The Sprit of Prophecy in looking down to the last parabolical hour shows that importance of this last hour of labor as it says: “But I speak not my own words when I say that God’s Spirit will pass by those who have had their day of test and opportunity, but who have not distinguished the voice of God or appreciated the movings of His Spirit. Then thousands in the eleventh hour will see and acknowledge the truth.” Selected Messages Book 2, pp. 16.
It must be during the eleventh hour, the last hour of probationary time for the world, that some will have their first opportunity to accept the truth which others prior to the eleventh hour have turned down, as the servant of the Lord says: “Large Numbers Accept the Truth. –The time of God’s destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who have no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched; His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time (RH July 5, 1906).” S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 7, pp. 979.
In speaking of this time of the Eleventh hour, or Loud Cry, the servant of the Lord says: “Notwithstanding the spiritual darkness and alienation from God that exist in the churches which constitute Babylon, the great body of Christ’s true followers are still to be found in their communion. There are many of these who have never seen the special truths for this time. Not a few are dissatisfied with their present condition and are longing for clearer light. . .
“. . . the light of truth will shine upon all whose hearts are open to receive it, and all the children of the Lord that remain in Babylon will heed the call: ‘Come out of her, My people’ (Revelation 18:4).” Great Controversy, pp. 390.
Our study in this booklet deals with the parable of the householder who went out at five different times to hire laborers to work in His vineyard. As Seventh-day Adventist most of us have not understood the meaning of this parable in its fullness. As we understand this parable in the light of the fact that during one of these calls, the Lord commissioned us as a people to labor in His vineyard, this parable takes on a new significance and meaning.
Old Truths Seen In A New Light.
There is yet much precious truth to be revealed to the people in this time of peril and darkness, but it is Satan’s determined purpose to prevent the light of truth from shining into the hearts of men. If we would have the light that has been provided for us, we should show our desire for it by diligently searching the Word of God. Precious truths that have long been in obscurity are to be revealed in a light that will make manifest their sacred worth; for God will glorify His Word, that it may appear in a light in which we have never before beheld it.” Testimonies on Sabbath School Work p. 62.
“The old truths will be presented, but they will be seen in a new light. There will be a new perception of truth, a clearness and a power that all will discern. Those who have the privilege of sitting under such a ministry will, if susceptible to the Holy Spirit’s influence, feel the energizing power of a new life. The fire of God’s love will be kindled within them. their perceptive faculties will be quickened to discern the beauty and majesty of truth.” Christ’s Object Lessons pp. 130-131.
Being in a Laodicean condition, we truly need the Holy Spirit’s energizing power of a new life and to have our perceptive faculties quickened to discern the beauty and majesty of truth as never before and to accept whatever channels the Lord may choose to use. With this thought in mind let us go into the subject of Matthew 20:
Five Call For Laborers.
“For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” Matt.20:1-7.
How can we know for a certainty in which hour we find ourselves, and if our own call to service has come? We can know only by establishing the time in which the last parabolic hour expires. And to do this we must first establish the time of the first call for servants, then in turn the time of each successive call, culminating with the last. First, though, pursuant to this end, we must bring into focus the parable’s significant points:
(1) The “Householder,” as every Bible student knows, is the Lord Himself, (2) The laborers are His servants. (3) The penny is their reward. (4) His vineyard is the place where they are to labor. (5) The day is parabolical-representing a period of time which is illuminated by some great light (John 9:4). (6) The period of labor must be preceded and succeeded by a night—else there could be no “early” and no “late” part to the day. (7) The Householder hires laborers at five different times. (8) There are four three-hour periods. (9) In each of the first three periods, only one group is hired. (10) In the fourth and last period of three hours, two groups are hired. (11) The agreement for a penny a day is made only with the first group. (12) The other groups are to receive “whatsoever is right.” (13) At the day’s end all are given the same pay—a penny, even though the last worked only an hour. (14) The first were paid last; the last, first.
At Breaking Of Day.
Now to find out in which hour we are told. “Go ye also, ” we must here at the outset of this go-to-work study, determine where in time the parable begins and where it ends. To gain this vital knowledge is simply to reckon with the sequentially amplifying facts that the parabolical night which preceded the parabolical day must necessarily be the period before the spiritual “Light of the world,” the Bible, came up—before the light of the Scriptures, the written Word of God, began to shine forth into the hearts of men. For back there, it must be remembered, the will of God was transmitted, not by the Bible, but orally from father to son, just as the light of the sun at night is transmitted to the earth by the moon, rather than directly by the sun itself. For this reason it has come to be regarded as the time of oral tradition. The Spirit of Prophecy tells us: “During the first twenty-five hundred years of human history, there was no written revelation. Those who had been taught of God, communicated their knowledge to others, and it was handed down from father to son, through successive generations. The preparation of the written word began in the time of Moses. Inspired revelations were then embodied in an inspired book. This work continued during the long period of sixteen hundred years–from Moses, the historian of creation and the law, to John, the recorder of the most sublime truths of the gospel.” Great Controversy ( Introduction p. (V).
But the day of labor obviously represents the period in which “the Light of the world,” the Bible itself, lightens man’s path. Thus it is that in His parable, the Master, the Lord of the vineyard, regards the Old and New Testament dispensations as the only day period of all probationary time, in which He goes to the market-place at five consecutive times to hire servants to work in His vineyard.
Night-Time
Finally, the night following the day can only represent the period after the gospel work is finished, after probation for man’s salvation is closed. Then, as the “Light of the World” (the Word of God) sinks beyond the horizon of the day, darkness covers “the earth, and gross darkness the people.” Isa. 60:2. It is the time which finds the destiny of every being forever fixed. Then follows the Lord’s irrevocable finality:
“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Rev . 22:11.
It is the time when men “shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord, and shall not find it” (Amos 8:12); the time when the unmindful of the Master’s call, and the impenitent of sin, realize and cry out in frenzied and agonized despair: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!” Jer. 8:20.
It is only logical to assume that in the spiritual as well as the literal harvest, it would be foolish to send out laborers after all the harvest had been gathered in and nothing was left but the tares.
The truth has now become clear that the parable divides the time of salvation into two equal parts of twelve symbolical hours each-the period before the Bible (the night), and the period during the Bible (the day). Lending additional force to the fact that the parable thus divides time, Jesus declares:
“Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.” John 11:9.
Same Pay—Less Hours.
Proceeding now, we come to another point of special significance: the first four groups were hired at consecutive intervals three parabolical hours apart; whereas the fifth, the last group, the one hired at the eleventh hour, came only two, instead of three hours, later than the fourth group, and thus only one parabolical hour before the day’s end—shortly before probation closes.
This two-hour period, from the ninth hour to the eleventh hour, is a singularity which comes as a climatic exception to the master pattern of sequential and regular three-hour intervals between calls. It obviously reveals that the last call comes unexpectedly and surprisingly within the period of the ninth-hour group. Hence there are only two parabolical hours for the one group, and only one parabolical hour for the other group.
Although the last group of laborers work only one hour they receive the same pay as the others.
Early In The Morning—First Call For Laborers.
To determine the identity of the laborers participating in each of the five different calls, we necessarily begin our quest with the servants of the First Call:
We have already seen that it is the Bible, the spiritual “Light of the world,” that makes the parabolical day. We all know, moreover, that the Bible arrived with the Exodus movement; as the Spirit of Prophecy told us that “the preparation of the written word began in the time of Moses.” Great Controversy, Introduction p. V. Since the arrival of the written word, the Lord never bargained, as it were, with another people, and that they were the only ones to whom He ever committed the ceremonial covenants and all their rewards and promises. (See Ex. 19:S-8, Deut. 28:) Inescapably, therefore, the first group of the parable, those who went to labor “Early in the Morning,” at the rising of the spiritual light, the Bible, and with whom the bargain was made to receive a penny a day, were ancient Israel as they were going out of Egypt, the time of which was early in the parabolical day. In concord the Spirit of Prophecy declares:
“The Jews had been first called into the Lord’s vineyard….” Christ’s Object Lessons p. 400.
First Incorporated Church.
“Soon after the encampment at Sinai, Moses was called up into the mountain to meet with God. Alone he climbed the steep and rugged path, and drew near to the cloud that marked the place of Jehovah’s presence. Israel was now to be taken into a close and peculiar relation to the Most High–to be incorporated as a church and a nation under the government of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets p. 303.
Israel To Evangelize The Whole World.
“The children of Israel were to occupy all the territory which God appointed them. Those nations that rejected the worship and service of the true God were to be dispossessed. But it was God’s purpose that by the revelation of His character through Israel men should be drawn unto Him. To all the world the gospel invitation was to be given. Through the teaching of the sacrificial service, Christ was to be uplifted before the nations, and all who would look unto Him should live. All who, like Rahab the Canaanite and Ruth the Moabitess, turned from idolatry to the worship of the true God were to unite themselves with His chosen people. As the numbers of Israel increased, they were to enlarge their borders until their kingdom should embrace the world.” Prophets and Kings. p. 19.
At that early hour, as God began to indite the Scriptures (as the Light that lightens the hearts of men began to rise), “He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:” Ps. 105: 8-10.
The Third Hour—Second Call For Laborers.
Having thus by the first call for servants solidly established the time in which the parabolical go-to-work calls started, we are now to ascertain the call-time and work-period of the servants of the Second Call.
The second group, those sent at the Third Parabolical Hour, must necessarily be the ones who were called to the work next. And they were, of course, the early Christians. Significantly enough, too, the Lord was crucified at the Third Hour of the day (Mark 15:25), and likewise Pentecost came at the Third Hour of the day (Acts 2:15).
A New Message Each Time.
Another point of significance of which we should take note is the fact that the messages borne by these first two groups, by ancient Israel and by the early Christians, were not of a reformatory nature; they were not old, forgotten truths in process of revival and restoration; rather each was a new revelation, “meat in due season”—present Truth especially adapted to meet the needs of the people in their respective times. ” In every age there is a new development of truth, a message of God to the people of that generation.” Christ’s Object Lessons p. 127. “For His church in every generation God has a special truth and a special work.” Christ’s Object Lessons p. 78. The former group were inspired and commissioned to teach and practice the truths of salvation as embodied in the ceremonial system; and practice the same immutable truths in their advanced light—advanced from typical to antitypical representation, from the ministration in the earthly tabernacle to the ministration in the heavenly one; that is, from the sacrifice of a lamb of the flock to the sacrifice of Christ Himself, the Lamb of God. Thus the latter group taught the old truths in a new and original light, in the light of the gospel—that Christ was crucified for the remission of sin, resurrected in triumph over sin and death, and ascended to make atonement and reconciliation for the penitent sinner, not in an earthly, but in an heavenly, tabernacle.
Since the messages of the first two groups (the one carried by the Exodus Movement, and the other carried by the Christians) were each in their respective times fresh from glory, that fact logically establishes itself as Divine precedent and pattern for all the messages of the parable. Accordingly, each of the three remaining groups must likewise be entrusted with a message of new and distinctive revelation, of “meat in due season”—truth adapted especially and fully to meet the needs of God’s people at the time then present. Therefore, we need only to trace down through the annals of church history the unfolding of the scroll, till we come upon a newly and originally revealed and proclaimed truth subsequent to the message of the first advent of Christ. It must point out the servants of the Third Call:
The Sixth Hour—Third Call For Laborers.
The Protestant Reformation, being purely an endeavor to restore old, down-trodden truths, and not to reveal new, advanced ones, had no new message of its own-nothing that had not already been taught in times past. It therefore follows that the third group and message must be sought during the years following the Reformation.
The only revelation of New Prophetic Truth, subsequent to the Reformation, is the announcement of the year in which was to begin the work of cleansing the sanctuary, primarily in behalf of the dead (based on Daniel 8:14, but not then fully understood). As its announcement was made by the First-day Adventists, it necessarily follows that they were the third group of servants with a new and distinctive message. And as it is well known, they started proclaiming it in the year 1833, announcing that the cleansing of the sanctuary was to commence in the year 1844. Thus in 1833 the clock of parabolic time struck the hour of six. See Great Controversy pp. 317-422.
The Ninth Hour—fourth Call For Laborers.
The statement, “Again He went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise,” in speaking of the two calls, not singly, as in the cases of the two preceding calls, but conjointly, shows that the “sixth hour” message and servants were to be closely related to and associated with the message and with the servants of the fourth Call:
So it was that the sixth-hour group and message, that of the First-day Adventists, and the ninth-hour group and message, that of our Seventh-day Adventist denomination, fused into one because the message of the former was in itself Divinely designed to bring the message of the latter to light. Moreover, as soon as the terminus of the prophetic “2300 days” (Daniel 8:14) was reached in October, 1844, just then Daniel 8:14; 7:9; 12:10-12, along with Revelation 14:6,7 (the First Angel’s Message in its primary phase),were first proclaimed by our Seventh-day Adventist denomination, “saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:7.
Thus we as Seventh-day Adventists in 1844 began to proclaim what was termed “the investigative judgment of the dead,” which in Scriptural terms is the casting out of those who have not the wedding garment on (Matt. 22:11-13), the shutting out of the five foolish virgins (Matt. 25:10), the dividing of the sheep and goats (Matt. 25:32,33), the separating of the bad “fish” from the good “fish” (Matt. 13:48)—each of these among the dead. Symonymously, we rightly understood it to be “the antitypical day of atonement”—the day in which are removed from the Books in Heaven the names of those who in closing their life’s career failed to attain eligibility to come up in the first resurrection, in the resurrection of the holy ones (Rev. 20:5,6). All these aspects are comprehended in the words: “Then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed.” Dan. 8:14.
As the cleansing of the Sanctuary in behalf of the dead is necessarily purely a book transaction, that is the reason for its taking place only in the Heavenly Sanctuary. Hence, the names of the ineligible for the “first resurrection” are screened from the names of the eligible ones. That Heaven’s books deal with all aspects of life is evident from Ps. 56:8; 69:28; 139:16; Dan. 12:1; Mal. 3:16; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5, etc. Hence, prophecy reveals that when “the judgment was set, . . . the books were opened.” Dan. 7:10.
As the judgment-hour message is of a character and importance singular in all church history; also as it is the only prophetic message to sound subsequent to the sixth-hour message; nothing can be more certain than as it went forth in 1844 for the first time, God’s parabolic timepiece then struck Nine.
Consequently the Ninth-Hour Group in the parable can be none other than our Seventh-day Adventist denomination, who was then on foot to proclaim that “the judgment was set, and the books were opened” (Dan. 7:10), and that any one who then, during the antitypical Day of Atonement for the dead, should be found among the dead with his sins unconfessed (his soul not afflicted, and without the wedding garment on) would be “cut off from among his people.” Matt. 22:11-13; Lev. 23:29. In brief, the message declared that the separation in the congregation of the dead had then begun.
Now that for the first time the parable is ablaze with light, none but the eye that is hopelessly gone out in dungeon darkness can fail to see distinctly that the message with which we Seventh-day Adventists were entrusted in 1844, at the ninth hour, is not the eleventh-hour message, not the message of the judgment of the living, but rather only of the judgment of the dead. Most of us have failed to perceive that the judgment hour message is in two sections. From 1844 to the present time, we have been declaring only that first phase which deals only with the dead. In giving the Loud Cry, we must proclaim the final section of the judgment—the judgment for the living.
Judgment Of The Dead To Be Proclaimed To Many.
The next decisive point of truth is that the judgment of the dead was to be proclaimed to “many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” Rev. 10:11. It is interesting to note how explicit the Scriptures are regarding the chronological order of William Miller’s message being followed by our own denomination’s message of the judgment for the dead, as John the Revelator says: “And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in they mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.” Rev. 10:9,10. All Seventh-day Adventists recognize this prophecy as applying to William Miller’s message, which is also known as the “great disappointment.” See Great Controversy pp. 374, 422
Now let us see what the Lord commissioned those to do who experienced that “great disappointment”: “And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” Rev. 10:11. Mark the word “many.” It never means “all,” and never means “every.” Since this verse of scripture foretells the expansion of the ninth-hour group and message, it will highly repay each one carefully to examine what Revelation 10:11 says on the subject. You dare not add to the Word nor subtract from it. Then compare it with the scriptures to follow, foretelling the expansion of the eleventh-hour group and message, and you will have the whole truth in reference to the finishing of the work.
Judgment Of The Living To Be Proclaimed To All.
The Judgment you see is in two phases, the judgment for the dead comes first, and then the judgment for the living commences, as the Spirit of Prophecy tells us: “As the books of record are opened in the judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the Living.” Great Controversy p. 483. “The judgment is now passing in the sanctuary above. For many years this work has been in progress. Soon-none know how soon—it will pass to the cases of the living.” Great Controversy p. 490. ” In 1844 our great High Priest entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, to begin the work of the investigative judgment. The cases of the righteous dead have been passing in review before God. When that work shall be completed , judgment is to be pronounced upon the living.” 1 Selected Messages p. 125.
Thus we see that the Judgment for the Living takes place at the commencement of the Loud Cry, which is yet future. As we have brought out before in our previous booklets, the judgment for the living commences when the wheat is separated from the tares in our church. Just as the judgment for the dead deals only with those who have professed Christ (G.C. 480) likewise when the judgment for the living commences here on earth, it commences at the house of God as Peter tells us: “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?” I Peter 4:17. The Spirit of Prophecy also tells us: “The time of the judgment is a most solemn period, when the Lord gathers His own from among the tares. Those who have been members of the same family are separated. A mark is placed upon the righteous.” Testimonies to Ministers p. 234.
The Eleventh Hour-Fifth Call For Laborers.
Thus we see that it is the second phase of the Judgment, the Judgment that deals with the living that will be Proclaimed as the last message. The eleventh-hour servants during the Loud Cry will proclaim not only that part of the judgment hour message which dealt with the dead, but will more especially proclaim that part of the judgment which deals with the living. We are told that the three angel’s messages are to be repeated as it says: “The fourteenth chapter of Revelation is a chapter of the deepest interest. This scripture will soon be understood in all its bearings, and the messages given to John the revelator will be repeated with distinct utterance (RH Oct. 13, 1904).” 7 Bible Commentary p. 978. When the three angel’s messages are repeated during the Loud cry, it will be dealing with the second phase of the judgment, that part that deals with the living saints that are to be judged at that particular time.
I think we will all agree that from the 11th to the 12th hour is the last hour of probationary time. The servant of the Lord forwarned us many years ago that those of us that do not remain faithful will not have a part in proclaiming the message during the 11th hour as she said: “But I speak not my own words when I say that God’s Spirit will pass by those who have had their day of test and opportunity, but who have not distinguished the voice of God or appreciated the movings of His Spirit. Then thousands in the eleventh hour will see and acknowledge the truth.” 2 Selected Messages p. 16. “The third angel’s message is to lighten the earth with its glory; but only those who have withstood temptation in the strength of the Mighty One will be permitted to act a part in proclaiming it when it shall have swelled into the loud cry.” R&H Nov. 19, 1908.
Now that the time has finally come for the Lord to recruit His eleventh-hour servants, this priceless parable is unfolded, and for the first time it is plainly seen that whereas the judgment for the dead was to be proclaimed to many nations and people, the judgment of the living is to be proclaimed to all nations and Inspiration Itself says:
Three Angel’s Messages Repeated During The Loud Cry.
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Rev. 14:6,7. Thus we see that when the first angel’s message is repeated again during the Loud Cry it will have a much greater emphasis as it will be dealing especially with those who are to be judged while they are living.
That the servants of the eleventh-hour call—those who “escape,” who are not “cut off” (Lev. 23:29) while “the house of God” is being judged (1 Peter 4:17), the event which signalizes the commencement of the judgment of the living, world-wide-are to be sent to all nations, Inspiration attests through the prophet Isaiah:
Final Harvest Reaped By Escaped Ones.
“For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many. . . .And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.” Isa. 66:15, 16, 19,20.
With these solemn words the Lord warns that the separation of the wheat from the tares (the antitypical Passover—Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 505,211; Vol. 1, pp. 190,198) is to take place among those who are of the household of God, the church, for the escaped ones are sent to the Gentiles who as yet have not heard of God’s fame and His glory. Obviously the angels who execute this slaughter are to take away from the church the unrighteous—those who are figuratively depicted in one instance as bad “fish”, and in another instance as “guests” not having “the wedding garment” on.
Here, let every serious-minded reader pause to ponder what Inspiration says: Verses 19 and 20 explain that those who escape the slaughter of verses 15 and 16, are to be sent as missionaries to the Gentiles, who as yet know not God. Hence these escaped (remaining) ones are God’s remnant, His first fruits of the harvest, His guileless servants, the 144,000—the elect. In Isaiah chapter 4: He calls those that remain in the church after the purification “holy”. “In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.” Isa. 4:2-4. “And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.” Isa. 62:12. And only they, none others, the Scriptures declare, shall bring all their brethren from all nations, in a clean vessel, into the purified house of the Lord. What is more, no right-thinking mind can even begin to conceive of the possibility that with any less holy and formidable an agency than such a mighty ministry-one escaped from sin, sinners, and judgment-can and will the Lord ever “finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness” (Rom. 9:28), thereby saving His people from the terrible tempest that is now about to break upon the earth and lash it length and breadth.
The servant of the Lord years ago told us of this mighty Loud Cry ministry that was to be disclosed to view when she said: “The great issue so near at hand will weed out those whom God has not appointed and He will have a pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the latter rain….” Selected Messages Book 3, pp. 385.
The servant of the Lord in speaking of the separation of the wheat from the tares said it was to be an “awful ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place.” “The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while 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. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths. We must be divested of our self-righteousness and arrayed in the righteousness of Christ.” 2 Selected Messages p. 380.
Satan’s Waterloo.
Satan grimly knows this. He knows his time is short and growing fearfully shorter. He knows that this faithful ministry are soon to be disclosed to view, and to take the field against him, as we are told: “When the earth is lighted with the glory of the angel of Revelation eighteen, the religious elements, good and evil, will awake from slumber, and the armies of the living God will take the field.” 7 Bible Commentary 983 -E. G. White. Satan knows that the purification, the church which will result in the bringing forth of the 144,000, the Loud Cry ministry, will be his Waterloo. Hence his supreme effort now to eliminate them. Finding out at last, though, that he cannot do so, his consequent aim will be to bring the time of trouble such as never was (Dan. 12:1), in hope of destroying all.
It was a similar mass-murder method that he employed in the days of Pharaoh, in his drowning the Hebrew male children (Ex. 1:22), in hope of doing away with Moses; and again in the days of Herod, in his fiendishly slaying all the infants “from two years old and under” (Matt. 2:16), in hope of doing away with Christ. But as God spared His own then, He will likewise spare His own today: Michael, the great Prince and Deliverer, shall stand up (Dan. 12:1) for all who stand up for Him, and whose names consequently are retained in the Book of life, and shall gloriously deliver them. These two aspects of the conflict—Satan’s aim to destroy God’s elect, and Michael’s aim to deliver them—bring “the great and dreadful day of the Lord,” which commences with the purification of God’s church.
Clearer Views Of Truth.
Although the newly revealed light of Truth now shining on the subject is new to all of us, it is not, of course new in the Bible. To keep us wide awake and on the alert to progressive unfoldment of Truth, the Spirit of God has through the years signaled our attention in the ensuing statements:
“I have been shown that Jesus will reveal to us precious old truths in a new light, if we are ready to receive them; but they must be received in the very way in which the Lord shall choose to send them. With humble, softened hearts, with respect and love for one another, search your Bibles. The light may not come in accordance with plans that men may devise.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, pp. 167.
“Wonderful possibilities are open to those who lay hold of the divine assurances of God’s word. There are glorious truths to come before the people of God. Privileges and duties which they do not even suspect to be in the Bible will be laid open before them. As they follow on in the path of humble obedience, doing His will, they will know more and more of the oracles of God.” Testimonies, Vol . 8, p. 322.
“We talk about the first angel’s message and the second angel’s message, and we think we have some understanding of the third angel’s message. But as long as we are content with a limited knowledge, we shall be disqualified to obtain clearer views of truth.” Gospel Workers p. 251.
The prophecies, we all know, are Heaven’s light to our feet. If we fail to open our eyes and hearts to them at the time the Lord would have us profit by the unrolling of the Scroll, how then shall we escape being like the blind leading the blind?
Is It Necessary To Know The Prophecies, Or Is The Love Of Jesus Enough?
We occasionally hear some say, “It isn’t necessary to understand doctrine or prophecies, to know the love of Jesus is sufficient.” Let us go to the inspired counsel of the Spirit of Prophecy and see what information we can find.
Must Grow In Grace And Knowledge.
“Peter exhorts his brethren to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Whenever the people of God are growing in grace, they will be constantly obtaining a clearer understanding of His word. They will discern new light and beauty in its sacred truths. This has been true in the history of the church in all ages, and thus it will continue to the end. But as real spiritual life declines, it has ever been the tendency to cease to advance in the knowledge of the truth. Men rest satisfied with the light already received from God’s word and discourage any further investigation of the Scriptures. They become conservative and seek to avoid discussion.” Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 706-707.
“The perils of the last days are upon us, and in our work we are to warn the people of the danger they are in. Let not the solemn scenes which prophecy has revealed be left untouched.” Testimonies to Ministers p. 118.
“Give the Trumpet a Certain Sound. –There are many who do not understand the prophecies relating to these days, and they must be enlightened. It is the duty of both watchmen and laymen to give the trumpet a certain sound. Be in earnest, “cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”– Letter 1, 1875.” Evangelism 194-195.
“Familiar With Every Line of Prophetic History.–Young men who desire to give themselves to the ministry, or who have already done so, should become familiar with every line of prophetic history.– Gospel Workers, p. 98. (1915)” Evangelism 198.
“Increased Light on the Prophecies.–Increased light will shine upon all the grand truths of prophecy, and they will be seen in freshness and brilliancy, because the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness will illuminate the whole.” Evangelism p. 198.
“Are we to wait until the fulfillment of the prophecies of the end before we say anything concerning them? Of what value will our words be then? Shall we wait until God’s judgments fall upon the transgressor before we tell him how to avoid them?” Testimonies, Vol. 9 p. 20.
“In the visions of the night a very impressive scene passed before me. I saw an immense ball of fire fall among some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I heard someone say: ‘We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know that they would come so soon.’ Others, with agonized voices, said: ‘You knew! Why then did you not tell us? We did not know.’ On every side I heard similar words of reproach spoken.” Testimonies, Vol. 9 p. 28.
I believe the above quotations are adequate enough to convince any honest soul that it is very vital to understand the prophecies, especially those pertaining to our day.
In 1888-1890, when Elders Jones and Waagoner attempted to bring the message of “the righteousness of Christ”, some accused them of removing the old landmarks. The same cry is again heard today. The Spirit of Prophecy defines for us what the old landmarks are:
“The Landmarks Defined.–In Minneapolis God gave precious gems of truth to His people in new settings. This light from heaven by some was rejected with all the stubbornness the Jews manifested in rejecting Christ, and there was much talk about standing by the old landmarks. But there was evidence they knew not what the old landmarks were. There was evidence and there was reasoning from the word that commended itself to the conscience; but the minds of men were fixed, sealed against the entrance of light, because they had decided it was a dangerous error removing the “old landmarks” when it was not moving a peg of the old landmarks, but they had perverted ideas of what constituted the old landmarks.
“The passing of the time in 1844 was a period of great events, opening to our astonished eyes the cleansing of the sanctuary transpiring in heaven, and having decided relation to God’s people upon the earth, [also] the first and second angels’ messages and the third, unfurling the banner on which was inscribed, “The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” One of the landmarks under this message was the temple of God, seen by His truth-loving people in heaven, and the ark containing the law of God. The light of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment flashed its strong rays in the pathway of the transgressors of God’s law. The nonimmortality of the wicked is an old landmark. I can call to mind nothing more that can come under the head of the old landmarks. All this cry about changing the old landmarks is all imaginary.
“Now at the present time God designs a new and fresh impetus shall be given to His work. Satan sees this, and he is determined it shall be hindered. He knows that if he can deceive the people who claim to believe present truth, [and make them believe that] the work the Lord designs to do for His people is a removing of the old landmarks, something which they should, with most determined zeal, resist, then he exults over the deception he has led them to believe.” Counsels to Writers and Editors pp. 30-31.
Apostles accused Of Preaching Contrary To Established doctrines.
“‘The angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.” We see here that the men in authority are not always to be obeyed, even though they may profess to be teachers of Bible doctrine. There are many today who feel indignant and aggrieved that any voice should be raised presenting ideas that differ from their own in regard to points of religious belief. Have they not long advocated their ideas as truth? So the priests and rabbis reasoned in apostolic days: What mean these men who are unlearned, some of them mere fishermen, who are presenting ideas contrary to the doctrines which the learned priests and rulers are teaching the people? They have no right to meddle with the fundamental principles of our faith.
“But we see that the God of heaven sometimes commissions men to teach that which is regarded as contrary to the established doctrines. Because those who were once the depositaries of truth became unfaithful to their sacred trust, the Lord chose others who would receive the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and would advocate truths that were not in accordance with the ideas of the religious leaders. And then these leaders, in the blindness of their minds, give full sway to what is supposed to be righteous indignation against the ones who have set aside cherished fables. They act like men who have lost their reason. They do not consider the possibility that they themselves have not rightly understood the word. They will not open their eyes to discern the fact that they have misinterpreted and misapplied the Scriptures, and have built up false theories, calling them fundamental doctrines of the faith.
“But the Holy Spirit will, from time to time, reveal the truth through its own chosen agencies; and no man, not even a priest or ruler, has a right to say, You shall not give publicity to your opinions, because I do not believe them. That wonderful “I” may attempt to put down the Holy Spirit’s teaching. Men may for a time attempt to smother it and kill it; but that will not make error truth, or truth error. The inventive minds of men have advanced speculative opinions in various lines, and when the Holy Spirit lets light shine into human minds, it does not respect every point of man’s application of the word. God impressed His servants to speak the truth irrespective of what men had taken for granted as truth.
“Present Dangers —Even Seventh-day Adventists are in danger of closing their eyes to truth as it is in Jesus, because it contradicts something which they have taken for granted as truth but which the Holy Spirit teaches is not truth.
“But let us follow the history of the men whom the Jewish priests and rulers thought so dangerous, because they were bringing in new and strange teaching on almost every theological subject.” Testimonies to Ministers pp. 69-71.
Brethren, for your soul’s sake, do not pass lightly over this life-and-death matter, for, as you have seen, the light shining on the subject illuminates the fact that subsequent to the ninth-hour group and message, there were first to come an addition to the message, then sealed servants—the all consequential message of the judgment of the living, and the all-powerful servants, “the escaped” ones, who are to go to “all nations,” rather than only to “many.” Initial assurance that there was to be an addition to the Third Angel’s Message, came to us long ago in the following words:
“I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven, descending to the earth, and again ascending to heaven, preparing for the fulfillment of some important event. Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message…
“…This message seemed to be an addition to the third message, joining it as the midnight cry joined the second angel’s message in 1844.” Early Writings p. 277.
In the book entitled, “A Word to the Little Flock”, a compilation by Elder James White, Mrs. E.G. White and Elder Joseph Bates, we are told there are five distinct messages in Rev. 14. As a denomination we have been teaching only the first three. (See Booklet #5 pp. 22-26)
“All classes of second advent believers agree, that the angel brought to view in the 6th, and 7th verses of this chapter, (Rev. 14:) represents the advent message, to the church and world. If this is true, then all five of the angels brought to view in this chapter represent five distinct messages, prior to the advent, or we are left without a rule to interpret this chapter.
“…it is plain that we live in the time of the third angel’s message. The last two angels are messages of prayer. We shall, no doubt, better understand them at the time of their fulfillment. “A Word to the Little Flock, pp. 10, 11.
Could it be that the 4th angel has the Judgment for the Living message that seals the 144,000 (the Loud-Cry Ministry), and the 5th angel represents that great power that will attend the Judgment hour message when it is given to bring in the great multitude during the time of the Loud Cry?
Plainly then, it is the eleventh-hour servants with the additional message, the message of the judgment of the living, who rescue God’s people out of Babylon. Indeed never until the Church herself has been freed from the hypocrites and the abominable, and thus made white and clean, can God morally pour out His Spirit in pentecostal power upon His people, and sound the cry: “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Rev. 18:4.
Many years ago the Spirit of Prophecy confirms this as it says: “God’s displeasure is upon His people, and He will not manifest His power in the midst of them while sins exist among them and are fostered by those in responsible positions.” Testimonies, Vol. 3 p. 270.
Note that the Voice which calls God’s people out of Babylon, clearly implies that there is no sin in the place to which the Voice calls them. Moreover, there could be no justification in calling them out of Babylon, to save them from the plagues which are to overtake her because of her sins, if the called-out ones are to be brought into another place of sin. The wages of sin could be no more or no less damaging in one place of sin than in another.
From these now unfolding scriptures it is plainly seen, too, that the message of the judgment of the living is Heaven’s final edition of glad tidings for the saints, and of sad tidings for the sinners. Hence it is to be proclaimed by guileless servants, the 144,000—The Servants of the Eleventh Hour:
Standing Idle In The Market Place
“And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, . . . Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” Matt. 20:3,5-7.
No Man Hath Hired Us.
What is implied in the statement, “no man hath hired us”? Let us turn to the Spirit of Prophecy to find our answer: “When the householder went to the market place at the eleventh hour and found men unemployed he said, ‘Why stand ye here all the day idle?’ The answer was, ‘Because no man hath hired us.'” Christ’s Object Lessons p. 399.
If the market place represents the church, the place where the householder recruits his laborers, then the statement by the laborers that “no man hath hired us” implies that they were not previously employed by the church. Would this not imply a laymen’s movement? Please note that the laborers hired were all standing idle when the householder came to hire laborers to work in His vineyard (Matt. 20: 1-7). Let us go back in history and see if the laborers hired were mostly composed of laymen or if they were of the recognized leaders of that day. Let us begin our search with those hired “Early in the Morning.”
Ancient Israel. (Early In The Morning)
Let us go back to the time of the first call, to ancient Israel going out of Egypt. You recall that the Exodus movement was a nation of slaves before their deliverance as the Spirit of Prophecy says: “God had promised to be their God, to take them to Himself as a people, and to lead them to a large and good land; but they were ready to faint at every obstacle encountered in the way to that land. In a marvelous manner He had brought them out from their bondage in Egypt, that He might elevate and ennoble them and make them a praise in the earth. But it was necessary for them to encounter difficulties and to endure privations. God was bringing them from a state of degradation and fitting them to occupy an honorable place among the nations and to receive important and sacred trusts.” Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 292
Even Moses their leader spent forty years in the school of Christ. While keeping sheep he exchanged his Egyptian training for the knowledge and wisdom of the Great I Am. The Spirit of Prophecy in commenting on this says: “Man would have dispensed with that long period of toil and obscurity, deeming it a great loss of time. But Infinite Wisdom called him who was to become the leader of his people to spend forty years in the humble work of a shepherd. The habits of caretaking, of self-forgetfulness and tender solicitude for his flock, thus developed, would prepare him to become the compassionate, longsuffering shepherd of Israel. No advantage that human training or culture could bestow, could be a substitute for this experience. Moses had been learning much that he must unlearn.” Patriarchs and Prophets p. 248. Thus we see that Moses, the worlds greatest general (Patriarchs and Prophets p. 246) had to unlearn much of what he had learned in Egypt’s finest schools of his day by herding sheep for 40 years, to enable him to become the leader of ancient Israel.
In The Apostles Day. (3rd Hour)
“The first pupils of Jesus were chosen from the ranks of the common people. They were humble, unlettered men, these fishers of Galilee; men unschooled in the learning and customs of the rabbis, but trained by the stern discipline of toil and hardship.” Education p. 85.
“When Christ came to speak the words of life, the common people heard Him gladly; and many, even of the priests and rulers, believed on Him. But the chief of the priesthood and the leading men of the nation were determined to condemn and repudiate His teachings. . . .These opponents of Jesus were men whom the people had been taught from infancy to reverence, to whose authority they had been accustomed implicitly to bow. “How is it,” they asked, “that our rulers and learned scribes do not believe on Jesus? Would not these pious men receive Him if He were the Christ?” It was the influence of such teachers that led the Jewish nation to reject their Redeemer.” Great Controversy, pp. 595, 596.
Christ “chose unlearned fishermen for the work of the gospel because they had not been schooled in the false customs and traditions of the world. . . It was such men whom Jesus connected with himself; and he gave them the advantages of three years training under his own care. No course of study in the schools of the rabbis or the halls of philosophy could have equaled this in value. The Son of God was the greatest educator the world ever knew.
“The learned lawyers, priests, and scribes scorned to be taught by Christ. They desired to teach him, and frequently made the attempt, only to be defeated by the wisdom that laid bare their ignorance, and rebuked their folly. . . They knew that he had not learned in the schools of the prophets, and they could not discern the divine excellence of his character beneath the lowly disguise of the Man of Nazareth.” Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 09-25-83.
First-Day Adventists. (6th Hour)
“To William Miller and his co-laborers it was given to preach the warning in America…There were comparatively few ministers, however, who would accept this message; therefore it was largely committed to humble laymen.
“The fact that the message was, to a great extent, preached by laymen, was urged as an argument against it. As of old, the plain testimony of God’s word was met with the inquiry: ‘Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed?”‘ Great Controversy 308, 380.
Seventh-Day Adventist. (9th Hour)
As the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist movement were those who survived the “great disappointment” of 1844, and as they were mostly made up of laymen, so those laborers who were first called at the ninth hour were mainly composed of laymen. (See: Great Controversy pp. 353,354, Life Sketches pp. 59-63.)
Ellen G. White, the Lord’s special messenger to the Seventh-day Adventist movement, was a laymen from the Methodist church. (See: Life Sketches pp. 43-54.)
The Addition To The Third Angel’s Message—Loud Cry. (11th Hour)
“Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed. As the time comes for it to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions.” Great Controversyp. 606.
“The truth is soon to triumph gloriously, and all who now choose to be laborers together with God will triumph with it. The time is short; the night soon cometh when no man can work.” Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 135.
“But the Lord will use in the accomplishment of His work means that we do not now see. He will raise up from among the common people, men and women to do His work, even as of old He called fishermen to be his disciples. There will soon be an awakening that will surprise many. Those who do not realize the necessity of what is to be done, will be passed by, and the heavenly messengers will work with those who are called the common people, fitting them to carry the truth to many places.” The Paulson Collection of Ellen G. White Letters, pp. 319.
“Those who have trusted to intellect, genius, or talent will not then stand at the head of rank and file. They did not keep pace with the light. Those who have proved themselves unfaithful will not then be entrusted with the flock. In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and He cannot use them. The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view.” Testimonies, Vol. 5 p. 80-81, See also pp. 211, 212.
“The great issue so near at hand will weed out those whom God has not appointed and He will have a pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the latter rain. . . .” Selected Messages Book 3, pp. 385.
“The reason why He does not oftener choose men of learning and high position to lead out in reform movements is that they trust to their creeds, theories, and theological systems, and feel no need to be taught of God.” Great Controversy p. 456.
Our object in quoting these statements as recorded in the Spirit of Prophecy is not to cast reflection upon the ministry of our church but to simply point out the truth that the last servants commissioned to bring in the final harvest will be mostly composed of laymen. We know of course that the Lord has faithful ones among the ministry as well as the laity. All those who are faithful will have a part in the final harvest. We dare not refuse to publish what is written as it would not only imperil our own souls, but also the souls of others.
The Last Shall Be First.
“So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” Matt. 20:8-16.
They that murmured represent that part of the Jewish nation who were unworthy, and the phrase, “Friend, I do thee no wrong….Take that thine is, and go thy way,” denotes the rejection of the nation.
Note that those who were hired last were paid first, and the first, last. As all were equally regarded, the ones hired first murmured, though they were paid in full. Their disdainful act denotes that the Jewish nation was unworthy of their hire, and the Goodman said to them, “Take that thine is, and go thy way.” As ancient Israel is represented by the first call, as previously explained, to them the words apply, and as they were the ones who murmured, it proves the parable correct.
Why were the first paid last, and the last first? Answer.-The pay God’s servants receive is eternal life, and is characterized by the penny (see Christ’s Object Lessons p. 402, Rom. 6:23). Therefore, those who are granted the assurance of a never ending life first, are those who were hired last, and according to the parable, it was the company called at the eleventh hour. They are those who are marked or sealed by the man with the writer’s inkhorn of Ezekiel 9, or as John calls him, the angel with the seal of God; and he sealed, or marked, 144,000. (See: Rev. 7:1-8.) This glorious company is the first who are granted the assurance of never tasting death (See Great Controversy p. 649). Thus they are paid first, but those who were called early in the morning (Ancient Israel) are to receive their reward, eternal life when they are resurrected. “So that the last shall be first, and the first, last.” For this reason, those who were sealed and saved by the Third Angel’s Message since 1844, are resurrected in the special resurrection of Dan. 12:2, (Early Writings p. 285 ) which transpires before the second coming of Christ.
Summary.
(1) At the beginning of our study we found that old truths were to be seen in a new light.
(2) We found that the Lord has made five (5) calls for laborers to labor in His vineyard.
(3) The parable of Matthew 20: depicts a parabolical period of 24 hours. The day part commences at the time the Scriptures first began to be written, thereby illuminating man’s spiritual pathway.
The night part represents that part of this worlds history before we had the illumination of the Scriptures, the time of oral tradition, when the Word was handed down from
(4) Each one of these calls carried with it a new message, present-truth, especially adapted to the necessities of God’s people of that particular time.
(5) All the laborers received the same pay-a penny-eternal life.
(6) The first call was “early in the morning.” We found that Ancient Israel was the first ones the Lord bargained with, the first incorporated church. Their message was concerning the Ceremonial system.
(7) The second call which was given at the Third hour was the Early Christian Church, in the time of the apostles. Their message consisted of the Resurrection, Ascension and heavenly Priesthood of Christ.
(8) The third call which was at the sixth hour was in the time of William Miller or better known as the First-day Adventists. His message was concerning the 2300 days and was accompanied by a “great disappointment” as they thought Christ was coming to this earth instead of going into the most Holy Apartment of the heavenly Sanctuary.
(9) It is interesting to note how the Scriptures show a connection between the third and fourth calls sixth and ninth hour) as it does not mention the calls separately as it does the others. (Matt. 20:5) All Seventh-day Adventists will agree that history and the Scriptures (Rev. 10:9-11) show that those who continued on to follow the Lord in Truth from William Miller’s movement continued right on into the Seventh-day Adventist movement in 1844.
(10) The fourth call which came at the ninth hour was the call given to our Seventh-day Adventist denomination which logically followed William Miller’s movement. Our denomination was founded upon the Judgment hour message. We as a people, since 1844 have proclaimed the first phase of the judgment-the judgment for the dead.
(11) We found that the first phase of the judgment-the judgment for the dead was to be proclaimed to many peoples, nations and tongues .
(12) The fifth and last call for laborers comes at the eleventh hour-just one hour before sunset. Their message is concerning the second phase of the judgment—that part which deals with the judgment for the living, which will begin with the purification of the Laodicean church, resulting in the bringing forth of the 144,000, the Lord’s Loud-Cry ministry. This message goes to all nations.
(13) We found how vital it is to understand all the prophecies for our day as they are a light to lighten our pathway that we stumble not in darkness ( 1 Thess. 5:4-5).
(14) Some have feared that if we accept anything different from what we have always understood, that we would be removing the old landmarks and preaching contrary to the established doctrines. However we found in the truths brought out on this parable of Matthew 20: that not a peg of the old landmarks was removed. This same fear existed in 1888 when Elders Jones and Waggoner presented the message of Righteousness By Faith.
(15) It was discovered that each one of these calls for laborers was initiated as a laymen’s movement as they were standing idle at the time the call was made. Our next booklet will go into the prophecy of this last laymen’s movement.
(16) At the eleventh hour, the eleventh hour servants—the 144,000 receive their pay as they are sealed for translation, which guarantees them eternal life. They receive this promise prior to the second Advent. The laborers that were hired during the other 4 calls will not receive their reward until they are resurrected. Thus the “last shall be first, and the first last.”
(17) Now we can see clearly how the completion of the 1888 message, was to come back to us as a denomination in its fullness after our “forty years wilderness wandering” from 1890-1930. The 1888 message in its fullness was to evolve into the second phase of the judgment hour message—the judgment for the living. The eleventh hour servants will proclaim anew the 1888 message in its fullness when the earth is lightened with the glory of the angel of Revelation 18. And since the latter rain comes first in the from of a message, before the power is poured out, the Lord is now recruiting His eleventh hour servants. It is our sincere prayer that you will let nothing distract you from making your “calling and election sure” now, so that when the Householder commission