Allusions, Images, and Symbols: How to Study Bible Prophecy

Upon Whom the Ends Have Come

Lesson #10 for June 7, 2025

Scriptures:Revelation 6:12-17; Matthew 24:36-44; Genesis 6:1-8; 18:17-32; 2 Peter 2:4-11; Daniel 7:9-10; 1 Corinthians 10:11-12.

1. In this lesson we will see many examples of occurrences, mostly in the Old Testament, which have parallel ideas to the second coming. Are those prophecies? Or, only parallels?

[From the Bible study guide=BSG:] The Bible is filled with accounts of God’s people that point to future events and that hold keys to helping us understand present truth. In fact, some of those accounts foreshadow last-day events with surprising detail, providing us a broader foundation for understanding the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation clearly.

Without violating an individual’s freedom of conscience, God can perfectly steer the events that will happen in the last days, events that He revealed to the prophets. Some of these important stories are obvious, because the New Testament refers to them specifically in describing last-day events: Sodom and Gomorrah, the Flood, and so on. Others require careful thought and exploration in order to mine from them the truths that have been given to us in the Word of God.

During the next couple of … [lessons], we will be searching through a number of key stories in order to see what they might have to say about events such as the Second Coming, the investigative judgment, the final crisis, and more. And, through it all, we find Christ as the center, for He must be the foundation as well as the end goal of all our prophetic endeavors.―Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* for Sabbath Afternoon, May 31.^†‡

2. More introduction:

[BSG:] The blessed hope of humanity that culminates in last-day events has been revealed, and not just through prophecies alone, which provide us with an explicit vision of the end. God also spoke of the end, existentially and implicitly, in the Scriptures, and thus, in His Word, He gives hints of various aspects of eschatological history. This notion teaches us an important principle: human history, which unfolds from the holy pages of Scripture, is not simply edifying information about what took place in the far distant past, the knowledge of which ensures “that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:17, NKJV). Because God’s intention for humanity was, essentially, eternity, we may confidently expect that the message of future eternity also is contained in the biblical stories….

In this … [study], we shall discern the message of the end within the actual events narrated in the Old Testament Scriptures. The events of Creation, the Flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and even the story of Daniel in the court of Nebuchadnezzar testify to the message of the end.―Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* 132.^†‡§

Creation and Re-Creation at the End

3. Let us look at what we can learn from the story of creation.

[BSG:] The Event of Creation. Paradoxically, the Creation account is perhaps the most eschatological message of all the events reported in the Scriptures. The Creation account holds this distinction precisely because it is the first event. Because history has a beginning, it is not eternal. History also has an end. God presides over both. Given that the beginning of history has been the work of God, the end also is under His power.

As part of its eschatological significance, the Creation account is linked implicitly with our hope of eternity. Both the Creation account and our hope of eternity have their basis in faith. The Scriptures testify to this notion, which already is affirmed through the canonical structure of the Bible itself, beginning with God’s creation of the heavens and a new earth and ending with the creation of new heavens and earth (Genesis 1 and Revelation 21–22; compare withIsa. 65:17,Rev. 21:1). We see this idea also clearly stated in the only biblical definition of faith [There are other biblical definitions of faith!], which associates the two events, Creation and our hope in eternity: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1, NKJV). Note that this poem on faith begins with faith in Creation (Heb. 11:3) and ends with hope in the “promise” (Heb. 11:39, 40, NKJV). We should also note the significance of the Sabbath at the end of Creation. In this position, the Sabbath points to the end of human history. Moreover, the Sabbath contains both our memory of Creation and our hope in the future event of the kingdom of God.―Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* 132-133.^†‡§

“The Wrath of the Lamb”

4. What do the wicked know about the wrath of the Lamb? It is interesting to observe inRevelation 6:12-17 that the wicked at the time of the second coming will be calling for “God’s wrath”─the wrath of the Lamb—to fall on them. How did they learn about the wrath of the Lamb? Who are those people who are calling for protection from the wrath of the Lamb?

[From the writings of Ellen G. White=EGW:] …. Those who mocked and smote Him will be there [at His second coming]. The priests and rulers will behold again the scene in the judgment hall. Every circumstance will appear before them, as if written in letters of fire. Then those who prayed, “His blood be on us, and on our children,” will receive the answer to their prayer. Then the whole world will know and understand. They will realize who and what they, poor, feeble, finite beings, have been warring against. In awful agony and horror they will cry to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth 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?”Revelation 6:16, 17.—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages* 739.3-740.0^†‡

[https://egwwritings.org/read?panels=p130.3656&index=0]^‡

5. Ellen White has another very interesting definition of the term the wrath of the Lamb.

[EGW:] …. The sufferings of every man are the sufferings of God’s child, and those who reach out no helping hand to their perishing fellow beings provoke His righteous anger. This is the wrath of the Lamb. To those who claim fellowship with Christ, yet have been indifferent to the needs of their fellow men, He will declare in the great Judgment day, “I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity.”Luke 13:27.—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages* 825.4.^†‡

[https://egwwritings.org/read?panels=p130.4065&index=0]^‡

6. How did these wicked people learn about Christ? Are those words caused by events that they see in the heavens and which identify who is acting? Or, is this just from our knowledge of Scripture? How will the Hindus, Muslims, atheists, and Communists, for example, know what is in Scripture? There are several places in Scripture that imply that those who have been warned, those who understand Scripture, should not be surprised by the second advent. See, for example,Matthew 24:14 and1 Thessalonians 5:1-6. That is not to suggest that many will not be surprised; many will have been willingly misled.

Noah and the Flood and the Applications to the Last Days

Matthew 24:36-44: ³⁶ “No one knows, however, when that day and hour will come — neither the angels in heaven nor the Son; the Father alone knows. ³⁷The coming of the Son of Man will be like what happened in the time of Noah. ³⁸In the days before the flood people ate and drank, men and women married, up to the very day Noah went into the boat; ³⁹yet they did not realize what was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man comes. ⁴⁰At that time two men will be working in a field: one will be taken away, the other will be left behind. ⁴¹Two women will be at a mill grinding meal: one will be taken away, the other will be left behind.

⁴² “Be on your guard, then, because you do not know what day your Lord will come. ⁴³If the owner of a house knew the time when the thief would come, you can be sure that he would stay awake and not let the thief break into his house. ⁴⁴So then, you also must always be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you are not expecting him.”—American Bible Society. (1992). The Holy Bible: The Good News Translation* (2nd ed.,Matthew 24:36-44). New York: American Bible Society [abbreviated as Good News Bible].^†‡ [These verses were used against the people waiting for Jesus in 1844!]^‡

7. Jesus Himself compared the events of the second coming to the times of Noah. How widely did Noah’s message reach? Did everyone hear about his preaching? Will everyone know of the approach of the second advent? How could that happen?
8. It is clear that those who reject God do so not because they have never heard of Him but rather because they choose to disbelieve.

2 Peter 3:3-4: ³First of all, you must understand that in these last days some people will appear whose lives are controlled by their own lusts. They will mock you ⁴and will ask, “He promised to come, didn’t he? Where is he? Our ancestors have already died, but everything is still the same as it was since the creation of the world!”—Good News Bible.*

9. While we may not immediately realize it, the fact that God created our world and the larger universe is proof that He can do it again! Creation is a very important part of our understanding of the end of this world and of re-creation! The fact that our world had a distinct beginning is some evidence that it will also have an end. However, we must remember that God’s plan was for the human race to last forever in the expanded Garden of Eden!
10. It is useful to compare Genesis 1, the story of the creation, with Revelation 21&22, the story of the re-creation. Is it possible that when God gets ready to re-create this world after the complete eradication of sin and sinners that He could once again take seven days as He did the first time? Would He be willing to let us all watch while He does that? Of course, there will be no need to create a new Adam and Eve because He will have all of us.

[BSG:] In each person’s own experience, the second coming of Jesus (or in some cases, the third coming) is never more than a moment after death, and we all know how quickly life goes by. How might this perspective help us deal with the “delay”?―Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* for Sunday.^‡

11. It is very interesting to consider what most people of the world say about the first 11 chapters of Genesis including the story of “Noah’s” flood. There are many ancient cultures from Mesopotamians to Greeks and even to Mayans in the New World who have stories which resemble the story of the great flood. There is now even geological evidence for a worldwide flood. The story is written in the rocks and the coal! However, people do not want to believe.
12. What can we learn fromGenesis 6:1-8 about conditions before the flood that might teach us some important things about the world in our day? Did Noah’s faith ever grow weak? How did the righteousness from God to Noah affect Noah’s family? Did they just get on the ark because they were told to do so? Or, did they want to? Imagine Noah spending 120 years of hard labor, building an ark, and preaching as he worked. He had essentially no good results!

[EGW:] …. For one hundred and twenty years Noah proclaimed the message of warning to the antediluvian world; but only a few repented. Some of the carpenters he employed in building the ark, believed the message, but died before the flood; others of Noah’s converts backslid. The righteous on the earth were but few, and only eight lived to enter the ark. These were Noah and his family.—Ellen G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education* 504.2.^†‡

[https://egwwritings.org/read?panels=p32.2049&index=0]^‡

13. What else did Ellen White write about the flood and Satan?

[EGW:] …. [During the flood,] Satan himself, who was compelled to remain in the midst of the warring elements, feared for his own existence. He had delighted to control so powerful a race, and desired them to live to practice their abominations and continue their rebellion against the Ruler of heaven. He now uttered imprecations against God, charging Him with injustice and cruelty. Many of the people, like Satan, blasphemed God, and had they been able, they would have torn Him from the throne of power.

Others were frantic with fear, stretching their hands toward the ark and pleading for admittance…. Yet while, through fear of punishment, they acknowledged their sin, they felt no true contrition, no abhorrence of evil. They would have returned to their defiance of Heaven, had the judgment been removed. So when God’s judgments shall fall upon the earth before its deluge by fire, the impenitent will know just where and what their sin is—the despising of His holy law. Yet they will have no more true repentance than did the old-world sinners….

Love, no less than justice, demanded that God’s judgments should put a check on sin. The avenging waters swept over the last retreat, and the despisers of God perished in the black depths….

The sins that called for vengeance upon the antediluvian world exist today. The fear of God is banished from the hearts of men, and His law is treated with indifference and contempt. The intense worldliness of that generation is equaled by that of the generation now living. Said Christ, “As in the days that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the Flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”Matthew 24:38, 39. God did not condemn the antediluvians for eating and drinking; He had given them the fruits of the earth in great abundance to supply their physical wants. Their sin consisted in taking these gifts without gratitude to the Giver, and debasing themselves by indulging appetite without restraint. It was lawful for them to marry. Marriage was in God’s order; it was one of the first institutions which He established. He gave special directions concerning this ordinance, clothing it with sanctity and beauty; but these directions were forgotten, and marriage was perverted and made to minister to passion.

A similar condition of things exists now. That which is lawful in itself is carried to excess. Appetite is indulged without restraint. Professed followers of Christ are today eating and drinking with the drunken, while their names stand in honored church records. Intemperance benumbs the moral and spiritual powers and prepares the way for indulgence of the lower passions. Multitudes feel under no moral obligation to curb their sensual desires, and they become the slaves of lust. Men are living for the pleasures of sense; for this world and this life alone. Extravagance pervades all circles of society. Integrity is sacrificed for luxury and display…. The picture which Inspiration has given of the antediluvian world represents too truly the condition to which modern society is fast hastening. Even now, in the present century, and in professedly Christian lands, there are crimes daily perpetrated as black and terrible as those for which the old-world sinners were destroyed.—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets* 99.3-101.3.^†‡

[https://egwwritings.org/read?panels=p84.376&index=0]^‡

14. Could that story be repeated? Fortunately, in some parts of the world in our day, there is a great response to the three angels’ messages. We can hope that will continue until the whole world has received a warning. And how will that moment come?

[EGW:] When the work of investigation shall be ended, when the cases of those who in all ages have professed to be followers of Christ have been examined and decided, then, and not till then, probation will close, and the door of mercy will be shut. Thus in the one short sentence, “They that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut,” we are carried down through the Saviour’s [sic-Br] final ministration, to the time when the great work for man’s salvation shall be completed.—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy* 428.2.^†‡

[https://egwwritings.org/read?panels=p132.1941&index=0]^‡

15. Let us remember that when God has a group of people who qualify as the 144,000 who are “so settled into the truth that they cannot be moved,” He will come back!

[EGW:] Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads—it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved—just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land, to give us warning, that we may know what is coming [—Ellen G. White,] (Manuscript 173, 1902).—Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary,* vol. 4, 1161.6.^†‡

[https://egwwritings.org/read?panels=p93.282&index=0]^‡

16. That is, Jesus will return when His people are ready. How well are we doing in getting ready?
17. Consider the similarities between “Noah’s” flood and the second coming of Jesus: (1) It will be sudden and a cataclysm of natural occurrences; (2) There will be materialistic preoccupations of the people (eating, drinking, and marrying); (3) The idea of a remnant; (4) The certainty of the event; and (5) God does not remain indifferent to this spread of evil.
18. How do we understandGenesis 6:1-5,17? Did God Himself order destruction by the flood?
19. God’s original plan was for humans to continue living sinless lives forever. After the flood, He made provisions for a new generation. Human beings were given plants to eat, like the animals, and some meat. And their lives were shortened. They were told not to eat meat with blood still in it. That order found inGenesis 9:4 was repeated in more detail to the Israelites.

Leviticus 3:17: No Israelite may eat any fat or any blood; this is a rule to be kept for ever [sic-Br] by all Israelites wherever they live.—Good News Bible.*^‡

20. Fortunately, God gave a promise in the rainbow. The rainbow seems to be a symbol of God’s activity. SeeRevelation 4:3 andRevelation 10:1.

Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham, and the Similarities to the Time of the End

21. Another story from early Bible times that has some similarities to the second coming is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.

[BSG:] There is another key Old Testament story to which Peter makes direct reference when describing last-day events: the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities of the plain were legendary for their wickedness and became the first example of population centers destroyed by fire from heaven.―Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* for Tuesday, June 3.^‡

22. Sodom was destroyed by an airburst. At the site, they have found material that can only be created at temperatures of 20,000°F. Compare the Tungunska airburst:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event#:~:text=The%20Tunguska%20event%20was%20a,morning%20of%2030%20June%201908.

To learn about the modern excavations of Sodom see:

https://armstronginstitute.org/1184-infographic-tall-el-hammam

https://www.sci.news/archaeology/tall-el-hammam-10116.html

https://www.ucg.org/learn/beyond-today-magazine/beyond-today-magazine-january-february-2022/location-sodom-what-does

23. Read2 Peter 2:4-11 andJude 1:5-8. Note all of the details.
24. A passage that is not often considered when we talk about the second coming of Jesus and its similarities to the situation in the Old Testament isEzekiel 16:46-50.

Ezekiel 16:46-50: [Speaking about Jerusalem:] ⁴⁶ “Your elder sister is Samaria, in the north, with her villages. Your younger sister, with her villages, is Sodom, in the south. ⁴⁷Were you content to follow in their footsteps and copy their disgusting actions? No, in only a little while you were behaving worse than they were in everything you did. [Even worse than Sodom?]

⁴⁸ “As surely as I am the living God,” the Sovereign LORD says, “your sister Sodom and her villages never did the evil that you and your villages have done. ⁴⁹She and her daughters were proud because they had plenty to eat and lived in peace and quiet, but they did not take care of the poor and the underprivileged. ⁵⁰They were proud and stubborn and did the things that I hate, so I destroyed them, as you well know.”—Good News Bible.*^†‡

25. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah makes it very clear that God has the ability to destroy any group on this earth that do not meet His criteria. What was it that Israel did which in God’s eyes made their sins even worse than the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah?
26. A parallel set of passages is found in the book of Romans by Paul. InRomans 1:18-32, Paul spelled out the enormous list of sins that were committed by the Gentiles of his day. It is important to notice in this list that God’s wrath is spelled out by His turning over or letting go those people who refused to pay attention to Him.
27. However, it is really interesting to notice that Paul also said that the sins of the Jews were worse than those of the Gentiles! (See Romans 2.)
28. Let us not forget that the Bible was written, all of it from Genesis to Revelation, primarily for those who are willing to “listen” to God, that is, God’s own people.
29. Review Revelation 13 and 17. Try to imagine a world in which almost everyone is worshiping the Devil and his associates! How could that happen? Will churches be built which are dedicated to worshiping the Devil? Not likely. But, we know that Satan’s modus operandi is selfishness and God’s modus operandi is love. So, which do you see predominating in our world today? Selfishness? Or, love? Whose example are we following?
30. One of the things that must happen before the second coming occurs is a judgment which will distinguish between those who are God’s faithful people and those who are not.
31. In Genesis 18, we read a curious story about three midday walkers in the hills of Canaan approaching Abraham. We know from the details of the story that these three included Christ and two angels. Why do you think Christ felt it was necessary to inform Abraham about what was going to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah?

Genesis 18:17-32: ¹⁷And the LORD said to himself, “I will not hide from Abraham what I am going to do. ¹⁸His descendants will become a great and mighty nation, and through him I will bless all the nations. ¹⁹I have chosen him in order that he may command his sons and his descendants to obey me and to do what is right and just. If they do, I will do everything for him that I have promised.”

²⁰ Then the LORD said to Abraham, “There are terrible accusations against Sodom and Gomorrah, and their sin is very great. ²¹I must go down to find out whether or not the accusations which I have heard are true.”

²² Then the two men left and went on towards Sodom, but the LORD remained with Abraham. ²³Abraham approached the LORD and asked, “Are you really going to destroy the innocent with the guilty? ²⁴If there are fifty innocent people in the city, will you destroy the whole city? Won’t you spare it in order to save the fifty? ²⁵Surely you won’t kill the innocent with the guilty. That’s impossible! You can’t do that. If you did, the innocent would be punished along with the guilty. That is impossible. The judge of all the earth has to act justly.”

²⁶ The LORD answered, “If I find fifty innocent people in Sodom, I will spare the whole city for their sake.”

²⁷ Abraham spoke again: “Please forgive my boldness in continuing to speak to you, Lord [sic]. I am only a man and have no right to say anything. ²⁸But perhaps there will be only 45 innocent people instead of fifty. Will you destroy the whole city because there are five too few?”

The LORD answered, “I will not destroy the city if I find 45 innocent people.”

²⁹ Abraham spoke again: “Perhaps there will be only forty.”

He replied, “I will not destroy it if there are forty.”

³⁰ Abraham said, “Please don’t be angry, Lord [sic], but I must speak again. What if there are only thirty?”

He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty.”

³¹ Abraham said, “Please forgive my boldness in continuing to speak to you, Lord [sic]. Suppose that only twenty are found?”

He said, “I will not destroy the city if I find twenty.”

³² Abraham said, “Please don’t be angry, Lord [sic], and I will speak just once more. What if only ten are found?”

He said, “I will not destroy it if there are ten.”—Good News Bible.*^‡

32. What lessons should we learn from this story and these events?

[BSG:] A lesson also is to be taken from the actions of God, who not only comes down and shares His view with His human servant but also seems to encourage his boldness. We may even say that God likes being confronted by Abraham’s argument because Abraham’s defense resonates with God’s own sense of mercy. Indeed, we note that God’s last response is the one of grace: “ ‘I will not destroy it for the sake of ten’ ” (Gen. 18:32, NKJV). The number “ten” in the Bible symbolizes the idea of the bare minimum required to do something. Also note God’s sovereignty. He “went His way as soon as He had finished speaking” (Gen. 18:33, NKJV). That is, the decision still belongs to God. Regardless of human zeal, it ultimately will not deter God’s will. With humility, Abraham responds to God’s divine verdict: “Abraham returned to his place” (Gen. 18:33).―Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* 134.^‡§

[BSG:] God does not owe us an explanation, but He chooses not to veil His motives and plans from the human race. “Surely the Lord God does nothing,” the prophet Amos tells us, “unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7, NKJV).―Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide* for Wednesday, June 4.^†‡§

33. This is an indication to us that God will not do any major thing affecting us without giving us at least some hint of what is coming.

Amos 3:7: The Sovereign LORD never does anything without revealing his plan to his servants, the prophets.—Good News Bible.*

34. Would you consider this discussion between Abraham and Christ an example of prayer? Do you ever say to God, “Shouldn’t you do what is right?”
35. What we see from Scripture is that just as Christ spoke to Abraham before He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and actually led Lot and two of his daughters out of the city, He also has warned us. After telling us about the worldwide wickedness in Revelation 13, we find inRevelation 14:6-12 andRevelation 18:1-4 God calling His people out of Babylon.

The Judge of All the Earth

36. After the second coming, God’s faithful people will be asked to sit in judgment on Satan and his evil angels as well as all the wicked people who have perished.

Revelation 20:4,11-15: ⁴ Then I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given the power to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been executed because they had proclaimed the truth that Jesus revealed and the word of God. They had not worshipped [sic-Br] the beast or its image, nor had they received the mark of the beast on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and ruled as kings with Christ for a thousand years….

[The Final Judgement]

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sits on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence and were seen no more. ¹²And I saw the dead, great and small alike, standing before the throne. Books were opened, and then another book was opened, the book of the living. The dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. ¹³Then the sea gave up its dead. Death and the world of the dead also gave up the dead they held. And all were judged according to what they had done. ¹⁴Then death and the world of the dead were thrown into the lake of fire. (This lake of fire is the second death.) ¹⁵Whoever did not have their names written in the book of the living were thrown into the lake of fire.—Good News Bible.*^†‡

37. Notice that God will not bring final judgment on anyone until everyone looking on is convinced that God’s actions are completely justified and righteous.
38. But, what about the pre-advent judgment that is going on right now?
39. Imagine standing and being judged with all your secrets exposed before a holy God. What is your only hope at that time of judgment?

Zechariah 3:1-5: ¹ In another vision the LORD showed me the High Priest Joshua standing before the angel of the LORD. And there beside Joshua stood Satan, ready to bring an accusation against him. ²The angel of the LORD said to Satan, “May the LORD condemn you, Satan! May the LORD, who loves Jerusalem, condemn you. This man is like a stick snatched from the fire.”

³ Joshua was standing there, wearing filthy clothes. ⁴The angel said to his heavenly attendants, “Take away the filthy clothes this man is wearing.” Then he said to Joshua, “I have taken away your sin and will give you new clothes to wear.” [Angel of the LORD here means Christ before His incarnation.]

⁵ He commanded the attendants to put a clean turban on Joshua’s head. They did so, and then they put the new clothes on him while the angel of the LORD stood there.—Good News Bible.*^‡

[EGW:] Satan has an accurate knowledge of the sins that he has tempted God’s people to commit, and he urges his accusations against them, declaring, that by their sins they have forfeited divine protection, and claiming that he has the right to destroy them. He pronounces them just as deserving as himself of exclusion from the favor of God. “Are these,” he says, “the people who are to take my place in heaven, and the place of the angels who united with me? They profess to obey the law of God; but have they kept its precepts? Have they not been lovers of self more than lovers of God? Have they not placed their own interests above His service? Have they not loved the things of the world? Look at the sins that have marked their lives. Behold their selfishness, their malice, their hatred of one another. Will God banish me and my angels from His presence, and yet reward those who have been guilty of the same sins? Thou canst not do this, O Lord, in justice. Justice demands that sentence be pronounced against them.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings* 588.3.^†‡ [Satan is the consummate legalist!]^‡

[https://egwwritings.org/read?panels=p88.2625&index=0]^‡

40. Who else is watching as this judgment is taking place? Are they the jury?
41. ReadDaniel 7:9-27. All the beings of the entire onlooking universe are watching!
42. Before we look at the details of the judgment, we need to recognize some important truths: First of all, God has a full knowledge of everything that has ever happened. There is nothing wrong with His memory. No judgment is necessary for God’s sake. However, the angels and the beings living in other parts of the universe do not have that kind of information, and they have followed the plan of salvation and the great controversy from beginning to end. For their sake, God chooses to review all the records so that no one will have questions about His fairness and His righteousness.
43. In1 Peter 1:12, Peter hinted at the idea that the judgment is for the benefit of the angels.

1 Peter 1:12: God revealed to these prophets that their work was not for their own benefit, but for yours, as they spoke about those things which you have now heard from the messengers who announced the Good News by the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. These are things which even the angels would like to understand.—Good News Bible.*^†

44. For those who understand Hebrew, there are some very interesting parallels between Daniel 1 and Leviticus 16, the directions for conducting the Day of Atonement.
45. The book of Daniel tells us through several interesting episodes how God can preserve His faithful people. Think of the initial test of Daniel and his three friends as compared to the other young men who were in the university. But, Daniel was also given visions, repeatedly pointing to events in our world all the way down to the end of this earth’s history. Daniel was faithful in his eating, drinking, and later working; and God honored him.
46. Have we taken sufficient interest in these stories and what they imply about our times so that we will be ready when the second coming occurs?

©2025, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. *Electronic version. ^†Bold type is added. ^‡Brackets and content in brackets are added. ^§Italic type is in the source. [sic-Br]=This is correct as quoted; it is the British spelling.

Last Modified: April 18, 2025                                                                                           Email: Info@theox.org