Three Angels Messages

How the Three Angels Messages of Revelation 14 Relate to the End Times

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, 10. 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: 11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever 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". 12. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus".

Background

The following is quoted from "Ministry Magazine":

"In the “seductive” politics of the spiritual Babylon, John draws atten­tion to the act of receiving a “ ‘mark on the forehead or on the hand’ ” (Rev. 14:9, NIV). What does this mark mean, and how are we to under­stand it? John uses the Greek word charagma, which, in his time, referred to Caesar’s image on coins, the impe­rial seal on official documents, and the brand mark carved on animals. The mark on the forehead and hand perhaps also connects to the ancient practice among Israelites during prayer time when the tefillin or a phylactery, a small leather box with passages from the Torah (Exod. 13:1–10; Deut. 6:4–9; 11:13–21), is bound to the forehead and hand. This ritual depicts the conscious acceptance of God’s will reflected through His commandments (binding on the forehead), and the readiness to fulfill this will in one’s life (binding on the hand). The beast’s mark on the forehead and the hand represents the mark of authority of the apostate church, the replacement of God’s righteous standards with human standards. That is why one of the most impor­tant characteristics of God’s faithful people centers in keeping His com­mandments (Rev. 14:12; 12:17).
https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/2012/12/the-mission-of-adventism

According to the time line established thus far, the three angels messages started to be spread during the latter half of the 19th century. What else was going on during that time? The major Protestant churches at this time began to accept the theory of evolution which leads to a dismissal of the first ten chapters of Genesis. Darwin finished his first draft of Origin of Species in 1844 and published it in 1859. The Great Disappointment was in 1844, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church was officially organized in 1863. Dates are significant. The founder of the “God is Dead” movement, Frederick Nietzsche, was born the week before the Great Disappointment, October 15, 1844. He had a profound impact on philosophy in 19th century. He said that man is made for war, woman is made for man, and all else is folly. He couldn’t take his own philosophy and went mad. In later years he stayed with his sister and ended up in the parlor beating the piano with his elbows. That is a parable of mankind in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The churches also clung to the error of the natural immortality of the soul, which is the basis for belief in Spiritism. This was the time of the rise of modern spiritualism. Horoscopes and seances, and talking to the dead was all started in the United States during this time. This sprang from an incident that happened to the Fox Sisters. It began in 1848 in the bedroom of two young girls living in a farmhouse in Hydesville, New York. The Communist Manifesto was written by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels and was published in 1848. The words proletariat and bourgeois were brought together in this book have brought a hell on earth to millions since. But, again, notice the timing. An athiestic trend grew and grew, fueled by a chaotic 20th century with a depression, WWII, Vietnam, and a declining moral climate in the world.

Remember, any “ism” is a battle for your mind. With God, everything depends on the right use of the will! The frontal lobe of the brain! Some Protestant churches years ago accepted the prophetic interpretation system called futurism, which had been invented by two Jesuit writers, Manuel Lacunza and Francisco Ribera (born 1537). Simply put, this says that the antichrist can’t be identified now-it is still way in the future.

Jesuit priest Luis de Alcasar (1554–1613) wrote the first systematic preterist exposition of prophecy. This view states that all prophecies were fulfilled long ago. Other groups have accepted false views concerning the Second Advent, for example, the secret rapture. These churches demonstrated that they preferred to follow man’s traditions instead of the dictates of Scripture. This is described in Revelation 14:8, ie confusion and deception based on not reading the Bible. See http://biblelight.net/antichrist.htm for a study of preterism and futurism.

J.N. Andrews, one of the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, wrote the following in 1892:

"Finally, we see the unclean spirits preparing for the great battle. We see the preparation for the law which shall compel all men to observe Sunday. We see the papal power awakening to declare itself infallible, and to claim anew the power to rule over the kingdoms of the earth. We hear the voice of alarm of the third angel, and we already see many thousands in response to his warning turning to the observance of God's commandments. These things are striking signs of the great day of God now just before us." The Three Messages of Revelation 14:6-12 PARTICULARLY THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE, AND TWO-HORNED BEAST, JOHN N. ANDREWS, REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING CO.: BATTLE CREEK, MICH; CHICAGO, ILL.; TORONTO, ONT.; ATLANTA, GA, 1892, P. 57)

The United States is completely unique in human history with regard to individual freedoms guaranteed by its founding documents. Among them is the freedom to worship according to dictates of conscience. Nobody has the right to force their will on others. But, the Bible says that will happen at the risk of death. The three angels messages describe the details, and those details apply to our generation!

Explanation of Third Angel Message

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 ”Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4. “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God”.

2 John 1:7 "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist".

1 John 4:3 "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world".

NOTE.-These texts state that there will be a falling away from true religion and a deceiver who is the antichrist will sit in the place of God.

Who or what is the antichrist? It isn’t a tattoo. It isn’t a microchip implanted under your skin. It isn’t someone with a master computer. A lesson from history is in order. All of the reformers of the 1600s and 1700s were absolutely convinced that the antichrist is the papacy, the Roman Catholic Church system, not the lay members. They changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday and still brag about it. As noted in the comments on the second angel, there is No doctrine in the Word of God that has not been distorted or changed completely. Tradition is held in higher regard that the Bible. To combat the Reformation, two priests came up with sophisticated ideas to deflect. One said the antichrist is way in the future and the other said oh, that happened a long time ago. Something else needs to be said. We are talking about a system and its leaders, not individual members. During the period of papal supremacy from 538 AD to 1798 AD, the only organization that fed the poor and cared for the sick and homeless was the church.

“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. (Revelation 13:1)

“And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues”. Seven heads… Rome literally sits on seven hills. Ten horns represent 10 political entities… ten modern nations of Europe. (Revelation 17:15) Blasphemy we will discuss a little later.

“And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” (Revelation 13:2)

Note: When Constantine moved his capital to Constantinople (330 AD), the Bishop of Rome inherited the power, prestige, and even titles of the Roman emperors. The most significant of such titles is Pontifex Maximus, a pagan title that means “Bridge builder between heaven and Earth.” In 538 AD, the emperor Justinian issued a decree, proclaiming the Pope to be supreme in religious matters. Since then, the Pope has assumed the garb of representative of Jesus Christ on Earth, or vicar of Christ. “The popes filled the place of the vacant emperors at Rome, inheriting their power, prestige, and titles from paganism….Constantine left all to the Bishop of Rome….The papacy is but the ghost of the deceased Roman Empire, sitting crowned upon its grave. Pagan Rome gave its authority to papal Rome.” Stanley’s History, p 40. Quoted in Revelation Speaks, Seminars Unlimited, Keene, Texas, p. 105

“And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly would was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” General Alexander Berthier, under orders from the French government, went to Rome and took the pope captive in 1798. This is the deadly wound spoken of in Scripture. He died in exile and it was generally believed that the papacy itself was dead. God Cares, Book 2, Review and Herald Publishing Assn, 1985, p 329.m (Revelation 13:3)

“And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? (Revelation 13:4)

“And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations”. (Revelation 13:7)

Note: Estimates are difficult, but the number 50 million deaths has been used to describe the amount of people put to death by the beast power, especially during the Dark Ages. Carcasonne, France, 350 miles south of Paris, houses the largest collection of torture instruments in the world. Why? Because the church used them on people by the millions!

“That the church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind, will be questioned by no Protestant who has a competent knowledge of history”.
Bible Readings for the Home, Review and Herald Publishing Assn, 1958, page 214
The church hasn’t changed. This kind little old man talks about peace, love, global warning, immigrants, and a host of other things. In the background this church is working toward world control and Sabbath keepers only get in the way.

“Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred three score and six.” (Revelation 13:18) The pope’s title is vicar of Christ. Vicar means representative. The Holy Spirit is Christ’s representative on earth, NOT any man. In Roman numerals the name VICARIUS FILII DEI adds up to 666.

"I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things". (Daniel 7:8)
This little horn power is a different power than the original ten horns. it is personal with a human head. It speaks grandiose, blasphemous things.

“And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows". (Daniel 7:20)
Note: By 538 AD, the last of the three kings, the Ostrogoths, were destroyed. The Roman Empire had fallen apart and the bishop of Rome emerged as the most powerful man in Europe

.

“And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings (Daniel 7:24)
Horns represents kings or countries. In other words, the ten modern nations of Europe. Another horn shall arise, different because it is a religious-political power. Factually, the three kings that were destroyed were the Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths. So, by 538 AD the three tribes were obliterated by the Roman army and the Emperor Justinian and disappeared from history. Then the popes became the leaders for one reason because the capital of the Roman Empire was moved to Constantinople.

Daniel 7:25 “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time”. (Daniel 7:25)

The Council of Trent met from 1545 to 1563, organized by the Catholic Church to refute the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation almost tore the church apart, except for one thing – the tradition of Sunday-keeping. At the end, the Archbishop of Reggio came into the council with substantially the following argument to the party who held for Scripture alone: "The Protestants claim to stand upon the written word only. They profess to hold the Scripture alone as the standard of faith. They justify their revolt by the plea that the Church has apostatized from the word and follows tradition. Now the Protestants' claim, that they stand upon the written word only, is true. Their profession of holding the Scripture alone as the standard of faith, is false. The written word explicitly enjoins the observance of the seventh day as the Sabbath. They do not observe the seventh day, but reject it. If they do truly hold the Scripture alone as their standard, they would be observing the seventh day as is enjoined in the Scripture throughout. Yet they not only reject the observance of the Sabbath enjoined in the written word, but they have adopted and do practice the observance of Sunday, for which they have only the tradition of the Church. Consequently the claim of 'Scripture alone as the standard,' fails; and the doctrine of 'Scripture and tradition' as essential, is fully established, the Protestants themselves being judges." April 8, 1546, "to the promulgation of two decrees, the first of which enacts, under anathema, that Scripture and tradition are to be received and venerated equally, and that the apocryphal books are part of the canon of Scripture. The Roman church not only attempted to nullify the Sabbath, they added several books to the Bible and claimed them to be inspired. These books are called the apocrypha. These were fourteen books added by the church, and generally not considered inspired by Protestants.
http://www.sabbathtruth.com/sabbath-history/the-council-of-trent

To alleviate doubt, the following list of characteristics of the antichrist is provided:

  • A. The "little horn" or kingdom "came up among them" the 10 horns which were the kingdoms of Western Europe (Daniel 7:8). So it would be a little kingdom somewhere in Western Europe.
  • B. It would have a man at its head who could speak for it (Daniel 7:8).
  • C. It would pluck up or uproot three kingdoms (Daniel 7:8).
  • D. It would be "diverse" or different from the other 10 kingdoms (Daniel 7:24).
  • E. It would make war with and "wear out" or persecute the saints (Daniel 7:21, 25).
  • F. It would emerge from the pagan Roman empire, the fourth world kingdom (Daniel 7:7, 8).
  • G. God's people (the saints) would "be given into his hand" for "a time and times and the dividing of time" (Daniel 7:25).
  • H. It would "speak great words against" or blaspheme God (Daniel 7:25). In Revelation 13:5, the Bible says the same power speaks "great things and blasphemies."
  • I. It would "think to change times and laws." Daniel 7:25.

Here are specific statements regarding the changing of God's law:

  • A. H.F. Thomas, Chancellor to Cardinal Gibbons, November 1895, “Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act…. And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical authority".
  • B. "Reason and common sense demand the acceptance of one or the other of these alternatives: either Protestantism and the keeping holy of Saturday, or Catholicity and the keeping holy of Sunday. Compromise is impossible." The Catholic Mirror, December 23, 1893.
  • “God simply gave His {Catholic} Church the power to set aside whatever day or days, she would deem suitable as Holy Days. The Church chose Sunday, the first day of the week, and in the course of time added other days as holy days." Vincent J. Kelly, "Forbidden Sunday and Feast-Day Occupations", Pg 2.
  • "Protestants...accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship after the Catholic Church made the change...But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that in accepting the Bible, in observing the Sunday, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the church, the Pope." Our Sunday Visitor, February 5, 1950.
  • "God simply gave His {Catholic} Church the power to set aside whatever day or days, she would deem suitable as Holy Days. The Church chose Sunday, the first day of the week, and in the course of time added other days as holy days." Vincent J. Kelly, "Forbidden Sunday and Feast-Day Occupations", Pg 2.

Revelation 13:11-12 11 “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed”.
http://amazingdiscoveries.org/S-deception_end-time_Antichrist_Daniel_horn

Daniel 7:25 “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time”.

Note: Without any authority, Emperor Constantine changed the day of worship from Sabbath to Sunday and the church continued the tradition. Time, times, and dividing of time in prophecy is 3.5 years. A day for a year in prophecy, and 360 days in a prophetic year equals 1,260 years. (Numbers 14:34) From the time the papacy had complete power over Europe in 538 AD until he was taken captive by Napoleon’s army and died in 1798 is 1,260 years. Revelation 13:5 says 42 months. Revelation 12:6 says 1260 days. (In prophecy a day equals a year).




Over 2,600 years ago the prophet Daniel recorded a dream that encompassed world history down to the coming of Christ. There was Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, with Rome divided into ten parts. Pagan Rome became papal Rome, which persecuted the saints of God during the dark ages. Those who keep all ten commandments will again be persecuted prior to the second coming of Jesus. The Sabbath will be a special point of controversy in the latter days just prior to the second coming of Jesus.








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. {Maranatha 169.2}




When our nation [the United States] shall so abjure the principles of its government as to enact a Sunday law, Protestantism will in this act join hands with popery; it will be nothing else than giving life to the tyranny which has long been eagerly watching its opportunity to spring again into active despotism.
{Maranatha, Ellen White 190.5}







John Robinson was the pastor of the group of Pilgrims who eventually formed the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He didn't go on the trip, and prior to their departure he preached words to this effect: "in 1620 He took occasion also miserably to bewaile the state and condition of the Reformed churches, who were come to a period in Religion, and would goe no further then the instruments of their Reformation: As for example, the Lutherans they could not be drawne to goe beyond what Luther saw, for whatever part of God’s will he had further imparted and revealed to Calvin, they will rather die then embrace it. And so also, saith he, you see the Calvinists, they stick where he left them: A misery much to bee lamented;
http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/robinson-words-of-john-robinson-robinsons-farewell-address-to-the-pilgrims


References:
1. http://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/book/e/53/t/the-beast--the-dragon-and-the-woman
2. http://www.preparingforeternity.com/br1914/brhc51.htm

Copyright 2017


Food for Thought

“Seventh-day Adventists have been chosen by God as a peculiar people, separate from the world. The greatest wealth of truth ever entrusted to mortals, the most solemn and fearful warnings ever sent by God to man, have been committed to them to be given to the world”. (7T 138 1902)

"Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience". {Mar 190.3}

“The doctrine of transubstantiation had led to an almost magical reverence for the elements of bread and wine in the late medieval church. On many occasions, the Mass came to be observed as a spectacle rather than partaken of as people watched the miracle of God appearing before their very eyes”. Luther and His World, Graham Tomlin, InterVarsity Press, 2002, P. 94




Living Word SDA Church, Glen Burnie, Maryland</p>
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Living Word Seventh-day Adventist Church
508 Aquahart Road
Glen Burnie, Maryland 21061