Eph. 1:10-13. Gen. 6:1-3.

Mat. 24:21-23. Rev. 11:18. Daniel 12:1-3.

Here are some words of encouragement as we approach the time of trouble:

“The prophecies which the great I AM has given in His word, uniting link after link in the chain of events, from eternity in the past to eternity in the future, tell us where we are today in the procession of the ages, and what may be expected in the time to come.

All that prophecy has foretold as coming to pass, until the present time, has been traced on the pages of history, and we may be assured that all which is yet to come will be fulfilled in its order.” Maranatha. Ch. 60. A Crisis Ahead.

It has been shown that the United States is the power represented by the beast with lamblike horns and that this prophecy will be fulfilled when the United States shall enforce Sunday observance, which Rome claims as the special acknowledgement of her supremacy. Darkness Before Dawn. 27.1

The unfulfilled predictions of the book of Revelation are soon to be fulfilled. This prophecy is now to be studied with diligence by the people of God and should be clearly understood. It does not conceal the truth; it clearly forewarns, telling us what will be in the future.—Notebook Leaflets 1:96 (1903); LDE 15.6. `

A. At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel.–EW 85, 86 (1854).

Let us see now how God’s format plays out in the USA

1. Rev. 13:1-7, 11-13. In these verses we see:

a. The fall and rise of the Roman Catholic Church.

b. The lamb-like beast gives power to the leopard-like beast and makes an image of it, and demands that all should worship it. [who gives power to the leopard-like beast? satan.

Rev. 14:9, 10 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, ¹⁰ The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God…

“The beast” mentioned in this message, whose worship is enforced by the two-horned beast, is the first, or leopard-like beast of Revelation 13,—the papacy. The “image to the beast” represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas. GC. 445.2.

As we study God’s format, who makes the papacy great and powerful in the world?

a. The dragon of Rev. 13:2.

b. The lamb-like beast of Rev. 13:12.

2. The Sunday movement is now making its way in darkness. The leaders are concealing the true issue, and many who unite in the movement do not themselves see whither the undercurrent is tending. . . .They are working in blindness. They do not see that if a Protestant government sacrifices the principles that have made them a free, independent nation, and legislation brings into the Constitution principles that will propagate papal falsehood and papal delusion, they are plunging into the Roman horrors of the Dark Ages.--RH Extra, Dec. 11, 1888.

3. Many think that the wide diversity of belief among Protestant churches is proof that no forced uniformity can ever happen. But for years in Protestant churches, there has been a growing desire to unite. To bring about such union, they must avoid discussing subjects on which they do not all agree. In the effort to have complete uniformity, it will be only a step to resort to force.

4. 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.—The Great Controversy, 588.

5. When the leading churches of the United States unite on the points of doctrine that they hold in common and influence the state to enforce their decrees and to support their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and civil penalties on dissenters will inevitably follow. GC (1888) Chap. 25. God Law Immutable.

The time is coming when God’s people will feel the hand of persecution because they keep holy the seventh day. Satan has caused the change of the Sabbath in the hope of carrying out his purpose for the defeat of God’s plans. 9T. 229.3

(If one does not know God’s great Plan of Salvation then history can be misleading! I always believed that the change of the Sabbath came about sadly when the Christians were persecuted as Jews because the Jews were often rising up against the Romans…While that is true outwardly, the real reason is as we read in 9T 229. While we see the historical transaction, we often miss the ‘intent’ of the act because the intent is always wrapped up or hidden in the plans and purposes of God or satan working through humans…The same thing with the Sabbath change).

7. 7BC 967 (1897). All nations and tongues and peoples will be commanded to worship this spurious sabbath; the decree…is to go forth to all the world.

8. 6T. 18 (1900) When America unites with the papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honour the false sabbath the people of every country around the globe will follow her example.

9. 6T 352 (1900) All the world will act a part in this Sabbath issue.

10. 6T 395 (1900) Foreign nations will follow the USA. The same crisis confronts God’s people in all parts of the world.

11. 7BC 980 (1901) Earth’s final drama is the substitution of Sunday for Sabbath. God will act when it becomes universal.

They will point to calamities on land and sea–to the storms of wind, the floods, the earthquakes, the destruction by fire—as judgments indicating God’s displeasure because Sunday is not sacredly observed. ChS. chap.14

12. Our people have been regarded as too insignificant to be worthy of notice, but a change will come. The Christian world is now making movements which will necessarily bring commandment-keeping people into prominence. Ibid.

But God’s people are to stand firm for Him. And the Lord will work on their behalf, showing plainly that He is the God of gods. — Testimonies, vol. 9, pp. 229, 230. {ChS 156.2} 

13. The proclamation of the gospel has ever been carried forward in this world in the face of opposition, peril, loss, and suffering.–The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 84, 85. {ChS 156.3}

14. The work which the church has failed to do in a time of peace and prosperity, she will have to do in a terrible crisis, under most discouraging, forbidding, circumstances.

The warnings that worldly conformity has silenced or withheld, must be given under the fiercest opposition from enemies of the faith.

And at that time the superficial, conservative class, whose influence has steadily retarded the progress of the work, will renounce the faith, and take their stand with its avowed enemies, toward whom their sympathies have long been tending. ChS. 158. 5T463.

 15. The Protestant world today see in the little company keeping the Sabbath a Mordecai in the gate. His character and conduct, expressing reverence for the law of God, are a constant rebuke to those who have cast off the fear of the Lord, and are trampling upon His Sabbath; the unwelcome intruder must by some means be put out of the way. –Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 450. {ChS 158.2}

16. To secure popularity and patronage, legislators will yield to the demand for a Sunday law. . . . On this battlefield comes the last great conflict of the controversy between truth and error.– Testimonies, vol. 5, pp. 450, 451. {ChS 158.3}

17. God means that testing truth shall be brought to the front, and become a subject of examination and discussion, even if it is through the contempt placed upon it. The minds of the people must be agitated. Every controversy, every reproach, every slander, will be God’s means of provoking inquiry, and awakening minds that otherwise would slumber. –Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 453. {ChS 159.2} 

18. 3SM 427, 8 (1884) With miracles and wonders the whole earth is converted; This is the temporal millennium they were waiting for.

19. TM 37 (1893) Whole world is against SDAs because of their not yielding

20. Ms 163 (1897) whole world keeping Sunday, why are SDAs not obeying the law of the land?

21. 3SM 392 (1891) The so-called Christian world is to be the theatre of … decisive actions…laws controlling the conscience after the example of the papacy will be enacted

22. Counsels for the Church, Chap. 57, p. 317 Religious powers, allied to heaven by profession…will show that they have the heart of the dragon and controlled by satan. The man of sin…will cause laws to be made enforcing Sunday observance.

23. 5T 712 When our nation shall so abjure the principles of its government as to enact a Sunday law Protestantism will in this act joins hands with popery;

24 . Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 141. The substitution of the laws of men for the law of God, the exaltation, by merely human authority, of Sunday in place of the Bible Sabbath, is the last act in the drama. When this substitution becomes universal, God will reveal Himself. He will arise in His majesty to shake terribly the earth. He will come out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity, and the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

25. 5T 713-14 We are not ready for the issue to which the enforcement of the Sunday law will bring us…seeing it coming we must arouse to action…We are not doing the will of God if we sit in quietude, doing nothing to preserve liberty and conscience…

26. RH. Feb. 16, 1905 Books needed to help us in dealing with Sunday law: Patriarchs and Prophets, Daniel and the Revelation, Great Controversy, Desire of Ages. Last Day Events.

27. Counsels to Writers and Editors, 98. To meet the Sunday law the trumpet must give a certain sound…

28. Ms. 99, 1908 We are to be careful not to place ourselves where it will be hard for ourselves and children to keep the Sabbath…

29. Testimonies to Ministers, p. 118 (1903) We are called to expose the man of sin who has made the Sunday law a distinctive power…

30. GC 578-9, 592 Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard of truth…rulers in order to secure public favour, will yield to demand for Sunday…

31. GC 587 Sunday laws would greatly improve the morals of society, expressed especially in the USA where the Sabbath has been most widely preached…

32. Laws enforcing Sunday observance will lead to national apostasy from principles of republicanism…LDE 132.1

33. It will be shown that a day of great intellectual light is equally favourable for its (Rome) success…4SP 390

34. As the approach of the Roman armies was a sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, so may this apostasy be a sign to us that the limit of God’s forbearance is reached.–-5T 451 (1885)

35. and national apostasy will be followed by national ruin.–7BC 977 (1888)

36. The first day of the week, a common working day, possessing no sanctity whatever, will be set up as was the image of Babylon. All nations and tongues and peoples will be commanded to worship this spurious sabbath. . . . The decree enforcing the worship of this day is to go forth to all the world.–7BC 976 (1897) LDE 135…

37. As America, the land of religious liberty shall unite with the papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honour the false sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will be led to follow her example.–6T 18 (1900). {LDE 135.1}

38. The Sabbath question is to be the issue in the great final conflict in which all the world will act a part.–6T 352 (1900).

39. The wicked . . . declared that they had the truth, that miracles were among them, that angels from heaven talked with them and walked with them, that great power and signs and wonders were performed among them, and that this was the temporal millennium that they had been expecting so long. The whole world was converted and in harmony with the Sunday law.–3SM 427, 428 (1884). {LDE 136.1}

40. The whole world is to be stirred with enmity against Seventh-day Adventists because they will not yield homage to the papacy by honouring Sunday, the institution of this antichristian power.–TM 37 (1893). {LDE 136.2}

41. Those who trample upon God’s law make human laws which they will force the people to accept. Men will devise and counsel and plan what they will do. The whole world keeps Sunday, they say, and why should not this people, who are so few in number, do according to the laws of the land?–Ms 163, 1897. {LDE 136.3}

42. Every nation will be involved. Of this time John the Revelator declares: [Revelation 18:3-7; 17:13, 14, quoted]. “These have one mind.” There will be a universal bond of union, one great harmony, a confederacy of satan’s forces. “And shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” 3SM 392 (1891). {LDE 136.4}

43. As the Sabbath has become the special point of controversy throughout Christendom and religious and secular authorities have combined to enforce the observance of the Sunday, the persistent refusal of a small minority to yield to the popular demand will make them objects of universal execration.–GC 615 (1911). {LDE 137.3}

44. Reasons for Sunday observance:

1. To better the morals of society. GC. 587, 591, 592.

2. Calamities which fill the land…LDE 129.

3. Fast-spreading corruption…LDE 129.

4. Wickedness and evil…GC. 587, 591; 3SM 418

5. The collapse of the economy…GC. 580

45. God’s people will not find their safety in working miracles, for Satan would counterfeit any miracle that might be worked… They are to take their stand on the living Word–“It is written.” {Mar 209.4}

46. The whole world was converted and in harmony with the Sunday law, and this little feeble people stood out in defiance of the laws of the land and the law of God, and claimed to be the only ones right on the earth. 21MR 325.4; 3SM 42; 

(Topic 2: Sunday legislation Part 1)