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Welcome to this lesson! Let’s pray:
Our Lord,
We thank You again for Your precious promise of the latter rain.
We ask You with conviction to grant us this rain, so that we may fulfill the final mission You will give us.
As we wait for the latter rain, please enlighten us about the nature of this great final mission. In Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
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Joel 2:23,24,28
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. (...)
I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh.
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In our last lesson, we have seen that the latter rain will soon give great power to God’s people, as never before.
Thus filled with the Holy Spirit, these believers will then have to fulfill a great final evangelical mission, so that «the floors shall be full of wheat».
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Revelation 18:1
After these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power.
And the earth was lightened with his glory.
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Isaiah 60:1-3
Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen on you.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise on you, and His glory shall be seen on you.
And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
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As this world shaken by great upheavals is plunged into darkness, this mission will consist in sending out with power and authority a final call to salvation to all nations, like a bright light illuminating the earth.
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Here is the great message which will be proclaimed before Jesus’ return:
«And 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 is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird!
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.”
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. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.”» (Revelation 18:1-5)
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Revelation 18:2
Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen!
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Revelation 17:3,5
I saw a woman sit on a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy. (...)
On her forehead was a name written, «Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.»
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This powerful message, which makes up the loud cry, first reports the fall of Babylon.
In a previous lesson, we have seen that Babylon symbolizes the coalition of apostate churches in the last days.
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Revelation 18:2,3
And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying,
«Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird!
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.»
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Having plunged the nations into confusion, error, and apostasy by the wine of its false doctrines, Babylon must now face its jugdment.
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Revelation 14:6,8
And I saw another angel fly in the middle of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. (...)
And there followed another angel, saying,
«Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.»
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In fact, since 1844, the fall of Babylon has been announced to the whole world by the remnant Church preaching the three angels’ message.
But the power of the loud cry will be such that, this time, the message will be heard.
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Revelation 18:2,3
Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird!
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
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In our next lesson we will study the circumstances surrounding the fall of Babylon.
For the moment, let’s linger over the impact of this loud cry on the nations.
As we can see here, the announcement of the fall of Babylon won’t be good news for everybody...
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Isaiah 30:9-11
This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: which say to the seers,
«See not;»
and to the prophets,
«Prophesy not to us right things, speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.»
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The loud cry of Revelation chapter 18 will proclaim a very unpopular message.
Now, the Word of God presents many situations in which men refused to listen to such messages, sometimes reacting quite aggressively...
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Some examples of the hard life of God’s messengers who bore bad news:
«[Jeremiah said,] “Thus said the Lord, He that remains in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.” (...) Therefore the princes said to the king, “We beseech you, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them.”» (Jeremiah 38:2,4)
«The Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus said God, Why transgress you the commandments of the Lord, that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has also forsaken you.” And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord.» (2 Chronicles 24:20,21)
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In the New Testament, things didn’t get any better for God’s messengers:
«Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold on John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her. For John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him.» (Mark 6:17-19)
«And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, saying, “Did not we straightly command you that you should not teach in this name? And, behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us.” Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”» (Acts 5:27-29)
«Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?» (Galatians 4:16)
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Revelation 11:3,6
And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy. (...)
These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues.
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What will be the experience of God’s people, filled with the Holy Spirit, at the time of the loud cry proclaiming the fall of Babylon?
The two witnesses of Revelation chapter 11, in addition to symbolizing the work of the Word of God during the 1260 years of the papal reign (see the lesson «The Two Witnesses»), also give us a good idea of the experience of God’s people in the last days.
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Revelation 11:7,8,10
When [the two witnesses] shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city. (...)
And they that dwell on the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelled on the earth.
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Once again, these «killjoys», sent by God, meet a tragic end because they have «tormented them that dwelled on the earth.»
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God knows that He must strengthen His messengers who bear bad news:
«And Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since You have spoken to Your servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” And the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall say.”» (Exodus 4:10-12)
«Then said I, “Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.” But the Lord said to me, “Say not, I am a child: for you shall go to all that I shall send you, and whatever I command you you shall speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you,” said the Lord. Then the Lord put forth His hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.”» (Jeremiah 1:6-9)
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Mark 13:9-11
But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues you shall be beaten: and you shall be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them.
And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what you shall speak, neither do you premeditate: but whatever shall be given you in that hour, that speak you: for it is not you that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
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Therefore, the Lord will strengthen His people with the latter rain, so that they may be able to carry out their final evangelical mission.
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Revelation 18:4,5
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.
For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.»
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The second part of the message making up the final loud cry is a general call to come out of Babylon, while there is still time to do so.
God knows that many sincere believers, still within Babylon at that time, will respond to this call and join His people, and this is why He calls them «My people».
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Genesis 6:12-14
God looked on the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth.
And God said to Noah,
«The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make you an ark of gopher wood.»
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The Bible presents many situations when God decided to carry out a mass destruction of unrepentant men.
But, before doing so, He always called His people to protect themselves from this destruction.
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God warns His people, before the mass destruction of unrepentant men:
«And the men said to Lot, “Have you here any besides? Son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whatever you have in the city, bring them out of this place: for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.”» (Genesis 19:12,13)
«[Moses] spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.”» (Numbers 16:26)
«When you therefore shall see the “abomination of desolation,” spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, whoever reads, let him understand: then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.» (Matthew 24:15,16)
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Isaiah 48:17,20
Thus said the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel;
«I am the Lord your God which teaches you to profit, which leads you by the way that you should go. (...)
Go you forth of Babylon, flee you from the Chaldeans!
With a voice of singing declare you, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say you, “The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob!”»
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So the mighty call to come out of Babylon, to join the remnant Church, is a final offer of salvation given to all the inhabitants of the earth.
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Isaiah 62:1,2
For Zion’s sake will I not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burns.
And the Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory.
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Matthew 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations.
And then shall the end come.
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Everyone will hear the loud cry, and will then have to make a choice which will determine his eternal destiny.
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Isaiah 52:7,8,10,11
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that says to Zion, «Your God reigns!»
Your watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. (...)
«All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Depart you, depart you, go you out from there, touch no unclean thing! Go you out of the middle of her! Be you clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.»
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The loud cry will cause everyone to make a choice between these two alternatives:
- accepting God’s final offer of salvation;
- or staying in the apostate system of Babylon.
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Acts 2:40,41
And with many other words did [Peter] testify and exhort, saying,
«Save yourselves from this untoward generation.»
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls.
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At the time of the former rain, at Pentecost, people were deeply moved by the message of the disciples, who were filled with the Holy Spirit. These people were led to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and the Lord of their lives.
The Church then experienced a lightning growth.
Will it be the same at the time of the loud cry, following the latter rain?
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Revelation 7:9,10
After this I beheld, and, see, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying,
«Salvation to our God which sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!»
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The success of the loud cry will by far exceed that of Pentecost.
A crowd «which no man could number» will come out of Babylon, after hearing the call, as we have seen in our lesson «The 144,000 and the Great Multitude».
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John 10:16
[Jesus said,]
«And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice.
And there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd.»
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Romans 8:14
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
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So we must always remember, when we announce the fall of Babylon, that many sincere believers are still to be found within it.
These believers will respond to the final call and come out of that system, when the loud cry takes place.
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Zechariah 8:22,23
Yes, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.
Thus said the Lord of hosts,
«In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, “We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.”»
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So the 144,000 (the Israel of God in the last days) will teach the great multitude (those who, following this loud cry of the 144,000, will respond to God’s call shortly before the return of Jesus).
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The loud cry of the 144,000 will lead the great multitude to salvation:
«Behold, you shall call a nation that you know not, and nations that knew not you shall run to you because of the Lord your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for He has glorified you.» (Isaiah 55:5)
«For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise on you, and His glory shall be seen on you. And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to you: your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see, and flow together, and your heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted to you.» (Isaiah 60:2-5)
«And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. (...) For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall join to the house of Jacob.» (Isaiah 13:19; 14:1)
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Joel 2:28,31,32
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. (...)
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.
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Joel’s prophecy about the latter rain in the last days also reports this mass response to God’s final offer of salvation.
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Jeremiah 50:2,4,5,8
«Declare you among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, “Babylon is taken.”» (...)
«In those days, and in that time,» said the Lord, «the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the Lord their God.
They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying,
“Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. (...) Remove out of the middle of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans.”»
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Seeing all these sincere believers leaving Babylon will be a moving spectacle.
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God will watch over the sincere believers who come out of Babylon:
«Thus said the Lord; “Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the middle of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind. (...) For Israel has not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the Lord of hosts. (...) Flee out of the middle of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul!”» (Jeremiah 51:1,5,6)
«My people, go you out of the middle of [Babylon], and deliver you every man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord. (...) You that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember the Lord afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.» (Jeremiah 51:45,50)
«Therefore thus said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; “Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied on mount Ephraim and Gilead. In those days, and in that time,” said the Lord, “the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.”» (Jeremiah 50:18-20)
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Revelation 18:1,2
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!»
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Proverbs 4:18
The path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more to the perfect day.
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Let’s prepare ourselves to proclaim the final call to salvation.
This loud cry will be a bright light, shining in a world that is plunged into deep darkness.
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2 Corinthians 6:14,17,18; 7:1
Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. (...)
«Come out from among them, and be you separate,» said the Lord, «and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,» said the Lord Almighty.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
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In our preparation for the loud cry, let’s make sure that we are entirely free from Babylon, and let’s complete our sanctification in Jesus Christ.
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Let’s pray:
Father,
The loud cry is an immense evangelical effort which we will soon have to carry out for You, in very difficult circumstances.
We plead with You for the gift of the latter rain, so that we may fulfill this crucial work with courage and power.
In Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
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