THE ELEVENTH-HOUR CALL

MATTHEW 20:1-8

(Outline)

Prayer Thought: COL 127:4; or CSW 28-30.

INTRODUCTION:

This parable is generally understood as the parable of grace. It

reveals that in worldly business, compensation is given according to

that which one earns. But in the parable, Christ illustrates that His

kingdom is not governed by any human standard. This point is

forcibly set forth by the Householder who pays the laborers the same

wage whether they have worked one hour or all day.

The purpose of our study today, however, is to look deeper into the

message of this parable ‘to sink th

e shaft deeper into the mine of

truth.’ (CW 41).

Read:

Matthew 20:1-8

Review:

The various transactions.

a. All calls were made at 3 hour intervals, except for the last (the 11

th hour call).

1.

Whom Does The Householder Symbolize?

Read:

COL

396, 397

—God the Father

2.

What Do The Laborers Symbolize?

Read:

Luke 10:1-2

—The saints

3.

What Is The Meaning Of The Vineyard?

Read:

COL

301 or 6

T

24

—the world —the place where the saints labor.

4.

What Is The Meaning Of The Market Place?

Read:

5

T

203

Those standing idle in the market

place are those standing in the

church. See also

AA

110, 4

T

518

5.

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.

6.

Who Are The Early Morning Laborers?

Read:

COL

400

a.

The Jews/Ancient Israel were the first ones called into the Lord's

work.

Read:

Matt. 20:2

a.

They are the only ones with whom God made an agreement

(covenant). See Ps. 105:8-11

b. To all the other laborers the Householder sent out saying,

‘Whatsoever is right that shall ye receive.’ (See also

COL

397.)

7.

When Were The First Laborers Called Into The Vineyard?

Read:

Matt. 20:1-2

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

Read:

Psalms 119:105

The Bible is our spiritual sun or light.

Read:

GC

V; Hag. 2:5

Thus, the Israelites were sent into

the vineyard just when the spiritual

sun (the Bible) was coming into existence.

8.

What Was The Message Of Israel?

Read:

Exodus 25:8

a. The sanctuary service along with the ceremonial system.

b. The ceremonial system in connection with the sanctuary as a

new or original truth (n

ot understood before).

So must it be with

the following calls.

See

GC

609 or

COL

127.

9.

Who Are The Third Hour Laborer?

Read:

Acts 13:46

a.

The message of the Jews met its fulfillment at the cross. Thus, then

call must have come somewhere around the crucifixion of Christ.

b. This was the time of the Gospel, the next new and original new

truth.

c.

Matt. 28:19

—The Apostles were the next laborers. The Lord

called and sent them to the vineyard.

d.

Mark 15:25

—We note that providentially Christ was crucified at

the 3

rd

hour, and that the Apostles re

ceived the outpouring of the

Holy Spirit at the 3

rd

hour of the day. This reveals God's special

providence in correlating the literal 3

rd

hour with the spiritual/

symbolic 3

rd

hour.

10.

Who Are The Sixth Hour Laborers?

a.

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.

b. 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

2

taught the same truths as the Apostles.

11.

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 de

ad —the Third Angel's Message.

12.

The Sixth And Ninth Calls Are Closely Related

Read:

Matt. 20:5

a.

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.

13.

Who Are The Eleventh Hour Laborers?

The faithful SDA's who will proclaim the loud cry to the whole world.

a.

The

11th

hour

call

is the last on record coming just one hour

before sunset (end of time—John 9:4).

b. 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.

c.

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 5

T

217;

TM

86).

d. If all the previous calls were new truths then the 11th hour call

MUST

also be a new truth.

e. This shows, too, that

another

message is to come

within

the

church to finish the Gospel.

14.

What Is The Eleventh Hour Message?

Read:

6

T

406.4

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:

Rev. 18:l-4

—This angel is not flying in the midst of heaven, but is come down.

Therefore, it cannot be the same

as the three angels of Rev. 14.

Read:

EW

277

(the whole page) an additional message to the third.

Points Of Emphasis In

EW

277:

a

.

Fourth angel gives ‘power’ and ‘force’ to the Third Angel's

message. Showing that He is an additional message, but

empowers the old.

b. He unites his voice with the third. Showing that he has his own

voice (message).

c. 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.

d. When this message is to be given it must be fearlessly

3

4

proclaimed. This is not being done now. Therefore, this call is yet

future.

e. It is an 'ADDITION’ to the Th

ird 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.

15.

The Call To Come Out Of Babylon Is Not Being Given Today?

Read:

GC

389

a. 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)

a. ‘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.’

b. This shows that the angel of Rev. 18 is a message and that it had

not yet come at that time.

16.

Who Are The Eleventh Hour Workers?

Read:

Rev. 7:1-4

a. —The 144,000 is the only group

specially from the SDA Church (9*

-12* hour movement).

Read:

Rev. 7:3

a. —tells us that they are servants of God —preachers to finish the

Gospel in the vineyard (the world).

b. Therefore, the 11

th

hour workers must be the

Faithful

SDAs—The

church purified-144,000. See outlin

e on Revelation 7, part 1 for

more information.

CONCLUSION:

The 11th hour Call is an additional message that comes to the SDA

Church first, seals the 144,000 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.