THE REMNANT THAT HE SHOULD CALL

Away back in the days of Assyria, when Joel the prophet spoke of the outpouring of the Spirit of God upon all flesh in the last days, the Lord foretold how he would give the message of deliverance to “the remnant whom the Lord shall call,” Joel 2:32. Think of it! In the days of Assyria, before Babylon ever rose to power, the Lord was planning what He would do with that remnant, the remnant that He should call in the last days, who were to bear the gospel message of deliverance finally to the people of the earth.HEVI 83.1

And we come a little nearer, in the New Testament. There we find a description of this remnant church. The dragon, it was foretold, would be wroth with the remnant, with the last church, which should “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17.HEVI 83.2

In the fourteenth chapter of Revelation is found a picture of this church which keeps the commandments of God going to all the world with the everlasting gospel, crying, “The hour of His judgment is come.” And when the time of the judgment hour in the heavenly sanctuary came in 1844, it brought this movement-it brought a people who were keeping the commandments of God and preaching the message that the judgment hour had come.HEVI 83.3

Nearly two thousand years ago the prophet John, on the isle of Patmos, saw in vision the coming of the last days, the coming of the judgment review in the heavenly sanctuary. He saw a people arise keeping the commandments of God, and he saw them spread to every nation, kindred, and tongue, crying the message of the gospel for the judgment hour. Seventh-day Adventists are that people. Oh, what manner of person, then, should I be, to belong to that people of the prophecy so long foretold? All the world knows, I think, that this is the only world movement that is teaching that the hour of God’s judgment is come.HEVI 83.4

Years ago I was coming from South America to Europe. I met on the boat a fine Brazilian gentleman, a Congregationalist pastor. He spoke English. We had some good talks about prophecy, and about this fourteenth chapter of Revelation, which shows that the last gospel work committed to men is to carry the message to every nation that the hour of God’s judgment is come. And he said to me at last, “To what church do you belong?HEVI 83.5

“Seventh-day Adventist,” I replied. I saw him start.HEVI 83.6

“Well,” he said, “but your people have come to my city. You have taken some of my members.”HEVI 83.7

“Well, I am glad your members are interested in these things.”HEVI 83.8

“I think you ought to go somewhere else.”HEVI 83.9

“Brother---,” I said, we are going just as fast as we can,-everywhere else,-for that message has a world-wide mission!”HEVI 83.10

“Yes,” he said, “but I think you ought to leave me and my fellow pastors to preach it in my city.”HEVI 83.11

“Now,” I said, “if you would preach this message, “The hour of His judgment is come, we would not need to go to your city.”HEVI 83.12

“Why,” he said, “I am preaching it.”HEVI 83.13

I said, “Are you preaching ‘the hour of His Judgment is come?”HEVI 83.14

“Yes,” he said, “I think I am.”HEVI 83.15

“Well,” I said, “when did it come?”HEVI 83.16

“I do not know,” he answered. “In fact, I have never studied the book of Revelation, but someday I want to study it.”HEVI 83.17

I said, “Brother, that is just why God has raised up a people who have studied it. They know when the hour of God’s judgment came, and ever since they have been hurrying to every nation and kindred and tongue, preaching the message of the prophecy.”HEVI 83.18

Brethren, this work bears the divine credentials. It is the work of God. It is the people of the prophecy, bringing the message of the prophecy to men.HEVI 83.19