XXX - 10(97)
“Watchman,
what of the night?”
"The hour has come, the
hour is striking and striking at you,
the hour and the end!"
Eze. 7:6 (Moffatt)
Closing Paragraphs from "Rediscovering
the Sabbath" -
WWN10(97)
The final section of the article - "Sabbath for the good of all" - the author
takes off from a Puritan concept that "good Sabbaths make good Christians," to
the motto that "Good Sabbaths make good societies." Here at this point, the
legislative power of the State could enter the picture, and regulate each life
for the good of society. The author reveals a high degree of respect for the
Jewish Community, and its observance of the Sabbath. She is also aware of the
diversity of culture that makes up America, thus she realizes that "blue laws"
are not the answer from her viewpoint.
But what about the Papacy in this whole picture? A careful review of the recent
encyclicals of Pope John Paul II show a complete toning down of Sunday emphasis
as he seeks to bring together the three monotheistic religions, and create
dialogue with the Eastern religions - Buddhism and Hinduism. In his encyclical
outlining his objective for a grand jubilee at the beginning of the 21st
century, the suggestion is made for joint meetings to be held involving
Christians, Jews and Muslims. These meetings, he says, could be "in places of
exceptional symbolic importance like Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Mount Sinai." (The Pope Speaks,
Vol.40, #2, p. 110)
Could it be that at this point in time, Satan will appear as Christ (II Cr.
11:14), and tell them that Sunday is his day. The whole concord would be
deceived - the Jews who have been looking for a Messiah to come, the Christians
who expect the return of Jesus a second time, and the Muslims who look upon him
as a prophet. We have been warned that this will take place "in the last remnant
of time," to be followed "by the outpouring of the wrath of God." (See
The Great Controversy,
pp.561-562) When this occurs, how much time will be available to set one's life
in order? How will you know in this quick succession of events the moment that
all human probation will close? We need to keep in mind that it is not business
as usual and that we can interpret the present in the light of what might have
been in the past. Time and place must be taken into consideration. Let us not be
beguiled with the history of the past with its proposed "national" Sunday laws,
or by a fatal delusion that "Sunday is coming" in the format of traditional
interpretations. Christ has given us "the sign of the end of time" (Luke 21:24),
and through Daniel the prophet, He made known that sign by which the close of
all human probation would be marked (Daniel 11:45-12:1).
It will be fatal for "historic" Adventists who continue in their traditional
Laodiceanism; in blindness refusing to recognize that "the truth is an advancing
truth, and we must walk in the increasing light" (R&H,
March 25, 1890). What delusive darkness has settled down on those who think they
are following "historic" Adventism, when they are but following men in agendas
based on the sparks of these men's kindling?