Wednesday: War Against the Remnant
Read Revelation 12:17. At the end time, against whom does Satan make all-out war?
The word “rest”, or “remnant”, describes those who remain faithful to God while the majority apostatize (1 Kings 19:18, Rev. 2:24). While the majority of people in the world side with Satan at the end of time, a group of people whom God raised up after 1798 will remain faithful to Christ in the face of Satan’s full fury.
What are the two characteristics of the remnant in Revelation 12:17? How can one be sure that he or she belongs to God’s end-time remnant?
Image © Lars Justinen Goodsalt.com
The end-time remnant keeps God’s commandments. Revelation 13 shows that the first tablet of the Decalogue will be central to the end-time conflict. The key component of the first four commandments is worship. The main issue in the final crisis is who should be worshiped. While the people in the world will choose to worship the image of the beast, the remnant will worship God the Creator (Rev. 14:7). The fourth commandment, the Sabbath, points specifically to God as our Creator, which is one reason it will play a pivotal role in the final crisis at the end.
Also, the end-time remnant’s second characteristic is that they “have the testimony of Jesus Christ”, which Revelation 19:10 (NKJV)explains is “the spirit of prophecy”. By comparing this verse with Revelation 22:9, we see that John’s “brethren” who have the testimony of Jesus are prophets, Therefore, “the testimony of Jesus” refers to Jesus testifying to the truth through His prophets, just as He did through John (Rev. 1:2). Revelation shows that at the time of the end, God’s people will have the “spirit of prophecy” in their midst to guide them through those difficult times, as Satan will make every effort to deceive and destroy them. As Adventists, we have been given that gift of prophetic insight in the ministry and writings of Ellen G. White.
| What do you see as some of the most incredible insights we have been given through “the spirit of prophecy”? What obligations does this gift put on us, individually and as a church? |
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As Seventh-day Adventists, we are pretty proud of our understanding of last day events. We have our list: resurgent Catholicism and apostate Protestantism uniting, Sunday Laws, medieval persecution, the time of trouble, the time of Jacob's trouble, the battle of Armageddon, the close of probation and finally the Second Coming. As I said in an earlier comment, I wrote a paper on it for my Daniel and Revelation class over 50 years ago.
And therein lies a danger; we are so sure of the events that were it not to happen that way, and in the appropriate sequence, we could be discouraged and perhaps even fall away from our commitment to Jesus. There is a historical precedent in that the first Advent, the coming of the Messiah, had been anticipated by the Jews and the event took place and they did not recognize it.
Could it be that the final conflict is less physical than we imagine and is more a battle for our minds? There are powerful forces at work today convincing us that there is no need for a moral compass, that if it feels right, then do it. Perhaps the battle will be fought in the new media of Facebook and Twitter. Secularism and commercial greed is making inroads into our belief system and lifestyle by stealth. Is it possible that the final battle is one of stealth and subtlety?
I have no great burden to overturn church teaching on last day events, but I am concerned that we seem to ignore the warning about the unexpectedness of Christ's return. Matt 24:38-44 describes it clearly:
There is a real danger that we become so concerned about sign-tracking that we forget the admonition, "occupy till I come". We are up against a powerful foe who understands ambush very well.
Maurice,
You and I seem to view things from the same perspective.
I still argue that knowledge and wisdom are different things. Knowledge is facts and figures, Wisdom is knowledge applied. We as a church have the knowledge of the truth, question is are we applying it.
My understanding of Matt 24:38-44 is that if Christ's coming is as a thief in the night for me, it is because I am lost. I have not been watching and waiting. Is that not what it says?
Yes, that is partly right, but I think it will also be a surprise (albeit pleasant) for those of us who have been waiting and "occupying" until he comes. For those who are waiting for the signs so they can change their lives, it will be too late.
Eric Skinner, Whether we are lost or saved He will come as a thief in the night. We are ready even when we sleep.
Maurice Ashton, Good points. God is very dynamic. The battles that we face everyday are both physical and spiritual. The devil roams to and fro seeking one to devour. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal...
I grew up being beaten over the head with Ellen G. White, so I rejected everything she had to say. For many years I refused to listen to any of her writings. This past year I have been reintroduced to her and can’t get enough. I have been reading The Story of Redemption and doing the study guide. I am learning so much and enjoy every minute. Sometimes I spend 3-4 hours a day studying in addition to my regular Bible study. God sends us prophets to enlighten and instruct us. We need to listen and study so that we can discern which are from God and which are from Satan.
It's so easy. You can't miss it.
Jesus describe his remnant church so plainly that it's easy to identify it. He gave such distinctive specifications that fit one church and only one church.
The remnant church;
- would not exist as an official organization between AD 538-1798.
- It would rise up and do its work after 1798.
- It would keep the ten commandments, including the seventh-day Sabbath.
- It would have the gift of prophecy.
- It would be a worldwide missionary church.
- It would be teaching and preaching the three angels message of revelation 14:6-14.
God's people are called into one body, the church. Jesus asks those who leave Babylon to join the remnant church.
While we have to occupy till Jesus comes. We are to keep in mind that we have are work to do, to show love in every way. Preaching is also showing love, singing is also important, it should keep you in check.
I find when I understand the 4th commandment is about who I worship and not about me *keeping* the day then my focus is on the correct person - the LORD not me. I believe the LORD gave us the day to rest from the struggle of daily life, remember He has promised to provide, protect and love us for ever and ever no matter what. Like the 24 elders and the living creatures I will fall on my face (hide self) and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb in Rev 15:3-4 Great and marvelous are Your works Lord God Almighty etc.
Yes all the prophecies we read in the Bible are true. It may not happen literally the way it is written, but we understand deeply through the help of the Holy Spirit that there is really a war right versus wrong, Satan against God. But we are sure that God is always on winning side. So we should keep on trusting Him, always spend time in reading His words, get involved in Church activities, support His works, keep busy on the things God wanted us to do and we should not allow even in a single time the enemy control our minds. Remember God put His marked/seal on our mind, because there we make our decisions.The only thing we are always sure and safe is claiming the Holy Spirit's guidance in everything we are going to think and do. Keep praying.
Feeling better than others is a danger.
Are we just an appointed group of people or we truly make a difference in the world?
Is there a difference between being fit or simply described?
Thank you for this. I too have had concerns about the same issues. Was not Jacob's trouble fought with the King of the Universe, his savior! Is the battle more spiritual than physical, even if it is somewhat physical. The hardest battle is one of trusting and believing God, of total surrender to His plan!
Jacob was afraid of his brother Esau and when this person attacked him he didn't realize who it was at first - do we struggle against God or His representatives because we don't know the true nature of His Character?
The angel that told John to not worship him because he was also of his brethren and also claimed to have "The Spirit of Prophecy," Revelation 22:9. The angel also equated "The Testimony of Jesus" as also being THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. John said that he was in the Island of Patmos for "The Testimony of Jesus." This to me means that a true Christian does not have to be "A Prophet," he or she just simply has to claim Jesus as their Saviour and witness to others of Jesus' Saving Grace. The angel in Revelation 22:9 also includes all those who "...keep the sayings of this book:...," as being those who "are HIS BRETHREN." NOT JUST PROPHETS. When a Christian testifies of Jesus, that in itself is a "Prophetic Statement,"and therefore a "Spirit of Prophecy Statement."
The testimony of Jesus is his living witness of God's true character. It crushes the deception and lies that the Serpent has spread about God's intentions for his creation. Those who claim the name of Christ and have the same testimony as Jesus also witness of God's true character. The testimony of those who think like Jesus, speak like Jesus and act like Jesus is spirit of prophesy. It is the hallmark of the body of Christ, and it is the calling of every Christian who is part of that body.
Those who have the testomony of Jesus, can be interpreted as those who confess Christ before men? Luke 12:8. Also the testimony of Jesus is interpretated as any one who turns to God through Christ. Hebrews 7:25. What happens when we turn to Christ? We have share our faith in Christ otherwise our faith dwindles. As far as all are prophets. Some are bestowed with the gift of prophecy and some with other gifts. But we all have the testimony of Jesus, if we follow Christ. What am I saying, essently I agree with you.
The testimony of Jesus is this: God is love. And that is the essence (spirit) of prophecy and all other spiritual gifts. (1 Corinthians 13.) There are times of special need in the life of the church when God invests signal grace in particular individuals to speak and act for him. (1 Peter 1:19-21.) The church calls these persons “prophets”. But when a person heeds Spirit’s call to speak and act God’s loving care to another who needs it, is this not the exercising of the prophetic gift? (Isaiah 61: 1-3.) It is only a matter of degree in the Spirit’s exercise of the same gift.
If all a group can do is point to a prophet of the past, while the spiritual gift is absent from church of the present, is the claim of having “the spirit of prophecy” legitimate?
I’m interested in the thought question for today. “What do you see as some of the most incredible insights we have been given through ‘the spirit of prophecy’”? What has been most helpful for me is the great arching theme of the Great Controversy throughout the Bible and the grand love of the Godhead in redeeming fallen man.
This is what Sabbath is all about!
Psa 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
I agree with Maurice. If the Jews could miss Christ’s first coming because they thought they knew what they were looking for, so might we miss the signs of His second coming for the same reason. There’s only one way, watch and pray.
Regarding the characteristics of the remnant , what is the original word for commandment in Rev 12.17, and does it only mean the Decalogue ?
Also, I was wondering if the two commandments from Deuteronomy, and Jesus ministry , regarding love for God and love for man , would that fulfill that part of the revelation passage describing the remnant ? Is the primary thrust of the quarterly to promote that God is the creator...of everything, or that Saturday is the biblical Sabbath?