America in Prophecy by Ellen White [Modern Version]
America’s peculiar origins and hegemonic impact in world affairs stand undisputed. As a superpower birthed from Europe, her eminent history has been celebrated. Foretold since antiquity, a myriad of repressions, revolutions and reforms inspired the first band of pilgrims to settle on a new promised land of liberty. This book enables the reader to understand America’s unique destiny and commanding role while besieged by gross spiritual and political machinations. Clearly, this reading lifts the veil from past events molding America and presaging her cooperation to undermine the very values once cherished. America’s peculiar origins and hegemonic impact in world affairs stand undisputed. As a superpower birthed from Europe, her eminent history has been celebrated. Foretold since antiquity, a myriad of repressions, revolutions and reforms inspired the first band of pilgrims to settle on a new promised land of liberty. This book enables the reader to understand America’s unique destiny and commanding role while besieged by gross spiritual and political machinations. Clearly, this reading lifts the veil from past events molding America and presaging her cooperation to undermine the very values once cherished.
Says the prophet: "Who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness." Malachi 3:2, 3. Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God's people upon earth. This work is more clearly presented in the messages of Revelation 14. When this work shall have been accomplished, the followers of Christ will be ready for His appearing. "Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years." Malachi 3:4. Then the church which our Lord at His coming is to receive to Himself will be a "glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." Ephesians 5:27. Then she will look "forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners." Song of Solomon 6:10. Besides the coming of the Lord to His temple, Malachi also foretells His second advent, His coming for the execution of the judgment, in these words: "And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not Me, saith the Lord of hosts." Malachi 3:5. Jude refers to the same scene when he says, "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds." Jude 14, 15. This coming, and the coming of the Lord to His temple, are distinct and separate events. The coming of Christ as our high priest to the most holy place, for the cleansing of the sanctuary, brought to view in Daniel 8:14; the coming of the Son of man to the Ancient of Days, as presented in Daniel 7:13; and the coming of the Lord to His temple, foretold by Malachi, are descriptions of the same event; and this is also represented by the coming of the bridegroom to the marriage, described by Christ in the parable of the ten virgins, of Matthew 25. 323
In the summer and autumn of 1844 the proclamation, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh," was given. The two classes represented by the wise and foolish virgins were then developed--one class who looked with joy to the Lord's appearing, and who had been diligently preparing to meet Him; another class that, influenced by fear and acting from impulse, had been satisfied with a theory of the truth, but were destitute of the grace of God. In the parable, when the bridegroom came, "they that were ready went in with him to the marriage." The coming of the bridegroom, here brought to view, takes place before the marriage. The marriage represents the reception by Christ of His kingdom. The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which is the capital and representative of the kingdom, is called "the bride, the Lamb's wife." Said the angel to John: "Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." "He carried me away in the spirit," says the prophet, "and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God." Revelation 21:9, 10. Clearly, then, the bride represents the Holy City, and the virgins that go out to meet the bridegroom are a symbol of the church. In the Revelation the people of God are said to be the guests at the marriage supper. Revelation 19:9. If guests, they cannot be represented also as the bride . Christ, as stated by the prophet Daniel, will receive from the Ancient of Days in heaven, "dominion, and glory, and a kingdom;" He will receive the New Jerusalem, the capital of His kingdom, "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Daniel 7:14; Revelation 21:2. Having received the kingdom, He will come in His glory, as King of kings and Lord of lords, for the redemption of His people, who are to "sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob," at His table in His kingdom (Matthew 8:11; Luke 22:30), to partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb. The proclamation, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh," in the summer of 1844, led thousands to expect the immediate advent of the Lord. At the appointed time the Bridegroom came, not to the earth, as the people expected, but to the Ancient of Days in heaven, to the marriage, the reception of His kingdom. "They that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut." They were not to be present in person at the marriage; for it takes place in heaven, while they are upon the earth. The followers of Christ are to "wait for their Lord, when He will return from the wedding." Luke 12:36. But they are to understand His work, and to follow Him by faith as He goes in before God. It is in this sense that they are said to go in to the marriage. 324
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In the summer and autumn of 1844 the proclamation, "Behold, the Bridegroom<br />
cometh," was given. The two classes represented <strong>by</strong> the wise and foolish virg<strong>in</strong>s were then<br />
developed--one class who looked with joy to the Lord's appear<strong>in</strong>g, and who had been<br />
diligently prepar<strong>in</strong>g to meet Him; another class that, <strong>in</strong>fluenced <strong>by</strong> fear and act<strong>in</strong>g from<br />
impulse, had been satisfied with a theory of the truth, but were destitute of the grace of God.<br />
In the parable, when the bridegroom came, "they that were ready went <strong>in</strong> with him to the<br />
marriage." The com<strong>in</strong>g of the bridegroom, here brought to view, takes place before the<br />
marriage. The marriage represents the reception <strong>by</strong> Christ of His k<strong>in</strong>gdom. The Holy City, the<br />
New Jerusalem, which is the capital and representative of the k<strong>in</strong>gdom, is called "the bride,<br />
the Lamb's wife."<br />
Said the angel to John: "Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." "He<br />
carried me away <strong>in</strong> the spirit," says the prophet, "and showed me that great city, the holy<br />
Jerusalem, descend<strong>in</strong>g out of heaven from God." Revelation 21:9, 10. Clearly, then, the bride<br />
represents the Holy City, and the virg<strong>in</strong>s that go out to meet the bridegroom are a symbol of<br />
the church. In the Revelation the people of God are said to be the guests at the marriage<br />
supper. Revelation 19:9. If guests, they cannot be represented also as the bride . Christ, as<br />
stated <strong>by</strong> the prophet Daniel, will receive from the Ancient of Days <strong>in</strong> heaven, "dom<strong>in</strong>ion, and<br />
glory, and a k<strong>in</strong>gdom;" He will receive the New Jerusalem, the capital of His k<strong>in</strong>gdom,<br />
"prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Daniel 7:14; Revelation 21:2. Hav<strong>in</strong>g received<br />
the k<strong>in</strong>gdom, He will come <strong>in</strong> His glory, as K<strong>in</strong>g of k<strong>in</strong>gs and Lord of lords, for the redemption<br />
of His people, who are to "sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob," at His table <strong>in</strong> His<br />
k<strong>in</strong>gdom (Matthew 8:11; Luke 22:30), to partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb.<br />
The proclamation, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh," <strong>in</strong> the summer of 1844, led<br />
thousands to expect the immediate advent of the Lord. At the appo<strong>in</strong>ted time the Bridegroom<br />
came, not to the earth, as the people expected, but to the Ancient of Days <strong>in</strong> heaven, to the<br />
marriage, the reception of His k<strong>in</strong>gdom. "They that were ready went <strong>in</strong> with Him to the<br />
marriage: and the door was shut." They were not to be present <strong>in</strong> person at the marriage; for<br />
it takes place <strong>in</strong> heaven, while they are upon the earth. The followers of Christ are to "wait<br />
for their Lord, when He will return from the wedd<strong>in</strong>g." Luke 12:36. But they are to understand<br />
His work, and to follow Him <strong>by</strong> faith as He goes <strong>in</strong> before God. It is <strong>in</strong> this sense that they are<br />
said to go <strong>in</strong> to the marriage.<br />
324