Foreword

What is happening to our world? Storms, earthquakes, and tsunamis devastate large areas, with a huge toll of death and injury, loss of property, and ongoing suffering. War and conflict, not only between nations but between ideologies and ethnic groups, seem more and more common and unsolvable. Economic setbacks, even in the richest nations, threaten the security of people everywhere. A decline in morality and—worse yet—a lack of moral awareness seems at the root of an increase of crime and of much social deterioration. Are we on the verge of a global upheaval? LF 5.1

Love Under Fire outlines the grand sweep of events that have brought us to this point and will usher in this world's final events. In doing so it emphasizes the authority of the Bible while presenting the underlying cause of the evils we see around us—the ongoing conflict that Satan has waged against Christ. Throughout the history of this earth, Satan has misrepresented God's character of love. He has put “love under fire,” especially in the person of Christ, who is love, but also in Christ's true followers. This conflict has affected the whole world. Love Under Fire picks up the story where the New Testament leaves it, tracing the startling account of what has happened to the Christian faith since Bible times and what will soon develop in the great controversy between Christ and Satan. How did we get where we are today? And where are events leading us? Despite difficult days ahead, the book points us to a glorious future, grander than we can imagine. LF 5.2

Love Under Fire is an adaptation of From Here to Forever, a 1982 condensed edition of Ellen G. White's classic volume, The Great Controversy. The condensed volume included all the chapters of the original, using only the author's own words but shortening the account. LF 5.3

The current adaptation goes a step beyond this, using some words, expressions, and sentence constructions more familiar to twenty-first century readers. It does this not only in the portions written by Ellen G. White, but also in the quotations she included from others and in the Appendix material, to enhance readability. Occasionally, it restores a sentence or clause left out of the original condensation. Most of the Bible quotations come from the New King James Version, which closely resembles the King James Version that Ellen White commonly used. It is hoped that readers who are new to her writings will enjoy this adaptation and that it will encourage them to read the original editions of her works. LF 5.4

This volume presents insights into Bible prophecy, highlighting significant prophecies that have already met their fulfillment and showing what the Bible says is soon to happen. It places these events of the past, present, and future into their larger framework, so that the reader can understand the meaning of history and the purpose for what is yet to come. LF 6.1

Ellen G. White wrote five powerful volumes that together comprise the Conflict of the Ages series, tracing the conflict between Christ and Satan from its origin in heaven, through the major events of Bible times, and finally in post-Bible times down to the end of the conflict. Love Under Fire was condensed and adapted from the last of the five volumes. That many more readers may be drawn to God through these books and their presentation of Bible themes is the hope and prayer of LF 6.2

The Trustees of
The Ellen G. White Estate