HE KNOWS THAT HE HAS
BUT A SHORT TIME

Our text today is a familiar one to those who have been raised in the "Third Angel's Message." It is found in Rev. 12 (last part of verse 12). Traditionally the timing of this verse has been connected with the death of Christ on the cross at which time Satan was "cast down" or "cast out."

"It Is Finished," is the title of chapter 79 of the book, "Desire of Ages," the best book ever written on the life of Christ. The author points out that when Satan heard Jesus cry out, It is Finished, breathed His last breath and yielded up His life, that "Satan was defeated, and knew that his kingdom was lost. To the angels and the unfallen worlds the cry, 'It is Finished' had a deep significance. It was for them as well as for us that the great work of redemption had been accomplished. They with us share the fruits of Christ's victory. Not until the death of Christ was the character of Satan clearly revealed to the angels or to the unfallen worlds. The archapostate had so clothed himself with deception that even holy beings had not understood his principles. They had not clearly seen the nature of his rebellion." DA 758.

For many years those words were a great mystery to me. I kept asking myself : How is it that the holy angels were not able to understand that Satan was a very bad and evil being? The answer is that the Father was always covering up for Lucifer, always taking the blame for him. But this only creates a deeper mystery. Why? The answer is that this is a very important part of the character of God which has never been explained. It is the very essence of the Father's modus operandi to never defend Himself. This, of course, opens up a whole new realm of research into the character of God which most people have never even thought about let alone studied. Yet, this is the very work we are to be engaged in today as the Great Controversy comes to its climatic close. This was the specific reason the Son of God came to this planet in the first place, because without a revelation of who the Father really is there could never be any hope of our redemption. Jesus Himself expressed this very truth in John 17:3. "And this is life eternal, that they might know you, the only true God (Father) and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

Let us keep in mind the dual application concept, as we continue on, because we are going to see very clearly that many of the texts we have applied only to Jesus also apply to God's Elect and Remnant in our day as well. I hope you will take time to read this entire chapter yourself because of the depth of understanding it brings to the plan of salvation. Jesus' incredible suffering during this time is something we don't like to think about nor the risk that He was willing to take. "Could one sin have been found in Christ, had He in one particular yielded to Satan to escape the terrible torture, the enemy of God and man would have triumphed. Christ bowed His head and died, but He held fast His faith and His submission to God." "And I hard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." Rev. 12:10.

Now, let us notice this next very important statement: "Satan saw that his disguise was torn away. His administration was laid open before the unfallen angels and before the heavenly universe. He had revealed himself as a murderer. By shedding the blood of the Son of God, he had uprooted himself from the sympathies of the heavenly beings. Henceforth his work was restricted." DA 761.

But was the Great Controversy over? Were sin and sinners "no more?" The answer is no. So, what was finished at the cross? It was the question of the righteousness of the Father and the Son. These false accusations against God's very throne and kingdom were answered. His law was shown to be holy, just and good, a law that could be kept. Jesus' life, death and resurrection proves that beyond question. Yet, the mystery of God has not been finished yet, as we shall see.

Revelation contains 22 chapters of prophecy about the future from AD 96 to our present age and even beyond the millennium when the wicked live on this earth a "little season" (possibly 100 years, Isa. 65:20) and go through the Lake of Fire described in Rev. 20. Chapters 21 and 22 are specific revelations about how God will deal with the wicked of all ages and finally solve the sin problem once and for all.

So, it is not a history book, but a book of prophecies about the future. Therefore, when we read about the "Mystery of God" being finished in "the days of the 7th angel," (Rev. 10:7) what is this mighty angel referring to? The angel is referring to the perfecting of the character of Christ being perfected in man. This is the accusation that has been made from the days of Job and before. Let's go now to Rev. 11 where we read in vs 11-12 that the Two Witnesses are revived and translated to heaven in the sight of their enemies. This is not a secret rapture. Who are these Two Witnesses? They represent the same group as the "man child" in Isa. 66:7 which is called a "nation." This is the same as the "sons of God" in Rom. 8:19, 20. There are at least 21 designations for this group who are filled with the truth of the Old and New Testaments which is what the Two Witnesses represent; servants of God around the globe who are filled with the Spirit of God, preaching the messages of the entire Bible, OT & NT.

Let us now read Rev. 11:15: "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."

So, here is a transfer of power that is taking place which is predicted in Dan. 2 and 7. Now, we are ready to go back to Rev. 12 where we see a woman who is standing on the moon and clothed with the sun and has a crown of twelve stars. Most everyone agrees the moon is the Old Testament and the Sun the New Testament era or the age of the gospel extending even to our day. The 12 stars represent God's kingdom or government with the 12 tribes of Israel in the OT and the 12 disciples in the NT. But wait a minute. This woman is not only pregnant, she is in crying out, screaming with the throes of birth pain because her "child" is about to be born. This represents the suffering, pain and chaos the church is going through at this very time. Meanwhile, the dragon is waiting to devour the child as soon as it is born. But something happens to save him. "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne." Rev. 12:5.

The phrase "man child" is used only three times in the Bible. Twice in Rev. 12 and once in Isa. 66:7. I find it most interesting that Rev. 11 and 12 both refer to a translation. Is it possible that John is talking about the same event both times? Yes, he is. It is very interesting that Paul speaks of the resurrection as taking place at the "Last Trump." I Cor. 15:52. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump...the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." What is the last trump? It is the 7th trumpet. Fascinating! So, Paul is also talking about the same event John is referring to here. The same exact event. Now, let's go to Dan. 12:1, 2 where we discover that when Michael stands up for the descendants (children of thy people) of the twelve tribes of Israel He is going to deliver everyone whose name is written in the book. Malachi 3:16-18. And vs. 2 says there will be a resurrection at the same time. So, now we have two events transpiring simultaneously. First we have a translation about the same time we have a resurrection. The resurrection will take place a little before the translation.

Let's take the life and death and resurrection of Jesus as a type or example. Matt. 27:50-53 says that many saints arose from their graves "after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." Ps. 68:18 predicted this would happen and Eph. 4:8 states it did happen. EGW also tells us that these saints from ages past went to heaven with Jesus as a wave sheaf. So, this is the type and the translation that will take place in our day with the resurrected saints who will go to heaven as a wave sheaf. This will be the anti-type or fulfillment at the end of this present age. EGW refers to this same resurrection in "Great Controversy" 637, as well as Early Writings 273. This first translation of the saints will be the Barley Harvest. It is the early or first grain to be harvested in the Jewish harvest cycle. If you read "Great Controversy" 637-639 you will see that this "special resurrection" takes place before the translation of the righteousness.

Now, let us go to Dan. 11:41-45 where we read about Satan doing many things to many countries in the end time. Then suddenly, everything comes to a halt when he hears the news about what God has just done by translating the saints. "But tidings out of the east and out of the north (where all the appointments are made, Dan. 7:13) shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he (Satan) shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas (people) (and) the glorious holy mountain (Barley or Elect); yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him." Dan. 11:44, 45. Now, let us go to the source of this "news" which alarms Satan and causes him to get so angry he drops all of his plans and goes forth to destroy everyone and everything. "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christos: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." (Notice that Satan is not accusing Jesus or the Father because their Names were cleared at Calvary. Instead Satan is accusing God's professed people). Then in verse 11 and 12 we read that they won the victory (or overcame) by the blood of the Lamb and their own testimony and faced death in the face and defeated it. That is when the cry goes forth to the heavens to rejoice because Satan has been cast down and can no longer harass them. But woe is now coming upon the earth "for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time." And how long is that time? It is 31/2 years. And this 1260 days or 42 months begins at the very time Michael stands up for His people, Dan. 12:1. How do we know this? Because as soon as the Man Child is translated (Rev. 12:5) the woman or church who gave birth (spiritually speaking) to this Man Child, who is the same as the Little Company, Elect, Stone cut out of the Mt. in Dan 2, Sons of God in Rom. 8:19, 20, etc....as soon as this Barley Group or Gideon Band is translated the next verse, Rev. 12:6 tells us that the woman flees into the wilderness for 1260 days. Now, if the Two Witnesses of Rev. 11 are going to prophesy in "Sack Cloth" for 1260 days before they are taken to heaven or translated then that would mean there are 1260 days before the translation and 1260 days after. And Dan. 12:1, 2 indicates that Michael is going to stand up for His people before this terrible Time of Trouble begins. Malachi 3:16-18; Luke 21:34-36 and Rev. 3:7-10 is a promise from Jesus Himself to the Church of Philadelphia (which is another one of the names for this same group) that not only will they be saved from the "Hour of Temptation" which is going to come upon all the earth but that the "Synagogue of Satan" (NWO) will "bow down" before the saints. Rev. 3:9.

Now, why in the world would they do that when they have all the power and authority in the world to kill and destroy whoever they want in numerous ways. The answer is that these saints or Elect have been taken to heaven and given gifts in order to finish the work of the gospel. They have been given eternal life and cannot die or be killed. They will be just like Jesus after His resurrection. They will be able to travel by thought vibration, speak in all the languages of the world and have immortal bodies that cannot die and that will "shine like the sun." Matt. 13:43. These are the words of Christ Himself in explaining the parable of the Wheat and Tares. Compare also Mal. 4:1-3 and Dan. 12:1-3. Peter, James and John knew what this meant because they were given a sample of it on the Mount of Transfiguration. Matt. 17:2, 3. "And (Jesus) was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him." Now, my friends, when Satan and his angels and all the wicked of the earth (NWO and all who are supporting them) see these glorified saints they will be terrified. Look at what happened to the soldiers at the time of the resurrection. And that is why they will be bowing down before the feet of the saints. Satan's kingdom falls apart at this time because no one will be supporting him anymore. Read the story of Esther in the OT and you will see that Haaman's whole family turned against him and began prophesying his defeat and doom. Haaman did not realize that Esther was married to the king. But as soon as he found out he instantly knew that he was "dead meat." And that is exactly what is going to happen to all the wicked all over the earth. The prophet Joel tells us: "Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness." Joel 2:6. KJV. "Before them the peoples are in anguish, all faces become pale." Amplified Bible, NAS. So, at the beginning of the Barley Harvest there will be a wedding just as there was with Ruth and Boaz which is another type for the Little Company or Barley Group and Jesus. They become One with the King of the Universe.

It you study the book of Ruth you will see that Ruth came back to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law at the time of the Barley harvest. She is divinely led to work in the fields of Boaz who befriends her and becomes her Redeemer. In fact, he marries her at the beginning of the Barley harvest. Ruth 1:22; 3:2; 4:13. Also study the story of Gideon in Judges 6 and 7 and you will discover Gideon represents the Barley.

This is not Jesus but "One like the Son of man." God's elect or Christos will be like Him as the beloved John says: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear (to those who love His appearing), we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." I John 3:1, 2.

May the Lord help you to believe these mighty promises. Your friend and servant in Christ, our Lord, mfc