Seven Last Plagues and the Wicked (The Great Time of Trouble, Part 1) 165
Here we see that the church—the Lord’s sanctuary—was the first
to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men [
Ezekiel
9:6
], those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as
guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their
trust.—
Testimonies for the Church 5:211
(1882).
God’s Word is made of none effect by false shepherds.... Their
work will soon react upon themselves. Then will be witnessed the
scenes described in
Revelation 18
when the judgments of God shall
fall upon mystical Babylon.—Ms 60, 1900.
The Sixth Plague
The spirits of devils will go forth to the kings of the earth and to the
whole world, to fasten them in deception, and urge them on to unite
with Satan in his last struggle against the government of heaven.—
The
Great Controversy, 624
(1911).
[249]
The Spirit of God is gradually withdrawing from the world. Satan
is also mustering his forces of evil, going forth “unto the kings of the
earth and of the whole world,” to gather them under his banner, to be
trained for “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” [
Revelation
16:14
].—
The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 7:983
(1890).
After John’s description in
Revelation 16
of that miracle-working
power which was to gather the world to the last great conflict, the
symbols are dropped and the trumpet voice once more gives a certain
sound: “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and
keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame”
[
Revelation 16:15
]. After the transgression of Adam and Eve they
were naked, for the garment of light and security had departed from
them.
The world will have forgotten the admonition and warnings of God
as did the inhabitants of the Noatic world, as did also the dwellers in
Sodom. They awoke with all their plans and inventions of iniquity,
but suddenly the shower of fire came from heaven and consumed the
godless inhabitants. “Thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man
is revealed” [
Luke 17:30
].—14MR 96, 97 (1896).