[I will bold face the comments I intend to respond to. Jeff.]
I must take issue with you when you indicate it is the Sunday law that brings about a purification of the church. True, something happens to the church at the time of the Sunday law, but rather than purifying the church, it brings about a separation, separating the wheat from the tares. The purifying of the church must take place before this event for it is a purified people who make spiritual warfare against Babylon (Daniel 11:40) prior to the Sunday law. It is the loud cry message of Revelation 18 given by a purified church that brings the wrath of Babylon upon them.
The purifying process must take place under the early rain so that God can have a purified people whom He can trust with latter rain power. If as you indicate, it is the Sunday law that purifies the church you are strengthening the Laodicean complacency promoting the idea that the church can continue in this condition and when the Sunday law comes we will take our stand and be purified. However, the purifying process or rather the righteousness by faith message is one of overcoming, developing a perfect character by yielding our wills to the Holy Spirit under the early rain experience. When the purified company, symbolically described in Revelation as the 144,000 reach this condition of purification the latter rain will be poured out in full abundance and the earth will be lightened with the glory of God. The result will be the spiritual battle described by the prophets Daniel 11:40, John Revelation 12:17 and Ellen White comments.
“Two great opposing powers are revealed in the last great battle. On one side stands the creator of heaven and earth; all on His side wear His signet. They are obedient to His commands. On the other side stands the prince of darkness with those who have chosen apostasy and rebellion.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 982
The prophets use war like terms in depicting how the infuriated apostate world, full of satanic fury, will attempt to annihilate the faithful Sabbath keepers. The last part of verse 40 of Daniel 11 gives an overview of Babylon’s success in conquering and causing the nations to follow her example in transgression. Verses 41 and 42 expand on her success and worldwide influence in uniting together apostate Protestantism, spiritualism and Roman Catholicism. Except for some honest souls, described as Edom, Moab and Ammon, who take their stand and join God’s purified people the whole world stands the side of the great apostate.
The clear message, that now is the time for the purification of the church, must be given. When the Sunday law comes it will be too late for the purifying process of those who now profess the truth and are not sanctified by it. The Sunday law will reveal the difference between the purified and the unpurified in the church so that the honest souls still in Babylon can make the right choice to come out to take their stand with God’s faithful purified people in the very last moments of probationary time. Daniel 12:3 reveals the activity of a purified people with the results as stated above. To bring contemporary nations into this prophecy negates the fact that it is Roman Catholicism, apostate Protestantism and spiritualism that unite together to make a final assault against the God of heaven and His faithful people. Certainly Russia along with the other nations of the world plays their part in these final events. Influenced by the United States the whole world is united under this three-fold union. National ruin for the nations of the world will be the result, but for the purified faithful, everlasting life in glory with Jesus our Savior and Redeemer.
Response
I think you have listened to some of my later presentations where I refer to the purification of God’s Church as taking place at the Sunday law. When this topic is not the primary issue that I am addressing I tend to refer to it in a general sense. If you had heard my series titled The Purification of God’s Church, [and some others] you would recognize that you and I are in agreement. I am very careful to identify that the message of prophecy is telling God’s people that right now is the time to secure a genuine Christian character prepared for the seal of God.
The Sunday law is simply the crisis, which demonstrates what character we have developed prior to that event. The Sunday law is the prophetic dividing line where “corporately” Adventism closes its probation. The corporate structure does not go beyond the Sunday law, for at that point; it will both deny the truth and go out into darkness. Or, if it were faithful, the legal restrictions connected with the actual Sunday law would close down the corporation, for the law would end its ability to have financial transactions.
Although your letter does not specify your entire understanding of the last verses of Daniel eleven, I can tell we disagree. There is a point though that I would agree with you on, though in a slightly different way. I agree that to bring contemporary nations into prophecy is out of place, [unless they are truly identified there]. But the nations I identify in Daniel 11:40, are the United States, the Soviet Union, and Roman Catholicism. These are the same three powers, which Malachi Martin identifies as striving for control of the world in his book, Keys of This Blood. It is the theme of his book. It is also the theme of Daniel 11:40-45. These three powers are not simply contemporary world powers. They are the political aspect of the three powers in Revelation sixteen who make up Modern Babylon the beast, the dragon, and the false prophet. The symbolism in Revelation sixteen is identifying these powers spiritual aspect, as opposed to their political aspect in Daniel eleven. I cover these truths in a series titled The Three Beasts of Revelation 16 and The Final Rise and Fall of the King of the North. These powers are not simply contemporary nations, which I pull out of the air; they are the very powers which are leading the world to Armageddon. This understanding is part of the glue that makes the understanding found in Daniel 11:40-45 so significant, for it ties the books of Daniel and Revelation together.
“In the Revelation all the books of the Bible meet and end. Here is the complement of the book of Daniel. One is a prophecy; the other a revelation. The book that was sealed is not the Revelation, but that portion of the prophecy of Daniel relating to the last days. The angel commanded, ‘But thou, 0 Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end.’” Daniel 12:4. Acts of the Apostles, 585.
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