that, we have to understand how we can become the fit man, one
of the 144,000.
Christ is going to test and try every one of His professed follow-
ers like Gideon's army was tested before the battle with the Mid-
ianites and Amalekites to see who qualifies to become a fit man.
“ God leads His people on, step by step. He brings them up to different
points calculated to manifest what is in the heart. Some endure at one
point, but fall off at the next. At every advanced point the heart is test-
ed and tried a little closer. . Those who come up to every point, and
stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded
the counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain,
and thus be fitted for translation “ 1T p. 187.
The great, final test will be the test of the image to the beast.
This will completely separate the wheat from the tares and re-
veal who is qualified to become the fit man. “ The great issue so
near at hand will weed out those whom God has not appointed and He
will have a pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the latter rain “
3SM p. 385.
This final test will also seal those who prove faithful through
that trying time. And it will happen before the final close of pro-
bation. 7BC p, 976 depicts this climactic event. “ The Lord has
shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before pro-
bation closes; for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which
their eternal destiny will be decided.... [Revelation 13:11-17 quot-
ed.] ...This is the test that the people of God must have before
they are sealed. ”
It is the latter rain which seals those who prove their loyalty to
God when tested by the image to the beast. This will empower
the fit man to accomplish a mighty work during the loud cry.
He will be empowered to lighten the whole world with the glory
of God as depicted in Revelation 18. He will give that mighty call
16
THE TIMING AND PURPOSE OF MAN'S CREATION
The timing of man’s creation is very significant. According to
Story of Redemption p. 19, man was created at the time that Sa-
tan and his angels were cast out of heaven. It would seem an
inopportune moment to create a new order of beings at a time
when a major rebellion had broken out in the universe. The
newly created pair would be exposed to the subtle deceptions of
the deceiver who had deceived one third of the angels by his
sophistry. Why did God do it that way?
Mankind was created for a specific purpose. That purpose is de-
scribed in Isaiah 43:21 & 7. It tells us “ This people have I formed
I
for myself; they shall show forth my praise. “ “ I have created him for
my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. “ And ST April
22, 1903 tells us that “ We were brought into existence because we
were needed. How sad the thought that if we stand on the wrong side,
in the ranks of the enemy, we are lost to the design of our creation. We
are disappointing our Redeemer; the powers He designed for His service
are used to oppose His grace and matchless love. “
If we were brought into existence because we were needed, we
need to find out what we were needed for. The allegations
which Lucifer had made against God’s law needed to be an-
swered. GC p. 499 tells us that “ He denounced the divine statutes
as a restriction of their liberty and declared that it was his purpose to
secure the abolition of law; that, freed from this restraint, the hosts
of heaven might enter upon a more exalted, more glorious state
of existence.
How would God disprove the allegations against His law raised
by Lucifer? He purposed to do it through the new created beings
He had made. They were needed to do a special work for their
Creator. Even though man was created a little lower than the an-
gels, he was created with a built in capacity to rise to a higher