The most momentous election in US history has just passed. Prophecy has been fulfilled. The king of the north has come back with a decisive victory over the king of the south and the world will never be the same again.
The Christian-Judeo forces combining the ideology of Protestantism, Catholicism and Judaism have defeated a great evil in society. And this is not the result of great statesmanship or attractive personality. It has come about because of one verse of Scripture found in Daniel 4:17 which says, “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men." A number of news commentators have expressed the opinion that what happened in this election was a miracle.
It seems evident that God has ordained the defeat of Marxist socialism. The ideology of atheistic Marxist socialism has spread throughout western society since the French Revolution and with devastating effects. It has been the ideology of the American government during the last eight years. It has also riddled the educational institutions. The symptoms of this is seen in the political correctness which has dumbed down free speech, especially on university campuses, and elevated gay rights and sexual perversion while manifesting open antagonism toward Christian principles. Christians have been marginalized as bigots and the Bible demeaned as a ‘hate’ book. The US election of 2016 was basically a reaction to Marxist socialism with its unpatriotic policies which allows the permeation of Islam and aliens into American society. It is very similar to what happened in the UK with the Brexit vote. Now the Christian-Judeo forces in America have come back with a telling victory in repudiation of those evils that were originally spawned by the French Revolution.
What will happen next?
Will the Christian-Judeo forces bring in a better state of things? Perhaps it may seem so at the beginning. We know that Donald Trump had the support of Evangelical Christians and also many Catholics. Inspiration tells us that there will be a new kind of religion that will sweep in worldlings and Christians of all faiths into its fellowship. The multitudes will be convinced that this will ultimately result in world peace. Sad to say, there will be many Seventh-day Adventists who will join in that movement as well. Great Controversy p. 589-590 describes this end-time movement.
“Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world, and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium.
But there is another side to the coin. Even though Christian-Judeo forces that were victorious in this election and may seem destined to make ‘America great again,’ America is also predicted to become the world super-power who “causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed “ Revelation 13:12. Protestant America will be instrumental in healing the deadly wound which was inflicted upon the first beast by the king of the south, the forces of atheism and Marxist socialism.
The Spirit of Prophecy tells us that “A great crisis awaits the people of God. A crisis awaits the world. The most momentous struggle of all the ages is just before us “ 5 Testimonies p. 711. But what is the great crisis which is to come upon the church and the world? Daniel 11:41 tells us that the king of the north “shall enter also into the glorious land, and many shall be overthrown. “ What is the ‘glorious land? In Old Testament times, it was the land of Israel where God’s professed people lived. The glorious land today is modern Israel, the Seventh-day Adventist church. The coming crisis will mightily impact all professed Sabbath keepers and many will be overthrown. “As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel's message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position, and join the ranks of the opposition “ Great Controversy p. 608. The way people react when the king of the north enters the glorious land will determine their eternal destiny. Note the following:
“The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes; for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided. . . . [Revelation 13:11-17 quoted.] . . . This is the test that the people of God must have before they are sealed. All who proved their loyalty to God by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious Sabbath, will rank under the banner of the Lord God Jehovah, and will receive the seal of the living God. Those who yield the truth of heavenly origin and accept the Sunday Sabbath, will receive the mark of the beast “ (7 Bible Comments p. 976).
Satan will impersonate Christ
The setting up of the image to the beast will start a chain reaction which will not fully end until Christ comes in power and glory to bring the great controversy to a close. To facilitate the enforcement of Sunday in opposition to the law of God, Satan himself will appear on earth in personation of Christ to persuade the so-called Christian world and governments of earth to enact a Sunday law. Evangelism p. 365 tells us that “In this age antichrist will appear as the true Christ, and then the law of God will be fully made void in the nations of our world. Rebellion against God's holy law will be fully ripe. But the true leader of all this rebellion is Satan, clothed as an angel of light. Men will be deceived and will exalt him to the place of God, and deify him “
If today we are easily deceived by smooth talking ministers and teachers who charm their listeners with a love-gospel while at the same time turning the mind away from our duty to obey God’s law, how will we stand when Satan appears as the loving Christ and presents some of the same gracious truths that were presented by Christ Himself.
“As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. . . The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air, ’Christ has come! Christ has come!’ The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed his disciples when he was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed“ (Great Controversy p. 624).
What makes the test of the image to the beast most serious is that it will coincide with the judgment of the living. Our eternal destiny will be decided by how we stand the great test during the investigative judgment going on in heaven. And those who stand true to God during that test will be sealed. That is an act of the judgment, as we read in Testimony to Ministers p. 234. “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.”
Positive effects of the Mark of the Beast test
There are great blessings which will be bestowed upon those who stand firm during the final test. Those who yield their loyalty will have a fearful time to look forward to. Satan and his angels will be given full control of all who are not sealed, and they will work out their satanic cruelty upon these apostates without God’s restraining power. However, those who prove their loyalty will be accepted in the judgment and will have their sins blotted out and be sealed by the refreshing latter rain as promised in Acts 3:19.
Although the setting up of the image to the beast is a fearful time when the church will appear as about to fall, yet God has a purpose in allowing this to happen. God will use that test to purify His church. “Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat“ 5 Testimonies p. 81. Yet, it will also open the way for the loud cry to go forth.
“The Lord has permitted the enemy of truth to make a determined effort against the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. He designs by this means to awaken a decided interest in that question which is a test for the last days. This will open the way for the third angel's message to be proclaimed with power “ 2 Selected Messages p. 370. We have looked forward to the time when the Third Angel’s message will go with the power of the latter rain. Here we can see when it will happen. When the loud cry is proclaimed, Babylon has fallen because she has enacted the Sunday law. However, we have the promise that at that time, “Not one who is abiding in Christ will fail or fall" (2 Selected Messages p. 368).
The issues facing us in the near future are profound. The outcome of the great controversy is involved with the loyalty of God’s people. The perfected first fruits as depicted in Revelation 14:4-5 are needed to vindicate God’s character and the laws of His government. Not until that is done can the rest of the harvest of sleeping saints be resurrected and taken to their eternal reward. God’s promise of character perfection was not realized by the great heroes of faith recorded in Hebrews 11. But the remnant will realize it.
“And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” Hebrews 11:39-40.
For over 170 years Christ has been waiting to perfect His people through His special ministry in the most holy place. All the host of sleeping saints have been waiting in their graves for the final generation to be perfected so that they can be raised and go to their eternal reward. Will we who live in this late hour respond to the call of God so that He can make an end to the dominion of Satan?
“EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS”
Floyd Sayler attended Walla Walla College as a music major and completed his diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music, University of Toronto. Along with apassion for Bible study & research, Floyd also enjoys writing for Creation Illustrated and the Adventist World magazines.