It’s Time to Wake Up!
Attention fellow believers, who, like myself, have been looking forward to the final events leading to the second coming of Jesus. We normally view these events as something taking place in the distant future, involving a law to enforce a global sabbath, other than the Sabbath God sanctified at creation.
My message to you is this, be very concerned! Wake up and get ready! Because as I write to you, events are rapidly taking place that could bring the whole process to a soon end and with it the return of our Savior. I believe the future is here now!
As the article, An overwhelming Surprise reveals, an effort has been underway for decades to create a sabbath for the earth. That effort is driven on the premise of saving the earth. Setting aside one day a week as a rest day for the earth, allowing the air to clear by closing all non-essential services and commerce. Over the years the voice of the environmental movement has grown rapidly until it has risen to a thundering roar with demonstrations and protests in nearly all the major cities of the world.
Over the years the voice of the environmental movement has grown rapidly until it has risen to a thundering roar
In the last five years the call for “a sabbath for the earth” has received a boost by the involvement of a very prominent world figure, Pope Frances. This is no surprise since the papacy has for years promoted a return to honoring Sunday as the Sabbath, a day that the Catholic Church has freely admitted she changed from the seventh day to the first day of the week. She also claims that the worship of Sunday as the sabbath is a sign of her authority over religious matters.
In 2015 Pope Frances released his encyclical on the environment in which he offered solutions to the global warming crisis. One of the answers to solving the environmental crisis was to rest on Sunday and let the earth rest as well. Since that time others in the religious and secular community have been echoing that call. The significance of that move is obvious since the one who wrote the encyclical is to receive worship from the entire world when a law is passed, requiring all to honor the first day of the week as the sabbath.
Now I bring news of an event that promises to build on the groundwork of the “sabbath for the earth” promoted in the encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si. Pope Francis has invited leaders from all areas of society to the Vatican to discuss and sign an accord on the theme: “Reinventing the Global Compact on Education” with an emphasis on the environment. As the invitation reads, “An alliance, in other words, between the earth’s inhabitants and our ‘common home’, which we are bound to care for and respect.”
His invitation begins with these words:
“In my Encyclical Laudato Si’, I invited everyone to cooperate in caring for our common home and to confront together the challenges that we face. Now, a few years later, I renew my invitation to dialogue on how we are shaping the future of our planet and the need to employ the talents of all, since all change requires an educational process aimed at developing a new universal solidarity and a more welcoming society.”
And he continues to make his plea for unified action:
“Never before has there been such need to unite our efforts in a broad educational alliance, to form mature individuals capable of overcoming division and antagonism, and to restore the fabric of relationships for the sake of a more fraternal humanity.”
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis
for the Launch of the Global Compact on Education
In his invitation he repeatedly refers to “education”. Don’t be misled by this, There is enough in the wording to make it clear that he is interested in changing peoples minds about long held ideas; ideas that conflict with his plans to draw the world into worship of the Beast. He talks of, “the courage to place the human person at the center.” Creating “a new humanism.” “An alliance that generates peace, justice and hospitality among all peoples of the human family, as well as dialogue between religions.”
If we look at this from the perspective of prophesy, adding to it the history of his activities and statements on the environment, including those revealed in his Encyclical on the environment, it is of utmost importance for us to watch carefully what transpires at the Vatican on May 14th of this year. If the meeting is not postponed.
As I began writing this, a new crisis was developing: The Coronavirus pandemic. Why do I mention this in connection with the Popes invitation to the world? The pandemic could give the environmental movement a substantial boost, one that could inspire action at the Rome meeting, and in other circles for a Sabbath for the earth.
While the world is shutting down to prevent the spread of the virus, scientists are noticing a great reduction of pollutants in the air over typically heavily polluted cities the world over. According to reports, the drop in greenhouse gasses is substantial. Although we cannot rely on the pandemic to solve the global warming problem, many are praising the breath of fresh air.
Scientists are noticing a great reduction of pollutants in the air
At the same time many are applauding the social change that brings a much needed slowing down of the rat race. Environmentalists have for years been critical of how we are continually forcing the environment, by coal burning power plants, automobile exhaust, industry, airlines and numerous other sources, at an ever-increasing pace.
Soon the epidemic will be over and there will be a call to retain some of the gains made in pollution reduction brought about by the shutdown. It is expected at that time that there will be a rebound, which in the past has resulted in an increase in pollution greater than before the crisis.
Many don’t want to see that happen. It would not surprise me if environmentalists and/or the participants in the Popes alliance call for measures to prevent a return to business as usual. A call for a Sabbath for the earth that has been a part of the secular and religious community for decades is likely to be heard again as a solution to the problem. It can’t be denied that the near complete shutdown we are experiencing now, is in effect much like a sabbath.
It seems very possible that we could see a Sunday law much earlier than we might expect
With the environmental movement reaching a crescendo and the Papal meeting in Rome taking place this year, it seems very possible that we could see a Sunday law much earlier than we might expect. A law to keep pollution at a lower level and heal the earth from centuries of abuse by the human race, to help the poor and prevent the flooding of many coastal cities, and to prevent the spread of disease and suffering like this pandemic we are dealing with now.
An act which is in itself good (the care for the earth and its inhabitants) will at the same time be setting up a false Sabbath right next to the Sabbath God sanctified at creation (the Sabbath that God said to “remember”) totally disregarding the ten commandments.
This is a time to seriously consider where we stand spiritually. Are we ready for the test that is coming? A test that may come much sooner than many are expecting and over an issue designed to confuse God’s people and catch them off guard.
A revival and reformation are needed. A return to “primitive Godliness”. We need to be firmly grounded in our faith. The problem with a Sunday law for the earth, a law that seems to have no religious connection, that is apparently for a good purpose, is that the people may not see it as the law that leads to the mark of the beast.
Why? This statement by God’s servant may help to understand why.
“As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position, and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light.; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side.”
The Great Controversy 1988, Page 608
Apparently according to this statement, a large exodus will take place from our ranks. It appears they could possibly be victims of the “overwhelming surprise” that comes upon the world. On the other hand, there will be a large group who have seen it coming and are prepared. Will you be among the last group?
By the time the Sunday law begins to take on a religious nature, it may be too late. I close with this quote:
“Satan is working in the atmosphere; he is poisoning the atmosphere, and here we are dependent upon God for our lives- our present and eternal lives. And being in the position that we are, we need to be wide awake, wholly devoted, wholly converted, wholly consecrated to God. But we seem to sit as though we were paralyzed. GOD OF HEAVEN, WAKE US UP.”
Selected Messages Vol. 2, page 52
“God of Heaven, Wake us up!”
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