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The Great Controversy 1888
sins, and receive not of her plagues.” Hence the movement symbolized
by the angel coming down from Heaven, lightening the earth with
his glory, and crying mightily with a strong voice, announcing the
sins of Babylon. In connection with his message the call is heard,
“Come out of her, my people.” These announcements, uniting with the
third angel’s message, constitute the final warning to be given to the
inhabitants of the earth.
Fearful is the issue to which the world is to be brought. The
powers of earth, uniting to war against the commandments of God,
will decree that all, “both small and great, rich and poor, free and
bond,” [
Revelation 13:16
.] shall conform to the customs of the church
by the observance of the false sabbath. All who refuse compliance will
be visited with civil penalties, and it will finally be declared that they
are deserving of death. On the other hand, the law of God enjoining
the Creator’s rest-day demands obedience, and threatens wrath against
all who transgress its precepts.
With the issue thus clearly brought before him, whoever shall
trample upon God’s law to obey a human enactment, receives the mark
of the beast; he accepts the sign of allegiance to the power which he
chooses to obey instead of God. The warning from Heaven is, “If
any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in
his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the
wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his
indignation.” [
Revelation 14:9, 10
.]
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But not one is made to suffer the wrath of God until the truth has
been brought home to his mind and conscience, and has been rejected.
There are many who have never had an opportunity to hear the special
truths for this time. The obligation of the fourth commandment has
never been set before them in its true light. He who reads every heart,
and tries every motive, will leave none who desire a knowledge of the
truth, to be deceived as to the issues of the controversy. The decree is
not to be urged upon the people blindly. Every one is to have sufficient
light to make his decision intelligently.
The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty; for it is the point of
truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to
bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those
who serve God and those who serve him not. While the observance of
the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the State, contrary to the