The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29:18. Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony. He will bring in spurious visions, to mislead and mingle the false with the true, and so disgust people that they will regard everything that bears the name of visions, as a species of fanaticism; but honest souls, by contrasting false and true, will be enabled to distinguish between them. {FLB 296.6}
"When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction. {FLB 296.7}
vision: complete vision/2520/scattering/gathering
Jeremiah 36:20 And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.
36:21 So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.
36:22 Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and [there was a fire] on the hearth burning before him.
36:23And it came to pass, [that] when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast [it] into the fire that [was] on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that [was] on the hearth.
36:24Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, [neither] the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.
"Those who rejected the first angel's message could not be benefited by the second;...." EW 260
Those who rejected the second angel's message could not be benefited by the third. "And by rejecting the two former messages they have so darkened their understanding that they can see no light in the third angel's message, which shows the way into the most holy place." EW 260, 261
Those who rejected God's special message of righteousness by faith at Minneapolis in 1888 did not receive the special blessing God desired to pour out upon His people at that time.
Just so, those SDA's living today who have neglected God's present truth message, (righteousness by faith) to the church contained in the Spirit of Prophecy, and therefore do not receive the Early Rain and overcome completely, cannot receive the seal of God and the Latter Rain. Consequently they will be lost.
"....God's spirit will pass by those (SDA's) who have had their day of test and opportunity, but who have not distinguished the voice of God or appreciated the movings of His Spirit." 2SM 16
"But unless the members of God's church today have living connection with the source of all spiritual growth, they will not be ready for the time of reaping. Unless they keep their lamps trimmed and burning, they will fail of receiving added grace in times of spiritual need." AA 55
"...when one ray of light is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned. So the darkness increases, until it is night in the soul." DA 322
"It is not only by resistance but neglect that the soul is destroyed." DA 323
Isaiah 28:10 For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little:
28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
28:12 To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
28:13But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
(Matthew 15:9; 21:11, 12; John 2:13-16; see EGW on Revelation 6:9.) Two Calls to the Churches.--[Revelation 18:1, 2 quoted.] This is the same message that was given by the second angel. Babylon is fallen, "because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." What is that wine?--her false doctrines. She has given to the world a false sabbath instead of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and has repeated the falsehood that Satan first told to Eve in Eden--the natural immortality of the soul. Many kindred errors she has spread far and wide, "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." {7BC 985.4}
When Jesus began His public ministry, He cleansed the temple from its sacrilegious profanation. Among the last acts of His ministry was the second cleansing of the temple. So in the last work for the warning of the world, two distinct calls are made to the churches. The second angel's message is, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." And in the loud cry of the third angel's message a voice is heard 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" (RH Dec. 6, 1892). {7BC 985.5}
Three Messages to Be Combined.--The three angels' messages are to be combined, giving their threefold light to the world. In the Revelation, John says, "I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory." [Revelation 18:2-5 quoted.] This represents the giving of the last and threefold message of warning to the world (MS 52, 1900). {7BC 985.6}
Seek Bible Truth At Any Cost
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5:3. {CTr 78.1}
It was a great sacrifice Christ made for us in dying for us upon the cross. What are we willing to sacrifice for His love? Jesus says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments ”not to select out one or two or nine, but the whole ten. All His commandments must be kept. John tells us of those who pretend to love but do not obey God’s requirements. “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” {CTr 78.2}
You may say, So you believe that all the learned world is wrong and that a poor company, greatly in the minority, looked upon as ignorant, common people, are all that will be saved? I answer, Jesus was among the lowly of the earth. He did not take His position by the side of the learned rabbis or the rulers. He was not found among the potentates of earth, but among the lowly ones. The truth was never found among the majority. It was ever found among the minority. {CTr 78.3}
The angels from heaven did not come to the school of the prophets and sing their anthems over the Temple or synagogues, but they went to those who were humble enough to receive the message. They sang the glad tidings of a Saviour over Bethlehem’s plains while the great, the rulers, and the honorable were left in darkness because they were perfectly satisfied with their position and felt no need of a piety greater than that which they possessed. Teachers in the schools of the prophets, the scribes and priests and rulers, were the worst persecutors of Christ. Those who made the highest pretensions to spiritual light were the very ones who slighted and rejected and crucified Christ. {CTr 78.4}
Great men and women and professedly very good people may do terrible deeds in their bigotry and self-exalted position, and flatter themselves that they are doing God service. It will not do to rely upon them. Truth, Bible truth, you and I want at any cost. Like the noble Bereans we want to search the Scriptures daily with earnest prayer, to know what is truth, and then obey the truth at any cost to ourselves, without reference to prominent people or good people. If truth is in the Bible, we can find it there as well as the good and great ones of earth. God help us to be wise unto salvation is my prayer.—Letter 35b, 1877. {CTr 78.5}
Zechariah 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; [so] the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Joel 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first [month].
former rain:
Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where [is] the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [therein].
6:17 Also I set watchmen over you, [saying], Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
This is an endless study - using the reform lines - line upon line
“What a privilege it is to labor for the conversion of souls! Our calling is high. We may enjoy the companionship of the heavenly angels. We may not discern their forms, but by faith we may know that they are with us. ‘Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?’ Brethren, sisters, God invites us to unite with the angels in their ministry. Thus every one of us may become His helping hand. To fit us to do this work, He will strengthen our minds as verily as He strengthened the mind of Daniel. As we give to those in darkness the truths that have enlightened us, God will enable us to understand these truths still better. He will give us apt words to speak, communicating to us through the angel standing by our side. Let us pray for the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Let us seek for living power from above, that we may indeed be laborers together with God. - PUR November 20, 1902