„The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecy of the eleventh chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place.“ 9T 14

„Read the book of Daniel. Call up, point by point, the history of the kingdoms there represented. Behold statesmen, councils, powerful armies, and see how God wrought to abase the pride of men, and lay human glory in the dust...“ TM 112

„God wants us to depend upon Him, and not upon man. He desires us to have a new heart; He would give us revealings of light from the throne of God.“ TM 111

„The light that Daniel received from God was given especially for these last days. The visions he saw by the banks of the Ulai and Hiddekel, the great rivers of Shinar, are now in process of fulfillment, and all the events foretold will soon come to pass.“ TM 113

„Jerusalem is a representation of what the church will be if it refuses to walk in the light that God has given. Jerusalem was favored of God as the depositary of sacred trusts. But her people perverted the truth, and despised all entreaties and warnings. They would not respect His counsels. The temple courts were polluted with merchandise and robbery.“ 8T 67

„Of those who boast of their light, and yet fail to walk in it, Christ says, „But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Thyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum (Seventh Day Adventists who have had great light), which art exalted unto heaven (in point of privilege), shall be brought down to hell, for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.“ At that time Jesus answered and said, „I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent (in their own estimation), and hast revealed them unto babes.“ RH Aug. 1, 1893

„The man who rejects the word of the Lord, who endeavors to establish his own way and will, tears to pieces the messenger and message which God sends in order to discover to him his sin... „Unsanctified ministers are arraying themselves against God. They are praising Christ and the god of this world in the same breath. While professedly they receive Christ, they embrace Barabbas, and by their actions say, „Not this Man, but Barabbas.“ Let all who read these lines, take heed. Satan has made his boast of what he can do.“ ... „Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan. If doubts and unbelief are cherished, the faithful ministers will be removed from the people who think they know so much.

„If thou hadst known,“ said Christ, „even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.“ TM 408, 409

„Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.“ TM 450

„Under God, Adam was to stand at the head of the earthly family to maintain the principles of the heavenly family. This would have brought peace and happiness. But the law that none „liveth to himself“ Satan determined to oppose. He desired to live for self. He sought to make himself a center of influence. It was this that incited rebellion in heaven, and it was man's acceptance of this principle that brought sin on earth. When Adam sinned, man broke away from the heaven- ordained center. A demon became the central power in the world. Where God's throne should have been, Satan had placed his throne. The world laid its homage, as a willing offering, at the feet of the enemy.“ 6T 236

„The people of Israel had maid their choice. Pointing to Jesus they had said, „Not this man, but Barabbas.“ Barabbas, the robber and murderer, was the representative of Satan. Christ was the representative of God. Christ had been rejected; Barabbas had been chosen. Barabbas they were to have. In making this choice they accepted him who from the beggining was a liar and a murderer. Satan was their leader. As a nation they would act out his dictation. His works they would do. His rule they must endure. That people who chosse Barabbas in the place of Christ were to feel the cruelty of Barabbas as long as time should last.“ DA 738

„Many were cherishing idols in their hearts and were practicing iniquity which separated them from God and caused them to be bodies of darkness. I saw but few who stood in the light, having discernment and spirituality to discover these stumbling blocks and remove them out of the way. Men who stand in very responsible positions at the heart of the work are asleep. Satan has paralyzed them in order that his plans and devices may not be discerned, while he is active to ensnare, deceive and destroy.“ 2T 439

„That night I dreamed that I was in Battle Creek looking out from the side glass at the door and saw a company marching up to the house, two and two. They looked stern and determined. I knew them well and turned to open the parlor door to receive them, but thought I would look again. The scene was changed. The company now presented the appearance of a Catholic procession. One bore in his hand a cross, another a reed. And as they approached, the one carrying a reed made a circle around the house, saying three times: “This house is proscribed. The goods must be confiscated. They have spoken against our holy order.” Terror seized me, and I ran through the house, out of the north door, and found myself in the midst of a company, some of whom I knew, but I dared not speak a word to them for fear of being betrayed. I tried to seek a retired spot where I might weep and pray without meeting eager, inquisitive eyes wherever I turned. I repeated frequently: “If I could only understand this! If they will tell me what I have said or what I have done!”
I wept and prayed much as I saw our goods confiscated. I tried to read sympathy or pity for me in the looks of those around me, and marked the countenances of several whom I thought would speak to me and comfort me if they did not fear that they would be observed by others. I made one attempt to escape from the crowd, but seeing that I was watched, I concealed my intentions. I commenced weeping aloud, and saying: “If they would only tell me what I have done or what I have said!” 1T 577-8 (written in 1867, we can clearly see here Sr. White knew those brethren well. God chose to depict the leading brethren of the church of that time as Jesuits angered that someone had spoken against their holy order. Thus we see that Satan had established his throne where God's throne should have been).

„For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.“ Isaiah 14:13,14

„Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.“ Psalms 48:1,2

„And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses. And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail. And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses. And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.“ Exodus 40:21-24

„And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain. Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry. He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations. ... So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about. ... Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth. ... Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. [compare with Rev. 18:1-5] ..... He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.“ Ezekiel 8:3,4,5,10,12,14 and chapter 9:1,2

„Those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by a mark by the man in linen, are those “that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done” in the church. ... But the general slaughter of all those who do not thus see the wide contrast between sin and righteousness, and do not feel as those do who stand in the counsel of God and receive the mark, is described in the order to the five men with slaughter weapons: “Go ye after him through the city, and smite ...“ 3T 267

„Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads—it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved—just as soon as God's people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land, to give us warning, that we may know what is coming.“ 4BC 1161

„Little by little Satan came to indulge the desire for self-exaltation. The Scripture says: “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.” “Thou hast said in thine heart, ... I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; ... I will be like the Most High.” ... I ask our people to study the twenty-eighth chapter of Ezekiel. The representation here made, while it refers primarily to Lucifer, the fallen angel, has yet a broader significance. Not one being, but a general movement, is described, and one that we shall witness. A faithful study of this chapter should lead those who are seeking for truth to walk in all the light that God has given to His people, lest they be deceived by the deceptions of these last days.“ 4BC 1162

„And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north. Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.“ Jeremiah 1:13,14 (also please read to verse 19)

„The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him. And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.“ Ezekiel 1:3,4,5,6 (also please read through chapters 2 and 3 and compare this with Revelation chapters 4 and 5)

We must not forget that we have been grafted onto the olive tree, that we are spiritual Israel, and that we repeating their history. Therefore this sins of physical Israel are the sins of spiritual Israel (the idolatry and serving of the gods of this world as depicted in the 8th chapter of Ezekiel). It is therefore clear to see that the 9th chapter refers to the sealing of spiritual Israel. The five men with the slaughter weapons have been at work for some time and are about to finish that work (if they have not already done so).

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In the study of the above texts using our spiritual perceptions, we can clearly see the reason for the battle depicted in the 11th chapter of the book of the prophet Daniel. This battle is between the king of the north and the king of the south.

We need to understand that sometimes Jerusalem was referred to as the holy mountain and sometimes it was called a desolation. We see the same of the north. Sometimes it is referred to as „Mount Zion on the sides of the north“... (Psalms 48:1), and sometimes Satan is depicted on that mount as in Isaiah 14:13,14. We also see that, as with physical Israel of old, their priests took strange fire in their hands (Leviticus 10:1), so with spiritual Israel of today, Sr. White depicts our leading men as having the torch of false prophecy in their hand kindled from the hellish torch of Satan.

Ezekiel chapter 8 depicts a great falling away of God's people turning to worship idols. Also in Daniel chapter 11 we read of deception and battles, of instances where at one table they will tell lies and flatteries and work deceitfully and we see this counterpart in spiritual Israel where Sr. White saw the leading brethren she knew well and would open the door for, but they had turned into a Catholic procession. „But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.“ Why tidings out of the east and out of the north? We must understand that chapter 12 of Daniel is the continuation of chapter 11. In the time of the death decree when Satan, in the form of human beings, goes forth to destroy God's people, „Michael“ shall „stand up“. And what are the „tidings“ that will trouble him? When God's people are delivered and hear the voice of God telling the day and hour of His coming, he will go out to again try to destroy them. „At our happy, holy state the wicked were enraged, and would rush violently up to lay hands on us to thrust us into prison, when we would stretch forth the hand in the name of the Lord, and they would fall helpless to the ground. Then it was that the synagogue of Satan knew that God had loved us...“ 1T 59. Also in the last verse of chapter 11 we read, „And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.“ According to Revelation 18:2,3, he has already planted the tabernacles of his palace in the glorious holy mountain. It is not until after the partial resurrection that the wicked see that they have been deceived by their leaders (Barabbas) whom they had chosen. The proclamation of the day and hour of His coming is a time of terror for Satan and his followers.

„The words spoken are not comprehended by all; but they are distinctly understood by the false watchmen. Those who a little before were so reckless, so boastful and defiant, so exultant in their cruelty to God's commandment-keeping people, are now overwhelmed with consternation, and shuddering in fear. Their wails are heard above the sound of the elements. Demons acknowledge the divinity of Christ, and tremble before his power, while men are supplicating for mercy, and groveling in abject terror.“ GC84, 455

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The question that should be uppermost in the mind of every individual Seventh Day Adventist is: Has he planted the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain yet? Revelation 17:15 tells us that the waters represent peoples. Has Satan planted his palace (or does he have complete rule over) between the two seas (or have two major peoples united under the tent of ecumenicalism or political oneness yet thereby affecting the glorious holy mountain)?

„And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. ...“ Rev. 18:2,3

„All need wisdom carefully to search out the mystery of iniquity that figures so largely in the winding up of this earth's history....“ TM 117. If we believe as it is written, that history will repeat itself concerning the Man of Sin, is it possible that another man of sin will once more sit in what is today the church of God as happened during the 1260 years? This would mean that the man of sin would sit in the church of Laodicea. Can we judge the character of the Seventh Day Adventist church by its fruits? Is her character and state depicted by the messenger of Rev. Chapt. 18? Every true Seventh Day Adventist knows that that angel once came down to the General Conference of the Seventh Day Adventists in 1888. What actually happened there? We have read previously, „The man who rejects the word of the Lord, who endeavors to establish his own way and will, tears to pieces the messenger and message which God sends in order to discover to him his sin.“ This we see was fulfilled in 1888 as well as in the Old Testament times among God's people. Surely, as the wise man said, „There is nothing new under the sun.“ As physical Israel chose Barabbas in days of old, so we as a people have made our choice and Christ has been rejected.

We have been admonished to study well the mystery of iniquity. A mystery implies that something was done in secret. This mystery began to work in the first apostolic church. We read that Paul battled false brethren (2 Cor. 11:26). We read that Paul informed his brethren then that from among them would come people teaching false doctrines in order to turn attention from Christ to themselves (Acts 20:30). This means that before the man of sin sits in the church again, there must come a falling away from the truth. This is at first done secretly. Now in order for this to happen again, it must be fulfilled just before Christ's second coming, for we read that, „...then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.“ 2 Thess. 2:8. It is common knowledge that just before Christ's coming, the Catholic Church is not and cannot be the church of God where the man of sin is prophesied to sit.

In order to better understand the state of all Seventh Day Adventists, we must recognize the fact that there are now three world wide Seventh Day Adventist Churches, all organized in a hierarchical manner. There are also the separated brethren who no longer want to drink of the poison wine and among whom are earnest souls. These see the great apostasy among Seventh Day Adventists. We will now bring to light several examples of these false teachings as taught and interpreted to this day by the Seventh Day Adventist churches.

It is plain to see that all three churches have embraced the interpretation of Daniel and the Revelation as brought out by Uriah Smith who only used worldly political history to cover the prophecies that Christ symbolically showed to His servants the prophets.

We have also read that, „If there is a point of truth that you do not understand, upon which you do not agree, investigate, compare scripture with scripture, sink the shaft of truth down deep into the mine of God's word. You must lay yourselves and your opinions on the altar of God, put away your preconceived ideas, and let the Spirit of heaven guide into all truth.“ TM 476

In his book on Daniel and the Revelation, Uriah Smith claims that the seven trumpets inform us of war and politics in the world. The so called „Reform Movement“ printed in their Sabbath School Lesson of May 1937, „Whom do the sun, moon and stars represent? Rev. 8:12“. The answer was found in the note under the question, „The symbols of the sun, moon and stars refer to great leaders of the Roman Kingdom, its kings, senators and councils. The Roman Kingdom fell in 476 AD when the sun of that kingdom was extinguished leaving only for a short time the lesser lights while the senators ruled.“

I firmly believe that if the General Conferences of all three Seventh Day Adventist churches get together, they would not be able to find one Bible verse nor one word of EGW prophecy to confirm the above with a „thus saith the Lord“. Worldly leaders and kingdoms have always been portrayed by the Bible as beasts, both wild and tame. This can clearly be seen in Daniel chapters 7 and 8. Now here are some symbols that God uses to portray His faithful people or His church. Read the following verses and compare scripture with scripture: Genesis 15:5, and 37:9,10, Song of Songs 6:9, Daniel 8:10, Rev. 1:20 and 12:1. God used the heavenly lights, sun, moon and stars to symbolically depict His true, earnest people – those who should be lights to enlighten this earth.

Furthermore, in the 5th question of the same lesson cited above we read, „What words did the Seer use to describe the third trumpet? Rev. 8:10,11.“ Again, the answer can be found in the note below, „the star called Wormwood in this trumpet symbolizes Atilla the Hun, who created such a devastation of the Roman Kingdom. His whole pilgrimage appeared as a shiny meteor in the heavens.“ I am sure that the Atilla the Hun, who wrought such carnage and helped destroy the Roman Kingdom in order to establish his own kingdom, could never be portrayed as the great star from heaven that burned as a lamp. He would belong to that line of wild beasts portrayed in Daniel 7. It is true that in Rev. 12:3,4, we read that one third of the stars were brought down by Satan, however, before their fall, they were truly bearers of light for God. But Atilla the Hun was never a bearer of heavenly light nor did he come from before the throne of God. Nor yet do we read that he performed any good deeds thereby showing a high moral character. He, as the star Wormwood, fell on a „third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters.“ As we see that rivers and fountains are smaller bodies of water, this would signify that Atilla fell upon smaller countries, for we read in the second trumpet that a great mountain was cast into the sea and one third of the sea became blood. So Atilla, the destroyer of the Roman Kingdom should have been portrayed by the Bible as falling upon a major sea, not smaller rivers and fountains. Yet the leadership of all three Seventh Day Adventist churches have accepted this interpretation of Uriah's as truth. If we would truly compare scripture with scripture, we would find that the Bible interprets itself.

Furthermore, the lesson continues, „the sounding of the second trumpet evidently relates to the invasion and conquest of Africa, and afterward of Italy, by Gaiseric, king of the Vandals. His conquests were for the most part naval, and his triumphs were „as it were a great mountain burning with fire, cast into the sea.“ In Revelation 8:8 we read that „the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood.“ It would be well for us to go to the shores of a sea and imagine a literal third of that sea, as far as the eye can see, becoming blood. This would call for billions of people to die. But that was not the case. Nor was it the case even in World Wars I and II wherein a greater number of people than ever before died in the seas. One cannot but be amazed at how the leadership of the SDA churches can accept this and teach it to their constituents. God cannot seal such foreheads where this poison wine has made one drunken.

Since it would take too long to write about every trumpet, let's look at the seventh one and see whether these trumpets inform us of worldly war and politics or of the state of the seven churches in the christian era. In Rev. 11:15-19, we read about the seventh trumpet. Verses 15 and 17 tell us how all of heaven praised God and Christ for the kingdoms of the world has become their kingdoms. In Early Writings, p. 55, we read, „Then He raised His right arm, and we heard His lovely voice saying, “Wait here; I am going to My Father to receive the kingdom; keep your garments spotless, and in a little while I will return from the wedding and receive you to Myself.” Then a cloudy chariot, with wheels like flaming fire, surrounded by angels, came to where Jesus was. He stepped into the chariot and was borne to the holiest, where the Father sat.“

In the 18th verse we read that the nations were angry and His wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged. Sr. White wrote about this judgment in GC (1884) under the title „The Investigative Judgment“. We read in the 19th verse that, „the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament..“ This was shown to EGW and can be found in Early Writings under the title „The Open and the Shut Door“. There we read, „Then I was shown that the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ relating to the shut door could not be separated, and that the time for the commandments of God to shine out with all their importance, and for God's people to be tried on the Sabbath truth, was when the door was opened in the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary, where the ark is, in which are contained the ten commandments. This door was not opened until the mediation of Jesus was finished in the holy place of the sanctuary in 1844.“

Here we see who blew the trumpet, and where it sounded. The words of the seventh trumpet can be found in the books of EGW. Thus we know that from 1844, the seventh trumpet began to sound. From that time until today, we have had two great world wars wherein thousands died in the seas and oceans. Yet we do not find one word in the seventh trumpet of water becoming blood. We need to understand this trumpet for we live in its time. Now we can see whether this trumpet tells us of war and politics or whether it depicts the condition of the church. It is also easy to see that the previous trumpets also refer to God's church. These trumpeteers stood before God's throne and there received their messages to be proclaimed to God's people. These trumpets have no connection with the wars of this earth.

In the 5th trumpet, John again saw a star fall from heaven. Once again, this signifies that one of God's people, once a light bearer, has rejected the sound of the trumpet that portrayed the true state of His people, and has fallen. What happens when a leader in the church lifts up his voice against the trumpeteer? Does not his influence affect his congregation?

You may have wondered what the locusts depict. Compare this verse to Nahum 3:17, „Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers ...“ Uriah Smith claims that the smoke mentioned in the fifth trumpet is symbolic of the Turkish religion. Yet he claims that the smoke mentioned in the sixth trumpet is literal and refers to the discovery of gun powder.

Concerning the 200 000 000, Uriah Smith tells us that this number is insignificant. That's probably because he couldn't find one country with that large an army. This 6th trumpet sounded in the time of William Miller.

„Said the angel: “If light come, and that light is set aside or rejected, then comes condemnation and the frown of God; but before the light comes, there is no sin, for there is no light for them to reject.” 1T 116. Thus it is with the sounding of all the trumpets. It is evident that the language of the seven trumpets is very similar to the language of the seven plagues. Also, in the sounding of the trumpets, we see that mostly one third was affected. This signifies that there were judgments mingled with mercy. But in the seven plagues, when there is no more mercy, there is also no mention of one third being affected. Had we understood the seven trumpets correctly, we would now understand the seven plagues correctly also. Thus, we would have been enabled to warn the world with the third angels message. This message warns that those who fall away will receive the plagues. But how can we carry this message to the world and warn them of what will befall the unbeliever, if we don't know what these plagues are?

Lies and deceit are the product of Satan, the father of lies. He knows he is most successful when he can blind the spiritual eyesight of the leadership, as read in Rev. 3:17. It is very rare that a people rises above its leader. It is very rare that this people will not choose Barabbas a little, and Christ a little. But such deeds the Holy Spirit labels as spiritual fornication. „For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her...“ If this is the state of God's people, then we can be sure that he has sat in the congregation on the side of the north. Where Christ should be, Satan has come. And he has raised his tabernacles on the glorious holy mountain making it the habitation of devils and the home of every unclean and hateful bird. Yet this is not all.

In its Yugoslavian Sabbath School Lesson of July 9 to 15th, 1989, the SDA church claims, „the seven heads on the beast represent Egypt, Syria, Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece, pagan Rome and papal Rome.“ Here we see are printed comments on the beast of Rev. chapters 13 and 17. In the 9th verse of chapter 17 we read, „...the seven heads are the seven mountains on which the woman sitteth.“ Now we all know that this woman, who is drunken with the blood of the saints, represents the Catholic church. But, I ask, how is it that the Bible states the woman sits on these seven heads, yet the kingdoms of Egypt, Syria, Babylon, etc. were not in existence when the Catholic church was in power? Let us keep in mind that this lesson was studied by over seven million members of that church. The majority of these seven million did not even question these statesments, but simply accepted them as truth.

Now let us look at the explanation of the second „Reform“ Seventh Day Adventist Church. They claim that, „The seven forms of government that have existed in the Roman empire are usually enumerated as follows: (1) kingly, (2) consular, (3) decemvirate, (4) dictatorial, (5) triumvirate, (6) imperial and (7) papal. Kings, consuls, decemvirs, dictators, and triumvirs had passed away in John's day. He was living under the imperial form.“ Now again, how is it that the woman (being the Catholic church) sits on all seven heads if John was supposedly living in the time of the 6th one?

John observed the vision of the woman sitting on all seven heads. As he is watching, the scene is unfolding and five are fallen. This does not necessarily mean that five had fallen before John saw the vision, for the vision fortells the future, as it is written in the beginning of the book of Revelation, „The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.“

It is an amazing thing that for over one hundred years, the people are drinking this poison wine. Some claim that prophecy will not save us. Christ saves us. But Christ is in the prophecies. We cannot take Him out of prophecies. In GC (1884) p. 232, we read, „when the churches spurned the counsel of God by rejecting the Advent message, the Lord rejected them.“ Here we see that by rejecting a prophecy, God rejected them.

We read that the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. We look elsewhere in the Bible for the interpretation of the „mountain“: Isaiah 27:13, and 30:29, Daniel 9:16, Zechariah 8:2. We read in the Bible that sometimes, Jerusalem was the holy mount, and at other times it was the desolation of abomination (mentioned in Matthew 24:15) that stands in the holy place. Therefore, it is evident that God used symbols (in this case mountains) to portray His church. He also portrayed them as kings and heads. These were used to portray the different aspects of the church of God. These churches are also portrayed in Rev. 2nd and 3rd chapters. What does the Faithful Witness say of God's church in the seventh or present period of time? That church claims to be „rich and increased in goods and have need of nothing.“ In Ezekiel 16:13, 14 and 15 we read how the church was decked in linen and silk and how she came to trust in her own beauty and did play the harlot and poured out her fornications on every one that passed by. Is not this the same spirit portrayed by Satan? Then this is the same spirit of the man of sin who sits in the church of God.

The trumpets vary because in every period of time, Satan uses different false teachings and deceitfulness but dresses it as new light so the people would gladly receive it. He is a careful student of the Scriptures and knows which messages will come to God's people. Therefore, he designs false teachings intended to thwart the coming light from heaven. Thus, when the trumpeteer blows his trumpet, the church leaders and membership are prepared to war against it and to tear in pieces the messenger. No one likes to hear wherein they have fallen, even if the message is inspired by the Holy Spirit. We know that every drop of poison wine brings death. These are the slaughter weapons carried by the five men in Ezekiel 9. The 5th, 6th, and 7th trumpets need deeper study. We know that we live in the time of the 6th seal, so let's not even think that the falling of the stars was only literal, for even today those that were once light bearers are choosing to fall (Rev. 6:12,13). By this I do not mean to say that the previous four trumpets are not important. If they were not important, then Satan would not do his utmost to use false messengers to convince us that those trumpets refer to war and politics.

We know that the leadership of the Seventh Day Adventist churches have covered with darkness six chapters of Revelation. These are: 8, 9, 13, 16, 17 and 18. I can freely say, however, that portions of chapter 14 have also been beclouded. These are the very messages that are to prepare believers for Christ's second coming. „The third angel's message will not be comprehended, the light which will lighten the earth with its glory will be called a false light, by those who refuse to walk in its advancing glory. The work that might have been done, will be left undone by the rejecters of truth, because of their unbelief. We entreat of you who oppose the light of truth, to stand out of the way of God's people. Let Heaven-sent light shine forth upon them in clear and steady rays.“ RH May 27, 1890. Now, if we do not yet fully comprehend the message of the third angel, how much more do we not comprehend the message of the fourth angel. Only occasionally do I come across someone among the separated brethren who understands the image of the beast. The majority have already received it. Adventists are expecting it to come from the world, not from within. „The image to the beast represents another religious body clothed with similar power.“ GC (1884) p. 278. Thus we see that the image to the beast is similar to the Catholic church, but is another religious body clothed with similar power to persecute dissenters and those it deems heretics.

Let us look at Daniel chapter 2, concerning the great image. Uriah Smith writes that the Babylonian kingdom last from 606 BC to 538 BC. Medo Persia followed from 538 BC to 331 BC. After that, the Greek kingdom lasted from the 331 BC to 161 BC, followed by the Roman Kingdom or the terrible beast that bore no resemblance to any creature on earth. Thus Daniel had to described this beast bit by bit. So we see that each kingdom, as it came to power, destroyed the kingdom before it, yet we read that the whole image still stands. It continues to stand until the stone, cut out without hands, strikes the feet of the image. Then, and only then, does the entire image crumble to the ground. When I ask the leadership of the various churches why the image still stands, they always cite „dual application“ as the reason. When I ask what the other application is, they have no answer. They cannot deny that the whole image still stands, however. Note, also, that the stone is cut out of a mountain. Does the woman that sits on the seven mountains also sit on this mountain from which the stone is cut? Also, we read that this stone that strikes the feet grows and becomes a great mountain and fills the earth. This kingdom will continue forever, for it is Christ's kingdom, composed of the overcomers of every earthly and ecclesiastical authority.

Now let us see what the Holy Spirit says concerning the feet and toes of the image. „We have come to a time when God's sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which the iron was mixed with the miry clay. ... The mingling of churchcraft and statecraft is represented by the iron and the clay. This union is weakening all the power of the churches. This investing the church with the power of the state will bring evil results.“ 4BC 1168. Also in 1T 360, we read that, „Our position in the image of Nebuchadnezzar is represented by the toes, in a divided state, and of a crumbling material, that will not hold together.“ In order to confirm the fulfillment of this prophecy, I am enclosing some material to prove that the Seventh Day Adventist church has already been clothed with civil power. We are told that, „The spirit of persecution manifested by paganism and the papacy is again to be revealed. Prophecy declares that this power will say “to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast.” [Revelation 13:14.] The image is made to the first or leopard-like beast, which is the one brought to view in the third angel's message. By this first beast is represented the Roman Church, an ecclesiastical body clothed with civil power, having authority to punish all dissenters.“ GC (1884) p. 278. „In the manifestation of that power which lightens the earth with the glory of God, they will see only something which in their blindness they think dangerous, something which will arouse their fears, and they will brace themselves to resist it. Because the Lord does not work according to their ideas and expectations, they will oppose the work. “Why,” they say, “should not we know the Spirit of God, when we have been in the work so many years?”—Because they did not respond to the warnings, the entreaties of the messages of God, but persistently said, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” RH December 23, 1890.

Let us look at yet another drop of poison wine. The so called „Reform Movement“ has printed in its lesson of October 21, 1978, „The Loud Cry and the Protestant World“, a question asking, „When will the complete fall, in which all Protestant churches are included, take place? Revelation 18:2,3.“ Did Jones and Waggoner have the wrong address when they came with the message of the fourth angel to the Seventh Day Adventist General Conference in 1888? According to this lesson, they should have gone to the Protestant World. Furthermore, the other „Reform Movement“ printed something very similar in its lesson of June 19, 1999, which asks why the Protestant churches will come to a complete fall. The note to that question shows that the leaders of that church used later, changed version of the Great Controversy and not the original 1884 version. Of this issue, in the later version we read, „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. ... 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.“ GC (1888) p. 389. Now let us see what the original (1884) version has to say on this subject.

„When the churches spurned the counsel of God by rejecting the Advent message, the Lord rejected them. ... The great sin charged against Babylon is, that she “made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” This cup of intoxication which she presents to the world, represents the false doctrines which she has accepted as the result of her unlawful connection with the great ones of the earth. Friendship with the world corrupts her faith, and in her turn she exerts a corrupting influence upon the world by teaching doctrines which are opposed to the plainest statements of the word of God. ... Were it not that the world is hopelessly intoxicated with the wine of Babylon, multitudes would be convicted and converted by the plain, cutting truths of the word of God. The sin of the world's impenitence lies at the door of the church.“ p. 232, 234, 235. Furthermore, in Early Writings, p. 245 we read, „Prophecy was fulfilled in the first and second angels’ messages. They were given at the right time and accomplished the work which God designed to accomplish by them.“ The 1884 Great Controversy confirms this statement on p. 254, „In like manner was prophecy fulfilled in the first and second angels' messages. They were given at the right time, and accomplished the work which God designed to accomplish by them.“ My question is: If what the leadership of all three Seventh Day Adventist churches claim is true and the Protestant churches did not reach their complete fall yet, then why did God reject them in 1844? Why then did Christ close the door of the Holy Place and open the door of the Most Holy Place? Does this not signify that the Protestant churches on a corporate basis face a closed door to salvation? It appears to me that all three Seventh Day churches are attempting to open the door that Christ has closed. For more than 150 years, the Protestant churches have been knocking at that door. They do not have the light of the angel from Revelation chapters 14 and 18. They rejected the light of the first angel and God has rejected them. So it is with the three Seventh Day Adventist churches. They have rejected the light of the last warning of mercy found in Rev. 18 as applying to the Protestants. In rejecting this light, God rejects them.

I know that all three Seventh Day Adventist churches believe that in 1888, Jones and Waggoner brought the message of justification by faith. They also believe that the angel of Rev. 18 came down there. It is easy to underastand that the angel of Rev. 18 repeats the second angel's message, but comes down in the Laodicean period of time, not the Philadelphian. „What is justification by faith? It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust, and doing for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself. When men see their own nothingness, they are prepared to be clothed with the righteousness of Christ.“ Lt 73, 1896. Only if we accept the message of the angel of Rev. 18 as applying to ourselves, can God lay our glory in the dust. And only then can He raise us up and clothe us in the robes of Christ our Righteousness.

But unfortunately, that Laodicean angel who is blind, miserable and naked and who claims to be rich and increased in goods and to have need of nothing, this is the angel that claims to be the mighty angel of Rev. 18:1. There is a great difference between the two angels. One is miserable and naked, the other is mighty and enlightens the earth with his glory.

History has taught us that every angel or messenger first applies his message to himself, then teaches it to others. John the Baptist and his followers did this. Luther also in his church and William Miller in his church first accepted the message for themselves. But when God's church rejects the message from heaven, then God rejects that church and sends His message to those who will receive it. Then those who receive the message will bring to light the corruption of the church that rejected it. Look in past history and you will find this to be true.

When the Protestant churches rejected the first angel's message, they had no part in Midnight Cry. This cry was intended to awaken the ten virgins. Why then do the Seventh Day Adventist churches teach that the Loud Cry will go to the world? Who is it intended to awaken? Which messages are given in the Loud Cry and to whom? The Great Controversy tells us that in the messages of Rev. chapts. 14 and 18, all are obliged to choose between life and death.

I regret having to write such words, but looking at the poison wine of the Seventh Day Adventist churches shows me that they are not only dressed in Catholic garbs (as were the procession of Sr. White's dream), but that they have brought in Jesuits and the Inquisition of the Dark Ages. Shame and confusion belong to us for we have allowed this to come. The religious freedom gained at such a price by those who lived in times of darkness, is now lost to us in times of apparent peace and prosperity.

„For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.“ Gal. 4:22-26. Church organization is of Agar or the Jerusalem below – being under church authority. But if our names had been written in the Jerusalem above, there would never have been a need for church organization. Christ calls us to freedom, not to bondage. Now let us look at the pictures below. Are they true or false? Is Christ coming to knock down the whole image of Daniel 2, or is He coming for His overcomers, those who have conquered all the earthly kingdoms? Does the stone come from heaven, or is it cut from the mountain? These pictures can be found in Uriah Smith's book on Daniel and the Revelation. The Holy Spirit will form for itself vessels of honor from the clay found in the feet of the image. Be informed that the stone cut from the mountain is a perfect square, smooth as glass, clean as snow, washed in the blood of the Lamb. In this perfect square, the 144 000 will stand on the sea of glass. These are they who did not drink of the poison wine. These are they who have overcome every earthly and ecclesiastical authority. May we be there. Amen. L. G.