Laodicea contract this worldliness that calls for this reformation? EW 239 A spirit of solemn and earnest prayer was everywhere felt by the saints. A holy solemnity was resting upon them. Angels were watching with the deepest interest the effect of the message, and were elevating those who received it, and drawing them from earthly things to obtain large supplies from salvation's fountain. God's people were then accepted of Him. Jesus looked upon them with pleasure, for His image was reflected in them. They had made a full sacrifice, an entire consecration, and expected to be changed to immortality That was under the first and second angels' messages, they were prepared to go to be with the LORD and we know they were disappointed. That was the wonderful condition they were in, they were a faithful church. Then we come to this statement in 1852 this is relevant: EW 107 As I have of late looked around to find the humble followers of the meek and lowly Jesus, my mind has been much exercised. Many who profess to be looking for the speedy coming of Christ are becoming conformed to this world and seek more earnestly the applause of those around them than the approbation of God. They are cold and formal, like the nominal churches from which they but a short time since separated. The words addressed to the Laodicean church describe their present condition perfectly. The message of reformation within the church was already relevant in 1852. The very people who were professing the three angels' message were being conformed to the world they were being affected by apostate Protestantism by Babylon. As that was affecting them the message came to them in 1852. This worldliness developed to such a point that around 1888 the LORD inspired EG White to write this: 1902 God calls for a spiritual revival and a spiritual reformation. Unless this takes place those who are lukewarm will continue to grow more abhorrent Page 82 of 87

to the Lord until He will refuse to acknowledge them as His children. Christ our Righteousness compiled by AG Daniels page 121 Here are the three angels' messages. The people proclaiming them are addressed here. A revival and a reformation must take place under the ministration of the Holy Spirit. Here is the very subject we are studying it is called for in 1902 What is revival and reformation? Revival calls for a renewal of spiritual life, a quickening of the powers of mind and heart, a resurrection from spiritual death. Reformation signifies a re-organisation, a change of ideas and theories, habits and practices. Because the condition of the church had slipped into that, they needed a reformation. RH Feb 25 1902 A revival and a reformation must take place, under the ministration of the Holy Spirit. Revival and reformation are two different things. Revival signifies a renewal of spiritual life, a quickening of the powers of mind and heart, a resurrection from spiritual death. Reformation signifies a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices. Reformation will not bring forth the good fruit of righteousness unless it is connected with the revival of the Spirit. Revival and reformation are to do their appointed work, and in doing this work they must blend. By 1852 the Laodicean condition began amongst the people of God and by 1902 there was a call for the wakening out of their terrible condition and a reformation. Here are the qualifications for our study 1 A revival. What the Bible talks about what is meant by that 1 Corinthians 15:34 Awake to righteousness Ephesians 5: 14 Arise from the dead Page 83 of 87

Isaiah 60:1-3 Arise, shine How relevant this is. Gross darkness covers the earth in this terrible time. The Holy Spirit is the One who is needed. As we turn now to Romans you see now how the revival is connected with Romans 8:10-13 What must we do now, now that we have been revived and awakened? Through the Spirit, the body that was dead in sin, following the impulses of the flesh, just drifting along with everything, is suddenly brought to an awakening of not following that way anymore. What must we do? Through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body in the process of reformation. 2 Reformation What is reformation? A re-organisation. A change of our practices that we have done because we have been using our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness. 8T 314 There is a science of Christianity to be mastered,--a science as much deeper, broader, higher than any human science as the heavens are higher than the earth. The mind is to be disciplined, educated, trained; for we are to do service for God in ways that are not in harmony with inborn inclination. There are hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil that must be overcome. Often the training and education of a lifetime must be discarded, that one may become a learner in the school of Christ. Our hearts must be educated to become steadfast in God. We are to form habits of thought that will enable us to resist temptation. We must learn to look upward. The principles of the word of God--principles that are as high as heaven, and that compass eternity--we are to understand in their bearing upon our daily life. Every act, every word, every thought, is to be in accord with these principles. This is the reformation that needs to take place after you have been awakened, once you have been awakened, that is not enough. This is the next step of reformation. This is beautifully expressed in the Bible Philippians 3:10-16 Page 84 of 87

Here is reformation, progress I am to press on in reformation. We are to go on step by step to reach perfection. 1T:187 Lest His people should be deceived in regard to themselves, He gives them time for the excitement to wear off, and then proves them to see if they will obey the counsel of the True Witness. God leads His people on, step by step. He brings them up to different points calculated to manifest what is in the heart. Some endure at one point, but fall off at the next. At every advanced point the heart is tested and tried a little closer. If the professed people of God find their hearts opposed to this straight work, it should convince them that they have a work to do to overcome, if they would not be spewed out of the mouth of the Lord. Said the angel: God will bring His work closer and closer to test and prove every one of His people. Some are willing to receive one point; but when God brings them to another testing point, they shrink from it and stand back, because they find that it strikes directly at some cherished idol. Here they have opportunity to see what is in their hearts that shuts out Jesus An idol, in the period of paganism and New Age idolatry. Here they have opportunity to see what is in their hearts. They prize something higher than the truth, and their hearts are not prepared to receive Jesus. Individuals are tested and proved a length of time to see if they will sacrifice their idols and heed the counsel of the True Witness. Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation. That's reformation. This is the message for the very people who are proclaiming the three angels' message. As this is to happen within the church, some will and some won't. The faithful servant and the unfaithful servant. What actually is the living experience within the church that is giving the three angels' messages? Amos 9:8-9 What we would expect when this reformation message is called for within the very church that is meant to be the three angels' message church? All the ones we have identified as being Babylon, they will all be destroyed, but the house of Jacob, God's church will not be utterly destroyed. What does that mean? They also can be destroyed. What does it say in verse 9? Within God's Page 85 of 87

church, the true Israel there is this sifting going on so she will not be utterly destroyed like these other churches. There are those who are the true grain that will not be lost, and the rest of it will be burned. This is relevant for the church of the three angels. That's their experience. Babylon in its three-fold manifestations develops and reveals itself, while at the same time there is a sifting that is going on in Israel. 5T 136 Soon God's people will be tested by fiery trials, and the great proportion of those who now appear to be genuine and true will prove to be base metal. Instead of being strengthened and confirmed by opposition, threats, and abuse, they will cowardly take the side of the opposers........ To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few--this will be our test 6T:400 As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks..... Those who have had great light and precious privileges, but have not improved them, will, under one pretext or another, go out from us. Not having received the love of the truth, they will be taken in the delusions of the enemy; they will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and will depart from the faith This is the experience within the church 2SM:114 The work to be done now is that of sounding this last message of mercy to a fallen world. A new life is coming from heaven and taking possession of all God's people. But divisions will come in the church. Two parties will be developed. The wheat and tares grow up together for the harvest. The work will grow deeper and become more earnest to the very close of time. And all who are laborers together with God will contend most earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. They will not be turned from the present message, which is already lightening the earth with its glory. So two parties within the ranks of Adventism, within God's faithful church, those who are faithful and those who are saying in their heart My Lord delayeth His coming. Under one pretext or another, there will be a separation as the two parties develop. As the corruption in the world gets more intense, the experience of the separation gets more intense as well The amplification of what we read in Matthew 24 in here in Great Controversy Page 86 of 87

GC 608 As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel's message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren. As the storm of the end comes, as the message of the three angels becomes louder and more clear in the hands of the faithful, the intensity of the opposition gets worse, and those that are going along with the world and not responding to the three angels' messages within the church, they come to see it more like the world. This is ever so slow, ever so subtle, til finally when the final test comes it is so easy to just drift along and they can't stand firm. From these things we can see that we stand at the imminent coming of Jesus Christ. The little time that is still left, we need to heed Romans 13:11-14

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