Purpose

To reveal the last message to the SDA Church and the world.

Introduction:

Zech. 10:1 - “Ask of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain …”

Joel 2:23 - “Be glad then ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for He hath given you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain in the first month.”

TM 506-508 - “Do not rest satisfied that in ordinary course of season, rain will fall. Ask for it.”

Prayer Thought:

It is true that in the time of the end, when God's work in the earth is closing, the earnest efforts put forth by consecrated believers under the guidance of the Holy Spirit are to be accompanied by special tokens of divine favor. Under the figure of the early and the latter rain, that falls in Eastern lands at seedtime and harvest, the Hebrew prophets foretold the bestowal of spiritual grace in extraordinary measure upon God's church. The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was the beginning of the early, or former, rain, and glorious was the result. To the end of time the presence of the Spirit is to abide with the true church. {AA 54.2}

But near the close of earth's harvest, a special bestowal of spiritual grace is promised to prepare the church for the coming of the Son of man. This outpouring of the Spirit is likened to the falling of the latter rain; and it is for this added power that Christians are to send their petitions to the Lord of the harvest "in the time of the latter rain." In response, "the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain." "He will cause to come down . . . the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain," Zechariah 10:1; Joel 2:23. {AA 55.1}

NOTE: Literal Rain:

In Palestine, rain falls in winter. The 1st or former rain in November to germinate the planted seed, the last or latter rain to mature the grains for the harvest of the first fruits (grains – see Leviticus 23) in April – up to Pentecost (May end). Then they begin to harvest the 2nd fruits – vines, from June to the Day of Atonement (22 October).

Spiritual rain:

COL 17. “Natural things were the medium for the spiritual … leading thus from the natural to the spiritual kingdom…”

Deut. 32:2 - “My doctrine shall drop like rain… as the small rain upon the tender herb, as the showers upon the grass.”

Isa. 40:6-7 - “Surely the people is grass.”

COL 70 - “The field; Christ said, is the world; but we must understand this as signifying the Church of Christ in the world.”

NOTE:

The Former and Latter rains all must represent new doctrines or new messages of God to everyone in the SDA Church. The first rain (the 3 Angel’s Messages) was to “start” the SDA Church, and the latter rain (last message - 4th Angel’s message) is to mature the Church for the harvest (the separation or Judgment of the Living).

1. A MESSAGE TO REVIVE, MATURE, SEAL THE SDA CHURCH

CWE 34, 35 – “Let no one come to the conclusion that there is no more truth to be revealed… many gems are yet scattered that are to be gathered together to become the property of the remnant people of God… There is no excuse for anyone in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth.” RH June 3, 1890 – “The question has been asked me, Do you think that the Lord has any more light for us as a people? I answer that He has light that is new to us, and yet it is precious old light that is to shine forth from the word of Truth.”

Malachi 4:5 – “Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”

TM 475 – “Prophecy must be fulfilled [Malachi 4:5 quoted]. Somebody is to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he appears, men may say, ‘you are too earnest, you do not interpret the scriptures in a proper way. Let me tell you how to teach your message.”

Rev. 18:1 “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory.” 6T. 60 – “In the Rev. John says of the heavenly messenger who unites with the third angel [Rev. 18:1 quoted].” E.W. 277 – “I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message… The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message, as it swells to a loud cry”

TM 506 – 508 – “The latter rain, ripening the earth’s harvest, represents the spiritual grace that prepares the church for the coming of the Son of man.”

6 BC 1055. - “John says [Rev. 18:1 quoted]. Then, as at the Pentecostal season, the people will hear the truth spoken to them every man in his own tongue”

1888 Material, 167, 239 –“I have been shown that Jesus will reveal to us precious old truth in a new light, if we are ready to receive them; but they must be received in the very way in which the Lord shall choose to send them…with humble, softened hearts with respect and love for one another, search your Bibles. The light may not come in accordance with plans that men may devise …there was to be special light for God's people as they neared the closing scenes of this earth's history. Another angel was to come from heaven with a message and the whole earth was to be lightened with his glory. It would be impossible for us to state just how this additional light would come. It might come in a very unexpected manner, in a way that would not agree with the ideas that many have conceived. It is not at all unlikely, or contrary to the ways and works of God to send light to His people in unexpected ways…”

Note:

Though not expected, here is a message recorded in Rev. 18:1, that is to revive, mature, and seal the 144 000 in the SDA Church, then empower them to preach the Loud cry to the world.

BUT NOT ALL SDA’S SHALL ACCEPT IT!

Zech. 10:2 – “For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told s false dreams, they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.”

* This additional message to SDA finds this Church listening to speaking idols i.e. the idolized teachers – speaking vanity, lies, desperately opposing the message and trying to comfort the church members that they don’t need any other truth, and that the SDA Church will never be judged!

6T. 420 - “As never before we should pray not only that laborers maybe sent forth into the great harvest field, but that we may have a clear conception of truth, so that when the messenger of truth shall come, we may accept the message and respect the messenger.”

2SM 114 - “A new life is coming from heaven and taking possession of all God’s people. But divisions will come in the (SDA) church. Two parties will be developed. The wheat and the tares grow up together for the harvest.”

EW 270 – “Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this is what will cause a shaking among God’s people.”

RH May 27, 1890 /June 25, 1901 – “The light which will lighten the earth with its glory will be called a false light by those who refuse to walk in its advancing glory…The message God sends through His servants will be scorned and derided by unfaithful shepherd…”

TM 233 – “Many who hear the message by far the greatest number will not credit the solemn warning…The Lord’s servants will be called enthusiasts. Ministers will warn the people not to listen to them.”

THEREFORE, TRUST IN GOD, NOT PEOPLE OR LEADERS!

Isa 2:22 – “Cease ye from man…”

Micah 7:5-6. “Trust ye not in a friend… a guide…her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishoureth the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.”

TM 106-107- “Beware of rejecting that which is truth. The great danger with our people has been that of depending upon men…those who have not been in the habit of searching the Bible for themselves, or weighing evidence, have confidence in the leading men, and accept the decisions they make; and thus many will reject the very messages God sends to his people, if these leading brethren do not accept them… Even if all our leading men should refuse light and truth, that door will still remain open. The Lord will raise up men who will give the people the message for this time.” 5T. 254 - ‘Messages from heaven are of a character to arouse opposition.”

3.T. 255 – “ Satan has ability to suggest doubts and to devise objections to the pointed testimony that God sends…Those who desire to doubt will have plenty of room. God does not propose to remove all occasion for unbelief. He gives evidence, which must be carefully investigated with a humble mind and a teachable spirit, and all should decide from the weight of evidence."

RH, October 21, 1890 par. 3 - “It is not God that puts the blinder before the eyes of men or makes their hearts hard; it is the light which God sends to his people, to correct their errors, to lead them in safe paths, but which they refuse to accept,--it is this that blinds their minds and hardens their hearts. They choose to turn from the light, to stubbornly walk in sparks of their own kindling, and the Lord positively declares that they shall lie down in sorrow. When one ray of light which the Lord sends is not acknowledged, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned, and so the darkness will constantly increase until it is night to the soul. Christ said, ‘How great is that darkness!’ ”

COL 78 -79: “For His church in every generation God has a special work. The truth that is hid from the worldly wise and prudent is revealed to child-like and humble. It calls for self-sacrifice. It has battles to fight and victories to win. At the outset its advocates are few. By the great men of the world and by a world-conforming church, they are opposed and despised. See John the Baptist…the first bearers of the gospel into Europe…Paul and Silas…Martin Luther…The great leaders of religious thought in this generation sound the praises and build the monuments of those who planted the seed of truth centuries ago. Do not many turn from this work to trample down the growth springing from the same seed today? The old cry is repeated, ‘we know that God spake unto Moses; as for this fellow (Christ in the messenger He sends). , we know not from whence he is.” John 9:29. “As in earlier ages, the special truths for this time are found, not with the ecclesiastical authorities but with men and women who are not too learned or too wise to believe the word of God.”

5T. 708-709 - “To souls that are earnestly seeking for light and that accept with gladness every ray of divine illumination from His holy word, to such alone light will be given. It is through these souls that God will reveal that light and power which will lighten the whole earth with his glory.

1SM 121-122 - “Are we hoping to see the whole church revived? That time will never come. There are persons in the church who are not converted, and who will not unite in earnest, prevailing prayer. We must enter upon the work individually…”

END OF LESSON ONE (a)