I [Ellen White] saw a group of Adventists holding firmly to the doctrines and principles they had learned in the Bible. God was looking at this group with favor. These people did not allow their minds to be changed by people among them who tried to destroy their faith in the three angels' messages.SRme 1.1680

My [Ellen White's] angel said: "Woe to anyone who shall change even a small part of these messages. The true understanding of these messages is absolutely necessary. The destiny of people depends on the way the messages are received."SRme 1.1681

I was again shown the suffering, persecution, and experiences of God's people as God led them step by step during the preaching of each of the three angels' messages. God Himself taught His people the messages that were the same as a solid platform of truth for them to stand on.SRme 1.1682

I saw three steps leading to this platform of truth. The steps were the first, second, and third angel's messages. I saw people study these messages and examine the foundation of the platform of truth. Some people immediately accepted the messages with thanks. Other people began to find fault with the doctrinal foundation. These people wanted changes made in the church doctrines. They said the changes would make the doctrines better and the people in the church would be much happier.SRme 1.1683

Some believers began to criticize the platform of truth. These believers said that the beliefs of the church were wrong. But I [Ellen White] saw that nearly everyone stood firm on the platform of truth. These people urged the people who were complaining to stop their criticizing, because God was the Master Builder. "Do not fight against God," they pleaded. The faithful people reviewed the wonderful way God had led them to build a solid platform of church beliefs. Then together the faithful people looked to heaven and praised God. The result was that some of the people who had complained and left the group of believers admitted they were wrong. These people humbly joined the group again.SRme 1.1684

I was reminded of the time when John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for the first coming of Jesus. John was given the spirit and power of Elijah. People who refused to accept the teachings of John were not ready to be helped by the teachings of Jesus. These people rejected the message of Jesus' coming. This kept them from accepting the strongest evidences that Jesus was the Messiah. Many people who opposed John were finally led by Satan to reject and crucify Jesus. So these people could not receive the blessing on the day of Pentecost that would have taught them about Jesus' work in the heavenly sanctuary.SRme 1.1685

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil into the most holy room of the earthly temple was torn from top to bottom. This showed that the Jewish sacrifices noSRme 1.1686

longer had any meaning. God would not accept these sacrifices any more. Jesus, the great and true Sacrifice, had been offered. God had accepted Jesus' sacrifice. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit showed the disciples that Jesus had entered the heavenly sanctuary. From the heavenly sanctuary Jesus would give people the blessings His sacrifice made possible.SRme 1.1687

Most of the Jewish nation was left in spiritual darkness. The people did not understand that Jesus was now the center of the plan of salvation. They continued to trust in their sacrifices and offerings. But these sacrifices and offerings were not worth anything. The heavenly sanctuary had taken the place of the earthly sanctuary. But the Jewish people did not know the heavenly sanctuary had taken the place of the earthly sanctuary. So they could not be helped by Jesus' work in the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary.SRme 1.1688

Many people think it was terrible that the Jews rejected and crucified Jesus. These people are upset when they read how shamefully the Jews treated Jesus. These people feel that their own love for Jesus is so great that they would never have hurt or crucified Jesus the way the Jews did. They think they would not have denied Jesus as Peter denied Him. But God reads every heart. God tests the love that each person has for Jesus.SRme 1.1689

When the first angel's message was given, all heaven watched with deep interest to see how people would receive the message. Many people who heard the message said they loved Jesus. Many people wept as they read the story of the cross. But these same people made fun of the good news that Jesus was coming soon. Instead of gladly believing the message, these people said the message was not true. These people hated the men and women who loved Jesus' coming, and put them out of their churches.SRme 1.1690

People who rejected the first angel's message could not be helped by the second angel's message. And since these people had not been helped by the second angel's message, they could not be helped by the midnight cry. The midnight cry was to prepare the people to go with Jesus by faith into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. The people who rejected the first and second angels' messages could not understand the third angel's message. So they rejected the third angel's message, which shows the way into the most holy place.SRme 1.1691

A SOLEMN MESSAGE

Chapter 56 — SATAN'S DECEPTIONS