Chapter 35—The Third Message Closed
I was pointed down to the time when the third angel’s message
was closing. The power of God had rested upon his people. They
had accomplished their work, and were prepared for the trying hour
before them. They had received the latter rain, or refreshing from the
presence of the Lord, and the living testimony had been revived. The
last great warning had sounded every where, and it had stirred up and
enraged the inhabitants of earth, who would not receive the message.
I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel returned from
the earth with a writer’s ink-horn by his side, and reported to Jesus that
his work was done, that the saints were numbered and sealed. Then I
saw Jesus, who had been ministering before the ark containing the ten
commandments, throw down the censer. He raised his hands upward,
and with a loud voice said, It is done. And all the angelic host laid off
their crowns as Jesus made the solemn declaration, He that is unjust,
let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and
he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let
him be holy still.
I saw that every case was then decided for life or death. Jesus had
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blotted out the sins of his people. He had received his kingdom, and
the atonement had been made for the subjects of his kingdom. While
Jesus had been ministering in the Sanctuary, the judgment had been
going on for the righteous dead, and then for the righteous living. The
subjects of the kingdom were made up. The marriage of the Lamb was
finished. And the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under
the whole heaven, was given to Jesus, and the heirs of salvation, and
Jesus was to reign as King of kings, and Lord of lords.
As Jesus moved out of the Most Holy place, I heard the tinkling of
the bells upon his garment, and as he left, a cloud of darkness covered
the inhabitants of the earth. There was then no mediator between
guilty man, and an offended God. While Jesus had been standing
between God and guilty man, a restraint was upon the people; but
when Jesus stepped out from between man and the Father, the restraint
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