The Faithful Remnant
 
        And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which kept the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.  Revelation 12:17
 
    Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the experience of God's people in the closing scenes of the great day of atonement.  The remnant church will then be brought into great trial and distress.  Those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will feel the ire of the dragon and his hosts.  Satan numbers the world as his subjects; he has gained control even of many professing Christians.  But here is a little company who are resisting his supremacy.  If he could blot them from the earth, his triumph would be complete.  As he influenced the heathen nations to destroy Israel, so in the near future he will stir up the wicked powers to render obedience to human edicts in violation of the divine law.
 
    Those who are true to God will be menaced, denounced, proscribed.  They will be "betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends," even unto death (Luke 21:16).  Their only hope is in the mercy of God; their only defense will be prayer.  As Joshua pleaded before the Angel, so the remnant church, with brokenness of heart and unfaltering faith, will plead for pardon and deliverance through Jesus, their Advocate.  They are fully conscious of the sinfulness of their lives, they see their weakness and unworthiness; and they are ready to despair. (Prophet and Kings, 587, 588)
 
Reflection:  Satan makes war against them, but the remnant prevails because their Commander is Jesus.  By His strength they keep the commandments of God against fierce opposition.

 It Will All Be Worth It
 
        And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest.  And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulations, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  Revelation 7:14
 
    In all ages the Saviour's chosen have been educated and disciplined in the school of trial.  They walked in narrow paths on earth; they were purified in the furnace of affliction.  For Jesus' sake they endured opposition, hatred, calumny.  They followed Him through conflicts sore; they endured self-denial and experienced bitter disappointments.  By their own painful experience they learned the evil of sin, its power, its guilt, its woe; and they look upon it with abhorrence.  A sense of the infinite sacrifice made for its cure humbles them in their own sight and fills their heart with gratitude and praise which those who have never fallen cannot appreciate.  They love much because they have been forgiven much.  Having been partakers Christ's sufferings, they are fitted to be partakers with Him of His glory.
 
    The heirs of God have come from garrets, from hovels, from dungeons, from scaffolds, from mountains, from deserts, from the caves of the earth, from the caverns of the sea.  On earth they were "destitute, afflicted, tormented."  Millions went down to the grave loaded with infamy because they steadfastly refused to yield to the deceptive claims of Satan.  By human tribunals they were adjudged the vilest of criminals.  But now "God is judge Himself" (Psalm 50:6).  Now the decisions of earth are reversed. (The Great Controversy, 649, 650)
 
Reflection:  God sees and hears everything!  From the past to the present He knows what we all have or will go through.  But as we accept His love more and more each day we will see that our trials are not in vain.

Reward to Those Who Honor Him
 
        After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.  Revelation 7:9
 
    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.  Next are those who perfected Christian characters in the midst of falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the law of God when the Christian world declared it void, and the millions, of all ages, who were martyred for their faith.  And beyond is the "great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues,...before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands" (Revelation 7:9).  Their warfare is ended, their victory won.  They have run the race and reached the prize.  The palm branch in their hands is a symbol of their triumph, the white robe an emblem of the spotless righteousness of Christ which now is theirs. (The Great Controversy, 665)
 
Reflection:  There is not one of us that Christ wants to let go of.  No matter how bad we think we are, God sees good in us.  Accept that love today.

The Four Winds
 
        And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.  Revelation 7:1
 
    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.
 
    Angels are now restraining the winds of strife, that they may not blow until the world shall be warned of its coming doom; but a storm is gathering, ready to burst upon the earth; and when God shall bid His angels loose the winds, there will be such a scene of strife as no pen can picture.
 
    The Bible, and the Bible only, gives a correct view of these things.  Here are revealed the great final scenes in the history of our world, events that already are casting their shadows before, the sound of their approach causing the earth to tremble and men's hearts to fail them for fear. (Education, 179, 180)
 
Reflection:  God's restraining power is slowly being withdrawn from the world.  When the servants of God are sealed, then will come the time of trouble spoken of in Scripture.

Worthy is the Lamb
 
        And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.  Revelation 5:13
 
    With unutterable love, Jesus welcomes His faithful ones to the joy of their Lord....As they gather about the great white throne, gladness unspeakable will fill their hearts, when they behold those whom they have won for Christ, and see that one has gained others, and those still others, all brought into the haven of rest, there to lay their crowns at Jesus' feet and praise Him through the endless cycles of eternity.
 
    As the ransomed ones are welcomed to the City of God, there rings out upon the air an exultant cry of adoration. The two Adams are about to meet.  The Son of God is standing with outstretched arms to receive the father of our race--the being whom He created, who sinned against his Maker, and for whose sin the marks of the crucifixion are borne upon the Saviour's form.  As Adam discerns the prints of the cruel nails, he does not fall upon the bosom of his Lord, but in humiliation casts himself at His feet, crying" "Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain!"  Tenderly the Saviour lifts him up and bids him look once more upon the Eden home from which he has so long been exiled. (The Great Controversy, 647)
 
Reflection:  It has been said that whatever we may have to endure or whatever the cost to get to heaven, all will say, "It was cheap enough."  Any trial will seem trivial compared to the blessings waiting for Christ's faithful followers.

Hope for Laodicea
 
        As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.  Revelation 3:19
 
    But when tribulation comes upon us, how many of us are like Jacob!  We think it the hand of an enemy; and in the darkness we wrestle blindly until our strength is spent, and we find no comfort or deliverance.  To Jacob the divine touch at break of day revealed the One with whom he had been contending--the Angel of the covenant; and, weeping and helpless, he fell upon the breast of Infinite Love, to receive the blessing for which his soul longed.  We also need to learn that trials mean benefit, and not to despise the chastening of the Lord nor faint when we are rebuked of Him.
 
    "Happy is the man whom God correcteth:...He maketh sore, and bindeth up: He woundeth, and His hands make whole.  He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee" (Job 5:17-19).  To every stricken one, Jesus comes with the ministry of healing.  The life of bereavement, pain, and suffering may be brightened by precious revealings of His presence.
 
    God would not have us remain pressed down by dumb sorrow, with sore and breaking hearts.  He would have us look up and behold His dear face of love.  The blessed Saviour stands by many whose eyes are so blinded by tears that they do not discern Him.  He longs to clasp our hands, to have us look to Him in simple faith, permitting Him to guide us. (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 21)
 
Reflection:  All of heaven is interested in the salvation of man.  Only here on planet Earth do we find anyone indifferent and careless towards the human family.  The message to the Laodiceans is that your case is not hopeless.

 Never Let Time Make Us Forget
 
        Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  Remember therefore from whence thou are fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.  Revelation 2:4, 5
 
    At the first the experience of the church at Ephesus was marked with childlike simplicity and fervor.  The believers sought earnestly to obey every word of God, and their lives revealed an earnest, sincere love for Christ.  They rejoiced to do the will of God because the Saviour was in their hearts as an abiding presence.  Filled with love for their Redeemer, their highest aim was to win souls to Him....
    
    But after a time the zeal of the believers began to wane, and their love for God and for one another grew less.  Coldness crept into the church.  Some forgot the wonderful manner in which they had received the truth.  One by one the old standard-bearers fell at their post.  Some of the younger workers, who might have shared the burdens of these pioneers, and thus have been prepared for wise leadership, had become weary of oft-repeated truths.  In their desire for something novel and startling they attempted to introduce new phases of doctrine, more pleasing to many minds, but not in harmony with the fundamental principles of the gospel....
 
    As these false doctrines were urged, differences sprang up, and the eyes of many were turned from beholding Jesus as the Author and Finisher of their faith.  The discussion of unimportant points of doctrine, and the contemplation of pleasing fables of man's invention, occupied time that should have been spent in proclaiming the gospel. (The Acts of the Apostles, 578-580)
 
Reflection:  Many Christians start out with much zeal in their newfound faith.  Then with time, many lose that zeal and start backsliding.  Let's recommit ourselves and be faithful until the end.  Jesus is coming soon.

The Number Seven
 
        Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.  Revelation 1:11
 
    The names if the seven churches are symbolic of the church in different periods of the Christian Era.  The number seven indicates completeness, and is symbolic of the fact that the messages extend to the end of time, while the symbols used reveal the condition of the church at different periods in the history of the world.
 
    Christ is spoken of as walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks.  Thus is symbolized His relation to the churches.  He is in constant communication with His people.  He knows their true state.  He observes their order, their piety, their devotion....With untiring wakefulness and unremitting vigilance, He watches to see whether the light of any of His sentinels is burning dim or going out.  If the candlesticks were left to mere human care, the flickering flame would languish and die; but He is the true watchman in the Lord's house, the true warden of the temple courts.  His continued care and sustaining grace are the source of life and light.
 
    Christ is represented as holding the seven stars in His right hand.  This assures us that no church faithful to its trust need fear coming to nought, for not a star that has the protection of Omnipotence can be plucked out of the hand of Christ. (The Acts of the Apostles, 585, 586)
 
Reflection:  Starting in Genesis and ending in Revelation, the number seven means completeness.  The Bible is full of meaning, and we have the responsibility and the privilege to study and find out what God is telling us.

Revelation--Revealing the Past, Present, and the Future
 
        The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.  Revelation 1:1, 3
 
    A revelation is something revealed.  The Lord Himself revealed to His servant the mysteries contained in this book, and He designs that they shall be open to the study of all.  Its truths are addressed to those living in the last days of this earth's history, as well as to those living in the days of John.  Some of the scenes depicted in this prophecy are in the past, some are now taking place; some bring to view the close of the great conflict between the powers of darkness and the Prince of heaven, and some reveal the triumphs and joys of the redeemed in the earth made new.
 
    Let none think, they cannot explain the meaning of every symbol in the Revelation, that it is useless for them to search this book in an effort to know the meaning of the truth it contains....
 
    In the Revelation all the books of the Bible meet an end.  Here is the complement of the book of Daniel.  One is a prophecy; the other a revelation. (The Acts of the Apostles, 584, 585)
 
Reflection:  This book reveals things that all should know right now.  It is as important as water to the body.  As you go through each chapter make sure you ask the Lord to give you wisdom to understand, and a contrite and open heart.

The Lord Cometh
 
        And Enoch also, the seventh from Adan, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.  Jude 14
 
    The doctrine of the second advent is the very keynote of the Sacred Scriptures.  From the day when the first pair turned their sorrowing steps from Eden, the children of faith have waited the coming of the Promised One to break the destroyer's power and bring them again to the lost Paradise.  Holy men of old looked forward to the advent of the Messiah in glory, as the consummation of their hope.  Enoch, only the seventh in descent from them that dwelt in Eden, he who for three centuries on earth walked with his God, was permitted to behold from afar the coming of the Deliverer.  "Behold," he declared, "the Lord cometh with tem thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all" (Jude 14, 15).  The patriarch Job in the night of his affliction exclaimed with unshakable trust: "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:...in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another" (Job 19:25-27). (The Great Controversy, 299)
 
Reflection:  "Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad...before the Lord: for He cometh, for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth" (Psalm 96:11-13).