MEETING THE CRISISWHEN SATAN COMMANDS SUNDAY WORSHIP #5
By: Elder Lawrence Nelson

Have you ever been caught in a mob riot? I can personally testify it is a most frightening experience. Years ago, while serving my Lord in the General Conference, I traveled to South America to encourage our youth to share their faith. One of the cities I visited was Santiago, Chile nestled between the Andes Range and the Pacific Ocean.
As we disembarked from the plane, we discovered this great metropolitan area had exploded overnight into a civil unrest. Without transportation, we located a small hotel that provided us room for the night. Being hungry we set out to find some place to get our breakfast. We had not gone far when we suddenly faced a large mob, armed with clubs and stones, rounding the corner. Immediately we turned back only to discover a large number of soldiers with water cannons coming to meet the mob, and we were caught in the middle.
We banged on the door but no one heard us. We tried several doors but they were all locked. Finally we found one door that opened and I still believe that an angel unlocked that door for us. We entered the building and shut and locked the door behind us. Fortunately, no one was home. Quickly we ran up the stairway into a large room where we could look into the street below.
I shall never forget the sight as the soldiers and the mob tangled. When the water cannon hit the mob many fell to the street and rolled like logs from the force of the water. Since the windows were open in the room where we were watching below, we were soon choking from the tear gas. In a few minutes it was all over. The mob disintegrated and the soldiers and water cannons rushed to attack another mob some blocks away, giving us an opportunity to return to the hotel.
Why have I related this hair-raising experience? Because I believe the time will soon come when many of God's faithful will find themselves facing a mob because they refuse to worship on Sunday – the day demanded to keep holy by the New World Order. Keep in mind this experience that I just related as we will discuss what the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy tells us will soon take place.
But first, let us pause here to pray for heavenly guidance. Oh loving Father, as we discover how Satan will personally reveal himself and take command in the coming battle of deception we know that we will only survive by Thy divine power. May we be led by Thy Spirit to be so fully consecrated to Thee that we may be worthy of Thy mighty power to help and protect the faithful from Satan's snares in this coming crisis. In Jesus' name, we ask, Amen.
Now let us open God's Word and read 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15. "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
For centuries Satan has planted the idea in almost all Christian religions that as the millennium begins Jesus will come to earth and establish His kingdom on this planet for a thousand years of peace. Now what do you suppose Satan is attempting to achieve in such a false teaching? The answer is simple: What he did not achieve in heaven he hopes to achieve here on earth. So in order to accomplish this goal he plans to personate Jesus in a false Second Coming. "As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ." Great Controversy p. 624.
In Bible Commentaries, Volume 7, p. 272 it says, "In the last days Satan will personally play a more direct role culminating his deception by personally counterfeiting the coming of Christ." Ellen White further explains, and I'm quoting, "In the last days [Satan] will appear in such a manner as to make men believe him to be Christ come the second time into the world." Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 698. These quotations give us a full explanation of 2 Corinthians 11:14 which reads, "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
Let me again emphasize the question: What does Satan expect to achieve in personally counterfeiting the coming of Jesus Christ? - The Spirit of Prophecy answers, "That gigantic system of false religion (the Roman Catholic church under the leadership of the papacy) is a masterpiece of Satan's power -- a monument of his efforts to seat himself upon the throne to rule the earth according to his will." Great Controversy p. 50. Ellen White continues, "The time is at hand when Satan will work miracles to confirm minds in the belief that he is God." Bible Commentaries, Volume 7, p. 975. And what will be the result, I ask? - "Men will be deceived and will exalt Satan to the place of God and deify him." Testimonies to Ministers p. 62.
This helps us to understand the fulfillment of the last end-time prophecies, for the New World Order is to develop a religeo-world empire that will usher in this long-expected millennium of peace. The Spirit of Prophecy confirms this; "Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium." Great Controversy p. 588, 589. This prediction about this millennium will be fulfilled before our very eyes in our day. "The spirits of devils will go forth to the kings of the earth and to the whole world, to fasten them in deception, and urge them to unite with Satan in his last struggle against the government of heaven." Great Controversy p. 624.
I believe the following Inspired statement is a good summary. "Fallen angels upon earth form confederations with evil men. In this age (that is our time) antichrist (that's Satan) will appear as the true Christ, and then the law of God will be fully made void in the nations of the world. Rebellion against God's holy law will be fully ripe." Testimonies to Ministers p. 62.
Likewise the Bible is very positive that in the end time the whole world will worship the dragon (which is Satan) and they will also worship the beast (the papacy). I am reading Revelation 13:4, "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast." Thus there is no doubt the main issue in this end-time test will be a matter of worship. At this time every individual in the world will be forced to make the decision: Who is the highest authority in your life? - The answer of course should be God the Creator who should be worshiped. "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Exodus 20:11.
But Satan's ultimate intention concerning those that worship their Creator is clearly revealed in a vision given to Ellen White in which she saw Satan with his demons in a meeting discussing how to deal with those who would not worship Satan by honoring Sunday as a holy day. She heard Satan state, "We will finally have a law to exterminate all who will not submit to our authority." Testimonies to Ministers p. 473. And listen to the results, "The whole world is to be stirred with enmity against Seventh-day Adventists, because they will not yield homage to the papacy, by honoring Sunday, the institution of this antichristian power. It is the purpose of Satan to cause them to be blotted from the earth, in order that his supremacy of the world may not be disputed." Testimonies to Ministers p. 37.
When this happens there will be only two groups of people in the New World Order when it is fully developed. The first is great Babylon, under the leadership of the papacy. Those involved with this power receive the mark of the beast. The second group are God's last remnant who receive the seal of the living God.
Please note in the following quotation that the last remnant have a designated name. "The whole world is to be stirred with enmity against Seventh-day Adventists." Testimonies to Ministers p. 37. In other words, if he eradicates God's people from the earth then Satan will win the great controversy. He will live forever and the whole world will worship him as God. This is his purpose, his goal, and his aim. And he expects to achieve this by first personally counterfeiting the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and second, eradicating God's people from the earth.
Revelation 13:15 clearly states that the "image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." In this verse are mentioned two words, "speak" and "cause." What do these words mean? "Speak" means legislation; "cause" means enforcement. So this indicates legislation and enforcement of a Sunday observance.
The next two verses say, "And he causeth all (that's enforcement), both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." Revelation 13:16,17. I'm quoting, "Rome is aiming to reestablish her power, to recover her lost supremacy....Her former persecution will be repeated." Great Controversy p. 581, 582.
But beloved, we should not be afraid because we have the wonderful promise which says that when the death decree is issued none of God's people will be killed after the close of probation. Daniel 12:1 tells us, "At that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Praise God!
Satan is now using with great success two masterpieces as his main weapons in these last days. The Spirit of Prophecy names them for us. The first one, "Spiritualism is the masterpiece of (Satan's) deception." Signs of the Times, August 26, 1889. And the second, "That gigantic system of false religion (the Catholic system; the papacy) is a masterpiece of Satan's power." Great Controversy p. 50.
In the daily news today we learn of Satan using these two weapons right before our eyes. The first weapon is spiritualism, which he is using now with the apparitions of Mary and her message to the world that the coming of Jesus Christ is at hand. The end is near; be ready. Through this spiritualistic phenomena Satan is bringing the Catholic Church and the apostate Protestantism together with the whole world. The second weapon is the papal power as revealed in the United Nations' New World Order. Through these two weapons the devil is now preparing the world for his personation of Christ just before the real Second Coming.
Do you see how near the end is? O beloved, the end is very, very near. Now we have come to the very core of our subject in this tape, and please listen carefully. Which comes first, the National Sunday Law in America or the counterfeit of the Second Coming of Christ?
Two quotations from the Spirit of Prophecy should help us discover the answer. The first quotation reads, "The substitution of the laws of men for the laws of God, the exaltation, by merely human authority, of Sunday in place of the Bible Sabbath is the last act in the drama." Testimonies for the Church, Volume 7, p. 141. And the second statement says that Satan coming as Christ is the last great scene in the drama. [Review and Herald, September 10, 1903; Evangelism p. 622].
Now the question: What is the difference between these two statements? - The difference is that in the first statement it says the last act is the Sunday Law but in the second statement it says the last great scenes is the counterfeiting coming. As I see it, the conclusion is simple. God, through His last prophetess, predicts the Sunday Law will be the last act in the drama. Therefore if the Sunday Law is the last act of the drama, then Satan's counterfeit of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ must be before the last act in the drama.
To make sure, let us now quote the full statement about the Sunday Law being the last act in the drama. "The substitution of the laws of men for the laws of God, the exaltation, by merely human authority, of Sunday in the place of the Bible Sabbath, is the last act in the drama. When this substitution becomes universal God will reveal Himself. He will arise in His majesty to shake terribly the earth. He will come out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity." Testimonies for the Church, Volume 7, p. 141.
The two statements that follow speak of the issue of a National Sunday Law in America and then the universal, worldwide Sunday Law. This is immediately followed by the seven last plagues which follow the close of probation and finally the Second Coming of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. In addition to this the Spirit of Prophecy says, "As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ.... He claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed." Great Controversy p. 624.
Notice also the sequence of the events in the following quotation, "Fallen angels upon earth form confederations with evil men. In this age (or, in this time) antichrist (that's Satan) will appear as the true Christ, and then the law of God will be fully made void in the nations of the world. Rebellion against God's holy law will be fully ripe. But the true leader of all this rebellion is Satan clothed as an angel of light. Men will be deceived and will exalt him to the place of God, and deify him. But Omnipotence will interpose, and to the apostate churches that unite in the exaltation of Satan, the sentence will go forth, 'Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning, and famines; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.'" Testimonies to Ministers p. 62.
Compare this with a statement in Maranatha p.193 where it says regarding America that it is the Sunday Law that makes God's law void. In the light of the evidence presented it seems to indicate that the counterfeit of the Second Coming of Christ must take place before the National Sunday Law in America. This amazing discovery has opened my eyes to the nearness of the end. Am I prepared to meet Satan face-to-face? Are you?
Here I must describe in detail how the Holy Spirit has pictured the coming crisis to me from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. All the necessary, predicted ingredients of this coming crisis are developing before our eyes. God says, "I come quickly," and God's last-day prophet declares, "The last movements will be rapid ones." Jesus gives us this warning message in Matthew 24:23-27, "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15, "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." An encounter with this counterfeit coming could happen to you.
Let us say that you have just parked your car and you are walking down the street to the corner on business. When you turn up the next street you are faced with an overwhelming surprise. People are running from all directions and you are forced to move with them. Suddenly you find yourself face to face with the devil; or is it Christ. In amazement you discover this majestic being, "bears the appearance [of Christ] in every particular." Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 698. You are startled! Immediately you recall Maranatha 206 where you have read, "Satan will work miracles right in your sight, claiming that he is Christ." What will you do?
Is this Satan's crowning act? Great Controversy p. 624 says, "Satan himself will personate Christ.... In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. Revelation 1:13-15. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that moral eyes have ever beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air: 'Christ has come! Christ has come!' The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts his hands and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Savior uttered; he heals the diseases of the people."
You watch in amazement as cancerous growths disappear before your eyes. You see cripples jump and run for joy. The crowd proclaims him to be the Christ and then comes the final test. He claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday and commands all to hallow the day he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. You feel like he is pointing you out to the crowd. Then you hear his blessing is pronounced upon the worshipers of the beast and his image – the very class upon whom the Bible declares that God's unmingled wrath shall be poured out. Great Controversy p. 624,625.
What can you do? In this crowd there are some who recognize you. They know you to be a Seventh-day Adventist. As the crowd kneels in worship to this devil who is impersonating Christ they watch to see if you will kneel. If you are to remain standing you will soon discover a mob spirit developing to destroy you. Am I making this too real? O friend, make no mistake, this will happen to some of us. God may help you to escape as he did for me in the city of Santiago, Chile. You feel the need of fellow believers to extend courage and help, but you soon discover that your closest friends have been so deceived by Satan's deception that they shun you. Within a short time you are stunned to find out that since Satan is appearing all over the world as Christ, millions of Seventh-day Adventists have given up the truth and joined with Babylon.
The following quotation resounds over and over in your ears. I'm reading from Bible Commentaries, Volume 7, p. 911, "The church may appear as about to fall but it does not fall... the sinners in Zion will be sifted out. The chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal but nevertheless, it must take place."
In keeping with Satan's demands, a New World Order law is enacted demanding you to keep Sunday holy. For this counterfeit "Christ" claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday. Are you listening? "[He] commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed." Great Controversy p. 624. Suddenly you find yourself without a job and a law that you cannot buy or sell. Every earthly support is removed. You are hated, despised and held responsible for all the troubles in the world because you refuse to obey the counterfeit "Christ."
You are taken to court and you are charged with treason. And more surprising, you discover that those who you thought were genuine Christians are in the court to testify against you. Now you must stand alone - just as Christ stood by Himself when all His disciples fled and forsook Him. But Christ was not alone; for His Father was with Him even while on the cross.
Oh beloved, never forget Jesus will not forsake you. He will never leave you alone. He will give His angels charge over thee to keep thee. And don't forget the Lord's promise, "Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist." Luke 21:14,15. Praise the Lord! God's word declares, "The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." Psalm 46:11.
Now before we conclude this study of the New World Order to enforce Satan's command to worship on Sunday, I would not be a faithful watchman on the wall of Zion if I did not tell you that we shall meet a similar problem within the church. Don't think for a moment that this will never happen, for probation closes for the church before it closes for the world. In 1 Peter 4:17 it declares, "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"
The prophet Ezekiel teaches the very same truth. In Ezekiel 9:3-6 I quote, "And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity. Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house."
This is why I appeal to you. Don't sleep peacefully until you know, beyond a doubt, that your heart is ready to be sealed by God's angel. This is why I must preach positively and with the words of Isaiah, "Cry aloud and spare not." Don't think for a moment that the judgment against our apostatizing church will never happen.
In the eighth chapter of Ezekiel verse 16 we read of some twenty-five Jewish clergy who stood in the very temple of God having turned their backs to the law of God and they faced the rising sun in worship to Baal, the sun god. "And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house and behold at the door to the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the alter, were about five and twenty men with their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east. And they worshiped the sun toward the east." What an abomination to God! God's professed ministers in Sunday worship.
But now comes the unthinkable. God, through His end-time servant, tells us that this will happen again. I am reading Letter H31A, 1894 in regards to this scripture. "The Lord reads the heart as an open book. The men who are not connected with God have done many things after the imagination of their own evil hearts. The Lord declares concerning them, 'They have turned onto Me their back, and not the face, though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them; yet they have not harkened to receive instruction.' We are amid the perils of the last days, the time will soon come when the prophecy of Ezekiel 9 will be fulfilled...to the very letter." Notice that in this quotation the servant of God states that these ministers have turned their backs toward God and not their faces. This is exactly as it is described in Ezekiel 8:16 and it will be fulfilled again to the very letter.
So we may expect apostate Adventist preachers to openly encourage participation in the ecumenical movement of this New World Order of the papacy, knowing full well that the ecumenical movement of unity and love has but one purpose – to eventually lead our church members to worship on Sunday and receive the mark of the beast. "The Lord has a controversy with His professed people (Did you notice that, with His professed people...) in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible position will take a course directly opposite to that pursued by Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition.
"In churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week. There are calamities on sea and on land: and these calamities will increase, one disaster following close upon another; and the little band of conscientious Sabbath-keepers will be pointed out as the ones who are bringing the wrath of God upon the world by their disregard of Sunday." Review and Herald, March 18, 1884.
And we are further warned, "Then there will be a removing of the landmarks, and an attempt to tear down the pillars of our faith. A more decided effort will be made to exalt the false sabbath, and to cast contempt upon God Himself by supplanting the day He has blessed and sanctified." Bible Commentaries, Volume 7, p. 985. And so friend, there you have it. The test will come from within as well as from without.
God has given us sufficient counsel whereby we can clearly draw the line between truth and error. I am reading from Faith and Works p. 45, "Satan has come down in these last days to work with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish. His satanic majesty works miracles in the sight of false prophets in the sight of men claiming that he is indeed Christ himself. Satan gives his power to those who are aiding him in this deception. Therefore, those who claim to have the great power of God can only be discerned by the great detector, the law of Jehovah. The Lord tells us if it were possible they would deceive the very elect. The sheep's clothing seems so real, so genuine that the wolf can be discerned only as we go to God's great moral standard and there find that they are transgressors of the law of Jehovah."
Friend, will you now bow your head in worship to Christ, our Lord; and promise Him that you will never disobey His law, God helping you. Let us pray. Dear God, how grateful we are for this Divine counsel that in Thy law we may find our Defense. May we love Thy law. May we meditate upon Thy law day and night and faithfully teach Thy law to our precious children that they too might be prepared for the coming final test. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
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MEETING THE CRISIS WITH A ONE WORLD HOLY DAY #4
By: Elder Lawrence Nelson

In this series we have discovered Satan's masterpiece of a gigantic system of false religion that will quickly force the entire world to worship Lucifer as the god of this earth. In order to ensure that such a goal will be reached Satan is determined to develop a one-world government, which we know today as the United Nations. This one-world government is to have power of enforcement with a well developed army and international criminal court system based on Catholic law and with the ability to tax everyone living on the earth.
Through this present worldwide ecumenical program every religion in the world is to be eventually to be united into a one-world church whose teaching of love and unity will be agreeable to all. Thus it will be possible for a one-world government, a one-world religion, a one-world Bible, and a one-world holy day of worship all with the one distinct purpose to honor the antichrist.
At this crucial time God's remnant church is to meet its greatest crisis. "The last great conflict between truth and error is but the final struggle of the long-standing controversy concerning the law of God. Upon this battle we are now entering - a battle between the laws of men and the precepts of Jehovah between the religion of the Bible and the religion of fable and tradition." Great Controversy p. 582.
God has revealed how serious this struggle will become for it will produce "a time of trouble such as never was." Daniel 12:1. Don't think for a moment that I am exaggerating for the papacy has already openly declared what it expects to do. I am quoting from the book The Keys of This Blood by the Jesuit Malachi Martin. I am quoting p 15, "The world and all that's in it - our way of life as individuals and as citizens of the nations; our families and our jobs; our trade and commerce and money; our educational systems and our religions and our cultures; even the badges of our national identity, which most of us have always taken for granted - all [notice – all] have been powerfully and radically altered forever. No one can be exempted from its effects. No sector of our lives will remain untouched." What a prediction of changes soon to come.
But before we continue, let us pray. Our loving Father, soon we shall meet a crisis that will exceed anything we may have dreamed of. Help us, dear Father, to fully understand this undeniable fact. We know that it is only by Thy divine power that we shall be able to individually remain faithful during this coming One World Order of Satanic power. May this message contain heavenly guidance in preparing for what is shortly to come upon the world. And we ask this guidance in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now let us consider this scripture of divine assurance in the things that are to come. I'm reading Isaiah 43:1,2, "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."
Let us go back in time when this promise was actually fulfilled on the plain of Dura of old Babylon. This was the time period of 606 BC to 538 BC when King Nebuchadnezzar ruled the world. God had graciously given this king a dream revealing the future history of the world from his day to the very end of time. But King Nebuchadnezzar determined that Babylon the Great was to continue forever and there would be no other kingdoms to follow. And he would produce a great statue somewhat similar to what God had revealed to prove God to be wrong.
We read in Daniel 2 about this great image of a man with a head of gold, chest of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron and feet of iron mixed with clay representing a deterioration of coming earthly kingdoms. But Nebuchadnezzar's image would be of solid gold from head to toes, approximately 100 feet in height, to represent his kingdom which was to last forever. This image was so beautiful and priceless that the king would demand all to worship this golden image making it a part of the state religion of Babylon. Here we see Satan working through this king to thwart the divine purpose of God for the human race of this world.
When the day of dedication for this idol arrived a vast concourse from all peoples, nations and tongues assembled around this great image. When the music sounded the king commanded the entire assembly to fall down and worship this golden image. But there were three Sabbath keepers, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, worshipers of the true God enthroned in heaven, who determined not to worship this golden image. Jealous wise men quickly brought word to the king that three of his subjects had dared to disobeyed his command.
When these three men were brought before the king he inquired, "Do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image, which I have set up?" Daniel 3:14.Then pointing to the fiery furnace he threatened them with death if they would not unite with the multitude and worship the idol god. But the king recognized that these three men had been his most trusted subjects. They had faithfully performed every assigned duty. So he determined to give them another trial.
But if they would not unite to worship his image in defiance he cried, "Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" Daniel 3:15. The three faithful worshipers of the true God, now facing the fiery furnace, replied, (and I am reading from Prophets and Kings p. 508), "'O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, [if this be thy decision], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.' Their faith strengthened as they declared that God would be glorified by delivering them, and with triumphant assurance born of implicit trust in God, they added, 'But if not, be it know unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.'"
At these words, the king's wrath knew no bounds. He commanded the furnace to be heated seven times hotter. I continue to read, "As His witnesses were cast into the furnace, the Saviour revealed Himself to them in person, and together they walked in the midst of the fire. In the presence of the Lord of heat and cold, the flames lost their power to consume." Prophets and Kings p. 508. What a God! Praise His name!
The king arose from his royal seat expecting to see these three men utterly destroyed but suddenly his face grew pale for as he stares into the fiery furnace he cries, "Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?...Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." Daniel 3:24.
Now the king forgets his dignity. He goes up to the very entrance of the furnace and cries, "Ye servants of the most high God, come forth." Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego come forth untouched by the flames. Not a hair of their head had been singed. Here we discover the important lesson of this presentation. I am reading from Prophets and Kings p. 512, "In this our day, many of God's servants, though innocent of wrongdoing, will be given over to suffer humiliation and abuse at the hands of those who, inspired by Satan, are filled with envy and religious bigotry. Especially with the wrath of man be aroused against those who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment; and at last a universal decree will denounce these as deserving of death."
This opens our subject – the soon-coming National Sunday Law. The New World Order of the United Nations, which we know to be the right hand political power of Rome, will use our nation as the example to be followed by all nations of the world. This is why what takes place in America is of such great importance. A National Sunday Law will jump-start a list of crucial events, which will lead to the grand climax of Christ's Second Coming to deliver His saints from certain death.
Listen carefully as we look at some of these very important quotations. I'm reading from Last Day Events p 128, "Sooner or later Sunday laws will be passed." If this were written today I believe it would read, "Sooner." Believe me, as we progress in this study it will be sooner than many of us think. God in His mercy has graciously given us many details. First, we will notice that the Sunday law will take place by a national act not by state laws enacted here and there.
I'm reading from Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 4, p. 410, "Our land is in jeopardy. The time is drawing on when its legislators shall so abjure the principles of Protestantism as to give countenance to the Romish apostasy. The people for whom God has so marvelously wrought, strengthening them to throw off the galling yoke of popery, will by a national act give vigor to the corrupt faith of Rome, and thus arouse the tyranny which only waits for a touch to start again into cruelty and despotism." O what dramatic words!
Enforcement of a Sunday law will be mandatory because it will be the law of the nation. In Bible Commentaries, Volume 7, p. 985 we are told, "A more decided effort will be made to exalt the false sabbath and to cast contempt upon God Himself by supplanting the day He has blessed and sanctified. This false sabbath is to be enforced by an oppressive law."
And now hear this: The clergy will endeavor to make the Sunday law a religious amendment to the constitution. I am quoting from the Review and Herald, December 24, 1889, "If the people can be led to favor a Sunday law, then the clergy intend to exert their united influence to obtain a religious amendment to the Constitution and compel the nation to keep Sunday." Now here is a picture of what this ecumenical movement will finally achieve. How sad to know that our church leadership is promoting this papal, ecumenical program.
Now let us consider the hidden objective for a national Sunday law:
1. It is to destroy religious freedom in America. I am quoting Evangelism p. 236, "I have been shown that Satan is stealing a march upon us. The law of God, through the agency of Satan, is to be made void. In our land of boasted freedom, religious liberty will come to an end. The contest will be decided over the Sabbath question which will agitate the whole world." What a tragedy when this happens! For it will be time then to dismantle the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor which was given to us by France to honor this nation in which every individual could worship God as their conscience leads them.
2. This Sunday law will make it possible for papal Rome to force the conscience as it did in the Dark Ages. Maranatha p. 179 says, "Protestants will throw their whole influence and strength on the side of the Papacy; by a national act enforcing the false sabbath, they will give life and vigor to the corrupt faith of Rome, reviving her tyranny and oppression of conscience."
3. This law will crush the spirit of freedom in America, something that has not been experience for over 200 years. I quote again, "A great crisis awaits the people of God. Very soon our nation will attempt to enforce upon all, the observance of the first day of the week as a sacred day. In doing this, they will not scruple to compel man against the voice of their own conscience to observe the day the nation declares to be the sabbath." Review and Herald, December 11, 1888.
And so, what will take place? All business will stop on Sunday; religious liberty ends. Sabbath keepers will suddenly find themselves opposed, hated and thrust into a battle for their very life. Manuscript Releases, Volume 4, p. 278 tells us, "Soon the Sunday laws will be enforced, and men in position of trust will be embittered against the little handful of God's commandment keeping people." In the book Last Day Events 144 I read, "Seventh-day Adventists will fight the battle over the seventh-day Sabbath."
Dear friend, there will be no fence sitting by Seventh-day Adventists when the National Sunday Law is passed for by the stroke of a pen the tares will be separated from the wheat. The enactment of a National Sunday Law will produce the fulfillment of Revelation 13:11-1[8], which I now read: "And I beheld another beast coming upon of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
"And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom, Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."
Notice how The Great Controversy points out three outstanding steps that will take place,
1. A worship of the beast.
2. The making of an image to the beast.
3. The placement of the mark of the beast.
I am reading from Great Controversy p. 578 which says, "The prophecy of Revelation 13 declares that the power represented by the beast with the lamblike horns shall cause 'the earth and them that dwell therein' (notice - #1) to worship the papacy - there symbolized by the beast 'like unto a leopard.' The beast with two horns is also to say 'to them that dwell on the earth' (#2) that they should make an image to the beast; and furthermore, it is to command all, 'both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,' (#3) to receive the mark of the beast. Revelation 13:11-16. It has been shown that the United States is the power represented by the beast with lamblike horns, and that this prophecy will be fulfilled when the United States shall enforce Sunday observance."
Let us now explore each of these three events in detail. First, let us take the words, "to worship the beast." Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 525, "The decree shall go forth requiring all to worship the beast and his image." This means force is to be used symbolizing a police state. In Great Controversy p. 578 I read, "The beast with lamblike horns shall cause 'the earth and them that dwell therein' to worship the papacy."
Believe me friend, America is fast preparing to become a police state for congress has voted millions [of dollars] for a hundred-thousand extra police. And don't overlook that foreign troops are now stationed on American soil to be used, if necessary, to force its people to obey the will of the government. Detention camps stand ready to incarcerate millions.
Did you know that by the stroke of the president's pen, for a reason such as international tension, internal unrest, or a financial crisis the following can immediately take place? I have before me eleven executive orders. I shall read each of them:
Order #10995 requires the government to take over all communications.
Order #10997 takes away all electric power, petroleum, gas and fuel and minerals.
Order #10998 the government will take over all food resources and farms.
Order #10999 takes over all means of transportation, controlling highways and seaports.
Order #11000 drafts all citizens into a work force under government supervision.
Order #11001 takes over all health, welfare and educational functions.
Order #11002 empowers the postmaster general to register all citizens nation-wide.
Order #11003 takes over all airports and aircraft.
Order #11004 takes over housing and finance authorities, designates areas to be abandoned as unsafe or establishes new locations for populations, relocates communities, builds new housing with public funds.
Order #11005 takes over all railroads, inland waterways and public storage facilities.
Order #11051 designates responsibilities of the office of emergency planning, gives authorization to put the above orders into effect in time of increased international tension or economic or financial crisis. Under President Nixon these orders were combined into executive order #11490. President Carter added a few minor amendments on July 20, 1979. Now all of them can be imposed upon us in one moment any time there is in the president's opinion international tension, internal unrest or financial crisis. If you have any question, just as your congressman.
This is the time when such action takes place, I believe, to enforce a Sunday law. The image of the beast becomes manifest. In Review and Herald, December 11, 1886, I read, "A great crisis awaits the people of God. Very soon our nation will attempt to enforce upon all, the observance of the first day of the week as a sacred day. In doing this, they will not scruple to compel men against the voice of their own conscience to observe the day the nation declares to be the Sabbath."
In Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 212 we read, "The decree has been passed by the highest earthly authority that they shall worship the beast and receive his mark under pain of persecution and death. May God help His people now, for what can they then do in such a fearful conflict without His assistance!"
Thus this Sunday law will bring God's final test to mankind. I am reading from Great Controversy p. 604, 605where we are told, "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 worships the beast and his image, and receives 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." So it is clear that no one will receive the mark until he understands the issue and personally chooses to obey the Sunday law.
The great controversy will divide all into two groups – those who receive the mark of the beast and those who will receive the seal of the living God. Every nation on earth will follow the United States in passing a Sunday law of this New World Order. In Revelation 17:13 we read, "These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast."
In Selected Messages, Book 3, p. 392 it explains the meaning of these words, "These have one mind." I am quoting, "There will be a universal bond of union. One great harmony, a great confederacy of Satan's forces. 'And shall give their power and strength unto the beast.' Thus is manifested the same arbitrary oppressive power against religious liberty, freedom to worship God according to the dictates of conscience as was manifested by the papacy, when in the past it persecuted those who dared to refuse to conform with the religious rites and ceremonies of Romanists."
So, we can now make these statements each backed by inspiration:
1. [The] Sunday-keeping decree will be forced upon all the world. Bible Commentaries, Volume 7, p. 976 says, "The decree enforcing the worship of this day is to go forth to all the world."
2. All the world will accept and participate. Testimonies for the Church, Volume 6, p. 352 tells us, "The Sabbath question is to be the issue in the great final conflict in which all the world will act a part."
3. Foreign nations will accept a Sunday law. In Testimonies for the Church, Volume 6, p. 395 we read, "Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Thought she leads out yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the world."
4. All nations will obey. I'm reading from Maranatha 214, "All nations and tongues and peoples will be commanded to worship this spurious sabbath. This is Satan's plan to make of no account the day instituted by God, and given to the world as a memorial of creation. The decree enforcing the worship of this day is to go forth to all the world."
Let's dig just a little bit deeper. Consider the no buying or selling provision found in Revelation 13:16,17 where we are told, "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."
And here is a question: Is this the same as the Sunday law or is this some separate decree or law? - We are not told much about this. It could be the follow-up legislation but then the penalties of the original National Sunday Law are so strong that all but a few would yield to keep Sunday sacred and receive the mark of the beast. For we are told that the threat of imprisonment and death are included in the Sunday law. And such is even stronger than the no buy or sell without the mark.
But now, let us look at other information God has given. And the details are amazing. For instance, all assets will be worthless. I am reading from Last Day Events p. 148, "Hoarded wealth will soon be worthless. When the decree shall go forth that none shall buy or sell except they that have the mark of the beast, very much means will be of no avail."
Remember, this no buy or sell restriction applies to only commandment keepers. In Christian Service p. 40 I read, "There is a time coming when commandment keepers can neither buy nor sell. Make haste to dig out your buried talents. If God has entrusted you with money, show yourself faithful to your trust; unwrap your napkin, and send your talents to the exchangers, that when Christ shall come, He may receive His own with interest."
In Desire of Ages p. 121 is the following, "In the last great conflict of the controversy between Satan and those who are loyal to God will see every earthly support cut off. Because they refuse to break His law in obedience to earthly powers, they will be forbidden to buy or sell. It will finally be decreed that they shall be put to death. See Revelation 13:11-17. But to the obedient is given the promise, 'He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.' Isaiah 33:16." Praise God! God is going to care for His own.
By this promise, the children of God will live. "When the earth shall be wasted with famine they shall be fed. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied." Psalms 37:19.
And this no buy or sell law will be worldwide for the entire world will be under the New World Order of the papacy. Prophets and Kings p. 184 tells us, Satan says, (notice how he plans to achieve this) "For fear of wanting food and clothing, they will join with the world in transgressing God's law. The earth will be wholly under my dominion."
Now this brings us back to our opening remarks. Manuscript Releases, Volume 14, Manuscript 91, 1896 says, "As Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, issued a decree that all who would not bow down and worship this image should be killed, so a proclamation will be made that all who will not reverence the Sunday institution will be punished with imprisonment and death."
With such admonition, which we have just read, we should not overlook other warnings given in Inspiration and that is that we should make every effort now, while it is possible, to leave the large cities and move to the country. I am reading from Selected Messages, Book 2, p.142, "Educate our people to get out of the cities into the country where they can obtain a small piece of land and make a home for themselves and their children. But erlong there will be such strife and confusion in the cities that those who wish to leave will not be able." We must be preparing for these issues. And again and again comes the urgent words found in Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 356, "Get out of the cities as soon as possible."
Furthermore we have also been instructed that unions will have a definite part in this final conflict. Therefore we are to have nothing to do with them.
1. We are not to unite with them. Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 144, "Those who claim to be children of God are in no case to bind up with the labor unions that are formed or that shall be formed. This the Lord forbids. Cannot those who study the prophecies see and understand what is before us?"
2. Membership in unions will wrap you in the fold of the enemy. I am reading from Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 142, "The work of the people of God is to prepare for the events of the future, which will soon come upon them with blinding force. In the world gigantic monopolies will be formed (and friend, we hear of this almost every day in the news). Men will bind themselves together in unions that will wrap them in the fold of the enemy. A few men will combine to grasp all the means to be obtained in certain lines of business. Trade unions will be formed, and those who refuse to join these unions will be marked men."
3. And don't overlook the unforgettable statement of the most terrible violence that is to come. In Letter 99, 1904, page 3, I quote, "There is a great work before us. The enemy has succeeded in occupying the minds of those who believe the truth for this time, and hindrance after hindrance has been placed in the way of the advancement of God's work.... It will be more difficult in the future than it is today. Satanic agencies are becoming more determined in their rebellion against God. (And notice this) The trade unions will be the cause of the most terrible violence that has ever been seen among human beings." This is so clearly stated that there can be no misunderstanding.
In summary let me state: When the substitution of the false for the true shall become universal it will be time for God to act. The substitution of the laws of men for the laws of God, the exaltation by merely human authority, of Sunday in place of the Bible Sabbath, is the last act in the drama. "When this substitution becomes universal, God will reveal Himself. ...He will arise in His majesty, and will shake terribly the earth." Bible Commentaries, Volume 7, p. 980.
And so, beloved, let us remember, our redemption draweth nigh. For in the book Maranatha 311 we find these encouraging words, "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:28."
O friend, the coming of Christ is nearer than when we first believed. The great controversy is nearing its end. The judgments of God are in the land. They speak in solemn warnings saying, "Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh." Matthew 24:44.
We are living in the closing scenes of this earth's history. Prophecy is fast fulfilling. The hours of probation are fast passing. We have no time, not a moment to lose. Let us not be found sleeping on guard. Let no one say in his heart or by his words, "The Lord delayeth his coming." Let the message of Christ's soon return sound forth in earnest words of warning. Let us persuade men and women everywhere to repent and flee from the wrath to come.
The Lord is soon to come and we must be prepared to meet Him in peace. Let us be determined to do all in our power to impart life to those around us. We are not to be sad, but cheerful and we are to keep the Lord Jesus ever before us. He is soon coming and we must we ready and waiting for His appearing. O how glorious it will be to see Him and be welcomed as His redeemed ones.
Long have we waited, but our hope is not to grow dim. If we are but to see the King in His beauty we shall be forever blessed. I feel as if I must cry aloud, "Homeward Bound." We are nearing the time when Christ will come in power and great glory to take His ransomed ones to their eternal home. Long have we waited for our Savior's return. But nevertheless such is the promise, "Soon we shall be in our promised home. There Jesus will lead us beside the living streams flowing from the throne of God and will explain to us the dark providences through which on this earth He has brought us in order to perfect our characters. There we shall behold with undimmed vision the beauties of Eden restored. Casting at the feet of the Redeemer the crowns that He has placed on our heads and touching our golden harps we shall fill all heaven with praise to Him that sitteth on the throne." Adventist Home p. 544. Thank you God, thank you again for such encouragement.
Let us pray, Loving Father, help us to keep our thoughts constantly centered upon Thy soon coming and the reward promised to the faithful. May we be among those who are worthy, we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.
www.ElderNelson.com

MEETING THE CRISISWITH A ONE WORLD RELIGION BIBLE #3By: Elder Lawrence Nelson
In this sermon we will make a surprising discovery. It is therefore necessary that you have read part one and part two of this New World Order series before reading this material. The two preceding sermons will clearly inform you of the antichrist power which is developing the United Nations and its ultimate one world religion.
Let's begin this sermon with a most serious question: If (notice that I said "if") you were Lucifer, who is fully committed to destroy God's true church in order to become the sole ruler of this world and be worshiped as God, tell me, what would be the best attack method to obtain such a goal? While you are thinking about this I'll give you the answer. I believe that Satan would develop a plan where by he would attempt to make God's defense weapons so defective that they would be useless.
I also believe and trust that you will agree with me that the most powerful defense weapon God has given to His followers is the Word of God as described in Ephesians 6:17. "The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
Jesus, our mighty Captain, demonstrated for us how to use this weapon when He overcame Satan by quoting scripture, "It is written..." thereby defeating the devil. Now that you have your thinking cap in operation, suppose that Satan should change the scriptures making them defective by inserting words never inspired by God, or by deleting inspired words so that you could no longer discern truth from error. In this way you could be fooled, unknowingly, to worship the dragon and wonder after the beast.
Now, I immediately hear someone say, "Why Elder Nelson, have you lost your marbles? Don't you know that God's Word never changes; that God will see to that?" True, true, very true, but in this warfare between God and Satan this does not stop the devil from introducing false versions of the scriptures in such a cunning manner that millions are fooled to accept such versions as the very Word of God, believing them to be genuine.
Since you are honest, you will agree with me that what I have suggested is plausible and possible. May the Holy Spirit help us to see that this is actually taking place as the antichrist prepares the way for a one-world religion Bible. And one more question, please: Could it be possible that a few apostate leaders within God's true church are promoting false versions of the scripture that will cause many within the Adventist Church to accept the coming one-world religion?
Before we explore this possibility let us pray for heavenly guidance. Oh loving Father, as we all will soon have to meet this coming, gigantic system of false religion, the masterpiece of Satan's power, please help us in these final hours to be able to differentiate between Thy Holy Scriptures and the counterfeit. This we ask in the name of Thy Beloved Son, Jesus. Amen.
Let us first look at the warning God has given regarding changing His Word. In Revelation 22:18, 19 we read, "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."
Now the question: Why do you suppose God gave such a warning to anyone who would attempt to change His Word? Because He knew that in the last days men, led by Satan, would produce a counterfeit to His Word. The NIV (The New International Version) and the New American Standard Version, together with the Living Bible and a host of other versions, have been produced as a direct result of chief conspirators of the New Age Movement working together with the United Nations and the New World Order to produce a one-world religion. And before we conclude this study we will discuss the corrupt manuscripts chosen to eventually produce a Bible acceptable to all religions of the world.
It is the aim of the spiritualistic power that the new versions being printed year by year will infiltrate the evangelical churches so that their members will accept such a false bible. By changing the words of God, they can change doctrines and eventually make it possible for a one-world, apostate church which has accepted the antichrist, his mark, his image, and who worship Lucifer.
Now that may sound a bit impossible but let me quote from the chief editor of the NIV Bible who supervised its development. Please notice the satanic plan of destroying your faith in Jesus Christ. I hope you are listening! I quote, "This [his NIV] shows the great error that is so prevalent today in some orthodox Protestant circles, namely the error that regeneration depends upon faith...and that in order to be born again man must first accept Jesus as Savior." [The Holy Spirit p. 83.] What an amazing admission of the real purpose of developing the NIV version, coming from the pen of its editor! Let's make sure that we understand this quotation correctly. The purpose of the NIV version is to show that regeneration does not depend upon faith and that you do not have to accept Jesus as your Savior to be Born Again. Heaven forbid! What a devilish plan, for God's Word plainly teaches in Acts 4:12, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
This is why the NIV version has removed so many decisive texts which state that we should worship God. Let me give you an example. I read from the King James Version in Philippians 3:3, " For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit." Now there can be no question as to whom we should worship – it is the Eternal God. But the NIV version, along with others, omit the word "God." Why? - So the reader may choose for himself who is to be worshiped in spirit – be it Mother Earth, some dumb idol, or Jesus Christ, or even the devil. By deleting "God" from it the NIV version has weakened the scriptures. This is why the scripture warned, "Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word." Mark 4:15. Here is a perfect example of the development of the NIV to prepare for a Bible that will be acceptable to all religions.
But the NIV version has not only deleted thousands of such inspired words but has also added words not found in the Holy Scriptures. But before we proceed let us stop here to clearly understand why such changes are being made in God's Word. What is actually taking place is a semantic revolution. The word "semantic" means to change the meaning of words and this is taking place both in the western Christians religions and also in the pagan religions of the east. Both are using this revolutionary bridge to form spiritual Babylon described in Revelation 18.
Let my speak plainly. The New Age occult is working through the United Nations, as discussed in sermon number one and two of this series, to make Christian terminology acceptable to the eastern mystics; and at the same time the pagan priests of Oriental religions are changing the names of their gods from Buddha, Krishna and Lucifer to the Christian names such as "The Lord," "The Christ," and "The One." Even occult initiations today are called by Christian terms such as a "baptism" and "the way to God." How amazing!
Thus, when such names are read in these new versions the pagans can say that they refer to their pagan god and not to Jesus Christ. The New Age Dictionary by Alex Jack given definitions of occult beliefs which are compatible to the NIV version. For example, the Holy Spirit, which we know to be the third person of the Godhead, is often translated in the NIV as "the Spirit," thus by deleting the inspired word "Holy" the word "Spirit" alone becomes acceptable to the occult as man's spirit. By deleting the name "Jesus" from "Christ" the name "Christ" alone can be accepted by the pagans as the name of their gods. By deleting "Jehovah" in connection with "the Lord" the word "Lord" alone can refer to any pagan god. And consider this - in the NIV the name "Lucifer" has been changed to "the Morning Star" and that's unbelievable, for any Bible student knows that the term "Morning Star" refers to only Jesus Christ. Giving this name to any other, and especially to Satan, is sacrilegious.
I believe that you are starting to see the purpose of the NIV. As the chief editor states, "It is to teach that you do not have to accept Jesus Christ to be saved." How amazing! And just think how many Seventh-day Adventists use the NIV as their Bible.
Let's review this once more. In the NIV Lucifer is now called "the Morning Star." The words "Jesus Christ" and "Jehovah" are changed to "the Lord," the name given to pagan gods. "The Holy One of Israel" becomes "the One" that's acceptable to the pagans for the name of their god. The "Godhead" has been changed to "a divine being" which is the term used for the New Age gods. If you are honest, you will admit that the NIV version endorse what God's holy men explicitly opposed. This version, and others, is preparing for coming new versions that will finally produce a Bible totally acceptable to all religions except God's true church.
Clearly, the ultimate goal of the New World Order is unity at any cost. Should you still have a doubt let me further illustrate (and I'll give only four texts from the NIV) but keep in mind there are hundreds more. The texts are Luke 24:36, Matthew 4:18, Mark 2:15, and Mark 10:52. The name "Jesus" has been omitted and replaced with the pronoun "He." This opens the door to the question: "Who is 'He'? Jesus Christ or Lucifer?" Again, the words, "the kingdom of God" in Matthew 6:33 is changed to "His kingdom." To the non-Christians this is acceptable for it could mean Satan's kingdom.
When you compare the King James Version with the New International Version and the New Age Luciferian teachings you will see that the NIV and the New Age Luciferian match word for word. Here is an example. I'll give the King James Version first, followed by the NIV and then the New Age. God's Word says, "The Holy One;" the NIV and the Luciferian state, "the One." God's Word says, "the Holy Spirit;" both the NIV and the Luciferian state, "the Spirit." God's Word says, "the Lord Jehovah;" both the NIV and the Luciferian state, "the Lord." God's Word says, "Our Father;" both the NIV and the Luciferian state, "the Father." God's Word says, "the Lord Jesus Christ;" both the NIV and the Luciferian state, "the Christ." God's Word says, "God;" both the NIV and the Luciferian state, "a God."
I'm sure you are noticing the difference. When God speaks in His original manuscript, through Inspiration, it's absolute; but when man speaks through the NIV and other versions you are left with the questions, "What spirit? Which Lord? Whose Father? or What God?"
In the book The Luciferian Connection, p. 145 I quote, "Most New Agers, however, teach that the new will overcome the old, by a gentle process of ecumenical unity and absorption of the religions into one another. The new-world religion will contain all the common elements of all religions."
We need to pause here to clarify how these many new versions have come into existence. We shall see that Romanism has been able to enter the very arsenal of Protestantism and change the very words of God with a corrupt Bible. The Protestant reformation was based on manuscripts which are called "The Received -" or "Majority Greek -" text. The Roman Catholic religion was founded on the spurious Greek New Testament manuscripts known as the "Sinaiticus" and the "Vaticanus." For years the Jesuits, and other scholarly orders, tried to disprove the "Received Text" of Protestantism but they failed until the second half of the nineteenth century.
The following has been gleaned from Rosenvald Publications. I quote from The Dismantling of Adventism by H.H. Myers p. 11. "Attempts to replace Protestant Bibles with Catholic ones such as when the English were presented with the Douay Bible in the late sixteenth century, have failed. But would it now be at all possible to co-oped Protestants themselves in an attempt to have them destroy their own Bible? In the past, many a Church of England cleric had been induced to turn traitor. Why not now?"
How sad for this devilish plan to succeed. The "Received Text," which was referred to as the "Protestant Bible" during the period of the reformation, included the Old Testament Hebrew and the New Testament Majority Greek Text which had circulated throughout the world. But in the mid-nineteenth century there were two English Anglican scholars, Drs. B. F. Westcott and F.J.A. Hort. One was a priest the other was aspiring to be a priest and both had strong leanings toward Rome.
For whatever personal reasons Westcott and Hort took part in a New Testament scheme proposed by their publisher, Daniel Macmillan. Hort referred to the Majority Greek Text as "villainous" and "vile." Westcott declared, "I am most anxious to get something to replace them." (That is taken from Riplinger, The New Age Bible Versions, p. 430).
Gail Riplinger, a Baptist, is an authority on the changes that have been made in the modern versions of the Bible and how these changes came about. Her book, The New Age Bible Versions, was printed in 1993. Passages from her book will be identified.
Westcott's and Hort's declarations clearly reveal their deep hatred of the Majority Greek manuscripts upon which the Protestant Bibles were based, including the King James Version. With such an attitude it is not at all surprising that they chose the Vaticanus and the Sinaiticus manuscripts in which to base their new Greek text.
For many years the Vaticanus had been stored in the Vatican. It was known as the "Catholic Bible." When the large group of scholars who translated the King James Bible inspected these manuscripts they utterly refused to use them in their work because they were so filled with gross error. Thus it was that in 1853 Westcott and Hort started what was to become almost thirty years of involvement in this secret project. As they were getting started, Westcott admits the drastic changes he plans, and calls it, "Our proposed recension of the New Testament." (p. 619).
We will briefly mention some of the personal habits, practices, and beliefs of Westcott and Hort. Riplinger, in her book, gives documentation which shows that Westcott and Hort habitually used spirituous liquors during the time they were writing their New Testament Greek Bible. In some of their written comments on their work, they freely mixed in comments about their own drinking habits. In addition to this they practiced various forms of spiritualism. (Are you listening?) Furthermore, Hort did not even believe in the infallibility of the New Testament for he stated, "If you make a decided conviction of the absolute infallibility of the New Testament I fear I could not join you." Hort Volume 1, p.420. (622).
After Westcott and Hort had worked along secretly for about 17 years, in 1870 a committee was chosen in England to rewrite the Greek New Testament. Beside Westcott and Hort and others (now please pay attention) three Catholics were chosen to serve on the committee, including Cardinal Newman. Riplinger writes on p. 425, "The liberalism of the members was evident in their approval of Westcott and Hort's substitution of the readings in the Vatican's Greek manuscript "Vaticanus" for the original Greek. Drs. Mobiley, Pusey, and Newman were invited to join, all three, emissaries of the Roman Catholic Church. Member Dean Stanley believed, as did Westcott and Hort, that the Word of God was also in the books of the other world religions." (Did you hear that!?)
Newman had been a prominent Anglican priest but a few years earlier he had apostatized from Protestantism and joined the Roman Catholic Church. For this defection, the pope eventually made him a Cardinal of the Roman Church. I hope that as you see the plot thicken that you are beginning to see how the Papacy has developed these new versions.
"We go back in time in order to understand what occurred in 1847 at the Vatican," Myers explains on p. 16. "Following his open defection to Roman Catholicism, Cardinal John H. Newman, formerly a cleric of the Church of England and founder of the Oxford Movement in 1833, was invited to revisit the Vatican. While there he disclosed some details of his mission in a letter dated January 17, 1847 to his fellow traitor, Nicolas P. Wiseman. Referring to a request made by a senior member of the congregation of the index, 'That we should take the Protestant translation, correct it by the Vulgate (that's the Catholic Bible) and get it sanctioned here. This might be our first work if your lordship approved of it. If we undertook it I should try to get a number of persons at work, not merely of our own party. First it should be overseen and corrected by ourselves. Then it should go to a few select revisers. For instances, Dr. Tate, of Ushaw, and Dr. Whitty of St. Edmunds (who was a Jesuit).'" Ward, Life of Wiseman, Volume 1, p. 454.
And now hear this: The plan to write a new Greek Testament was actually contrived in the Vatican with Cardinal Newman in attendance. According to their instructions from the Vatican these schemers were to take the Protestant translation, correct it by the Vulgate, and then get it sanctioned "here," (that is at the Vatican) before publication. What an eye opener!
It took about ten years for the committee to complete the project. It was to be published in 1881, together with the English Revised Version which was also translated by the committee. Meyers reveals on p. 19,20, "Yet a few weeks earlier when it was evident a revision should soon be an accomplished fact, Cardinal Wiseman could scarcely contain his exuberance. He explained, 'We can not but rejoice in the silent triumph which truth has at length gained over clamorous error. For in fact the principle writers, who have avenged the Vulgate and obtained for it its critical pre-eminence, are Protestants.'" Wiseman Essays Volume 1, p. 104.
Now here is indisputable evidence that although the revisers worked in great secrecy, Wiseman, the primate of the Catholic Church in England, was privy to this subterfuge. He and Newman had carried out the instructions given to them by the Vatican to the very letter. Instead of a revision of the King James Version the English Protestants had been presented with a Bible that had been "corrected" by the Vulgate. Having worked in secret, Westcott and Hort, when placed upon the committee, did not reveal to anyone that they already had a new Greek Testament almost finished.
The committee who chose their work should also be done in secret. They feared that what they were doing, if made public, would be criticized. This would hinder their work. Westcott wrote that, "much evil would result from a public discussion." Westcott Volume 1, p. 229. And sure enough, when it was published in 1881, criticism was abundant. On p. 432 Riplinger writes, "This change in the standard new Greek Testament was very newsworthy upon its publication. Scholars of that time called it 'strongly radical' and 'revolutionary,' 'deviating,' 'the furtherest possible from the Received Text,' 'a violent recoil from the traditional Greek text,' 'the most vicious recension of the original Greek in existence,' 'a seriously mutilated and otherwise grossly depraved new Greek text.' They further yielded, 'the passages in dispute are of great importance.'"
On p. 433 Riplinger continues the subject, "John Burgon, who was Dean of Westminster and the preeminent Greek scholar of the day, said, 'For the Greek text which they have invented proves too hopelessly depraved throughout. It was deliberately invented. The underlying Greek is an entirely new thing. It is a manufactured article throughout. The new Greek text is utterly inadmissible, proposing to inquire into the merits of the recent revision of the Bible we speedily become aware that the underlying Greek text had been completely refashioned throughout. It was not so much a new version as a new Greek text.'
"The new Greek text was full of errors from beginning to end; it had been constructed throughout. 'It was no part of your instructions to invent a new Greek text or indeed to meddle with the original Greek at all. By your own confession you and your colleagues knew yourselves to be incompetent. Shame on those most incompetent men who, finding themselves in an evil hour, occupied themselves with falsifying the inspired Greek text. Who will venture to predict the amount of mischief which must follow if the new Greek text should become used.'"
How sad, for their new Greek text did indeed become accepted into use and the amount of mischief it has wrought cannot be calculated. Adventist readers of the new versions translated from the new Greek text should carefully reread John Burgon's analysis of the new Greek Testament so that they will realize what they are actually reading are versions approved by the Vatican. Riplinger emphasizes on p. 431 how deliberate their New Testament scheme was when she sights that in the book of Luke, which contains about 1000 verses, they made 1000 changes. They made about 6000 such changes in the New Testament - that is when compared to the original Greek, the Majority Text.
Surprisingly, however, sad to say in a decade or two the Westcott and Hort New Testament was accepted by Protestants and Catholics alike. It is the Greek Testament to be used. Sorrowfully, even the Seventh-day Adventist Church accepted it very early and began to promote its use. It is being used, and has been used, for many years now in our colleges and universities as a textbook. Thus our church has approved corrupting the incorruptible.
But the apostle Peter has assured us that the Word of God was incorruptible. 1 Peter 1:23 tells us, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." Let us praise God that the King James Bible itself has not been corrupted by Westcott and Hort. God has watched over and protected His Word. The true Bible will live and abide in spite of the mischief of these wicked men. With very few exceptions, all of the new Bible versions which are flooding the market are translated from the Westcott and Hort new Greek text.
Riplinger comments, "In addition to the errors found in the new Greek text, individual publishers have felt free to make further changes in order to make their particular Bible versions acceptable to the various religions of the world. Also, in order to obtain a copyright, it is required that there be a certain number of changes. Therefore, while the modern versions are basically are unreliable, some are even worse than others. Besides making their translations from the Greek New Testament text having 6000 changes made by Westcott and Hort and their committee, many additional changes are being made."
To illustrate, at the same time that the new corrupted Greek texts were published in 1881, the same committee also published the English Revised Standard Version of the Bible. While there are 6000 changes in the Greek New Testament text when compared with the Majority Text there are 36,000 changes made in the Revised Standard Version that differ from the King James.
Now we have a clear picture of Satan's attempt to change God's Word. This has helped us to comprehend how the Papacy has been able to actually corrupt the Protestant Bible with these many new versions which are totally based on the counterfeit new Greek text produced by Westcott and Hort and the corrupted Vatican manuscript. This has now made it possible for the United Nations, the political arm of the Papacy, to eventually produce a counterfeit Bible acceptable to all religions, be they pagan, Papal, Protestant, occultist, Jewish or Muslim.
Now let us recap what we have learned from this sermon:
1. First and foremost, the King James Version is the only version not corrupted by Westcott and Hort and the Vatican manuscripts. Let us make this our only Bible to study God's Word. Amen?
2. We have seen the master plan of Lucifer to prepare for a one-world government controlled by a one world religion.
3. Many years ago this was begun by Westcott and Hort who invented a new Greek text based on the Vatican corrupt manuscripts.
4. These men personally testified that they did not even believe the Bible to be inspired by God and, still worse, all religions - even the pagans - contain God's Word.
5. The Papacy actually directed the development of the new version which they manipulated to agree with their Catholic Bible.
6. The United Nations aims for a corrupted Bible, so completely changed by semantics, that all religions of the world will be able to use it to teach their false doctrines making possible a one world church of Babylon found in Revelation 18.
7. It is Satan's plan to so obliterate God's Word with these false versions that when he appears in the counterfeit coming of Christ the whole world will worship him.
Oh how careful we should be as individuals not to partake of the spirit of the antichrist. Very soon the papacy will reveal its true identity through the new-world religion. Before the real Second Coming of Jesus the deadly wound that was inflicted on the papacy in 1798 will be fully healed. The papacy will emerge to rule the world with an iron hand as it did during the Dark Ages. Except for God's true people, the United Nations and all churches, including professed Sabbath keepers who are unfaithful to their profession, as well as the governments of the world, will be the servants of the beast ready to do his bidding.
The wicked are not the only group that is gathering. God's true people are standing, not under the banner of the beast and his image, but under the banner of the King of kings protected and empowered by God. His people will boldly proclaim the Loud Cry to the world. They will clearly present the Sabbath/Sunday issue and proclaim the warning of the third angel with a loud voice. They will also call to the people of the world to "come out of her my people." Will you and I be prepared to stand under the banner of King Jesus? If so, we must awaken now and get ready for soon Jesus will arise in the heavens above to come to the earth as the King of kings. At that time the righteous will be taken to their new home in heaven. Praise God!
What will happen to the wicked who have gathered to battle against God Almighty? - Their sad ending is presented in Revelation 19:19-21, "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh."
Why should I speak such a strong message as this to God's people today? -Because we have been commissioned to do so. In Isaiah 58:1 we have been instructed to cry to God's people today with a loud voice, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins."
Let us heed the following sermon delivered by Mrs. E. G. White. "Brethren and sisters," she admonished, "we had better come to our senses now, without delay. We had better cry for the vitalizing power of God to come upon us and cure us of our spiritual paralysis. And unless there is a thorough arousing and you begin to cry onto God and change your course of action you will be rated either with the unbeliever or you will be in that position that you have a name to live while you are dead and your influence in the world is a living curse. Just because of your profession you lead people into the road to death and hell and the account that God has to settle with you in the judgement you will not want the court to meet for it decides your case forever. We are here for a purpose. Here are souls to be saved. There is a voice to be raised among the people of God. 'Cry aloud, spare not.'( Why? What is it? What is the matter?) 'Show my people (it's God's professed people, is it?) their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.' Isaiah 58:1." Sermons and Talks, Volume 1, p.176.
O friend, it's almost time for the Lord to come! And the New World Order of the United Nations is preparing for a counterfeit coming of Christ. Shouldn't we be preparing for the genuine coming of the Kings of kings, our Lord and Savior? Let us not shirk either our own preparation or our duty toward others.
Let us pray, Dear God, may we have the courage to completely separate from Satan's apostate church of Revelation 18, and use only the King James Version in our study in preparation for Thy coming. For we ask this in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.
www.ElderNelson.com

MEETING THE CRISIS: With A New World Religion #2
By: Elder Lawrence Nelson


This study begins with an undeniable fact, that the vast majority of Seventh-day Adventists are fast asleep which also includes the leadership. The Spirit of Prophecy paints a picture in words to clear to be misunderstood. "If all that appears to be divine life were such in reality, if all who profess to present the truth to the world were preaching for the truth and not against it, and if they were men of God guided by His Spirit, - then might we see something cheering amid the prevailing moral darkness. But the spirit of the antichrist is prevailing to such an extent as never before. Well may we exclaim: 'Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.' I know that many think far too favorably of the present time. These ease-loving souls will be engulfed in the general ruin....The days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. In the mighty sifting soon to take place we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel. The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor." Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 79,80.
Now the question; what is the spirit of antichrist that is prevailing within our church as never before? Before we seek for an answer let us pray for divine guidance. Oh, loving Father, may Thy Holy Spirit awaken us from this satanic stupor that has enveloped both the ministry and the laity; that we may become aroused to discern the working of the antichrist among us, and become spiritually alert to realize that it is now or never that we must be ready to meet the final crisis. This we ask in the name of Thy dear Son, Jesus, Amen.
In our last tape we discovered that the antichrist has completely dominated the development of the One World Order so that the United Nations is now prepared to launch its new-world government including a new-world religion which is being developed by the demons of spiritualism. The new religion is being promoted through an environmental approach which is leading to Baal, Sunday worship – the mark of the beast.
The predictions of Revelation 13 are being enacted before our very eyes as 149 countries of this world, including the United States, have signed and given their country's sovereignty to the UN at a recent summit meeting at the United Nations September 2000. As prophecy stated the United States would cause the people on earth to worship the beast, so President Clinton hosted this meeting in which these nations signed to obey. Thus the UN is now ready to completely restructure the world economy and political systems with a global taxation and an international army to enforce, by law, over population, the redistribution of the world's wealth, and a new-world religion which the Bible declares will enforce the mark of the beast.
As in the previous tape, I will give only the page number for facts that I have gleaned from the book entitled, The New World Religion which was printed by Hope International Publishers, P.O. Box 899, Nobelville, IN 46061. It may surprise you to learn that Mikhail Gorbachev has become the Leninist of the New Age teachings. He is seeking to replace Christianity with a new religion of humanism which is the central teaching of communism with pantheism based on Eastern religions. (p. 142).
In order to promote this, Gorbachev has developed an environmental appeal known as a Magna Carta for Earth; a so-called ten commandments to rule humanity. Already the United Nations has 300 environmental treaties such as climate change, ozone-depleting substances, decertification, endangered species, wetlands and world heritage sites. (p. 143).
During the summit of world leaders, on September 6, 2000 a bill of rights for our planet was adopted. Al Gore has been Gorbachev's right-hand man in getting this charter adopted. (p 144). Al Gore led the US delegates in the 1992 environmental Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In his book, Earth in the Balance, he writes that he would use every means, "embarking on an all-out effort to use every policy and program, every treaty and alliance, every tactic and strategy, every plan and course of action; to use, in short, every means to halt the destruction of the environment and to preserve and nurture our ecological system." (p. 146).
Please be aware of where all this is leading. I quote from the United Nations Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali, "I should like to conclude by saying that the spirit of Rio must create a new form of good citizenship. After loving his neighbor as the Bible has required him to, post-Rio man must also love the world including the flowers, the birds in the trees, every part of that natural environment that we are constantly destroying. To the ancients, the Nile was a god to be venerated, as was the Rhine, an infinite source of European myths or the Amazon forest, the mother of forests. Throughout the world, nature was the abode of the divinities that gave the forest, the desert or the mountains, a personality which commanded worship." Did you hear that!? "The earth has a soul; to find that soul again, to give it a new life, that is the essence of Rio." (p. 147).
Now dear friend, why am I giving such detail? Because it was at this Earth Summit that it was purposed that all peoples should honor an environmental Sunday rest-day. Anyone can see where this is leading – to the mark of the beast. No wonder the papacy gave its full support. Keep in mind, throughout history, whenever man chose to worship himself or the pagan deities of nature in place of God, the consequences were severe. Humanity came under the control of false belief systems and those enforcing them. Pantheism, with its earth or gaia worship, has inevitably had the effect of enslaving man. Whether it was the version presented by the pharaohs of Egypt, the Brahmans of India, or the Caesars of Rome, the result of earth-centered religion has always been the same – the enslavement of man under a ruthless, occultic system.
Unfortunately, most leaders of today's environmental movement hold a similar and equally militant world view. According to this view, those who believe in a personal Creator, refusing to make creation their god, are a threat to nature and must be eliminated. (p. 156, 157).
The Earth Charter, prepared by Gorbachev, with its supporting programs is now ready to be implemented. Notice what will be the result. Sovereign nations will no longer exist, at least not in the traditional sense. Private property and the ability to choose what to do with your land would be severely limited. The right to decide your child's schooling, or what you child is taught, even at home, would be restricted.
This state control would also extend into the realm of personal beliefs. Christianity, saying that Jesus Christ is the only way of reconciliation with God, would not likely be tolerated; in fact, it might be made a crime. Why is humanity falling for this deception? The answer is simple. The majority of people have rejected the truth of God for a lie; seeking to liberate themselves from a moral God and His holy commandments.
Most of the earth's inhabitants have embraced humanism or pantheism as their world view. These two belief systems are really quite similar; both reject the reality of a personal God inevitably resulting in the direct or indirect worship of man or nature. (p 156). Nature worship, the elevation of nature (that's talking about the creation above God, the Creator) is nothing new; in fact it was prevalent among the Lucifer-inspired mystery religions of the Old Testament era. (p. 156).
What does God say about this? The Bible explains in Romans 1:21-25, "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator." How clear God has stated this fact!
Now for a moment let us see how all of these New World Order plans are forging toward a new religion. Alice Bailey, the spiritualist medium who has for years guided the development of the UN has written, "The three main channels through which the preparation for the New Age is going on might be regarded as the church, the Masonic fraternity and the educational field." (p. 161).
We have clearly seen how the papal church and the occult Masonic organization of the new age have guided the UN to its present acceptance by all the world leaders; but don't overlook what has happened in the educational field. Robert Muller has spent 40 years to educate the youth to accept the New World Order. Muller grew up in a Catholic home and has stated that his Catholic upbringing has prepared him to accept the New Age view that he now holds. (p. 200). In the last twelve years he was able to introduce "Goals 2000" into the educational system of America through the Bush and Clinton administrations down to the very state and local level. The curriculum introduced was heavily influenced by Alice Bailey. (p. 180).
No doubt you have seen, as I have, in our public school the idea that mother earth is to be exalted and even worshiped. I never cease to be amazed by the artwork of students displayed in public places on Mother Earth's Day. Muller's curriculum teaches the youth the concept of interfaithism. When this is believed by the youth the source is recognized as beyond any scriptural authority. (p. 183).
This underlying doctrine of interfaithism is a complete violation of God's Word. The Bible reveals that it is impossible to accept the beliefs of other religions and simultaneously accept all the teachings of Jesus Christ. Why? - Because other religions deny the fact that Jesus is the only way of salvation. In so doing, they minimize the atoning death and resurrection of Christ, falsely teaching that there are other paths to immortality when in truth there are none. Acts 4:12 in the NIV proclaims, "Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to man by which we must be saved." Jesus stated in no uncertain terms, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6 NIV. Clearly the Robert Muller School is not based on Christianity; it is pantheistic. (p. 183).
A growing number of top educators have embraced this New Age. (p. 188). The youth are being taught that all religions are valid and are merely pathways to God. (p. 199). It is the aim of educational planners that such unity of religion will exist so that all existing religions can be molded into one synthetic whole. (p. 199).
This is Muller's view that Catholicism and pantheistic religions of the east have the same spiritual roots as taught by the Jesuit, Teillard de Chardin. (p. 201). In his book The New Genesis, Muller writes, "If Christ came back to earth His first visit would be to the United Nations to see if His dream of human one-ness and brotherhood have come true. He would be happy to see representatives of all nations, North and South, East and West, rich and poor, believers and non-believers, young and old, Philistines and Samaritans, trying to find answers to the perennial question of human destiny and fulfillment." (p. 203).
Thus we can plainly see the prophecy of God fulfilling as the coming antichrist will control the UN. In Muller's book The New Genesis he calls for "the UN-based world government and a new world religion is the only answer to mankind's problems." Through it all Muller maintains his status as a Catholic Christian. He finally comes full circle by linking the UN's mission to Catholicism; and John Paul II agrees. "Pope John Paul II said that we (speaking of the UN) were the stonecutters and the artisans of a cathedral." (p. 204).
In another book My Testament to the UN, Muller favorably quotes a Hindu priest, regarding the UN's ultimate destiny. "No human force will ever be able to destroy the United Nations, for the United Nations is not a mere building or a mere idea; it is not a manmade creation. The United Nations is the vision light of the Absolute Supreme, which is slowly, steadily, and unerringly illuminating the ignorance, the night of our human lives. The divine success and supreme progress of the United Nations is bound to become a reality. At his choice hour the Absolute Supreme will ring his own victory bell here on earth through the loving and serving heart of the United Nations." (p. 205).
The truth of the matter is, the United Nations is not a conception of God rather, its spiritual activities are an abomination to Him. The UN and its occult-inspired cooperatives will experience the same judgment from the Lord reserved for all ungodly individuals and institutions. It is Jesus Christ who will ring the victory bell upon His return as 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 reads; and it will not be rung through the United Nations. (p. 203).
We must not overlook how the World Council of Churches has been funded by the Rockefeller Foundation. The ecumenical movement is now an integral part of the coming one-world government. (p. 206). The Seventh-day Adventist church has taken a very active part in this World Council of Churches in providing committee leadership and secretaries. But worst of all, our leadership has encouraged Seventh-day Adventist churches to participate in ecumenical activities at the lower level, even promising the papal and Protestant leaders that we will not openly preach a message that would call for the diversion in the ranks of ecumenism. Unbelievable! God help us!
Neither should we overlook what took place in the Second Vatican Council when it urged the ecumenical movement to accept interfaithism. I quote, "All Christians to act positively to preserve and even promote all that is good in other religions – Hinduism, Buddhism and other world religions. To carry out this interfaith directive the Vatican Council established the Secretariat for non-Christians which would eventually be renamed the Secretariat for World Religions."
Years later, Pope John Paul II would take the Council's initiative a step further by holding an actual interfaith summit in Assisi, Italy. This 1986 gathering, consisting of leaders from the world's major religions, and initiated by the pope himself, would represent a visible transition from the traditional ecumenism to the new interfaithism. (p. 208).
In 1993 the Parliament of World Religions held from August 28 – September 5 held a nine-day session. Robert Muller delivered the keynote address. The highlight of this meeting was the awarding of the Templeton Prize for progress in religion. A gift of $1.2 million ecumenical award was given to Prison Fellowship director, Charles Colson. Other well-known Christian leaders have also received this award such as Billy Graham in 1982, and Bill Bright in 1996. (p. 211).
Perhaps we should discuss the unholy alliance when the United Nations contacted Bishop Swing of the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco to unify the world religions with the headquarters in the Presidio in San Francisco to work with Gorbachev's Foundation which is also located there. Since then, Bishop Swing has visited most all worldwide religious headquarters throughout the world together with ambassadors, writers, politicians and Supreme Court Justices. (p. 219). It is reported he has been warmly received. One must not forget how the Vatican has formed a partnership with the UN by training all its future diplomats at its Catholic Seton Hall University. (p. 239).
Cooperation is so mutual that the UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold, has stated, "There are two popes on this planet – a spiritual pope in Rome and a civilian pope in New York, namely the Secretary-General of the UN." (p. 239).
There can be no doubt the UN is serving as the political instrument of the Vatican. Also keep in mind John Paul II and Mikhail Gorbachev are working closely together since they are credited with bringing an end to the cold war. "Gorbachev's relationship to the pope was made evident during his first meeting in Rome on December 1, 1989. At that time, Gorbachev knelt at the pope's feet and asked pardon for all the crimes he had committed in his life. During that historic meeting Pope John Paul II invited the Russian leader to join him in ending global confrontation and building universal solidarity. They have been in close contact ever since." (p. 238).
I now quote from p. 243-244 the author's conclusion. "The growing involvement of the Vatican and its allies in politics and religion reminds one of Alice Bailey's predictions that the New World Order would be ushered in with the help of a universally accepted church. Bailey explains that the New Age would rest upon the foundations of a newly interpreted and enlightened Christianity being universal in nature. The occult prophetess also stated that there were no major distinctions between the one universal church of Catholicism, and the sacred inner lodge of all true Masons, and the innermost circles of esoteric societies.
"She indicated that they would all be working together through a global governing body to achieve their goal. While it is helpful to understand the plans of occult leaders so that we do not succumb to their deception, we must turn to the final authority – God's Word – to know exactly what will take place. The Bible prophecies that the antichrist and his accomplice, the false prophet, will through deception and flattery bring the world's religions and nations together, uniting them under a new spiritual, political order. Revelation 13, Daniel 7:11.
"According to the scripture, the antichrist, and his close ally, will be in direct contact with the demonic realm having Satan's complete power at their disposal. 'They will be able to perform great and miraculous signs even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men.' Revelation 13:13 NIV. Together they will lead mankind in an all out rebellion against God. Through this endeavor the antichrist, representing Satan on earth, will succeed in gaining the worship of most of the earth's inhabitants."
Now this is exactly what God said in Revelation 13:4-8, "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? ... And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."
Seeing the daily fulfillment of this prophecy thrills me through and through, for soon Jesus will arise in the heavens above to come as King of kings to destroy both the beast and the dragon in hell fire. I feel like saying, "Praise God!" But what saddens my heart is that God's church leadership of today is following in the steps of God's church during Christ's first advent. Back then, through apostasy, the church leaders sold out to pagan Rome, and today, our leadership has revealed by its actions that they are leading the church to papal Rome.
Now I hear someone say, Brother Nelson, how can you make such a statement? Well just listen to the following undisputed facts:
1. It all began when the General Conference authorized Bert Beech to present a gold medal to the pope in 1977.
2. When Celebration was suggested by the Vatican Council II the General Conference immediately began to promote Celebration in its meetings and encourage the members to participate.
3. The World Council of Churches requested all churches to unite in an ecumenical brotherhood. Immediately our leaders began to promote this movement, knowing full well that eventually it would lead to worldwide Sunday worship.
4. The General Conference has promoted the NIV - The New International Version - translation of the Bible knowing that it is based on the corrupted manuscripts promoted by papal Rome.
5. Former President, Neil Wilson, revealed how our church leadership has rejected the teachings of the Great Controversy when he filed a brief with the courts regarding the Pacific Press when it was located in Mountain View, California. This brief stated that what we used to preach regarding the beast and the papacy was now confined to the trash heap.
6. The display of the Vatican flag during the past two General Conference Sessions when it is an undisputed fact that we will never have a Seventh-day Adventist church or a member within the Vatican.
7. The introduction of a high-ranking officer of the United Nations to the GC Toronto 2000 assembly with remarks intended to praise the United Nations for what it stands for.
8. The church leadership has refused to take a concerted stand to uphold the Spirit of Prophecy which reveals that apostasy will become so bad that Sunday worship will be preached by some of our ministers. Review and Herald, March 18, 1884 tells us, "The Lord has a controversy with His professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to what was pursued by Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week."
9. And I'm sad to say that this is coming upon us quicker than we think. I just received the Confessions of a Nomad, a devotional guide put out by the Ministerial Association of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. It was published in 1998 by the Pacific Press Publishing Association. Let me read just a paragraph or two regarding the title "Holy Day or Holiday – Commandment 4". "Society has gotten caught up in a seven-day, twenty-four-hour-a-day week. Some of you work in a business where you have no control over what you do on Sunday. Some of you are managers of businesses with policies set by someone else in a distant city and you are caught. You can't get out of it and you don't know what to do but you know it is wrong and it violates everything you are. Thoreau said if you want to destroy the Christian faith, first take away Sunday. He was right. It is a holy day for those who know Jesus Christ as Savior; it cannot be a holiday. For those of you who have gathered around the cross and have been saved and washed clean by His blood it is a sacrilege to do anything else on that day except to celebrate what God has done. If we abuse Sunday, we are going to destroy something beautiful which God has given. No Sunday means no church. No church means no worship. No worship means no religion. No religion means no morality. No morality means no society. No society means no government. No government means anarchy. That's the choice before us." What a statement printed by the Ministerial Association of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and printed by the Pacific Press!
10. By idly standing by permitting new theology to be preached, disregarding the sanctuary message – a pillar of our pioneer faith.
11. In Toronto 2000 session we were told that we should no longer give any doctrinal book or any other books to people in an effort to interest them in our belief. Can you imagine? In other words, stop preaching the Three Angels' Messages. Sounds unbelievable but its an undisputed fact.
In summary, the following was personally gleaned from the World Radio Missions Special Report #5 October 2000: "'Transgression has almost reached its limit. Confusion fills the world and a great terror is soon to come upon human beings. The end is very near. God's people should be preparing for what is to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise.' Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, p. 28. The papal pent-up fury of two centuries against the United States will be soon unleashed. Every provision for this is now being laid. 'It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal.' Great Controversy p. 622. 'When they should say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape.' 1 Thessalonians 5:3.
"A study of Rome's history reveals that she works under cover to prepare all things to her purpose. Everything appears to be going well, even better than usual, and then suddenly she strikes without warning with breathtaking speed, with every avenue of escape cut off. This is what happened at the Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre and at the 1641 massacre of Protestants in Northern Ireland where an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 Protestants were killed.
"Ellen White states, 'If the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon-coming contest, he has but to trace the record of the means which Rome employed for the same object in ages past.' Great Controversy p. 573,574. 'Those who delay in preparation for the day of God cannot obtain it in the day of trouble or in any subsequent time. The case of all such is hopeless.' Great Controversy p. 620."
Let these inspired words be ever present in your mind. In this study we have seen the plans of the antichrist for the woman to ride the beast. It must be remembered that the devil uses the state to persecute. It is when the woman rides the beast, in church – state union, that persecution breaks out. This is why we have studied in detail the development of the UN which is nothing but the tool of the papacy to prepare for the coming of the antichrist.
When the deadly wound of 1798 is fully healed the beast power, the papacy, will emerge to rule the world just before the Second Coming of Jesus. It will roar back to power ascending out of the bottomless pit. "The beast which thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is." Revelation 17:8. "Come hither; I will show unto you the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters." Revelation 17:1.
The beast of Revelation 17:8 is the church-state union of the papacy riding the state. Let us read again, "The beast which thou sawest was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition; and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written in the book life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is." Note the word "was." It refers to the papal world rule of 1260 years ending in 1798 AD The words "is not" refers to the date when the deadly wound separated the church from the state power and continues till the wound heals. The words "ascended out of the bottomless pit" refer to a resurgent papal power at the end time until it goes into perdition. It also refers to an atheistic power, akin to communism. See Great Controversy p. 268, 269.
Here is brought to view a new manifestation of satanic power. When the resurgent papacy, riding back to power on the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit comes back to power, "they that dwell on the earth shall wonder." Revelation 17:8. This is exactly the same kind of language used in Revelation 13:3 after the healing of the deadly wound, "And his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast." In describing the resurging papacy, John the Revelator clearly identifies the beast power in Revelation 17:8 as the woman, the papal church, riding the beast back to global power.
Today, since Vatican II, the Jesuit's have combined Marxist ideology and practice with Catholic theology to form liberation theology. Every level and stratum of American life is being combined to Sovietize America preparing for Rome's rule. Gorbachev, at the head of the global, Marxist, Green Cross environmental movement for global government, is the right-hand man of the pope. Liberation theology and the social gospel unite Marxism with Catholic theology. The papacy has joined forces with communist power to overwhelm America and thus open the door to global rule.
"Let it be remembered, it is the boast of Rome that she never changes. The principles of Gregory VII and Innocent III are still the principles of the Roman Catholic Church. And had she but the power, she would put them in practice with as much vigor now as in past centuries." Great Controversy p. 581. In Revelation 18, the chapter dealing with the fall of Babylon the Great, in verse 13 we read that the merchants of Babylon the Great deal in slaves and the souls of men. The word "slaves" can be translated either "slaves" or "bodies." Therefore we conclude that there will be slavery from the national Sunday law till the Second Coming of Jesus.
Revelation 13:16 reveals that the mark of the beast will be imposed by the image of the beast (that's the United States) on both free and bond. In Revelation 19:8 all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven are invited to eat the flesh of all (notice the words) free and bond at the battle of Armageddon when Christ defeats the combined armies of the beasts and the kings of the earth and those that receive the mark of the beast and worship his image. All of this tells us that there will be slavery in the last days of this earth's history, certainly from the time of the National Sunday Law and the little time of trouble through to the Second Coming of Christ Jesus.
The pen of Inspiration tells us that at the time of the global Sunday law many will be cast into bondage. "As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christiandom against commandment keepers shall withdraw the protection of the government and abandon them to those who desire their destruction. The people of God will flee from the cities and villages and associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places. Many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains. Like the Christians of the Piedmont Valleys, they will make the high places of the earth their sanctuaries and will thank God for 'the munitions of rocks.' Isaiah 33:16. But many of all nations and all classes, high and low, rich and poor, black and white, will be cast into the most unjust and cruel bondage. The beloved of God pass weary days bound in chains, shut in by prison bars, sentenced to be slain, some apparently left to die of starvation in dark in loathsome dungeons." Great Controversy p. 626.
What a picture of things to come! But let us praise God for I continue to read of hope in the future, "Though enemies may thrust them into prison, yet dungeon walls cannot cut off communications between their souls and Christ. One who sees their every weakness, who is acquainted with every trial, is above all earthly powers; and angels will come to them in lonely cells, bringing light and peace from heaven. The prison will be as a palace; for the rich in faith dwell there, and the gloomy walls will be lighted up with heavenly light as when Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises at midnight in the Philippian dungeon." Great Controversy p. 627. Praise the Lord! What assurance!
Now is the time to make spiritual preparation. "Those who delay a preparation for the day of God cannot obtain it in the time of trouble or at any subsequent time. The case of all such is hopeless." Great Controversy p. 620. Let these inspired words be ever present in your mind.
Dear Father, in the fearful hours to come we trust in Thy sealing power to keep us faithful. Help us now to be ready. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
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