4:1Malachi 4:1

The coming day burns as a real oven of fiery judgment that falls upon the earth at the close of this world's history.ST Aug 16, 1905+4 All the proud and all who do wickedly become stubble to be burned up completely, leaving neither root nor branch, for Satan as the root of all sin perishes together with his followers as the branches.ST Aug 16, 1905+4 The execution is the second death after the thousand years, when fire comes down from God out of heaven upon the wicked gathered about the Holy City and the surface becomes a molten lake that consumes them and the works in it.GC88 672.2–673.1+4 All are punished according to their deeds, some quickly and some suffering many days until nothing remains to consume, but none are kept alive in endless misery, for they die an everlasting death and become ashes as if they had not been.GC88 672.2–673.1+4 At the same time those who fear the Lord are treasured as His jewels and spared, the Sun of Righteousness who is Christ arises upon them with healing, and after the wicked are burned up and sin is made an end of forever the earth is purified and made new for the saints to inherit.RH Aug 25, 1910+4

The coming day burns as an oven, a furnace of intense devouring fire in which judgment is real and total.ST Aug 16, 1905+4 That burning is as literal and devastating as the destruction of the world in Noah's time, consuming sin and sinners and leaving nothing of them.GC 671.2–673.1+1 In that day the difference is made plain between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not, even disclosing God's hidden chosen ones whom the world did not recognize.Lt 94, 1903, par. 17–19+1 For those who fear His name there is healing from the Sun of righteousness, set in contrast to the burning of the proud.ST Aug 16, 1905+1

All the proud, yes, and all who do wickedly, become stubble on that day, mere fuel to be burned up completely.ST Aug 16, 1905+4 The evil confederacy with its followers is finally destroyed in this way, burned up with neither root nor branch left.ST May 28, 1894+2 Pride ends in this destruction, for God hates pride and warns that pride and wickedness cannot stand in the judgment.Ms 29, 1895, par. 25+3 This burning is set against His mercy and care for His people, whom Satan must not be allowed to shape into his own character.Ms 53, 1896, par. 9

To leave neither root nor branch is utter extermination and final eradication of evil in cleansing flames.GC88 672.2–673.1+3 Satan is the root, the root of every sin and rebellion and transgression, and his followers are the branches.GC88 672.2–673.1+4 Those branches are all evil-workers who join him in rebellion and choose to become his subjects and children, and root and branches perish together and are utterly cut off.PP 341.1+2 So rebellion proves ruin to Satan himself and to all his followers, making an end of sin with all its woe and ruin, vindicating God's law and character and love before the universe and guaranteeing evil will never again be manifest.PP 341.1+2

The pride to be burned is self-love and self-pride, pride of dress and appearance, vanity, selfishness, covetousness, self-righteousness, love of the world, and an unconsecrated aimless life lived to please self.MYP 128.2+4 Such character God cannot accept, and without reformation through thorough conversion and renewing of the mind it threatens ruin and will be burned as stubble.1T 132.3–133.2+2 The third angel's message must therefore purge pride, selfishness, covetousness, worldly conformity and love of the world from the hearts of professed believers in preparation for Jesus' coming.MYP 128.2+2 Appearance, good looks and dress bring no favor with God, for moral worth is what He notices, and there is no real beauty of person or character apart from Christ and no real perfection of manners without humility, sympathy and true holiness; escape requires humbling the heart under God, redeeming the time, and living humbly to bless others.2T 176.1+1

The burning day is the coming day of the Lord and day of God at the close of this earth's history.1MR 176.1–2+1 It is right upon the world in probationary time, when there are only two sides and two parties, and it is soon to come upon the unbelieving world.RH Jun 19, 1900+2 It is a day of final reckoning that destroys all the proud and all evildoers completely as stubble, leaving nothing remaining, fulfilling the separation between him that serves God and him that serves Him not.RH Jun 19, 1900+1 It is a real and devastating fiery judgment like the destruction of the world in Noah's time.ST Nov 27, 1884 It follows church and world coming into harmony on a short-sighted policy, with Protestants working on rulers to restore the lost ascendancy of the man of sin who sits in the temple of God showing himself that he is God, and Roman principles taken under state protection, so that national apostasy is speedily followed by national ruin when Bible truth is no longer tolerated.Lt 123, 1897, par. 32–33

The wicked receive their recompense in the earth.GC88 672.2–673.1+2 Fire comes down from God out of heaven upon the earth, the earth is broken up, the rocks burn, the elements melt with fervent heat, and the surface becomes one molten seething lake of fire.GC 671.2–673.1 That fire burns the wicked as stubble and burns up the earth and the works in it, in the time of the judgment and perdition of ungodly men, the day of the Lord's vengeance.GC 671.2–673.1

The final execution is at the second death after the thousand years, not in the earlier judgments such as the seven last plagues.EW 43.1+2 After the saints have rested in the Holy City and reigned as kings and priests, Jesus descends with them upon the Mount of Olives, and the mount parts asunder to become a plain for the Paradise of God to rest upon.ExVEGW 32.5+1 Then the wicked dead are raised in the second resurrection and gather around the city led by Satan, after the saints in unison with Jesus have decided their judgment during the thousand years.ExVEGW 32.5+2 Then devouring fire is breathed from God upon them and comes down from God out of heaven and consumes them entirely, leaving neither root nor branch and nothing remaining.EW 43.1+4

The same fire that devours the wicked purifies the whole earth.EW 43.1+4 It melts the broken ragged mountains and the atmosphere and consumes all the stubble, purifying the earth from wrongdoing and defiance of God.Ms 80, 1900, par. 16–17+2 So the feet of the wicked will never desecrate the earth made new.ExVEGW 32.5+2 Then the inheritance opens before the saints, glorious and beautiful, and God makes all things new and the blessed inherit the whole earth made new and the kingdom.ExVEGW 35.1+1

The destruction is complete, leaving nothing remaining of the wicked, with neither root nor branch.RH Aug 25, 1910+4 The coming day burns intensely and consumes the proud and all evildoers as fuel like stubble, and those who persist in transgression are finally destroyed when the earth is purified from their wrongdoing and defiance.Ms 82, 1896, par. 13–14+4 All are punished according to their deeds and each receives reward according to works, some destroyed as in a moment and perishing quickly while others suffer many days.GC88 672.2–673.1+4 The fire consumes them until nothing remains for it to consume, and then their suffering ends.GC88 672.2–673.1+3 Satan suffers longer and more severely than others because he is punished for his own rebellion and for the sins he led God's people to commit.GC88 672.2–673.1

The wicked are not kept alive in endless misery in an eternally burning hell, but die an everlasting death that lasts forever with no hope of resurrection.SG1 218.2+4 They cease to exist, return to dust, become ashes, become as if they had not been, and will never be resurrected.SG1 218.2+4 God is too merciful to keep beings created for His glory alive forever unrepentant, unforgiven and unsaved, and there is not an immortal sinner.SG1 118.1+1 The burning makes an end of sin with all the woe and ruin that resulted from it, for the wages of sin is death and rebellion results in ruin to Satan himself and to all his followers who chose to become his subjects.PP 341.1+4

Evil, including Satan and his rebellion, is eradicated completely and will never return, and its utter extermination and final eradication was made certain by the death of Christ after the whole universe became witnesses to the nature and results of sin.PP 341.1+4 The destruction leaves the universe clean, removes evil and its effects, and purifies the earth.SG1 218.2+3 It fulfills the law's full penalty and satisfies God's justice, and then the wrath of God is appeased.EW 185.1+3

The coming day makes plain the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve Him, fulfilling the separation when there are only two sides and two parties in the world.RH Aug 25, 1910+4 It discerns who are truly God's chosen, for God sees those who serve Him even when His hidden ones are not recognized by the world, while exposing the many who profess to serve Him but do not in reality.Lt 94, 1903, par. 17–19+1 The proud and all evildoers are burned up as stubble until nothing remains, in contrast to those who serve God whom the Lord spares as His own.RH Aug 25, 1910+2

Those who fear the Lord and think upon His name, who love and fear God and obey His commandments including the Sabbath, and who walk loyally so that God can trust them, are written in a book of remembrance.19MR 262.2–263.1+2 They are treasured as His jewels, spared as a man spares his own serving son, remembered for everlasting life through His Son, and honored while sinners are consumed.RH Aug 25, 1910+4 The wicked burned are the disobedient and unholy, distinguished from the righteous who faithfully obey Him.19MR 262.2–263.1+1

Upon those who fear His name the Sun of Righteousness, who is Christ, arises with healing and blessing and restoration.Ms 82, 1896, par. 13–14+4 His revealing is gradual like sunrise with beam following beam and ever-expanding light, so believers discern ever more distinctly His mission, mercy, love and tender compassion, admiring and loving Him more, obeying Him implicitly and serving Him devotedly while beholding God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ.Ms 82, 1896, par. 13–14 In contrast to those who keep sinning against the light now shining and accept delusions from Satan, those who reverence God become vessels unto honor who receive the latter rain, in whom Christ is glorified, who magnify His grace and compassion and seek to be like Jesus in character with no envy or jealousy in their hearts.1MR 176.1–2 They rejoice in reviving healing beams of sunshine, infinite bliss and boundless joy, mansions prepared by Christ for the faithful, and a clear title never to be questioned to the immortal inheritance.RH Jun 29, 1911+1

Only afterward the saints inherit the kingdom forever, possessing it by faith and entering it by faith and holding fast their profession.WLF 24.5+1 All the righteous dead are raised by the voice of the Son of God in the first resurrection to live, while all raised in the second resurrection are burned up.WLF 11.8–12.1 The same fire that consumes the wicked purifies the whole earth, melting the broken ragged mountains and the atmosphere and consuming all the stubble, and then after the wicked are burned up God makes all things new and the inheritance opens before the saints glorious and beautiful.ExVEGW 35.1+2 They inherit the whole earth made new with shouts of Glory, Alleluia, where they build houses and plant vineyards.ExVEGW 35.1+1

The evil confederacy will finally be destroyed on the coming burning day, when all the proud and all who do wickedly become as stubble to be burned up with neither root nor branch left.ST May 28, 1894+1 That confederacy of evil perishes together, and the wicked who follow the great apostate power are destroyed with it, leaving neither root nor branch.ST May 28, 1894+2

The burning day of God is right upon the world and must be considered seriously while the choice is still being made between him who serves God and him who serves Him not.Lt 123, 1897, par. 32–33 It speedily follows national apostasy, when church and world come into harmony on a short-sighted policy.Lt 123, 1897, par. 32–33 In that time Protestants work upon rulers to make laws restoring the lost ascendancy of the man of sin who sits in the temple of God showing himself that he is God, and Roman principles are taken under the care and protection of the state.Lt 123, 1897, par. 32–33 This national apostasy is speedily followed by national ruin in the day that burns the proud and wicked as stubble, when the protest of Bible truth will no longer be tolerated by those who have not made the law of God their rule of action, the voice from the graves of martyrs is heard, and every true child of God prays for God to work because they have made void His law.Lt 123, 1897, par. 32–33

The day that burns as an oven executes final judgment in which all the proud and all who do wickedly are burned up as stubble with neither root nor branch left, bringing utter extermination and final eradication of evil.GC88 503.3–504.1+1 Satan is the root and those who join him in rebellion are the branches, and the wicked are cut off and perish rather than living forever, for separated from God the source of life they reap the result of their choice while His presence which is love consumes them.DA 763.4–764.3 After the whole universe has become witnesses to the nature and results of sin, that destruction vindicates the love of God and His law and character, and establishes His honor before beings who delight to do His will.DA 763.4–764.3+1 Made certain by the death of Christ, it guarantees that evil including Satan and his rebellion will never again be manifest and will never return.GC88 503.3–504.1+1 Satan, represented by the scapegoat, bears the final penalty, is forever banished from God and His people, and is blotted from existence.GC 503.2–504.1+1

The coming day of God is right upon the world and must be seriously considered while the choice is still being made between serving God and not serving Him, for the Lord weighs character and human actions are recorded in heaven.Ms 183, 1897, par. 10–11+2 That day will expose the difference between those who serve God and those who do not, when the wicked who reject God's law are destroyed as stubble and God's faithful people are distinguished from them.Ms 183, 1897, par. 10–11+1 With Malachi 3:16-18 and Malachi 4:2-3 it is a message for the church carrying power to the heart, calling to confession of wrongs, change of course, humble repentance and asking forgiveness, a better Christian life honoring God, and a decided stand with the people of God.Ms 29, 1887, par. 6–9+1 In the same context it calls for Christlike conduct and a kindly spirit in dealings with others, especially among workers entrusted with the publishing work, and for careful humble walking with God.Ms 122, 1906, par. 5+1 The burning day speedily follows national apostasy when church and world harmonize on a short-sighted policy, Protestants work on rulers to restore the lost ascendancy of the man of sin who sits in the temple of God showing himself that he is God, Roman principles come under state protection, Bible truth is no longer tolerated by those who have not made God's law their rule, and God's law is made void while every true child prays and the voice from martyrs' graves is heard.Lt 123, 1897, par. 32–33

Pride, selfishness, covetousness, worldly conformity and love of the world must be purged from the hearts of professed believers by the third angel's message in preparation for Jesus' coming, for God hates pride and the proud and evildoers will be like stubble burned up on the coming day.MYP 128.2+3 Those who indulge pride must reform and separate from the world before that day, since pride and worldly conformity place even professed believers in danger of judgment.1T 132.3–133.2+1 In the day of God pride, vanity, selfishness, self-righteousness and an unconsecrated aimless life lived to please self are stubble for the fire, such a character God cannot accept, and without reformation it threatens ruin and will be burned up.2T 176.1 Escape requires thorough conversion, renewing of the mind, humbling the heart under God, redeeming the time, and living a humble life to bless others instead of living to please self.2T 176.1

The wicked to be burned are the disobedient and unholy, persistent transgressors who reject God's law, take Satan's side in rebellion, teach lies about the law, and follow a life not formed for heaven, while the righteous are those who love, fear and obey God including the Sabbath and are spared.19MR 262.2–263.1+3 Satan is the root of rebellion, transgression and every sin, and all who join him and serve him become his subjects, children and branches, so root and branches perish together with neither root nor branch left and receive wrath and finally perish in their sins according to their deeds.Ms 55, 1886, par. 18–21+1 Those who continue in the ungodly course long loved will be consumed as stubble and chaff in the fires of the day of God with nothing remaining, the unrighteous destroyed from the earth and evil consumed root and branch together.EW 102.1+2 False shepherds who led people astray will face God's plagues in that judgment, and those living apart from Christ must surrender to God and learn His meekness and lowliness or perish with the wicked.EW 102.1+1

The day comes upon the unbelieving world and gives them something to think of besides dress and appearance, their minds torn from these things by distress and perplexity with nothing to turn to.4T 633.1 They are not prisoners of hope and do not turn to the Stronghold, their hearts fail with repining and fear, they have not made God their refuge and He will not be their consolation.4T 633.1 Those who know God's will but do not follow it face greater punishment and risk being judged with hypocrites and unbelievers.1T 132.3–133.2+1 Breaking God's ways leads to eternal loss even when obedience brings no worldly advantage, calling for keeping His ways during the remaining time of probation in contrast to the healing and blessing promised to those who fear His name.RH Jun 29, 1911