A Word to the “Little Flock”

The Seven Last Plagues

“And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.” - Revelation 15:1. AWLF 1.9

For more than one year, it has been my settled faith, that the seven last plagues were all in the future, and that they were all to be poured out before the first resurrection. AWLF 1.10

It may not be my duty to attempt to point out each plague separately, but only give some of my reasons for believing that they are yet to be poured out, prior to the second advent. By the light of the brightly shining lamp, (the bible) we can see the events of our past experience distinctly; while future events may not be seen in their order so clearly. AWLF 1.11

If it be true that the plagues are yet to be poured out upon the earth before the resurrection and change of the saints, has not the time fully come for us to see the light in relation to them, that we may better see, and feel the force of Christ’s words? Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:36. AWLF 1.12

From the last clause of Revelation 15:1, “for in them is filled up the wrath of God,” it seems clear that all the wrath of God to be poured out on the living wicked, is contained in the plagues. The vails of wrath will certainly be poured out, in the day of the wrath of God, and of the Lamb. AWLF 1.13

Jesus is clearly represented in the bible, in his different characters, offices, and works. At the crucifixion he was the meek, slain lamb. From the ascension, to the shutting of the door, Oct. 1844, Jesus stood with wide-spread arms of love, and mercy; ready to receive, and plead the cause of every sinner, who would come to God by him. AWLF 1.14

On the 10th day of the 7th month, 1844, he passed into the Holy of Holies, where he has since been a merciful “high priest over the house of God.” But when his priestly work is finished there, he is to lay off his priestly attire, and put on his most kingly robes, to execute his judgment on the living wicked. Now where shall we look for the day of wrath, in which will be poured out the viols of wrath? Not to the crucifixion, nor while Jesus is fulfilling his Priesthood in the Heavenly Sanctuary. But, when he lays off his priestly attire, and puts on the “garments of vengeance” to “repay fury to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies;” then the day of his wrath will have fully come. As the “wrath of God” on the living wicked is “filled up” in the plagues, and as the day of wrath is future, it follows that the plagues are all future. I think the following is a prophesy which has been fulfilling since Oct. 1844. AWLF 2.1

“And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. AWLF 2.2

Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey; and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. AWLF 2.3

“And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor.” Isaiah 59:14, 15, 16. AWLF 2.4

I think that the next two verses, which speak of our Lord’s putting on the “garments of vengeance for clothing,” to “repay fury to his adversaries,” point to the wrath of God in the seven last plagues. God has shown this day of wrath, in prophetic vision, to some of his servants by different symbols. Ezekiel saw it in the men with “slaughter-weapons,” slaying “utterly, old and young.” - Ezekiel 9:5, 6. John saw it in the “seven last plagues;” while Esdras saw it in the famine, pestilence, and the sword. The Bible contains many descriptions of this soon expected day of wrath. AWLF 2.5

“A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee” - see Psalm 91:5-10. AWLF 2.6

“Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt;” - see Isaiah 13:6-11. AWLF 2.7

“And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem (the saints): Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongues shall consume away in their mouth.” - Zechariah 14:12. AWLF 2.8

“Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.” AWLF 2.9

“The seed is rotted under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down, for the corn is withered.” - see Joel 1:15-18; Jeremiah 30:23, 24; Daniel 12:1; Habakkuk 3:12, 13; Zephaniah 1:17, 18; 2nd Esdras, 15:10-13. I am quite sure that our Savior referred to the same, when he spake of “distress of nations, with perplexity;” “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” - Luke 21:26, 27. In the 36th verse we are exhorted to constant watchfulness and prayer, that we “may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man:” at his appearing. AWLF 2.10

This makes it sure, that the trouble comes before the second advent; for the saints are to escape it, before they “stand before the Son of man.” At the second appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, the living wicked, who are not swept off by the plagues, are to be destroyed by the “brightness of his coming.” - 2 Thessalonians 2:8. AWLF 3.1

This is positive proof that the plagues come before, and not after the advent; for the wicked will not suffer by the plagues, after they are destroyed by the burning glory of his coming. AWLF 3.2

The plagues of Egypt, and the deliverance of ancient Israel from bondage, clearly shadow forth the seven last plagues, and the deliverance of the saints. AWLF 3.3

“I will bring them (the saints) with a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm, and smite Egypt with plagues AS BEFORE,” etc. - 2 Edras, 15:11. “Zion shall be redeemed with judgment,” etc. - Isaiah 1:27. see Ezekiel 20:33-38. The plagues were poured out on Egypt just before, and at the deliverance of Israel; so we may expect the last plagues on the wicked, just before and at the deliverance of the saints. AWLF 3.4

We may see by the 91st Psalm, that many of the wicked are to be cut off, while the saints are on the earth, in their mortal state; for they are to fall by thousands all around them. AWLF 3.5

The saints are exhorted not to fear the plagues at that time, for God will give his angels charge over them, so that no plague shall come nigh their dwellings; but such an exhortation would be useless, if the saints are immortal before the plagues are poured out. AWLF 3.6

The men with slaughter-weapons in their hands have this charge, “come not near any man upon whom is the mark;” which shows that the marked saints are in their mortal state, at the slaying time. AWLF 3.7

But the humble followers of the Lamb, have nothing to fear from the terrors of the day of his wrath; for they will be sealed before the plagues are poured out. AWLF 3.8

The man “clothed with linen,” marks the saints before the slaying commences. AWLF 3.9

The “four angels” are not to hurt the “earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,” till the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads. - Revelation 7:1-3. AWLF 3.10

The marking or sealing of the saints, seems to be shadowed forth by the marking of the side posts and upper door posts of the houses of all Israel, before the Lord passed through Egypt, to slay the first-born of the Egyptians. AWLF 3.11

Israel was safe; for God was their protector in that perilous night. The true Israel of God will be safely protected, when Christ rules the nations with a “rod of iron,” and dashes them “in pieces like a potter’s vessel;” for he has promised to give his angels charge over them, to keep them in all their ways. AWLF 3.12

Those who keep the word of Christ’s “patience” in this time of waiting, and trial, will then be kept “FROM the hour of temptation, (or trial) which shall come on all the WORLD, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” - Revelation 3:10. AWLF 3.13

Those who do every well known duty to God, and his children: and confess their faults to God, and to one another: and are healed from their faults: will safely rest in the arms of the holy angels, while the burning wrath of God is being poured out on those who have rejected his counsel, and commandments. But I must leave this subject for the present, and close with the exhortation of the prophet: AWLF 3.14

“Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” - Zephaniah 2:3. AWLF 3.15