1. ALL ACCOUNTABLE Sunday December 12

a. Through the loud cry, to what extent will the truth be made known in the world? Habakkuk 2:14. “The angel who unites in the proclamation of the third angel’s message is to lighten the whole earth with his glory. A work of worldwide extent and unwonted power is here foretold.” –The Great Controversy, p. 611.“Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy, and truth.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 415.“When the members of the church of God do their appointed work in the needy fields at home and abroad, in fulfillment of the gospel commission, the whole world will soon be warned.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 111. b. How limited will the reception of the last message of salvation be? Matthew 22:14; 7:14; Luke 17:29, 30. “The Spirit of God is withdrawing from the earth, and calamity follows calamity by sea and by land. There are tempests, earthquakes, fires, floods, murders of every grade. Who can read the future? Where is security? There is assurance in nothing that is human or earthly. Rapidly are men ranging themselves under the banner they have chosen. Restlessly are they waiting and watching the movements of their leaders. There are those who are waiting and watching and working for our Lord’s appearing. Another class are falling into line under the generalship of the first great apostate. Few believe with heart and soul that we have a hell to shun and a heaven to win.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 636.

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2. A UNIVERSAL DECREE Monday December 13

a. What effect will the loud cry finally have upon those who oppose it? Matthew 10:17–19, 23. “When the earth is lighted with the glory of the angel of Revelation eighteen, the religious elements, good and evil, will awake from slumber.” –The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 7, p. 983.“At the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully. This enraged the churches and nominal Adventists, as they could not refute the Sabbath truth.” –Early Writings, p. 33.“The last great warning had sounded everywhere, and it had stirred up and enraged the inhabitants of the earth who would not receive the message.” –Ibid., p. 279.“As the controversy extends into new fields and the minds of the people are called to God’s downtrodden law, Satan is astir. The power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it. The clergy will put forth almost superhuman efforts to shut away the light lest it should shine upon their flocks. By every means at their command they will endeavor to suppress the discussion of these vital questions. The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and, in this work, papists and Protestants unite.” –The Great Controversy, p. 607. b. What decree will be issued against God’s faithful commandment keepers immediately before the close of probation? Revelation 13:15, 16. “The powers of earth, uniting to war against the commandments of God, will decree that ‘all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond’ (Revelation 13:16), shall conform to the customs of the church by the observance of the false sabbath. All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties, and it will finally be declared that they are deserving of death. . . .“The decree is not to be urged upon the people blindly. Everyone is to have sufficient light to make his decision intelligently.” –The Great Controversy, pp. 604, 605.“When the decree goes forth and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless for eternity.” –Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 216.

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3. DECEPTION AND DISAPPOINTMENT Tuesday December 14

a. In the time of the end, what will be our greatest danger if we fail to learn the lessons of faith now, and why? Jeremiah 17:5. “Those who exercise but little faith now, are in the greatest danger of falling under the power of satanic delusions and the decree to compel the conscience. And even if they endure the test they will be plunged into deeper distress and anguish in the time of trouble, because they have never made it a habit to trust in God. . . . We should now acquaint ourselves with God by proving His promises.” –The Great Controversy, p. 622. b. What will be the end of those who come up to the time of trouble without previous repentance, confession, and pardon? Jeremiah 8:20. “All who endeavor to excuse or conceal their sins, and permit them to remain upon the books of heaven, unconfessed and unforgiven, will be overcome by Satan. The more exalted their profession and the more honorable the position which they hold, the more grievous is their course in the sight of God and the more sure the triumph of their great adversary. Those who delay a preparation for the day of God cannot obtain it in the time of trouble or at any subsequent time. The case of all such is hopeless.“Those professed Christians who come up to that last fearful conflict unprepared will, in their despair, confess their sins in words of burning anguish, while the wicked exult over their distress. These confessions are of the same character as was that of Esau or of Judas. Those who make them, lament the result of transgression, but not its guilt. They feel no true contrition, no abhorrence of evil. They acknowledge their sin, through fear of punishment; but, like Pharaoh of old, they would return to their defiance of Heaven should the judgments be removed.” –The Great Controversy, pp. 620, 621. [Author’s italics.]

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4. THE DOOR OF MERCY CLOSES Wednesday December 15

a. What declaration will be made in the heavenly sanctuary when probation closes? Revelation 22:11, 12. How are we warned about determining when probation will close? “God has not revealed to us the time when [the third angel’s] message will close, or when probation will have an end. Those things that are revealed we shall accept for ourselves and for our children; but let us not seek to know that which has been kept secret in the councils of the Almighty. . . .“The opportune time for us to work is now, just now, while the day lasts. But there is no command for anyone to search the Scriptures in order to ascertain, if possible, when probation will close. God has no such message for any mortal lips.” –Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 191, 192 (1894). b. Concerning the close of probation, what lesson should we learn from the antediluvians? Matthew 24:37–39; 2 Peter 3:5–7. “The righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state–men will be planting and building, eating and drinking, all unconscious that the final, irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary above. Before the Flood, after Noah entered the ark, God shut him in and shut the ungodly out; but for seven days the people, knowing not that their doom was fixed, continued their careless, pleasure-loving life and mocked the warnings of impending judgment. ‘So,’ says the Saviour, ‘shall also the coming of the Son of man be’ (Matthew 24:39). Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man’s destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy’s offer to guilty men.” –The Great Controversy, p. 491.

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5. SUDDEN DESTRUCTION Thursday December 16

a. After the cross, what was withdrawn from the Jewish nation and what did they continue practicing? Matthew 23:38; John 16:2. By whom and how will their example be repeated? “When God’s presence was finally withdrawn from the Jewish nation, priests and people knew it not. Though under the control of Satan, and swayed by the most horrible and malignant passions, they still regarded themselves as the chosen of God. The ministration in the temple continued; sacrifices were offered upon its polluted altars, and daily the divine blessing was invoked upon a people guilty of the blood of God’s dear Son and seeking to slay His ministers and apostles. So when the irrevocable decision of the sanctuary has been pronounced and the destiny of the world has been forever fixed, the inhabitants of the earth will know it not. The forms of religion will be continued by a people from whom the Spirit of God has been finally withdrawn; and the satanic zeal with which the prince of evil will inspire them for the accomplishment of his malignant designs, will bear the semblance of zeal for God.” –The Great Controversy, p. 615. b. What will come upon the inhabitants of the earth when the Holy Spirit is fully withdrawn? 1 Thessalonians 5:3. “The wicked have passed the boundary of their probation; the Spirit of God, persistently resisted, has been at last withdrawn. Unsheltered by divine grace, they have no protection from the wicked one. Satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great, final trouble. As the angels of God cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human passion, all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old.” –The Great Controversy, p. 614.

REVIEW AND THOUGHT QUESTIONS Friday December 17

1. How can we show through our lives that there is a hell to shun and a heaven to win? 2. Give evidence as to why the death decree will be enacted as a result of the loud cry. 3. What warnings should we heed before the time of trouble? 4. What effect should the truth have upon our lives before probation closes, and why? 5. What deception, which involved the Jewish nation, will be repeated?