The Third Angel's Message

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. · Apr 10, 1916

The Third Angel's Message

A Warning Against False Worship

1. What indicates that the messages of the judgment hour and the fall of Babylon are two parts of a threefold message?

“The third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice.” Rev. 14: 9, first clause.

2. What apostasy from the worship of God is named in this message?

“If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand.” Same verse, last part.

3. What is to be the fate of those who, instead of worshiping God, engage in this false worship?

“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 they 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.” Verses 10, 11. See Isa. 33: 13-17; 34: 1-10; 1 Cor. 3: 13; Heb. 12: 29.

4. How are those described who heed his warning?

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14: 12.

The Beast

5. What description is given of the beast against whose worship this closing warning message is given?

“I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” Rev. 13: 1, 2.

NOTE.—In this composite beast from the sea are combined the symbols of the seventh chapter of Daniel, representing Greece, Medo-Persia, and Babylon. The blasphemous words spoken by it, its persecution of the saints, and the time allotted to it (verses 5-7) show that this beast, under one of its seven-headed manifestations, is identical with the little horn of the vision of the seventh chapter of Daniel, modern Babylon, the Papacy. The system of religion enforced by the Papacy is the paganism of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, indicated by the composite character of the beast (verse 2), disguised under the forms and names of Christianity. The Pontifex Maximus of the ancient pagan religions was continued in the Pope, who is the head of the Roman priesthood, and who, in the exercise of his priestly functions, took away the mediation of Christ, and substituted a system of human mediation in its place, thus fulfilling the prophecy recorded in the eighth chapter of Daniel.

6. What challenge is made by those who worship the beast?

“They worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?’” Verse 4.

7. Whose sovereignty is thus challenged?

“Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.” Jer. 10: 6. See also Ps. 71: 19; 86: 8; 89: 6-8.

8. What specifications of “the man of sin” are thus fully met?

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thess. 2: 3, 4.

The Wine of God's Wrath

9. What did Babylon give the nations to drink?

“She made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Rev. 14: 8, last part.

10. What are those to drink who accept the teachings of Babylon, and thus render homage to the beast?

“The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.” Verse 10, first part.

NOTE.—The cup of the Lord, which contains the new covenant in the blood of Christ, and the cup of the wine of the wrath of Babylon, are both offered to the world. To drink of the former, that is, to accept the teaching of the true gospel, is to receive everlasting life; but to drink of the wine of Babylon, that is, to accept the false gospel taught by the Papacy, will result in drinking of the wine of the wrath of God from the cup of his indignation. The true gospel means everlasting life; the false gospel means everlasting death.

The Image of the Beast

11. Under what threatened penalty is the worship of the image of the beast enforced?

*“He had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast

should both speak, and cause [decree] that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”* Rev. 13: 15.

NOTE.—For an explanation of the image of the beast, see REVIEW Extra No. 17, entitled “The United States in Prophecy.”

12. What universal boycott is to be employed in an attempt to compel all to receive

“He causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Verses 16, 17.

NOTE.—This is a logical result of all efforts to enforce religion by law.