to the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, knowing that in this we have a shield which can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, a safe refuge from all danger. Let us search the word of God so diligently that we may know what it teaches, and be able to distinguish between the eternal words of God and the fables of men, between the laws of God and the laws of men. It often brings trouble and difficulty to obey God in this world, but it brings an eternal weight of glory in the world to come. It will be an easy matter to receive the mark of the beast, for to do this we need only to follow the multitude in the broad road to destruction. But there will be much earnest thought and prayer before we are sealed with the seal of the living God. And when the warfare is ended and the victory won, it will be blessed to have the Father's name in the forehead, and to sing the new song before the throne of God. 40 Seek the Lord now while he may be found; call upon him while he is near, for our God will abundantly pardon every soul who turns to him. 10 Study the word of God diligently; speak often with your Saviour in secret; follow his example as far as he gives you grace. Then you can meet him with joy when he comes in the clouds of heaven. to take you to the glorious mansions where he has prepared an eternal home for you. 40 Isa. 55:6, 7. CHAPTER V. THE LAST MESSAGE OF MERCY. HE last message of mercy contained in the three angels' THE messages is found in Rev. 14:6-13. They are proclaimed just before the second coming of Christ on the great white cloud to reap the harvest of the earth. The three angels may have reference to heavenly angels appointed by the Lord to superintend this work. They will arrange matters so that this message will be proclaimed by men on earth just as the gospel from the beginning has been proclaimed by men under the supervision of angels. The First Angel's Message. 2 The first angel had "the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." This angel proclaims 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."3 Fear not men, but fear God. Do not give glory to yourself or to other men, but give all the glory to God. Men have been praised and admired altogether too much. This will not do if we are to be saved. We are living in a solemn time. The hour of God's judgment is come. Do not worship idols, neither money nor human science, but worship the great Creator, who by his almighty power and word has made all things. His divine word alone can 1 Rev. 14: 14, 15. 31 2 Verse 6. 3 Verse 7. [481] renew your heart. Then let the incorruptible seed of the word of God be implanted in your soul, that you may prepare for the coming of our dear Saviour. The first message was proclaimed during the years. 1840 to 1844, not only in America, but also in Europe, by many preachers of different denominations. Since that time it has been preached in connection with the second and third messages, and the three together have become as a three-fold cord which cannot easily be broken. The last message is the last part of the everlasting gospel, and it must be preached to all the inhabitants of the earth. All nations and people must hear it. It is not a different gospel from the one preached by Paul. It is still the joyful news of salvation through faith in our crucified and risen Redeemer. And he who does not preach justification by faith in Christ and a continual life of faith in him does not preach the last message at all, however much he may say of the beast and his image. Neither is the death and resurrection of Christ to be mentioned only occasionally. The life and death of Christ are to be the main subjects of every discourse in the preaching of the last message, whether this preaching is done in public or in the family by the fireside. Christ is our hope and glory. There is no other name under heaven whereby we can be saved. Let us lift him up, the risen Redeemer. Let him indeed be the bright and shining morning star to our waiting hearts. Let the message prepare our souls for the coming and kingdom of our blessed Lord. Then we may give glory to God through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The additional element in this message is that the hour of God's judgment is come, and this great fact is made clear by pointing to the fulfillment of the prophetic word. To fear God and give glory to him because the hour of his judgment is come is the principal subject of the last message of mercy when it is proclaimed under the supervision of the second and third angels, as well as under the first. All the difference is that in the second angel's message the proclamation of the fall of Babylon is added; and in the third angel's message is an additional, most solemn warning, pointing to the terrible judgment of God that will come upon those who worship the beast and his image instead of worshiping him who made heaven and earth, and giving glory to him. 4 The third message also brings to view the people who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." The existence of this people is the result of the everlasting gospel which is preached, and will be preached, in the remotest parts of the earth. The gospel of Christ can never be preached so as to bring salvation unless people understand the holy will of God, and are convinced of sin. Only those who truly see their sins will truly seek salvation in Christ. Consequently the preaching of the law belongs to the preaching of the everlasting gospel. No one can fear God without keeping his commandments. No one can give God glory, and at the same time set aside his holy will. As we have already seen, the Sabbath of the Lord is the sign and memorial of his creative works and power, and it is a sign between God and those whom he sanctifies, that they know him and acknowledge him as the only true God. And just as the Sabbath comes from, and belongs to, the almighty Creator who "made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day," so likewise the everlasting gospel, which is to be preached in the judgment hour, comes from Him who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. From 6 Rev. 14: 7. this it follows necessarily that those who receive the message"keep the commandments of God and the faith. of Jesus." All this shows plainly that the three messages united together make one message, and that this is the last message of mercy which is proclaimed before the glorious revelation of Jesus Christ. Preaching of the First Message before 1845. The first message should be a proclamation of the everlasting gospel, with the additional announcement, "Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come."" The everlasting gospel is the same gospel that Paul preached, because there is only one true gospel. But Paul did not say that the hour of God's judgment was come, and if he had said that, it would not have been true. Paul pointed to the judgment as a future event. When he stood before Felix, he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come." But now the investigative judgment being in session, it is right and proper to preach that the hour of God's judgment is come. If we have studied the prophecies of Daniel and John, we know that we are living in the last days, and that it is time to preach the last message of mercy. The prophecies of the 2300 days 10 and of Daniel 7 show that we are living in the time when the judgment is set. The Ancient of Days is seated on his throne, and many thousands of holy angels are standing before him; the judgment is set, and the books are opened." After that, the antichristian power is destroyed, and Christ is revealed in glory.12 It is interesting to notice how far the first message was proclaimed during the ten years previous to 1845. An English author, Mourant Brock, thus remarks: — 7 Rev. 147. 10 Dan. 8: 14. 8 Gal. I: 8, 9. 9 Acts 24: 25. 12 Dan. 7: 11–13. |