At The 11th Hour

“For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” Matthew 20:1-8.

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INTRODUCTION: This parable is generally understood as the parable of grace especially of THE ELEVENTH-HOUR CALL “Read this instruction carefully, doing all in your power to understand the parable. The Holy Spirit will impress the minds of those who desire a clear comprehension of this parable.” Review and Herald, APRIL 1, 1902.

“For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” Matthew 20:1-8.

 

Review: The various transactions.

  1. All calls were made at 3 hour intervals, except for the last (the 11th hour call) look to the chart and you will see at the cover page.

 

  1. Whom Does The Householder Symbolize? Read: COL 396, 397

Answer: God the Father

“Lest the disciples should lose sight of the principles of the gospel, Christ related to them a parable illustrating the manner in which God deals with His servants, and the spirit in which He desires them to labor for Him. {COL 396.2}

“The kingdom of heaven,” He said, “is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.” It was the custom for men seeking employment to wait in the market places, and thither the employers went to find servants. The man in the parable is represented as going out at different hours to engage workmen. Those who are hired at the earliest hours agree to work for a stated sum; those hired later leave their wages to the discretion of the householder. {COL 396.3}

“So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.” {COL 396.4}

“The householder’s dealing with the workers in his vineyard represents God’s dealing with the human family. It is contrary to the customs that prevail among men. In worldly business, compensation is given according to the work accomplished. The laborer expects to be paid only that which he earns. But in the parable, Christ was illustrating the principles of His kingdom–a kingdom not of this world. He is not controlled by any human standard. The Lord says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways. . . . For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8, 9. {COL 396.5}

“In the parable the first laborers agreed to work for a stipulated sum, and they received the amount specified, nothing more. Those later hired believed the master’s promise, “Whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” They showed their confidence in him by asking no question in regard to wages. They trusted to his justice and equity. They were rewarded, not according to the amount of their labor, but according to the generosity of his purpose.” {COL 397.1}

“So God desires us to trust in Him who justifieth the ungodly. His reward is given not according to our merit but according to His own purpose, “which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Ephesians 3:11. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” Titus 3:5. And for those who trust in Him He will do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20.” {COL 397.2}

 

  1. What Do The Laborers Symbolize? Read: Luke 10:1-2

Answer: —the saints

“After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.” Luke 10:1,2.

“The saint in heaven must first be a saint upon earth.” My Life Today (1952)p.274.

 

  1. What Is The Meaning Of The Vineyard? Read: COL 301 or 6T 24

Answer:—the world —the place where the saints labor.

“God claims the whole earth as His vineyard.” Christ Object Lesson p. 301.

 

  1. What Is The Meaning Of The Market Place? Read: 5T 203

Answer:–Those standing idle in the marketplace are those standing in the church. See also AA 110, 4T 518

“The words of Christ apply to the church: “Why stand ye here all the day idle?” Why are you not at work in some capacity in His vineyard? Again and again He has bidden you: “Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” But this gracious call from heaven has been disregarded by the large majority. Is it not high time that you obey the commands of God? There is work for every individual who names the name of Christ. A voice from heaven is solemnly calling you to duty. Heed this voice, and go to work at once in any place, in any capacity. Why stand ye here all the day idle? There is work for you to do, a work that demands your best energies. Every precious moment of life is related to some duty which you owe to God or to your fellow men, and yet you are idle! {5T 203.3}

A great work of saving souls remains yet to be done. Every angel in glory is engaged in this work, while every demon of darkness is opposing it. Christ has demonstrated to us the great value of souls in that He came to the world with the hoarded love of eternity in His heart, offering to make man heir to all His wealth. He unveils before us the love of the Father for the guilty race and presents Him as just and the justifier of him that believeth. {5T 204.1}

 

  1. The Ancient Time Clock

In the days of Christ and even now in some countries, time is regulated by sunset at twelve o’clock. Near the equator where the days and nights are continually equal, the sun sets at twelve and rises at twelve. Therefore, six o’clock would be noon in the light part (top part of the chart), and six o’clock in the dark part would be midnight (bottom part of the chart). This is the kind of time Jesus used in the parable. See John 11:9.

John 11:9 “Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.”

 

  1. Who Are The Early Morning Laborers? Read: COL 400

 

  1. The Jews/Ancient Israel were the first ones called into the Lord’s work.

“The Jews had been first called into the Lord’s vineyard, and because of this they were proud and self-righteous. Their long years of service they regarded as entitling them to receive a larger reward than others. Nothing was more exasperating to them than an intimation that the Gentiles were to be admitted to equal privileges with themselves in the things of God.” {COL 400.2}

Read: Matt. 20:2

  1. They are the only ones with whom God made an agreement (covenant). See Ps. 105:8-11.
  2. To all the other laborers the Householder sent out saying, ‘Whatsoever is right that shall ye receive.’ (See also COL 397.)

Matthew 20:2 “And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.”

 

  1. When Were The First Laborers Called Into The Vineyard? Read: Matt. 20:1-2.

Answer: When the sun was rising (early in the morning).

“For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.” Matt. 20:1-2.

Read: Psalms 119:105

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105.

Answer: The Bible is our spiritual sun or light.

Read: Hag. 2:5

“According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.” Haggai 2:5

Thus, the Israelites were sent into the vineyard just when the spiritual sun (the Bible) was coming into existence.

 

  1. What Was The Message Of Israel? Read: Exodus 25:8

“And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8.

  1. The sanctuary service along with the ceremonial system.
  2. The ceremonial system in connection with the sanctuary as a new or original truth (not understood before). So must it be with the following calls. See GC 609 or COL 127.

 

  1. Who Are The Third Hour Laborer? Read: Acts 13:46

“Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” Acts 13:46

  1. The message of the Jews met its fulfillment at the cross. Thus, then call must have come somewhere around the crucifixion of Christ.
  2. This was the time of the Gospel, the next new and original new truth.
  3. 28:19 —The Apostles were the next laborers. The Lord called and sent them to the vineyard.
  4. Mark 15:25 —We note that providentially Christ was crucified at the 3rd hour, and that the Apostles received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the 3rd hour of the day. This reveals God’s special providence in correlating the literal 3rd hour with the spiritual/ symbolic 3rd hour.

 

  1. Who Are The Sixth Hour Laborers?

 

  1. The only new truth after the early Christian church was the message of the 2300 days and the second advent of Christ, proclaimed by Miller and his associates. They announced the Judgment to the world.
  2. The sixth hour laborers could not be the Protestant Reformers because their endeavors were purely to restore old down-trodden truths, not to reveal new ones. In other words, they taught the same truths as the Apostles.

 

  1. Who Are The Ninth Hour Laborers?

The only movement with a freshly revealed truth after Miller and his co-laborers would be that of the SDA church coming up in 1844 teaching the Judgment of the dead —the Third Angel’s Message.

 

  1. The Sixth And Ninth Calls Are Closely Related.

Read: Matt. 20:5

  1. Both calls or movements are connected. One picked up where the other left off. Both movements are connected by the same year (1844) One ended (First-day Adventists) in 1844, the other (SDA) started the same year.

 

  1. Who Are The Eleventh Hour Laborers?

Read: Matt. 20:5

Answer: The faithful SDA’s who will proclaim the loud cry to the whole world.

  1. The 11th hour call is the last on record coming just one hour before sunset (end of time—John 9:4).
  2. The call comes within the time period (3 hours) allotted to the Ninth hour workers, indicating that the 11th hour call is NOT another church, but a laymen’s movement—A Call Within A Call.
  3. It also shows that something has gone wrong, and the work of finishing the Gospel is delayed—not progressing as it should. Thus, another call had to be made just one hour before sunset. (See 5T 217; TM 86).
  4. If all the previous calls were new truths then the 11th hour call MUST also be a new truth.
  5. This shows, too, that another message is to come within the church to finish the Gospel.

 

  1. What Is The Eleventh Hour Message? Read: 6T 406.4

“We are to throw aside our narrow, selfish plans, remembering that we have a work of the largest magnitude and highest importance. In doing this work we are sounding the first, second, and third angel’s messages, and are thus being prepared for the coming of that other angel from heaven who is to lighten the earth with his glory.”

Here we see that the Third Angel’s message is to be followed by another angel who is to lighten the earth with its glory. (Rev. 18)

Read: EW 277

“The message of the fall of Babylon, as given by the second angel, is repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the churches since 1844. The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message as it swells to a loud cry. And the people of God are thus prepared to stand in the hour of temptation, which they are soon to meet. I saw a great light resting upon them, and they united to fearlessly proclaim the third angel’s message.” {EW 277.1}

“Angels were sent to aid the mighty angel from heaven, and I heard voices which seemed to sound everywhere, “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” This message seemed to be an addition to the third message, joining it as the midnight cry joined the second angel’s message in 1844.” EW 277.2

Points of Emphasis in EW 277:

  1. Fourth angel gives ‘power’ and ‘force’ to the Third Angel’s message. Showing that He is an additional message, but empowers the old.
  2. He unites his voice with the third. Showing that he has his own voice (message).
  3. It prepares the people of God for the hour of temptation ahead. Without it (this angel) the church would not be ready for the time of trouble ahead.
  4. When this message is to be given it must be fearlessly proclaimed. This is not being done now. Therefore, this call is yet future.
  5. It is an ‘ADDITION’ to the Third Angel’s message. Therefore, this other angel is a message separate and apart from the third message, but will give power and force to it swelling it to a loud cry. It is not the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, but a message which prepares the church for it.

 

  1. The Call To Come Out Of Babylon Is Not Being Given Today? Read: GC 389

“The second angel’s message of Revelation 14 was first preached in the summer of 1844, and it then had a more direct application to the churches of the United States, where the warning of the judgment had been most widely proclaimed and most generally rejected, and where the declension in the churches had been most rapid. But the message of the second angel did not reach its complete fulfillment in 1844. The churches then experienced a moral fall, in consequence of their refusal of the light of the advent message; but that fall was not complete. As they have continued to reject the special truths for this time they have fallen lower and lower.”

“Not yet, however, can it be said that “Babylon is fallen,… because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” She has not yet made all nations do this. The spirit of world conforming and indifference to the testing truths for our time exists and has been gaining ground in churches of the Protestant faith in all the countries of Christendom; and these churches are included in the solemn and terrible denunciation of the second angel. But the work of apostasy has not yet reached its culmination.” {GC 389.2}

 

  1. We note here that the fall of Babylon is not yet complete and she has not made all nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Hence, the message and call of Rev. 18 is still yet future.

Read: GC 383 (1888 Edition)

“Furthermore, in the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation, in a message which is yet future, the people of God are called upon to come out of Babylon.” GC 383 (1888 Edition)

 

  1. ‘The message of Revelation 14 announcing the fall of Babylon must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt. Since this message follows the warning of the judgment, it must be given in the last days, therefore, it cannot refer to the Romish church, for that church has been in a fallen condition for many centuries. Furthermore, in the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation in a message which is yet future, the people of God are called upon to come out of Babylon.’
  2. This shows that the angel of Rev. 18 is a message and that it had not yet come at that time.

 

  1. Who Are The Eleventh Hour Workers?

Read: Rev. 7:1-4

1 “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”

Read: Rev. 7:3

Rev. 7:3 “Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.”

  1. —tells us that they are servants of God —preachers to finish the Gospel in the vineyard (the world).
  2. Therefore, the 11th hour workers must be the Faithful SDAs—The church purifies the 144,000 and with them.

 

CONCLUSION:

The 11th hour Call is an additional message that comes to the SDA Church first, seals the 144,000 and with them and prepares them to proclaim the last gospel proclamation. Without this additional message of Revelation 18, there will be no power and force to the Third Angel’s message.

 

 

 

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