The Third Angel's Message by GEORGE I. BUTLER

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 8, 1909

The Third Angel's Message

By GEORGE I. BUTLER

GEORGE I. BUTLER

“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying 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. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 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 forever 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. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14: 6-12.

In close connection with these events follow the coming of Christ and the end of this dispensation.

I have quoted the scripture containing the series of the three angels' messages, in order that the reader may see their close connection with each other, and especially that they all together form one connected platform of truth upon which God's people must stand as a necessary preparation for the coming of Christ.

The second coming of Christ will be the grandest event that has ever occurred since the creation of this globe. Yea, it will be an event in which all the universe of worlds will be interested; for then God will put down all rebellion, and destroy sin and sinners, and Satan and his rebel angels, and will establish the reign of truth and righteousness forevermore. These three angels' messages united form one grand warning proclamation to the world. It is composed of three great divisions; namely, (1) a grand announcement to the world of the soon-coming Messiah and the beginning of the great assize of the preliminary judgment period for mankind; (2) the statement of the rejection of this light, and the consequent spiritual darkness and apostasy which comes in and becomes more and more apparent as the years go by, till God's people are finally called out of Babylon, and her sad end comes; (3) the last and most solemn and awful message ever given to poor fallen humanity,—a warning against the rejection of light, showing the necessity of an entire separation from all the apostates of the past and present and of a coming back to all the holy truths of God's Word, summed up in the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ. These truths contained in the third angel's message, if accepted and practised, will result in a full and complete reformation from the errors and false doctrines taught by the papacy in past and present ages. The grand Protestant movement was a reformation in part; but before Christ comes, there must be complete reformation,—a radical turning away from all that system of mixed truth and error fully comprehended in the great apostasy. Who will have the assurance to say that these three great divisions do not contain matters of sufficient importance to constitute a platform of truth sufficient for God's people to stand upon, and thence to proclaim to the whole world a warning of their great danger, and rescue all who will obey? The believers in these messages

feel confident that they are authorized to do this very work.

The book of Revelation is peculiar in that it presents important facts of prophetic history in the form of series: we have in it the series of seven churches; of seven seals; of seven trumpets; and the three angels' messages, the latter embracing three leading features in preparing the minds of the people for the coming of Christ. Previous to the deluge and the destruction of the wicked antediluvians, Noah, a preacher of righteousness, warned the world for one hundred twenty years. A work of preparation for the leading of God's captive people, a race of slaves, out of Egypt, was given to Moses and Aaron. Jeremiah and Ezekiel specially warned the Jews of their going into captivity. Even wicked idolaters were warned by Jonah of their impending danger. Previous to Christ's coming the first time, John the Baptist was specially raised up to perform the work of preparing the people for the Messiah's advent. Shall we suppose the last generation of men will be an exception to God's uniform course of action through all the ages of the past, and that no message of merciful warning will be given? that Christ's coming in the greatest possible glory will instantaneously burst upon the world like a grand electric illumination at midnight? Such a terrible thought is a reflection upon the character of God. All then might truly say, “We had no warning, Lord, of thy coming. Had we been warned, we would have prepared for it.” Ah! God is not a being of such a character as that would imply. These messages furnish just such a specific, complete, and illuminating warning as the times demand, and such as a merciful God would give to every intelligent creature. The thoroughness of its proclamation will surpass that of all previous warnings in the same proportions as the greatness of its issues surpass all other events ever seen in this world. It will go to every nation, tongue, and people. And “the earth will be lightened with its glory.” None of those living when Christ comes can truly say they had no knowledge of it. They may reject and despise, scoff and deride it as the antediluvians did Noah's preaching, but God will see that it shall be proclaimed to the ends of the earth with a “loud voice.”

As conclusive evidence that these messages form a series, we quote one expression: “And the third angel followed them,” that is, the two preceding ones. It is impossible to have a “third” without having two preceding ones. The context clearly shows that no other follows which could be called a fourth; for Christ's personal appearing is the next event. There are just three, and no more, of these warning messages of Christ's second coming.

One more interesting fact will close this article. In all the history of the past, previous to the present movement, nothing has ever occurred that could be called a fulfilment of Rev. 14: 6-12. No history records such an event. And had there been such a movement, events have proved it could not have been true. It is remarkable how the leading, prominent commentators have passed by these most important passages. They have not attempted their explanation. Take the third message as an example. Here is the most solemn message found in all the Bible, yet the great lights of Protestantism have not attempted an explanation of it. It is impossible for them to do it without stultifying themselves. The great Protestant bodies are not pretending to fulfil it; and they seem to know it. But behold the change. When the great signs are fulfilled which Christ and the prophets foretold would occur previous to his coming, lo and behold, all over the world the first message is proclaimed. The leading men of that movement announced to the world that they were fulfilling the time message, “the hour [period] of his judgment is come.” It was a mighty movement, and was heard all over the world. But these teachers did not proclaim the truths of the third angel's message. The time had not yet come to proclaim that; but after the great disappointment which occurred at the passing of the time, a people did arise proclaiming the fulfilment of the third angel's message of the series. It is now being proclaimed to the ends of the earth. In succeeding articles many points of interest in its fulfilment will be brought out.

Bowling Green, Fla.