R. F. COTTERELL by R. F. COTTERELL

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 21, 1869

R. F. COTTERELL

By R. F. COTTERELL

THE CLOSING MESSAGES.—NO. 19.

The closing scene of earth's drama, as noted and described in the prophetic programme, will be awfully grand and terrible. God will deliver his loyal people from the iron furnace of oppression with a high hand, and an out-stretched arm, and fury poured forth upon their enemies, in the seven last plagues. Rev. xvi. And as Israel, under Moses, celebrated in song their deliverance from the Egyptians on the bank of the Red Sea, so these, with harps of God, will sing the song of Moses, and of the Lamb, on the sea of glass; because they have “gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name.” Rev. xv, 2-4. God's “judgments are made manifest” against those who had decreed their death, because they would not worship the beast, and receive his mark, (chap. xiii, 15-17,) and they are delivered, and safely stand upon the sea of glass which is “before the throne” of God, where they celebrate their triumph, ascribing the praise to God and the Lamb. What prepared them for this final deliverance? Heeding the third angel's message, which warned them before the final conflict came, not to worship the beast or receive his mark.

This deliverance of the saints of God from the last persecution, at the second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the grand sequel to the great consecutive line of prophecies of earthly governments, recorded by Daniel and John. And the third angel's message furnishes the only particular practical instruction how to be prepared for the final crisis, to escape the coming wrath, and share in the deliverance. Saints of former times could be comforted in persecution by these prophecies, which assured them of an end of these woes and a final deliverance of all God's people; but to the last generation, all the rays of this prophetic light are converged to a practical focus in the third angel's message. Without this message the theory can be learned that the advent of Christ and the kingdom of God is at hand, but without the truths inculcated in it no soul can be prepared for the event. This message points out duty and shows us what to do to escape the wrath of God and be saved alive at the advent. Had it not been necessary, it would not have been prepared in prophecy. The apostasy, iniquity, errors, and deceptive teachings of the last days, it was foreseen, would make it absolutely necessary in order to prepare people for translation. Without the light and warning voice of this message, the Reformation from papal errors would be incomplete, and honest Christians would be found unwittingly following the traditions of the beast and yielding to the dictates of his image, instead of standing complete in the will of God, and “without fault before the throne.”

God has seen fit, in his wisdom, to prepare a test for the people whom he designs to honor with translation without death into the presence of Jesus and all the holy angels. But two individuals in the past have received this distinguishing honor; one of whom was remarkable as one who “walked with God,” the other was distinguished for his zeal in the defense and restoration of the commandments of God, when Israel had almost wholly apostatized from God, and were worshiping Baal. 1 Kings xviii, 18. Those who “are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord,” must bear the distinguishing characteristics of those ancient servants of God. For this purpose, and to vindicate his holy law and the righteousness of those judgments he is about to execute upon the world of the ungodly, he has prepared a testing message which, in its result, will exhibit before men, such a people as the world has not seen since the dark ages of papal apostasy and usurpation. Those who bear the test, purifying themselves, and honoring God by keeping his commandments and the faith of Jesus, he will honor with translation, while those who reject the increasing light, and voluntarily prefer the worship of the beast—the Baal of the present dispensation—will richly deserve the unprecedented wrath which will be revealed from Heaven against the incorrigible, in the great day of the wrath of God and the despised, rejected, and insulted Lamb.

And this will be right. The great white throne will remain unspotted; and the messengers of God who bear the avenging vials to earth will be “clothed in pure and white linen,” an emblem of the justice of those judgments they are commissioned to execute. God has given us the Bible in our own language; we may know our duty, if we will. And in his prophetic word he has prepared a merciful warning message to be heralded to the last generation of earth to save them from impending doom. What more can he do? Shall its fulfillment transpire unheeded?