THE 3 ANGELS MESSAGE
FIRST - “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.” (Rev. 14:6-7).
The first angel’s message urges us to consider that the judgment is taking place now in heaven, because the present time, namely after 1798 and before the return of Christ, coincides with the period in which the judgment is taking place.
Furthermore, mankind is being called upon to worship God, the Creator of heaven and earth. Yet despite this call, many people still believe in the unproven theory of evolution. God lets man know that the beauty and the amazing order and laws of nature were created by Him and did not “evolve” by accident (see Romans 1:20-21).
He reminds man that He is the dispenser of all gifts and He deserves our love and worship. True love and worship mean keeping his law. (Ten Commandments as recorded in Exodus 20:1-17) “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” and “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination” (1 John 5:3; Proverbs 28:9). To give glory to God means to reflect His character in our own. God’s character is revealed to man in His law.
GOD’S SEAL
The four of the Ten Commandment points directly to God as the creator: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy… For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:8-11). This commandment is the only one of the ten giving the name, the title, and the territory of Him by whose authority the law was given. Thus it contains “God’s Seal”.
The Sabbath was made for mankind in all ages because it was instated at Creation (Genesis 2:1-3). This day is to remind us again and again to think on our Creator with thanksgiving and reverence.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”. The observance of the Sabbath is a sign of loyalty toward the true God. “Moreover I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them”. (Ezekiel 20:20; Isaiah 56:2; Exodus 31:13-17). Since the beginning of the world the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, has always been kept holy. Jesus Himself explains the immutability of the Ten Commandments: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one title will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:17-18).
SECOND – “BABYLON IS FALLEN, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Rev. 14:8).
The term “Babylon” is derived from “Babel” and signifies confusion. It is employed in Scripture to designate the various forms of false or apostate religion.
In revelation 17:4-6, Babylon is represented as a harlot. In the Bible, a wicked woman is a figure of an apostate church (Jeremiah 3:20; Ezekiel 16:35). This harlot of revelation 17 is “arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness … And on her forehead a name was written: Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots”. Says the prophet: “I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus”. Babylon is further declared to be “that great city (sitting on seven hills, verse 9) which reigns over the kings of the earth” (Rev. 17:18).
MYSTERIOUS BABYLON
The power described here is none other than papal Rome, the city of seven hills. Purple and scarlet are the representative colors of the cardinals and bishops. God, precious stones and pearls vividly picture the immense wealth of the papacy. Of no other power could it have been adequately stated that she was “drunk with the blood of the saints” as of this church, which persecuted the followers of Christ in such a gruesome manner (see pages 1 and 2). The great sin of which Babylon is guilty is that “the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication”. The stunning cup which she offers to the world represents false teachings, such as the mass, the immortality if the soul, eternal hellfire, the adoration of the Virgin Mary and Sunday sacredness. These and the other entirely unbiblical teachings she offers to the world and the churches, with their destructive influence.
The present warning, “Babylon is fallen”, applies to all religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt. It cannot refer to the Roman Church alone, for that church has been in a fallen condition for many centuries. Babylon is said to be “the mother of harlots”.
Her daughters symbolize churches that cling to her doctrines (for example, Sunday sacredness) and follow her example. Therefore, the term Babylon (confusion) may be appropriately applied to these churches. Despite the spiritual darkness and the separation from God, which exists in theses churches, the majority of the true followers of Christ are still in their community. All children of God who are still found in Babylon will take to heart the call of the angel “Babylon is fallen” and “Come out of her, my people”, and will finally leave the apostate churches.
THIRD – “IF ANYONE WORSHIPS the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God…” (Rev. 14:9-10).
In order to understand this message, we must decode the symbols being used.
THE BEAST
The beast here mentioned is described earlier in Revelation 13:1-10 as “like a leopard”. A comparison between this “beast” and the “little horn” in Daniel 7 shows clearly that we are here dealing with the same power, namely, the papacy. Just like the “little horn”, the “beast” also represents a blaspheming power (Rev. 13:6) which persecutes the Christians (Rev. 13:7) and evolves out of pagan Rome (Rev. 13:2), ruling for 1260 years (Rev. 13:5). After this time period she was to be relieved of her power by a “deadly wound” (Rev. 13:3-10). But this “deadly wound” was to be healed (Rev. 13:3). This healing of the papacy began in the year of 1929 with the signing of the Lateran treaties. At that time the Vatican received the property, generous financial support, and all diplomatic rights of a sovereign State. Through their international diplomacy and financial power the Vatican has again gained considerable power and influence on a worldwide scope. The “deadly wound” is being healed. Before we consider the “image of the beast” and his “mark”, we must consider another “beast power” described in Revelation 13.
THE SECOND BEAST
The prophet”…saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb…” (Rev. 13:11). While the previous beast came out of the “sea” of “nations and tongues” (Rev. 17:15), this beast was “coming up out of the earth”. Instead of overthrowing other powers to establish itself, the nation represented here must arise and grow up gradually and peacefully. It could not, then, arise among the crowded and struggling nationalities of Europe. It must be sought in the western continent. Only one nation was rising into power at the time of the papacy’s loss of supremacy in 1798 – this prophecy points out directly to the United States of America!
The lamb like horns indicated youth, innocence, and gentleness, fitly representing the original character of the USA. Civil and religious liberty (the two “horns”) were the foundation of this nation. The European Christians who were persecuted by the papacy, fled by the thousand to the “New World”, America. This was the birth of the USA. But the beast with “lamb like horns” spoke like a dragon”. “And he exercises all the authority of the first beast (papacy) in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast… telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast…” (Rev. 13:11-14). The lamb-like horns and dragon voice of the symbol point to a striking contrasts between the professions and the practice of the nation this represented. The “speaking” of the nation is the action of its legislative and judicial authorities. By such action it will contradict those liberal and peaceful principles which it has put forth as the foundation of its policy. The prediction that it will speak “like a dragon” and exercise “all the authority of the first beast” plainly foretells a development of the spirit of intolerance and persecution (Rev. 12:13-17) that was manifested by the first beast (papacy). The statement that the beast with the two horns “causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast” indicates that the authority of this nation (USA) is to be exercised in enforcing obedience, which will give homage to the papacy.
Today we observe how the USA and the Vatican are working more closely together in order to make their influence more prominent.
THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST
When the early church departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepted pagan rites and customs, she became corrupted and lost the Spirit and power of God. 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. It was apostasy that led the early church to seek the aid of the civil government, and this prepared the way for the development of the papacy, the “beast”. Said Paul: “There” shall “come a falling away, …and that man of sin be revealed…” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
In the same way will the obvious apostasy in the protestant churches of today clear the way to prepare for the image to the beast. During the past decades the ecumenical efforts of the protestant churches have increased to the extent that “unity for any price” is being biblical truth. In October 1999, by signing the “Joint Declaration” with the Vatican, the Lutheran world Federation declared the Reformation null and void. The papacy and ecumenical movement is therefore nothing else than the great spiritual apostasy prophesied by Paul in 2 Thessalonians. When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrines as are held by them in common, influence the state to enforce their decrees and sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed and “image” if the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon those who refuse to cooperate will be the inevitable result. The image to the beast, consequently, represents apostate Protestantism that seeks the support of the state to enforce their doctrines.
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Who is the Muslim’s best friend? It might surprise you what Muhammad wrote in the Quran: “NEAREST AMONG THEM IN LOVE to the BELIEVERS wilt thou find those who say, ‘WE ARE CHRISTIANS.”’ (Quran, Surah 5:82).
Why would Christians be your best, most loving friends? Muhammad gave the reason why he wrote that: “Nearest among them in love to the Believers wilt thou find those who say, ‘We are Christians’: BECAUSE among these are men DEVOTED TO LEARNING and men WHO HAVE RENOUNCED THE WORLD, and they are NOT ARROGANT.” (Quran, Surah 5:82).
