If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Let’s ask for God’s guidance: |
Our Almighty Father, As we study the prophetic Word, we often come across the subject of the latter rain. It is now time for us to understand what this event represents. This is why we once again ask You to help us, for without Your precious light, we would remain in total darkness. We thank You in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Joel 2:23,24 | Comments |
Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for He has given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat. |
In our previous lessons, we have seen that, at the time of the shaking, shortly before the great harvest which will gather souls into the barns of heaven, God will send a special «rain» on His people. Prophecy uses the words «the former rain and the latter rain». What does this rain symbolize? |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Jeremiah 5:24 | Comments |
Let us now fear the Lord our God, that gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest. |
In Palestine, the «former rain» represents the rains which, after six months of dry weather, moisten the ground during the autumn sowing period, allowing the seed to sprout and grow. In spring, the «latter rain» comes in turn, allowing the plants to reach full maturity, with a view to the harvest which follows shortly afterward. Now, what do these rains symbolize at the spiritual level? |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Joel 2:23,28 | Comments |
Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for He has given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. (...) I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh. |
Bible prophecy often takes its symbolism from the agricultural sphere, as we have seen with the sifting (or shaking), the harvest, and the vintage. Now, the former and latter rains are used to symbolize the Holy Spirit being poured out on the people of God. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Ezekiel 36:25,27 | Comments |
Then will I sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean. (...) I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments, and do them. |
The symbol of a beneficial rain is often used in the Bible to represent the Holy Spirit being poured out on the people of God. |
Isaiah 44:3 | |
For I will pour water on him that is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground. I will pour My spirit on your seed, and My blessing on your offspring. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Acts 2:1-4,16,17 | Comments |
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. (...) «This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; “And it shall come to pass in the last days,” said God, “that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh.”» |
The former rain took place on the Day of the Pentecost, fulfilling the first part of Joel’s prophecy. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Acts 2:37,38,41 | Comments |
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, «Men and brothers, what shall we do?» Then Peter said to them, «Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.» (...) Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls. |
The aim of the former rain is to make the seed sprout and grow. Likewise, the rain of the Holy Spirit, at Pentecost, made the Church sprout and grow. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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John 14:16 | Comments |
[Jesus said,] «I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever.» | Shortly before returning to His Father, Jesus announced to His disciples that they would receive this special rain, so that God’s Church might be born, and then grow by proclaiming the gospel to all nations. |
Acts 1:8 | |
You shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come on you. And you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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John 7:37-39 | Comments |
Jesus stood and cried, saying, «If any man thirst, let him come to Me, and drink. He that believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.» But this spoke He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive. |
Coming directly from God, the Spirit’s rain is truly a thirst-quenching source of living water. |
Revelation 22:17 | |
And the Spirit and the bride say, «Come!» And let him that hears say, «Come!» And let him that is thirsty come. And whoever will, let him take the water of life freely. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Acts 4:31 | Comments |
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. |
Since this former rain, the Holy Spirit has been working continuously, bringing souls to the cross of the Savior, Jesus Christ. |
Acts 10:44 | |
While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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1 Corinthians 6:11 | Comments |
But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. | After having led us to salvation, the Holy Spirit plays an important part in our sanctification, that is, our continuous spiritual growth. |
2 Thessalonians 2:13 | |
God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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1 Samuel 10:6 | Comments |
The Spirit of the Lord will come on you, and you (...) shall be turned into another man. | This spiritual growth can happen only by the power of the Holy Spirit, who transforms us day after day into the image of our Savior Jesus Christ. |
John 14:17 | |
The Spirit of truth (...) dwells with you, and shall be in you. | |
Galatians 2:20 | |
I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Galatians 5:16,17 | Comments |
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that you would. |
The sinner has a natural tendency to go against the will of God. Only the Holy Spirit can give us the power to obey God. |
Galatians 5:25 | |
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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1 Thessalonians 4:1 | Comments |
We beseech you, brothers, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as you have received of us how you ought to walk and to please God, so you would abound more and more. | Being justified in Jesus Christ, we are now called to increasingly understand the will of God. But even more, through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit within us, God calls us to obey His will, so that we «abound more and more». |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Galatians 5:19-22 | Comments |
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, jealousies, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, contentions, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. |
What a transformation the Holy Spirit can carry out in the heart of the sincerely repentant man! |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Hebrews 6:7 | Comments |
For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft on it, and brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God. | The believer, transformed by the Holy Spirit, gives off a wonderful essence of blessing around him, and works without respite in God’s harvest. |
Galatians 6:8,9 | |
He that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Joel 2:23,28 | Comments |
Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for He has given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. (...) I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh. |
After the former rain comes the latter rain. This rain brings the plants to full maturity, before the harvest. What does the latter rain symbolize? |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Acts 2:1,4,16,17,20 | Comments |
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, (...) they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. (...) «This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; “And it shall come to pass in the last days,” said God, “that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh. (...) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable Day of the Lord come.”» |
The prophecy of Joel announced the former rain that fell at Pentecost. That same prophecy also annnounces the latter rain, which, for its part, will fall shortly before «the great and notable Day of the Lord». |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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The latter rain is closely linked to Jesus’ return: |
«[God] will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain. (...) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible Day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.» (Joel 2:23,31,32) «Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come to us as the rain, as the latter and former rain to the earth.» (Hosea 6:3) «Be patient therefore, brothers, to the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be you also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draws near.» (James 5:7,8) |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Ezekiel 34:22,23,26 | Comments |
I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one Shepherd over them, and He shall feed them, even My servant David; He shall feed them, and He shall be their Shepherd. (...) And I will make them and the places round about My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. |
The latter rain will be poured out on the people of God at the time of the shaking, that is, when God «judges between cattle and cattle». God’s purified flock will then be entrusted to the safekeeping of the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, here symbolized by David the shepherd. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Psalm 68:9 | Comments |
You, O God, did send a plentiful rain, whereby You did confirm Your inheritance, when it was weary. | In our previous lesson, we have seen that the shaking, which will soon begin, will take place in the midst of great calamities and upheavals, plunging the whole world into great distress like never before, and severely shaking the Church. The believers who remain faithful to God will make up a «weary inheritance», needing to be confirmed and strengthened. It is in this arid period that the beneficial latter rain will fall on God’s people. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Isaiah 44:2,3,5 | Comments |
Thus said the Lord that made you, and formed you from the womb, which will help you, «Fear not, O Jacob, My servant; and you, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on him that is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground: I will pour My spirit on your seed, and My blessing on your offspring. (...) One shall say, “I am the Lord’s;” and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.» |
This rain will fill the people of God with a power even greater than that of Pentecost, an unequalled portion of the Spirit of God. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Isaiah 55:10,11 | Comments |
For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth. It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. |
God’s goal, in granting the latter rain to His people, is not simply to support them during the trial of the shaking. He also wants to enable them to carry out a very demanding final mission... |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Revelation 18:1,2,4 | Comments |
After these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, «Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen!» (...) And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, «Come out of her, My people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.» |
This crucial mission will be to proclaim the message of the fall of Babylon and to send out a final call to the inhabitants of the earth to accept salvation, before Jesus’ return. This will be the subject of our next lesson. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Hebrews 3:7,8,13 | Comments |
As the Holy Ghost said, «Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.» (...) Exhort one another daily, while it is called «Today»; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. |
Before closing this lesson, let’s answer this fundamental question, «How can we receive the latter rain?» First, we must have had a taste of the beneficial action of the former rain, that is, to have favorably responded to the Holy Spirit calling us to repentance, and to have let Him work within our hearts, helping us to spiritually grow in Jesus Christ. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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John 14:15,16 | Comments |
[Jesus said,] «If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever.» |
The Holy Spirit causes us to grow and increase spiritually, as we obey the truth He reveals to us day after day. |
Acts 5:32 | |
And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God has given to them that obey Him. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Our obedience to God will allow us to receive the latter rain: |
«If you shall listen diligently to My commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give you the rain of your land in its due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your corn, and your wine, and your oil.» (Deuteronomy 11:13,14) «The Lord shall establish you a holy people to Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and walk in His ways. (...) The Lord shall open to you His good treasure, the heaven to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand.» (Deuteronomy 28:9,12) «If you walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them; then I will give you rain in due season.» (Leviticus 26:3,4) |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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On the other hand, disobedience will deprive us of the latter rain: |
«But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. Neither say they in their heart, “Let us now fear the Lord our God, that gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season: He reserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest.” Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withheld good things from you.» (Jeremiah 5:23-25) «Lift up your eyes to the high places, and see where you have not been lain with. In the ways have you sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and you have polluted the land with your prostitutions and with your wickedness. Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain.» (Jeremiah 3:2,3) |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Isaiah 30:21-23 | Comments |
Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, «This is the way, walk you in it,» when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left. You shall defile also the covering of your graven images of silver, and the ornament of your molten images of gold: you shall cast them away as a menstruous cloth; you shall say to it, «Get you hence!» Then shall [the Lord] give the rain of your seed, that you shall sow the ground with; and bread of the increase of the earth. |
This passage gives an excellent summary of the way to follow. Indeed, a persevering obedience to the Holy Spirit who sanctifies will lead us to the latter rain which brings maturity. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Luke 11:13 | Comments |
[Jesus said,] «If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?» |
If we have not yet responded to God’s call to repentance, and if we have not yet received the former rain, there is still time to act. If we sincerely desire that the Holy Spirit work within our hearts to transform us, teach us, and guide us, the promise is plain: God will fill us with the Holy Spirit. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Zechariah 10:1 | Comments |
Ask you of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain. So the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. |
If we have already received the former rain, and if we are following the path of sanctification which the Spirit shows us, God invites us to pray right here and now for the latter rain. For only the latter rain will make us reach full spiritual maturity, and help us to carry out the great final evangelical work before the return of Jesus. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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James 5:7,8 | Comments |
Be patient therefore, brothers, to the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be you also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draws near. |
Jesus will return very soon. As we are waiting for this glorious event, it is now up to each one of us to make sure that we «establish our hearts» in Christ. May the Holy Spirit help us every day to deepen and strengthen our relationship with Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Lord and our God. |
If I Were Told the Future | Lesson 75 | |
The Latter Rain | ||
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Let’s pray: |
Lord, It is written, «Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come to us as the rain, as the latter and former rain to the earth.» (Hosea 6:3). As the former rain makes us grow through obedience to Your will, we humbly ask You to also send us the latter rain, so that we may come to full spiritual maturity, before the time of the great harvest. In Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. |
The test of Lesson 75 is waiting for you!
Source of the Pictures of this Lesson |
Header Picture: Picture from the Web site: http://carpentershouse.org/_wsn/page2.html Screen 1: Picture Collection «ClickArt 65,000» by Broderbund, CD #4, NATTR027.JPG. Screen 2: «Storm approaching». In: «National Geographic Photo Gallery», National Geographic Interactive, 1997. Screen 3: Photo in: «Master Clips 500,000» by IMSI, CD #16, WP055.JPG. Screen 4: In: «Questionnaire Adulte de l’Ecole du Sabbat», Pacific Press Publishing Association, Third Quarter, 2000, front cover. Screen 5: Photo by IVANY, Jason. In: «Canadian Adventist Messenger» magazine (May 1999), SDA Church in Canada, front cover. Screen 6: EL GRECO. «The Pentecost», Prado Museum, Madrid. In: «Great Bible Stories and Master Paintings» (RACHLEFF, Owen S.), New York, Abradale Press Publishers, p.367. Screen 7: DORÉ, Gustave. In: «La Bible de Gustave Doré», Lausanne, Edita, 1994, p.371. Screen 8: COLEMAN, Ralph Pallen. In: «The Way, the Truth, and the Life», Philadelphia, The John C. Winston Company, 1958, p.117. Screen 9: «Old Faithful». In: «National Geographic Photo Gallery», National Geographic Interactive, 1997. Screen 10: BERTELLO, Guido. In: «The Children’s Bible» (EDWARDS, David L.), Editions Williams Collins, 1978, p.310. Screen 11: Comstock Photo Library, London. In: «Revelation» (LORIE, Peter), Simon & Schuster, Labyrinth Publishing Ltd, 1994, p.75. Screen 12: ANDERSON, Harry. In: «The Bible Story, volume 10» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.140. Used by permission. Copyright ©1957, 1985 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 13: SCHLAIKJER, Jes. In: «Votre Bible et Vous» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.193. Used by permission. Copyright ©1959, 1987 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 14: TANK, Darrel. In: «Ministry» magazine (June-July 2000), Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association, p.51. Screen 15: Picture Collection «Corel Gallery Magic» by Corel, 1997, CD #8, Photo Library 4, 676028.PCD. Screen 16: Photo by Betty Blue and Duane Tank. In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (July 1990), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.7. Screen 17: Photo in: «Master Clips 500,000» by IMSI, CD #17, 29140059.JPG. Screen 18: In: «Who’s Who in the Bible: an Illustrated Biographical Dictionary», ed. Dietrich Gruen, Publications International Ltd, 1995, p.122. Screen 19: «Sheets of rain fall from cumulonimbus clouds». In: «Deluxe Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia CD - 2000 Edition», Compton’s Home Library, 1999. Screen 20: Photo from PhotoDisc. In: «Adventist Review» (January 6, 2000), p.7. Screen 21: In: «Awake» magazine (January 8, 1995), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.1. Screen 22: In: «Adventist Review» (January 6, 2000), p.8. Screen 23: Picture Collection «Corel Gallery Magic» by Corel, 1997, CD #8, Photo Library 4, 675058.PCD. Screen 24: Advertisement for «Amazing Facts - Millenium of Prophecy». In: «Adventist Review» (October 1999), p.23. Screen 25: In: «Adventist Review» (May 1996), p.15. Screen 26: JUSTINEN, Lars. In: «Questionnaire Adulte de l’Ecole du Sabbat», Pacific Press Publishing Association, Third Quarter, 1995, front cover. Screen 27: «Kid playing in a fountain». In: «National Geographic Photo Gallery», National Geographic Interactive, 1997. Screen 28: «Cracked soil in a dry riverbed». In: «Deluxe Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia CD - 2000 Edition», Compton’s Home Library, 1999. Screen 29: Picture by Digital Imagery, Photodisc, 1999. In: «A Love Stronger than Death» magazine, Family Heritage Books, 2000, p.8. Screen 30: JUSTINEN, Lars. In: «Practical Spiritual Gifts» (ZACKRISON, James W.), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1996, front cover. Screen 31: Picture Collection «Corel Gallery Magic» by Corel, 1997, CD #8, Photo Library 3, 577065.PCD. Screen 32: In: Advertisement for «Altace», Hoechst Marion Roussel. Picture edited by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 33: Photo in: «Master Clips 500,000» by IMSI, CD #17, HIO29067.JPG. |
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