Editorial – Unity and Dissonance

The same thing that happened at the beginning of the great controversy will happen again at its close. At the beginning of the great controversy, a large percentage, but less than 50 percent, of the angels decided to rebel with Lucifer. At the end, almost the entire world will worship Lucifer, thinking that he is Christ. The few who refuse will arouse such great anger by the peoples of the world that they will determine to put to death all those who refuse. “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” Revelation 13:15.

There is only one way that you will survive this coming conflict: “The last great delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested. . . . None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict.” The Great Controversy, 593, 594.

How and why will almost all, including the majority in Adventism, be deceived and lost? The prayer of Christ (John 17) was for all of His followers to be in unity (verse 21). In the last great crisis, it will appear as though this prayer has finally been answered.

“I [Ellen White] saw our people in great distress, weeping, and praying, pleading the sure promises of God, while the wicked were all around us, mocking us, and threatening to destroy us. They ridiculed our feebleness, they mocked at the smallness of our numbers, and taunted us with words calculated to cut deep. . . . They declared that they had the truth, that miracles were among them, that angels from heaven talked with them, and walked with them, that great power, and signs and wonders were performed among them, and this was the Temporal Millennium, which they had been expecting so long. The whole world was converted and in harmony with the Sunday law, and this little feeble people stood out in defiance of the laws of the land, and the laws of God, and claimed to be the only ones right on the earth.” Maranatha, 209. [Emphasis supplied.]

At the beginning of the controversy, Lucifer rejected the arguments and entreaties of the loyal angels with disdain and denounced them as deluded slaves. (Patriarchs and Prophets, 40.) “The very work which he himself was doing, he charged upon the loyal angels.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 41. “The discord which his own course had caused in heaven, Satan charged upon the government of God.” Ibid., 42.

This same policy will be used at the end of time, and it will be used upon the faithful people of God—first by the leaders in the professed remnant church and then later by the world at large. That which the devil and his agents are actually doing will be charged upon the faithful people of God, His true church.

To be continued . . .