![]() |
"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() THE LATTER RAIN and LOUD CRY of the
![]() ANGEL of REVELATION 18
![]() First Printing, 2003
Copyright © 2003 held by
"LET THERE BE LIGHT" MINISTRIES (rs)
PO BOX 1776
![]() Albany, OR 97321
![]() U.S.A.
![]() www.LightMinistries.com
![]() All rights reserved. Permission is hereby given to reprint this booklet, provided that it is duplicated in its entirety without any change or comment.
For additional booklets, as well as to receive a complete list of other materials available, please write:
BOOKLETS
PO BOX 1776
ALBANY, OR 97321
U.S.A.
![]() The LATTER RAIN and LOUD CRY of the
ANGEL of REVELATION 18
There are quite a few different ideas, theories, and beliefs being taught today in regards to the subject of the Latter Rain and Loud Cry – especially when they are to begin. As we know that every wind of doctrine will be and is blowing, we all are forced to ask ourselves this question: Is what I have heard, or may believe, on this subject really the truth? Or is it just the faulty opinions and theories of men? This is a vital question because what you may or may not believe on this particular subject will indeed involve your salvation!
“Do you ask, What shall I do to be saved? You must lay your preconceived opinions, your hereditary and cultivated ideas, at the door of investigation. If you search the Scriptures to vindicate your own opinions, you will NEVER reach the truth. Search in order to learn what the Lord says. If conviction comes as you search, if you see that your cherished opinions are not in harmony with the truth, do not misinterpret the truth in order to suit your own belief, but accept the light given. Open mind and heart that you may behold wondrous things out of God’s Word.” Christ’s Object Lessons, p 112.
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20.
So I humbly ask you to lay aside any preconceived opinions, any hereditary and cultivated ideas, at the door of investigation into this vital subject of the Latter Rain and Loud Cry, and join with me in searching throughout the Bible and the Testimony of Jesus (or the Spirit of Prophecy – Revelation 19:10) for what the Lord says is the truth. And may we be constantly praying for God to grant us divine enlightenment, especially sending to us the precious Holy Spirit, so that we may understand what is truth.
In this study into the Latter Rain and Loud Cry of Revelation 18:1-5 we want to try and comprehend all the truth that this glorious message has for us. As such, we will carefully investigate into the following seven main areas:
Please read carefully to what inspiration describes about this message:
“Hence the movement symbolized by the angel coming down from Heaven, lightening the earth with his glory, and crying mightily with a strong voice, announcing the sins of Babylon. In connection with his message the call is heard, ‘Come out of her, my people.’” Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 422 (Great Controversy, p 604).
What we see pictured in Revelation 18 is a Movement! This Movement of God’s people is similar to the Movements of the past: such as the Exodus of God’s people from Egypt, or the Early Christian Church from Judaism, or the Reformers from Catholicism, or even Adventism from Protestantism. But this Revelation 18 Movement is not the Advent Movement! This Movement is the very last Movement of God’s people found recorded in the book of Revelation just before probation closes for the world! Thus it is of vital importance to all those who join this Movement to know and understand what this message is all about!
We are told about this important message:
“The Lord has this one last call of mercy to give to the world...” Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 78 (Letter 86, June 19, 1900).
So the very last message, the very last call of mercy sounded to the entire world, is found in Revelation 18. Then let us read Revelation 18:1-5:
“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, 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.”
We need to define some of these symbols in order to get a clearer picture of what this message entails.
“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven having great power...”
Who represents this angel which comes down from heaven?
“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...” Bible Commentary, vol 7, p 984 (Review and Herald, March 29, 1892).
Who did inspiration declare this mighty angel listed in Revelation 18 to be? The Holy Spirit! Now the Holy Spirit is not a created angel. The word “angel” translates, “messenger” (see Strong’s, word #32). Just as Christ is “Michael the archangel”, yet He is not created but is the messenger of the Lord, so the same with the Holy Spirit.
Thus this mighty angel in Revelation 18 represents the Holy Spirit. And He comes down from where? From heaven. So the Holy Spirit comes down, or is poured out, from heaven. And what is another name for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit from heaven? The Latter Rain (see Acts of the Apostles, p 55).
Now is this mighty angel quiet when he is poured out from heaven? No, because He cries mightily with a strong voice, or a Loud Cry (see Testimonies, vol 8, p 118), declaring the fall of Babylon. Therefore when the Holy Spirit is poured out, or the Latter Rain falls, He brings the beginning of the Loud Cry. It is very important to realize this. When the Holy Spirit is poured out in the Latter Rain, He brings the beginning of the Loud Cry of Revelation 18.
“and the earth...”
What is a symbol representing the earth? Our hearts – our heart soil. Christ’s parable of the sower scattering the seed into four different types of soil represented four different types of heart-soil where the seeds of truth could lodge. So the symbol of the earth can represent our hearts. Thus when the Holy Spirit is poured out something happens to the earth or to the hearts of humanity.
“was lightened with his glory.”
When the Holy Spirit is poured out in Latter Rain power, our hearts are lightened with his glory (see Manuscript Releases, vol 8, p 212). But what would represent this glory?
“As great power and glory attended the closing work, the faithful people of God will partake of that glory. It is the latter rain which revives and strengthens them to pass through the time of trouble. Their faces will shine with the glory of that light which attends the third angel.” Testimonies, vol 1, p 353.
What is represented as the glory which attends the third angel? The Latter Rain! And what is the third angel’s message? It is found in Revelation 14:9-12: dealing with the law of God, especially uplifting the Sabbath, or the fourth commandment of God. It includes a warning against worshiping the Beast and his Image, and receiving their mark. The Mark of the Beast is worshiping on Sunday after it is made a law. And if the people receive the mark, and choose to worship the Beast or his Image, they will receive the wrath of God poured out in the seven last plagues.
So the glory which lightens our hearts represents the Latter Rain which attends the third angel’s message. Now please pay close attention, because inspiration reveals something else about the glory of the angel of Revelation 18:
“The whole earth is to be lightened with the glory of God’s truth. The Lord will not close up the period of probation until the warning shall be more distinctly proclaimed. The trumpet must give a certain sound. The law of God is to be magnified, its claims must be presented in their true, sacred character, that the people may be brought to decide for or against the truth. Yet the work will be cut short in righteousness. The message of Christ’s righteousness is to sound from one end of the world to the other. This is the glory of God which closes the work of the third angel.” Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 179 (Letter 2c, 1892).
What did inspiration declare represented the glory of the angel of Revelation 18 which attends and closes the work of the third angel? It represents the message of Christ’s righteousness. And we also read earlier that the glory represented the outpouring of the Latter Rain!
Now some have a problem understanding how the Latter Rain – or the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the message of Christ’s righteousness, can be united together as one. But what does God state is the truth?
In comparing God’s inspired word with God’s inspired word, we find that the Latter Rain is defined as being the “outpouring of the Holy Spirit” (Acts of Apostles, p 55). We already found that the Latter Rain means the “glory of the angel of Revelation 18" (Testimonies, vol 1, p 353; Early Writings, p 279; Testimonies to Ministers, p 469; Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 234). And we already found that the Latter Rain means the “message of the righteousness of Christ” (Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 179; Testimonies, vol 6, p 19; Manuscript Releases, vol 1, p 172). Doing further investigation, we also find that the Latter Rain means the “refreshing from the presence of the Lord” – or the refreshing presence of Jesus (Testimonies, vol 1, p 183; Early Writings, p 71, 279; Review and Herald, vol 2, p 482; Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 234). And lastly, we also find that the Latter Rain is the “beginning of the loud cry” (Testimonies, vol 1, p 183). (If you would like to study more into the various definitions of the Latter Rain, there is a 35 page Spirit of Prophecy compilation which you can obtain by writing to this ministry).
So we see that the Latter Rain is a symbol representing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the glory of the angel of Revelation 18, the message of the Righteousness of Christ, the refreshing presence of Jesus, and the beginning of the Loud Cry. But the Holy Spirit is the key to obtaining all these blessings from heaven.
Without the Holy Spirit, you would have no Latter Rain, you would have no glory, no attraction to the message of truth, no refreshing, no beginning of the Loud Cry, and you would have no Jesus. And in turn, without the message of Christ’s righteousness, you would have no Latter Rain, etc. But how can all these different areas be combined and blended together under the symbol of the Latter Rain?
“The Lord is testing the people of today as much as He tested the Jews in their day. When He sends His message of mercy, the light of His truth, He is sending the Spirit of truth to you and if you accept the message, you accept Jesus.” Review and Herald, April 11, 1893 (vol 3, p 38).
Do you see how all of these areas tie together in one harmonious glorious picture? When God sends His messages of mercy, the light of His truth, He is sending the Spirit of truth to you through that message, and if you accept the message, you accept Jesus into your heart!
Was this any different when the Holy Spirit was poured out in the Early Rain at Pentecost?
“When the truth in its simplicity is lived in every place, then God will work through His angels as He worked on the day of Pentecost, and hearts will be changed so decidedly that there will be a manifestation of the influence of genuine truth, as is represented in the descent of the Holy Spirit.” Special Testimonies, Series B#7, p 63.
What was “represented” at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out? A “manifestation of the influence of genuine truth.” And God makes this point even clearer!
“‘He [the Holy Spirit] shall glorify Me [Jesus].’ ‘This is eternal life, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.’ The Holy Spirit glorifies God by so revealing His character to His people that He becomes the object of their supreme affections and by making manifest His character in them. They see clearly that there was never any righteousness in the world but His, no excellence in the world but that derived from Him. When the Spirit was poured out from on High [at Pentecost] the church was flooded with light, but Christ was the source of that light; His name was on every tongue, His love filled every heart. So it will be when that angel that comes down from heaven having great power, shall lighten the earth with his glory. May the Lord help His people to see and understand what is truth.” 1888 Materials, vol 3, p 1017 (Letter 25b, August 30, 1892).
So when the Holy Spirit was poured out in Early Rain power at Pentecost, the church was flooded with light that centered in Jesus. And what is going to happen when the Latter Rain falls today? Again God’s people will be flooded with light, and Christ will be the source and center of that light.
“I stated [at the 1888 General Conference Session] that...there was to be special light for God’s people as they neared the closing scenes of this earth’s history. Another angel was to come down from heaven with a message, and the whole earth was to be lighted with his glory.” Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 64 (Letter 22, January 18, 1889).
We have learned that the Latter Rain was to fall “with a message.” But what message is this? The message of the Righteousness of Christ – justification and sanctification by faith – the “third angel’s message in verity” (Evangelism, p 190) – the beginning of the Loud Cry! Another way to look at this truth is that God desires to rain righteousness upon His people!
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: For it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12.
But why is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit connected with the message of truth centering in Jesus?
“The only channel through which the Spirit operates is that of the truth.” Selected Messages, book 2, p 49.
Therefore the only channel through which the Spirit could be poured out in Latter Rain power is that of “the truth.” So the Latter Rain was to fall with a message of truth, and that message is the Righteousness of Christ.
“The Saviour of men will be glorified, and the earth will be lightened with the bright shining of the beams of His righteousness. He is the fountain of light, and light from the gates ajar has been shining upon the people of God, that they may lift Him up in His glorious character before those who sit in darkness.” Review and Herald, November 29, 1892.
It is only through Christ and His righteousness that any of God’s people can avoid worshiping the Beast, his Image, or of receiving his mark! It is only through making the character of God your own by faith, by beholding Him, uniting with Christ, and then by living through His grace and strength, that any of God’s people can be saved. But was this the only message to the Loud Cry?
“And I heard another voice from heaven...”
Whose voice is this? The mighty voice of God.
“saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins.”
To be a partaker of the sins of Babylon would mean that you would be held corporately responsible!
What is corporate responsibility? By just being a part of Babylon you are held responsible as a member for all the sins of Babylon! (You can see this principle taught in Jeremiah 26:15; Joshua 7:1-26; Testimonies, vol 3, p 265-269. There is also a study which investigates further into this solemn truth on Corporate Responsibility through the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. To read this study, please click here).
“And that ye receive not of her plagues.”
This means that since you are held corporately responsible for the sins in Babylon then you are judged guilty of receiving the same punishment as she does, because of your continued choice to remain in connection with that harlot.
“For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”
Since her sins have reached unto heaven, and God has remembered or investigated them, this means that her cup is full, judgment has been pronounced and corporate probation has closed upon Babylon. And it is only after corporate probation has closed upon Babylon that God then asks His people to flee Babylon so that they will not be destroyed along with her.
Please remember this point: this Movement of Revelation 18 is not seen, the Latter Rain cannot fall and the message of the Loud Cry is not given, until after probation has forever closed upon all of corporate Babylon. Then after probation has closed, all these things occur and God calls His people out of Babylon to try and save their lives from being destroyed along with her.
This clearly reveals that there is a difference between probation closing upon Babylon the Great, versus probation closing upon individuals within Babylon! The closing of probation upon Babylon does not mean that probation has also closed upon every person within Babylon, because God calls His people to come out of her!
“And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen...”
What is Babylon? Babylon is depicted as being an impure woman (Revelation 17:1-5). And what does a woman symbolize in Scripture? A church (see Jeremiah 6:2; Ephesians 5:23-27). So Babylon would then represent a church which is corrupt and impure.
“...the message announcing the fall of Babylon must apply to some religious body that was once pure, and has become corrupt....Babylon is represented as a woman, a figure which is used in the Scriptures as the symbol of a church. A virtuous woman represents a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church. Babylon is said to be a harlot...” Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 232-233 (Great Controversy, p 381).
Hence Babylon represents a harlot church that was at one time pure, or at one time was chosen and used by God as His faithful bride, but who has chosen to depart from Christ, commit harlotry, and therefore has been condemned as Babylon.
“and is become the habitation of devils...”
The apostate church is no longer the habitation of God and Jesus. But now it has become the habitation of devils.
“And the hold of every foul spirit...”
No longer is the church the place of the sweet influence of the Holy Spirit and the heavenly angels, but is now the place of the foul influence of evil spirits.
“And a cage...”
What is a cage? A cage is a closed-in structure that keeps things from escaping it. And this is exactly the meaning of this Greek word used for cage (see word #5438 in Strong’s Concordance). This word for cage means a hold or prison, a ward or jail, which is a place where prisoners are guarded from escaping. So this would represent a church (see Testimonies to Ministers, p 265; Review and Herald, February 26, 1895) which has become structured or organized like a cage or a prison house to try and prevent its membership from separating from her. And the type of church organization which most closely resembles a closed-in structure like a cage is a hierarchy! But what kind of people are in charge of this cage or prison house?
“of every unclean and hateful bird.”
What does a bird represent? It represents men (see Isaiah 46:11; Proverbs 6:5).
“For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses [or churches] full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.” Jeremiah 5:26-27.
So a cage of every unclean and hateful bird would represent a church which has adopted a hierarchical structure of organization, turning it into a prison house filled with deceitful men and leadership who are trying to prevent their members from escaping. And just how many churches are depicted in Revelation 18 as making up Babylon the Great?
“For all nations...”
Is this referring only to the various nations of the world – such as Russia, China, France, Mexico, Africa, Australia, the United States, etc? Or is it spiritually referring to something else?
“God has a controversy with the churches of today. They are fulfilling the prophecy of John. ‘All nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’”Bible Commentary, vol 7, p 979 (Letter 78, 1900).
Hence “all nations” refer to “all churches” or all denominations – without the exclusion of a single one. All the established churches of today are represented as making up Babylon the Great, and are included in this Loud Cry message. But what have all these churches done?
“have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
The wine of Babylon is her false doctrines. And the word “fornication” means to “commit harlotry” (Strong’s word #4202). So all the churches of today are depicted as having accepted, embraced and become drunk upon Babylon’s false doctrines, and are in bed with, or united with, her in harlotry. Thus they have all become a harlot of Babylon as well.
But surely not every member in these Babylonian churches are of the Devil? It is true that Christ does indeed have honest followers in every church. But what consequences, if any, has their connection with Babylon brought them?
“And the kings of the earth...”
Does this only represent the various heads of the governments of the different nations of the world? Or does it also have a spiritual meaning? The Bible depicts the kings of the earth, in a spiritual sense, as being those who have accepted Jesus and His truth, and have entered into His service – being written in the Lamb’s book of Life (see Revelation 1:5-6, 5:10, 17:14, 21:24-27). But what have these kings done, which will rule with Jesus if faithful to the end? They have “committed fornication” with the harlot church! Or in other words, they love and are physically connected with, or united with, their church in harlotry.
“And the merchants of the earth.”
This would not only represent the money power of the earth, but also has a spiritual meaning which would represent ministers. Revelation 18:13 plainly defines these merchants as being those who deal in "slaves and souls of men"! (see also Isaiah 23:8, Hosea 12:7). So the merchants would spiritually represent the ministers in these corrupt harlot churches. But what about these ministers?
“Are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.”
The word “abundance” translates “force, miraculous power, violence, mighty work, and miracle worker” (Strong’s word #1411). And “delicacies” translates “strength” (Strong’s word #4764). So these ministers are waxed rich through the abundance of the harlot’s delicacies, or in other words they are given much authority to rule over their church members, using force or violence if necessary, because of the miraculous power and strength which their hierarchical system of church organization gives them.
As we see that all these churches of Babylon operate under a system of organization set up like a cage to prevent a mass exodus of their church members, and a hierarchical structure works the best as a cage, is the Seventh-Day Adventist church included in this Loud Cry message? Does the SDA church really operate under a organizational structure of Babylon – a hierarchical structure, which gives their ministers and leaders much power to rule over the membership? We will allow the SDA church leadership themselves to answer this solemn question!
“The plain and undeniable fact is that the Seventh-day Adventist church is most assuredly not a ‘congregational’ one (although it contains elements of congregationalism) but is clearly of the...‘hierarchical’ variety.” Neal C. Wilson (past President of the General Conference), Court Transcript of United States vs the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission vs the Pacific Press Publishing Association and the General Conference, Reply Brief for Defendants, Civil Case #74-2025 CBR, trial from 1974-1975 (parentheses in original).
“...the church governs by a method of organization...which embraces exactly, from a legal standpoint, the same kind of organization (in opposition to ‘congregationalism’) as is embraced by the term ‘hierarchical’.” Neal C. Wilson, Court Transcript of United States vs the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission vs the Pacific Press Publishing Association and the General Conference, Reply Brief for Defendants, Civil Case #74-2025, p 29, (parenthesis in original).
“The Seventh-day Adventist Church is essentially a hierarchical system...” Bruce Manners (Associate Editor of the Record – the Official Paper of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, South Pacific Division), in the Record, June 23, 1990, p 2.
“The session [55th General Conference Session in 1990] has demonstrated the hierarchical nature of the church’s administrative structure.” Gary Krause (Associate Editor of the Record), in the Record, August 4, 1990, p 2.
“...the official hierarchy of the (SDA) church...” Walter Douglas (Chairman of the SDA Church History Department at the Andrews University Theological Seminary), in Adventist Review (the Official General Paper of the Seventh-day Adventist Church), Special Edition, October, 1994, p 51.
“...the structure of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is essentially hierarchical...The pyramid of church organization...” Walter Scragg (President of the South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church), in the Record, June 23, 1990, p 4-5.
“The Seventh-day Adventist Church follows a model of organizational order in the church which is modified from the orders of Roman Catholicism...” Douglas Devnich (President of the Canadian Union of Seventh-day Adventists), in the Messenger (Official Journal of the Canadian Union Conference), December, 1993, p 2.
"The Seventh-day Adventist Church...maintains...a hierarchical structure of church authority." Neal C. Wilson, in the Court Transcript of the United States Secretary of Labor vs Pacific Union Conference and General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church, Case CV 75-3032-R, presided over by Judge Manuel L. Real, February 6, 1976.
The leadership of the SDA church have plainly told all their membership that the organizational structure of the SDA church is a hierarchy – not patterned after the New Testament Christian church, but patterned after Roman Catholicism! (To see just how closely the SDA church resembles Roman Catholicism, please click here) Thus we can clearly see that all denominations – including the SDA church – make up Babylon the Great, and are no longer part of God’s true movement and church. But they have become converted into “a cage of every unclean and hateful” leadership who are determined to do all they possibly can to prevent their captive membership from escaping for their lives! (For more information on who God considers to be His True Church please click here).
No one can give this last message of mercy if they are unwilling to call others out of all the harlot Babylon fallen churches. God did not use the word “Babylon” in this last message of mercy to have it reasoned away as being too blunt for sensitive ears to hear! God purposely put the word “Babylon” in the Loud Cry for a good reason – so that it could be wisely, but boldly given, and thus all may awaken at its sharp sound, and then begin to inquire “are these things really true?”
Yet some declare that if you would just leave the “B” word out of the message, that more people would be converted. But how does inspiration declare that this message of Revelation 18 – which joins the third angel’s message – is to be given?
“Satan has devised a state of things whereby the proclamation of the third angel’s message shall be bound about. We must beware of his plans and methods. There must be no toning down of the truth, no muffling of the message for this time. The third angel’s message must be strengthened and confirmed. The eighteenth chapter of Revelation reveals the importance of presenting the truth in no measured terms but with boldness and power....There has been too much beating about the bush in the proclamation of the third angel’s message. The message has not been given as clearly and distinctly as it should have been.” Evangelism, p 230.
How did God state that the message of Revelation 18 is to be given? He plainly declared that it is to be given “in no measured terms”, that His people are not to be “beating about the bush” when giving this message, not using toned down or muffled words, but that this message is to be given with boldness and power! Why?
“Our message is a life-and-death message, and we must let this message appear as it is, – the great power of God. Then the Lord will make it effectual. We are to present it in all its telling force.” Evangelism, p 230.
Should we be afraid to publicly declare the truth that God has told us to give? Are we to be afraid to publicly declare to the members of the various apostate churches that their harlot church is part of Babylon fallen, and that they will be destroyed if they remain connected to her? No. But it is also true that we must proclaim this powerful message with wisdom, tact and discernment, so that the people can be prepared to understand this vital truth.
Yet there will always be those who will offer every excuse they can think of to avoid publicly declaring the harlot church to be Babylon fallen – until some indefinite time in the future. And there will be others who will themselves believe that the church is Babylon fallen, but who will council all of God’s people to delay to use the “Babylon” word until a more appropriate time in the future. And others will urge that a different word should be used other than Babylon, so that it will be more readily accepted by more people. And others will urge that more time should be given before using this Babylon word. And still others who will urge that the Babylon word itself is not to be publicly used, but just carefully lead the people to come to that conclusion themselves through their own personal study. And the really sad part of all this is that if their excuses and council is not followed, then these people will pull themselves away from union with their fellow brethren – believing that their brethren are in the wrong for not following their counsel, and they are the only ones who have the correct view of how to present this message.
But if no one is ever to publicly declare the harlot churches to be Babylon fallen until all have already been convicted that such is the truth beforehand, then this following testimony is a lie!
“The sins of Babylon will be laid open....Thousands upon thousands have never listened to words like these. In amazement they hear the testimony that Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and sins, because of her rejection of the truth sent to her from heaven. The people go to their former teachers with the eager inquiry, Are these things so?” Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 424 (Great Controversy, p 606-607).
Since this inspired testimony is not wrong, it clearly reveals to all of God’s people that multitudes will plainly hear the message that their church is Babylon fallen! And after they hear this, then they began to inquire: “are these things so?” Therefore it was hearing the Babylon message that got the people to investigate into this truth, and it was not their prior investigation into this truth that led them to understand the Babylon message!
As this is true, who are we to declare in our own fallible human reasoning that no one is to publicly preach this Babylon message, or that no one is to use the word “Babylon”, until we think it is appropriate to do so? None of us are God! Then shouldn’t we give God leeway to impress His own servants as to when the time is appropriate to give this message, and how it should be given? Surely God knows better than any of us when the Babylon message should be preached to any particular group at any particular time!
Yet this difference between brethren regarding how to preach the Babylon message still exists today, and it is still causing division among us, when God commands there to be only harmony and unity! But please read carefully as to what inspiration states in this difference between brethren on the timing of the giving of testing truth:
“Caution is needed; but while some of the workers are guarded, and make haste slowly, if there are not united with them in the work those who see the necessity of being aggressive, very much will be lost; opportunities will pass, and the opening providence of God will not be discerned.” Evangelism, p 228-229.
Dear readers, may we all clearly understand, that in this Revelation 18 Movement, we are not to be the ones who control the work according to our own ideas or opinions. But this last day Movement is under the control of the Holy Spirit, and God will lead and use all His servants to do His will and to say His words at any given time He impresses.
“Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands.” Testimonies to Ministers, p 300.
Please let us understand another important point: God desires everyone in this Movement of Revelation 18 to be united with Him and with one another in harmony and oneness in order to finish the work. As such, God has designed that this very message of Revelation 18 is what His people are to be united together in!
“Great power and glory were imparted to the angel, and as he descended, the earth was lightened with his glory....The work of this angel comes in at the right time, and joins in the last great work of the third angel’s message, as it swells into a loud cry. And the people of God are fitted up every where to stand in the hour of temptation which they are soon to meet. I saw a great light resting upon them, and they united in the message, and fearlessly proclaimed with great power the third angel’s message....The glory of God rested upon the patient, waiting saints, and they fearlessly gave the last solemn warning, proclaiming the fall of Babylon, and calling upon God’s people to come out of her; that they might escape her fearful doom.” Spiritual Gifts, vol 1. p 193-194.
So all of God’s people are to unite together in this message of Revelation 18! That is why there is no real unity among those who oppose this Babylon message, or among those who do not believe that it is now to be preached. This is because it is only in this Revelation 18 message that God has designed lasting unity to be achieved!
But the question which is being asked to each one is: Will you unite with us in this message of Revelation 18? Will you unite with us in giving this trumpet note a certain loud and clear sound to the world?
“The trumpet is to give a certain sound. Clearly and distinctly the warning is to ring out, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen....Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.’” Review and Herald, December 9, 1902 (vol 4, p 472).
We learned earlier that before it comes time to give the message of Revelation 18 and the beginning and swelling of the Loud Cry, that the Holy Spirit must be poured out in Latter Rain power through the message of truth. As we know what this message of truth is – the Righteousness of Christ, then is it yet time for the Holy Spirit to be poured out? And if so, has the Latter Rain already started to fall?
Multitudes declare most positively: NO! They state that there can be no Latter Rain until after the Sunday Law. Along with this they confidently declare that no one is supposed to be giving the message of Revelation 18 today, because there has been no outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Latter Rain power to attend the message needed to swell the Loud Cry and fill this earth with God’s glory. But what we must remember is that these are only the sayings of supposedly “studied” and “learned” men. So what does God declare? Are we to wait until some future time for the Latter Rain to come upon us?
“We must not wait for the latter rain. It is coming upon all who will recognize and appropriate the dew and showers of grace that fall upon us.” Bible Commentary, vol 7, p 984 (Letter 151, 1897).
God has plainly told all of His people that they are no longer to wait for the Latter Rain. Why?
“Only those who are living up to the light they have will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.” Testimonies to Ministers, p 507 (Review and Herald, March 2, 1897).
So God tells all of His people that the Holy Spirit in Latter Rain power could be falling on hearts all around, but many would not discern or receive it. Why does it take discernment before you can receive the Latter Rain? Because it was to fall with a message – the message of the Righteousness of Christ! And since the message of the Righteousness of Christ began about the year 1888, then that means that the Holy Spirit could fall with this precious message at any time since then! That is why God stated that it could already be falling on hearts all around. This means that it was already time for the Latter Rain to fall back then, and it is still time for it to fall now! Hence we do not have to wait until some future time for it to fall, because we can have the Latter Rain now!
“The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the church is looked forward to as being in the future, but it is the privilege of the church to have it now.” Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 61 (Letter 15, June 25, 1892).
In fact, there were some who were already enjoying the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the refreshing!
“...the very time when that church was receiving the outpouring of the Spirit of God...is enjoying a season of refreshing...” Testimonies to Ministers, p 23 (Review and Herald, October 17, 1893).
And the same is available for today! God’s followers can have the Holy Spirit in Latter Rain power NOW! Not just later, but now! So no one needs to look into the future for the time for the Latter Rain to begin, because you can have it now!
“Let us, with contrite hearts, pray most earnestly that now, in the time of the latter rain, the showers of spiritual grace may fall upon us....It is the time of the latter rain, when the Lord will give largely of His Holy Spirit.” Testimonies to Ministers, p 509, 512 (Review and Herald, March 2, 1897).
Dear ones, God has clearly stated that it is time now for the Latter Rain to fall, and it had already begun to fall! Therefore do not allow any ministry, or any minister, elder, pastor, or any other human being, to mislead you into believing that the Latter Rain can only fall in the future, because God says that it is time now!
Since the Latter Rain had already begun to fall, and since both these precious messages of the Righteousness of Christ and of Revelation 18 were being combined together and preached with the convicting and converting power of the Holy Spirit by a few in Ellen White’s day, then surely the beginning of, and the swelling of, the Loud Cry must have already begun! And believe it or not, the answer to this question is YES – it had already begun!
“The third angel’s message is swelling into a loud cry...” Review and Herald, March 22, 1892.
“The time of test is just upon us, for the loud cry of the third angel has already begun in the revelation of the righteousness of Christ, the sin pardoning Redeemer. This is the beginning of the light of the angel whose glory shall fill the whole earth.” Review and Herald, November 22, 1892.
So this last message of mercy was indeed already “swelling into a loud cry”! Thus the Loud Cry of the third angel “has already begun”, and this was during Ellen White’s lifetime.
Now please do not believe that the fullest extent of the Loud Cry took place at that time, because it did not happen then, and its fullness has still not yet occurred. But inspiration declared that it had already started, and was already lightening some of the earth with its glory!
“The work to be done NOW is that of sounding this last message of mercy to a fallen world....The work will grow deeper and become more earnest to the very close of time. And all who are laborers together with God will contend most earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. They (God’s servants) will not be turned from the present message, which is already lightening the world with its glory.” Selected Messages, book 2, p 114.
Even though the Loud Cry was not at its loudest point, or had not yet reached its greatest intensity, or was not yet at its fullest swelling, does not mean that the Loud Cry had not yet begun to swell and was not yet lightening some of the world with its glory! And since the Loud Cry had already started, it clearly shows all of God’s followers today that when these precious messages of the third and fourth angel are combined together, coupled with the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, you still have the Loud Cry going forth – including today!
Many have been taught that God’s people have to wait for the Sunday law to be passed, or for some other future event to occur, before they are to rise up and proclaim these precious messages in the power of the Spirit. They believe this because they have been taught that the Sunday law is the signal for the time when the Latter Rain is to fall, and for the Loud Cry to begin. Thus they reason that only at this time will it begin to swell and then fill the whole earth with God’s glory. But the correct understanding is that it was already time for God’s people to rise up and proclaim these most precious messages in Ellen White’s day, because the time for the Loud Cry to start was already here, and it had already begun to swell!
Dear readers, it is time now for the Latter Rain to fall! And it has already begun to fall! Please let this sink into your understanding, and do not allow the Devil to snatch this precious realization away from you! Do not allow Satan, through any Ministry, minister, elder, pastor, or any other human being, to mislead you into believing that the Latter Rain can only fall in the future, because God says that it is time now!
If this is really true, and the Latter Rain was already falling over 100 years ago, why are we still here? The only reason why we are still here today is because the SDA church turned her back on this realization, mocked at the idea that the Latter Rain could be falling, and instead ridiculed, criticized, slighted, and rejected the message of Christ’s righteousness!
“An unwillingness to yield up preconceived opinions, and to accept this truth, lay at the foundation of a large share of the opposition manifested at Minneapolis against the Lord’s message through Brethren {E.J.} Waggoner and {A.T.} Jones. By exciting that opposition Satan succeeded in shutting away from our people, in a great measure, the special power of the Holy Spirit that God longed to impart to them. The enemy prevented them from obtaining that efficiency which might have been theirs in carrying the truth to the world, as the apostles proclaimed it after the day of Pentecost. The light that is to lighten the whole earth with its glory was resisted, and by the action of our own brethren has been in a great degree kept away from the world.” Selected Messages, book 1, p 234-235.
“The religion of many among us will be the religion of apostate Israel, because they love their own way, and forsake the way of the Lord. The true religion, the only religion of the Bible, that teaches forgiveness only through the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, that advocates righteousness by the faith of the Son of God, has been slighted, spoken against, ridiculed, and rejected. It has been denounced as leading to enthusiasm and fanaticism.” Testimonies to Ministers, p 467-468.
By the SDA church mocking at the idea that the Latter Rain could be falling then, and ridiculing, criticizing, slighting, and rejecting the message of Christ’s righteousness, they in effect rejected the Latter Rain, rejected the Holy Spirit, and thereby crucified Christ afresh!
“The Lord God, who dwelleth in the holy place, sees every soul that shows contempt for the manifestations of his Holy Spirit. God has revealed himself again and again in a most marked manner in Battle Creek. He has given a large measure of his Holy Spirit to the believers there. It has come unexpectedly at times, and there have been deep movings upon hearts and minds...This blessing extended to large numbers...Some felt annoyed at this outpouring, and their own natural dispositions were manifested. They said, ‘This is only excitement; it is not the Holy Spirit, not showers of the latter rain from heaven.’ There were hearts full of unbelief, who did not drink in of the Spirit, but who had bitterness in their souls.
“On many occasions the Holy Spirit did work; but those who resisted the Spirit of God at Minneapolis were waiting for a chance to travel over the same ground again, because their spirit was the same....But all the universe of heaven witnessed the disgraceful treatment of Jesus Christ, represented by the Holy Spirit. Had Christ been before them, they would have treated him in a manner similar to that in which the Jews treated Christ....
“The Lord is coming; but those who venture to resist the light that God gave in rich measure at Minneapolis, who have not humbled their hearts before God, will follow on in the path of resistance, saying, ‘Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice?’ The banner all will bear who voice the message of the third angel, is being covered with another color that virtually kills it. This is being done. Will our people now hold fast to the truth?” Series A, #6, p 19-20, 26.
Not only this, but the SDA church leaders told the Holy Spirit to go away and not to come back until they called for Him!
“Had thorough work been done during the last General Conference at Battle Creek; had there been as God designed there should be, a breaking up of the fallow ground of the heart, by the men who had been bearing responsibilities; had they, in humility of souls, led out in the work of confession and consecration; had they given evidence that they received the counsels and warnings sent by the Lord to correct their mistakes, there would have been one of the greatest revivals that there has been since the day of Pentecost.
“What a wonderful work could have been done for the vast company gathered in Battle Creek at the General Conference of 1901, if the leaders of our work had taken themselves in hand. But the work that all heaven was waiting to do as soon as men prepared the way, was not done; for the leaders closed and bolted the door against the Spirit’s entrance. There was a stopping short of entire surrender to God. And hearts that might have been purified from all error were strengthened in wrong doing. The doors were barred against the heavenly current that would have swept away all evil. Men left their sins unconfessed. They built themselves up in wrong doing, and said to the Spirit of God, ‘Go thy way for this time; when I have a more convenient season, I will call for thee.’” Battle Creek Letters, p 55-56 (Letter 123, August 5, 1902).
Today God’s people do not need to follow in the footsteps of the SDA church. They do not need to refuse to accept the idea that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit has already arrived, is already falling, and in unbelief try to soothe their consciences by believing that only in the future will the Latter Rain fall. But they can accept God’s inspired words and know that it is time now! And as more and more of our brothers and sisters understand this reality, look to Jesus and then separate to Christ in following the third and fourth angels’ messages, then more of the Latter Rain can be poured out, the Loud Cry can continue to increase in intensity, and swell more and more until all the earth is filled with God’s glory and all the people of the earth have made their decisions for God or for Babylon.
Over 100 years ago, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the heavenly angels, were all anxiously waiting for more Adventists to believe and follow the Spirit of Prophecy and then rise up in giving this precious message to the world. But not enough were willing to do so at that time, and so it could not swell into a full Loud Cry. Instead of accepting these messages and swelling the Loud Cry, the SDA church rejected these precious messages – and this rejection continues up to the present day! Therefore they have been rejected by God, and He is calling all His honest SDA people to come out of her so that they can help to finish the work which the church has refused to do for over 100 years!
Now for those who have already separated themselves from all the corrupt harlot churches – including the SDA church, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the heavenly angels are still anxiously waiting for us to understand that as the Loud Cry had already begun to swell in Ellen White’s day, so we have the distinct privilege to help it to swell in our day! This privilege will only be for those who will rise up, making sure that they completely obey this message themselves – by purifying their hearts by separating from all sin, separating from all corrupt churches of fallen Babylon, and then preach these precious truths to others. As more and more of our brothers and sisters understand this truth, and join this precious “movement symbolized by the angel” of Revelation 18, more of the Latter Rain can be poured out, the Loud Cry can continue to increase in intensity, and swell more and more until all the people of the earth have made their decision to either stand with Jesus and His pure righteous remnant few, or to stand with Satan and his wicked corrupt majority!
So I ask all of those who honestly desire to be the true followers of God: How do we today swell the third angel’s message of the righteousness of Christ into the Loud Cry?
“As these warnings (Revelation 18:1-5) join the third angel’s message, it swells to a loud cry.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 422.
If the Revelation 18 message is not given today in combination and union with the third angel’s message, then there can not be any further swelling of the Loud Cry! And yet, what do we see among our people? They are very willing to preach the third angel’s message, but when it comes to the giving of the fourth angel’s message, there is great reluctance, if not outright refusal to preach it. So instead of God seeing the Loud Cry swell, as He has been waiting for over 100 year now, He is forced to watch it be smothered because not enough of his supposed followers are willing to give the Revelation 18 message as He desires!
But if we recognize our duty to God and to our fellow men, and rise up in loudly giving this Revelation 18 message in union with the third angel, then the cry will swell louder and louder until the whole world is lit on fire with God’s glory. And then the work can finally close up! But this all depends upon those people of God understanding the time in which we are NOW living in!
God distinctly declares, in unmistakably plain language, to all of His people today regarding when the message of Revelation 18 is to be given.
“All are to hear the last message of warning. The prophecies in the book of Revelation, chapters 12 to 18, are being fulfilled. In the eighteenth chapter is recorded the very last call to the churches. This call is now to be given.” Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 83 (Manuscript 75, September 20, 1906) (see also Upward Look, p 277).
Beloved, how much more plainly can God state it? “This call is now to be given”! But there will always be some who allow the Devil to deceive them into believing that when God states “NOW”, it really means “later”. To help you avoid this snare and trap of the Devil, here are some more testimonies showing that God really meant “now” to be immediately!
“The time has come” to sound the loud cry, and “the cry is sounding” – Signs of the Times, vol 3, p 165 (November 19, 1894).
The last call of mercy and warning is “now” to be given--Fundamentals of Christian Education, p 362; Special Testimonies on Education, p 141 (March 21, 1895).
“The time has come” to give this message, which is the “special work” of “His church”--Review and Herald, vol 3, p 593 (July 26, 1898).
“The time has come” to give this message of Revelation 18--Manuscript Release #311, p 47 (Manuscript 177, May 10, 1899).
The message of Revelation 18 is “the message for this time”--Manuscript Releases, vol 9, p 290 (Letter 28, February 17, 1900).
“(Revelation 18) is now to be given to all parts of the world”--Manuscript Releases, vol 9, p 290 (Letter 86, June 18, 1900.)
“Today” we are to be “announcing” the message of the third and fourth angel--Manuscript Releases, vol 10, p 315 (Letter 121, August 13, 1900).
“The time has come” to give this last message of warning--Review and Herald, vol 4, p 251 (January 1, 1901).
We are to “advance the proclamation of” this message--Review and Herald, vol 5, p 61 (July 28, 1904).
“The time has come” to give this last warning message--Manuscript Releases, vol 10, p 219 (September 17, 1909).
“The message for today” is Revelation 18--Prophets and Kings, p 187; Lift Him Up, p 164; Review and Herald, vol 6, p 382 (November 20, 1913).
Through inspiration God has plainly declared that Revelation 18 is already “the message for today”, and that it “is now to be given”. Why? Because the “loud cry of the third angel has already begun”, was already “swelling into a loud cry”, and thus was “already lightening the earth with its glory”! But we must also expect that there will be perverse men who will try to kill this message and seek to divert it from being given until some time in the future. Thus the Loud Cry has to struggle to try and lighten this earth with God’s glory because there are not enough voices willing to give it!
Are you, dear reader, one of these perverse people who are working to hinder this glorious message of Revelation 18 from going forth by believing that it is not yet time for the Loud Cry to be given? Or are you one of those who are awake and desire to give this message now so that the Loud Cry can swell to the glory of God?
Don’t you see what time we are living in today? We are all living in the time of the Latter Rain – the time of the swelling of the Loud Cry! Don’t you see what honor God is holding out to each one of us? The blessed honor and privilege to have a part NOW in helping to swell this message into the loudest cry possible, and to NOW fill this earth with God’s glory! Oh brothers and sisters, what blessed possibilities are lovingly held out for each one of us TODAY! Shall we not grasp them?
Please do not allow the Devil to hold you into a position of inaction, believing in a futuristic doctrine that it's not yet time for the Latter Rain to fall; or that it's not time to give this last message of mercy; or that it's not yet time for the probation of all the churches to be closed; or that it's not yet time to separate from all the churches that make up Babylon the great; or that the beginning of the Loud Cry is not yet here, or has not yet begun to swell – because all of the above is not true! God clearly states to all who have ears to hear:
“The work to be done now is that of sounding this last message of mercy to a fallen world....The work will grow deeper and become more earnest to the very close of time. And all who are laborers together with God will contend most earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. They will not be turned from the present message, which is already lightening the earth with its glory. Nothing is worth contending for but the glory of God. The only rock that will stand is the Rock of Ages. The truth as it is in Jesus is the refuge in these days of error.” Selected Messages, book 2, p 114.
“The messenger turned to the congregation and said, ‘Do you believe the prophecies? Do you who know the truth, understand that the last message of warning is now being given to the world,--the last call of mercy is now being heard? Do you believe that Satan has come down with great power, working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in every place? Do you believe that great Babylon has come up in remembrance before God, and that soon she will receive from God’s hand double for all her sins and iniquities?’...If the enemy can keep workers out of the field on any pretext, he will do so.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, p 362-363.
Dear friend, on which side are you standing? It is clearly revealed by what position you hold on this message of Revelation 18!
Whom will God use to give this important message? God will use men and women who are humble (Evangelism, p 699; Faith I Live By, p 330), lowly, and who may be despised by others (Great Controversy, p 142). Those who have consecrated themselves to God’s service (Evangelism, p 699; Faith I Live By, p 335), who are men of faith and prayer, and who are constrained with holy zeal (Evangelism, p 700; Faith I Live By, p 330). Those who are not qualified by the training of literary institutions, but who are qualified instead by the Holy Spirit (Evangelism, p 700; Faith I Live By, p 330).
We are also told this:
“The Lord Himself will call men, as of old He called the humble fisherman, and will Himself give them instruction regarding their field of labor and the method they should follow. He will call men from the plow and from other occupations to give the last note of warning to perishing souls.” Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 80 (Letter 210, Sept 21, 1903).
This means that God can use even you and me! As long as we humbly depend upon God, following the truth that will moisturize our dry hearts, and then we can do His will and be a partner with Him in giving this last message of mercy to perishing souls.
But under what conditions will these consecrated young and old men, women, and even children, who humbly submit themselves unreservedly to God, give this last message?
“The last great conflict is before us, but help is to come to all who love God and obey His law, and the earth, the whole earth, is to be lighted with the glory of God. ‘Another angel’ is to come down from heaven. This angel represents the giving of the loud cry, which is to come from those who are preparing to cry mightily, with a strong voice, ‘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.’ (Rev.18:1, 2).
“We have a testing message to give, and I am instructed to say to our people, ‘Unify, unify.’ But we are not to unify with those who are departing from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. With our hearts sweet and kind and true, we are to go forth to proclaim the message, giving no heed to those who lead away from the truth.” Selected Messages, book 3, p 412 (Manuscript 31, 1906).
Are any in this Revelation 18 Movement to be unified with, or members of, any church or group that has rejected or is unwilling to give this message from heaven? NO! Absolutely not, if we would follow God! Any union with those who oppose this message and this last day Movement only gives the enemy greater chance to lead us to give up this truth, and thus deny and betray our Lord.
“When the earth is lighted with the glory of the angel of Revelation eighteen, the religious elements, good and evil, will awake from slumber...” Bible Commentary, vol 7, p 983 (Manuscript 175, 1899).
What awakens both the good and the evil religious people out of their sleep? The light of Revelation 18 – the message of the Righteousness of Christ of the third angel and the message of separation to Christ from the corrupt church. In other words, it is the Loud Cry which wakes them up! So these two messages combined together swells into the Loud Cry, and this is what awakens both the followers of God and the followers of the Devil out of their slumber. Both groups then make a decision either for or against the message. Thus two groups would be seen forming – one accepting this message, while the other rejecting it. But please remember that it was the preaching of the Revelation 18 message that woke them up in the first place!
I hope that you can begin to realize the importance of this “Babylon is the church” message of Revelation 18, because it is this very message which clearly identifies those who are the chosen vessels and followers of God, from those who are the agents and followers of the Devil!
“The Lord is soon to come; there must be a refining, winnowing process in every church, for there are among us wicked men who do not love the truth. There is need of a transformation of character. Will the church arise and put on her beautiful garments, the righteousness of Christ? It is soon to be seen who are vessels unto honor. ‘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, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.’ ‘Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings.’
“Here are brought plainly to view those who will be vessels unto honor; for they will receive the latter rain. Every soul that continues in sin in the face of the light now shining upon our pathway, will be blinded and accept the delusions of Satan. We are now nearing the close of this world’s history. Where are the faithful watchmen on the walls of Zion, who will not slumber, but faithfully declare the time of night?” Review and Herald, March 19, 1895 (vol 3, p 239).
It is this Babylon message of Revelation 18 which allows all to clearly distinguish between those who are really following and working for God, versus those who are really following and working for the Devil. As this is true, where are you in this scenario? Are you working for, or do you desire to be working for God by plainly and boldly giving the message that “Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and sins, because of her rejection of the truth sent to her from heaven”? If not, may God fully awaken you out of sleep to realize your dire situation in these last few moments of earth’s history, and grant you the courage to stand up for God and be counted on His side through your life and the message you bear!
It is this message of Revelation 18 that awakens both the good and bad, and it will be the evil religious elements who hate this message, and will do anything to try to stop it – even to the point of getting laws passed. This, of course, eventually leads to the passing and enforcing of the Sunday law.
But can this really be true? Is it really the giving of the Loud Cry which brings on the crisis of the Sunday law, and not the Sunday law crisis which signals the time to give the Loud Cry? Please read attentively as to what God states is the truth to this question:
“The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of a union of Church and State, the inroads of Spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power,--all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people will be stirred. Thousands upon thousands have never listened to words like these. In amazement they hear the testimony that Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and sins, because of her rejection of the truth sent to her from Heaven. The people go to their former teachers with the eager inquiry, Are these things so? The ministers present fables, prophesy smooth things, to soothe their fears, and quiet the awakened conscience. But many refuse to be satisfied with the mere authority of men, and demand a plain ‘Thus saith the Lord.’ The popular ministry, like the Pharisees of old, are filled with anger as their authority is questioned; they denounce the message as of Satan, and stir up the sin-loving multitudes to revile and persecute those who proclaim it.
“As the controversy extends into new fields, and the minds of the people are called to God’s down-trodden law, Satan is astir. The power attending the message only maddens those who oppose it. The clergy put forth almost superhuman efforts to shut away the light, lest it should shine upon their flocks. By every means at their command they endeavor to suppress the discussion of these vital questions. The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and in this work, papists are solicited to come to the help of Protestants. The movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided. The law is invoked against commandment-keepers.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 424-425.
Did you notice that the Revelation 18 message is given first, and then the wicked religious elements awake from slumber and the Sunday law and crisis comes? God plainly tells His people again:
“Today, as in the days of Elijah, the line of demarcation between God’s commandment-keeping people and the worshipers of false gods is clearly drawn. ‘How long halt ye between two opinions?’ Elijah cried; ‘if the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him.’ 1 Kings 18:21. And the message for today is: ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen....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, 4, 5.
“The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The observance of the false Sabbath will be urged upon us.” Prophets and Kings, p 187-188.
So once again inspiration has unmistakably declared that the Revelation 18 message of the Loud Cry is given first, and this truth is what brings the crisis of the Sunday law! And it is not what the majority of Independent Ministries and ministers have been telling God’s people for years now – that it is the Sunday law which signals the time for the Loud cry to be given!
But again, in loving mercy, God tells His people whether it is the truth or an event -- such as the Sunday law -- which will bring on the crisis:
“We have the truth which, in its proclamation is to bring the crisis for this world’s history.” Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 190 (Letter 94, July 3, 1900).
What is to bring the crisis for this world’s history? The proclamation of the truth – specifically the Loud Cry message of Revelation 18 combined with that of the third angel. These are the last messages of mercy that will ever come to God’s people. And it is time now to rise up, obey and loudly proclaim these life and death messages to any and all people – whether they will hear or forbear (see Ezekiel 3:10-11, 17-21).
May we all think most seriously upon this subject, and then make our decision on whose side will we stand on, fight for, and whose message will we preach today!
and Joining this Movement of God
Through the messages of the third and fourth angels, all churches, including the SDA church, are represented as making up Babylon the Great! And thus God is calling all of his followers to come out and separate from every denomination, because they are all connected with Babylon, and those who refuse to leave their harlot church will be held corporately responsible for her sins and will be destroyed along with her!
But how is this possible? How can a message centering in Christ and His righteousness, and a message of separation out of the harlot church, be combined into one harmonious truth called the last message of mercy? Many are trying their utmost to keep these two messages distinct from each other. But are they to be distinct? Or it is God’s will that they be combined together?
The message of Revelation 18 is the final half of the last message of mercy, and it joins the message of the Righteousness of Christ of the third angel as the midnight cry joined the second angel’s message (see Early Writings, p 277). Let us explore how this is accomplished.
The third angel’s message points hungering and thirsting souls to Jesus; Revelation 18 separates the people from man-controlled bondage to be completely free in Jesus! The third angel’s message separates the soul from the contamination of personal sins; the fourth angel’s message separates the person from being corporately contaminated by the sins of their wicked church! So both messages involve separation; one from personal sin, the other from corporate sin. Refusing to obey either message means that you cannot be completely perfect and free from sin – whether personal or corporate. Thus you will never be able to perfectly reflect God’s righteous character in purity and spotlessness because of the stain of sin, and thus cannot give Him glory!
Therefore if you neglect to obey either message, you will still be contaminated with sin, whether your own or the corporate church. This would mean that you would be held guilty of the rejection of Jesus by not bearing your cross – to separate from personal sin, which is the third angel’s message, or not bearing your cross to separate from groups of determined sinners, which is the fourth angel’s message. Thus you would not receive the seal of God. Refuse to overcome all sin, or refuse to separate from all the harlot churches, and you will not receive the seal of God!
“The angel [of Ezekiel 9] is to place a mark upon the forehead of all who are separated from sin and sinners, and the destroying angel will follow, to slay utterly both old and young.” Testimonies, vol 5, p 505.
So even if you overcame all your personal sins, but refused to separate from your corrupt church, you would still fail to perfect righteousness completely and to be without the spot and stain of sin. Thus you would not receive the seal of God because of your impurity.
“It is impossible for you to unite with those who are corrupt, and still remain pure. ‘What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial?’ God and Christ and the heavenly host would have man know that if he unites with the corrupt, he will become corrupt.” Review and Herald, January 2, 1900 (vol 4, p 137).
Following or preaching only the message of the Righteousness of Christ, but not following the Loud Cry message, will leave people contaminated with corporate sin. Thus they will lose eternal life. Following or preaching only the Loud Cry message, but not pointing the people to Christ and His righteousness, will leave the people contaminated with personal sin. Thus they will also fail of eternal life. Both messages of the third and fourth angels must be obeyed in order to fulfill all righteousness and be completely free from every spot of sin in Jesus.
Since these are the final messages that will be heard by everyone in this world, they can be likened to a shut door. If either the message of the Righteousness of Christ, or the message of Revelation 18, is decidedly rejected, there are no other messages which can bring you back to God. In decidedly rejecting either one, the door of your probation closes!
“We know that now everything is at stake. The third angel’s message is to be at this time regarded as of the highest importance. It is a life and death question.” Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 76 (Letter 28, February 17, 1900).
So this last message of mercy is a life and death question! And the third and fourth angels’ messages are the last messages of mercy ever to be given to the inhabitants of this wicked earth. If the message of Christ’s righteousness of the third angel – of being able to overcome all sin before Jesus comes (see Acts of Apostles, p 531) – is decidedly rejected and cast away, the door shuts, probation individually closes while you are still living. And for probation to close while you are still living, what would have had to take place in the heavenly sanctuary above? Judgment would have taken place against your name!
Yet if the third angel’s message is accepted, but the Revelation 18 message – to separate physically from your Babylonian church – is decidedly rejected and cast away, then the door also shuts, probation individually closes upon you while you are still living. Thus judgment would have had to take place against your name in the heavenly sanctuary! So I hope you can clearly see that these precious messages of the third and fourth angels are connected with the judgment of the living!
These are the last messages of mercy that will ever be given to this world. And if persistent determined rejection to either one occurs, there is no more hope of salvation because there will be no second chance.
“Those who have had the light of truth, and heard the warning message, heard the invitation to the marriage supper--farmer, merchant, lawyer, false shepherds who have quieted the convictions of the people, unfaithful watchmen who have not sounded the warning or known the time of night--all who have refused obedience to the laws of the kingdom of God, will have no right therein.” Testimonies to Ministers, p 235.
“The message presented at this time is the last message of mercy for a fallen world. Those who have the privilege of hearing this message, and persist in refusing to heed the warning, cast away their last hope of salvation. There will be no second probation.” Testimonies, vol 6, p 19.
That is why there is such an intense, unceasing and sleepless battle going on for the control of our minds right now. And probation is closing upon those who decidedly reject either of these shut door messages of the third or fourth angel.
But the majority of church members will not recognize the time of night, and will reject part or all of the Loud Cry. In doing so they cast away “their last hope of salvation.” Especially will the majority of SDA’s reject the Revelation 18 message and refuse to separate from their babylonish church. Hence the harvest will pass them by; judgment will be pronounced upon them while they still live; probation shall close upon them; and their last hope of salvation will be gone forever. And when they finally realize this, they will sing a most bitter wailing song of despair!
“...there are many, many in our churches who know little of the real meaning of the truth for this time....Oh, how many who have not sought their souls’ salvation will soon make the bitter lamentation: ‘The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.’ [Jeremiah 8:20]!” Testimonies, vol 8, p 252.
What came to these SDA people which they chose to reject? “The truth for this time”! And what then passed them by? The time of harvest! Hence I hope you can see the clear connection between the time of harvest and the proclamation of the truth for this time! And what is the message of truth which is to be proclaimed today? The Loud Cry message of Revelation 18!
But why can’t the SDA people see and awake to the solemn reality of what’s taking place right now? Why can’t they, along with all the other members of the various apostate churches, see and understand the issues as God sees them, instead of viewing them as other men have taught? The Loud Cry is going forth now! Those who awaken, who study for themselves, and who follow and accept this precious message are harvested out of the doom harlot church. While those who awaken, who may study for themselves, but who reject this Babylon is the church and separation message, will be past by, and the harvest will end – leaving them to suffer the same punishment as their harlot church.
So I hope you can understand that God has designed this message of Revelation 18 to be the harvest message, and Satan, along with all of his deceiving agents within all the churches, and especially within the Independent ranks, are doing their utmost to keep God’s people asleep, keeping them from hearing and following this precious message. And why? Because the Devil wants the harvest to pass them by so that they will be forever lost!
The question for you to answer is: Will you let the harvest pass you by? Will you refuse to follow the harvest message of the Loud Cry and instead remain connected to a doomed harlot church? God clearly states:
“The message must go from east to west, and from west to east again. A great shaking must come up. The professed believers in the truth for this time are asleep....
“The message of the angel [of Revelation 18] following the third is now to be given to all parts of the world. It is to be the harvest message, and the whole earth will be lighted with the glory of God. The Lord has this one [last] call of mercy to [give to] the world, but the perversity of men diverts the work from its true bearing, and the light has to struggle amid the darkness of men who feel themselves competent to do a work that God has not appointed them to do.” Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 78 (Letter 86, June 18, 1900).
Thus the time of harvest occurs when the message of the Loud Cry reaches you! And your salvation is determined by how you react to this solemn message! This means that the time of harvest is not at some future event, such as at the Sunday law, but occurs when the people hear this precious message! Thus the harvest is taking place right NOW!!
Those deciding against and rejecting this message prove themselves to be unworthy of eternal life, and are determined for destruction without a second chance. Their probation will close while they still live showing that their case had already been decided in heaven! Which means that the judgment of the living had already begun upon them individually! So the time of harvest is now – the time of the judgment of the living is now – for those who hear, but who reject, the last message of mercy! And inspiration tells all of God’s people this very thing!
“Let both grow together until the harvest. Then the Lord sends forth His reapers to gather out the tares and bind them in bundles to burn, while the wheat is gathered into the heavenly garner. The time of the judgment is a most solemn period, when the Lord gathers His own from among the tares. Those who have been members of the same family are separated. A mark is placed upon the righteous.” Testimonies to Ministers, p 234.
“The tares and the wheat are to grow together until the harvest; and the harvest is the end of probationary time.” Christ’s Object Lessons, p 72.
So the harvest occurs on an individual basis in the time of the judgment of that living individual, in the end of their probationary time, for all those individuals who decidedly reject these messages!
Oh friends, I pray that you can see the seriousness of the times we are now living in! God solemnly declares to you:
“Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.” Isaiah 52:11.
One of the key words used here is “touch no unclean thing.” But how can we “touch” an unclean thing or unclean church? We can touch an unclean church by fellowshipping with her, but especially by being a member in her.
Membership in a corrupt apostate harlot church connects you, or touches you, with the unclean harlot church. So even if you have left the church, but have not removed your name from the roll-books, your membership still touches you to that unclean church. Hence you would be touching the unclean thing by retaining your membership, you would be unclean by this touch, and would be considered a partaker in the sins of harlot church!
Some want to deny that membership in the harlot church makes them impure. They use the human reasoning that their local church is not like the corrupt headquarters of their church system; that their local church is pure and not affected by the corruption and apostasy of the church headquarters. But this reasoning is erroneous, and has no foundation whatsoever in God’s inspired word.
God clearly states:
“...as the human heart throws its living current of blood into all parts of the body, so does the management at this place, the headquarters of our church, affect the whole body of believers. If the physical heart is healthy, the blood that is sent from it through the system is also healthy; but if this fountain is impure, the whole organism becomes diseased by the poison of the vital fluid. So it is with us. If the heart of the work becomes corrupt, the whole church, in its various branches and interests, scattered abroad over the face of the earth, suffers in consequence.” Testimonies, vol 4, p 210.
As the headquarters of the church is corrupt, then everything connected with the headquarters – all around the world – is also corrupt. This would include World Divisions, Union Conferences, State Conferences, Institutions, Publishing Houses, all local churches, evangelists, pastors, elders, teachers, and hence all church members! So if you are connected with any corrupt and impure church, in either membership or association, then you are touching the unclean woman; you are thereby unclean and considered a partaker in her sins!
“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3.
“We are exhorted, ‘touch not the unclean.’ Those who associate with the impure, themselves become impure. If we choose the society of the ungodly, we shall be affected by their ungodliness.” Review and Herald, October 23, 1888 (vol 2, p 255).
“You are exhorted to touch not the unclean thing; for in touching this, you will yourself become unclean. It is impossible for you to unite with those who are corrupt, and still remain pure. ‘What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial?’ God and Christ and the heavenly host would have man know that if he unites with the corrupt, he will become corrupt.” Bible Commentary, vol 6, p 1102 (Review and Herald, vol 4, p 137).
By your willing choice to remain associated with, or by retaining your membership in, a corrupt apostate church, you are made partakers in the sins of the church – being corporately responsible in all the church’s wickedness. Thus you are not distinct, but considered one with this unclean woman in sin, and you will receive the same punishment as your apostate harlot church does!
“Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? For two, saith He, shall be one flesh.” 1 Corinthians 6:16.
For those members of the SDA church who may have any doubts as to whether or not their church is a harlot along with all the rest, inspiration clearly declares that the SDA church is indeed a harlot!
“In the balances of the sanctuary the Seventh-day Adventist church is to be weighed....Why is there so dim a perception of the true spiritual condition of the church?...The heavenly Teacher inquired: ‘What stronger delusion can beguile the mind than the pretense that you are building on the right foundation and that God accepts your works, when in reality you are working out many things according to worldly policy and are sinning against Jehovah?’...
“I saw our Instructor pointing to the garments of so-called righteousness. Stripping them off, He laid bare the defilement beneath. Then He said to me: ‘Can you not see how they have pretentiously covered up their defilement and rottenness of character? ‘How is the faithful city become a harlot!’ My Father’s house is made a house of merchandise, a place whence the divine presence and glory have departed.’” Testimonies, vol 8, p 247-250.
Jesus is not united with, or a part of, any of the harlot churches! And neither should any of His true followers since Jesus is not there (see John 12:26)! But Jesus is separate and distinct from all the harlot churches, and He is lovingly beckoning with open waiting arms for all His people to come away from all the corruption, away from all the apostasy of the churches, and to come unto Him outside. This loving and merciful message of the Loud Cry is Jesus Himself calling for you to come out to be with Him!
Does God want His people to cling to corruption, or to the pure Jesus? In clinging to the corrupt and apostate church, you are clinging to Satan – who is the author of the corruption and apostasy. Thus you would be far from the Lord Jesus! But you do not have to remain far from Jesus! You do not have to remain connected to the corrupt churches. You can obey this last message of mercy, separating yourself from personal sin and from corporate sin, and come out of all the churches in order to be with Jesus outside! Will you follow Jesus? Will you bear your cross of separation and follow Him out of the church?
“Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.” Hebrews 13:12-13.
Thus Jesus is not connected with any of the apostate churches. He has separated Himself from them all. This is because sanctification is not obtained by remaining within the corrupt church, but only by coming out of her and joining Christ and His true people outside. Will you follow Jesus out of the camp, out of the sheepfold, out of the cage and prison house – out of all the churches? Will you open your ears to hear His voice calling for you!
“I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house (the church).” Isaiah 42:6-7.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him (Christ) the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” John 10:1-5.
In Closing
Who wants to end this great controversy? Who wants to go home and be with our Saviour for eternity? I, for one, do not want to sit down, relax, and wait for the crisis to come; which will never come, because no one will give the only message that will bring it! Hasn’t 100 years of waiting been enough time to prove this so?
Brethren, let us go to work, for our light has already come, and the glory of the Lord has already risen upon us (Isaiah 60:1-3). Let us completely follow this glorious light of the last message of mercy ourselves – the third and fourth angels’ message, and then take this light and fill this earth with God’s glory! But we cannot do this important work while we are connected to either personal sin, or to a harlot Babylon fallen church.
So if you really want to go home to heaven, and be with our blessed Father and our Saviour Jesus Christ, then it’s time to accept, to act upon, to live, and raise your voices today in giving this last saving message of mercy to all the world in unmuffled boldness and power. This will swell this Loud Cry, awaken both good and evil followers, bring on the Sunday law and crisis, and the second coming of Christ, and the ending of this whole great controversy, to the glory of God
Some are doing this right now! Will you unite and join your voices with us? Or will you be led away from giving the Loud Cry message by the perversion of men who twist the truth into a lie, and thus keep yourselves out of the field of labor by following a false pretext and erroneous futuristic message?
It’s harvest time! The Latter Rain is falling! The Loud Cry is swelling! This world is being lightened with the glory of God. AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
“All who venture to have their own way, who do not join the angels who are sent from heaven with a message to fill the whole earth with its glory, will be passed by. The work will go forward to victory without them, and they will have no part in its triumph.” Review and Herald, December 23, 1890 (vol 2, p 454).
May God help us all to clearly understand the seriousness of the times in which we are NOW living in.
|
![]() |