I watched until the thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days sat, whose robe was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool. His throne was like flames of fire, and His wheels like burning fire. A stream of fire went out and came out from before Him. A thousand thousands served Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The judgment was set, and the books were opened. Dan 7:9, 10.

Testimonies Volume 8 contains this curious statement by Sister White:



The above statement is fascinating not only for the fact that Ellen White clearly says there is more to learn about the mark or 666, but also because she tells us exactly when it will be learned - at the unrolling of the scroll. When is that? The phrase "unrolling of the scroll" refers to the time pictured in Daniel 7 quoted above and in Revelation 5 when the Lamb, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, takes the mysterious seven-sealed book that no one in heaven or earth is worthy to open or read, and, one by one, breaks its seals, unrolling and revealing its hidden contents.

For decades Adventists have taught that the scroll was unsealed centuries ago and this is what William Miller taught before us. But in the above quote God through the prophet tells us we need to expand our view. He says that this book that is in His right hand is still sealed, concealing a knowledge of its full contents including the full meaning of 666, the mark of the beast, and likely other things as well. However He is also forewarning us that this will change in the near future.

God through the Apostle has told us that "Judgment begins with the household of God" and speaking to Adventists, Ellen White tells us that God is measuring us.


I take these inspired statements to mean that the judgment of the living within spiritual Israel, the church, is an ongoing reality. But at a certain divinely appointed time that process expands to include the world and like the cross, this transition marks the final era, the finishing of the Atonement, judgment day. And just as the events surrounding the crucifixion were plainly foretold by the prophets, we should expect that an event of this magnitude - all the world being arraigned before the bar of God - will be clearly delineated in prophecy as well. Ellen White implies that Revelation 5 is a vivid description of that event:



When the Lamb takes the book, which I believe He is about to do, and the judgment of the living turns to the world, then those who are spiritually awake will soon understand things that they don't currently understand; God will remove His hand from the concealed portions of the book and the issues relating to the mark will be made plain by the Holy Spirit to them. Then those with the oil of the Spirit in their lamps will witness to the riches of Christ and His Truth contrasting it with the spurious falsehood of the Anti-Christ, the beast and his mark, 666. Satan and his deceptive, politically correct kingdom will be fully exposed and he will fall forever like lightening from heaven.

How will we know when judgment day begins for the world?

1. We'll know by seeing it with our own eyes and hearing it with our ears. Like the cross God will direct the attention of humanity to it in real time. "And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him sitting on the throne. And when He had taken the book . . . I heard every creature which is in the Heaven and on the earth, and under the earth, and those that are in the sea, and all who are in them, saying, Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever." Rev 5:7, 8 and 13. According to the scripture every living creature on earth will be aware of this event, and more than this they will acknowledge the Lordship of Christ as the Jews submitted to the authority of Christ at the start of His ministry when He cleansed the temple.
2. We'll know it by the seals being broken. The first seal is the rider on the white horse, Christ, and is symbolic of the latter rain. The second, the red horse of war, the third, famine and the fourth, death will also be released.
3. We'll also know by the sounding of the trumpets of Revelation 8 to 11. Ellen White indicates these are more or less concurrent with the seven seals and the latter rain. 3SM 426.1, 15MR 219.2, 220.1, EW 14 -15.

Revelation 10, 11 and 14 also parallel the trumpets and seals. In these chapters we have a picture of what the final and straight testimony of the church and the 144,000 will be: That testimony will be the everlasting gospel and its warning will be against the beast and his number.

In chapter 10 John, a symbol of the end-time church is given a little book of prophecy, a book that was formerly sealed, and directed to eat it. This prophecy is something he has never digested before. He does eat it and it is sweet in his mouth but his stomach is made bitter. Why is this prophetic word bitter? Not only because the Lord did not come as expected in 1844 but also because he is then told to rise and give the final prophetic message, the measuring message of the Two Witnesses to the world. The message is bitter in proportion to its unpopularity. While it is a message of good news that gives hope and life to the humble, the same message condemns the pride, skepticism, sensuality, vice and lawlessness of spiritual Sodom and Egypt.

Notice carefully and study the content of that message, the measuring/judgment message in Revelation 11 comparing it with the judgment hour message of Revelation 14: this final message of the three angels and of the Two Witnesses is not only a call to Sabbath and health reform. The Sabbath and health are central to the message but the message itself is the entire everlasting gospel - the offer of complete moral renewal, complete freedom and restoration into the image of Christ through a faith that works by love and purifies the soul, a faith that enters within the veil.

The sad fact that the majority of affluent Adventists have, like the wealthy citizens of Sodom, adopted to an alarming degree the world's moral standard in the face of this message and the fact that many of them are well down the path of slaying the influence of these Two Witnesses by a false gospel is strong evidence that the true gospel, in answer to the prayers of the saints, is about to go to the world in power.

Friends, this is where we are now: The Lamb is about to take the book from the Father's hand. When He does, the future will be on us, myself included, with unwonted force, trumpet after trumpet, seal after seal, thunder after thunder. Let's repent while we can, abide in love and make our calling and election sure because when the cry goes out, "Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him", there will not be any time to buy more oil. Let's gratefully respond from our hearts to the fathomless love of God and make our unwavering choice for Him now.

Although I do not share your sense of immediacy, I do relish the thought of church members reproducing and reflecting the lovely traits of Jesus' character.

Above I asked: "How will we know when judgment day begins for the world?" In addition to the above three things I listed here is a fourth:

Above Ellen White is quoting from Daniel 7 but she places it in the future rather than in 1844 when the judgment began showing that Daniel 7, (like the first warning message of Revelation 14 that announces that "the hour of His judgment is come") applies especially to the judgment of the living. So we can add this - the recovery and display of the two tables of stone, the two witnesses - to the list of things to look for when the judgment of the living for the world begins. (But, for the church that time is now because as the apostle states the time is come that judgment must begin at the household of God.)

Don't trust every rider on a white horse...

The JOTL involves people who claim to be Christians. During the "little time of trouble" everyone alive will eventually embrace Jesus in one of two ways - 1) in accordance with the Word of God, or 2) in accordance with the Word of God as changed by the World. Evil angels personating holy angels and deceased humans will work wonders and deceive everyone not solidly standing on the Word of God. Finding the Ten Commandments written on two tablets of stone during this time period would not do much for or against either end-time movements. No one doubts what God commanded in the OT. It comes down to the seventh-day sabbath and the first-day sabbath. This is the final test of loyalty. Jesus will not judge, number, or seal anyone before they have passed this final test. Passing or failing this test seals and settles their eternal destiny. As of today, no one has taken this test. No one has been judged, numbered, or sealed. There have been plenty of other tests since the fall of man, but the test described in end-time prophecies is yet future - of as today.

I agree. The future revelation of the two tables will be like Christ's two cleansings of the temple. It will have no positive impact on those who refuse to believe. It will harden them further. On the other hand it will, like the cleansings, be a powerful revelation of His divine authority. When the judgment is set and the Lamb takes the seven sealed book everyone will bow to His authority but their submission will be short lived. Although the latter rain will be poured out soon after like the early rain was poured out not long after the second cleansing, the witness of heaven to the universal authority of Christ will still be rejected by the world. By their conduct they will say "We will not have this man to reign over us." Like the Jews, apostate Christianity will choose Barabbas.

Mountain man,
This looks like it could be an interesting thread.
I will make one comment and go back to my studies.

Those who have bound themselves together fearing that they will fall through a trapdoor if they should receive the light of heaven are the Laodiceans that think themselves rich and in need of nothing. It is the remnant that will respond to the Laodicean message and be among the faithful virgins that will come into the unity of faith and love.

The judgment of the dead began at the dead church while it was dead (22 October 1844). When it had its deadly wound healed (1929), the judgment Hour of the living followed. When that hour was ended the head of the church resigned in the midst of fallen Babylon's fornication scandal (2013). It now has two living heads as ancient Babylon had two kings when Daniel was made the third ruler and Babylon fell to Cyrus who was a type of Christ. But you do not share the sense of urgency?

If you want to understand the formation of he image-beast, study the beast, the papacy!

But do not expect the character of Jesus to be reproduced and represented in those who are so rich that nobody (not even Jesus) can tell them anything. The Mark of the Beast will divide those who are to go to perdition from those who will be sealed by God. And Judgment will begin at the Church of God.

Even now the cry is going forth. But those who want to wait and see before looking at the details will wait until their probation is wasted. And those who hear and join in the cry (who watch and search the Scriptures) will find Christ and be saved by Him.

To God be the glory!

HC, it must be thrilling (and somewhat scary) to believe, as you do, that the JOTL is happening and people are being numbered and sealed among the 144,000 (people who will not taste death, who will be translated alive when Jesus returns). My studies have led me to believe the JOTL will begin some time after the MOB is legislated and enforced. Those who make up the 144,000 (the translation generation) must first demonstrate faithfulness and obedience during the enforcement of the MOB before they can be numbered and sealed.

IMHO
It is frustrating.
To see that the warning is being ignored by those who should be giving the right message at the right time. Instead they are crying peace and safety and focusing on a future time when now is the day of salvation. They are squandering their final moments of probation.

When the MOB is in place, will God's people be sealed?
Will God seal those who have not been Judged?

As the JOTD determined who is worthy to be raised to life eternal,
the JOTL has ended (everyone's status is current) and they can be moved from the book of life to the book of death and visa versa as they accept or reject Jesus
.
Thus, the MOB will be accepted by those who are judged unworthy
to receive the seal of the living God.

Why do you place so much emphasis on things you cannot see?

What have you done with regards to the word of Jesus about things that are immediately before your eyes? "I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me." Mat. 25:42-43