Basic HTML Version
Foreword
“The doctrine of the second advent is the very keynote of the sacred
Scriptures,” Declared the author of the inspired messages selected for this
devotional volume. “About his coming cluster the glories of that ‘restitution
of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets
since the world began.’
Acts 3:21
. Then the long-continued rule of evil
shall be broken; ‘the kingdoms of this world’ will become ‘the kingdoms
of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall Reign for Ever and Ever.’
Revelation 11:15
.”—
The Great Controversy, 299-301
.
The hearts of God’s people, young and old, throb with intense longing
for that day of deliverance so near at hand. With fast fulfilling prophecy
confirming their faith in the imminence of our Lord’s return, the White
Estate trustees commissioned this compilation of readings clustering about
the general theme of eschatology, with emphasis upon the coming of our
Lord. The collection would be incomplete without readings dealing with the
signs that mark the approach of the coming king, the events that transpire
in relationship to his second appearing, his millennial reign in glory, and
insights into prophecies to be fulfilled at the close of the thousand years of
silence, during which Satan is a prisoner on this earth.
Key statements on a subject so vital to Seventh-day Adventists have
appeared in print in the Ellen G. White books, as well as in many articles in
the journals of the church. Therein lies the explanation for the frequent ref-
erence to
The great controversy, the desire of ages, early writings
, The nine
volumes of the
Testimonies for the Church
, The
Review and Herald
, And
The signs of the times
. Numerous statements from unpublished manuscripts
enrich the presentation, especially in the section dealing with the national
sunday law and subsequent events.
Certain necessary deletions within the text of the materials selected have
been made in order to eliminate repetition or statements less pertinent to
the topic presented or to accommodate a given reading to the limits of a
single page. Special care has been taken to ensure that these omissions in
no way distort or alter the meaning of the original passage.
References directing the reader to the original sources appear at the
close of the volume. The scripture index includes only the verse chosen
with each reading.
[8]
We believe that this devotional volume, the eleventh spirit of prophecy
devotional book, with its accent on fulfilled and fulfilling prophecies, is
timely. The material is straightforward, frank, and stirring. The message
iii