God’s Vindication

There is one question more which we can but briefly notice: Will God permit this power, which was to “think to change” the law of God, to carry through this deception to the very last? or will he bring to light this great iniquity before time closes, so that the truly honest in heart shall understand this work of apostasy before Christ comes? But one answer can reasonably be given to this question: It would be inconsistent and most unreasonable to suppose that God would permit such indignities to be placed upon his law, and never bring to light this work of the man of sin.ChSa 172.2

There are certain scriptures which plainly indicate that the last and closing work of reformation at the very close of the Christian dispensation, will have reference to this apostasy, and the restoration of the law, as God gave it, to its proper position in the affections and service of the true people of God.ChSa 172.3

The scripture we have already quoted (Daniel 7:25) strongly intimates this. Speaking of the power which should think to change the law and should oppress God’s people, it states that they should “be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” This period, embracing 1260 years, commencing in AD. 538 and closing in 1798, brings us to the “time of the end.” The word “until” marks the limit or close of the period during which this power should have supremacy, and the time that the law and people should be given into his hands.ChSa 173.1

Leading Protestant commentators agree that the power predicted here is the papacy, and the Catholic authorities themselves claim that their church did make a change in the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week. So we conclude that when the 1260 years allotted to that power in which to hold under his control God’s law and people, closed, a change would certainly come. Such a change did come, so far as the power to persecute is concerned. All know the Catholic Church has no longer power to persecute as before. Shall we not, then, for the same reason, look for a great movement to restore God’s law to its former position? So we must conclude from this languageChSa 173.2