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.
It is those who by faith follow Jesus in the great work of the atonement who receive the benefits of His mediation in their behalf, while those who reject the light which brings to view this work of ministration are not benefited thereby. The Jews who rejected the light given at Christ's first advent, and refused to believe on Him as the Saviour of the world, could not receive pardon through Him. When Jesus at His ascension entered by His own blood into the heavenly sanctuary to shed upon His disciples the blessings of His mediation, the Jews were left in total darkness to continue their useless sacrifices and offerings. The ministration of types and shadows had ceased. That door by which men had formerly found access to God was no longer open. The Jews had refused to seek Him in the only way whereby He could then be found, through the ministration in the sanctuary in heaven. Therefore they found no communion with God. To them the door was shut. They had no knowledge of Christ as the true sacrifice and the only mediator before God; hence they could not receive the benefits of His mediation. The condition of the unbelieving Jews illustrates the condition of the careless and unbelieving among professed Christians, who are willingly ignorant of the work of our merciful High Priest. In the typical service, when the high priest entered the most holy place, all Israel were required to gather about the sanctuary and in the most solemn manner humble their souls before God, that they might receive the pardon of their sins and not be cut off from the congregation. How much more essential in this antitypical Day of Atonement that we understand the work of our High Priest and know what duties are required of us. Men cannot with impunity reject the warning which God in mercy sends them. A message was sent from heaven to the world in Noah's day, and their salvation depended upon the manner in which they treated that message. Because they rejected the warning, the Spirit of God was withdrawn from the sinful race, and they perished in the waters of the Flood. In the time of Abraham, mercy ceased to plead with the guilty inhabitants of Sodom, and all but Lot with his wife and two daughters were consumed by the fire sent down from heaven. So in the days of Christ. The Son of God declared to the unbelieving Jews of that generation: "Your house is left unto you desolate." Matthew 23:38. Looking down to the last days, the same Infinite Power declares, concerning those who "received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved": "For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in 327
unrighteousness." 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. As they reject the teachings of His word, God withdraws His Spirit and leaves them to the deceptions which they love. But Christ still intercedes in man's behalf, and light will be given to those who seek it. Though this was not at first understood by Adventists, it was afterward made plain as the Scriptures which define their true position began to open before them. The passing of the time in 1844 was followed by a period of great trial to those who still held the advent faith. Their only relief, so far as ascertaining their true position was concerned, was the light which directed their minds to the sanctuary above. Some renounced their faith in their former reckoning of the prophetic periods and ascribed to human or satanic agencies the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit which had attended the advent movement. Another class firmly held that the Lord had led them in their past experience; and as they waited and watched and prayed to know the will of God they saw that their great High Priest had entered upon another work of ministration, and, following Him by faith, they were led to see also the closing work of the church. They had a clearer understanding of the first and second angels' messages, and were prepared to receive and give to the world the solemn warning of the third angel of Revelation 14. 328
- Page 278 and 279: Many sought the Lord with repentanc
- Page 280 and 281: day should overtake you as a thief.
- Page 282 and 283: But Jesus and all the heavenly host
- Page 284 and 285: About this time a marked change was
- Page 286 and 287: condition of worldliness and backsl
- Page 288 and 289: eauty, and playedst the harlot beca
- Page 290 and 291: significant question: "Did they com
- Page 292 and 293: Says Howard Crosby: "It is a matter
- Page 294 and 295: angel did not reach its complete fu
- Page 296 and 297: 22. Prophecies Fulfilled When the t
- Page 298 and 299: The coming of Christ, as announced
- Page 300 and 301: ideas and opinions above the testim
- Page 302 and 303: Testament types also pointed to the
- Page 304 and 305: Him whom they had pierced, there wa
- Page 306 and 307: now. The time had passed, the Lord
- Page 308 and 309: and rely with implicit confidence i
- Page 310 and 311: 23. What is the Sanctuary? The scri
- Page 312 and 313: The sanctuary to which Paul here re
- Page 314 and 315: adoration, could find, in the most
- Page 316 and 317: The question, What is the sanctuary
- Page 318 and 319: The whole ceremony was designed to
- Page 320 and 321: whom the sins of the truly penitent
- Page 322 and 323: one like the Son of man came with t
- Page 324 and 325: Says the prophet: "Who may abide th
- Page 326 and 327: In the parable it was those that ha
- Page 330 and 331: 25. God's Law The temple of God was
- Page 332 and 333: of this chapter constitute a threef
- Page 334 and 335: In contrast to those who keep the c
- Page 336 and 337: conquest, . . . they have borne the
- Page 338 and 339: It was apostasy that led the early
- Page 340 and 341: Sabbath. But papists urge, as a rea
- Page 342 and 343: would themselves form an image to t
- Page 344 and 345: 26. A Work of Reform The work of Sa
- Page 346 and 347: These truths, as presented in Revel
- Page 348 and 349: The majority of Adventists rejected
- Page 350 and 351: this, those who would be loyal to t
- Page 352 and 353: 27. Revival Wherever the word of Go
- Page 354 and 355: its name are ignorant of its princi
- Page 356 and 357: James 2:8; 1:25. And the revelator,
- Page 358 and 359: Scriptures teach upon this point. T
- Page 360 and 361: time they deny the authority of the
- Page 362 and 363: Notwithstanding these inspired decl
- Page 364 and 365: knowledge." But the prayer of the a
- Page 366 and 367: 28. Facing Life's Record "I beheld,
- Page 368 and 369: hearts." I Corinthians 4:5. "Behold
- Page 370 and 371: has dishonoured their Redeemer, to
- Page 372 and 373: As the features of the countenance
- Page 374 and 375: make haste to confess their sins an
- Page 376 and 377: 29. Why So Much Suffering? To many
It is those who <strong>by</strong> faith follow Jesus <strong>in</strong> the great work of the atonement who receive the<br />
benefits of His mediation <strong>in</strong> their behalf, while those who reject the light which br<strong>in</strong>gs to view<br />
this work of m<strong>in</strong>istration are not benefited there<strong>by</strong>. The Jews who rejected the light given at<br />
Christ's first advent, and refused to believe on Him as the Saviour of the world, could not<br />
receive pardon through Him. When Jesus at His ascension entered <strong>by</strong> His own blood <strong>in</strong>to the<br />
heavenly sanctuary to shed upon His disciples the bless<strong>in</strong>gs of His mediation, the Jews were<br />
left <strong>in</strong> total darkness to cont<strong>in</strong>ue their useless sacrifices and offer<strong>in</strong>gs. The m<strong>in</strong>istration of<br />
types and shadows had ceased. That door <strong>by</strong> which men had formerly found access to God<br />
was no longer open. The Jews had refused to seek Him <strong>in</strong> the only way where<strong>by</strong> He could then<br />
be found, through the m<strong>in</strong>istration <strong>in</strong> the sanctuary <strong>in</strong> heaven. Therefore they found no<br />
communion with God. To them the door was shut. They had no knowledge of Christ as the<br />
true sacrifice and the only mediator before God; hence they could not receive the benefits of<br />
His mediation.<br />
The condition of the unbeliev<strong>in</strong>g Jews illustrates the condition of the careless and<br />
unbeliev<strong>in</strong>g among professed Christians, who are will<strong>in</strong>gly ignorant of the work of our merciful<br />
High Priest. In the typical service, when the high priest entered the most holy place, all Israel<br />
were required to gather about the sanctuary and <strong>in</strong> the most solemn manner humble their<br />
souls before God, that they might receive the pardon of their s<strong>in</strong>s and not be cut off from the<br />
congregation. How much more essential <strong>in</strong> this antitypical Day of Atonement that we<br />
understand the work of our High Priest and know what duties are required of us.<br />
Men cannot with impunity reject the warn<strong>in</strong>g which God <strong>in</strong> mercy sends them. A<br />
message was sent from heaven to the world <strong>in</strong> Noah's day, and their salvation depended upon<br />
the manner <strong>in</strong> which they treated that message. Because they rejected the warn<strong>in</strong>g, the Spirit<br />
of God was withdrawn from the s<strong>in</strong>ful race, and they perished <strong>in</strong> the waters of the Flood. In<br />
the time of Abraham, mercy ceased to plead with the guilty <strong>in</strong>habitants of Sodom, and all but<br />
Lot with his wife and two daughters were consumed <strong>by</strong> the fire sent down from heaven. So<br />
<strong>in</strong> the days of Christ. The Son of God declared to the unbeliev<strong>in</strong>g Jews of that generation:<br />
"Your house is left unto you desolate." Matthew 23:38. Look<strong>in</strong>g down to the last days, the<br />
same Inf<strong>in</strong>ite Power declares, concern<strong>in</strong>g those who "received not the love of the truth, that<br />
they might be saved": "For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should<br />
believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure <strong>in</strong><br />
327