not succeed , then a compelling power is employed to force the conscience . But so long as Jesus remains man ' s intercessor in the sanctuary above , the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit is felt by rulers and people . It still controls to some extent the laws of the land . Were it not for these laws , the condition of the world would be much worse than it now is .
While many of our rulers are active agents of Satan , God also has His agents among the leading men of the nation . The enemy moves upon his servants to propose measures that would greatly impede the work of God ; but statesmen who fear the Lord are influenced by holy angels to oppose such propositions with unanswerable arguments . Thus a few men will hold in check a powerful current of evil . The opposition of the enemies of truth will be restrained that the third angel ' s message may do its work . When the final warning shall be given , it will arrest the attention of these leading men through whom the Lord is now working , and some of them will accept it , and will stand with the people of God through the time of trouble .
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 world-wide extent and unwonted power is here foretold . The advent movement of 1840-44 was a glorious manifestation of the power of God ; the first angel ' s message was carried to every missionary station in the world , and in some countries there was the greatest religious interest which has been witnessed in any land since the Reformation of the sixteenth century ; but these are to be exceeded by the mighty movement under the last warning of the third angel .
The work will be similar to that of the Day of Pentecost . As the " former rain " was given , in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the opening of the gospel , to cause the upspringing of the precious seed , so the " latter rain " will be given at its close for the ripening of the harvest . " Then shall we know , if we follow on to know the Lord : His going forth is prepared as the morning ; and He shall come unto us as the rain , as the latter and former rain unto the earth ." Hosea 6:3 . " Be glad then , ye children of Zion , and rejoice in the Lord your God : for He hath given you the former rain moderately , and He will cause to come down for you the rain , the former rain , and the latter rain ." Joel 2:23 . " In the last days , saith God , I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh ." " And it shall come to pass , that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved ." Acts 2:17 , 21 .
The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening . The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close . Here are " the times of refreshing " to which the apostle Peter looked forward when he said : " Repent ye
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