The Seven Last Plagues

Notes

Side texts: Isa. 26:9, 11; Ps. 9:16; Ex. 8:22, 23.

Notes

Read "Great Controversy," chapter 39; "Early Writings" ("Spiritual Gifts"), pp. 143, 144.

1. The closing of the door of probation is not an arbitrary act on the part of God, but each soul closes his own probation by persistently refusing to listen to the voice of the Spirit. When the Spirit is finally rejected, there is no more that God can do for that soul. "I have not forsaken you, saith the Lord, but ye have forsaken Me." When the last soul has done this, God announces the fact to the heavenly host by saying, "It is done." "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still." See "Great Controversy," p. 613.

2. The day Noah entered into the ark the door was shut. Noah was safe. The wicked world was shut out; but still they knew not until the flood came, seven days later. There was a short period of time after the decree went forth before the total destruction of the wicked. "So shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

3. To "stand up" means to reign. Dan. 11:2, 20. The kingdoms of this world are given to Christ at the close of His work in the sanctuary, and He is crowned "King of kings, and Lord of lords."

4. The pouring out of the wrath of God was, John says, a great and marvelous thing. Isaiah speaks of it in the same way (Isa. 28:21), "That He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act." To our loving Father the act of punishment is a strange act. Nevertheless, the character of God is exalted by it in the sight of the heavenly universe, as is proved by the words of the angels in Rev. 16:5-7. God's purpose in pouring out judgments upon the earth may be, first, to save all that can be saved, or to convince those who have never fallen, and those who will finally be destroyed, that the Lord is God, and that His ways are just. When the seven last plagues are poured out, God knows that no more will turn to Him, yet He does not visit His judgments upon men until the whole universe is convinced that He is God, and that His ways are just. When "loving-kindness" and "favor" do not draw men to Him, He is forced to lift up His hand in judgments as a last remedy, and the fact that the wicked do not then repent and give Him glory (Rev. 16:9-11) is positive evidence that God can do no more for them. When this fact is seen by all, God's voice is again heard, not only in heaven, but on this earth, saying, "It is done." Rev. 16:17-21; Heb. 12:26; "Great Controversy," pp. 636, 637. Then is given to great Babylon the "cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath," in the seventh plague, which is universal. The others are not. "Great Controversy," p. 628. This manifestation of God's unmingled wrath against sin is but another manifestation of His unmingled love for those whom sin is seeking to destroy.

5. The sin of Samaria was Baal, or sun-worship (1 Kings 16:31, 32), of which Sunday is still a sign. The god of Dan was represented by two golden calves which Jeroboam set up. 2 Chron. 13:8; 1 Kings 12:28-30. In that worship all the commandments of God were forsaken. 2 Kings 17:16. So at this time, the professed people of God have forsaken His law and are exalting this sign of Baal, or sun-worship, and swear that it is of the Lord, and at the same time are seeking for the words of the Lord. But God will now cut off the remembrance of Baal and those that swear by false gods. Zeph. 1:2-6.