Abomination

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand): Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes." Matthew 24:14-18.

There are a lot of different theories and opinions about what exactly is the abomination of desolation, but to rely upon the reasonings and opinions of man is utter foolishness. The only words that we can safely rely upon today, with so many different "winds" of doctrines blowing, is a plain "Thus saith the Lord." Does God plainly tell us exactly what is the abomination of desolation? Yes!

"Jesus declared to the listening disciples the judgments that were to fall upon apostate Israel, and especially the retributive vengeance that would come upon them for their rejection and crucifixion of the Messiah. Unmistakable signs would precede the awful climax. The dreaded hour would come suddenly and swiftly. And the Saviour warned his followers: 'When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth let him understand), then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains.' When the idolatrous standard of the Romans should be set up in the holy ground, which extended some furlongs outside the city wall, then the followers of Christ were to find safety in flight. When the warning sign should be seen, judgment was to follow so quickly that those who would escape must make no delay. He who chanced to be upon the housetop must not go down through his house into the street; but he must speed his way from roof to roof until he reached the city wall, and be saved 'so as by fire.' Those who were working in the fields or vineyards must not take time to return for the outer garment laid aside while they should be toiling in the heat of the day. They must not hesitate a moment, lest they be involved in the general destruction." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 26.

So, the abomination of desolation was "the idolatrous standards of the Romans," and when it was seen standing where it ought not to be standing, then Christ's true followers were to flee "as by fire" and not to remain in Jerusalem. If they were to remain, they would be in extreme danger of losing their lives. God mercifully gave His people plenty of signs which were a warning of the nearness of Jerusalem's destruction, and Sister White lists some of these warning signs and events.

"Signs and wonders appeared, foreboding disaster and 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 word, '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.

"Not one Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem. Christ had given His disciples warning, and all who believed His words watched for the promised sign. After the Romans had surrounded the city, they unexpectedly withdrew their forces, at a time when everything seemed favorable for an immediate attack. In the providence of God the promised signal was thus given to the waiting Christians, and without a moment's delay they fled to a place of safety..." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 31.

In looking at the history of this occurrence, the Roman armies, under general Cestius, surrounded Jerusalem. But when all seemed ready to attack it, he unexpectedly withdrew his forces. When He began to retreat, he planted the abomination of desolation, or the banner of Rome in the holy ground, and that was the sign to the followers of Christ that they were to leave and separate from Jerusalem.

"The Jews had forged their own fetters: they had filled for themselves the cup of vengeance. In the utter destruction that befell them as a nation, and in all the woes that followed them in their dispersion, they were but reaping the harvest which their own hands had sown. Says the prophet, 'O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself:' 'for thou has fallen by thine iniquity.'" Great Controversy, p 35.

"Christ presented before them an outline of the prominent events to transpire before the close of time. His words were not then fully understood; but their meaning was to be unfolded as His people should need the instructions therein given. The prophecy which He uttered was twofold in its meaning; while foreshadowing the destruction of Jerusalem, it prefigured also the terrors of the last great day." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 26.

Anciently, the abomination of desolation occurred when the banner of Rome was planted in the holy ground, which extended some furlongs outside of Jerusalem. And as this is a twofold prophecy, and its planting is going to happen again, what would represent the abomination of desolation today? What is the banner or flag of Rome today? It is Sunday worship. So the abomination of desolation today is Sunday worship--the banner of Roman Catholicism!

"After the truth has been proclaimed as a witness to all nations, at a time when every conceivable power of evil is set in operation, when minds are confused by the many voices crying, 'Lo, here is Christ,' 'Lo, He is there,' 'This is truth,' 'I have a message from God,' 'He has sent me with great light,' and there is a removing of the landmarks, and an attempt to tear down the pillars of our faith -- then a more decided effort is made to exalt the false sabbath, and to cast contempt upon God Himself by supplanting the day He has blessed and sanctified." Selected Messages, book 3, p 406.

She also wrote that before the abomination is planted, there is a removing of the original landmarks of Adventism. This has already been done by the SDA church leadership, beginning since 1909. She then wrote: "an attempt to tear down the pillars of our faith." This has been going on since 1955 with the Martin and Barnhouse affair. The SDA leadership have been making concessions left and right with the evangelicals on the fundamental pillars of historic Adventism. The church does not stand for the three angel's messages anymore! They are preaching a peace and safety message, which comes directly from Satan when God has not spoken it. (For further documentation of the stand which the SDA church takes today regarding the three angel's message, please write for the booklet Transmutation of the Three Angel's Message, at the address given in the front of this booklet).

In an article that appeared in the October issue of Astronomy, 1985, it listed Halley's comet's history from when it was first known or recorded. The Chinese were the ones noted for recording everything they saw or did, and they first began listing the comet's trips to earth starting from 239 BC. With their accurate records, the comet's history has been noted all the way up to the present time.

Titus came during the Passover in AD 70, which would place the time in March-April, or in the Spring. So Halley's comet appeared, then Cestius came in the fall of AD 66, and planted the abomination as he withdrew. Then Titus came in the spring of AD 70, which was about three and a half years after Cestius. This history can be validated by Josephus, and in SDA Bible Commentary, vol 5, p 74-77. Interestingly, the destruction actually started when Titus surrounded the city during the passover in March and April, but the temple didn't fall until the 30th of August.

"The long suffering of God toward Jerusalem, only confirmed the Jews in their stubborn impenitence. In their hatred and cruelty toward the disciples of Jesus, they rejected the last offer of mercy. Then God withdrew his protection from them, and removed his restraining power from Satan and his angels, and the nation was left to the control of the leader she had chosen. Her children had spurned the grace of Christ, which would have enabled them to subdue their evil impulses, and now these became the conquerors. Satan aroused the fiercest and most debased passions of the soul. Men did not reason; they were beyond reason, --controlled by impulse and blind rage. They became Satanic in their cruelty. In the family and in the nation, alike among the highest and the lowest classes, there was suspicion, envy, hatred, strife, rebellion, murder. There was no safety anywhere. Friend and kindred betrayed one another. Parents slew their children, and children their parents. The rulers of the people had no power to rule themselves. Uncontrolled passions made them tyrants...

"Yet in their blind and blasphemous presumption the instigators of this hellish work publicly declared that they had no fear that Jerusalem would be destroyed, for it was God's own city. To establish their power more firmly, they bribed false prophets to proclaim, even when Roman legions were besieging the temple, that the people were to wait for deliverance from God. To the last, multitudes held fast to the belief that the Most High would interpose for the defeat of their adversaries. But Israel had spurned the divine protection, and now she had no defense. Unhappy Jerusalem! rent by internal dissensions..." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 29-31.

You can see that Christ was indeed wise to tell His people to flee immediately and not to stay within Jerusalem after the abomination of desolation stood. Christ had told His true people to separate themselves from Jerusalem, but the leadership of the church had bribed false prophets to deceive the people. These false ministers and leaders began publicly proclaiming that no one was to separate themselves from Jerusalem, but that they were to wait and remain within their once chosen church and organization. And the majority obeyed man instead of God, showing that they loved man and their church more than God--whom they professed to follow and obey!

"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 depository 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." Testimonies, vol 8, p 67.

If you look through the history of the SDA church, from 1855 to the present time, you will see that they have rejected almost every single entreaty from the Lord to repent of their sins and to reform back to obeying His will. (For documentation substantiating the above, please write for the book "The Abomination of Desolation and Church History"--Second Edition, at the address given in front of this booklet. This book documents the year by year history of the professed SDA church in refusing to follow the counsel of God).

"The same danger exists today among the people who profess to be the depositaries of God's law. They are too apt to flatter themselves that the regard in which they hold the commandments will preserve them from the power of divine justice. They refuse to be reproved for evil, and charge God's servants with being too zealous in putting it out of the camp. A sin-hating God calls upon those who profess to keep His law to depart from all iniquity. Neglect to repent and obey His word will bring as serious consequences upon God's people today as did the same sin upon ancient Israel. There is a limit beyond which He will no longer delay His judgments. The desolation of Jerusalem stands as a solemn warning before the eyes of modern Israel, that the corrections given through His chosen instruments cannot be disregarded with impunity." Testimonies, vol 4, p 166-167.

"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. Their love for purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that they are represented as being in agony, even sighing and crying. Read the ninth chapter of Ezekiel." Testimonies, vol 3, p 267.

"These sighing, crying ones have been holding forth the words of life; they had reproved, counseled, and entreated. Some who had been dishonoring God repented and humbled their hearts before Him. But the glory of the Lord had departed from Israel; although many still continued the forms of religion, His power and presence were lacking....They mourn before God to see religion despised in the very homes of those who have had great light. They lament and afflict their souls because pride, avarice, selfishness, and deception of almost every kind are in the church....

But as the SDA church represents Jerusalem today, who represents these 25 men who refuse to worship the Lord God of heaven, but who instead worship the day of the sun--thus planting the abomination of desolation in the church? Who are these leaders who are going to do this, closing probation upon the corporate church, and then lead our people to follow them in sun worship to their utter destruction?

The General Conference leadership represents the 25 men of Ezekiel 8 who are going to worship the sun towards the east and then lead our deceived people into Sunday worship! These 25 men of the SDA General Conference are the highest authority in the SDA church, and this is in prophecy! Ezekiel says, "about twenty-five men." And they have voted on 25 being the number of the Committee in control of the entire SDA church.

Even fifty years after 1901, it is documented in the church manual of 1959 p 9, that the Executive Committee of this Conference is "not to exceed 25 in number." Sometime after 1959, the Executive Committee was enlarged, and is a few hundred today. Yet does this fact nullify that this prophecy points specifically to the General Conference leadership? Is the Executive Committee still the only power behind the throne of the SDA church? Or, since it was enlarged, was there another Committee formed that controls the General Conference Executive Committee--making this new Committee the real power behind the throne?

"Here at the General Conference, the highest decision-making committee, of course, is the General Conference Committee. There is another committee that we term 'General Conference Officer's' which is made up of about twenty-five or twenty-six individuals--president, secretaries, and treasurers, with a few other invited individuals. This committee is a screening committee that determines the items that need to go to the General Conference Committee." Letter from the Office of the President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, B.E. Jacobs--Administrative Assistant to the President, November 1, 1990.

Since this General Conference Officers Committee controls the items which come before the General Conference Committee, they are in fact the real power behind the Conference Committee, and also of the SDA church! And how many members make up this Officers Committee? "About twenty-five or twenty-six individuals." This is exactly the same language which Ezekiel uses--"About twenty-five"! This is not a matter of coincidence, but is one of the significant identifying marks clearly showing that the prophecy of the abominations of Ezekiel 8 applies to none other than the SDA church, and the 25 church leaders, which turn their backs on the Lord and worship the sun, applies to none other than the General Conference leadership! This is an exact fulfillment of prophecy found in Ezekiel 8:16! And God has allowed His true and honest people to be aware of this and not be caught asleep and snared to destruction.

PLEASE NOTE--the abomination of desolation is planted in the SDA church when the General Conference leadership turn their backs on the Lord and worship the sun towards the east--not when the whole church is finally led to worship on Sunday! The General Conference leadership is going to first give up the Lord and His Sabbath--which plants the abomination of desolation--and then they will lead our people into Sunday worship. Many are waiting for the whole church to begin worshipping on Sunday before they will admit that the abomination is planted and that separation is a necessity. But the abomination of desolation stands in the holy place when the General Conference leadership decides to turn their backs on the Lord and worship the sun, which is way before the whole church could be led to do the same! It will take some time before the decisions of the General Conference, to worship the sun, could filter down through the ranks and influence the lay membership to follow them in worshipping the sun. But before any of the membership could be led to do the same, the abomination of desolation would have already been planted in the church! So if any steps can be seen today that are calculated to lead the SDA membership into exalting Sunday or to worship on Sunday, then it shows that the General Conference leadership have already turned their backs on the Lord and that the abomination of desolation has already been planted, meaning that separation out of the church is already a necessity! And it is only the followers of Christ, who keep their eyes open and know what to look for, that will see the steps being taken by the church leadership to bring this about. Christ says that as instruction is needed by His people, it shall be delivered, and since instruction is now being delivered, and we are starting to understand some of the things going on, that means the end is soon.

The leadership have already torn down many of the pillars of our faith, and are continuing to count our fundamental doctrines as being error in order to make concessions with the world. Then remember Sister White stated that after these things would occur, then the false sabbath would be exalted in the eyes of our people (see Selected Messages, book 3, p 406). Truly, as Jeremiah has warned us today: "A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem" (Jeremiah 11:9).

"There is need of a Sabbath reform among us who profess to observe God's holy rest-day...The Lord has a controversy with His professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to that pursued by Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week." Review and Herald, March 18, 1884 (vol 1, p 405, col 3).

--These leaders "will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition." They will use their positions of responsibility to try and influence those ministers and leaders under them to follow them in ignoring and despising the seventh-day Sabbath of God, and to try to keep the true observance of Sabbath buried away from our people.

"Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them."

"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 (angels) 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: (in Testimonies, vol 3, p 267 we are told that this was the Holy Spirit--not that the Holy Spirit is an angel, but is a messenger of God. See also Ephesians 4:30)...

"And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house." Ezekiel 8:17-18, 9:1-2, 4-6.

This destruction occurs at the SDA church, starting with the wicked and corrupt leadership. And since it starts with the corrupt leadership, then all the bad eggs did not leave the SDA church as we have been brain-washed to believe. But all the good eggs left the church in obedience to Christ's command, while all the bad eggs disobeyed Christ's explicit command and remained in the church--proving that they loved their church more than obeying God--and this decision sealed their eternal destiny. These will perish with the church and idol they love, because they refused to accept eternal life with Christ by willingly leaving in order to be with Him.

Do you remember reading about the man who ran up and down the streets of Jerusalem trying to warn the people that destruction was about to occur (see Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 31; and Great Controversy, p 30)? He warned the people for seven years, but he was also destroyed in Jerusalem. Why? Because he also refused to obey Christ's command to flee. He had warned Jerusalem for over three and a half years. Then the abomination of desolation was planted, and instead of separating himself from his church and fleeing as Christ had commanded him to do, he decided to stay and continue to warn the people. But his message did not change one bit. He continued to preach about the abominations and the judgments that were to come upon Jerusalem, but he refused to preach to the people that separation out of the church to Jesus--their professed Master and leader--was a necessity for their eternal lives because the abomination of desolation had already been planted. And even though he stayed and continued to warned the people that destruction was about to occur, there is no evidence that anyone heeded his message and was saved by fleeing Jerusalem. So even though he disobeyed Christ and stayed to warn the people, it did no good.

Those who stayed all perished eternally along with their beloved church. Showing that their probation basically closed at their decision to disobey Christ and remain, even though destruction occurred over three years later. Their probation basically closed the same way as it did in Noah's time, in the broad daylight, and without a cloud of destruction in sight. Please note this: The planting of the abomination of desolation signaled that the corporate probation of the church was already closed, and that now individual probation was closing depending on how they treated the message to separate from their church in obedience to Christ!

Now it is interesting to note that it is said that this man's name was called Jesus! (See Jerusalem and Rome: The Writings of Josephus, p 162 (War VI, 5:3)). But he was proven to be a false Christ. His message consisted of warning the people about the abominations and corruptions that were occurring in the church, and that judgment was about to fall, yet he refused to give to the people the only message which could have saved their eternal lives, which was to separate out of the church.

"The class who do not feel grieved over their own spiritual declension, nor mourn over the sins of others, will be left without the seal of God. The Lord commissions His messengers, the men with slaughtering weapons in their hands: "Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.'

"To His angels He gives the commission to execute His judgments. Let the ministers awake, let them take in the situation. The work of judgment begins at the sanctuary. '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 brazen altar.' Read Ezekiel 9:2-7. The command is, 'Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon who is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.' Saith God, 'I will recompense their way upon their head.'" Testimonies to Ministers, p 431.

To speak more plainly, Jerusalem is a representation of the SDA church. When the SDA leadership and ministers begin exalting Sunday worship before our people, it means that all Christ's true followers are to flee the church. It means not to stay or remain at all. If you remain instead of leaving, or if you go back to church after you have left it, you will be deceived into staying and will lose your eternal lives by doing so--just like the Jewish people were anciently.

The Jews had almost forty years to understand what the abomination of desolation was. When it occurred, only the true followers of Christ, who cared enough to study, recognized it and were then able to flee to a place of safety. They were not deceived by the false prophets who were bribed by the church leaders to teach the people that all had to stay within the church without leaving. And it is going to be exactly the same in our day.

"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand) (or standing where it ought not" Mark 13:14): then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes." Matthew 24:15, 18.

Christ is telling His people that when the church leadership and its ministers begin to exalt Sunday worship--thus showing that they have already turned their backs on the Lord, have worshipped the sun, and that the abomination of desolation has already been planted in the church, (which means we can see it if we are watching for it, and studying), then we are to flee out of the midst of the church. If we are already out of the church, then we are not to go back in.

Anciently, the church leadership had bribed false prophets to deceive the people by teaching and preaching to them that their church was going through. That no one was to worry, because God was going to deliver them from destruction. Even when the Romans had surrounded the temple, cutting off all escape, these false prophets were still proclaiming that God was going to save them; that they were the true people and only true church; and that their church and its religious system was the only organization which God could use, when in fact God had rejected their church and its system over 40 years earlier.

The church had become so corrupt that God could not use it in any way to spread His gospel truth to the world. So He chose others--John the Baptist, Christ, and the disciples, who under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and without working through the corrupt church system or any of its branches, did more to convert those in Jerusalem to the truth than did the entire religious structure!

The Jews had forgotten that God was not dependent upon them to fulfill His purposes in the earth, and that He had the freedom to choose others, and to work completely independent from their entire church system, thus setting them aside if they refused to fulfill their part of the covenant. They had forgotten that the promises of God are always on condition of obedience, even though John the Baptist plainly told them this fundamental truth.

"John knew that they (Jews) cherished the idea that, because they were of the seed of Abraham, they were securely established in the favor of God, while their course of action was abhorred of Him....The prophet faithfully presented to them the ability of God to raise up those who would take their place, and would become more worthy children of Abraham. He told them plainly that God was not dependent upon them to fulfill His purposes; for He could provide ways and means independent of them to carry forward His great work which was to be accomplished in purity and righteousness....

"He told them that they had not fulfilled the conditions of the covenant on their part, which would entitle them to the promises God made to a faithful and obedient people....Their wicked works had disqualified them to claim the promises God made to the children of Abraham. John assured them that God would raise up children unto Abraham from the very stones, to whom He could fulfill His promise, rather than to depend on the natural children of Abraham who had neglected the light God had given them...They had no claim to Abraham as their father, or the promises God made to the seed of Abraham....

Yet, even though plenty of admonitions and warnings were given to the church and its membership, still the majority tenaciously clung to the falsehoods told them by the false shepherds and bribed ministers, in believing that they were not to separate from their corrupt church, but were to wait within for God to save them and their beloved church from destruction. And the same exact situation is now being seen today! And the exact same falsehoods are today being preached and taught to the people by false shepherds and bribed ministers!

"I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend their meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while they teach error that is deadly poison to the soul and teach for doctrines the commandments of men. If God has delivered us from such darkness and error, we should stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has set us free and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to those meetings where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffeting of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the darkness." Early Writings, p 123-125.

This is what is going to happen. If we would go back, after the abomination of desolation stands, we would be going against Christ's words of warning. We were told; "the angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffeting of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the darkness." So no matter how much light we have around us, if we disobey Christ's commands, we will be deceived, and then we wouldn't want to leave.

Some interesting parallels are also seen: Halley's comet anciently was a sign that the Abomination of Desolation would be planted. Halley's comet has already come in our day in December of 1985! So we should be looking to see if the abomination of desolation or Sunday worship has already been planted in the church. This event occurs in the open air, which means that any who are awake can see it clearly. Christ's followers will know what to look for, and when they see it they will decidedly flee.

"But God's merciful providence was directing events for the good of His own people. The promised sign had been given to the waiting Christians, an opportunity was afforded for all who would, to obey the Saviour's warning. Events were so overruled that neither Jews or Romans should hinder the flight of the Christians. Upon the retreat of Cestius, the Jews, sallying from Jerusalem, pursued after his retiring army; and while both forces were thus fully engaged, the Christians had an opportunity to leave the city. At this time the country also had been cleared of enemies who might have endeavored to intercept them. At the time of the siege, the Jews were assembled at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, and thus the Christians throughout the land were able to make their escape unmolested. Without delay they fled to a place of safety." Great Controversy, p 30-31.

We see that when the abomination of desolation--or the banner of Rome--was planted, it was only the people of God that realized the promised sign had been given, and in the confusion that followed, they were able to make their escape. She says, "neither Jews nor Romans should hinder the flight." They were able to make their escape unmolested or undetected. So there would be a chance for us to also escape without much notice, and save our lives.

"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..." (NOTE--She knew them well, so they must have been a group of people in the SDA church that she recognized). "...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." (NOTE--This professed company of SDA's had already BETRAYED their sacred trust, and were actually an image of Catholicism--only under the name of SDA--until the right time had arrived to openly persecute their unsuspecting people! Please read Review and Herald, May 24, 1898 (vol 3, p 571, col 1 & 3); August 7, 1900 (vol 4, p 208, col 1); Testimonies, vol 6, p 144). "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." Testimonies, vol 1, p 578.

In this vision, she saw that the people of God would be betrayed by the very church, leadership, and people which they thought were SDA, but were really an image of Catholicism! (In fact, the SDA church images Catholicism more closely than any other church in America! For more information on this startling truth, write for the booklet "The Image of the Beast" at the address given in the front of this booklet).

"Yet in their blind and blasphemous presumption the instigators of this hellish work publicly declared that they had no fear that Jerusalem would be destroyed, for it was God's own city. To establish their power more firmly, they bribed false prophets to proclaim, even when Roman legions were besieging the temple, that the people were to wait for deliverance from God. To the last, multitudes held fast to the belief that the Most High would interpose for the defeat of their adversaries." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 30.

"The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say, 'The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit His people in judgment.' Thus 'Peace and safety' is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voices like a trumpet to show God's people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God." Testimonies, vol 5, p 211.

God has given the SDA church many opportunities. He has given us all the light and privileges that was needed in order to save ourselves and others from eternal destruction. He has entreated and warned this church of the wrong coarse it has been following, over and over again. Yet the church has only used God's mercy and longsuffering as an excuse to practice more abominations and to grow deeper in apostasy and corruption. Oh, the love and mercy of our God! But the mercy and longsuffering of God has an end.

God states that those who have pleasure in rejecting His truths and living in unrighteousness and deceiving others, will have His Spirit of truth removed from them (see Review and Herald, July 16, 1895 (vol 3, p 273, col 1-2)), and then strong delusions will be sent them to believe a lie, that they might be damned for not loving the truth that God so mercifully sent them (see 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12). And this is exactly what is going to happen.

Halley's comet has already come. So we should be looking to see if the SDA leadership has implemented steps and plans to exalt Sunday among our people and to lead them into worshipping on it, showing that the abomination of desolation has already been planted. After we see that it is planted, we are most decidedly to flee, if not sooner. If we do not, we will be deceived and lost for eternity.

There is no question in my mind. Study it for yourself. Read it all for yourself. Go through it prayerfully with the Holy Spirit so you can know if it is truth or not. You must study it for yourself because you can not rely on or make any man's testimony your watchword. Pray that God will take away any preconceived opinions or customs and traditions that you have heard or were taught since your childhood, and that you will receive only His instructions and not man's instructions. It is only in this way that we are going to be able to stand in these last days. We must stand firmly on a "thus saith the Lord" and not a thus saith man.

Judgment begins at the house of God, and then spreads to the rest of the world (see 1 Peter 4:17, Romans 2:9, Ezekiel 21:2-5). The professed SDA church has rejected God's warnings and entreaties ever since 1855, and has not repented. There is no way that this structure is going through. God has a limit to His forbearance. Judgment falls first on the church and the leadership who have had the greatest light but who have refused to hold it out to others.

The SDA church and its leadership will exalt and urge Sunday worship upon our people. This shows that the abomination of desolation has already been planted, and many of our deceived people will follow the church leadership in also worshipping the Sunday! Please mark this point with care--the church can lead you to exalt and worship the false sabbath without any Sunday law being enforced! So do not think that the abomination of desolation cannot be planted in the church until after the Sunday law, or that God's people are not to flee until after the Sunday law.

For those who still doubt that the SDA church and its leadership will themselves turn traitor to the Lord, give up His Sabbath, and in turn urge Sunday worship upon our people, I have gathered up as many testimonies and Bible texts as I could find that prove this. If you would like to write for this study, please write to PO BOX 328, Rogue River, OR 97537. This study has over ten pages of Bible texts and Testimonies to this effect.

Please pray before you study. Pray that the Lord will take away any preconceived opinions, anything that you might have that will hinder the truth from reaching your heart. Pray that His Holy Spirit will lead you to all truth, and that you will have the understanding from above to be able to discern between truth and error. And whatever God reveals to you, follow it. Don't let your own judgment come in; don't let your own fallible human reasoning come in and change your mind from what God has shown you as a "thus saith the Lord."

Before we close this study, the one great question that needs to be asked is; "Can it be seen that the SDA church leadership is taking and implementing steps that is calculated to exalt Sunday in the eyes of our people and that will lead them to worship on Sunday, thus proving that the abomination of desolation already stands and that separation out of the church is now a necessity?"

After the early Apostolic Christian church united with pagans and corrupted herself into the Roman Catholic church (see Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 42-46, 195, 396), its leaders gave up the Sabbath and then implemented two steps that were calculated to exalt Sunday in their church and to lead their Sabbath-keeping membership into worshipping on Sunday! In Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 55, God through Sister White mercifully tells His people exactly what these two steps were.

Is the SDA leadership following these same two steps within the church today? And if so, is there any documentation to prove it? Because if these two steps can be shown occurring within the church, then it proves that the leadership have already decided to worship the sun and that the abomination of desolation has already been planted--meaning that it is time to obey Christ and separate to Him. Are these two steps being followed by the SDA leadership today? YES!

"Good Adventist news for Easter -- for the first time in denominational history a television network -- CBS -- will broadcast an Easter Sunday Service from a SDA church. The program will originate from the Camarillo Adventist church in California. The speaker will be Elder Roger Bothwell, pastor of the College Church at PUC. WCBS, New York City, will carry the service this Sunday at 11 A.M...as will CBS affiliates in Roanoke, Boston, Tampa, Bismark, Minot, Madison, Williston, Cincinnati, Champaign, San Antonio, Columbus, Huntsville, St. Louis, La Crosse and Tuscaloosa. Some 20 other affiliated stations will carry the program on a delayed basis."

Clearly the SDA leadership and ministers have and are implementing and following the first step in exalting and leading the SDA membership into open Sunday worship. But what about the second step--in calling Sunday the Lord's day when clearly the seventh-day Sabbath is the Lord's Day (see Testimonies, vol 6, p 128)? Would the leadership really begin calling the false sabbath of the devil and the man of sin, the Lord's day? YES!

There is a SDA who is a graduate from the main Jesuit training school in Rome (the Gregorian University), and who very deceptively preaches in SDA churches that Sunday is "the Lord's day." Samuel Bacchiocchi by name. He holds "Lord's Day Seminars" throughout SDA churches, and his teachings and books are upheld as the truth by the SDA leadership and ministers. And he was a professor at Andrews University which trains the future ministers of the SDA church until just recently!

No longer does the Lord's Day refer to the seventh-day Sabbath, but now the Lord's Day could stand for easter Sunday according to the church! Truly the second step has been implemented and is being followed by the leadership of the SDA church in exalting and urging Sunday worship upon the SDA people. Which clearly and unequivocally shows that the General Conference leadership have already turned their backs upon the Lord and His Sabbath and are worshipping towards the east--THUS THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION HAS ALREADY BEEN SET UP AND STANDS IN THE SDA CHURCH!

(PLEASE NOTE: For those who are waiting for a literal flag of Rome to stand in the holy ground of the SDA church, this has already taken place! In the 1995 General Conference Session in the Netherlands, during the Parade of Nations, the Vatican Flag was proudly waving for all SDA eyes to see, who would see! For those who would like to see a picture documenting this, please click here)

The vice president of the British Union Conference of SDA's, John Arthur by name, has recently given Adventist support to the Sunday law in England! After he did this, he was not fired or even reprimanded, but was exalted to be the president of the British Union Conference about 6 months later! He wrote two letters; one to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (dated March 27, 1986), and the other to the General Secretary of the Evangelical Alliance Clive R. Calver (dated February 27, 1986). In these letters, he states that he is giving "Adventist support to those in opposition to the proposed repeal of the British Sunday trading laws...Elder Arthur was asked whether any of the (SDA) field leaders he had consulted had been opposed to sending the letters. His answer was no, there had been no opposition, all reaction received was positive" Prism, May, 1986, p 6, 12 (Prism is the paper of Newbold SDA College in England. NOTE: copies of both letters were in the article).

Also in New Zealand, a SDA church also held a Sunday worship church service, and even had it televised nationwide. Who do you suppose was the speaker at this service that allowed the church to hold a Sunday worship church service and have it televised nationwide? Neal C. Wilson, the highest leader in the SDA church, and also one of the 25 men in the General Conference executive committee!

"On Sunday, May 19, our oldest church in New Zealand, Ponsonby, has been chosen as the venue for a nationwide televised church service, one of only six such services in New Zealand in 1985. This will be the occasion of pastor Neal Wilson's visit, and plans for the music and youth scripture reading are under way -- not to mention working bees on the church!" Australasian Record, April 13, 1985 p 16.

Another instance. In Watsonville, Cal. the SDA church there held a church service on Sunday, January 12, 1986 in which 9 other Sunday churches participated in an ecumenical worship service. The Sunday churches were, as reported in the Watsonville SDA church bulletin: First Christian; United Presbyterian; Freedom United; Methodist; Episcopal; All Saints Episcopal; Westview Presbyterian; La Salva Beach Community; and Watsonville Parish.

Years ago this would have never been allowed to occur, but now it should not be surprising with the mind set of many of the SDA ministers today. To give you an example, I have a copy of a letter (dated Feb 25, 1986) from the pastor of the Diamond Lake SDA church in Washington state, in which he was going to send throughout the community, inviting them to come to his SDA church for Sunday morning worship services throughout the entire year. And Easter Sunday was going to be the first Sunday morning church service!

But as amazing as this is, it is not all! On Sunday morning, November 7, 1999, the SDA Mountain View church in Las Vegas, Nevada began their year long Sunday morning outreach to the area's population. For the next 52 weeks, the SDA church would hold church services each and every Sunday morning! In the article titled "Adventist Sunday Church" in the Pacific Union Recorder, for February 2000, it states:

Many other services are being held on Sunday by SDA churches, and the reasons and excuses for justifying such abominable and blasphemous practices, are as varied as the color of a Chameleon. Sunday exaltation and worship is becoming more and more common place and less and less of an abomination in the eyes of our people. Truly the leadership of the church have turned their backs on the Lord and His truth as Ezekiel 8:16 says and the abomination of desolation stands!

The SDA church and its leadership are facing the sun and worshipping it, and they have implemented steps and are having the ministers following plans to influence their membership to do the same. All these things show us plainly that the abomination of desolation already stands and that Sunday exaltation and worship is occurring. Yet still so many of our people will not acknowledge that this is so. They continue to remain blind to this fact, continuing to hold on to their beloved church which has become an idol to them. As such, it shuts out Jesus from their heart, and they refuse to obey Christ's explicit command to separate from their beloved idol church.

Oh, brothers and sisters, the abomination of desolation (Sunday worship) has been planted and stands in the ranks of the SDA church. You can expect to see Sunday services increasing throughout the ranks of Adventism. The warning sign to flee is here in the open air for all to see who will see. Who will acknowledge the sign and obey Christ's command, showing themselves to be His true followers and flee the church?

Ezekiel 8:16 has taken place, and Ezekiel 9 is just beginning--with the slaughtering to occur in the general destruction of the wicked after probation has closed for the world (see Testimonies, vol 3, p 266-67). But probation is starting to close now. The SDA church and its leadership have taken the stance that they will turn their back on the Lord, give up His Sabbath truth, and worship on Sunday--which shows that the corporate probation for the SDA church is already closed! Now probation is beginning to close for individuals, and how many of our people are going to be led to follow their church and to do the same thing? How many of our people are worshipping the church instead of worshipping God? How many of them are going to follow the leadership, their dictations, their laws and the commandments of men, instead of following the commands of the Lord?

The sealing in Ezekiel 9 is already beginning, and where are those out there who will sigh and cry for what is going on? Where are those who will be obedient to the Lord and separate? Who will continue to follow this false church, and its religious system, posing as the true church and religious system of God? Who is going to leave this synagogue of Satan, that is compromising God's holy Sabbath in order to exalt Sunday in the eyes of the people, and which is now getting the people to worship on Sunday? Who is warning our people of what is going on? Our people are being led to the slaughter and they don't even know.

We must come out and be separate and stand for our God, and warn our brothers and sisters to do the same thing. We can't follow that man of Jerusalem, whose name was also Jesus, who decided that after the abomination was planted, that he would not obey his Lord and flee Jerusalem. He reasoned that he would stay instead, so as to try and warn more people of what was going on. But he lost his eternal life by his disobedience, and there was not one soul reportedly saved, even though he remained and continued to warn them! So he died in vain, when he could have obeyed His Lord and separated, thereby showing by his example and obedience the way of life for others to take heed to and follow. But all were given ample opportunity to escape, and all made their decisions to leave or stay.

Sunday exaltation and worship has begun by the SDA church. Ezekiel 9 is beginning to occur, the sealing is starting, probation is closing and what is your decision going to be? Are you going to follow our Lord? Are you going to follow His commands and flee the church, coming out and looking solely to Jesus for all your light and knowledge and understanding, instead of being under that corrupt system and looking to man?

If you look in the last chapter of Christ's Object Lessons, Sister White writes that the ten virgins represent the church that is looking for Christ to come, which includes the SDA church (it also represents the rest of the worldly churches also, who profess to be looking for Christ to come). But while all ten virgins slept, a procession--made up of Christ (the bridegroom) and His bride (or His true church (see Bible Commentary, vol 7, p 985-86)--came near.

They started to study their Bibles and trim their lamps to see if this was true or not. And they all recognized that it was the truth. They all saw that separation was a necessity. But who were the ones who obeyed their Saviour, showing themselves to be true followers of Christ? It was only the five wise. This class prove themselves wise by leaving and following their Saviour. They professed to follow Him and now they proved it.

But there were five that stayed. This class proved themselves foolish because they did not obey their Lord. They in essence said, "We know that separation is the true message, but it is not time to separate now. It will be time to separate later, but it is not time now." These foolish virgins did not obey their Lord. They decided to choose to follow a different path than what the Lord had told them to do.

It was only those Christians who proved themselves wise, who left at the command of Christ, when they noticed and realized that the abomination of desolation had been planted. The rest of the professed Christians remained. These chose and took a different path than what Christ had commanded them to take, and they stayed. The man, who was also named Jesus, remained too because he reasoned that he could try to warn more people by staying, even though his Saviour had already told him to leave. Their probation basically closed at their decision to remain and disobey Christ, and we are now seeing this sad history being repeated.

THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION STANDS! It's time to awake. It's time to get rid of every sin in your life. It's time to "prepare to meet thy God", and go out to meet and be with Jesus, for our Saviour is coming to claim His obedient people as His, and it won't be long. Probation is individually closing now--dear people--upon those who reject the last and final message of mercy!