Another Illustration
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despised the heavenly message, and they turned upon the disappointed
ones in ridicule. I saw the angels in heaven consulting with Jesus.
They had marked the situation of Christ’s professed followers. The
passing of the definite time had tested and proved them, and very
many were weighed in the balance and found wanting. They all loudly
professed to be Christians, yet failed in following Christ in almost
every particular. Satan exulted at the state of the professed followers
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of Christ. He had them in his snare. He had led the majority to leave
the straight path, and they were attempting to climb up to heaven some
other way. Angels saw the pure, the clean, and holy, all mixed up with
sinners in Zion, and the world-loving hypocrite. They had watched
over the true lovers of Jesus; but the corrupt were affecting the holy.
Those whose hearts burned with a longing, intense desire to see
Jesus, were forbidden by their professed brethren to speak of his
coming. Angels viewed the whole scene, and sympathized with the
remnant, who loved the appearing of Jesus. Another mighty angel was
commissioned to descend to earth. Jesus placed in his hand a writing,
and as he came to earth, he cried, Babylon is fallen! is fallen! Then I
saw the disappointed ones again look cheerful, and raise their eyes to
heaven, looking with faith and hope for their Lord’s appearing. But
many seemed to remain in a stupid state, as if asleep; yet I could see the
trace of deep sorrow upon their countenances. The disappointed ones
saw from the Bible that they were in the tarrying time, and that they
must patiently wait the fulfillment of the vision. The same evidence
which led them to look for their Lord in 1843, led them to expect him in
1844. I saw that the majority did not possess that energy which marked
their faith in 1843. Their disappointment had dampened their faith.
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But as the disappointed ones united in the cry of the second angel, the
heavenly host looked with the deepest interest, and marked the effect
of the message. They saw those who bore the name of Christians turn
with derision and scorn upon those who had been disappointed. As
the words fell from the mocker’s lips, You have not gone up yet! an
angel wrote them. Said the angel, They mock God.
I was pointed back to the translation of Elijah. His mantle fell on
Elisha, and wicked children (or young people) followed him, mocking,
crying, Go up thou bald head! Go up thou bald head! They mocked
God, and met their punishment there. They had learned it of their
parents. And those who have scoffed and mocked at the idea of the