The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

God’s Word Emerges from Obscurity

“After three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered unto them” (the Witnesses), and they “ascended up to heaven in a cloud.” ¹⁹ God’s time had come for his word to come out from obscurity and be replaced before the world. The time had come (1798) for missionary work to be done in the whole world. In 1804 the British Bible Society was organized. This was followed by scores of other Bible societies, and now the Bible is translated into all the leading languages of the world. Thus the Scriptures, the Two Witnesses, coming into prominence where all can see and read them, is compared to their ascending to heaven in a cloud. GSAM 82.1

In the time of the French Revolution, Voltaire stated that in one hundred years the Bible would be obsolete. In the one hundredth year from that date more Bibles were circulated in France alone than were known to be in existence when Voltaire made this vain boast. And the house even in which he made the statement is said to be used now as a Bible house. GSAM 82.2