Introduction
“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from Heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps. And they sung as it were a new song before the Throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
“These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
“And 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.’
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.’
“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. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.’
“Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” (Revelation 14:1–12)
The First Angel
“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.”
The Biblical Understanding
“For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day, the father to the children shall make known thy truth.” (Isa 38:19)
“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen 2:17)
“And you hath He quickened [i.e., made alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins.” (Eph 2:1)
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” (Col 2:13)
“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Pet 2:24)
Conclusion
The First Angel calls for Victory over Sin.
Those who are in the state of sin, and under the legacy of Adam, are considered spiritually “dead.” The prophet tells us “death cannot celebrate Thee,” and only “the living” can render acceptable praise to the Almighty. Therefore, we must be “quickened,” or made alive, by the Son. We must be “born again” in order to satisfy the requirements of the First Angel’s Message.
The Bible tells us that “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His Seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1 John 3:9)
The Savior says to those whom He heals by His stripes, “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)
Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. (1 Cor 15:34)
Living by these words, one who is redeemed awakens from the death of unrighteousness, ceases from sin, and offers true worship to the Creator. In doing so, the soul is prepared for the judgment of the world.
The Historic Adventist Position Restored
“Not one should be buried with Christ by baptism unless they are critically examined whether they have ceased to sin, whether they have fixed moral principles, whether they know what sin is, whether they have moral defilement which God abhors. Find out by close questioning if these persons are really ceasing to sin, if with David they can say, I hate sin with a perfect hatred.” [Manuscript Releases 6, p. 165]
“To the heart that has become purified, all is changed. Transformation of character is the testimony to the world of an indwelling Christ. The Spirit of God produces a new life in the soul, bringing the thoughts and desires into obedience to the will of Christ; and the inward man is renewed in the image of God. Weak and erring men and women show to the world that the redeeming power of grace can cause the faulty character to develop into symmetry and abundant fruitfulness.” [Prophets and Kings, p. 233]
“When the doctrine we accept kills sin in the heart, purifies the soul from defilement, bears fruit unto holiness, we may know that it is the truth of God. When benevolence, kindness, tenderheartedness, sympathy, are manifest in our lives; when the joy of right doing is in our hearts; when we exalt Christ, and not self, we may know that our faith is of the right order.” [Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, p146]
“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. No one need say that his case is hopeless, that he cannot live the life of a Christian. Ample provision is made by the death of Christ for every soul.” [Counsels for the Church, p. 334]
“Today you are to have your vessel purified that it may be ready for the heavenly dew, ready for the showers of the latter rain; for the latter rain will come, and the blessing of God will fill every soul that is purified from every defilement.” [God’s Amazing Grace, p. 205]
A Final Word
This is a message of hope, not condemnation. God’s love for us has provided a Way by which we may escape the legacy of Adam. In Christ, all are freed from sin and death, but we must accept Him fully, so that none of the old “self” remains to drag us down to destruction. Even though this is “good news,” those who do not wish to accept the Gospel in its entirety will seek to avoid its blessing.
“Infidels and lovers of sin excuse their crimes by citing the wickedness of men to whom God gave authority in olden times. They argue that since these holy men yielded to temptation and committed sins, it should excite no wonder that they too are guilty of wrong-doing. More than this, they even intimate that they are not so bad, after all, since such illustrious examples of iniquity are placed before them.” [E.G.W, Review and Herald, Jan 22, 1880]
The Second Angel
“Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
The Biblical Understanding
“And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And they said, ‘Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’
“And the Lord said, ‘Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language, and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound [i.e., confuse] their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.’
“So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. (Gen 11:1, 4, 6 – 9)
“And the beginning of [Nimrod’s] kingdom [Babylon] was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.” (Gen 10:10)
“And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.” (2 Kings 24:11)
“Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.” (Zech 2:7)
“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” (James 3:16)
“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” (1 Cor 14:33)
“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” (Eph 4:14)
Conclusion
The Second Angel calls for Purity of Doctrine.
“Babylon” in the Bible represents a state of confusion, error, and misunderstanding. Its legacy has come down to us through the ages, resulting in deception and confusion of doctrine. In declaring that Babylon has “fallen,” the Angel repeats the judgment of the prophet from ancient times: “The word that the Lord spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet: Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not. Say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.” (Jer 50:1, 2)
This is freedom for God’s people from envying and strife, and “every evil work” that leads to separations and divisions [i.e., “variance” and “seditions”] in the Church. (Gal 5:19, 20)
The People of God must have one faith among them, and be fully united… but only under pure, uncorrupted doctrine. This involves a right understanding of such issues as the 10 Commandments (including the Sabbath), the Biblical teaching about the Godhead, the blessing for our benefit placed on various holy days mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, the literal, 6-day creation of the physical universe, and an undiluted view of the power of the Gospel to save mankind out of its sins.
The Historic Adventist Position Restored
“While it is true that the Lord guides individuals, it is also true that He is leading out a people, not a few separate individuals here and there, one believing this thing, another that. Angels of God are doing the work committed to their trust.” [God’s Amazing Grace, p. 110]
“Many saw the perfect chain of truth in the angels’ messages, and gladly received them in their order, and followed Jesus by faith into the heavenly sanctuary. These messages were represented to me as an anchor to the people of God. Those who understand and receive them will be kept from being swept away by the many delusions of Satan.” [Early Writings, p. 256]
With regard to one of the more common Babylonian errors of doctrine, the Trinity, SDAs may consider:
“Before the assembled inhabitants of heaven the King declared that none but Christ, the Only Begotten of God, could fully enter into His purposes, and to Him it was committed to execute the mighty counsels of His will.” [Patriarchs and Prophets, page 36, paragraph 2]
“Christ the Word, the Only Begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father,–one in nature, in character, and in purpose,–the only being in all the universe that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God.” [The Great Controversy, page 493, paragraph 1]
“Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally; therefore it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them, go to His father, and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth. The Holy Spirit is Himself, divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof. He would represent Himself as present in all places by His Holy Spirit, as the Omnipresent.” [Manuscript Releases Volume Fourteen, page 23, paragraph 3]
“The Trinitarian understanding of God, now part of our fundamental beliefs, was not generally held by the early Adventists. Even today, a few do not subscribe to it.” [Adventist Review, Jan 6, 1994]
Actually, it was not held by ANY published Adventist Pioneer:
“They who have read our remarks on the death of the Son of God know that we firmly believe in the divinity of Christ; but we cannot accept the idea of a trinity, as it is held by Trinitarians, without giving up our claim on the dignity of the sacrifice made for our redemption. [J. H. Waggoner, 1884, The Atonement In The Light Of Nature And Revelation, pp 164, 165]
“If you can convince me that we are one in this sense, that you are my father, and I your son; and also that I am your father and you are my son, then I can believe in the trinity.” [Joseph Bates, 1868, The Autobiography of Elder Joseph Bates, p 204]
“The mass of Protestants believe with Catholics in the Trinity […] Surely there is between the mother and daughters, a striking family resemblance.” [M. E. Cornell, 1858, Facts For The Times, p 76]
“But respecting this Spirit, the Bible uses expressions which cannot be harmonized with the idea that it is a person like the Father and the Son. Rather it is shown to be a divine influence from them both, the medium which represents their presence and by which they have knowledge and power through all the universe, when not personally present.” [Uriah Smith, Review and Herald, Oct 28, 1890]
“To assert that the sayings of the Son and his apostles are the commandments of the Father, is as wide from the truth as the old trinitarian absurdity that Jesus Christ is the very and eternal God.” [James White, Review and Herald, Aug 5, 1852]
““Here we might mention the Trinity, which does away the personality of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ...” [James White, Review and Herald, Dec 11 1855]
Consider: “You are not definitely clear on the personality of God, which is everything to us as a people. You have virtually destroyed the Lord God Himself.” [E.G.W. to J. H. Kellogg, Letter 300, 1903, with regard to his pantheistic (some say pseudo-trinitarian) views expressed in his book The Living Temple]
This is but a sample of Adventist writings on the subject.
A Final Word
The Trinity is but one example of unscriptural errors that have infiltrated Biblical Adventism. While it may not be as critical as a faulty view of the Gospel, the overall weight of these Babylonian errors have a gradual, negative effect on the understanding, and the soul is inevitably defiled.
“Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” (Rev 22:14, 15)
The Adventist position on every potential doctrinal error may be explored in detail based on the overall principles presented here. There is, of course, such a thing as increasing light, however new light can never contradict established Biblical truths.
“As [Jesus] would present old truths in a new light before them, the people would listen as to something they had never before heard of.” [Sermons and Talks, Vol. 2, p. 317]
The Third Angel
“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. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
The Biblical Understanding
“These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.” (Dan 7:17)
“Thus he said, ‘The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.’” (Dan 7:23)
“I was at ease, but He hath broken me asunder; He hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for His mark.” (Job 16:12)
“Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.” (Jer 3:3)
“And the Lord said unto him, ‘Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.’” (Ezek 9:4)
“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, saying, ‘Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.’” (Rev 7:2, 3)
“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God; and I will write upon him my new name.” (Rev 3:12)
Conclusion
The Third Angel calls for Unified Resistance to the kingdoms of the world.
The Bible says, “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4) The world and its kingdoms have a “spirit” that is impressed on the “foreheads” of those who worship them. Those who are “friends” with the world take on its character, its sympathies, and its policies.
Those who resist this corrupting influence, even if it should appear within the Church, are described as they who “sigh and that cry for all the abominations” that are done therein. These are they who receive the seal of God, the mark of righteousness. They are a united people, for they all have the same Spirit, presented by the “seal of God” and the “name of God” written in their foreheads. They are together, united in faith, or else their protest (for they are Protestants) will not be effective.
Those who follow Christ in opposing the Beast and His Image will have received the blessings for which the Son has asked the Father: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:21) It is only in unity that the saints can overcome: “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Eph 2:21, 22)
Receiving the Holy Spirit, and overcoming the Beast, requires us to be one people, united in doctrine and purpose, and in our understanding of the Beast, its image, and its mark so that we may know to avoid it.
The Historic Adventist Position Restored
“God is leading out a people, not a few separate individuals here and there, one believing this thing, another that. Angels of God are doing the work committed to their trust. The third angel is leading out and purifying a people, and they should move with him unitedly.” [Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1, p. 207] But where are these people being unitedly led by the Third Angel? Is it modern Adventism?
“When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state, and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of “heresy.” In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends. [Last Day Events, p. 228]
“The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes, for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided.” [Selected Messages 2, p. 81]
“The ‘image to the beast’ represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas.” [The Faith I Live By, p. 286]
“Whenever the church forms any connection with any State or kingdom on the earth, in the very doing of it she rejects God.” [A.T. Jones, Christian Patriotism, p. 33]
“In the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power, the churches would themselves form an image to the beast; hence the enforcement of Sundaykeeping in the United States would be an enforcement of the worship of the beast and his image.” [The Great Controversy, 1911 edition, pp. 445, 448, 449] NOTE: Later editions changed this! The original, inspired writing indicated that the Sunday Law would be one way the Mark of The Beast could be enforced; not the only way. Confirmation:
“An ecclesiastical organization composed of a greater or less number of the different sects of our land, with some degree of coalition also between these bodies and Roman Catholicism, together with the promulgation and enforcement of a general Sunday-sabbath law, would fulfil what the prophecy sets forth in reference to the image and the mark of the beast; and these movements, or their exact equivalent, the prophecy calls for.” [Uriah Smith, Daniel and the Revelation, p. 609]
A Final Word
Adventists have long taught that the Mark of The Beast would be formed by the United States in conjunction with fallen Protestantism. At that point the united, sanctified people of God would resist this mark, and be persecuted. At the height of their persecution, the Savior will return to redeem His people.
This is all correct, and Biblical; however, the Adventist understanding has been that the form of the Mark would be a Sunday Law. While the principles have been fulfilled precisely as described, the manifestation has been altered due to a change in the spiritual state of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. In order to be effective, the Three Angels must be accepted in order; thus, if the first and second angels are NOT being taught within mainstream Adventism, the Third Angel’s message will likewise become obscured.
Seventh-day Adventism, in securing a trademark of its God-given name, has united with the civil authorities to become a persecuting power that has gained for itself a dark history of oppressing and imprisoning those that have taken a stand against its decrees for the sake of conviction and conscience.
This brief overview is not intended to cover every detail of this well-documented change in the spirit of modern Adventism from Christ-like to Dragon-like, but it is encouragement to begin to examine the principles of the Image, and the Mark, and to understand that identifying these things, and making a united stand against them in the name of Christ, is the “great test” of our faith in this generation.
Consider what makes a Church lose its position as the Bride of Christ: “Virtually Caiaphas was no high priest. He wore the priestly robes, but he had no vital connection with God. He was uncircumcised in heart. With the other priests he instructed the people to choose Barabbas instead of Christ. They cried out for the crucifixion of Christ and, as representatives of the Jewish nation, placed themselves under the Roman jurisdiction, which they despised, by saying, “We have no king but Caesar.” When they said this, they unchurched themselves.” [Manuscript Releases, Vol. 12, p. 388]
Consider, then, where the Three Angels’ Message is truly being taught, and where it has been replaced with error and the spirit and policies of the world rather than love and the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ.
“Then Peter said unto them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.’ And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this untoward generation.’” (Acts 2:38-40)
