St. Lawrence

He was born in A.D. 225 in a place now in modern day Spain. He was one of the seven Deacons of ancient Rome under Pope Sixtus-II. He gave all the money he had to the poor people. When the Pope Sixtus-II was condemned to death by the Emperor Valerian and when the Pope was led to execution, St. Lawrence followed the Pope. He asked the Pope "Father, where are you going without your deacon". To this the Pope answered him that "in three days you will follow me". After the death of the Pope Sixtus-II, the Prefect of Rome, who was a greedy pagan, ordered Lawrence to bring all the Church's treasures to him. Lawrence asked for three days to bring the treasures to him. He then gathered all the poor and sick people in Rome and brought them before the Prefect and told him they are the treasures of the Church. The Perfect became furious and condemned Lawrence to a slow and cruel death. He was tied on top of an iron grill over a slow fire. This roasted the flesh of Lawrence little by little and led him to a slow and very painful death. Tradition says that he was martyred at San Lorenzo in Panisperna on August 10, 258. Legend says that St Lawrence, while he was roasted on the iron grill told the soldiers that his flesh is now suitably roasted so that it can be eaten by them. Emperor Constantine constructed an Oratory in honor of St. Lawrence. The grill of iron of martyrdom was placed by Pope Pascal-II in the Church of St. Lorenzo in Lucina.

He is one of the widely venerated saints of Catholic Church. The Perseid Meteor Shower occurs every year in mid-August on or near San Lawrence feast day, is called by many people as the "Tears of Saint Lawrence".
#lawrence #faith #sacrifice #Catolic #trust #meteor #shower #church #death #honor #august #world #treasure

Amazing Facts.
Daily Devotionals

The Source of Life

August 1st, 2026

Evidence continues to mount that the mystery of life can only be explained by intelligent miraculous intervention. In the mid-1800s, when Charles Darwin wrote his theory of evolution, many scientists believed in something called “spontaneous generation.” This is the belief that living things, like maggots, can spontaneously arise from non-living material.

Many people believed this because they had observed worms and flies apparently springing forth from lifeless material like decaying meat or fruit. In 1859, the great scientist Louis Pasteur proved the absurdity of spontaneous generation. He demonstrated when the decaying material was insulated from flies and insects, no larva ever appeared.

Now more than ever, modern science confirms that life is extremely complex and can only arise from pre-existing life. This is why the best efforts of evolution scientists have not been able to produce a single cell of life even in the controlled environments of expensive high-tech laboratories.

Now with the marvels of 21st-century microscopes, scientists understand that even the simplest and smallest organism is, in effect, a virtual factory containing thousands of exquisitely designed pieces of intricate molecular machinery, far more complicated than the International Space Station. In fact, each microscopic cell is as functionally complex as a small city at rush hour!

Now as we delve deeper into the cellular world, science reveals a virtual Lilliputian world of enormous complexity that has pushed the theory of evolution to a breaking point. It is likely that if Charles Darwin was alive today and could see a single cell magnified 50,000 times through electron micrographs, he would utterly renounce his theory as foolishness.

Because it is increasingly obvious there is no scientific explanation for the origin of life on Earth, evolutionists are now playing the alien card. In other words, they are saying life was introduced on our planet by a comet or meteor or by some alien visitors. Of course that creates an out-of-this-world argument that makes it virtually impossible to disprove their fantasy.

In spite of the staggering mountain of evidence that only a miracle could produce life, the modern world refuses to accept the Bible account of Jesus’ resurrection. But not only did Jesus have a resurrection, He is the Resurrection! Jesus is the Author of life, the Source of life both now and eternally.

Key Bible Texts
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (John 11:25 KJV)

Trust in Him.

Yes, this meteor is real.
#faith

Chapter 19 The First Angel’s Message




What motivates the proclamation of the Three Angels’ Messages? Early Adventism believed Christ would return in 1844 and were motivated to share their knowledge of Christ’s return to have as many people as possible ready for His Advent. This led to their proclamation of the Three Angels’ Messages. However, Babylon, although apostate, had not yet fallen. It had not yet coerced all on Earth to false worship. Clearly, Christ could not have come in 1844, because prophecy had not all been fulfilled at that stage. Several prophecies have been fulfilled since then, but there are still many that remain unfulfilled, including the proclamation of the second and third Angels’ Messages. In fact, even the first Angel’s Message still needs to be proclaimed in its rightful context because the Trumpets have not yet sounded:

Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

The Three Angels’ Messages will have their real and final proclamation after the Outpouring of the Latter Rain. When the temple is measured, the 144 000 are sealed, they are tasked with the proclamation of the Three Angels’ Messages. That is what is meant in Rev 10 that they must prophesy before kings and rulers and the populace of the Earth:

11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

The Seven Trumpets begin after the sealing of the 144 000 (chapter 16). The first Trumpet is a meteor shower, some of which fall on Earth – meteorites. They ignite vast tracts of combustible fields and coniferous forests:

Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

People will take note of this event but ascribe it to a natural phenomenon because it can be scientifically explained. People have become used to the challenges of forest fires which have become prevalent because of climate change.

There seems to be entwined in this some symbolism as well. Comparing the first Trumpet with the fifth, green, grass and trees are common elements:

Rev 9:4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

It is clear from the fifth Trumpet that grass, green things and trees are people. The locusts should not hurt grass, green things and trees, but only those men which do not have the seal of God in their foreheads. These three elements are contrasted with people that do not have the seal of God in their foreheads, therefore they are symbolic, and represent people that have God’s seal. At this stage, the only people that are sealed with God’s seal are the 144 000. These locusts cannot harm God’s 144 000. We see this concept in other places as well: In Rev 11, the Two Witnesses (chapter 8) enjoy God’s protection when someone tries to harm them:

5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

Revelation 12 also strongly shows God’s protection of the 144 000:

14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

If grass, green things and trees represent the 144 000 in the fifth Trumpet, can they mean that in the first? The answer is no. In the first Trumpet all the grass is burnt and a third of the green trees. If the grass and green trees represent the 144 000 in the first Trumpet, then more than a third of the 144 000 are destroyed during the first Trumpet. That implies that they do not enjoy God’s protection and many are killed by the first Trumpet. Since this cannot be, the green trees and grass in the first Trumpet are not symbolic, but literal.

This argument is a big help in understanding the Trumpets. The first four are literal natural disasters, the next two are symbolic in nature, and the last is the Close of Probation. We see this pattern in many places of Revelation where the first four of seven entities are grouped together, then the next two are similar to each other, and the seventh is the climax, standing on its own. In the Seven Seals in particular this grouping is very prominent.

We see then that the first Trumpet is literal, and the trees and grass on Earth are ablaze because a shower of meteors and meteorites have ignited the combustibles on Earth. The 144 000 start telling the world that this phenomenon was allowed by God, and that He is drawing their attention to the issue of true worship – they are proclaiming the First Angel’s Message.

Soon after this the second Trumpet sounds:

Rev 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

The first Trumpet is meteors, and relatively small meteorites that fall on the Earth. In the second Trumpet, it is also an object from space that strikes the Earth, but a much larger one. It is a stray asteroid. When it enters the atmosphere of Earth, there is friction with the air molecules, making it burn like a meteor. It is simply too big to burn out or even be slowed down by the friction. It strikes the ocean with such a huge impact that it causes a tsunami, destroying a significant part of shipping. Sea life is killed by the impact shock. The rotting fish cause a problem with the quality of the sea water where the dissolved oxygen is consumed. A red tide develops, turning the sea into what looks like blood. These occurrences remind us of some of the plagues that God through Moses inflicted on the Egyptians.

More people take note of the close proximity in time of this second natural disaster, and begin to realise that God wants their attention. The 144 000 confirm that God would like the people on Earth to acknowledge Him as the God of Creation.

Not long after this, the third Trumpet sounds:

Rev 8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

And yet another object from space impacts the Earth, this time falling on a continent. It also burns because of friction with the atmosphere. It is made of some other material compared to the former, burning with a bright white flame. It is huge, impacting the crust of the Earth and making a crater. It is made from a metal that has a soluble oxide that is toxic. Bases are bitter in taste. This toxic soluble oxide dissolves in the fresh water sources and makes them bitter and toxic. The water is bottled as spring water, and when people buy and drink it, they die from it.

By now almost everyone recognises that the diversity of these interlopers from space that have crashed into the Earth, have occurred too often to be the result of natural impacts, but are acts of God. The message from the 144 000 strikes home. Simultaneously there are other coercive voices that also recognise that God is calling us to worship, and legislate the worship of the Trinity on Sunday. People have to choose to listen to the 144 000 and to conscience, or fall in line with the powers on Earth and appease the government and the false God by worshipping on the “venerable day of the sun.”

All the impacts on Earth have caused the crust of the Earth to rupture, and magma has poured out, forming volcanoes all over the Earth. Dust particles and ash ascend into the upper atmosphere, blocking the light of day from reaching the ground. The fourth Trumpet sounds:

Rev 8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

The dust from the fires, and the ash from volcanoes have made the Earth gloomy. Through the gloom in the day, the sun is not seen, neither the moon at night.

The Trumpets have turned what God made into blessings, when He created the Earth, into curses. God made light the first day, the first Trumpet brings fire, lighting up the Earth. On the second day of creation God separated the water of the heavens from the water of the Earth, the second Trumpet has a burning mountain fall into the waters of an ocean. The third day of creation, God made dry land, the third Trumpet has an asteroid fall on the land. On the fourth day, God created the sun, moon and stars, the fourth Trumpet has the sun and the moon darkened.

The remaining Trumpets are different, more symbolic and far more serious than the first four. The impact of the last three Trumpets is so serious that God gives a special warning in Revelation about them:

Rev 8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

This verse uses the same symbols as that of Rev 14 in the Three Angels’ Messages. The 144 000 bring the Three Angels’ Messages, therefore it is them also that warn the people on Earth about the coming of the next three Trumpets, about how serious and devastating they are to be. They give a clear and serious call to everybody to worship the real Creator God before the last three Trumpets sound, the last Trumpet being the Close of Probation. The first four Trumpets have been upheavals in Creation, giving impetus to the call to worship the God of Creation. The warning about the next three Trumpets is about the coming of God’s judgement. All of this constitute the force of the announcing of the First Angel’s Message to worship the God of Creation, because the hour of His Judgement is fast approaching.

Would you like to be kept safe during this time of upheaval, when nature convulses for the sake of its Maker? God is calling you to hide in the cleft of the Rock. He is our Father, and He will care for those who recognise Him for Who He is – the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and the Saviour of those who love Him and are committed to Him. May God bless you as you acknowledge Him through prayer, worship and commitment.

BIBLE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS # 69
Section 7- Coming Events and Signs.

CHAPTER 69, Signs of the Times.

1. For what did Christ reprove the Pharisees and Sadducees?

"O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Matt. 16:3.

2. What sign had been foretold by the prophet Isaiah by which Christ, at His first advent, might be known as the Messiah?

"Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel." Isa. 7:14. For fulfillment, see Matt. 1:22,23.

3. Where had the prophet said Christ should he born?

"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel." Micah 5:2. For fulfillment, see Matt. 2:1.

4. What prophet had foretold Christ's ride into Jerusalem?

"Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion; shout, 0 daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King comes unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Zech. 9:9. For fulfillment, see Matt. 21:4,5.

5. What question did the disciples ask Christ concerning His second coming?

"And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?" Matt. 24:3.

6. How, according to Luke, did Christ answer this question?

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things Which are coming on the earth." Luke 21:25,26.

7. What, according to Matthew's account, did Christ say were to he the signs in the sun, moon, and stars?

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven." Matt. 24:29.

8. In what language had some of the Old Testament prophets already foretold these signs?

"And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and he terrible day of the Lord come." Joel 2:30,31. "The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining." Joel 3:15. "For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine." Isa. 13:10. "I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in a clear day." Amos 8:9.

9. When were the sun and moon darkened?

May 19, 1780.

NOTES.- "The nineteenth of May, 1780 was a remarkably dark day. Candles were lighted in many houses. The birds were silent, and disappeared. The fowls retired to roost. It was the general opinion that the day of judgment was at hand. The legislature of Connecticut was in session at Hartford, but being unable to transact business, adjourned."-President Dwight, in "Historical Collections."

"In some places persons could not see to read common print in the open air for several hours together. Birds sang their evening songs, disappeared, and became silent the barnyard; and candles were lighted in the silent; fowls went to roost; cattle sought the barnyard and candles were lit in the houses. The obscuration began about ten o'clock in the morning, and continued until the middle of the next night, but with differences of degree and duration in different places. The true causes of this remarkable phenomenon are not known." Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, edition 1883, page 1604, in article "The Dark Day."

Herschel, the great astronomer, says: "The dark day in Northern America was one of those wonderful phenomena of nature which will always be read with interest, but which philosophy is at a loss to explain."

The darkness was not caused by any eclipse of the sun by the moon, for it was full moon only the night before, and consequently the moon was on the opposite side of the earth from the sun. "The darkness of the following evening was probably as deep and dense as ever had been observed since the Almighty first gave birth to light; it wanted only palpability to render it as extraordinary as that which overspread the land of Egypt in the days of Moses. If every luminous body in the universe had been shrouded in impenetrable shades, or struck out of existence, it was thought the darkness could not have been more complete. A sheet of white paper, held within a few inches of the eyes, was equally invisible with the blackest velvet." - "Our First Century," by R. M. Devins, Page 94.

The darkness of the night was as supernatural as that of the previous day, from the fact, as stated by Dr. Adams, that "the moon had fulled the day before."

10. When was there a remarkable display of falling stars?

November 13, 1833.

NOTES. The celebrated astronomer and meteorologist, Professor Olmsted, of Yale College, says: "Those who were so fortunate as to witness the exhibition of shooting stars on the morning of November 13, 1833, probably saw the greatest display of celestial fireworks that has ever been since the creation of the world, or at least within the annals covered by the pages of history. . . . The extent of the shower of 1833 was such as to cover no inconsiderable part of the earth's surface, from the middle of the Atlantic on the east to the Pacific on the west; and from the northern coast of South America to undefined regions among the British possessions on the north the exhibition was visible, and everywhere presented nearly the same appearance."

"At Niagara the exhibition was especially brilliant, and probably no spectacle so terribly grand and sublime was ever before beheld by man as that of the firmament descending in fiery torrents over the dark and roaring cataract."-The American Encyclopedia, edition 1881, article "Meteor." Upon reading a statement that modern fireworks excel this greatest exhibition of shooting stars, Mr. Clarkson, father of the former editors of the paper from which the following quotation is made, and himself agricultural editor of it, said: "The writer of that sentence did not witness the glorious meteoric shower of November, 1833, when the display was so much superior to any artistic display of fireworks that neither language nor any element in nature can furnish comparisons. The comparison of the sheet-iron thunder of the theatres to the electric display of Providence when the heavens are all on fire, and the earth trembles would be tolerable. But the awful grandeur of the display on the night of the thirteenth of November, 1833, which made the stoutest heart stand in awe, and the most defiant infidel quake with fear, is never to he compared with the most brilliant fireworks. Those who witnessed the meteoric shower named saw the greatest display that man ever will see until the day that Peter speaks of when the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The agricultural editor of the Register was out alone with a team and load of lumber all night on that never-to-be forgotten night. And he cannot now consent to hear of human fireworks being superior to that most grand and sublime spectacle ever before or since beheld by man. Patent fireworks are no nearer this wonderful phenomenon than a lightning-bug is equal to the Sun." -Iowa State Register, July 12, 1889.

Frederick A. Douglas, in his book "My Bondage and My Freedom," page 186, says: "I witnessed this gorgeous spectacle, and was struck with awe. The air seemed filled with bright descending messengers from the sky. It was about daybreak when I saw this sublime scene. It was not without the suggestion at that moment that it might be the harbinger of the coming of the Son of man; and in my state of mind I was prepared to hail Him as my friend and deliverer. I had read that the stars shall fall from heaven, and they were now falling." A single star appeared to the wise men, and directed them to the Savior, at His first advent. Myriads of stars have announced the nearness of His second advent.

It will be seen that these signs produced the very impression that God evidently intended that they should-that the day of judgment, Christ's coming, and the end of the world are near at hand.

11. Have we reached the time when there is "distress of nations, with perplexity"?

Every intelligent person knows that the world is in a state of unrest at the present time, and that men are troubled and perplexed at the outlook of present conditions throughout the civilized world.

NOTES.- "Those who study the map of Europe at the present moment, and the condition of things in Europe, must feel that there is hanging over us a war-cloud greater than any that has hung over Europe before. It means when it bursts, and burst it will as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow, a war of extinction of devastation, between great nations whose populations are armed and trained to fight."-Lord Wolseley.

"It is impossible for anyone to contemplate the present naval and military arrangements without the gravest forebodings. . . . In fact, we never now have any real peace; we live practically in a state of war." -Sir John Lubbock.

"The danger, if the Ottoman Empire fall; would not merely be the danger that would threaten the territories of which that empire consists; it would be the danger that the fire there lit should spread to the other nations, and should involve all that is most powerful and civilized in Europe in a dangerous and calamitous contest." -Lord Salisbury, in Mansion House Speech, London, Nov. 9, 1895.

"There can be no division of either of those countries [Turkey or Persia] without setting all the nations of Europe at the throats of each other." -Washington Post, April 24, 1909.

"This is the most unsettled condition of the world since the crucifixion of Christ. The stability of government is no longer a fact. Change is in the atmosphere. . . . Statesmen are at their wits' end. Philosophers speculate In Vain." - The Late Bishop Newman.

12. Are men's hearts now "failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth"?

Everyone familiar with present-day conditions knows that this is the case.

NOTES.- "We are marching toward the unknown. Who knows what tomorrow has in store for us?"- Signor Crispi, ex-Prime Minister of Italy.

"In regard to the future I am filled with disquietude when I think how easy it is to fan these international jealousies, and how difficult it seems to allay them." -Lord Balfour, of England.

"In this world of ours we seem to ' be borne down by commercial and spiritual controversy. We grope in the daytime with fear and trembling for the future. Poor, distracted man is tossed over the night to a more distraught tomorrow." -John Wanamaker, ex-Postmaster-General of the United States.

"The bonds of society are relaxed; traditional principles are losing their sacredness, and perils hitherto unknown are menacing the life of the social organism."- Archbishop Ireland.

These, with forebodings of coming droughts, famines, fires, storms, earthquakes, tidal waves, and pestilences, are filling men's hearts with fear.

13. What may be said of "the sea and the waves roaring"?

Great tidal waves and storms at sea, with cyclones and tornadoes on land, have become fearfully frequent of late years, making men apprehensive of still greater calamities to come.

14. What, according to the prophecy of Daniel, was to characterize the time of the end?

"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. 12:4.

NOTES.- The time of the end began in 1798. See Dan. 7:25; 11:35; 12:4- 9, and the reading "The Kingdom and Work of Antichrist," pages 25, 26, under questions 5-8. Since 1798 there has been a most wonderful increase of all kinds of knowledge, both scientific and religious. Men have been "running to and fro" through both the world and the Word of God. The prophecies of Daniel are now themselves understood. Since 1798 five great Bible and tract societies have been organized; namely, the London Religious Tract Society, the British and Foreign Bible Society, the American Bible Society, the American Tract Society, and the International Tract Society, besides many, smaller societies of the same kind. From these have gone forth to the world hundreds of millions of copies of the Bible, and countless pages of tracts and pamphlets, disseminating knowledge upon the truths of salvation. Besides these, millions of copies of religious papers are being circulated annually in the various countries of the world. Missions have been established in all parts of the world. All this has been accomplished since 1798. Concerning the increase of knowledge in the material, scientific, and intellectual worlds, see the next reading.

15. What is predicted of the moral condition of the world in the last days?

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, . . . lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

16. How did the Apostle Peter say the message of the Lord's coming would be treated by some?

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 2 Peter 3:3,4.

17. What will God's faithful servants be doing at this time?

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?" Matt. 24:45.

NOTE.- The "meat in due season" here spoken of evidently refers to the proclamation of the message based upon the signs which indicate the near approach of the Lord. The preaching of this message is what causes scoffers mockingly to ask, "Where is the promise of His coming?"

18. What are all admonished to do when these signs have appeared?

"Therefore be you also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes." Verse 44.

19. How will Christ's coming overtake those evil servants who say in their hearts, "My Lord delays His coming"?

"The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder. And appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Verses 50, 51.

We know not the hour of the Master's appearing,

Yet signs all foretell that the moment is nearing

When He shall return,-'tis a promise most cheering,-

But we know not the hour.

There's light for the wise who are seeking salvation,

There's truth in the Book of the Lord's revelation,

Each prophecy points to the great consummation,-

But we know not the hour.

We'll watch arid we'll pray, with our lamps trimmed and burning,

We'll work and we'll wait till the Master s returning,

We'll sing and rejoice, every omen discerning,-

But we know not the hour.

F. E. BELDEN.

I would like to thank God for using the Bible Reading for the Home Circle to bless millions of souls. To the author and original producer, (though in truth and reality it's God's) “No Copyright Infringement Intended.” What I have found which are available online I made them available offline...

BIBLE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS # 63
Section 6- Sure Word of Prophecy.

CHAPTER 63, The Seven Seals.

1. What did John see in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne?

"And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back side, sealed with seven seals." Rev. 5:1.

2. What did the Lamb do with this book?

"And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne." Verse 7.

3. Why was Christ declared worthy to open these seals?

"Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." Verse 9.

4. What was shown upon the opening of the first seal?

"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, . . . a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." Rev. 6:1,2.

NOTE: The number seven in the Scriptures denotes completion or perfection. The seven seals embrace the whole of a class of events in which is narrated the history of the church from the beginning of the Christian era to the second coming of Christ. The white horse, with his rider going forth to conquer, fitly represents the early Christian church in its purity, going into all the world with the gospel message of salvation.

5. What appeared upon the opening of the second seal?

"And when He had opened the second seal. . . . there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword" Verses 3,4.

NOTE: As whiteness in the first horse denoted the purity of the gospel which its rider propagated, so the color of the second horse would show that corruption had begun to creep in when this symbol applies. It is true that such a state of things did succeed the apostolic church. Speaking of the second century, Wharey, in his "Church History," page 39, says: "Christianity began already to wear the garb of heathenism. The seeds of most of those errors that afterwards so entirely overran the church, marred its beauty, and tarnished its glory, were already beginning to take root." Worldliness came in. The church sought alliance with the secular power, and trouble and commotion were the result. This symbol extends from the close of the first century to the time of Constantine, when a complete union of church and state was effected.

6. What was the color of the symbol under the third seal?

"When He had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand." Verse 5.

NOTE: The "black" horse fitly represents the spiritual darkness that characterized the church from the time of Constantine till the establishment of papal supremacy in 538. A.D. Of the condition of things in the fourth century, Wharey (page 54) says: "Christianity had now become popular, and a large proportion, perhaps a large majority, of those who embraced it, only assumed the name, received the rite of baptism, and conformed to some of the external ceremonies of the church, while at heart and in moral character they were as much heathen as they were before. Error and corruption now came in upon the church like a flood."

7. What were the color and character of the fourth symbol?

"And when He had opened the fourth seal, . . . behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell [Greek, Hades, the grave] followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." Verses 7,8.

NOTE: This is an unnatural color for a horse. The original denotes the pale or yellowish color seen in blighted plants. The symbol evidently refers to the work of persecution and death carried on by the Roman Church against the people of God from the time of the beginning of papal supremacy in 538 A.D. to the time when the Reformers commenced their work of exposing the true character of the Papacy, and a check was placed upon this work of death.

8. On opening the fifth seal, what was seen under the altar?

"And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and f or the testimony which they held." Verse 9.

NOTE: When the Reformers exposed the work of the Papacy, it was then called to mind how many martyrs had been slain for their faith.

9. What were these martyrs represented as doing?

"And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Verse 10.

NOTE: The cruel treatment which they had received cried for vengeance, just as Abel's blood cried to God from the ground. Gen. 4:10. They were not in heaven, but under the altar on which they had been slain. On this point Dr. Adam Clarke says: "The altar is upon earth, not in heaven." See note under next question.

10. What was given these martyrs?

"And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled [have fulfilled their course, R.V.]." Verse 11.

NOTE: These had been slain during the hundreds of years covered by the preceding seal. Their persecutors, most of them, at least, had died. And if they had at death passed to their punishment, as is by some supposed, why should the martyred ones still importune for their punishment? In this, as in other parts of the Bible, the figure of personification is used, in which inanimate objects are represented as alive and speaking, and things that are not as though they were. See Judges 9:8- 15; Heb. 2:11; Rom. 4:17. These martyrs had gone down as heretics under the darkness and superstition of the preceding seal, covered with ignominy and shame. Now, in the light of the Reformation, their true character appears, and they are seen to have been righteous, and hence are given "white robes." "The fine linen [white robes] is the righteousness of saints." Rev. 19:8. Righteousness is ascribed to them; and when they have rested a little longer where they are,-under the altar,-till all others who are to fall for their faith have followed them, then together they will be raised to life and immortality.

11. What was first seen on the opening of the sixth seal?

"And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake." Verse 12, first part.

NOTE: This doubtless refers to the great earthquake of November 1, 1755, commonly known as the Lisbon earthquake, the effects of which were felt over an area of 4,000,000 square miles. Lisbon, Portugal, a city containing 150,000 inhabitants, was almost entirely destroyed. The shock of the earthquake, says Mr. Sears, in his of the World," page 200, "was instantly followed by the fall of every church and convent, almost all the large public buildings, and one-fourth of the houses. In about two hours afterward, fires broke out in different quarters, and raged with such violence for the space of nearly three days that the city was completely desolated. The earthquake happened on a holy day, when the churches and convents were full of people, very few of whom escaped. . . . The terror of the people was beyond description. Nobody wept: it was beyond tears. They ran hither and thither, delirious with horror and astonishment, beating their faces and breasts, crying, 'Misericordia! the world's at an end!'. Mothers forgot their children, and ran about loaded with crucifixed images. Unfortunately, many ran to the churches for protection; but in vain was the sacrament exposed; in vain did the poor creatures embrace the altars; images, priests, and people were buried in one common ruin Ninety thousand persons are supposed to have been lost on that fatal day."

12. What was to follow the great earthquake?

"And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood." Same verse, latter part.

NOTE: This refers to the dark day and night of May 19, 1780, when the darkness and gloom were such as to give the general impression that the day of judgment was at hand.

13. What other event is mentioned under this seal?

"And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind." Verse 13.

NOTES: This was fulfilled in the wonderful meteoric shower of November 13, 1833. Describing the scene in the vicinity of Niagara Falls, one writer says: "No spectacle so terribly grand and sublime was ever before beheld by man as that of the firmament descending in fiery torrents over the dark and roaring cataract."-"Our First Century," Page 330; also The American Cyclopedia, edition 1881, article "Meteor." See readings just referred to.

A contributor, writing for the Journal of Commerce of November 14, 1833, in regard to the falling stars of November 13, 1833, said: "Were I to hunt through nature for a simile, I could not find one so apt to illustrate the appearance of the heavens as that which St. John uses in the prophecy. The falling stars did not come as if from several trees shaken, but as from one; those which appeared in the east, fell toward the east; those which appeared in the west, fell toward the west; and those which appeared in the south, fell toward the south. And they fell not as the ripe fruit falls-far from it-but they flew, they were cast, like the unripe fruit which at first refuses to leave the branch; and when, under a violent pressure, it does break its hold, it flies swiftly, straight off, descending; and in the multitude falling, some cross the track of others, as they are thrown with more or less force; but each one falls on its own side of the tree." See reading in Chapter 69. of this book.

14. What is the next event mentioned in the prophecy?

"And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places" Verse 14.

NOTE:This event is still future, and will take place in connection with Christ's second coming. We are now standing between the two events-the last of the signs in the heavens, and the parting of the heavens and removal of earthly things out of their places. The great signs here mentioned which mark the approach of Christ's second coming and the dissolution of all earthly things, are all in the past, and the world awaits the sound of the last trump as the closing scene in earth's drama.

15. How will this great event affect the world?

"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Verses 15-17.

16. After the sealing work brought to view in Revelation 7, which takes place under the sixth seal, how is the seventh seal introduced?

"And when He had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour." Rev. 8:1.

NOTE: The sixth seal introduced the events connected with the second coming of Christ. The seventh seal most naturally, therefore, would refer to that event, or to some accompanying result of it. When Christ comes, all the holy angels will accompany Him (Matt. 25:31); and it follows that silence will necessarily, therefore, reign in heaven during their absence. A half hour of prophetic time would be about seven days. The seven seals, therefore, bring us down to the second coming of Christ.

It may be at morn, when the day is awaking,

When sunlight through darkness and shadow is breaking,

That Jesus will come in the fulness of glory

To receive from the world His own.

It may be at midday, it may be at twilight,

It may be, perchance, that the blackness of midnight

Will burst into light in the blaze of His glory,

When Jesus receives His own.

O joy! O delight! should we go without dying

No sickness, no sadness, no dread, and no crying,

Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory,

When Jesus receives His own.

-H. L. TURNER.

I would like to thank God for using the Bible Reading for the Home Circle to bless millions of souls. To the author and original producer, (though in truth and reality it's God's) “No Copyright Infringement Intended.” What I have found which are available online I made them available offline...

3 A. M. #2
The Fulfillment of the Three Angels’ Messages

In the fourteenth chapter of Revelation, the prophet John beholds three angels flying in mid-heaven, bearing messages of eternal consequence to “every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.” These are the Three Angels’ Messages—Heaven’s final call of mercy to a world standing on the brink of judgment. Each message marks a distinct stage in the unfolding of divine truth, and together they form God’s last great appeal to humanity.

The first of these messages found its fulfillment in the great Advent awakening of the nineteenth century—a mighty movement that stirred hearts across continents, restoring long-forgotten truths and preparing a people for the coming of the Lord.

The First Angel’s Message: “The Hour of His Judgment Has Come”

The first angel proclaimed with a mighty voice: “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come.” (Revelation 14:7). In the early 1800s, this solemn cry resounded throughout the world. Without any central coordination, men and women across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas were stirred by the Spirit of God to search the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. Through their study, they discerned that the “hour of judgment” foretold by the prophet Daniel was near at hand.

Their attention was fixed upon Daniel 8:14: “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Believing the cleansing of the sanctuary to signify the purification of the earth by fire at the return of Christ, devoted Bible students traced the prophecy’s timeline from the decree of Artaxerxes in 457 B.C. Applying the year-day principle (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6), they concluded that the 2,300 years would end in 1843 on the Jewish calendar—corresponding to March 21, 1844, on the Gregorian calendar.

As the prophetic period drew to a close, the message swelled into a worldwide revival. From pulpits and printing presses, in fields and marketplaces, the cry rang out: “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!” The heavens themselves seemed to echo their conviction—the Dark Day of 1780, the great meteor shower of 1833, and the blazing auroras of the 1830s appeared as signs fulfilling the words of Christ in Matthew 24. Hearts trembled under conviction. Farmers left their fields, merchants closed their shops, and ministers of every denomination proclaimed with one voice: “Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come!”

But when the long-anticipated date passed without Christ’s appearing, indescribable sorrow filled the hearts of the believers. Their joy turned to weeping; their songs of triumph were hushed in grief. Men and women who had watched through the night for the coming of their Lord now greeted the dawn with broken hearts. This bitter experience became known as the first disappointment—a test of faith that separated the sincere from the superficial, the steadfast from the fearful.

Yet, even in their sorrow, God’s hand was leading. The proclamation had fulfilled its divine purpose—it had awakened the nations, revived faith in Christ’s soon coming, and called the world’s attention to the judgment-hour message. Though their understanding was incomplete, the seed of truth had been planted in sincere hearts.

It would not be until the second disappointment of October 22, 1844, that the true meaning of the “hour of His judgment” would be understood. Through further study and prayer, the faithful would discover that the prophecy did not point to Christ’s return to earth, but to the beginning of His final work of judgment in the heavenly sanctuary.

Thus, the first angel’s message reached its fulfillment in the mighty Advent proclamation and the testing experience of the first disappointment—preparing the way for deeper light to shine in the messages that followed.

The story does not end in disappointment. Out of sorrow, truth would shine brighter; and out of confusion, a clearer understanding of God’s plan would unfold. Join us tomorrow as we continue with the Second Angel’s Message—“Babylon is fallen, is fallen.”

3. A. M. #1
The Fulfillment of the Three Angels’ Messages

In the fourteenth chapter of Revelation, the prophet John beholds three angels flying in mid-heaven, bearing messages of eternal consequence to “every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.” These are the Three Angels’ Messages—Heaven’s final call of mercy to a world standing on the brink of judgment. Each message marks a distinct stage in the unfolding of divine truth, and together they form God’s last great appeal to humanity.

The first of these messages found its fulfillment in the great Advent awakening of the nineteenth century—a mighty movement that stirred hearts across continents, restoring long-forgotten truths and preparing a people for the coming of the Lord.

The First Angel’s Message: “The Hour of His Judgment Has Come”

The first angel proclaimed with a mighty voice: “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come.” (Revelation 14:7). In the early 1800s, this solemn cry resounded throughout the world. Without any central coordination, men and women across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas were stirred by the Spirit of God to search the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. Through their study, they discerned that the “hour of judgment” foretold by the prophet Daniel was near at hand.

Their attention was fixed upon Daniel 8:14: “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Believing the cleansing of the sanctuary to signify the purification of the earth by fire at the return of Christ, devoted Bible students traced the prophecy’s timeline from the decree of Artaxerxes in 457 B.C. Applying the year-day principle (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6), they concluded that the 2,300 years would end in 1843 on the Jewish calendar—corresponding to March 21, 1844, on the Gregorian calendar.

As the prophetic period drew to a close, the message swelled into a worldwide revival. From pulpits and printing presses, in fields and marketplaces, the cry rang out: “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!” The heavens themselves seemed to echo their conviction—the Dark Day of 1780, the great meteor shower of 1833, and the blazing auroras of the 1830s appeared as signs fulfilling the words of Christ in Matthew 24. Hearts trembled under conviction. Farmers left their fields, merchants closed their shops, and ministers of every denomination proclaimed with one voice: “Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come!”

But when the long-anticipated date passed without Christ’s appearing, indescribable sorrow filled the hearts of the believers. Their joy turned to weeping; their songs of triumph were hushed in grief. Men and women who had watched through the night for the coming of their Lord now greeted the dawn with broken hearts. This bitter experience became known as the first disappointment—a test of faith that separated the sincere from the superficial, the steadfast from the fearful.

Yet, even in their sorrow, God’s hand was leading. The proclamation had fulfilled its divine purpose—it had awakened the nations, revived faith in Christ’s soon coming, and called the world’s attention to the judgment-hour message. Though their understanding was incomplete, the seed of truth had been planted in sincere hearts.

It would not be until the second disappointment of October 22, 1844, that the true meaning of the “hour of His judgment” would be understood. Through further study and prayer, the faithful would discover that the prophecy did not point to Christ’s return to earth, but to the beginning of His final work of judgment in the heavenly sanctuary.

Thus, the first angel’s message reached its fulfillment in the mighty Advent proclamation and the testing experience of the first disappointment—preparing the way for deeper light to shine in the messages that followed.

The story does not end in disappointment. Out of sorrow, truth would shine brighter; and out of confusion, a clearer understanding of God’s plan would unfold. Join us tomorrow as we continue with the Second Angel’s Message—“Babylon is fallen, is fallen.”

Amazing Facts

January 6th

The Signs of the Times.

In this second-to-last seal of the seven seen by John, the vision turns literal. It’s a prophecy that has already been fulfilled, and there is reason to believe something like it could take place again before Christ returns.

On the morning of November 1, 1755, an 8.4-magnitude earthquake struck Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. A massive disaster that triggered a tsunami and fire, this famous quake was responsible for the deaths of some 60,000 people. The scientific study of this unusual earthquake led to the birth of modern seismology.

A quarter of a century later, in the late morning of May 19, 1780, there fell an out-of-the-ordinary darkness over the entire New England sky, so pitch black that people had to light candles to see. The darkness continued until the next day, and at night the full moon appeared red.

Lastly, on November 13, 1833, a little more than half a century later, an annual meteor storm known as the Great Leonids showered east and central North America. That year though, the storm was noticeably profuse, producing a phenomenon of tens of thousands of shooting stars. The sky was so aglow that people, in a panic, thought their houses were on fire.

Scripture prophesied these events centuries before they happened—multiple times. (See Isaiah 13:10; Joel 2:10, 30, 31; Matthew 24:29.)

Note the accuracy of the detail in Revelation’s account: New England’s “Dark Day” was like “sackcloth,” a bag woven from thick, black cloth and hair, a suitable description of the inky “blackness” (Isaiah 50:3) that no man could see through. The moon was the color of “blood,” and the stars like unripe figs ripped from their tree “by a mighty wind,” as in a cosmic storm.

All three depictions invoke a time of great turmoil, catastrophe, and death—sackcloth, used in mourning (Esther 4:1; Jonah 3:6; Luke 10:13); blood; windstorm—apt portents of the time of trouble that is to come upon the world in the last days before Christ’s coming.

Christ Almighty, as the signs of the times unfold around us, prepare my heart and mind for Your soon coming.

For Further Study: Joel 3:15; Mark 13:24, 25; Revelation 16:1
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; Revelation 6:12