The Abiding Gift of Prophecy

10. The Glorious Consummation Depicted

“Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12. The controversies of the ages have clustered about this issue. But here, likewise, Mrs. White is notably harmonious with the word: AGP 291.1

“The great plan of redemption results in fully bringing back the world into God’s favor. All that was lost by sin is restored. Not only man but the earth is redeemed, to be the eternal abode of the obedient. For six thousand years, Satan has struggled to maintain possession of the earth. Now God’s original purpose in its creation is accomplished. ‘The saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 342.

“The work of redemption will be complete. In the place where sin abounded, God’s grace much more abounds. The earth itself, the very field that Satan claims as his, is to be not only ransomed but exalted. Our little world, under the curse of sin the one dark blot in His glorious creation, will be honored above all other worlds in the universe of God. Here, where the Son of God tabernacled in humanity; where the King of glory lived and suffered and died,—here, when He shall make all things new, the tabernacle of God shall be with men, ‘and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.’ All through endless ages as the redeemed walk in the light of the Lord, they will praise Him for His unspeakable Gift,—Immanuel, ‘God with us.’” The Desire of Ages, 26.

“Restored to His presence, man will again, as at the beginning, be taught of God…. There, when the veil that darkens our vision shall be removed, and our eyes shall behold that world of beauty of which we now catch glimpses through the microscope; when we look on the glories of the heavens, now scanned afar through the telescope; when, the blight of sin removed, the whole earth shall appear ‘in the beauty of the Lord our God,’ what a field will be open to our study! There the student of science may read the records of creation, and discern no reminders of the law of evil. He may listen to the music of nature’s voices, and detect no note of wailing or undertone of sorrow. In all created things he may trace one handwriting,—in the vast universe behold ‘God’s name writ large,’ and not in earth or sea or sky one sign of ill remaining.”—Education, 302, 303.

It should be borne in mind that the claims of Mrs. Ellen G. White to divine inspiration are on trial in this study. We are testing them by the word of God. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20. AGP 292.1