As we saw in the last article, the evidence in Christ’s parable plainly reveals another call for laborers to the vineyard between the one in 1844, and the millennium, namely, at the eleventh hour.
The eleventh hour call is the last on record, and only an hour before sunset — millennium. The time for its deliverance to the world is shorter than any universal message ever given. Though the time is the shortest, its area over the earth’s surface is more extensive than any. Its speedy delivery is of the highest importance, for by it shall the world be judged.
Because the work is so broad, its expansion so vast, and its importance so great, God has inspired modern science to invent, and build speedy equipment to quickly finish His work.
Dan. 12:4— “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
The evidence in Christ’s parable plainly reveals another call for laborers to the vineyard between the one in 1844, and the millennium, namely, at the eleventh hour.
Initial assurance that there was to be an addition to the Third Angel’s Message, came to us long ago in the following words:
“I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven, descending to the earth, and again ascending to heaven, preparing for the fulfillment of some important event. Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message… This message seemed to be an addition to the third message, joining it as the midnight cry joined the second angel’s message in 1844.” — Early Writings, p. 277.
What is the message? The eleventh hour message is none other than Revelation 18 — the loud cry of the Third Angel:
Rev. 18:1, 2, 4 — 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….
“Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”
Plainly then, it is the eleventh-hour servants, with the additional message, the message of the judgment of the living, who rescue God’s people out of Babylon.
Has not God, through the “Spirit of Prophecy,” as well as by the Scriptures, plainly forewarned His people that they must expect messages at any time?
Mal. 4:5 — “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”
“Prophecy must be fulfilled. The Lord says: ‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.’ Somebody is to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he appears, men may say: ‘You are too earnest, you do not interpret the Scriptures in the proper way. Let me tell you how to teach your message’.” — “Testimonies to Ministers,” p. 475.
Sister White does not mean to say that she is that prophet Elijah, but plainly says a prophet must come, with the “same spirit and power of Elijah.”
“As never before, we should pray not only that laborers may be sent forth into the great harvest-field, but that we may have a clear conception of truth, so that when the messengers of truth shall come, we may accept the message and respect the messenger.” — “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. 6, p. 420.
Now that the time has finally come for the Lord to recruit His eleventh-hour servants, this priceless parable is unfolded, and for the first time it is plainly seen that whereas the judgment of the dead was to be proclaimed to many nations and people, the judgment of the living is to be proclaimed to all nations and to every people on earth. Here is what Inspiration Itself says:
Rev. 14:6, 7 — “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”
Quoting “Testimonies to Ministers,” p. 59:
“This same message [The Third Angel’s] is to be proclaimed the second time. ‘And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.’ This message is the last that will ever be given to the world; and it will accomplish its work.” — “The Great Controversy,” p. 390.
That the servants of the eleventh-hour call — those who “escape,” who are not “cut off” (Lev. 23:29) while “the house of God” is being judged (1 Pet. 4:17), the event which signalizes the commencement of the judgment of the living, world-wide — are to be sent to all nations, Inspiration attests through the prophet Isaiah:
Isa. 66:15, 16, 19, 20. — “For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many….
“And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles.
“And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules and upon swift beasts, to My holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.”
Here, let every serious-minded reader pause to ponder what Inspiration says: Isa. 66:19 and 20 explain that those who escape the slaughter of Isa. 66:15 and 16, are to be sent as missionaries to the Gentiles, who as yet know not God.
Hence these escaped (remaining) ones are God’s remnant, His first fruits of the harvest, His guileless servants, the 144,000 — the elect.
And only they, none others, the Scriptures declare, shall bring all their brethren from all nations, in a clean vessel, into the purified house of the Lord.
Although the newly revealed light of Truth now shining on the subject is new to all of us, it is not, of course, new in the Bible. To keep us wide awake and on the alert to progressive unfoldment of Truth, the Spirit of God has through the years signaled our attention in the ensuing statements:
“There is yet much precious truth to be revealed to the people in this time of peril and darkness, but it is Satan’s determined purpose to prevent the light of truth from shining into the hearts of men…” — Testimonies On Sabbath School Work, p. 62.
Precious truths that have long been in obscurity are to be revealed in a light that will make manifest their sacred worth; for God will glorify His Word, that it may appear in a light in which we have never before beheld it.” — Counsels On Sabbath School Work, p. 25.
“Wonderful possibilities are open to those who lay hold of the divine assurances of God’s word. There are glorious truths to come before the people of God. Privileges and duties which they do not even suspect to be in the Bible will be laid open before them. As they follow on in the path of humble obedience, doing His will, they will know more and more of the oracles of God.” — Testimonies, Vol. 8, p. 322.
“We talk about the first angel’s message and the second angel’s message, and we think we have some understanding of the third angel’s message. But as long as we are content with a limited knowledge, we shall be disqualified to obtain clearer views of truth.” — Gospel Workers, p. 251.
…We need never expect that when the Lord has light for His people, Satan will stand calmly by, and make no effort to prevent them from receiving it. He will work upon minds to excite distrust and jealousy and unbelief. Let us beware that we do not refuse the light God sends, because it does not come in a way to please us. Let not God’s blessing be turned away from us because we know not the time of our visitation. If there are any who do not see and accept the light themselves, let them not stand in the way of others. Let it not be said of this highly favored people, as of the Jews when the good news of the kingdom was preached to them, ‘They entered not in themselves, and them that were entering in they hindered.’” — Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 728.
For your soul’s sake, do not pass lightly over this life-and-death matter, for, as you have seen, the light shining on the subject illuminates the fact that subsequent to the ninth-hour group and message, there were first to come an addition to the message, then sealed servants — the all-consequential message of the judgment of the living, and the all-powerful servants, “the escaped” ones, who are to go to “all nations,” rather than only to “many.”
8. The Judgment Of The Living - What is the need of a judgment, and why should we be judged after we are saved? That the Bible teaches of a coming judgment no one can deny. We therefore need only to give the reason for it. The true people of God, we are told, are commingled with… From these now unfolding scriptures it is plainly seen, too, that the message of the judgment of the living is Heaven’s final edition of glad tidings for the saints, and of sad tidings for the sinners. Hence it is to be proclaimed by guileless servants, the 144,000 — the servants of the eleventh hour.
The fact stands out that this final call comes at the last hour of the parabolical day, just before the gospel work closes. Being the last message of mercy to the world, and also the last call for servants, it must therefore be borne by Elijah the prophet, by him who appears just before “the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” Mal. 4:5; Matt. 17:11.
Accordingly, the servants of the eleventh hour must be called to the work by him during the time he is announcing the day of the Lord.
Of still further importance is the truth that the eleventh-hour-call finds its laborers “standing idle” “in the market place” (the church), doing nothing, their excuse being, “no man hath hired us.” In view of these facts, it is manifest that the eleventh-hour servants are not made up of the ministry, not of those already at work; no, no more than were the servants of the previous calls. History bears the proof that virtually only the idle ones, the laity, ever responded first to any divine call!
Obviously, these servants make up the long-looked-for “Layman’s Movement” (Testimonies, Vol. 9, pp. 125, 126):
And the eleventh hour is therefore the time to which the Spirit of Prophecy points when it says:
“… In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and he cannot use them. The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view. There are precious ones now hidden who have not bowed the knee to Baal. They have not had the light which has been shining in a concentrated blaze upon you…
“… God will work a work in our day that but few anticipate. He will raise up and exalt among us those who are taught rather by the unction of his Spirit, than by the outward training of scientific institutions… God will manifest that he is not dependent on learned, self-important mortals.” — Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 80, 81.
The statements, “will be disclosed to view,” “precious ones now hidden,” and “hidden ones will be revealed to view,” nakedly unveil the fact that although the servants of the eleventh hour are not now men of prominence, not persons now generally known, they will, nevertheless, assuredly come into their own, finally.
“…now time is almost finished, and what we have been years learning, they will have to learn in a few months. They will also have much to unlearn, and much to learn again.” — Early Writings, p. 67.
May God help us all, Brother, Sister, to be either among or along with the first fruits, the 144,000. It is left to every one himself to determine his own destiny.
And of this be certain, that the only unerring way of achieving eternity is in hearing and in following God’s voice; in making your decision in the closet of secret prayer; and in abounding in close and reverent study of revealed Truth for this particular time. Whereas the surest way of erring and of losing out is to give ear to the voice of men in the place of the voice of God.
“…the final movements will be rapid ones.” — Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 11.
