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The Three Angels' Messages
In the study of any of the events described in the book of Revelation, remember that
this book is to reveal to God's servants (144,000) what must soon take place.
Rev. 1:1 (Phillips) -- This is a revelation from Jesus Christ,
which God gave him so that he might show his servants what must soon take place.
Everywhere, in the book of Revelation, "his servants" are referring to the
144,000. Since these have not yet been selected and sealed we know these events are
still future. They are to be selected and sealed immediately prior to the onset of
the Great Tribulation.
Rev. 7:2-4 -- Then I saw another angel coming up from the east,
having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels
who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:
"Do not harm the land or the sea or
the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God"
Then I heard the number of those who were
sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
Now the way is clear for the four angels to begin their harm to the earth. One
more angel is introduced who officially removes the restraint which had prevented the
Antichrist from taking over the earth.
Rev. 8:3-5 -- Another angel who had a golden censer, came and
stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of the saints, on
the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the
prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand.
Then the angel took the censer, filled it
with fire from the altar, and hurled it onto the earth; and there came peals of thunder,
rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
Vs. 6 -- Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets
prepared to sound them.
Vs. 7 -- The first angel sounded his trumpet; and there came
hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of
the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was
burned up.
This is the first of seven trumpet blasts from seven angels from heaven to announce
catastrophic events to occur on the earth. These events are to occur over a 3-l/2
year period and constitute the Great Tribulation. These events are caused by the
Antichrist who is, in reality, "Satan personified as a man." This 3-l/2
year period constitutes the entire term of his reign.
It is with this introduction to the events surrounding the beginning of the Great
Tribulation that I would like to introduce the First Angel's Message, and how it fits in.
Rev. 14:6,7 -- Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he
had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth -- to every nation,
tribe, language and people.
He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him
glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the
earth, the sea and the springs of water."
This message is the same Everlasting Gospel as given by Christ at the time of His First
Coming, and announced by the Apostles and Paul in their writings. The one thing
added is that the "Hour of His Judgment" is come. The living of all the
earth are to be judged at the time of His Second Coming -- that is, for all those
who are scheduled for judgment. It is a message that reveals Christ to every nation,
kindred, tongue and people.
These witnesses (144,000) witness this Everlasting Gospel for 1260 days (3-l/2 years).
In addition they are in communication with the testimony of Jesus on a daily basis
as mediated by the Holy Spirit, by whom they have been specially sealed; they are
prophets.
The reason this message is so timely is that, for this same 3-l/2 years, Satan,
personified as a man, will be claiming to be God and producing mighty miracles to prove
it.
God has allowed this series of catastrophic events to awaken a rebellious, violent and
carefree world to the need to make a choice as to whom they will serve. The 144,000
and their supporting team of born-again Christians will present the Everlasting Gospel as
the only way that mankind can be saved. Peter, speaking of Christ, says:
Acts 4:12 -- Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no
other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
This is in direct contradiction to the Antichrist who claims to be the only savior of
mankind. This he promises to those who commit their lives to him. It is sad to
say that, after this 3-l/2 years of witnessing by the 144,000, the majority of earth's
inhabitants will choose to serve the Antichrist. Notice what happens when the
witnesses come to the end of their 3-l/2 years of witnessing.
Rev. 11:7-13 -- Now when they have finished their testimony, the
beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them...
But after 3-l/2 days a breath of life
from God entered them, and they stood on their feet...
Then they went up to heaven in a cloud,
while their enemies looked on. (The 144,000 are raptured to heaven in a cloud.)
Vs. 13 -- At that very
hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven
thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave
glory to the God of heaven.
With the 144,000 martyred, and after 3-l/2 days, they were raised from the dead and
raptured to heaven; this brings to an end the message of the First Angel.
Immediately after these events the Seventh Angel sounded his trumpet. This comes
at the 1260th day since the censer was cast down, and announces the beginning of Christ's
reign on the earth and the ending of the reign of the Antichrist.
Rev. 11:15 -- The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there
were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the
kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."
It also announces the beginning of the Seven Last Plagues.
Vss. 16-18 -- And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on
their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying:
"We give thanks to you, Lord God
Almighty ... because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
"The nations were angry and your
wrath has come."
The wrath of God is expressed in the Seven Last Plagues which are announced by the
blowing of the trumpet by the Seventh Angel.
Rev. 15:1 -- I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign:
seven angels with the seven last plagues -- last, because with them God's wrath is
completed.
The Antichrist (Satan, personified as a man) will rule with his power base being the
"First Beast of Rev. 13." It consists of the beast with seven heads and
ten horns. Each horn has a crown.
The seven heads are noted to be blasphemous heads denoting the false religious systems
of the earth. These have given their authority to the Antichrist. In addition
to these ten kingdoms with their armies, he has his own army composed of willing and
probably the unwilling conscripts from all the nations of the earth.
Rev. 13:4 -- Men worshipped the dragon (Antichrist)
because he had given authority to the beast, (First Beast) and they also worshipped
the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against
him?"
It is obvious that no army on earth can stand up to the armies of the Antichrist.
He brings nations into line by conquest and loots their countries of all things of
value. Daniel describes some of these deeds in describing the king who exalts
himself above every god.
Dan. 11:40-43 -- He will invade many countries and sweep through
them like a flood. He will also invade the Beautiful Land (Israel)...
He will extend his power over many
countries; Egypt will not escape.
He will gain control of the treasures of
gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission.
He has also a city which he operates from and will obviously be the capitol of the
earth during his reign. All these treasures from all the nations of the earth, that
he accumulates, will be stored and traded from this great city. This capitol city is
called Babylon. This evil Conglomerate -- the One World Order -- is
called Babylon as well.
I believe that over 2500 years ago, God carefully laid out a very simple and easy to
understand comparison of "Two Cities and their Kings," so we could know, in our
time, who we will be dealing with.
He chose Tyre, a great coastal city in Palestine, as an application of this great city
in the end-time. The king of Tyre became proud and considered himself more than a
mere man, and claimed to be a god. On the basis of his crafty and skillful trading,
by fair and unfair means, he controlled a great quantity of precious materials.
God brought Nebuchadnezzar, and later Alexander the Great who completed the total
destruction of the city and its inhabitants, leaving them no descendants with which to
rebuild. Read Ezekiel Chapters 26,27,28 -- as far as verse 19 for the
complete comparison. Considering the picture of ancient Tyre itself, we note:
Ezek. 26:19-21 -- This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
"When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring
the ocean depths over you and its vast waters cover you, then I will bring you down with
those who go down to the pit (grave), to the people of long ago.
I will make you dwell in the earth below,
as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take
your place in the land of the living.
I will bring you to a horrible end and
you will be no more.
The completeness and finality of this destruction is emphasized. Now note the
variety of wares the city of Tyre dealt with. Only a few are mentioned here, but a
great list is contained in these passages.
Ezek. 27:12 -- Tarshish did business with you... they exchanged
silver, iron, tin and lead for your merchandise.
Vs. 13 -- Greece, Tubal and Meshech traded with you; they
exchanged slaves and articles of bronze for your wares.
Vss. 15,16 -- The men of Rhodes traded with you, and many
coastlands were your customers; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.
Aram did business with you because of
your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen,
coral and rubies for your merchandise.
Now note the consternation of the nations who had traded with her when they witnessed
the completeness of her destruction:
Ezek. 27:27-34 -- Your wealth, merchandise and wares... Your
merchants and all your soldiers, and everyone else on board will sink into the heart of
the sea on the day of your shipwreck...
All who handle the oars will abandon
their ships; the mariners and all the seamen will stand on the shore. They will
raise their voices and cry bitterly over you; they will sprinkle dust on their heads
and roll in ashes.
They will shave their heads because of
you and will put on sackcloth.
They will weep over you with anguish of
soul and with bitter mourning. they wail and mourn over you, they will take up a lament
concerning you:
"Who was ever silenced like Tyre,
surrounded by the sea?"
When your merchandise went out on the
seas, you satisfied many nations. With your great wealth and your wares you enriched
the kings of the earth.
God, in the first ten verses of chapter 28 describes what He does to the king of
ancient Tyre; also the reasons for His action taken.
Ezek. 28:2 -- In the pride of your heart you say, "I am a
god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas." But you are a man
and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god.
Vs. 5 -- By your great skill in trading you have increased
your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud.
Vss. 7,8 -- I am going to bring foreigners against you, the
most ruthless of nations; they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom and
pierce your shining splendor.
They will bring you down to the pit, and
you will die a violent death in the heart of the seas.
Vs. 9 -- Will you then say, "I am a god," in the
presence of those who kill you?
Now we note God changing the description of the king of Tyre to represent Satan,
personified as a man. The Antichrist of the end-time.
Vss. 12-19 -- Son of man take up a lament concerning the king of
Tyre and say to him:...
"You were the model of
perfection, full of wisdom, perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, crysolite, onyx and jasper,
sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the
day you were created they were prepared.
You were anointed as a guardian
cherub, for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy Mount of God; you
walked among the fiery stones.
You were blameless in all your ways from
the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence, and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the Mount
of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.
Your heart became
proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor
So I threw you to the earth; I made a
spectacle of you before kings. By your many sins and dishonest trade you have
desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire come out of you, and it
consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were
watching.
All the nations who knew you are appalled
at you; you have come to a horrible end and you will be no more.
I don't believe anyone should be in doubt that this is speaking of Satan, and is not
speaking of him coming to his demise when ancient Tyre was destroyed; but that this was
symbolic of what would happen to him when his great capitol, Babylon, would be destroyed
in the end-time.
Now notice the description God gives John in vision of the destruction of this great
capitol of the world (Babylon) at the Time of The End. Read the entire chapter of
Rev. 18. Some of the verses are noted here.
Rev. 18:1-24 -- After this I saw another angel coming down from
heaven... With a mighty voice he shouted:
"Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the
Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every unclean and detestable
bird...
The kings of the earth committed adultery
with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries...
Vss. 9,10 -- When the kings of the earth who committed
adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and
mourn over her. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:
"Woe! Woe, O great city.
O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!"
Vss. 11-19 -- The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn
over her because no one buys their cargoes any more -- cargoes of gold, silver, precious
stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood,
and articles of every kind of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; Cargoes of
cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine
flour and wheat, cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men.
Vss. 17-19 -- Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship,
the sailors and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. When
they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, "Was there ever a city like
this great city?" They will throw dust on their heads, and with
weeping and mourning cry out:
"Woe! Woe, O great city, where
all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has
been brought to ruin!"
Isn't this crystal clear that what happened to ancient Tyre was God's study model
pointing forward to a much greater event at the end-time; an event that must be fast
approaching.
The king of Tyre being destroyed following his city's destruction, and the associated
description of Satan's destruction as the king of Tyre, would point forward to his
destruction following the destruction of his great capitol city, Babylon, at the end-time.
In case anyone should harbor any doubt as to this obvious connection, God places
him as the king of Babylon at the end-time.
Isa. 14:3 -- On the day the Lord gives you relief from suffering
and turmoil and cruel bondage, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:
This is God talking to the Israelite remnant who have been captured and brutalized by
the evil Conglomerate called Babylon, and their sadistic king called the king of Babylon
-- for the preceding 3-l/2 years. This taunt occurs after the Battle of
Armageddon at which time this entire Conglomerate, including their general -- the
Antichrist -- are totally destroyed and their captives in Jerusalem are freed.
Continuing:
Vss. 4-20 -- How the oppressor has come to an end! How
his fury has ended? The Lord has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the
rulers, which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued
nations with relentless aggression.
The grave below is all astir to meet you
at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you -- all those who were
kings over the nations.
They will respond, they will say to you,
"You also have become weak as we are; you have become like us."
All your pomp has been brought down to
the grave, along with the noise of your harps; Maggots are spread out beneath you and
worms cover you.
How you have fallen from heaven, O
morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once
laid low the nations!
You said in your
heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I
will sit enthroned on the Mount of Assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
I will ascend above the tops of the
clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
But you are brought down to the grave,
to the depths of the pit.
Those who see you stare at you, they
ponder your fate: "Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms
tremble, the man who made the world a desert, who overthrew its cities and would not let
his captives go home."
All the kings of
the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb. But you are cast out of your tomb
like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword,
those who descend to the stones of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot, you
will not join them in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people.
Now we can see that Satan's capitol city during his reign on this earth is called
Babylon the Great. Let us see if Scripture gives us helps to locate this capitol.
Peter, in writing his first epistle from Rome, sends this greeting to his brethren:
1 Peter 5:13 -- She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you
sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of
love.
It appears that the Apostolic Church understood that the city of Rome was associated
with the name of Babylon. We also know that Tyre was a prominent coastal city and
its counterpart at the end-time would be a coastal city, if it were represented by Tyre.
J.B. Phillips, in his excellent translation of the New Testament places a footnote
after the word "Babylon. *the great! (In reference to Rev. 18:2) The
footnote reads: •Referring to Rome, but prophetically to any great prosperous but
godless city.
Now we come to the specific description of this woman who rides this 7-headed,
10-horned beast.
Rev. 17:3-5 -- Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into
a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with
blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
The woman was dressed in purple and
scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones, and pearls.
(Remember the cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and fancy fabrics, etc. that
that great city Babylon had in such abundance?)
She had a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth
of her adulteries. This title was on her forehead:
"Mystery -- Babylon the Great -- the
Mother of prostitutes and the Abominations of the earth."
Vs. 9 -- This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads
are seven hills on which the woman sits... (Rome is a city that is built on
seven hills.)
Vs. 18 -- The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the
kings of the earth.
That great city that rules over the kings of the earth is
speaking of that great capitol of the Antichrist, and the kings of the earth are the ten
kings associated with this Conglomerate. These are associated by choice and the rest
of the nations of the earth by conquest, if such was necessary to secure their submission.
Now let us note the Second and Third Angel's Messages.
Rev. 4:8 -- A second angel followed and said, "Fallen!
Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her
adulteries."
Vss. 9-11 -- A third angel followed them and said in a loud
voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the
forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been
poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.
He will be tormented with burning sulfur
in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.
And the smoke of
their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who
worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.
We know this Second Angel's Message follows after the first message has been given.
The first message ended when the 144,000 witnesses were martyred, and after 3-l/2
days were brought to life and taken up to heaven. "At that very hour
there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed." (Rev.11:13)
Notice the remarkable statement that followed: "Seven thousand people were
killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of
heaven."
This city, where a tenth of the city was flattened, could only be that great city
that was the capitol of the earth -- Babylon. These people in Babylon had
just lived through 3-l/2 years of unprecedented growth and abundance. There were no
reverses as we are told that this god-king will be successful in everything he does.
In the face of all this faith in their god-king and its successes, there comes a great
earthquake and the only damage reported is to this great city where 7000 people are killed
and a tenth of the city is collapsed. Even more remarkable is that the survivors of
the earthquake were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. It appears that
they suddenly realize that they have been deceived, and that the 144,000 had been telling
them the truth all this time.
Then, to make matters worse, the Seventh Trumpet sounded immediately following this
event -- ushering in the Seven Last Plagues. These plagues are
reserved for the wicked. Those who have stood steadfast for Christ will only see the
results of these plagues. It is at this time that this Second Angel's Message is
given.
The angel giving the message that "Babylon is fallen!" at the beginning of
Rev. 18 is the same one in Rev.14:8. The one in chapter 18 is enlarged on to include
the associated events at the time of this message. Babylon the Great City is in the
process of being taken apart. We are also told who is taking her apart.
Rev. 17:16,17 -- The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate
the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her
flesh and burn her with fire.
For God has put it into their hearts to
accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's
words are fulfilled.
The reign of the Antichrist ends with the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet as previously
noted. This occurs on day 1260 of this 1335 days described as the "Day of The
Lord."
Dan. 12:6 -- "How long will it be before these
astonishing things are fulfilled?" (Speaking of the events just being
described that occur during the Great Tribulation.)
Vs. 7 -- It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the
power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be
completed.
The holy people -- the 144,000 -- their power has been finally broken
when they are martyred during the last week of the 3-l/2 year reign of Satan personified
as a man. It coincides with the ending of the 1260 days of witnessing by the
144,000.
Rev. 10:7 -- But in the days when the seventh angel is about to
sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his
servants the prophets.
Thirty days later (Day 1290) the lamb-like beast (Satan personified) sets up an image
which he requires all the earth to worship or be killed.
Dan. 11:11 -- From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished
(Day-0) and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1290
days.
We know it will be set to take effect on day 1290, but for more specifics on this death
decree note the following by this lamb-like beast.
Rev. 13:14,15 -- Because of the signs he was given power to do on
behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth.
He ordered them to set up an image in
honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to
give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who
refused to worship the image to be killed.
This is the test that God is going to allow the Antichrist to bring about to test the
loyalty of all who have chosen Him instead of the Antichrist. This will be their
opportunity to demonstrate to the inhabitants of the earth the strength of their
convictions.
This Third Angel's message is given prior to this 1290th day in order to remind God's
faithful followers and everyone else the consequences of making the wrong choice.
Rev. 14:9-11 -- A third angel followed them and said in a loud
voice; "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the
forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury which has been
poured full strength into the cup of his wrath."
I believe that God is speaking of this universal test when he tells the 144,000:
Rev. 3:10 -- Since you have kept my command to endure patiently,
I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is to come upon the whole world to test
those who live on the earth.
We know that 30 days prior to this test the 144,000 have been called up to heaven in a
cloud. We have no record in Scripture of any other large group being redeemed from
the earth during this time frame. This is fulfillment of that promise to keep them
from the hour of trial for all the world.
Rev. 14:1 -- Then I looked and there before me was the Lamb,
standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name
written on their foreheads.
Vs. 3 -- And they sang a new song before the throne and before
the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the
144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
To those of us who may be called to pass through this test, it is important for us to
realize that perfect trust in God is our only defense and it is more than adequate to meet
our needs.
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