Recently I received a phone call from a sincere soul who I love dearly, telling me that probation for the church will close sometime in March next year. We only have a few months to go. And they appealed to me to watch a video by David Gates – Uncle David as he is affectionately called.
So I watched the video. Now after watching the video I want you to know that I believe David Gates is a sincere and faithful man of God. I also AGREE 100% with the tenor of his message, namely, Get ready, get ready, get ready! We are to be ready TODAY, right now in THIS SEALING TIME. However my concern is his preaching of definite time for events that the SOP says we are not to preach definite time on. Now, there are certain prophetic events that we are to act upon. We are to know what events are coming–both on earth and in heaven–namely the Sunday law, the blotting out of sin in the final work of the atonement, the universal death decree, the close of probation, the seven last plagues, and the time of Jacob’s trouble when you and I will stand on earth without a mediator. And these will come just as soon as God’s people are ready. But NOTE, and this is IMPORTANT: The universal Sunday law is brought as a RESULT of the preaching of the third angel’s message in power under the LATTER RAIN. Not the other way around. Latter Rain falls FIRST, then the Sunday laws come as a RESULT. (See Early Writings p.33-34; 85-86; 271; GC 604, 606, 607; 5T 452-453; 6T 18, 395:1; 7T 141; 8T 607:1; COL 412; 4SP 444-445. 7BC 984:4.)
And WHEN will the Latter Rain fall?
NOTE:
“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. THEN the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.” {5T 214.2}
Hence, we need to be preparing for the Latter Rain, not the Sunday law. And we SHOULD NOT and DO NOT need the excitement of “definite time” messages to motivate us.
“The Lord showed me that the message must go, and that it must not be hung on time; for time will never be a test again. I saw that some were getting a false excitement, arising from preaching time, that the third angel’s message can stand on its own foundation, and that it needs not time to strengthen it, and that it will go with mighty power, and do its work, and will be cut short in righteousness.” (1SM 188.3)
That last phrase, cut short in righteousness is significant. Malachi 3:1-3 applies to us today.
“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he [is] like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.”
Jesus right now as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary is purifying his people that they may offer an offering to the LORD in righteousness. When will that offering be offered? Just as soon as you and I are perfected in character. And this can be right now today. Today we are to let the message of Christ our righteousness take hold of us in such a way that we manifest perfect obedience to all the commandments of God today–not tomorrow, not in four months’ time, but today. Today we are to let our light shine to the world. Today God’s glory is to fill the earth under the movement of Revelation 18:1-3–His character reflected in you and me.
“Those who wait for the Bridegroom’s coming are to say to the people, “Behold your God.” The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them. {COL 415.5} “The light of the Sun of Righteousness is to shine forth in good works–in words of truth and deeds of holiness.” {COL 416.1}
“The members of the church, those whom He has called out of darkness into His marvelous light, are to show forth His glory. The church is the repository of the riches of the grace of Christ; and through the church will eventually be made manifest, even to “the principalities and powers in heavenly places,” the final and full display of the love of God. Ephesians 3:10.” {AA 9.1}
This is our message.
“I have no specific time of which to speak when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will take place–when the mighty angel will come down from heaven, and unite with the third angel in closing up the work for this world; my message is that our only safety is in being ready for the heavenly refreshing, having our lamps trimmed and burning.” (RH March 29, 1892).
“The great outpouring of the Spirit of God, which lightens the whole earth with His glory, will not come until we have an enlightened people, that know by experience what it means to be laborers together with God. When we have entire, wholehearted consecration to the service of Christ, God will recognize the fact by an outpouring of His Spirit without measure; but this will not be while the largest portion of the church are not laborers together with God.”–Review and Herald, July 21, 1896.
So, beloved, let us stay safe. Keep your lamp trimmed and burning. Keep your faith strong in the Lord. And let’s unite wholeheartedly in giving all we have to share this last message of warning to the world today. To do so, God needs your time, your talents and your means. We have a lot of work to do. People are needed. And finances are needed. So I am appealing to you to please return a faithful tithe so that we can carry forward the pastoral evangelism work effectively. Please also give generously to the support of your local missionary work. And please remember to support our Union media department work – video production and equipment – so that we can continue to produce content for channels like this: https://www.youtube.com/goodtidings.
Funds are needed right now
Tithe Fund – for the support of our workers on the ground
Local Missionary Fund – For the support of your local missionary work
AUC Media Department – For production and distribution of quality evangelistic materials.
Give online now: https://my.sdarm.org.au/giving
View the video I published in response to David Gate’s message below.
Yours in the Blessed Hope,
-Paul Chapman, Editor.