GEORGE I. BUTLER by George I. Butler

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 2, 1909

GEORGE I. BUTLER

By George I. Butler

Here Are They That Keep the Commandments of God, and Have the Testimony of Jesus Christ. Rev. 14:12

GEORGE I. BUTLER

God teaches his people, precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little, the great lessons of heavenly origin. It is the true method of all successful teaching. His great volume, the Canon of Inspiration, which we call the Bible,—in other words, The Book, because the most important of all books,—is made up of treatises written by inspired men as they were moved upon and their minds illuminated by the Holy Spirit. The light was God-given. It is not merely one continued narrative, written by some one person, but the united spiritual testimony of numerous chosen agents, each adding something important to the testimony of those preceding him, all constituting one grand whole, the Word of God, all in beautiful harmony when truly understood.

Having given considerable attention to the connected prophetic three angels' messages of Rev. 14:6-12, and considered with some care every specification contained in them, and found each and all met in the great advent movement of our time, we unhesitatingly conclude that this is the true fulfilment of the prophecy. We know of no other way to ascertain the fulfilment of any prophetic utterance: when all the points given are met in the fulfilment, that is the true solution. They will never be duplicated. If they were, then we could never tell when they were fulfilled. It would throw complete uncertainty over all prophetic statements of Holy Writ.

We now proceed to give a brief exposition of a parallel prophecy, the twelfth chapter of Revelation. For the sake of brevity, we request the reader to read the whole chapter. It commences with the appearance of a great wonder in heaven,—a woman clothed with the light of the sun, crowned with twelve stars, the moon under her feet. To the woman was given a son, a man child, who was to “rule all nations with a rod of iron.” There appeared a monster before the woman, a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, seeking to devour the child as soon as it was born. But the dragon did not succeed; for the man child was later caught up to the throne of God.

When this wonderful description is reduced to our common language, what do we have? The introduction of wonderful events about the commencement of our Christian era. Breaking forth from twilight darkness, came a flood of gospel light, a newer and clearer dispensation, the light of the Mosaic dispensation retreating like the moon before the rising light of the gospel sun, the twelve apostles appearing as stars, the woman, the true church, presenting the child, Immanuel, to the world. Before her stood a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, ready to devour the man child as soon as born. This dragon was a symbol of Satan, as shown in verses 9-12. But Satan works through human agents, hence in this chapter we find him working through earthly governments.

In the book of Revelation any symbolic creature with seven heads and ten horns always symbolizes Rome in some of its many phases. Here it represents Rome in its pagan form, as the leopard beast of chapter 13 represents Rome as a so-called Christian power. Herod, the Roman governor or king of Judea, represented Rome seeking to destroy the infant Jesus. Herod failed; for Joseph and Mary, being warned of God, fled with the child into Egypt and remained there till Herod was dead. Nevertheless, Rome in the person of Pilate, another Roman governor, did put to death the Son of God. But he was raised from the dead, and ascended to his Father above.

The woman, the symbol of the true church of God, did at last flee into the wilderness before this persecutor, Rome, where in obscure, hidden, retired places she existed for twelve hundred sixty years, while papal Rome ruled the world. In 538 the head of the papal system had received from Justinian, the emperor, authority over all churches, with power to correct heretics. Twelve hundred sixty years from that date brings us to the year 1798, when France dethroned the papacy, and it received a deadly wound. Not even yet has the pope recovered the full power which he held before. He hopes to do so, however; and by the help of apostate Protestants he doubtless will. In that “wilderness” condition God's true church was comparatively hidden from public view.

The great Protestant Reformation crippled the papacy exceedingly. This experience occurred within the last few centuries. It is brought to view in the prophecy (Rev. 12:16) as the powers of the earth (i. e., earthly governments) helping the woman, God's true people being protected from papal persecutions by German princes, Scandinavian powers, and by the English government. Now we come to our own time: “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev. 12:17. This brings us to the close of that line of prophecy, and necessarily to the last body of believers on earth.

His last great effort will be made against the “remnant” of the true church, “which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” His wrath against them will be greatly stirred and powerfully manifested. The meaning of remnant is “that which remains after a part is removed,” a “small portion,” etc. It is used quite a number of times in the Bible, always with that sense. A “remnant of the woman's seed” must be the very last generation of the true church of God on earth, the very same people that the third angel's message develops. The same distinguishing characteristic identifies both—they “keep the commandments of God.” They are the same people. To keep these commandments, all of them must be kept; the fourth commandment as well as the other nine.

One other feature must be noticed. They have “the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Let the Word define what the testimony of Jesus Christ is: “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Rev. 19:10. Let us put the definition of the term in the place of the term itself. This will always give the true meaning. “And the dragon [Satan] was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the spirit of prophecy.” Such, in effect, is the statement concerning the last of the true church on earth, the “remnant” of the true people of God.

As the spirit of prophecy is the leading, crowning gift of those gifts Christ bestowed upon his church when he left them to ascend to his Father, we are authorized by this scripture to expect that the church of Christ in the last generation, composed of those living when he comes, will be characterized by special manifestations of that gift which he placed in his church on earth. Why not? In every great crisis of God's cause he has manifested his special power to help his people. In the Egyptian exodus what mighty spiritual evidences God gave of his presence and power! In every important crisis in the history of that people God raised up persons, and clothed them with spiritual power to perform mighty works. In every step of that people's progress God's power was manifest. He warned them faithfully through his servants the prophets. After the captivity in Babylon, Ezra, Nehemiah, and other prophets had his special help and guidance. After a long interim from Malachi onward till Christ was about to come, these manifestations seemed to cease. But what an outpouring of the Spirit was manifest in connection with the first advent! That was called the “former rain,” watering the gospel seed. But before Christ's coming the second time, there is

to be a “latter rain,” to ripen off the harvest of the earth. The preparation for that coming will be second to no other ever seen in importance in the world's history. The whole world is to be warned,—the greatest work ever undertaken by his church. Will God leave his people to their own weakness in such a crisis, and with such a great work to do?—By no means. He will close up his work with exhibitions of mighty power. The earth will be lightened with the glory of the closing message. Direct evidence from the Scriptures will come be given on this subject, and clear evidence that true spiritual gifts will be in this movement.

Bowling Green, Fla.