Manuscript Releases, vol. 15 [Nos. 1136-1185]

MR No. 1165—Heaven's Judgments on the Wicked; God's People Sealed

(Entire journal entry for Sabbath, February 9, 1895, written at Granville, N.S.W.; and partial entry for Sabbath, February 16, 1895).

Thursday, February 7, Brethren Rousseau and McKenzie came from Dora Creek to Granville. Brother Rousseau had business to do in the interest of the school grounds. 15MR 217.1

Sabbath Brother Rousseau went to Ashfield. Byron Belden, Sarah Belden, and Sister May Lacey accompanied me to my appointment at Prospect. I had freedom in speaking upon the invitation given to the marriage supper of the Lamb and the excuses made refusing the invitation. Then I read letters from Brother Haskell which deeply interested them, and our meeting closed quite late. Read letters also from Edson White. 15MR 217.2

As we left the house we saw a storm coming. The blackness grew deeper—so portentous that we drove with our colts as fast as we dared. When we were almost home the fury of the gale struck. Large hailstones began to fall—as large around as a hen's egg, but not as long. The horses could not keep their footing and twice slipped down on their haunches, for the road was slippery clay. The great hailstones frightened the young horse, for they were striking her with terrible force. 15MR 217.3

I said, “Byron, get out at once.” He had not considered this the best thing to do, thinking he could control the horse better where he was, in the carriage. I said, “Go to her head; talk to her. Let the horses know it is not you that are beating them.” He jumped out at this suggestion. I said, “May Lacey and Sarah, get out.” They did but they cannot tell how. The colt was about frantic. She is a strong, sound colt, but broken to the harness only a few months. But she did not kick, neither did she break into a run, but tried to get away from something terrible. 15MR 217.4

I got out next, May and Sarah helping me. Then they helped me, one on one side and one on the other. The wind was blowing with such force that hats were taken from our heads and cushions were blown from the wagon. The heavy carriage cushions, umbrellas, and heavy carriage robes were blown into the field, and were flying in every direction. But we were all out from the carriage, Byron firmly holding the young frightened horse. Had it known its power, it could have freed itself from his grasp and torn everything to pieces and killed itself. 15MR 218.1

What a scene! Sister Belden, May Lacey, and I reached the house hatless. I grasped my hat in my hand as it was blowing before me on the ground. All of us three women were in the home drenched. Byron was with the poor terror-stricken new horse. Sarah Belden caught up a shawl and ran out again in the fast-falling hail. We could not see them although they were in full sight of the house. The fast-falling rain made it impossible to discern anything distinctly. We could only lift up our hearts to God for His help. 15MR 218.2

Byron said afterwards he did not dare to stir up the horses, fearing my horse would become uncontrollable. The colt was finally led close to the paddock fence, and Sarah Belden tried to untackle the traces but could not. She then climbed over the fence and held the horse's head over the fence while Byron unhitched the traces and let the horse free. He then led her down to the yard, taking her through the front yard grounds. Sarah Belden came into the house drenched to the skin. After the storm had spent its force, Byron again took the colt and attached her to the wagon and picked up the scattered things which had been blown about, and brought them to the house. 15MR 218.3

This is the sharpest experience I have ever had in a carriage in a storm. When the blackness deepened, with the clouds in the south, I supposed it would be no ordinary storm that we should have, and I thought of the day when the judgment of God would be poured out upon the world, when blackness and horrible darkness would clothe the heavens as sackcloth of hair. We have no question but our prayers were answered and the angel of God stood by the horses’ heads. Nothing was broken. The Lord preserved us, and His name shall be glorified. But I was deeply impressed. My imagination anticipated what it must be in that period when the Lord's mighty voice shall give commission to His angels, “Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth” (Revelation 16:1). 15MR 219.1

Thy right hand, O God, shall dash in pieces Thine enemies. Revelation 6 and 7 are full of meaning. Terrible are the judgments of God revealed. The seven angels stood before God to receive their commission. To them were given seven trumpets. The Lord was going forth to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth was to disclose her blood and no more cover her slain. Give the description in chapter 6. 15MR 219.2

When the plagues of God shall come upon the earth, hail will fall upon the wicked about the weight of a talent. The hail had struck Brother Belden. One stone struck him on the back of the head, raising a large lump. Another stone struck him very near the temple. The bruise still shows upon the hands of Sister Belden. But what must it be when the hail shall be so much increased in size, falling upon those who would not care for and obey God but insulted Him and despised all His mercies? 15MR 220.1

But there are mercies mixed with judgment. Revelation 7:3, 4. The Lord has a people whom He will preserve. John beheld the “four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree” (Revelation 7:1, 3) till the seal of the living God shall be placed upon those who love God and keep His commandments. The elements of nature are to be placed in the power of angels of God. He holdeth the winds in His fists; He gathereth the waters in the hollow of His hand; He maketh the clouds His chariot; “The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King forever” (Proverbs 30:4; Isaiah 40:12; Psalm 104:3; 29:10). 15MR 220.2

The Lord is ruler of nations. The sequence of nature is under God's jurisdiction. God works by His own laws, for He is a God of order. God works; Jesus worked when He was upon earth, holding back the impatient winds, controlling the tempests, calming the angry sea, and rolling up the mighty deep, piling up the walls, making a path for the more than a million of His people that He was delivering from Egyptian slavery, suffering not the hurricane of waters to pursue their natural course until every soul of Israel whom He had delivered was safely on the other side of the sea. Then the impetuous waters that had been held back for the saving of Israel, at His word, through the human agent lifting that rod—that simple stick—rushed on as before, and not one soul escaped of that vast army. Pharaoh and all his host were slain. 15MR 220.3

God gives the sea its decree. He walketh on the wings of the wind. And if we have been mercifully shielded from accident, if lightning and tempest have passed us by unharmed, if the waves that talked with death have submerged the proud vessels but have brought the one on which we sailed to the harbor, let us bow in gratitude to God and thank Him that the power of mighty angels, at His bidding, have held back the winds and waves that they did not destroy. 15MR 221.1

And what a representation is given in Revelation 7 for our consideration and comfort and encouragement! The four angels are commissioned to do a work upon the earth. But One who purchased the world by giving Himself for its ransom has a chosen few. Who? Those who are keeping all of the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. 15MR 221.2

John's attention was called to another scene: “And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God” (Revelation 7:2). Who is this? The Angel of the covenant. He comes from the sunrising. He is the Dayspring from on high. He is the Light of the world. “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). This is the One Isaiah describes: “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). He cried, as One who had superiority over the hosts of angels in heaven “to whom it was given to hurt the earth, and the sea, saying, “hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads” (Revelation 7:2, 3). 15MR 221.3

Here is the divine and human united. The command is given to the four angels to hold in check the four winds until they receive His summons. Read the entire chapter. The cry, “Hurt not,” is uttered by the Restorer, the Redeemer. 15MR 222.1

Judgment and wrath were to be repressed only for a little space until a certain work was done. The message, the last message of warning and mercy, has been retarded in doing its work by the selfish love of money, the selfish love of ease, and the unfitness of man to do a work that needs to be done. The angel that is to lighten the earth with His glory has waited for human instrumentalities through whom the light of heaven could shine, and they thus cooperate to give, in its sacred, solemn importance, the message which is to decide the destiny of the world. 15MR 222.2

But the churches are not awake. New life must enter into the churches. The last work of warning and mercy for a fallen world is being done. None are to be deceived, thinking to lay their individual work on somebody else. When this probationary time shall close, there is no opportunity for those who have received the warning message, the proclamation of pardon and salvation, and have refused—have turned from light and truth and accepted fables—to be justified. There is no second bidding to the marriage feast, no intermediate state when another call will be made to come to the heavenly feast. 15MR 222.3

Now is the time to work, just now. There is not a moment to lose. All national, denominational, and sectarian distinctions between rank and rank, between caste and caste, are lost. The message is to be proclaimed in the highways and byways and hedges. Every human agent is merging his character under one of two heads—the Prince of Life and the prince of darkness. To those who receive Christ He gives power to become loyal sons of God. They keep His commandments. The benediction rests upon them, “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14). The commandment breakers are left outside with the false shepherds whom they believed, and with “whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” (Revelation 22:15). 15MR 223.1

The work is before us individually. Our moral identity cannot be submerged in any human being. We shall be called of God to do our work according to our several ability. The vineyard is large and requires every jot of moral power everyone has had entrusted to him or her. Partition walls will be broken down. Everyone who will hear the message and believe the truth will no longer be confined, bound to creeds, but will take the Bible as his guide, as the very creed of life, as the waters of salvation. The very intensity of the light shining from heaven makes men messengers of truth and salvation. They cannot hold their peace. They have accepted the truth and emerged into the light, the light shining in these last days. 15MR 223.2

The message of warning is to be given with a deep sense of individual responsibility. Wealth, fame, renown, selfish exaltation will be extinguished, to be forever in the dust. The life-giving power from Christ in the human agent will not die. Saints will appear just what grace has made them. They praise God who sitteth on the throne, and the Lamb. They live forever and forever through the ceaseless ages of eternity. 15MR 224.1

If we serve sin we shall meet the reward of the transgressor of the law of Jehovah, before the judgment seat of Christ. The Lord Jesus is to judge the world. He can read the purpose of every life, see through every soul, discern the thought of every heart, estimate the feelings that prompt to every action. All the invitations of a gracious God—given, but slighted and refused and rejected—will be presented to every individual, and the sentence which will fix the destiny of the soul in eternal bliss or to be punished with the fiery element of the wrath of God will close the history of the wicked forever. 15MR 224.2

The condition given to the Hebrews in Egypt on that night when the firstborn were slain was that every family should manifest that faith in the message given them of God that would lead them to act in perfect obedience to the directions given them of God. Every member of the family was to be gathered into the dwelling place of the Hebrews. They were to eat the Passover with their preparations all made for their departure, even with their staffs in their hands. God was about to do His work in judgment, and this was to bring Pharaoh to understand that the Lord, He was God, and beside Him there was none else. 15MR 224.3

The angel of God was to pass over the houses of the Hebrews with the blood sprinkled on the lintels and doorposts. This sign was to be respected. 15MR 225.1

But suppose that the inmates of the house were careless and did not gather their children with them in the house? Or suppose the children who had been born and brought up in Egypt thought this only a whim, and altogether unnecessary, and should refuse the entreaties of their parents, making some excuse as did those called to the marriage supper? Then the judgment of God would not spare, but the stroke would as surely come upon the firstborn of the Hebrews as the firstborn of the Egyptians. 15MR 225.2

What is the condition of those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus? If in families there are those who are refusing obedience to the Lord in keeping His Sabbath, then the seal cannot be placed upon them. The sealing is a pledge from God of perfect security to His chosen ones (Exodus 31:13-17). Sealing indicates you are God's chosen. He has appropriated you to Himself. As the sealed of God we are Christ's purchased possession, and no one shall pluck us out of His hands. The seal given in the forehead is God, New Jerusalem. “I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God” (Revelation 3:12). 15MR 225.3

Parents, are you awake to gather your children with you into the fold? Are you making the salvation of Jesus Christ your first business? Do you educate and train your children to be obedient to you, their earthly father, that they may be obedient to God, their heavenly Father? This is your work—to leave nothing undone that you can do to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. 15MR 225.4

Sabbath, February 16, 1895—May Lacey accompanied me to Petersham, eleven miles, the new place of meeting. A neat hall was filled to overflowing. Brother McCullagh had spoken at Ashfield in the forenoon, Brother Hare had been at Parramatta, and both were at the meeting in Petersham. The Lord gave me much freedom in speaking upon the fourteenth of Luke, the first portion of the chapter. There was then a testimony meeting. Those newly come to the faith came from Ashfield, and they bore witness for Jesus. The blessing of the Lord rested upon us. Brethren Humphrey and Hardy appear entirely changed men in spirit. They were bearing the change in their very countenance. I thought of the words spoken by God, “A new heart will I give you” (Ezekiel 36:26). 15MR 226.1

I was much pleased to hear the assuring testimony given from the believers who came from Ashfield. Oh, that everyone would praise the Lord for His goodness! Meeting lasted three hours. Many testimonies were borne, and the Spirit of the Lord was resting upon the people. May and I then returned to Granville. We did not arrive at home until after dark. Brother Rousseau was unable to attend meeting. He has had an acute attack of fever and dizziness. He has overworked. Heroic treatment has been given him.—Manuscript 59, 1895. 15MR 226.2

Ellen G. White Estate

Washington, D. C.,

November 7, 1985.