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Escape to Paradise 9 January 26, 2019 adairsvillesda.org The present is a time of overwhelming interest to all living. Rulers and statesmen, men who occupy positions of trust and authority, thinking men and women of all classes, have their attention fixed upon the events taking place about us. They are watching the strained, restless relations that exist among the nations. They observe the intensity that is taking possession of every earthly element, and they recognize that something great and decisive is about to take place—that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis. Education p. 179. All eyes are on America… With the revelations of Edward Snowden, and Julian Assange along with the willing surrender of our private lives to social media companies Could it be that America could remove the freedoms of its own citizens? The Constitution of the United States guarantees liberty of conscience. Nothing is dearer or more fundamental. Pope Pius IX, in his Encyclical Letter of August 15, 1854, said: The absurd and erroneous doctrines or ravings in defense of liberty of conscience are a most pestilential error—a pest, of all others, most to be dreaded in a state.’ The same pope, in his Encyclical Letter of December 8, 1864, anathematized (called anyone a heretic who believed that) those who assert the liberty of conscience and of religious worship,’ and also ‘all such as maintain that the church may not employ force.’ GC 564.5 “The pacific tone of Rome in the United States does not imply a change of heart. She is tolerant where she is helpless. Says Bishop O'Connor: ‘Religious liberty is merely endured until the opposite can be carried into effect without peril to the Catholic world.’ All eyes are on America… In light of these long foretold events, the Bible describes a change that is coming Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. Protestant America, it’s courts, its legal system, the church, capitalism, its social fabric, the economy, the family unit, morality, all are compromised. What conditions could lead this very country and then the whole world to turn on its principles? All eyes are on America The United States currently has nearly 1000 military bases and/or military installations in 80 countries around the world. The rest of the countries of the world who have foreign military bases are 11 and the combined of all of those is 70. Any talk of China or Russia as a threat to the United States is laughable. This nation is the sole superpower on planet earth and the Bible says it will be that way until the very end. Either through the military industrial complex or the dollar industrial complex America is calling the shots. All eyes are on America Trend Forecaster and American, Ellen White wrote “By the decree of enforcing the institution of the Papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. … our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and Republican government, … then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan, and that the end is near.”—Testimonies for the Church 5:451. ChS 160.4 With rapid steps we are approaching this period. When Protestant churches shall unite with the secular power to sustain a false religion, for opposing which their ancestors endured the fiercest persecution, then will the papal sabbath be enforced by the combined authority of church and state. There will be a national apostasy, which will end only in national ruin.—Manuscript 51, 1899. Ev 235 How could this happen? As we sit here today, there is a fact, the majority of the people of God, the majority of this planet have not yet even heard this story…but something will soon occur where a change will take place. Remember the conditions we talked about last week when Jesus told his disciples what life would be like just before He would return a second time. Famine, Disease, Natural Disasters… Matthew 24 What about the promise that the gospel would go to the whole world? Isaiah 26:9 …When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. From the book commenting on this moment The Great Controversy “Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. When he was suffered or allowed to afflict Job, how quickly flocks and herds, servants, houses, children, were swept away, one trouble succeeding another as in a moment. GC 589 While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he . GC 635 There will be a mighty earthquake, graves will be opened, and the promise, the hope that everyone who has lost someone is waiting for will take place. We will be reunited with loved ones as we escape this planet. The devil and his angels are confined on the destroyed earth for 1000 years. (Revelation 20) The Bible says We will spend 1000 years in paradise. We judge men and angels. We ask why some aren’t there. We ask why some are. The goal is to be the one asking the questions. In the heavenly courts there will be no song sung, To me that loved myself, and washed myself, redeemed myself, unto me be glory and honor, blessing and praise. But this is the keynote of the song that is sung by many here in this world. They do not know what it means to be meek and lowly in heart; and they do not mean to know this, if they can avoid it. {TM 456.2} Some will ask “what are these wounds in your hands? I got these in the house of my friends…Zechariah 13:6 We will return to this planet earth. This will be the home of the righteous, the metropolis of the universe. The center of the action. Heaven will relocate to this planet. He will marshal all the armies of the lost under his banner and through them endeavor to execute his plans. .… In rejecting Christ they have accepted the rule of the rebel leader. They are ready to receive his suggestions and to do his bidding. Yet, true to his early cunning, he does not acknowledge himself to be Satan. He claims to be the prince who is the rightful owner of the world and whose inheritance has been unlawfully wrested from him. He represents himself to his deluded subjects as a redeemer, assuring them that his power has brought them forth from their graves and that he is about to rescue them from the most cruel tyranny. The presence of Christ having been removed, Satan works wonders to support his claims. He makes the weak strong and inspires all with his own spirit and energy. He proposes to lead them against the camp of the saints and to take possession of the City of God. …… he points to the unnumbered millions who have been raised from the dead and declares that as their leader he is well able to overthrow the city and regain his throne and his kingdom. GC 663 In that vast throng are multitudes of the long lived race that existed before the Flood; men of lofty stature and giant intellect, who, yielding to the control of fallen angels, devoted all their skill and knowledge to the exaltation of themselves; men whose wonderful works of art led the world to idolize their genius, but whose cruelty and evil inventions, defiling the earth and defacing the image of God, caused Him to blot them from the face of His creation. There are kings and generals who conquered nations, valiant men who never lost a battle, proud, ambitious warriors whose approach made kingdoms tremble. In death these experienced no change. As they come up from the grave, they resume the current of their thoughts just where it ceased. They are actuated by the same desire to conquer that ruled them when they fell. GC 664.1 Satan consults with his angels, and then with these kings and conquerors and mighty men. They look upon the strength and numbers on their side, and declare that the army within the city is small in comparison with theirs, and that it can be overcome. They lay their plans to take possession of the riches and glory of the New Jerusalem. All immediately begin to prepare for battle. Skillful artisans construct implements of war. Military leaders, famed for their success, marshal the throngs of warlike men into companies and divisions. GC 664 But God in his mercy ends this before it’s too late. He reveals the whole story of good and evil like a panorama story in the sky. All will see their part they acted in the drama of the ages. They know where they turned their back on love and accepted Selfishness as their ruling principle. As Jesus stands up Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning, have followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion. The coronation of the king of Kings takes place. All bow and acknowledge that He was right all along. Jesus was never selfish. Even Lucifer kneels as he remembers his position next to Jesus. He remembers that he was offered forgiveness and like those all around him rejected it. He bows and admits Jesus was right. The working out of Satan's rule in contrast with the government of God has been presented to the whole universe. Satan's own works have condemned him. Jesus declares “Behold the purchase of My blood! For these I suffered, for these I died, that they might dwell in My presence throughout eternal ages.” In this moment, millions will turn and look at their spiritual leaders many ministers teachers who misled them. Lucifer, believes that perhaps even now he can stir up a revolt. As he attempts it, he is finally unmaksed. All the earth turn on him and the fallen angels — “Because you have set your heart as the heart of God; behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon you, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, and they shall defile your brightness. They shall bring you down to the pit.” “I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.... I will cast you to the ground, I will lay you before kings, that they may behold you.... I will bring you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold you.... You shall be a terror, and never will you be any more.” Ezekiel 28:6 8, 16 19. GC 672 God in his mercy ends the lives of the whole world, the devil and his angels from attacking and tormenting each other. And God will silence and erase from all memory the rebellion from the whole earth. No eternal hell fire. One event, to put them out of their misery. It is as this time when I think finally every tear will be wiped away. The earth will be recreated. Revelation 21:1 “I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” What will the new earth be like? Think about life now but remove the threats, remove the diseases, remove the threat of war, remove the anger, the sorrow, the sadness. Think of what brings you joy now and imagine it ten fold greater. What will the heavenly city be like? Density of NYC whole world could live in Texas. We are told it is built like a giant cube. The width of the walls Appears to be built like ancient cities where the citizens live in the walls with a view of the inner park and the outer sea of glass perhaps? We are told there will be no night there. We are told we will have a country home where we will grow gardens and enjoy all the best of this life but far beyond any form of happiness we have ever experienced. Not 10% of our brains but 100%. Playing with Lions and Lambs. if you like to travel, Visiting all the worlds of the universe. Tasting their delicious cuisine. Meeting new friends, learning new talents. Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized; and still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the powers of mind and soul and body. GC 677. There is Adam he beholds the trees that were once his delight—the very trees whose fruit he himself had gathered in the days of his innocence and joy. He sees the vines that his own hands have trained, the very flowers that he once loved to care for. His mind grasps the reality of the scene; he comprehends that this is indeed Eden restored, more lovely now than when he was banished from it. The Saviour leads him to the tree of life and plucks the glorious fruit and invites him to eat. He looks around him and beholds a multitude of his family redeemed, standing in the Paradise of God. Then he casts his crown at the feet of Jesus and… embraces His Redeemer. The Great Controversy, 647, 648. AH 541.2 And that’s just the beginning… On that day, Jesus will turn his eyes on you, put a crown on your head and say well done! For the world All eyes are on America For the universe and Jesus All eyes are on this planet For you Keep your eyes on Jesus. This world will let you down. But Keep Your Eyes on Jesus. Song Turn your eyes upon Jesus