The Great Final Test

[skyblue888]

THE GREAT FINAL TEST

We have now seen (in the thread The Timing of the Judgment of the Living) the clear cut truth that the spiritual fall of Babylon the Great coincides with the setting up of the Image of the Beast when the churches succeed in having the power of the state enlisted to enforce their law, the Sunday law. We have learned too that, while this thing finds its beginning in the United States, it spreads to the uttermost ends of the earth so that the people of God face the same test in every country on the face of the earth.

It is now time to study more closely the development of the test to which the people of God are to be subjected. Does this test come with the full pressure and weight upon them the moment the Sunday law is passed or does it come with progressive pressure as the struggle develops toward the climax? This is a very important question for the accurate placement of the great final test determines the position of the Judgment of the living, the giving of the final seal of God, the close of probation, and the time of Jacob's trouble.

Therefore, it is important at this stage that we do accurately understand and locate this event as a key to the understanding of the other events in the closing up of the great controversy between Christ and Satan.

sky

[skyblue888]

A KEY STATEMENT

There is one statement which above all others serves as the key to unlock for us the mystery of the order of last day events from the setting up of the Image of the Beast down to the close of probation. This statement reads as follows: "In the last great conflict of the controversy with Satan, those who are loyal to God will see every earthly support cut off. Because they refuse to break his laws in obedience to earthly powers, they will be forbidden to buy or sell. It will be decreed that they shall be put to death." D.A.12,122.

This statement tells us very plainly that the people of God will be forbidden to buy or sell because they have refused to break the law of God in order to obey the powers of earth. A moment's reflection upon this will soon reveal that there is only one law which can produce a situation like this. No true Christian is going to refuse to obey any of the laws of the land which deal with murder, stealing, or such like. The only law the people of God are going to refuse to obey is the law which concerns their allegiance to God which law we know to be the coming Sunday law.

Now, as certainly, there can be no refusal of obedience to a law which does not exist. Therefore, this statement plainly declares that first of all the law must be passed. Then there is a period of refusal on the part of God's people to obey it, which refusal leads the powers of earth to take a more stringent stand against them. The next step is to pass the buy and sell decree forbidding them to even buy or sell. This in turn will not prove sufficient to break the loyalty of God's people and so the world moves on in the face of a continual refusal to obey the laws of the land to the passing of the death decree against the people of God.

It must be evident that all this will occupy a period of time. It will not take place in a moment. The sequence of events then which is clearly portrayed in this particular statement, is that first the Sunday law is passed, then comes the refusal on the part of God's people to obey that law, which brings at some future point of time the passing of the buy and sell decree, followed again by a further refusal on the part of God's people in the face of this added pressure, which in turn causes the world to bring upon them the death decree.

Thus the test becomes progressively stiffer and stiffer until it reaches the ultimate of its pressure in the passing of the death decree against the people of God. This fact is brought to view very plainly in the 1884 edition of the book The Great Controversy, page 444, which reads as follows: "In the last great conflict, the Sabbath will be the special point of controversy throughout all Christendom. Secular rulers and religious rulers will unite to enforce the observance of the Sunday and as milder measures fail, the most oppressive laws will be enacted. It will be urged that the few who stand in opposition to an institution of the church or a law of the land ought not to be tolerated and a decree will finally be issued denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment and giving the people liberty after a certain time to put them to death. Romanism in the old world and Apostate Protestantism in the new will pursue a similar course to those who honour the divine precepts."

to be continued

[Musicman1228]

How does the following verse fit in with what you have just stated?

Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.  Rev.3:10.

Who is the 'you' referring to? Are they different from those who are 'in the world' at the start of the Great Tribulation?

You have state pretty clearly what you believe the test/trial will be for the world during the Great Tribulation, but what is the test that the 'you' must go through that demands patient endurance?

[skyblue888]

It will become apparent as we plunge more deeply into the study of the order of last day events that the people of God are not particularly tested when the Sunday law is first produced. The reason for this lies in the fact, that, at that time, they will be a people so few in number and of such minor consequence on the affairs of this world, that the powers that be will not even be concerned about them in the passing of this law. The Sunday law will be introduced as a measure on the part of the churches to secure to them a power to replace the power which they have lost in their turning away from the living God. We shall also learn as we progress that the first measure taken against the people of God will not be persecution but will be argument. When this fails, then persecution will be generated against them, and when that fails they will be hauled up before the courts of the land. When that fails they will impose against them the buy and sell decree and when that fails ultimately will come the death decree.

So, then, the people of God do not find themselves faced with the ultimate test at the very moment when the Sunday law is passed. The key statement already given, shows that it is the result of the refusal on the part of the people of God to obey that law which brings the test upon them. And as we progress we shall also learn from the evidences of the prophetic word, that the refusal of the people of God is not going to be a passive thing. It will not only be a refusal on their part but it will also be an exposure under the mighty power of the Holy Spirit of the very evil of the thing which has been done by church and state. We shall learn that the act of setting up the Image of the Beast, having caused the complete spiritual downfall of Babylon the Great, brings the world to the point where it is ripe to receive the destructive judgments of the seven last plagues. It is the point of tremendous crisis, and the Lord will not let the world perish without one final warning, and a calling of all His true children to come out of Babylon before it is forever too late.

But it is the giving of the warning whereby the true nature of the movement afoot to unite the world in opposition to the government of God is fully exposed, which enrages the world against the people of God and causes them to turn on them to destroy them unless they yield their peculiar faith and come into line with the rest of the world.

In other words, the great final test comes upon the people of God in consequence of their protest against the forming of the Image to the Beast, not at the point when the Image is actually formed. This is to say then that the order of last day events in brief is as follows:

The Image is formed and Babylon's fall is complete. The people of God are filled with the power of the Latter Rain and go forth refusing to obey the laws of the land in respect to the Sunday law and at the some time exposing the whole plan of the world and of Satan. This turns the wrath of the devil on their heads, exerting tremendous pressure to have them yield their faith. This is the test which mounts in intensity till the ultimate pressure is reached under the death decree, some considerable time after the image is formed.

A careful study of Great Controversy 606-609 will make this fact very clear. Let us put this fact clearly into our minds that the great final test does not come at the point of time when the Image is set up, but much later as a consequence of the refusal on the part of the people of God to obey the Sunday law.

to be continued

[Sonny]

How are the Sunday laws a test?

[ClubV12]

It will be easy to follow the law and worship on Sunday, it will be hard to worship on Saturday. At some point, it will be hard to worship on Saturday to the point of death! The "test" is asking if you will follow God's law, worship on Saturday, or man's law, worship on Sunday.

Sky,

With this statement do you mean to imply that a "shaking" of the SDA membership has already occured and the number of members has been greatly reduced at this time?

"...they will be a people so few in number and of such minor consequence on the affairs of this world,"

[skyblue888]

It will be easy to follow the law and worship on Sunday, it will be hard to worship on Saturday. At some point, it will be hard to worship on Saturday to the point of death! The "test" is asking if you will follow God's law, worship on Saturday, or man's law, worship on Sunday.

Sky,

With this statement do you mean to imply that a "shaking" of the SDA membership has already occured and the number of members has been greatly reduced at this time?

"...they will be a people so few in number and of such minor consequence on the affairs of this world,"

Yes.

sky :)

[Gail]

The Sabbath encompasses more than worship. The actual commandment says to keep the day "holy" but also to rest. It's calling for abstaining from work and business on that day. Buying and selling have to do with that.

[ClubV12]

Hmmmm, I wonder what event(s) transpire before the enactment of the Sunday law that leads to a major shakeup within the church?

I've also wondered in some cases if the "wheat" gets thrown out of a local church and the "tares" take over ownership or at least possession of the church property. File suit, get restraining orders, etc. Leaving the "wheat" with no physical church building. "Home church" time, like in the early church New Testament?

[skyblue888]

We need now to turn a moment and determine a little more closely, if we can, the exact point of time when the buy and sell decree and the death decree appear. Actually it is not possible to pin point the buy and sell decree beyond our being able to say it appears somewhere well on down the loud cry and sometime after the passing of the Sunday law. But we are able to pin point more accurately the position of the death decree in its relation to the order of last day events. It is true that some people hold the view that the death decree will be made after the close of probation. There is, of course, no controversy over the fact that the date for its execution is placed after the close of probation, this date being the time coinciding with the fifth and the sixth plagues after the close of probation. This we shall later study.

But careful study reveals that the making of the death decree takes place just before the close of human probation. It takes place just before the judgment of the living, which, in turn, takes place just before the beginning of the time of Jacob's trouble.

In turning now to Testimonies to Ministers, page 473, we read that Satan has an accurate knowledge of the scriptures and when speaking to his own angels, would lay plans in harmony with that knowledge. And so even though the words reported here are the words of Satan to his angels, he says these things in his sure knowledge of the accuracy of Bible prophecy. And knowing that the death decree is going to come and impose this test upon the people of God before probation closes, he says, "When death shall be made the penalty of violating our Sabbath, then many who are now ranked with commandment keepers, will come over to our side."

Every reader of these pages is aware of the fact that once probation is closed, there will be no changing sides. Once the close of probation comes, every man, woman and child will have taken their stand on the one side or the other. All such changing of sides must take place before probation closes. In this statement we are plainly told that there will be a changing of sides after the making of the death decree. This makes it very plain that the death decree comes before the close of probation so that there is still time for a changing of sides before changing of sides can never happen again.

Together with this statement we have further evidence from Testimonies volume 5:212,213.

"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book."

"When this time of trouble comes, every case is decided; there is no longer probation, no longer mercy for the impenitent. The seal of the living God is upon His people. This small remnant, unable to defend themselves in the deadly conflict with the powers of earth that are marshaled by the dragon host, make God their defense. The decree has been passed by the highest earthly authority that they shall worship the beast and receive the mark under pain of persecution and death."

The message of this paragraph is very clear, if we take just what it says. First it states that a certain point of time has been reached and then lists the condition which will exist when that point of time has been reached. The point of time reached will be that point of time where Michael has stood up, probation has closed and the time of Jacob's trouble has commenced. This brings the situation as listed in the paragraph. In other words the paragraph has the following construction:

When this time of trouble comes, 1. Every case is decided. 2.There is no longer probation. 3. No longer mercy for the impenitent. 4. The small remnant make God their defense. 5. The decree has been passed by the highest authority that they shall worship the beast and receive his mark under pain of persecution and death. In other words the death decree has been passed when this time of trouble comes. This is but to say then that the death decree is actually made before the close of probation.

"As the Sabbath has become the special point of Controversy throughout Christendom, and religious and secular authorities combine to enforce the observance of the Sunday law, the persistent refusal of a small minority to yield to the popular demand will make them the objects of universal execration." Great Controversy, 615.

We all know that this takes place before the close of probation. What follows?

"It will be urged that the few who stand in opposition to an institution of the church and a law of the land ought not to be tolerated; that it is better for them to suffer than for whole nations to be thrown into confusion and lawlessness. The same argument eighteen hundred years ago was brought against Christ by the 'rulers of the people.' John 11:50. This argument will appear conclusive; and a decree will finally be issued against those who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, denouncing them as deserving the severest punishment and giving the people liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death. Romanism in the old world and apostate Protestantism in the new will pursue a similar course towards those who honour the divine precepts." Ibid, 615,616.

Now we ask the question, What follows? What will be the consequence of the passing of this decree? The answer is in the very next paragraph which says, "The people of God will then be plunged into the scenes of affliction and distress described by the prophet as the time of Jacob's trouble." This is but to say, that the passing of the death decree will be followed at once by the beginning of the time of Jacob's trouble.

The time of Jacob's trouble begins immediately the Savior ceases His ministration in the sanctuary in Heaven. "When Christ shall cease His work in man's behalf, then this time of trouble will begin." P.P.201. If then the death decree comes before Jacob's trouble as is so plainly told here in Great Controversy page 616, and if Jacob's trouble begins at the close of probation as is so plainly taught in Patriarchs and Prophets 201, then the death decree must come just before, or slightly less specifically, at the close of human probation. There is no other conclusion which could be drawn from these statements.

sky

[skyblue888]

Hmmmm, I wonder what event(s) transpire before the enactment of the Sunday law that leads to a major shakeup within the church?

I've also wondered in some cases if the "wheat" gets thrown out of a local church and the "tares" take over ownership or at least possession of the church property. File suit, get restraining orders, etc. Leaving the "wheat" with no physical church building. "Home church" time, like in the early church New Testament?

This skaking does not separate the wheat from the tares but brings both wheat and tares into the loud cry church as the loud cry will also gather both wheat and tares into the loud cry church. Mrs. White clearly says that they are comingled during that time until the great final test when the judgment of the living will accomplish the final separation and the destiny of both classes is forver fixed. See C.O.L.122,123.

sky

I agree with you that this major shaking within Adventism just before the loud cry to the world will be the time for home churches like in the Early Church New Testament.

[Musicman1228]

Some please show me where in Bible prophecy is there even a mention of a 'national Sunday Law'. And if it a 'national' law what nation does it apply to? Is this law only for USA or does it apply to other nations. Please answer this without the benefit of EGW.

[ClubV12]

"...the Sunday law. We have learned too that, while this thing finds its beginning in the United States, it spreads to the uttermost ends of the earth. "

The prophecies and actual recorded history of enforecment by State law as it regards the sabbath is a very deep study. Best left to a new thread that deals specifically with the issue, which is indeed in the bible! As I recall the very first recorded instance of persecution toward Sabbath keepers was by the Egyptians. Pharoh forced the Jews to work on their Sabbath. In modern times, the qausi Roman powers of State instituted Sunday worship, by law (early AD)! The bible AND history records a long and complex interaction on the Sabbath vs Sunday law issue. You could start with the books of Daniel and Revelation for a foundational understanding.

In the 1400's, during the reformation, once again we find the Sunday issue coming around. Those folks, like SDA today, point to the same source for the problem. The Catholic church.

In THIS thread, the discussion centers on the DETAILS of the Sunday law coming around, yet again, as history repeats itself in our modern times. Those details are laid out by Ellen White, if you reject her as a prophet, this thread, with it's DETAILS of that coming event, will have little or no meaning for you.

[cheddar]

I actually did a study on the mark of the beast using only the bible awhile back and was led to some interesting verses. Here is the verse from Rev. 13 on the mark/beast –

Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Almost every verse in Revelation draws on imagery from the Old Testament and this verse is no different. The first part of this verse says that we need wisdom to understand this. If we look back thru the bible who was the wisest man of all? The wisest man according to the scriptures is Solomon. When going back thru the history of Solomon there was actually a verse that mentions 666. That verse is 1 Kings 10:14 –

Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold.

Solomon used this gold to build many things including the temple and his throne of ivory and gold. We can draw many different conclusions from this but we do know that Satan will come in the guise of Christ. What better place to set up his kingdom than Jerusalem and what better form of blasphemy than to rebuild an earthly sanctuary to take the focus off the heavenly sanctuary.

[Sonny]

It will be easy to follow the law and worship on Sunday, it will be hard to worship on Saturday. At some point, it will be hard to worship on Saturday to the point of death! The "test" is asking if you will follow God's law, worship on Saturday, or man's law, worship on Sunday.

This is baloney...it is not the issue! This is error.

[Sonny]

The Sabbath encompasses more than worship.

We should be worshiping God everyday. Worship is adoration...walking with God.

Actually, the Sabbath commandment has nothing to do with worship:

(YLT) Ex 20:8 `Remember the Sabbath-day to sanctify it [set it apart]; 9 six days thou dost labour, and hast done all thy work, 10 and the seventh day is a Sabbath to Jehovah thy God; thou dost not do any work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, thy man-servant, and thy handmaid, and thy cattle, and thy sojourner who is within thy gates, -- 11 for six days hath Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that [is] in them, and resteth in the seventh day; therefore hath Jehovah blessed the Sabbath-day, and doth sanctify it [set it apart].

Do you see anything about worship? I don't! According to the Ten Commandments one is to set the day apart to "rest" from his/her normal work as a reminder that God rested from His perfect work of creation. Again, absolutely nothing about worship.

[ClubV12]

Worship takes many forms Sonny. I rather enjoy praising God, in church, with my friends, on Sabbath. Among other forms of "rest on the Sabbath day" AND activity pleasing to Him on that day and refreshing my own soul. A walk in nature. Visiting my neighbors. Going for a nice drive in the country. Different people like to do different things on the Sabbath as they "remember" that day, they worship by putting away worldly things.

[Sonny]

Worship takes many forms Sonny. I rather enjoy praising God, in church, with my friends, on Sabbath.

[ClubV12]

"...but know one paid much attention."

Makes sense to me, I have no idea what your talking about or what your point is or where your trying to go with it. It's a simple issue, not some complex, deep thing shrouded in mystery.

[Sonny]

It's a simple issue, not some complex, deep thing shrouded in mystery.

I'm telling you that you are wrong...it's not simple, apparently, or you would understand it. Your church has told you that it's over Sabbath worship, but the Bible doesn't say this. Here's the issue:

Whenever the issue of the Sabbath-Sunday is brought into focus, one’s attention is immediately turned to the Sunday keeping Christians versus the Sabbath keepers. This, I believe, is not the real issue. There are today many sincere Christians who are fully resting in Christ for salvation but are Sunday keepers. They are keeping the wrong day for the right reason. Likewise, there are many sincere Sabbath keepers who believe their Sabbath keeping will save them. They are keeping the right day for the wrong reason. Both need correction and this the Holy Spirit, who is to lead us into all truth, will do.

When this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations [Matthew 24:14]; it will polarize or divide the human race into only two camps — believers and unbelievers [1 John 5:19], those who are fully resting in Christ and those who have ultimately rejected Christ. All who come under the banner of Christ will in the end-time worship the Lord of the Sabbath and their Sabbath keeping will be the outward sign or seal of the righteousness they have already received by faith, just as circumcision was to Abraham “a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised” [Romans 4:11].

Those who have deliberately and ultimately turned their backs to the free gift of salvation in Christ will all worship the dragon which gave power unto the beast [Revelation 13:3-4]. These will exalt Sunday as man’s day of rest in defiance of the Sabbath, God’s rest day. The issue then in the final conflict will not be between two groups of Christians or even two rest days, but two opposing methods of salvation: the Sabbath, signifying salvation by faith alone, versus Sunday, signifying salvation by works or human effort.

When man turned from God-dependence, at the fall, and consequently had to eat his bread by the sweat of his brow [Genesis 3:19], a human rest day became necessary. Today, Sunday is that international day of rest, established by the world under Satan. Since man was also created a spiritual being, his departure from God-dependence to self-dependence also meant a departure from God-worship to subtle forms of self-worship [Romans 1:21-23; Isaiah 53:6; Philippians 2:21].

This spiritual departure led man from righteousness by faith to righteousness by works [self-righteousness – Genesis 3:7; 11:4-9]. The New Testament describes this as the religion of Babylon based on the claims of Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of ancient Babylon [Daniel 4:30,31; Revelation 14:6-11]. [it must be noted here that the word Babylon derived its name from the ill-fated tower of Babel, meaning Gate (Bab) of God (el), symbolizing man trying to reach heaven by works.] The fundamental issue is all of scripture is salvation by faith versus salvation by works. At the heart of the Bible message is salvation by grace made effective through faith alone [Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 10:38-39; 11:1-40]. At the heart of every false religion is salvation by works.

In ancient times, Sunday not only became man’s day of rest from physical and mental work but, above all, symbolized man’s spiritual day of rest and worship based on the pagan belief that the sun was the god of gods. This became prominent in Christ’s day in the Roman Empire. Hence, at its very foundation, Sunday rest is a pagan institution representing self-righteousness; this is in complete contradiction to God’s Sabbath, His sign to man of righteousness by faith [Exodus 31:13, 16; Hebrews 10:14]. These two opposing concepts of salvation can never be reconciled and have been in conflict ever since the fall.

When the true gospel of righteousness by faith will be fully recovered and preached into all the world, every person will have to make the choice, either for or against Christ [Deuteronomy 30:19,20; Joshua 24:13-15; Romans 9:30-33; Philippians 3:3-9]. At that time, the Sabbath will become the seal of God, representing righteousness by faith. In contrast, Sunday will represent the Mark of the Beast, signifying man’s rejection of God’s saving grace in Christ [Revelation 14:10-11]. Therefore, when the Sunday (blue) law will be legally established, it will indicate the world’s deliberate and ultimate rejection of God’s loving offer of salvation through His Son.

This is the “abomination of desolation” Christ spoke about [Matthew 24:14-22]. Those who will then insist on Sunday rest, in willful opposition to God’s Sabbath rest, will receive the plagues, the wrath of God poured out without mixture [Revelation 14:9-11]. In contrast, those who will stubbornly keep the Seventh-day Sabbath will be manifesting a faith in God that is unshakeable. They will go through the great time of trouble and wash their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.

Because of the mixed, confused ideas of salvation, the true controversy between God’s Sabbath and man’s Sunday is today still foggy and not clearly understood. But when the two opposing methods of salvation come into clear focus, then the true importance of the Sabbath will be seen clearly. May God give us, at that time, the grace and courage to stand for truth.

[skyblue888]

"...the Sunday law. We have learned too that, while this thing finds its beginning in the United States, it spreads to the uttermost ends of the earth. "

The prophecies and actual recorded history of enforecment by State law as it regards the sabbath is a very deep study. Best left to a new thread that deals specifically with the issue, which is indeed in the bible! As I recall the very first recorded instance of persecution toward Sabbath keepers was by the Egyptians. Pharoh forced the Jews to work on their Sabbath. In modern times, the qausi Roman powers of State instituted Sunday worship, by law (early AD)! The bible AND history records a long and complex interaction on the Sabbath vs Sunday law issue. You could start with the books of Daniel and Revelation for a foundational understanding.

In the 1400's, during the reformation, once again we find the Sunday issue coming around. Those folks, like SDA today, point to the same source for the problem. The Catholic church.

In THIS thread, the discussion centers on the DETAILS of the Sunday law coming around, yet again, as history repeats itself in our modern times. Those details are laid out by Ellen White, if you reject her as a prophet, this thread, with it's DETAILS of that coming event, will have little or no meaning for you.

Amen. Well said, Club.

sky :)

[ClubV12]

"I'm telling you that you are wrong..."

Ok, I hear you. I have no idea what your talking about, but I hear you. I like to "worship" on Sabbath. I look forward to that "day of rest". It is a joy and a delight. I think about it all week and plan ahead accordingly so that I can gaurd the edges of the Sabbath come Friday night. I don't do this because the "law" demands it, I'm thankful the law provides for it!

God could have setup any number of ways to "test" His people in the final conflict. He chose the Sabbath vs Sunday issue. I don't know why. While I enjoy the current freedom to "worship" on His chosen day, I recognize that in the future it will become a very serious issue from a legal and criminal stand point. Not to mention a very serious spiritual issue!

How YOU want to "remember" the Sabbath, if you want to call it "worship" or "rest" or whatever term you like, I don't have a problem with that. If your comfortable doing whatever it is you like to do on Sabbath, may God bless. There are certain things I like to do on the Sabbath. Things that both honor God and are a blessing to me. I'm not keeping a "list", I'm keeping the Sabbath. :)

[skyblue888]

Good for you.

sky

[ClubV12]

I got a phone call this morning from the shipper (truck driver) who is going to pick up my car and transport it to Florida to the new owner. Truck wants to do it on Saturday, big money has already been paid, technically, it's no longer "my car". I told him he can't pick it up, it's my "Sabbath". He's not a happy camper, the new owner in Florida is not a happy camper, the broker for the shipper is not a happy camper. The car can't be picked on Sunday and Monday is problematic for them. My hands are tied, it aint gonna happen on Sabbath, and thats just the way it is. I guess I should put that on my "list"? No shipping cars on the Sabbath, item #413. :)

[BobRyan]

THE GREAT FINAL TEST

We have now seen (in the thread The Timing of the Judgment of the Living) the clear cut truth that the spiritual fall of Babylon the Great coincides with the setting up of the Image of the Beast when the churches succeed in having the power of the state enlisted to enforce their law, the Sunday law. We have learned too that, while this thing finds its beginning in the United States, it spreads to the uttermost ends of the earth so that the people of God face the same test in every country on the face of the earth.

It is now time to study more closely the development of the test to which the people of God are to be subjected. Does this test come with the full pressure and weight upon them the moment the Sunday law is passed or does it come with progressive pressure as the struggle develops toward the climax? This is a very important question for the accurate placement of the great final test determines the position of the Judgment of the living, the giving of the final seal of God, the close of probation, and the time of Jacob's trouble.

Therefore, it is important at this stage that we do accurately understand and locate this event as a key to the understanding of the other events in the closing up of the great controversy between Christ and Satan.

Good subject.

As mentioned on this thread - it is also important to know just how we get from the current "I don't care about blue laws" attitude of the US - to a complete turnaround with NSL.

http://clubadventist.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/447086/1/What_brings_about_Sunday_Legis.html

But in your comment above you talk about the gradual increase in civil penalties once the NSL is a fact of life.

I see 4 primary stages.

1. The shocking signs and wonders event that leads to NSL legislation

2. The entry NSL - not much different from the blue laws - and therefore "not a test" for SDAs - but it establishes the "image" construct and it signals a milestone in moral decline for our nation. It is the last sign for leaving the large cities.

3. A form of the NSL that requires some kind of every-citizen's signature - something an SDA cannot agree to do. This is the first level of "the test" phase of the NSL.

4. Increasing civil penalty phases. More focus on a law that is less about not working on Sunday and more about prohibiting Sabbath.

in Christ,

Bob