Early Writings
by Ellen G. White
The Second Death
Satan rushes into the midst of his followers and tries to
stir up the multitude to action. But fire from God out of heaven is rained upon
them, and the great men, and mighty men, the noble, the poor and miserable, are
all consumed together. I saw that some were quickly destroyed, while others
suffered longer. They were punished according to the deeds done in the body.
Some were many days consuming, and just as long as there was a portion of them
unconsumed, all the sense of suffering remained. Said the angel, "The worm
of life shall not die; their fire shall not be quenched as long as there is the
least particle for it to prey upon." {EW 294.1}
Satan and his angels suffered long. Satan bore not only the
weight and punishment of his own sins, but [295] also
of the sins of the redeemed host, which had been placed upon him; and he must
also suffer for the ruin of souls which he had caused. Then I saw that Satan
and all the wicked host were consumed, and the justice of God was satisfied;
and all the angelic host, and all the redeemed saints, with a loud voice said,
"Amen!" {EW 294.2}
Said the angel, "Satan is the root, his children are
the branches. They are now consumed root and branch. They have died an
everlasting death. They are never to have a resurrection, and God will have a
clean universe." I then looked and saw the fire which had consumed the
wicked, burning up the rubbish and purifying the earth. Again I looked and saw
the earth purified. There was not a single sign of the curse. The broken,
uneven surface of the earth now looked like a level, extensive plain. God's
entire universe was clean, and the great controversy was forever ended.
Wherever we looked, everything upon which the eye rested was beautiful and
holy. And all the redeemed host, old and young, great and small, cast their
glittering crowns at the feet of their Redeemer, and prostrated themselves in
adoration before Him, and worshiped Him that liveth forever and ever. The
beautiful new earth, with all its glory, was the eternal inheritance of the
saints. The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the
whole heaven, was then given to the saints of the Most High, who were to
possess it forever, even forever and ever. {EW 295.1}
|
