As a prophetic movement, Seventh-day Adventists tend to have a particular interest in last day events and a timeline of events that will take place such as the longest time prophecy of the 2,300 years found in Daniel 8:14 as shown in the illustration above. This is known as the study of eschatology in theological circles. The church has been blessed with an understanding of the judgment of the dead which commenced in 1844 and some detail on the closing events in earth’s history as revealed in the visions of Ellen White which are best recorded in her books Early Writings and the Great Controversy. However, they are missing certain details on the soon coming judgment of the living and associated events, which leave them with a greatly truncated timeline of events and subsequent confusion when certain passages of scripture are contemplated (e.g., please see our prior post on the 430 year prophecy of Ezekiel 4). Recently we received some earnest questions along this line that show that not all things are clear in regard to the fulfillment of future events as the church would like us to believe. Below are two representative queries.
“Does the Great Tribulation occur before, during or after Kingdom is setup?”
“More or less, when is the latter rain and loud Cry expected? during persecution, after or before?”
To address this situation we would like to share some useful historical dates to remember in our history as a church along with a brief list of future events that are made known through the additional message found in the writings of the original Shepherd’s Rod that provide details on the soon coming judgment for the living and the sealing of the 144,000.
Some Important Historical Dates to Remember in the History of the Three Angel’s Messages.
1831: The first angel’s message of Revelation 14 announcing the soon coming judgment is commenced by Elder William Miller.
1844: The message of the second angel of Revelation 14 announcing the fall of Babylon is first preached by Charles Fitch.
1847: The message of the third angel identifying the mark of the beast is first published by Elder Joseph Bates and shared by him and Elder James White to the little flock scattered after the great disappointment of October 22, 1844.
1888: The message of Christ and His righteousness is preached by Elders Jones and Waggoner in Minneapolis, but is rejected by the church leaders.
1890: Despite the endorsement by Ellen White and the continued labors of Jones, Waggoner, and Sister White, most of the S.D.A. laity fail to appropriate the merits of Christ in order to be fit to preach the Lord Cry and close the gospel in a few short years. As a result of unbelief the church enters a 40 year wilderness of spiritual wandering.
1930: The sealing message of the forth angel of Rev. 18 returns to the S.D.A. church give power and force to the three angels messages when they will be repeated during the Lord Cry by the 144,000 (EW 277). Sadly, this message was, and still is despised by the church leaders, just as was the 1888 message.
1930 – present: The present trouble (sometimes known as the little time of trouble) coming from professed brethren in the church who fight and oppose the sealing message (Selected Messages, Vol. 1, p. 122)
Below is listed a summary of future events that encompass the judgment of the living and in their approximate order. Bear in mind that the fulfillment of last day events will be in rapid succession with many things taking place almost simultaneously, especially during the period of the Loud Cry as confirmed in the following statements from the Spirit of Prophecy.
“The darkest hour to the church’s struggle with the powers of evil, is that which immediately precedes the day of her final deliverance.”— Prophets and Kings, p. 725.
“The final movements will be rapid ones.”— Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 11
“The messengers of the cross must arm themselves with watchfulness and prayer, and move forward in faith and courage, working always in the name of Jesus. They must have confidence in their Leader; for troublous times are before us. The judgments of God are abroad in the land. Calamities follow one another in rapid succession. Soon God is to rise out of His place to shake terribly the earth, and to punish the wicked for their iniquity. Then He will stand up in behalf of His people, and will give them His protecting care. He will throw His everlasting arms about them, to shield them from all harm.” — Gospel Workers, p. 264.4
A Timeline for Future Events Including the Judgment for the Living
To set as a guide for our inquiry an important sequence of events soon to take place we will consult a summary found in an original Shepherd’s Rod publication entitled Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 10, pp. 29, 30. This hallmark sets the proper time frame for Jacob’s time of trouble in relation to the sealing of the 144,000 and the purification of the church, which is crucial to sorting out the various troubles and events foretold in prophecy.
4. That the destruction of the tares from among the first fruits of the living (Matt. 13:30, 48, 49; Ezek. 9:6, 7) results in the purification of the church.
5. That immediately thereafter, the angels loose the 4 winds (Rev. 7:1-3), whereupon ensues the time of trouble and Michael’s standing up to deliver from it, all whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of Life (Dan. 12:1).
6. That the angel’s letting lose the four winds to blow over the four corners of the earth (Rev. 7:1), does not anticipate a world war but rather a world-wide decree enforced throughout Babylon by the image-beast, and that then no one may buy or sell save he who worships “the image.” Rev. 13:15-17.
7. That subsequently, the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7) for the 144,000, the sons of Jacob, logically develops on their way home (Gen. 32:1, 24) to the land of their fathers (Ezek. 36:28; 37:21, 25).
8. That the foregoing epochal event shall cause the 144,000 to have their names changed as did their father, Jacob (Gen. 32:28), and as a body receive a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name (Isa. 62:2).
9. That these events shall ultimate in the setting up of the Kingdom (Dan. 2:44, Isa. 2:1-4, Mic. 4; Ezek. 37), wherein the 144,000, those who follow the Lamb “whithersoever He goeth” (Rev. 14:4), shall stand with Him on Mt. Zion (Rev. 14:1), and there “receive the forces of the Gentiles.” Isa. 60:5, 11.
10. That with this sequence of events will ensue the Loud Cry of the angel that lightens the earth with his glory (Rev. 18:1), as that other Voice cries, “Come out of her, My people that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Rev. 18:4.
11. That in response to this call, many nations will say: “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Mic. 4:2.
12. That the Voice will cease to cry when all the saints shall have been gathered out of all nations. Then shall “the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” Amos 8:11, 12.
13. That then will follow the dissolution of the world-wide organization of the image of the beast (Rev. 19:1-3), the close of the investigative judgment of the living (Rev. 15:5-8), the end of probationary time (Rev. 22:11), and the pouring out of the seven last plagues upon the wicked. (Rev. 16).
14. That under the seventh plague, the hosts arrayed for the battle of Armageddon will fight with, and will be decimated by, the armies of Heaven (Testimonies, Vol. 6, pg. 406), and that Christ shall appear in all His glory, destroy the remaining wicked, resurrect the righteous dead (1 Thess. 4:15-16), and usher in the millennium (Rev. 20:5).
15. That for a little season (Rev. 20:3), a hundred years (Isa. 65:20), after the millennium, the wicked shall live again and then finally be destroyed by fire (Rev. 20:9), whereupon all things shall be renewed, and God’s original plan shall proceed to perfect fulfillment in an uninterrupted eternity of heavenly joy (Rev. 21:4).” — Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 10, pp. 29, 30.
These additional truths are found in the revelations given in the Shepherd’s Rod message which God sent to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1930 to announce the great and dreadful day of the Lord. If any of these things are new to you we encourage you to prayerfully investigate the claims of the Rod as it will answer questions about things you may have long wondered how they all fit together in end time events. Come taste and see that the Lord is good to His people and has blessed us beyond our minds comprehension things that the eye hath not seen nor the ear heard for those who love Him. Please follow the “Studies” link on the menu bar of this website to a list of present truth studies that will guide you further into a knowledge of the events mentioned in this post. May God richly bless your search for Truth as for hidden treasure.
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