Many Seventh-day Adventists recognize the Sunday law and spiritualism as early signs of God’s coming (Rev. 13:13–14). When either of these events occur, as described by the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, Seventh-day Adventists will know assuredly that Christ’s coming is at the door. In conjunction with this, Adventists commonly talk of leaving the cities and moving into the country. But when should we move? And how can we judge when the time is right? Is it possible we are getting the timing wrong, or even that we missed the call? Is it possible God could have provided yet another early warning sign to wake us up to the end of time and send us out of the cities? I believe He did, and I believe that He has already called us to leave. In this article, I will walk through several key quotes and visions that support this thought process.
In the traditional Adventist interpretation, the order of end-time events goes something like this: first, the Sunday Law is passed; next, we are supposed to flee the cities; and finally, the cities are destroyed. But from my understanding of the Spirit of Prophecy, this chronology gets events out of order. A closer look at Ellen White’s words reveals that destruction of the cities actually begins before the Sunday law.
Consider the following quote, in which White urges readers to move away from the cities, saying end-time destruction will come at time when we don’t expect it:
The Lord calls for His people to locate away from the cities, for in such an hour as ye think not, fire and brimstone will be rained from heaven upon these cities. Proportionate to their sins will be their visitation. When one city is destroyed, let not our people regard this matter as a light affair, and think that they may, if favorable opportunity offers, build themselves homes in that same destroyed city. 21MR 90
Traditional views hold that we should move after the Sunday law, but this quote does not support that view. Think about it: writing over 100 years ago, White was already urging God’s people to get out of the cities for end-time reasons. In addition, White says the fire and brimstone comes at a time when we won’t expect it, but if this destruction were to come after the Sunday law, Adventists would not be surprised.
On that note, the manner of destruction named in this passage is important. Fire and brimstone raining down from heaven is not a typical natural disaster: because of its unprecedented parallels in modern times, this sign will not be confused with another event. For example, if the quote said “at such an hour when you think not, an earthquake will visit the earth,” we would have to wonder, Which earthquake? Because there have been numerous earthquakes throughout history, these are not clear and unique indicators of end times in and of themselves. But fire and brimstone is unique; this natural disaster will, by itself, indicate a unique time in human history: Adventists should recognize it as a sign of the end.
Continuing on, pay special attention to the last sentence of the quote: “When one city is destroyed, let not our people regard this matter as a light affair, and think that they may, if favorable opportunity offers, build themselves homes in that same destroyed city.” Consider what this quote implies as far as timing of the fire and brimstone. The quote is basically saying that when we see cities destroyed by brimstone, we should not go and buy that land on the cheap. A careful reading of these words points to an early warning sign; for how could this passage be talking about the earth’s final moments when literally all the cities will have been destroyed? At the point when the Sunday law has occurred, along with rampant spiritualism, what Adventist would be looking to buy land? Moreover, if the “no buy, no sell” law had already passed, wouldn’t it literally be impossible to buy land or building supplies, making this warning irrelevant?
There are many who break the Sunday law down into stages, and they believe the Sunday law is passed before the “no buy, no sell” timeframe. While this is very plausible, no matter how many stages, placing this warning post Sunday law creates a downright laughable scenario. Imagine, for instance, the following scene:
Husband: Did you see on the news that San Fran was destroyed by fire and brimstone
yesterday?
Wife: Yes, amazing times! God must be coming soon!!!
Husband: Yes He is! Babe, you remember how I always wanted to live in the bay area? I think now is the time!
Wife: But the Sunday law was just passed!
Husband: I know that, but we can get the land dirt cheap before they tell us we can’t buy or sell.
Wife: The city just got destroyed by literal fire and brimstone, and you want to move there?
Husband: So there will be a bit of a smell… you don’t find deals like this very often!
Clearly, this scenario doesn’t make sense. The only way White’s warning to leave the cities in the above quote makes any sense is if we read it as an early warning sign.
Think about it: Post Sunday law, all Adventists agree that the world will be going downhill rapidly, and disasters will be an everyday occurrence. Therefore, NO SDAs would be looking to buy land on sale and build a house in a post-Sunday-law world. During the earth’s final moments, thoughts of worldly enrichment, or even comfort, will not even cross the minds of SDAs. The logical conclusion is that the destruction of the cities by fire and brimstone must begin BEFORE the Sunday law.
This idea is reaffirmed in other Spirit of Prophecy quotes referencing a particular vision White had that sounds eerily similar to the passage quoted above:
I saw an immense ball of fire fall among some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I heard someone say: “We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know that they would come so soon.” Others, with agonized voices, said: “You knew! Why then did you not tell us? We did not know.” On every side I heard similar words of reproach spoken. (9T 28)
In this vision, the “immense ball of fire” seems to be another way of referring to the end-time fire and brimstone we have been discussing. However, in this quote, notice two different groups, and two different reactions to the fiery destruction:
Group 1: Knows judgments of God were coming, but surprised at the timing
Group 2: Does not know of the judgements
Below is another quote referencing the same vision:
When I was at Nashville, I had been speaking to the people, and in the night season, there was an immense ball of fire that came right from heaven and settled in Nashville. There were flames going out like arrows from that ball; houses were being consumed; houses were tottering and falling. Some of our people were standing there. “It is just as we expected,” they said, “we expected this.” Others were wringing their hands in agony and crying unto God for mercy. “You knew it,” said they, “you knew that this was coming, and never said a word to warn us!” They seemed as though they would almost tear them to pieces, to think they had never told them or given them any warning at all. MS 188 1905
Here, we read of the same destruction, an “immense ball of fire,” and we read of the same two groups with two different reactions. However, we can extract further details to add to our list:
Group 1:
· Knows judgments of God were coming, but surprised at the timing
· She calls this group “our people,” referring to Seventh-day Adventists
Group 2:
· Does not know of the judgements
· Angry that they were not told of the destruction
In the next passage, we get yet another description of this vision, but with a few more details:
Last night a scene was presented before me. I may never feel free to reveal all of it, but I will reveal a little.
It seemed that an immense ball of fire came down upon the world, and crushed large houses. From place to place rose the cry, “The Lord has come! The Lord has come!” Many were unprepared to meet Him, but a few were saying, “Praise the Lord!”
“Why are you praising the Lord?” inquired those upon whom was coming sudden destruction.
“Because we now see what we have been looking for.”
“If you believed that these things were coming, why did you not tell us?” was the terrible response. “We did not know about these things. Why did you leave us in ignorance? Again and again you have seen us; why did you not become acquainted with us, and tell us of the judgment to come, and that we must serve God, lest we perish? Now we are lost!”
(RC 243)
Group 1:
· Knows judgments of God were coming but surprised at the timing
· “Our people” refers to SDAs
· They praise the Lord as they recognize fire and brimstone as sign of God’s soon coming
Group 2:
· Does not know of the judgements
· Angry that they were not told of the destruction
· Living among God’s people in a seemingly routine fashion
In considering these details, notice that the righteous and wicked appear to be living in close communication. This is important in determining the chronology of events. This peaceful co-existence points to a lack of persecution, which must exist prior to the destruction of the cities. This is because, as the Spirit of Prophecy says, “Satan puts his interpretation upon events, and they [the ungodly] think, as he would have them, that the calamities which fill the land are a result of Sunday breaking. Thinking to appease the wrath of God these influential men make laws enforcing Sunday observance” (LDE 129). In other words, Satan will deceive the wicked into thinking that Sabbath-keepers are to blame for the destruction of the cities, and this belief leads the wicked to persecute God’s people by creating Sunday laws. In the vision described above, the cities are being destroyed, but this destruction appears to be a precursor to persecution; the implication is that the Sunday laws follow the initial destruction of the cities.
Again, in these passages, the surprise of the righteous indicates that the destruction of the cities is early in the end-time process. Indeed, as we get closer to God’s coming, we will no longer be shocked at disasters–we will expect them. In the quotes above, God’s people do recognize the fiery destruction as a sign of God’s soon coming; what surprises them, however, is the timing, indicating that this must be one of the first signs of the end.
Below is one final quote:
In the night I was, I thought, in a room but not in my own house. I was in a city, where I knew not, and I heard explosion after explosion. I rose up quickly in bed, and saw from my window large balls of fire. Jetting out were sparks, in the form of arrows, and buildings were being consumed, and in a very few minutes the entire block of buildings was falling and the screeching and mournful groans came distinctly to my ears. I cried out, in my raised position, to learn what was happening: Where am I? And where are our family circle? Then I awoke. But I could not tell where I was for I was in another place than home. I said, Oh Lord, where am I and what shall I do? It was a voice that spoke, “Be not afraid. Nothing shall harm you.”
I was instructed that destruction hath gone forth upon cities.… 11MR 361
The picture given here resembles the previous vision, with the added element of an angel saying destruction “hath gone forth upon cities.” Again, this points to early events in the hockey-stick-uptrend of destruction.
In short, I believe sometime soon, God will rain down fire and brimstone to destroy modern-day Sodoms and Gommorahs. Based on a close reading of the above quotes and visions–which, by the way, were only recently made available to the public–“great balls of fire” must fall prior to the world being deceived by spiritualism, and prior to the passage of the Sunday Law. In other words, destruction of the cities will be one of the first signs of the end times. In light of this chronology, what are the implications for God’s people? One, although “great balls of fire” might shock us, we needn’t be surprised when they fall. Two, as we have opportunity, we should warn others. And three, the time to get out of the large cities is now.
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