“There remaineth therefore a rest [keeping of a Sabbath] to the people of God. For he that is entered into His [God’s] rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His.” Heb. 4:9, 10. Our own works are sin. Once more, then, the conclusion is reached that the realization of the Third Angel’s Message as an experience in the life, is the everlasting power of God to deliver us from the dominion of sin. And, having ceased from our own works (sin), we can enter into spiritual rest of soul, which is the only true Sabbath—keeping, When this kind of Sabbath—keeping is an experience in the life, we can then go forth and preach the Sabbath more fully. Then wilt be fulfilled that statement in “Early Writings:” “At the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully. This enraged the churches and nominal Adventists, as they could not refute the Sabbath truth. And at this time God’s chosen all saw clearly that we had the truth, and they came out and endured the persecution with us.” By reading the following explanatory note we are not left in doubt as to when the time of trouble here mentioned will be: “The commencement of the time of trouble” here mentioned, does not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to a short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is in the sanctuary. At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the Third Angel. At that time the “latter rain,” or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the Third Angel, and prepare the saints to stand, in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out.
What is wanted to-day more than anything else, or more than everything else, is a spirit-of-the-message-filled ministry, to go to a lost and perishing world, in the spirit and power of Elias, carrying to them the last message of the everlasting gospel to humanity.
The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald July 20, 1905