Last Day Events: The Judgment, Jesus's Second Coming

Christ's Return

Chapter 19-Christ's Return

The Seventh Plague and the Special Resurrection

There is a mighty earthquake, "such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great" (Revelation 16:17, 18). The firmament appears to open and shut. The glory from the throne of God seems flashing through. The mountains shake like a reed in the wind, and ragged rocks are scattered on every side.... The whole earth heaves and swells like the waves of the sea. Its surface is breaking up. Its very foundations seem to be giving way. Mountain chains are sinking. Inhabited islands disappear. The seaports that have become like Sodom for wickedness are swallowed up by the angry waters.... Great hailstones, every one "about the weight of a talent," are doing their work of destruction (verses 19, 21) .... LDE 271.1

Graves are opened, and "many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth ... awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2). All who have died in the faith of the third angel's message come forth from the tomb glorified to hear God's covenant of peace with those who have kept His law. "They also which pierced Him" (Revelation 1:7), those that mocked and derided Christ's dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory, and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient.-The Great Controversy, 636, 637 (1911). LDE 271.2

God Announces the Time of Christ's Coming

Dark, heavy clouds came up and clashed against each other. The atmosphere parted and rolled back. Then we could look up through the open space in Orion, whence came the voice of God.-Early Writings, 41 (1851). LDE 272.1

Soon we heard the voice of God [The voice of God is heard repeatedly during the period immediately preceding Christ's return. See The Great Controversy, 632, 633, 636, 638, 640, 641.] like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus' coming. The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.-Early Writings, 15 (1851). LDE 272.2

As God spoke the day and the hour of Jesus' coming, and delivered the everlasting covenant to His people, He spoke one sentence, and then paused, while the words were rolling through the earth. The Israel of God stood with their eyes fixed upward, listening to the words as they came from the mouth of Jehovah and rolled through the earth like peals of loudest thunder. It was awfully solemn. At the end of every sentence the saints shouted, "Glory! Hallelujah!" Their countenances were lighted up with the glory of God, and they shone with glory as did the face of Moses when he came down from Sinai. The wicked could not look upon them for the glory. And when the never-ending blessing was pronounced on those who had honored God in keeping His Sabbath holy, there was a mighty shout of victory over the beast and over his image.-Early Writings, 285, 286 (1858). LDE 272.3

I have not the slightest knowledge as to the time spoken by the voice of God. I heard the hour proclaimed, but had no remembrance of that hour after I came out of vision. Scenes of such thrilling, solemn interest passed before me as no language is adequate to describe. It was all a living reality to me, for close upon this scene appeared the great white cloud, upon which was seated the Son of man.-Selected Messages 1:76 (1888). LDE 273.1

The Terror of the Lost

When the earth is reeling to and fro like a drunkard, when the heavens are shaking and the great day of the Lord has come, who shall be able to stand? One object they behold in trembling agony from which they will try in vain to escape. "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him" (Revelation 1:7). The unsaved utter wild imprecations to dumb nature-their god: "Mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne" (Revelation 6:16).-That I May Know Him, 356 (1896). LDE 273.2