Ellen Chat Conversation

The current state of global agitation and the prevalence of international conflict are identified as direct fulfillments of the Savior's prophecies regarding the end of time. These events indicate that we are currently standing on the threshold of solemn and momentous occurrences that precede the second coming of Christ (Ed 179.4). This atmosphere of unrest is not merely a series of isolated political events but a signal that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis, a fact recognized even by secular rulers and statesmen (SS 278.3). While these predictions regarding wars, famines, and natural disasters saw a partial fulfillment during the events leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem, they have a more specific and direct application to the closing scenes of earth's history (2TT 351.2).

In the past, such signs were sometimes misinterpreted as tokens of immediate deliverance or national supremacy, but they are actually described as the "beginning of sorrows" and a call to spiritual repentance (DA 628.3). The increasing spirit of war and the rise of grievous troubles among nations are intended to serve as a wake-up call, showing that the time of trouble is near at hand and will continue to increase until the end (PH120 11.2). Because these events are designed to try the souls of men, the primary responsibility for believers today is to stay their faith upon God and recognize that there is no time to lose in preparing for what is coming (HM November 1, 1893, par. 12).

You might also want to explore:What did Ellen White teach about how to find peace during the time of trouble?How does the destruction of Jerusalem serve as a type of the final destruction of the world?What practical counsel did she give regarding preparation for the final crisis?