Again the quote we’re about to read is about sister White rebuking some of the leading brethren for stopping a powerful work of the Holy Ghost and condemning His work as fanaticism.
This was some dangerous work the brethren were doing because when He sends the latter rain, they would be in danger of rejecting it and calling it fanaticism. This is how they were moving during that time.
”From letters written I have reason to judge a good work was begun in Healdsburg. Those who felt it was wrong, and condemned it, committed, I believe, one of the greatest errors… Brethren, it is high time that revivals similar to the one that has stirred the church at Healdsburg should come to every Seventh-day Adventist Church in our land, else the church will not be prepared to receive the latter rain.” (E.G. White to W.C. White letter 35 11/17/1885 unpublished).
A revival must come to our churches and this will prepare us to receive the latter rain. Once we as a people receive the 1888 message, this will bring the revival which will prepare us to receive the latter rain.
Another similar work took place in 1885 when the General Conference president G.I. Butler restricted the work at the New York camp meeting because of a lack of funds. God saw that and put sister White under Inspiration to rebuke him for that unwise move.
“Never take action to narrow and circumscribe the work unless you know that you are moved to do so by the Spirit of the Lord. … Unless those who couldn’t help in New York are aroused to a sense of their duty they will not recognize the work of God when the loud cry of the third angel shall be heard. When light goes forth to lighten the earth instead of coming up to the help of the Lord they will want to bind about His work to meet their narrow ideas. Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things. And in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands. The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness.”
(Testimonies to Ministers p. 300 Ellen White to G.I. Butler Letter 5, 10/31/1885)
There is a preparation necessary prior to receiving the latter rain.
“While Ellen White was writing letters of warning against making moves that would hinder the work of the Holy Spirit, she was also expressing in many letters and articles THE GREAT NEED FOR PREPARATION IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE LATTER RAIN. As described in her earlier writings, this involved the CLEANSING OF THE SOUL TEMPLE in connection with Christ’s work in the heavenly sanctuary (Daniel 8:14). When the latter rain came, it would bring light, and those who were prepared and received the light, would proclaim the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. The third angel’s message was not to be given by debate, but by the deep movings of the Holy Spirit. (The return of the latter rain p. 62.).
The preparation to be accomplished is cleansing the soul temple of every defilement in connection with Christ ministry in cleansing the heavenly sanctuary. This also shows us that medical missionary work is closely linked with preparation to receive the latter rain.
“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. THEN THE LATTER RAIN WILL FALL UPON US as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.”
(Testimonies Volume 5 page 214.)
The Holy Spirit links the third angel and the loud cry of the angel of Revelation 18 with the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. Don’t forget that the latter rain is the 1888 message of righteousness by faith.
“The third angel, flying in the midst of heaven and heraldling the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus, represents our work. The message loses none of its force in the angels onward flight, for John sees it increasing in strength and power until the whole earth is lightened with its glory. … Soon it will go with a loud voice and the earth will be lightened with its glory. Are we preparing for this great outpouring of the Spirit of God?”
(Testimonies Volume 5 page 383 written in 1886.)
The Spirit of Prophecy links the angel of Revelation 18 with the latter rain and Pentecost.
“It is with an earnest longing that I look forward to the time when the events of the day of PENTECOST shall be repeated with even greater power than on that occasion. John says, “I SAW ANOTHER ANGEL come DOWN FROM HEAVEN, HAVING GREAT POWER; AND THE EARTH WAS LIGHTENED WITH HIS GLORY.” … Thousands of voices will be imbued with the power to speak forth the wonderful truths of God’s word. The stammering tongue will be unloosed, and the timid will be made strong to bear courageous testimony to the truth. May the Lord help His people to cleanse the soul temple from every defilement, and to maintain such a close connection with Him THAT THEY MAY BE PARTAKERS OF THE LATTER RAIN when it shall be poured out.”
(Ellen G White review and herald July 20th 1886)
To receive the latter rain our bodies must be clean. This truth shows the connecting of the medical missionary work with preparation to receive the latter rain. If there is no medical missionary work in our personal lives, we will not be prepared to receive the latter rain! This is how important the medical missionary work is. The latter rain also provides God’s people with an increase of LIGHT.
“When the latter rain comes upon the people of God you must have a preparation to press right on, because those whose vessels are clean, whose hands are free JUST WHEN THE LATTER RAIN COMES get the LIGHT that comes from on high and their voices are lifted everyone to proclaim the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Ellen G White Manuscript 81 September 21st 1886. Morning talk in sermons and talks volume 1 page 50.)
JUSTIFICATION AND SANCTIFICATION BY FAITH, which is the first and second part of the 1888 message, is that which gets God’s children PREPARED TO RECEIVE THE LATTER RAIN.
“The Lord appoints and sends forth ministers not only to preach, for this is a small part of His work, but to minister, to educate the people not to be fighters but to be examples of piety. …Some have… educated themselves as debaters, and the churches under their care show the character of their work. … The great issue so near at hand will weed out those whom God has not appointed, and HE WILL will HAVE A PURE, TRUE, SANCTIFIED MINISTRY PREPARE FOR THE LATTER RAIN.” (Ellen G. White to G.I. Butler and S.N. Haskell letter 55 December 8th 1886 Manuscript Releases volume 12 page 327)
We will continue this series on 1888 and the Latter Rain In our next study.