"And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory."-John
The third angel's message warns against the revival of the beast, the formation of the image of the beast, and the enforcement of the mark of the beast. (Rev. 14:9) To meet this crisis brought to view in Revelation 13, God will send the mighty angel of Revelation 18 to give power and force to the third angel's message. (EW 277)
Early Writings, p. 277, says that this mighty angel comes in at the right time. Although God does not give the date in the timetable of last-day events, He does say that His people should not be ignorant of the times and seasons. (1 Thess. 5:1-5; GC 594) It has already been seen that the great event in the heavenly sanctuary which brings the angel of Revelation 18 to the aid of the church is the judgment of the living. What is the corresponding earthly event which makes it imperative for that added "power and force" to be given to the warning of the third angel?
Much uncertainty exists on this important point. All are agreed on how the third angel's message began, but there is great confusion about how the message is going to end. Before this writer are articles from the Review and Herald and elsewhere, stating that the angel of Revelation 18 is now doing his work:
W. R. Beach
"And today He is adding His power according to plan. He is giving, we believe, the 'latter rain' experience. According to His promise, He is pouring out His Spirit 'upon all flesh.' (Joel 2:28). There can be no mistaking this. We may not discern it or experience it, but thousands are." [1]
A. L. Page
"The Latter Rain for which we have been praying and that has been experienced in such meetings of our leaders and evangelists as the recent one at Camp Berkshire, New York, fell in a marked way on our regular and student literature evangelists at Waunita Hot Springs, June 30-July 3." [2]
R. G. Campbell
"The latter rain is falling. The Holy Spirit is being richly poured out all about us. ... Why not read all about it in the Review and Herald." [3]
W. J. Hackett
"There are evidences around over the world of early showers of the latter rain." [4]
H. W. Lowe
"Denominational teaching has been that under the latter rain the message swells to a loud cry and then comes the Sunday law, persecution, and the death decree-all before one general close of probation." [5]
B. R. Spear
"God's INSPIRED SEQUENCE-1. The shaking; 2. The latter rain; 3. The loud cry; 4. The final test; 5. Close of third angel's message; 6. Close of human probation; 7. Blotting out of sin; 8. Receiving the seal of God; 9. Close of Christ's priestly ministry; 10. Seven last plagues. (Numbers 5 to 9 cluster and overlap. Numerical order cannot be exactly de fined.)" [6]
Yet there are other articles by Adventist writers saying just as definitely that the latter rain is not falling. Some ministers have been heard declaring that the latter rain is falling in Korea. More recently, reports have been received that there is now much division and departure of souls from the church in Korea.
The Review and Herald office has sent out a letter soliciting subscriptions which says, "The latter rain is falling." Then the subscriber reads the General Conference president's words that it is not falling, but that the church must now seek it. There are articles and statements by respected church leaders, declaring that the latter rain (Rev. 18:1) comes before the national Sunday-law decree is passed in the United States. (Rev. 13:14-17) On the other hand, equally recognized theologians and a number of charts prepared by Bible scholars show that the latter rain comes after the national Sunday-law crisis of Revelation 13:14-17.
The Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy Teaching
If the case is rested on the testimony of Inspiration, the overwhelming evidence supports the view that the latter rain falls after the national Sunday law. In fact, Revelation 13:13, 14 shows that it is the false-latter rain" which comes before the national Sunday law. (GC 588-592; EW 261) Here are the evidences of a post-Sunday-law latter rain:
The Message of Revelation 18:2-5
As the angel descends (EW 277) with the latter rain, he announces the complete [7] moral fall of Babylon:
"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. And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities."-Rev. 18:2-5.
The angel does not declare, "Babylon is about to fall." Rather, he says, "Babylon is fallen," and describes those conditions which have caused her complete moral fall:
- She "is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit." That is, she has accepted the false latter rain which in reality is spiritualism. (Rev. 13:13, 14; 16:13, 14; GC 588)
- "All nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication [illicit church-state union]." The angel of Revelation 18 announces that church and state have united throughout Christendom. (GC 389, 390)
- "For her sins have reached unto heaven." According to Inspiration, her sins "will have reached unto heaven when the law of God is made void; when the Sabbath of the Lord is trampled in the dust, and men are compelled to accept in its stead an institution of the papacy through the strong hand of the law of the land."-7BC 977; cf. 5T 451.
The Great Controversy gives an accurate commentary on the crisis of Revelation 13:13-17. On page 588 E. G. White describes the false revival that leads up to the passing of the national Sunday law. (Cf. GC 592) Carrying on the sequence of pages 603 to 604, she describes the terrible condition of Babylon at the time the angel of Revelation 18 descends. Page 606 states that men of God, empowered by the Spirit, denounce "the fearful results of enforcing the observance of the church by civil authority." The next page (p. 607) shows the controversy extending and waxing more fierce. The tidings of the loud cry madden the clergy, and under their influence "the law will be invoked against commandment keepers." Some make the mistake of reading this page as if the latter rain arouses the clergy to influence the state to introduce the Sunday legislation. But a careful study of the material prior to page 607 will show that the law has already been enacted. The loud cry causes the clergy to demand that the law be "invoked," that is, called into operation against the saints.
The shaking
The second reason why the latter rain comes after the Sunday law is because it comes only after the mighty sifting of the church caused by the Sunday-law test. Inspiration speaks of a great shaking in the church before the outpouring of the latter rain. (Hosea 5:14, 15; 6:1-3; 1T 179-183; EW 269-271; 5T 80-82; 6T 400, 401) It is true that the shaking commences from within the church by many refusing the truth presented and spurning the "straight testimony." (2SM 13; EW 270) But this shaking is brought to a climax by the crisis of the Sunday law. Then the loud cry will follow.
"The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view. ...
"The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ's righteousness, will appear in the shame of their own nakedness. ...
"Then will the church of Christ appear 'fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.'-5T 80-82.
"As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare will in times of real peril make it manifest that they have not built upon the solid rock; they will yield to temptation. 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. But, on the other hand, when the storm of persecution really breaks upon us, the true sheep will hear the true Shepherd's voice. Self-denying efforts will be put forth to save the lost, and many who have strayed from the fold will come back to follow the great Shepherd. The people of God will draw together and present to the enemy a united front. In view of the common peril, strife for supremacy will cease; there will be no disputing as to who shall be accounted greatest. No one of the true believers will say: 'I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas.' The testimony of one and all will be: 'I cleave unto Christ; I rejoice in Him as my personal Saviour.'
"Thus will the truth be brought into practical life, and thus will be answered the prayer of Christ, uttered just before His humiliation and death: 'That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.' John 17:21. The love of Christ, the love of our brethren, will testify to the world that we have been with Jesus and learned of Him. Then will the message of the third angel swell to a loud cry, and the whole earth will be lightened with the glory of the Lord."-6T 400, 401.
These passages have been quoted at length so that the point may appear in its clear context. The Sunday-law crisis accomplishes the final sifting of the church. Then come the latter rain and loud cry.
The sealing
In the previous chapter it was found that the latter rain and the sealing are inseparable events. If one is located, so is the other. Then does the sealing of the living saints take place before or after the enforcement of the Sunday law?
"The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes; for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided. ... [Rev. 13:11-17 quoted]. ...
"This is the test the people of God must have before they are sealed."-7BC 976.
"Now, when the great work of judging the living is about to begin, shall we allow unsanctified ambition to take possession of the heart and lead us to neglect the education required to meet the needs in this day of peril?
"In every case the great decision is to be made whether we shall receive the mark of the beast or his image, or the seal of the living God."-6T 130; cf. 5T 473-475, 451, 525, 526.
It is completely untenable to place the time of the latter rain before the sealing. In Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, pp. 209, 210 (which is a commentary on Ezekiel 8 and 9), the Spirit of Prophecy shows that immediately prior to the commencement of the sealing of the 144,000 "the danger and depression of the church is greatest." This desperately low spiritual condition of the church would not exist prior to the sealing if the latter rain were falling.
Summary
The last two chapters may be summarized in one brief statement: The heavenly event which brings down the angel of Revelation 18 is the judgment of the living; the corresponding earthly event which brings down the angel of Revelation 18 is the enforcement of the mark of the beast. Several charts produced by Seventh-day Adventist ministers and Bible teachers, showing the correct timing of the latter rain, are reproduced on the following pages.
Appendix to chapter 7
Some discussion is needed on the statement, " ... the loud cry of the third angel has already begun in the revelation of the righteousness of Christ-1SM 363 (written in 1892). The context of this statement shows that E. G. White was referring to the message of righteousness by faith which came to the church in 1888.
That Ellen White yet looked to the future for the proclamation of the loud cry is clear from the following quotations. The dates when these statements were written should be carefully noted:
"I have no specific time of which to speak when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will take place-when the mighty angel will come down from heaven, and unite with the third angel in closing up the work for this world. ...-7BC 984 (written in 1892).
"... the time will be fulfilled foretold in the Revelation, and the mighty angel that shall lighten the earth with his glory will proclaim the fall of Babylon. ...-7BC 985 (written in 1892).
"When the storm of persecution really bursts upon us ... the people of God will draw together. ... Then will the message of the third angel swell to a loud cry, and the whole earth will be lightened with the glory of the Lord."-Ev 693 (written in 1900).
"During the loud cry ... light will be communicated to every city and town. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of salvation. ... the light of present truth will be seen flashing everywhere."-Ev 694 (written in 1904).
"The time is coming when there will be as many converted in a day as there were on the day of Pentecost, after the disciples had received the Holy Spirit."-Ev 692 (written in 1905).
"In the future, the earth is to be lightened with the glory of God."-In Heavenly Places, p. 334 (written in 1905).
Furthermore, about 1903, the pen of Inspiration testified to the fact that the church was not experiencing the loud cry in the following words: "The time has come for a thorough reformation to take place."-8T 251.
In the Review and Herald of April 1, 1890, E. G. White quoted Revelation 18:1 and then stated, "As yet, we certainly have not seen the light that answers to this description." Later, in the Review and Herald of November 29, 1892, the servant of the Lord pointed out that Revelation 13:11-15 must be fulfilled before the angel of Revelation 18:1 begins the proclamation of his message. First, she quotes from Revelation 13, describing the formation of the image of the beast and the national Sunday law. Then, after quoting briefly from Revelation 17:14, she proceeds directly to Revelation 18:1-5 which begins, "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen. ..." The messenger of the Lord knew the correct order of events. She recognized that the "image of the beast" in Revelation must be formed before the angel of Revelation 18 could proclaim the complete fall of Babylon. Only "after these things" could that mighty angel which is to lighten the earth with his glory begin the proclamation of the loud cry.
Then what did Ellen G. White mean when she stated in 1892, "... the loud cry of the third angel has already begun in the revelation of the righteousness of Christ. ..."-1SM 363. It is like saying, "World War II began in the appeasement of Hitler at Munich," or, as some now state, "World War III has already begun in the Vietnam conflict." Inspiration was merely utilizing the familiar manner of expressing the imminence of an event.
Notes:
- W. R. Beach, RH, Jan. 28, 1965, p. 4.
- A. L. Page, Central Union Reaper, Sept. 17, 1968, p. 11
- R. G. Campbell, letter to subscribers of RH, 1968.
- W. J. Hackett, president of the North Pacific Union Conference, letter to the field, Oct., 1968.
- H. W. Lowe, Defense Literature Committee letter, May 20, 1968.
- Beveridge R. Spear, "When Are God's People Sealed? " published by the Defense Literature Committee of the General Conference, 1963, p. 23.
- Babylon experienced a partial moral fall in 1844, but her complete moral fall is yet future. (GC 389, 390, 603-605)