National I.D. Card and No Buying or Selling

We now stand outside of a grocery store. I watch as many people walk up to the store and show a card. I think it must be a membership card to allow them to go in. I notice a couple of people are turned away, as they do not have a card. The Herald and I begin to walk toward the building. As we continue, his appearance changes into a man again. We walk through the wall of the store and begin walking around, finding that there are not that many items on the shelves.

We walk over to the bakery area and find there is no freshly baked bread. He asks the lady behind the bakery counter why there is no freshly baked bread. She laughs and says, "We don’t get bread any more. Those that purchased grain and could mill their own flour now live like kings, as they can make their own bread." We continue to walk around and notice there are not a lot of things on the shelves. We see a stocking clerk. We ask why there are so few items on the shelves. He explains, “It is hard for the trucks to get in with the roads all destroyed and fuel is not available for the vehicles. The fuel that is available is very expensive. Besides, only we select, chosen people can get supplies anyway.”

We now go to the front of the store and see people ready to check out with the items they could find. As they get ready to pay, they present their card again. The cashier looks at the card and then the person and then swipes the card through the machine. The Herald walks over and is somehow able to get one of the cards to show me. I look at it closely. It has the photo of the individual who owns the card. Next to the picture is their address, a series of numbers, a special watermark, and security seals. He turns the card over, and in huge letters I read, “Bearer of this card accepts and will adhere to a National Day of Reverence.” A few registers over, I hear a commotion going on. A lady next to us says, "It is one of those people that don’t want to keep God’s day reverent. It’s one of those Saturday people. They are the scourge of the earth. Can’t wait till they can all be done away with." The Herald says, "It is time to go."

We walk through the wall and, as we pass through the corridor, the Herald becomes an angel again. Now we are in an area where I can see people, but they cannot see us. I realize they are Seventh-day Adventists, but I do not recognize them. They are in their homes, but it is as if I am in many different homes all at the same time. I watch as they make a decision to accept the National Day of Reverence card. {a} They explain that they need the card to make payments on their house and car, to purchase food and to pay their bills. They decide to accept the card, worshipping privately on Saturday, but keeping the required National Day of Reverence. The Herald turns to me and says, "They forgot to choose this day whom they will serve. Come."

We walk through the corridor and are now standing on a street. I see cars lined up at gasoline stations. The line goes from the pumps to the driveway and on down the road. Cars are parked everywhere. Some are almost brand new and some are very nice sports cars. The keys are still in the ignition and the doors hang open. I now notice a man walking by and get permission from the Herald to speak to him. I ask the man why the cars are abandoned. He answers, "For one, there is no gasoline, and if there was, no one can afford it. Even if there was gasoline, the roads are so bad no one can drive on them. All transportation has come to a standstill until they can get rid of the problem of these God-haters. All these problems are because of these people who will not accept a National Day of Reverence. Once they are gone, then things will be wonderful again. {b} Sure there will be a lot of work, but as long as we observe that reverent day, God has said He will bless us." “Wait,” I ask, “God told you He will bless you if you keep the National Day of Reverence?" The man looks at me strangely and inquires, "Are you one of those Saturday keepers?" The Herald says, "It is time to go."

a. Selected Messages, Book 1, p. 66
And if one believed, and kept the Sabbath, and received the blessing attending it, and then gave it up, and broke the holy commandment, they would shut the gates of the Holy City against themselves, as sure as there was a God that rules in heaven above.

b. John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.