You and I are pilgrims going to the heavenly homeland. The important thing is that we will know where we are now on this journey to the eternal Canaan.

The Spirit of Prophecy [please see About Ellen G. White] says; "Show the people where we are in the prophetic history."¹ The question must be asked: On what foundation can we rely that we may be one hundred percent sure, "Where we are in the prophetic history." The only rational answer is; on the foundation of the prophecies found in the Holy Bible, the Word of the living God.

The apostle Peter gives this advice to Christians: "and so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place..." (2 Peter 1:19)

According to this verse, what does a lamp shining represent? The prophetic word.

When we understand, and accept the prophetic word then it becomes the prophetic light, by which we can see the past, present, and future. Then we can know: where we are going and how near is the end, and the Second Coming of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ.

If we are talking about prophecy, first of all we must understand what the word prophecy means. Bible Prophecy is history foretold, and history is prophecy fulfilled.

In the Bible there are two main kinds of prophecies:

First: Conditional prophecies.

Second: Apocalyptic prophecies.

What is the difference between them? There is a great difference. For example: In the Old Testament God gave prophecies to ancient Israel; if they fulfilled the task which God gave them, then the prophecy would be fulfilled. But if they did not fulfill their task, then the prophecy was not fulfilled to them. We call that conditional prophecy. Another example of that is: The prophecy which God gave to Jonah proclaiming Nineveh was to be destroyed, but the people of Nineveh repented and the city was not destroyed.

But what about apocalyptic prophecy? There is a big difference, because what apocalyptic prophecies predict, must be fulfilled one hundred percent.

In the Bible we have two special apocalyptic books: Daniel and Revelation.

The Spirit of prophecy answers what should be our attitude: "Are we to wait until the fulfillment of the prophecies of the end before we say anything concerning them? Of what value will our words be then? Shall we wait until God’s judgments fall upon the transgressor before we tell him how to avoid them? Where is our faith in the word of God? Must we see things foretold come to pass before we will believe what He has said? In clear, distinct rays light has come to us, showing that the great day of the Lord is at hand, even at the door. Let us read and understand, before it is too late^."2

When we study the last end-time prophecies in the books of Daniel and Revelation, we must also observe events in this world which are relevant to the last apocalyptic prophecies.

In order to clearly and properly understand the events we must divide them into two kinds of events:

First, events which are preparatory to the fulfillment of the prophecies of the last days.

Second, events that are a direct fulfillment of the end-time prophecies. In this way we must observe events, because we are arriving at the times where we must study the very last prophecies in that perspective. This is very helpful for us to clearly understand the time where we are today, where we are going and how near is the end. Having this in our mind, we will be able to study the end-time prophecies and observe the two kinds of events which occur in the world today.

Often we hear that we are living near to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It is true, but the key question is: how near is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? But how near is near? Or how near is the end?

I have some interesting observations which I would like to share with you to answer the question:

We have been told by the Spirit of Prophecy that "Spiritualism is the masterpiece of Satan’s deceptions."³

When will spiritism become the masterpiece of Satan’s deceptions? "Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world. The foundation of this work was laid by the assurance given to Eve in Eden, ‘You shall not surely die’ (Gen. 3:4, KJV).... Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last remnant of time."⁴

Are we living "in the last remnant of time?"⁵ I am sure you would all answer yes! This means that spiritism must be manifested now in our time.

How will spiritism become the masterpiece of Satan’s deceptions "in the last remnant of time?" "The Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy both describe a three-fold union that works together at the end of time. The Bible calls this trio, the dragon, the beast and the false prophet."⁶ "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles."⁷ "Some Bible students have called these powers the ‘Satanic trinity’ "⁸ (or the unholy trinity).

The Spirit of Prophecy also gives an identification of this trio of powers. "Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul, and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this three fold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience."⁹

"Adventist expositors agree with the identification of this ‘dragon’, the ‘beast,’ and the ‘false prophet’ as modern spiritualism, or paganism, the papacy, and apostate Protestantism. This trio or trinity of religious powers together constitute the latter-day ‘GREAT BABYLON.’"¹⁰

We, as Adventists understand that Revelation 16: 13,14, is mainly talking about spiritism. But how will spiritism become the masterpiece of Satan’s deceptions, just before the second coming of Jesus Christ?

Firstly, we must understand what is spiritism? Webster’s Dictionary defines spiritism as: "A belief that spirits of the dead communicate with the living"...But in addition to personating the dead (former living human beings), the devil also uses evil angels to personate holy angels."¹¹ Beyond this - to personate Mary the mother of our Lord.

The ultimate deception comes when Satan himself personates Christ in a false second coming. "The devil will use this spiritualistic phenomenon to bring the papacy and apostate Protestantism together, along with ‘the whole world.’ We are now seeing the beginning of this, the last act of Satan."¹²

I will show you now, how Satan is starting his final effort to deceive the world through spiritism as the masterpiece of his deception. Pastor Marvin Moore, Editor of the Signs of the Times in the United States, in his newsletter "Signs Watch" recently stated: "After a careful study of Fatima and other Marian apparitions during the past several months, I have reached the firm conclusion that these apparitions are spiritualistic and that this is one of the primary ways that Satan will use to deceive the world at the end of time...How clever of Satan to devise apparitions of the mother of Jesus as his channel to deceive the world in the end-time."¹³
This is why we would like to study the Mary apparitions at Fatima and other Marian apparitions around the world.

The book The Thunder of Justice has 416 pages. This is a fascinating book. It was written by a very dedicated Roman Catholic couple, Ted and Maureen Flynn. They tell of the world-wide appearances of Mary. They tell of her end-time message to the world, and her predictions for the very near future. The authors of this book begin: "The twentieth century is witnessing a phenomenon that has simply grown too big for any reasonable person to ignore the supernatural exploits in our midst on a near-daily basis...Reported apparitions of Mary appear at a frequency never seen before in all of recorded history."¹⁴

"Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger has stated in the Ratzinger report: "One of the signs of our times is that the announcements of ‘Marian apparitions are multiplying all over the America there are similar advertisements. world’."¹⁵ "Scholars and observers of Marian phenomena are sure that the number and frequency of reports have never before been on this scale."¹⁶ "The apparitions are happening all over the world. There are simply too many to mention."¹⁷

Statistics are telling us that in the United States alone there were 7000 Marian apparitions. Along the highways in the southern states of the USA, large billboards say, Mary speaks: Phone (800) 345 - Mary. Also in California billboards say: The Virgin Mary speaks to America today, call (800) 882-Mary. In other places in america there are similar advertisements.

Can you see the massive influence and deceptions of these apparitions in Protestant America. Do you see where this is heading? Protestant America will very soon lead the world into the false type of worship as prophesied in Rev. 13:11,12 "...and he spake as a dragon, and he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed."¹⁸

What does this mean? " ...causeth the earth and them who dwell therein to worship the first beast?" "The enforcement of Sunday keeping on the part of the Protestant churches in America is an enforcement of the worship of the papacy or the beast."¹⁹ It is going in this direction now.

We are told that over 1500 apparitions have already been seen in Australia. In Melbourne from 1990 through till today, Josefina-Maria and Debora saw apparitions of Jesus and Mary. Later Debora moved to the Toowoomba area.

There are special offices in Sydney and Melbourne that deal with the apparitions of Mary. They have books, videos, audio tapes and magazines .They also publish news letters which keep everyone informed about the Marian apparitions in the world. They also publish a big magazine (96 pages) every quarter, entitled The Medjugorje Sentinel - its subtitle states: "Helping to spread Our Lady’s message to all her children."

Now we will tell you about the Mary apparitions and her message to the world. Before doing this, I would like to make an explanation, namely: when we use the word Mary and her apparitions and state what she says - in reality, it is not Mary, but Satan personating Mary who is speaking.

We know, with the Biblical knowledge we have, that the mother of Jesus is still resting in her grave waiting for the return of Jesus and resurrection. But the so-called apparitions of Mary are genuine supernatural events. They are satanic deceptions, contact with Mary is really contact with Satan who is personating Mary in order to deceive the whole world.

Following is a chart illustrating Satan’s final effort to deceive the world.