The Three Angels' Messages

Sermon By Elder Masimba

"In a special sense Seventh-day Adventists have been set in the world as watchmen and light bearers. To them has been entrusted the last warning for a perishing world. On them is shining wonderful light from the word of God. They have been given a work of the most solemn import—the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels' messages. There is no other work of so great importance. They are to allow nothing else to absorb their attention. . . . The world is to be warned, and God's people are to be true to the trust committed to them" (9T 19).

Three Angels of Revelation and the Loud Cry illustrated

 INTRODUCTION

We are living at the most pivotal hour in earth’s history. Everyone’s destiny is about to be decided for eternity. This is a life and death matter for earth’s inhabitants, no one is exempt. We are in the final showdown between good and evil, light and darkness. The question is, “Where do you stand?” The three angels messages are God’s warning that is intended to awaken a sleeping world to what is about to happen. These are messages of fearless urgency and must be proclaimed across the globe. Those who receive the messages will receive the seal of God and be saved. Those who reject the messages will receive the mark of the beast and suffer the wrath of God. The Three Angels’ Messages are God’s special messages for last-day Christians. This message is to be shared with the world and will reach its climax with the second coming of Jesus. This threefold message appears in Revelation 14:6-16. Believing Jesus was about to come was sweet to the Advent believers, but when Christ did not appear as expected, it was a big disappointment. Having preached the message of Jesus' return, their work was not yet complete. There was another message that, in God's plans, must be given to the whole world. This message, divided into three parts, is outlined in Revelation 14:6-12, and is known as the Three Angels' Messages.

 Let’s read Revelation 14:6-12 from the New King James Version: “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth — to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people 7 saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water. "And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." 12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

 FIRST ANGEL’S MESSAGE

WHAT IS THE FIRST ANGEL’S MESSAGE?

“I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”—Revelation 14:67.

 This message has five characteristics:

1. It brings the gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. It is a mighty, invincible, worldwide movement, growing from a small beginning to envelop the earth.

2. It calls men to “fear God. “Surely such a message is needed today, for the world has lost God from its thinking. Thus, God is calling men away from sin to righteousness, from transgression of His law to obedience. “Fear God and keep His commandments.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).To fear God is an attitude of profound respect, awe, reverence and worship because of who He is, the Creator (Deut. 13:4; Gen. 20:11; Exod. 1:17; Deut. 8:6)

3. It calls men to “give glory” to God. We give glory to God when we make confession unto him. (Joshua 7:19). We give glory “for Thy truth’s sake.” Christ is “glorified in His saints.” (2 Thessalonians 1:10). His saints “keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12).Giving God glory means that we reflect His character in our everyday life. We give glory to God with how we take care of our bodies, what we watch, what we listen to, and every other aspect of our lives. (2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Corinthians 10:31

4. It announces the hour of God’s judgment. This could not be done unless the time of the judgment was known. The investigative judgment, symbolized by the cleansing of the Sanctuary, began in 1844, at the end of the 2300-year period. “The hour of His judgment is come.” We are to “fear God, and give glory to, Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.” The judgment is a serious and solemn manner. The law of God is the standard, and Jesus Christ is our advocate.

 5. It calls men to worship the Creator. God is worthy of worship because He is the Creator. “Thou art worthy, 0 Lord to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things.” (Revelation 4:11). The Seventh-day Sabbath, as taught in the fourth commandment, is the sign of the Creator. “It is a sign . . : for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the Seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.” (Exodus 31:17). Since the Bible record of Creation is today denied by many, and since God’s Sabbath and sign of creatorship has been set aside in the practice of mankind in general, it is vital that all men everywhere be called to worship the true God, and in doing so, to accept the sign of His creative power, which is the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. A call to true worship and commandment keeping would demand a teaching of all God’s commandments.

 SECOND ANGEL’S MESSAGE

 WHAT MESSAGE IS GIVEN BY THE SECOND ANGEL?

 “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”—Revelation 14:8.

1. This is mystic Babylon, who persecuted the saints. (Revelation 17: 5-6). Babylon is called both a “great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth” and also a woman, “mother of harlots.” (Revelation 14:8; 17:5,18). Mystic Babylon is the papacy, “drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” In the creed of Pope Pius IV, we read: “I acknowledge the Holy Catholic Apostolic Church for the mother and mistress of all churches.”—Article 10.

2. Rome’s false doctrines largely came from ancient Babylon. The Church of Rome is called Babylon because its religion is a revival of the religion of ancient Babylon. A careful examination of the ritual of ancient Babylon will reveal that the papacy is largely an adaptation of this ancient pagan system. It is not difficult to trace the connection between the two in the political and religious history of Rome.

3. Babylon is the same power as the little horn of Daniel 7:25. Like the little horn, she persecutes the saints, and rules over the kings of the earth.

4. She is the same as the leopard beast of Revelation 13. Hence, we clearly saw that this beast is the same as the little horn of Daniel 7:25.

5. All nations are made drunk with her wine. Mystic Babylon holds a golden cup. (Revelation 17:4).Ancient Babylon was likened to a golden cup. (Jeremiah 51:7). “In 1825, on the occasion of the jubilee, Pope Leo XII struck a medal, bearing on the one side his own image, and on the other, that of the Church of Rome, symbolized as a ‘woman,’ holding in her left hand a cross, and in her right a cup, with the legend around her, ‘Sedet super universum,’ ‘The whole world is her seat.’ ”—Alexander Hislop, p. 6. Multitudes have been drinking the wine of her false doctrines. When professed Protestant churches repudiate the fundamental principle of Protestantism by setting aside the authority of God’s Word and accepting tradition and man-made laws, they adopt the principles of modern Babylon, and may be regarded as the daughters of Babylon, deliberately choosing to drink of her cup.

 6. Practically all the world will worship her. The world stands in awe and wonder at the amazing revival of her power. This has been especially true since the creation of Vatican City in 1929. Said the pope, “ ‘This moment, so historic, so important, that stands between the past and the future; which closes the past and opens the future.’ ” —Codress, June 27, 1929; America, Jan. 4, 1930. 7. She is scheduled for a final fall. Though she says, “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow, yet God says, “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day . . : for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.” (Revelation 18:8). Even the powers of the earth finally shall forsake her, for she is fallen. (Revelation 17:16).

 THIRD ANGEL’S MESSAGE

 WHAT WARNING IS SOUNDED BY THE THIRD ANGEL?

“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.”—Revelation 14:9-10.

 1. It warns against the worship of the beast. The first angel’s message is a call to “worship Him that made heaven, and earth,” that is, the Creator. The third angel’s message warns against the worship of the beast. There must be, and is, an essential dierence. If we accept the teachings and commandments of the great apostasy above God’s Word and law, we worship the beast.

 2. It warns against worship of the Image of the beast. If we yield to the pressure of apostate Protestantism as it joins hands with civil power to enforce the mark of the beast, we cannot be judged as true worshipers of the Creator.

3. It warns against receiving the mark of the beast. In the last hours of the crisis, the papal mark of Sunday keeping will be enforced by civil law. God’s warning is raised against this mark, and as He calls men to worship the Creator, the Sabbath-Sunday issue will be clearly drawn.

 4. It warns of God’s wrath upon those who do not heed His warning. (Compare Revelation 14:9-10; 15:1; 16). Between the wrath of man and the wrath of God all must choose. Between obedience to man and obedience to God the decision must be made. Seven fearful plagues are reserved against the awful day of reckoning.

 CONCLUSION

(1) The three messages must be proclaimed in their proper order (Revelation 14:6, 8, 9)

(2) They are sequential and cumulative: First angel’s message is a positive imperative command. The second angel’s message is an announcement and a call. The third angel’s message is a warning to those who choose not to come out.

(3) If you do not accept the first, you will reject the second and the third.

(4) Babylon falls because she rejected the first angel’s message. You will not accept the call to come out of Babylon unless you know why you should come out--because she rejected the first angel’s message. The acceptance or rejection of the messages is not a trivial matter. In fact, it is a matter of life or death. Those who receive the messages will receive the seal of God and be saved. Those who reject the messages will receive the mark of the beast and suffer the wrath of God. There will be no middle ground. The saved will be inside the city and the lost will be outside.

(5) We have no time to lose, do your part to share these messages with everyone that you can reach.