Did you miss what happened nearly five years ago?
On June 26, 2015, for the first time since the nation represented by the two-horned beast from the earth was founded, the highest court of the land made a declaration that directly contravened God’s law.1
Innocent people with businesses that catered weddings were suddenly compelled by law to provide goods and services against their consciences. How did you react? Was this discussed at your local church? Did your church discuss the display of the “standard” or “ensign” [Strong’s 5251] of the United States in your sanctuary or on your church grounds in relation to the Supreme Court’s abomination of overturning God’s law?
The redefinition of marriage was not a surprise. Other countries and various states had long before signaled the direction the “earth beast” took.
True Protestants have known for generations that the two-horned lamb like beast would speak (legislate) as a dragon. Did your church miss the opportunity to make public statements pointing out the fulfilling of prophecy and likely effects of that shocking legislation? What would have happened if we as individuals and churches at all levels had gone on record as pointing to the Revelation 13 prophecy? Could it be that many, paralyzed by political correctness or worse, same-sex unions in their own families, feared their calling sin by its right name would invoke the “judgmental” moniker?
Or was one response aptly captured in the publication entitled Guiding Families of LGBT+ Loved Ones: Adventist Edition by Bill Henson handed out to some 5,000 educators at an Adventist Teacher’s Convention in Chicago held in August 2018?2
2020
Fast forward to January 2020. The world was taken by surprise by a microscopic virus. Popular media flip flopped in a blind rush to position the epidemic as a political opportunity to bash the other party. Except that it wasn’t a “surprise.” In January 2017 Dr. Anthony Fauci warned of a “surprise outbreak” during the Trump administration.3 He was certain of an outbreak!
In the following weeks we rapidly learned that key to being part of the +/- 80% of those who contract COVID-19 but experience zero or minimal effects is based on the health of our immune system. It turns out that Seventh-day Adventists have explicit written documentation dating back to the 19th century through the health reform visions of the prophetic writings of Ellen White showing the vital nature of treating our bodies as God’s “temple.” The benefits of adopting the creation diet coupled with regular exercise, pure water, exposure to sunlight and fresh air, temperance in all things, daily and Sabbath rest, and trust in God are key to the robust delivery of the message of the third angel of Revelation 14:9-12. She writes:
“The health reform, I was shown, is a part of the third angel’s message, and is just as closely connected with it as are the arm and hand with the human body. I saw that we as a people must make an advance move in this great work. Ministers and people must act in concert. God’s people are not prepared for the loud cry of the third angel. They have a work to do for themselves which they should not leave for God to do for them. He has left this work for them to do. It is an individual work; one cannot do it for another.”—Testimonies for the Church 1:486, 1867 {CD 74.3}
Have we as individuals stressed these key ways to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and sickness in general? Has your local church taken the opportunity to publically provide this information to your community, in direct connection with the three angels messages of Revelation 14? In what ways has the organized church reacted to this worldwide opportunity to share the “right arm” (health reform) of the three angels messages? Is your local church leadership encouraging churches to reopen for the spiritual wellbeing of the members? If not, could it be that those in key positions are compromised by lack of adherence to all the health reform counsel God gave to His church as well as justifying caution based on fear of financial loss?
“Why do some of our ministering brethren manifest so little interest in health reform? It is because instruction on temperance in all things is opposed to their practice of self-indulgence. In some places this has been the great stumbling block in the way of our bringing the people to investigate and practice and teach health reform. No man should be set apart as a teacher of the people while his own teaching or example contradicts the testimony God has given His servants to bear in regard to diet, for this will bring confusion. His disregard of health reform unfits him to stand as the Lord’s messenger.” {6T 378.1}
Here’s where I am going with this: The preceding actions, or lack thereof, have been sobering lessons and we cannot change history. If we have learned from them, there is an imminent opportunity on the horizon to make up for the past..
We as individuals and within our local churches will soon be faced with another action by the governments of the world. On June 4, 2020 the organization, “Green Sabbath Project”4 has called for “A Universal Day of Rest: an online discussion.” It doesn’t take too much imagination to see this and many other forces such as Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ published May 24, 2015 positioning the world to soon embrace a common day of rest.
Notice I did not say worship. Rest. And that day will be Sunday. And, when that happens in the United States, it will constitute a second federal mandate directly contravening God’s law. Could it be that some are being positioned from within the church to miss a third opportunity to share the distinctive doctrines of faith? This “third strike” would constitute a blatant disregard for warning the world and potentially withhold vital information from the souls of billions.
What law would the mandate of a day of rest breach? What’s the pretext for my concern? Will some who claim the message of the third angel quietly go about their carefully protected lives saying that a Sunday rest day does not affect them? Let’s review a couple of lines of Exodus 20:9-10 very closely:
“Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God…” (emphasis added)
God commanded that humans are to “labor” on days one through six. That’s right! Humans don’t have the right to choose a rest day, nor do they have the right to choose which days to work. There is a growing cacophony of voices calling our attention to the benefits of a weekly day of rest (not worship…yet). Scientific studies abound extolling the amazing improvement in air quality as a result of “stay at home” orders promoting the “common good.” Christians (former “Protestants,”) have fostered fear, guilt through the perceived threat of endangering the “greater good,” and potential general liability for “flaunting” the “guidelines” and “recommendations” of secular authorities. Do these people really know God? Not knowing Him, they can’t trust nor have faith. Worse, many “Christians” have adopted a comfortable ecumenical approach and don’t wish to offend the public by drawing Bible-based examples that could hinder the spread of the gospel. In your church’s official communications, how much content is related to the biblical teaching of corporate worship and the spiritual wellbeing of members? How much is focused on personal conscience, conviction, and faith in God based on living the health principles as above outlined?
Very, very soon the United States will, on a federal level, adopt Sunday closing laws. How do I know that? A number of cities and countries, using COVID-19 as cover and environmental scientists as experts, have adopted Sunday closing laws for services deemed to be “non-essential.” So what? you might say. These human laws fall squarely under the prophecy, “…think to change time and laws…” (Daniel 7:25).
Sunday closing laws are a direct affront to God’s law.
Will you join in planning how to show your love (agape) by warning your family, associates, and neighbors that this act is treasonous against God?
“Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.” Ezek 3:17.
Will you do all you can to convict your local church to prepare now to make a public statement, or better, build an evangelistic communication plan to the community your church serves and vote it now to be implemented at a moments notice?
As a leader or evangelist in the organized church and as a faithful watchman, will you prepare a communication strategy in advance utilizing necessary media to reach all the souls in the geographic region that you are entrusted with?
“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence” Isa 62:6.
The alternative is to fall into a category described in a vision given to Ellen White published in 1900:
“Men will employ every means to make less prominent the difference between Seventh-day Adventists and observers of the first day of the week. A company was presented before me under the name of Seventh-day Adventists, who were advising that the banner, or sign, which makes us a distinct people should not be held out so strikingly; for they claimed that this was not the best policy in order to secure success to our institutions. But this is not a time to haul down our colors, to be ashamed of our faith. This distinctive banner, described in the words, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus,” is to be borne through the world to the close of probation. While efforts should be increased to advance in different localities, there must be no cloaking of our faith to secure patronage. Truth must come to souls ready to perish; and if it is in any way hidden, God is dishonored, and the blood of souls will be upon our garments.” {6T 144.1} (emphasis added).
At what point will people true to God decide it is no longer consistent with their beliefs to display in churches, let alone salute the national flag of their country, especially those who claim the understanding of the prophecy in Revelation 13:11?
May the LORD prepare us all for the privilege of sharing the everlasting gospel as well as to spend eternity with Him, imminently!
