God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. He is the solid Rock, our Refuge in the mist of darkness and in the middle of the storm, our almighty Lord and powerful friend; therefore, never shall we fear again, even if heavens shake and mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; for He is our one and only support, our one and only Glory, Joy and Peace of soul, living Bread and Water, the one and only Light.

We do have now the opportunity to experience the grace and peace into our hearts. We can benefit this very moment from the active agency of the Holy Spirit in our lives and from the presence full of peace of the King of Heaven in us. We are still being offered the possibility to get to know Him, we can still deepen and fortify the experience of having faith in Him. But soon there shall be no more grace to benefit from, no more peace to feel, and our faith in Him will be powerfully put to the test; and not the test we were put through yesterday, are being put through today or maybe tomorrow, but a test of life and death.

We are a chosen generation, graffed in the most solid Branch; we are chosen by God and hidden into Him; we were born not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God. Our home and valuable treasure cannot be found into this world, but above, where we lift up our eyes to, looking for our one and only Hope. As we take one step farther on our way Home, we see our path growing narrower, eventually causing us to free ourselves from it all and cling to the golden cord of the faith of Jesus, who in His turn, within the darkness of uncertainties, remained steadfast in God.

His Resurrection, His sitting at the right hand of the Father brings nothing but peace; He is the way through which grace descends upon us. For those who have not “risen” from the dead by His death and resurrection, He will be nothing but an anonymous Judge. Anonymous?! Yes, for they do not know Him, as they rejected Him at the hour of His judgement, did not want Him to reign over them and He was not the One they would worship.

The final battle, the most decisive, is the only one left to fight. We cannot go back, as there is all fire. At the right hand, the rocky wall of a mountain stands before us and a bottomless pit of fire at the left. Ahead of us, on the further side of the abyss of fire, multicoloured rays of light penetrate through the gates, through the pearly walls of the City with golden streets. There is one final conflict we have left to face, a conflict that, when we become aware of what we actually represent, seems insurmountable, and there rises a cry of anguish and desolation: “We can never surmount these obstructions to get in!” But He says: “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads!” (Luke 21:28). On looking up, a multicoloured rainbow unveils above us, a rainbow reminding us of the covenant made between the Faithful One and the mortal who take hold of nothing but the faith in Him and do not look back, neither to the right, nor to the left; it is the rainbow of hope of the glorious appearing of Christ, a hope entertained since time immemorial; it is the rainbow of patience and love of the One Who, through sacrifice, has built a bridge between Heaven and Earth, between Dwelling and tabernacle, between Rest and pilgrimage. But this is not all! Above the rainbow and beneath it are clouds of latter rain gathered out of tears of Heaven and longing, out of tears shed in the dark and bitter night of the eternal covenant, tears of Father's love, tears of joy and peace chanted by angels, tears of sweat and blood, of sacrifice.

Why is it that the rain delays? Why is it that the promise does not fulfill? Why is it, Lord, Inhabitant of the golden City, that the latter rain does not comfort and anoint us, giving us power to surmount the obstructions and go through the gates into the City? ... Why? One explanation might be our superficial faith, or maybe the continual hardening of our hearts; it might be that the enemy drove a nail into our hearts, hanging on it lies, prejudices and preconceived ideas. But there is something undeniable: God has told us to look up and lift up our heads; for we are about to be liberated.

Thousands of years ago another crucial moment marked the history of mankind. It had not rained for a long period of time. God had not revealed Himself for quite a length of time. Wherever the man would look for water, he could find nothing but the lack of God's blessing, until a man called Elijah appeared and then and there, on mount Carmel, prayed for rain, seen first as a small cloud on the horizon, like a man's hand, and then transforming into abundant showers of God's blessing, seemingly long awaited to be poured upon. But the rain did not water the earth before the people back then, just like the ones looking forward to it right now, have first turned their faces from themselves onto the sacrifice, onto the Lord, fully repenting for their self-centredness, whole-heartedly exclaiming: “The Lord, He is the God!”

Whoever and wherever we might be, we are the witnesses of certain events around us we would have never thought possible. Such was the speed with which certain events took place that we could hardly believe our eyes. Events we would have never thought possible are now on the point of taking place and becoming a more living reality than ever before. There is little doubt that we are living solemn moments. All around us and in us there can be felt an atmosphere of a special solemnity, as if God has been trying to communicate something extremely important to our minds and hearts.

The most spectacular and unexpected events happen around us, some of them having a powerful impact on us, whereas others develop with a subtlety hard to detect, for we have got used to them so much that we have destroyed our sensitivity and our reason has grown dim. Therefore, we ask ourselves whether the events, which we see in progress before our very eyes, might be the final events, the ones preceding that final day on the Earth. Never have there been so many, and on such a great scale, but still we realise that what we have expected for so long, on looking up – redemption – does not take place. Has God forgotten us? Is our Advent message a utopia? These are questions that all of us – those trusting in Him – are looking forward to being answered. But instead of an appropriate answer, another question comes into our mind: Where is Elijah? He has been long awaited for by us all. And why is that? Because the Lord said: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD” (Malachi 4:5).

Who (what) is Elijah? Has the prophesy about the coming of Elijah “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” been fulfilled by anyone or anything? God offers us His help with clarifying this:

“Prophecy must be fulfilled. The Lord says, ‘Behold, I send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.’ Somebody is to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he appears, men may say, ‘You are too earnest, you do not interpret the Scriptures in the proper way. Let me tell you how to teach your message.’

There are many who cannot distinguish between the work of God and that of man. I shall tell the truth as God gives it to me, and I say now, If you continue to find fault, to have a spirit of variance, you will never know the truth. Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.’ They were not in a condition to appreciate sacred and eternal things; but Jesus promised to send the Comforter, who would teach them all things, and bring all things to their remembrance, whatsoever he had said unto them.

Brethren, we must not put our dependence in man. ‘Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?’ You must hang your helpless souls upon Jesus. It does not become us to drink from the fountain of the valley, when there is a fountain in the mountain. Let us leave the lower streams; let us come to the higher springs. If there is a point of truth that you do not understand, upon which you do not agree, investigate, compare scripture with scripture, sink the shaft of truth down deep into the mine of God’s word. You must lay yourselves and your opinions on the altar of God, put away your preconceived ideas, and let the Spirit of Heaven guide you into all truth.”¹

The words above have shown there being a connection between our Saviour's promise that He would send the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) and the message of Elijah. A more ample and complete image related to this subject is being provided to us:

“Christ uses the wind as a symbol of God's Spirit. As the wind bloweth where it listeth and we cannot tell whence it cometh and wither it goeth, so it is with the Spirit of God. We do not know by whom it will be manifested. But I do not speak my own words when I say that God's Spirit will pass by those who had their day of test and opportunity but did not distinguish God's voice and did not heed the bidding of the Holy Spirit.”²

“But the Holy Spirit will, from time to time, reveal the truth through its own chosen agencies; and no man, not even a priest or ruler, has a right to say, You shall not give publicity to your opinions, because I do not believe them. That wonderful ‘I’ may attempt to put down the Holy Spirit's teaching. Men may for a time attempt to smother it and kill it; but that will not make error truth, or truth error. The inventive minds of men have advanced speculative opinions in various lines, and when the Holy Spirit lets light shine into human minds, it does not respect every point of man's application of the word. God impressed His servants to speak the truth irrespective of what men had taken for granted as truth.

Even [we] are in danger of closing [our] eyes to truth as it is in Jesus, because it contradicts something which they have taken for granted as truth but which the Holy Spirit teaches is not truth.”³

“A revival and a reformation must take place under the ministration of the Holy Spirit. Revival and reformation are two different things. Revival signifies a renewal of spiritual life, a quickening of the powers of mind and heart, a resurrection from the spiritual death. Reformation signifies a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices. Reformation will not bring forth the good fruit of righteousness unless it is connected with the revival of the Spirit. Revival and reformation are to do their appointed work, and in doing this work they must blend.”⁴

“In every generation God has sent his servants to rebuke sin, both in the world and in the church. But the people desire smooth things spoken to them, and the pure, unvarnished truth is not acceptable. Many reformers, in entering upon their work, determined to exercise great prudence in attacking the sins of the church and the nation. They hoped, by the example of a pure Christian life, to lead the people back to the doctrines of the Bible. But the Spirit of God came upon them as it came upon Elijah, moving him to rebuke the sins of a wicked king and an apostate people; they could not refrain from preaching the plain utterances of the Bible, – doctrines which they had been reluctant to present. They were impelled to zealously declare the truth, and the danger which threatened souls. The words which the Lord gave them they uttered, fearless of consequences, and the people were compelled to hear the warning.

Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed. As the time comes for it to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to his service. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of his Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them.”⁵

“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.”⁶

“In these last days God's people will be exposed to the very same dangers as were ancient Israel. Those who will not receive the warnings that God gives will fall into the same perils as did ancient Israel and come short of entering into rest through unbelief. Ancient Israel suffered calamities on account of their unsanctified hearts and unsubmitted wills. Their final rejection as a nation was a result of their own unbelief, self-confidence, impenitence, blindness of mind, and hardness of heart. In their history we have a danger signal lifted before us.”⁷

The words above invite everybody to a thorough analysis regarding the priorities each and every one of us has, it invites to a deep introspection regarding the stand we take as far as what has been previously revealed in prophesy is concerned. Our doom will be a consequence of the decision we make concerning the Word of God and the light He has planned to give us, through the Spirit, by means of the message of the third angel. The purpose of the message of this angel [messenger] prophetically seen as flying through the midst of heaven, bringing a message from God, is to make people aware not of any message, but the last, before the long awaited: “It is done!” (Revelation 21:6)

This message – this invitation to the greatest, but also the most frightening event of all times (Christ's second coming) – is divided into five parts, corresponding to the meditative themes of the prayer “Our Father”, as in this prayer our Savior skillfully inserted the essence of the highest perspectives Heaven has in store for us: happiness, light, power, love, joy and peace, all eternal.

The first part entitled “Our Father Which Are in Heaven, Hallowed Be Thy Name” mainly focuses on the meaning of this addressing formula, which is more than a mere name to be uttered by our lips, but an experience of knowing God that can be better proven through the life we lead, as we are meant to be bearers of the character, the Name of God; furthermore, it highlights the way we can live this unique experience.

The second part, “Thy Kingdom Come. Thy Will Be Done in Earth as It Is in Heaven”, shows the necessity of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives and hearts, as it is only thorough the Spirit that we can fulfill God's will (“Thy Will Be Done”), meaning our sanctification, thus preparing the way for the Kingdom of God to come. He, through the Spirit, can be the King of our hearts starting today.

The third part entitled “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread” contains a part of the special light that God has put aside for the last generation so that, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, this last generation should benefit from the whole truth, as a blessing from above, from “the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

The fourth part, “And Forgive Us Our Debts, As We Forgive Our Debtors” represents an experience illustrated by a story written for those who, just like all the other travelers on the path of this earthly, transient life, are provided forgiveness through sacrifice. The traveler, in his turn, forgives the others in and through Him.

The fifth part, “And Lead Us Not into Temptation, but Deliver Us from Evil: For Thine Is The Kingdom, and The Power, and The Glory, For Ever” refers to the final liberation, following God's judgement, liberation symbolized by the Old Testament's services of the tabernacle. The moment of this liberation, along with all the other important moments of the man's interaction with God regarding salvation, will be reached “at the fullness of the time” and the hour is near.

The last part entitled “The End of The Days” (“Amen”) unveils the greatest event of the history of Universe (Christ's glorious return), event preceded by the final battle between good and evil. The reader is being presented not only the way God's character is disputed in the great conflict, but also the fact that God's supporters will be chosen from all nations of the world.

“Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.” Isa 56:1