„The powers of earth are those that rule on the earth. The powers of heaven will be shaken at the voice of God. Then the sun, moon, and stars will be moved out of their places. They will not pass away, but be shaken by the voice of God.“ Early Writings, p. 41 (EW 41)

„And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.“ Gen. 1:16-19

A question arises concerning Matt. 24:29, „Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.“ Also in Mark 13:24,25 we read, „But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.“ But when we compare the verses of Matthew and Mark with the quotation from Early Writings, there seems to be contradiction, for the Bible verses state that the stars would fall from the heavens, but Early Writings states that they will not pass away but simply be shaken by the voice of God. Now stars that are fallen to the ground cannot get up into the heavens again. Also, in Genesis we see that the stars were given a purpose and work – to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and night, and to divide the light from the darkness. The question there is whether or not these literal stars that are now in our skies are the ones that will fall to the earth.

We know that God, in His Word, simbolically depicts His faithful people as the sun, moon and stars. This can be clearly seen in Gen. 15:5,6 and 37:9,10, in Job 38:7 and Song of Solomon 6:10 and Daniel 8:10 along with Rev. 1:20 and 12:1. Also, just as the work of the sun, moon and stars above is to enlighten this earth and to divide the darkness from the light, so we see that, in the spiritual sense, this is the work that God has given to His people as well. They, too, are to enlighten this earth with truth and to divide the darkness of error from the light of truth. We read that the sun was darkened in Egypt when Pharoah refused to let God's people go, and also when Christ hung on the cross (Matt. 27:45). In the book Great Controversy, 1884 edition, p. 195 we read, „Already had the signs which Christ himself had promised,—the sun clothed in darkness by day and the moon by night,—declared his coming near. When Jesus pointed his followers to these signs, he foretold also the existing state of worldliness and backsliding, and gave warning of the result to those who refused to arouse from their careless security: “Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” We know that this warning was given to the angel of the church of Sardis. It was during the time of this fifth church when the fifth trumpet blew (Rev. 9:1-11). It was also in this period of time (May 19, 1780) that the sun and moon were darkened as it is written in Rev. 8:12. We read similar words in Rev. 6:12,13. We know that we are now living in the time of the sixth seal and that the seals portray the condition of God's people on earth. We also know that the sixth seal opened in the time of William Miller who proclaimed the first and second angel's message. During this time there was a great shaking and many of those who were once God's people were sifted out. This shaking was not literal but symbolic. Despite the fact that many would like to say the shaking pertained to the great Lisbon earthquake, Sr. White always spoke of the shaking in spiritual sense. The verses in Amos 9:9 and Rev. 11:19 clearly depict this. Also, when Sr. White had her first vision wherein she saw the heavenly sanctuary with the tables of stone whereon is written the ten commandments, there was a great shaking among God's people. Likewise, we see in Rev. 11:11-13 when the Bible began to be printed on a larger scale and distributed to the common people, as portrayed by the experience of the two witnesses, the Old and New Testaments, we see that when they rose up into the clouds and their enemies saw them, in the 'same hour was there a great earthquake...' We know that this was not literal earthquake, but the Lord sifting His people. This can also be easily seen in Rev. 6:13, „And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.“ We know that the fig tree was used by the Savior to depict His people. So the fig tree shaken by a mighty wind and dropping her figs is comparable to the falling of the stars and both events portray the spiritual sifting of His people. Thus we see that the falling of the stars spoken of in Matt. 24:32 and 21:19,20 does not refer to the literal stars that God created on the fourth day and placed in the heavens, but to God's people of that day (the Protestant churches) and to His people today (the SDA churches).

We know that we are still living in the time of the sixth seal. The seventh seal will be opened at the end of the sixth plague (Rev. 8:1). Remember that the literal sun, moon and stars are the powers of heaven and that they rule in the heavens. God uses them from time to time to depict spiritual state of His people. We read in Great Controversy (1884 edition) that just before the fall of Jerusalem, God gave them signs that portrayed it's impending doom. „A comet, resembling a flaming sword, for a year hung over the city. An unnatural light was seen hovering over the temple. Upon the clouds were pictured chariots mustering for battle. Mysterious voices in the temple court uttered the warning words, “Let us depart hence.” The eastern gate of the inner court, which was of brass, and so heavy that it was with difficulty shut by a score of men, and having bolts fastened deep into the firm pavement, was seen at midnight to be opened of its own accord.“ And were God's people of that day awekened? Their fears were quieted by their teachers who assured them that God was with them even as the armies surrounded the city.

The same deceptive work was done by the leaders of the Protestant churches in the time of the proclamation of the 'hour of His judgment.' In Early Writings, p. 240, we read, „These men were constantly saying, “God is with us. We stand in the light. We have the truth.” I inquired who these men were, and was told that they were ministers and leading men who had rejected the light themselves, and were unwilling that others should receive it.“ Is the present condition of SDA's any different? In fact, their sin is greater beacuse they have chosen to repeat the same sin despite the recording of the history of the Protestant churches. They teach their people that they are the movement of the mighty angel of Rev. 18:1, that they are ones who will enlighten the earth with light and glory, having all the truth and that God is leading them. They are constantly citing the numbers of new believers that they have baptized. Neither they nor the people contemplate the fact that we are all standing before the bar of the Investigative Judgment which began with the leadership and goes on to every individual member.

I have asked many leaders of the SDA churches whether or not they see themselves portrayed in the message to the Laodicean church. So far, I have not met one minister who sees himself in that situation. „...and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.“ Rev. 3:17. I have also asked the members whether or not they believe that their leadership is spiritualy blind. „We can't judge,“ they say, „surely not all of them are blind but we don't know who is who.“ After all, they quote the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy in the Sabbath School Lessons and we have no reason to doubt them. Thus once again are fullfiled the words, 'my people perish for lack of knowledge.' Thus here also we see the powers of earth portrayed for those who have power on this earth are warring against God and His messages.

This spiritual war that we are involved in is not against flesh and blood but against 'principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.' Ephes. 6;12. Paul tells us that he has fought a good fight. He fought against the powers of darkness of this world. He was beaten by the Jews (his so-called brethren) and finally killed by the Romans. These are the powers of 'those that rule on the earth,' EW p. 41. Here are included the wars and rumors of wars that Christ warned His disciples about when He told them that not one stone of the temple in Jerusalem would remain upon another. „Take heed that no man deceive you. ... ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.“ (Matt. 24:4,6). Also in verse 21 of that same chapter we read of a time of trouble that is like none other and again repeats the warning to beware lest any man deceive us. This time of trouble is also spoken of in Daniel 12:1.

So we see that in the light of the unprecedented difficult times just before the end, the sun would be darkened and the moon would withdraw its shining. This means that darkness will cover the earth. „and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.“ And in EW p. 41 we see that the sun, moon and stars will not fall but simply be moved. So we see that these words apply to the faithful on this earth whose faith will be severely tested and moved at the voice of God.

Some of these warnings have been fulfilled in the past, for there have been numerous wars and we are told not to be troubled by them. We all know that difficult times bring us closer to God. We also know that His Spirit is slowly withdrawing from the earth as the curse of sin rests more and more heavily on it. We have famines and earthquakes and many other calamities yet we know that these are merely the powers of the earth. This is why in regarding the seventh trumpet we read, „and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.“ Rev. 11:18. We see that these powers of earth also affect Jerusalem where the people of God are and are told that when we see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place...“

Although I have briefly explained the seven trumpets found in Rev. chapters 8, 9 and part of 11, I see that the reform churches printed a Sabbath School lesson regarding this subject. They began their explanation well with the use of trumpets during the time of physical Israel, yet their lesson ends shamefully having accepted the teaching of Josiah Litch, who attributed them to worldly wars and politics. Since a teacher of the SDA reform church issued a rebuttal to my explanation of the sixth trumpet, I would like to briefly comment on it. The sixth trumpet can be found in Rev. 9:13-21. In his rebuttal, the brother quoted from the later edition of the Great Controversy that was printed when Uriah Smith was editor. Uriah Smith included in this later Great Controversy Josiah Litch's teaching regarding the sixth trumpet. He claims that at the appointed time (August 11, 1840), Turkey, through its ambassadors, accepted the protection of the united powers of Europe thus placing itself under the dominion of the christian peoples. Josiah Litch claims that William Miller also accepted his teaching and that after that general period of time (1840-44), the work went forth rapidly. Josiah Litch claims that there was a reason why this event occured just as the movement of the hour of judgment and Christ's coming was picking up speed. Yet we also read that there was a great fanaticism during this time and many different winds of doctrine were blowing about.

So let us ask ourselves, what does the movement headed by William Miller have to do with Turkey falling under the domination of the European countries? Even Europe was not truly united at the time, as can be seen by the subsequent world wars. If, as the SDA leadership claims, the great River Euphrates is Turkey, how do they explain the killing of a third of the men? If Turkey had already submitted to the dominion of Europe and it had (as we are told) two hundred million well armed men, why would it submit to European dominion? Since this assumption makes no logical sense, Uriah Smith claims the number isn't important. This is because he couldn't fit this fact into his interpretation because no worldly power had that great an army. Instead of placing Rev. 9:15 in its rightful place where William Miller placed it (October 22, 1844, when the 2 300 years ended), he busily diverted the minds of the people from the present truth to worldly events.

In doing this, he was doing the work of the devil, for the attention of the people should have been turned to a thorough preparation for the coming of Christ, not to Turkey. The uppermost thought of the people should have been to 'fear God and give glory to Him for the hour of His judgment come', and not to Turkey's submission. The current SDA leadership is doing a similar work today. It has taught its constituency to look to the papacy for when it's wound is healed, persecution would arise again. And while the membership kept close watch on the papal power, the spirit of the papacy had crept into their own church. It's little wonder then that the 50 000 who had once left the churches, „repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood ... neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.“ Rev. 9:20,21. It is also interesting that the previous edition of the Great Controversy issued in 1884 while Br. White was still editor at the printing house, has no mention of Turkey's submission at all. For that matter, neither does Early Writings and we believe both books to be inspired. In view of all this, how is it then that I do not have the right to say that Josiah Litch was doing the work of the devil, the work of cooperating with the powers of this earth, just as the SDA leadership is cooperating with the powers of this earth? I would also add that those who accept the second, adulterated version of the Great Controversy espousing this view of Josiah Litch and Uriah Smith, are also working with the powers of this earth as well. This applies to all those who are well acquainted with the contradictions the later edition bears.

Weaker countries have submitted to stronger countries throughout worldly history and church emissaries have courted the favor of nations and will continue to do so more and more as we near the end, as it is written in Rev. 16:14, „they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.“

In closing, I would like to add that the SDA churches have become a greater abomination of desolation than was Jerusalem of old just before Christ's first coming. This is why Christ said that the final days of this world's history would be as the days of Noah and admonishes us to beware lest we be deceived. May we well heed His warning. L. G.