third angel

Pen of Inspiration – Preach the Third Angel’s Message

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Avoid Trivial Topics

(A morning talk given at Grimsby, England, September 21, 1886.)

However much we know of the Scriptures it is important that we know still more. “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). One man may think he understands the Scriptures and go out to present the truth, and yet he may be lacking on some points. We may get the heart and mind fixed upon something that has no special bearing upon the true point.

A brother came to me and asked me what I thought about the salvation of infants, whether they would be saved. I said, “That does not concern you or me.” There are points on which we must be careful not to mar present truth. All those who are to engage in the work of God must bind about their minds. There are those whose imagination is large, and they will be ever reaching out for something original. They will even fasten upon some word in a sermon and think upon that until the whole truth is covered with mist.

Now, we want to know what is essential for our work here. What is essential for our work now? If any of you should be asked to give your opinion on some point and you should not know just how to answer it, do not be ashamed to say you do not know, but you do know what we must do to be saved. When one came to Christ and asked what he must do to be saved, Jesus told him he must love God with all his heart, and with all his might, and with all his mind, and with all his soul, and his neighbor as himself (Matthew 22:37, 39).  And these are the points we must keep before us—to love God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves. There is a great work before us.

Now, there may be those who will inquire what will be the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, and we may know what this is. We read that there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and trouble in the nations. All these tell us that the end is near. The coming of the Lord is at the door. Well, we understand what being at the door means. When one stands at the door, all that remains for one to do is to enter.

Now, in regard to the coming of the Son of man, this will not take place until after the mighty earthquake shakes the earth. After the people have heard the voice of God they are in despair and trouble such as never was since there was a nation, and in this the people of God will suffer affliction. The clouds of heaven will clash, and there will be darkness. Then that voice comes from heaven, and the clouds begin to roll back like a scroll, and there is the bright, clear sign of the Son of man. The children of God know what that cloud means.

The sound of music is heard, and as the cloud nears, the graves are opened and the dead are raised, and there are thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand of angels that compose that glory and encircle the Son of man. Those who have acted the most prominent part in the rejection and crucifixion of Christ come forth to see Him as He is, and those who have rejected Christ come up and see the saints glorified, and it is at that time that the saints are changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and are caught up to meet their Lord in the air.

The very ones who placed the purple robe upon Him, and put the crown of thorns upon His brow, and those who put the nails through His hands and feet, look upon Him and bewail. And this is the very sign of the coming of the Son of man.

Now, I want to tell you, brethren, you must be careful not to fasten upon vagaries. We had a good brother whose mind was destroyed because of this. He would read page after page that would turn his mind off from the right point. The third angel’s message is the all-important point. Do not let your mind turn to vagaries, but keep your eyes fixed upon the truth. What we want is to give a certain sound. The angel is giving a definite message, “Sound the warning.” And what does this mean? Why, it is the angel giving this message to men, and they are to take up this message and proclaim it to warn others.

You want to open your minds, to gird up the loins of your mind, and hope to the end. You do not want to get many things upon the mind to take it away from the truth the angel is proclaiming. When the latter rain comes upon the people of God, you must have a preparation to press right on, because those whose vessels are clean, whose hands are free just when that latter rain comes, get the light that comes from on high, and their voices are lifted, every one, to proclaim the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Now, there are many signs that will take place before the coming of the Son of man, but when the white cloud is seen, this will be the sign of the coming of the Son of man. There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and the nations in perplexity. These all testify that Christ is coming, and He is revealed in the clouds with power and great glory.

The sign seen in the setting sun and rising sun has nothing to do with the sign of the coming of the Son of man.

Now brethren, you want to get hold of the pillars of your faith. Here is Christ in the great antitypical Day of Atonement, and you must understand that you need a special preparation for the Day of Atonement. We want our sins taken away; we want to confess them that they may go beforehand to judgment. Do not go away in discouragement, but believe that Christ is able to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. We must cease to sin, because sin is the transgression of the law. Put away sin, and then cling to the Mighty One who is able to wash away every stain of sin. Now, this is a work of humility at this time, and we must confess our sins and get nearer to God so He can write “Pardon” against our names.

And be sure, when you go out to teach others, not to get your minds upon little things, but keep your mind upon the great work of God, for Satan will surely turn you off if possible. Do not try to be original and get up something you have not heard your brethren speak of, for many have been shipwrecked in this way. Keep the mind upon the third angel’s message. When you keep this before the minds of the people, they will see wisdom in it. But when you get a great many little trifling things before them, they become confused just like the Jews.

What we want to do is to get the truth before the people.

Sermons and Talks, vol. 1, 48–51.

The Third Angel is the Key

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There are actually two parts to the third angel’s message, but it is usually the first part that is talked about.

Revelation 14:9–11 KJV states: “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 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.”

Many are familiar with this part of the third angel’s message which includes the mark of the beast and his image. These verses give the warning but give no instruction on how to escape the image to the beast. However, verse 12 gives us the answer. It says, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Even though all have sinned, this special group of people will keep the commandments of God. These people have gone to Jesus in the Most Holy Place and confessed their sins. Jesus is now giving them strength to obey the commandments. This verse is the hope and solution of the third angel’s message given in verses 9 to 11 and the “faith of Jesus.”

The whole plan of salvation is to take the fallen race and remove the sin so that we can return to the kingdom of glory. We see that process taking place in verse 12. The third angel’s message is the last call to the world to come out of sin through the blood of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary by confessing sin. The following statement gives us an understanding of this.

“As the ministration of Jesus closed in the holy place, and He passed into the holiest, and stood before the ark containing the law of God, He sent another mighty angel with a third message to the world. A parchment was placed in the angel’s hand, and as he descended to the earth in power and majesty, he proclaimed a fearful warning, with the most terrible threatening ever borne to man. This message was designed to put the children of God upon their guard, by showing them the hour of temptation and anguish that was before them. Said the angel, ‘They will be brought into close combat with the beast and his image. Their only hope of eternal life is to remain steadfast. Although their lives are at stake, they must hold fast the truth.’ The third angel closes his message thus: ‘Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus’ (Revelation 14:12). As he repeated these words, he pointed to the heavenly sanctuary. The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place, where Jesus stands before the ark, making His final intercession for all those for whom mercy still lingers and for those who have ignorantly broken the law of God. This atonement is made for the righteous dead as well as for the righteous living. It includes all who died trusting in Christ, but who, not having received the light upon God’s commandments, had sinned ignorantly in transgressing its precepts.” Early Writings, 254.

The origin or setting of the third angel’s message is directly tied to October 22, 1844. As Jesus entered the Most Holy Place He sent another mighty angel to all the world with a message on a parchment which was placed in his hands.  At that time, God’s people could not teach the message because they did not yet know who the beast was, who the false prophet was, or where the sanctuary was.  Ellen White covers all of these things in the book, The Great Controversy, in the chapter called “God’s Law Immutable” beginning on page 433.

“The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place, where Jesus stands before the ark, making His final intercession for all those for whom mercy still lingers and for those who have ignorantly broken the law of God.” Early Writings, 254. This also indicates that this is the last message to the world, His final intercession. The third angel’s message is a very important message and it has been going to the world since 1844 and is soon to close.

Another statement we read: “This message was designed to put the children of God upon their guard, by showing them the hour of temptation and anguish that was before them. Said the angel, ‘They will be brought into close combat with the beast and his image.’ ” Ibid.

The beast is the papacy which came into power in A.D. 538 when the pope was set up as head of the church. The church then proceeded to say that it would intercede with God in heaven for you and to confess your sins to them. The papacy still does that. It also changed the law of God by introducing Sunday as the day of worship, obedience to the enforcement of which will result in receiving the mark of the beast. This mark will be inflicted on all who accept the spurious Sabbath. But we read in the third angel’s message that there will be a group of people who will resist that demand of an enforced Sunday law and keep the seventh day holy as God commanded. The combat will get very close. Some will be put into prison; some will be fined; some will be bribed. This will be a time when the faith of God’s people will be tested to the limit. Unless they maintain “the faith of Jesus,” they will undoubtedly fail the test.

We read that “Their only hope of eternal life is to remain steadfast. Although their lives are at stake, they must hold fast the truth.” Ibid. Then it says, “The third angel closes his message thus: ‘Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus’ (Revelation 14:12). As he repeated these words, he pointed to the heavenly sanctuary.” Ibid. That tells us that the heavenly sanctuary and Christ’s ministry there has to be a very prominent part of our message in the last days because people are directed there to get rid of their sins so that they can keep the commandments and have the faith of Jesus.

The key point of the third angel’s message is the sanctuary in heaven where you can get forgiveness, freedom from sin, and gain salvation. The rest of the message is just a warning. We must understand the atonement process through the sanctuary in heaven in order to give the third angel’s message. Today, a false gospel is being preached that there is no need of concern about the sin problem for Jesus took care of it all at the cross. The true gospel walks the sinner through the heavenly sanctuary where the sinner repents of his sin and his heart is cleansed by the blood of Christ. One gospel leads to eternal salvation and the other to destruction.

Hebrews 8:1, 2 states, “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.”

Jesus went to the Holy Place in the heavenly sanctuary at His ascension. Paul tells us that the throne of God was there. He then moved from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place in 1844 and that is where the third angel’s message is directing our attention to where Jesus is finishing His final ministry for us.

In The Great Controversy, 413, we are told: “Turning again to the book of Hebrews, the seekers for truth found that the existence of a second, or new-covenant sanctuary, was implied in the words of Paul already quoted: ‘Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary’ (Hebrews 9:1). And the use of the word “also” intimates that Paul has before made mention of this sanctuary. Turning back to the beginning of the previous chapter, they read: ‘Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man’ (Hebrews 8:1, 2).

“Here is revealed the sanctuary of the new covenant.” [Emphasis author’s.]

The new covenant was made by the Father and the Son, which was the plan whereby sin could be removed from the person and he could return to the kingdom of glory. That covenant is carried out in the sanctuary in heaven. If we deny the sanctuary in heaven, then we take away our hope for salvation. When Jesus ascended to the Holy Place in heaven, the Jews refused to go there. They opened the temple on earth and started sacrificing again. That was a clear indication of their rejection of the new covenant.

Today, in the Second Advent, we are facing a similar situation. Those who reject the third angel’s message that points directly to the Most Holy Place are doing the same thing the Jews did in cutting off their salvation. We want to be part of the saints mentioned in Revelation 14:12 who accept the heavenly sanctuary and Christ’s ministry there and teach others about it. There is a dividing line, the sanctuary message, between those saved and those not saved.

Remember, “The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place where Jesus stands before the ark, making His final intercession for all those for whom mercy still lingers and for those who have ignorantly broken the law of God. This atonement is made for the righteous dead as well as for the righteous living.” Early Writings, 254.

So, it is the third angel’s message that provides salvation and righteousness for the saints. If you know about Revelation 14:12, you can go to the sanctuary and be saved even if you do not understand the warning. But if you just understand the warning and fail to deal with the sin problem you could lose your eternal salvation.

“After Jesus opened the door of the most holy, the light of the Sabbath was seen, and the people of God were tested, as the children of Israel were tested anciently, to see if they would keep God’s law. I saw the third angel pointing upward, showing the disappointed ones the way to the holiest of the heavenly sanctuary.” Early Writings, 254, 255.

This is the second time that the third angel is directing them to the heavenly sanctuary, emphasizing the importance of it. What did they find?

“As they by faith enter the most holy, they find Jesus, and hope and joy spring up anew. I saw them looking back, reviewing the past, from the proclamation of the second advent of Jesus, down through their experience to the passing of the time in 1844. They see their disappointment explained, and joy and certainty again animate them. The third angel has lighted up the past, the present, and the future, and they know that God has indeed led them by His mysterious providence.” Ibid., 255.

Looking into the sanctuary they found Jesus ministering in the Most Holy Place and then understood their disappointment. During the Dark Ages, the pope had instructed the people to confess their sins to the priests. The message the disciples had that we are to confess our sins to Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary was lost.

We are told: “Now in the holy of holies they again beheld Him, their compassionate High Priest, soon to appear as their king and deliverer. Light from the sanctuary illumined the past, the present, and the future. They knew that God had led them by His unerring providence.” The Great Controversy, 423.

If the third angel’s message does not include the heavenly sanctuary and Christ’s ministry there, it is a false message because that is the foundation of the third angel’s message. Without that in the message, there is no hope. The third angel’s message is sending us “light from the sanctuary.”

“The subject of the sanctuary was the key which unlocked the mystery of the disappointment of 1844.” Ibid.

“The central theme of the Bible, the theme about which every other in the whole book clusters, is the redemption plan, the restoration in the human soul of the image of God. …

“He who grasps this thought has before him an infinite field for study. He has the key that will unlock to him the whole treasure house of God’s word.” Education, 125, 126.

Maurice Hoppe is a member of Steps to Life board.

Bible Study Guides – Justification by Faith – The Third Angel’s Message in Verity

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December 23, 2018 – December 29, 2018

Key Text

“In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God” (Revelation 14:5).

Study Help: The Faith I Live By, 209–215.

Introduction

“Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel’s message, and I have answered, ‘It is the third angel’s message in verity.’ ” The Review and Herald, April 1, 1890.

Sunday

BASIC TRUTHS RESTORED

  • What is the hope of the gospel, and how does this relate to the threefold message of Revelation 14:6–12? Colossians 1:23, 26–28.

Note: “Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 69.

  • What important doctrine was restored following the Second Advent Movement? Isaiah 56:1, 2; 58:12.

Note: “The Lord has sent us messages for this time to establish Christianity upon an eternal basis, and all who believe present truth must stand, not in their own wisdom, but in God; and raise up the foundation of many generations. These will be registered in the books of heaven as repairers of the breach, the restorers of paths to dwell in. We are to maintain the truth because it is truth, in the face of the bitterest opposition. God is at work upon human minds; it is not man alone that is working. The great illuminating power is from Christ; the brightness of His example is to be kept before the people in every discourse.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1152.

Monday

UNITY OF FAITH

  • What gifts enable the sincere Advent believers to discern the special truths for these times? 1 Corinthians 12:28.

Note: “God is leading a people out from the world upon the exalted platform of eternal truth, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. He will discipline and fit up His people. They will not be at variance, one believing one thing and another having faith and views entirely opposite, each moving independently of the body. Through the diversity of the gifts and governments that He has placed in the church, they will all come to the unity of the faith. If one man takes his views of Bible truth without regard to the opinion of his brethren, and justifies his course, alleging that he has a right to his own peculiar views, and then presses them upon others, how can he be fulfilling the prayer of Christ?” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 29, 30.

  • How does church unity affect our witness for the truth? John 13:35.

Note: “It is the unity in the church that enables it to exert a conscious influence upon unbelievers and worldlings.” That I May Know Him, 153.

“Our unity and love for one another are the credentials by which we testify to the world that God has sent His Son to save sinners.” This Day With God, 120.

  • What would have been possible if the believers had in full faith accepted the gift of the righteousness of Christ? Ephesians 4:13.

Note: “It is the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, which Jesus said He would send into the world, that changes our character into the image of Christ; and when this is accomplished, we reflect, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord. That is, the character of the one who thus beholds Christ is so like His, that one looking at Him sees Christ’s own character shining out as from a mirror. Imperceptibly to ourselves, we are changed day by day from our own ways and will into the ways and will of Christ, into the loveliness of His character. Thus we grow up into Christ, and unconsciously reflect His image.” The Review and Herald, April 28, 1891.

Tuesday

THE JUDGMENT

  • What great scene was shown to the prophet Daniel, and when did it begin? How is the ministry of Christ associated with it? Daniel 7:9, 10, 13, 14; 1 John 2:1; Daniel 8:14.

Note: “[Daniel 7:13, 14 quoted.] The coming of Christ here described is not His second coming to the earth. He comes to the Ancient of Days in heaven to receive dominion and glory and a kingdom, which will be given Him at the close of His work as a mediator. It is this coming, and not His second advent to the earth, that was foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844. Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy of holies and there appears in the presence of God to engage in the last acts of His ministration in behalf of man—to perform the work of investigative judgment and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits.” The Great Controversy, 480.

  • If we have accepted Christ’s imputed righteousness and lived by the power of His imparted righteousness, what verdict will be given in the judgment? Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matthew 12:36, 37; Revelation 22:11.

Note: “All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life. …

“Sins that have not been repented of and forsaken will not be pardoned and blotted out of the books of record, but will stand to witness against the sinner in the day of God. He may have committed his evil deeds in the light of day or in the darkness of night; but they were open and manifest before Him with whom we have to do. Angels of God witnessed each sin and registered it in the unerring records. Sin may be concealed, denied, covered up from father, mother, wife, children, and associates; no one but the guilty actors may cherish the least suspicion of the wrong; but it is laid bare before the intelligences of heaven. … Men may be deceived by those who are corrupt in heart, but God pierces all disguises and reads the inner life.” The Great Controversy, 483, 486.

Wednesday

THE BLOTTING OUT OF SIN

  • What is revealed of the condition and character of those who have been sanctified during this sealing time? Revelation 14:1–5.

Note: “The spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness is placed upon the tried, tempted, yet faithful children of God. The despised remnant are clothed in glorious apparel, nevermore to be defiled by the corruptions of the world. Their names are retained in the Lamb’s book of life, enrolled among the faithful of all ages. They have resisted the wiles of the deceiver; they have not been turned from their loyalty by the dragon’s roar. Now they are eternally secure from the tempter’s devices.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 475.

  • What wonderful transaction takes place in the heavenly sanctuary during the judgment of the righteous dead and then the righteous living? Acts 3:19.

Note: “I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of ‘refreshing’ and the ‘latter rain’ to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God.” Early Writings, 71.

  • In what spiritual condition must we be when Jesus comes? Hebrews 12:14; 2 Peter 3:14; 1 John 3:2.

Note: “ ‘Be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless’ (2 Peter 3:14). This is the standard for which every Christian must strive, not in his own natural ability, but through the grace given him of Jesus Christ. Let us wrestle for the mastery over every sin, and be able to check every impatient, fretful expression.” Our High Calling, 235.

“Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept His Father’s commandments, and there was no sin in Him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble.” The Great Controversy, 623.

Thursday

THE RIGHTEOUS OVERCOMERS

  • What solemn warning is given to guard God’s people from the deceptions of the last-day churches? What responsibility rests on those with this knowledge? Revelation 14:9–11; Ezekiel 33:2–4.

Note: “The third angel’s message is to be regarded as of the highest importance. It is a life and death question. The impression made by this message will be proportionate to the earnestness and solemnity with which it is proclaimed.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 980.

  • What is said of those who are overcomers and are thus prepared to meet Jesus at His second coming? Revelation 14:12.

Note: “God’s denominated people—those who on this earth have witnessed to their loyalty. Who are they? Those who have kept the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ; those who have owned the Crucified One as their Saviour.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 981.

“It is not enough to believe about Christ; we must believe in Him. The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour; which appropriates His merits to ourselves. Many hold faith as an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God. Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering power.” The Desire of Ages, 347. [Emphasis author’s.]

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     In what sense are we to be “repairers of the breach”?

2    Why is it so important to have unity in the church? How can we do this?

3    To have our sins blotted out, what condition must we be?

4    How can we reach the standard of character which God requires?

5    Why is it not enough to believe about Christ? What does this mean?

 

© 2017 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.