Sabbath School Today, Volume 9 - Paul E. Penno

truth to the world as the apostles proclaimed it after the day of Pentecost."
She says it will be "the light that is to lighten the whole earth with its glory."
[2] That's far greater than all our evangelistic efforts combined-thus far in
our denominational history.
That final message that will bring to a glorious close the gospel
proclamation to "every nation, kindred, tongue, and people," will transcend
the fear-curdling impact that we have always assumed will scare people at
last to "come out of Babylon." That great and seemingly impossible "if" of
John 12:32, 33 which has for nearly 2000 years limited the best efforts of the
church of all ages to truthfully fulfill Christ's commission, will at last be
bridged in the repentance of the ages: "Now is the judgment of this world:
now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the
earth, will draw all [people] unto Me. This He said, signifying what death he
should die."
Thus the message of Revelation 18 will be a "lifting up" of Christ as
crucified and dying. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved"
(Acts 4:12). This is what Ellen White says in direct context with the 1888
message: "The theme that attracts the heart of the sinner is Christ, and Him
crucified. ... Present Him thus to the hungering multitudes, and the light of
His love [agape] will win men from darkness to light, from transgression to
obedience and true holiness." [3]
As the "remnant" church of Revelation 12:17 and 14:12 finally receives
the "most precious message" which "the Lord in His great mercy sent" to us
in 1888, every Seventh-day Adventist church in the world will be
transformed and acquire the reputation of being the place to go to hear Christ
uplifted. It will be a new public image that replaces our old reputation of
being the church where "we have preached the law until we are as dry as the
hills of Gilboa," says Ellen White. [4] Implicit in the next 13 weeks of
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