The Final Warning Message to Mankind by GEORGE I. BUTLER

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 29, 1908

The Final Warning Message to Mankind

By GEORGE I. BUTLER

GEORGE I. BUTLER

The certainty that there must be a warning message given before the coming of Christ and the close of probation, has been considered. It is a leading principle in God’s scheme of salvation that mankind should be warned of the consequences of sin, especially in every great crisis of human destiny.

Attention is now called to this last-day message, the most solemn and important ever given to mankind: “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.

This is the divine and closing message in the probation of the human family. The proof of this lies in the nature of the message itself, for in its first division it brings to view the beginning of the last great judgment period, the decision of the destiny of every member of the human family just before Christ’s second coming. This grand assize takes place in heaven itself, and closes just previously to Christ’s coming to the earth to execute the judgment, to save his people, and to slay the wicked who will not heed the warning message. The last division of this message presents the closing events of human probation, the infliction of God’s wrath in the destruction of all the wicked living in the last generation. These events could be fulfilled only in the terrors of the last day.

Further proof that this scripture is the last warning message to mankind lies in the immediate connection following: “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice, . . . Thrust in thy sickle and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” Rev. 14: 13-16.

There can be no doubt that this scripture brings to view the second coming of Christ. When he was about to leave the world, he said to his disciples, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14: 3.

What is the harvest of the earth? In the parable of the tares and the wheat (Matthew 13) our Saviour says: “The harvest is the end of the world.” The wheat and the tares were “to grow together until the harvest.” He says the wheat represents the righteous and the tares the children of the wicked one. Christ comes to take his children to heaven, to the mansions he has prepared for them, while he burns up the tares (the wicked) with unquenchable fire. There can be no doubt that Rev. 14: 14-16 gives a vivid description of this final scene, when probation has closed, and the righteous and the wicked are forever separated, each to receive his reward. This final scene, then, comes at the close of this threefold message of warning.

In the scriptures quoted in this article, the last warning message is portrayed in three great divisions, covering the special conditions existing in the very close of probationary time. Such a solemn message of warning must be given to the world to ripen the harvest of the earth, to prepare a people for the coming of Christ, and to leave the impenitent millions of the last days without excuse. They will have been warned, as were the antediluvians by Noah, and the unbelieving Jews by John the Baptist.

In neither of these cases would the masses receive the message; and they will not receive it now. But some did receive it, and were saved by it, so also it will be in the final message for the last days.

Has such a message been in progress in the world in our times? We answer, Most assuredly, yes. A message of world-wide extent has been given, and is still being proclaimed, that Christ is soon coming, and the end of the world is very near. This message began to be sounded nearly three fourths of a century ago, in various parts of the world, and has been growing in volume ever since. This is a historical fact, which can easily be proved. It was proclaimed in Great Britain by hundreds of able men. In the United States of America three hundred ministers proclaimed it in 1844 and previously to that date, also in many other countries. At the present time, Seventh-day Adventists, a hundred thousand strong, are proclaiming it in nearly all parts of the earth.

Another point that is worthy of careful notice is the fact that in the proclamation of this doctrine the great majority of those believing in the soon coming of Christ have always believed and taught that they were fulfilling this prophecy in the fourteenth chapter of Revelation. The servant of God, in prophetic vision looking down the stream of time, saw this threefold message. He announced it in the book containing what he saw. Eighteen centuries passed by. No such message had ever been given. No people arose claiming to give it. It remained there in John’s Revelation as a great mystery. By and by the signs of Christ’s coming, as recorded in Matthew 24 and corresponding scriptures, began to be fulfilled. Then tens of thousands of people arose in various parts of the world, and began to proclaim these messages. This fact is, in itself, a mighty evidence that we are in the last days.

This article is but a brief introduction, a mere summary, of the truths contained in these messages. Subsequent articles will give many more facts. That the time has come for fully proclaiming this great world-wide message is in itself a fact of the greatest possible importance to the inhabitants of this earth.

Bowling Green, Fla.