The Third Angel’s Message.
By Uriah Smith
This message is found in Rev. 14: 9–12. The numerical order is given in the prophecy itself: “And the third angel followed them.” Commencing with verse 6, two messages are brought to view before this; and as this is called the third, the two preceding must be the first and second. This is our authority for speaking so often as we do of the first angel’s message, the second angel’s message, and the third angel’s message, of Rev. 14. This message, like the first, is proclaimed with a loud voice. “Saying with a loud voice,” says the prophecy. The first message went to nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples. Being proclaimed with a voice equally loud, this third message must be equally extensive. The matter of the proclamation is then introduced in these words: “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand.” Here is a work clearly defined and distinctly specified. It constitutes the burden of the proclamation; and when it is given, these things will be kept before the people, the terms will be clearly explained, and the nature of the sin be distinctly pointed out. It is a sin that is exceedingly offensive in the sight of God; for of those who are guilty of it, the message continues:— “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.” It may well be questioned whether any judgment has yet been inflicted upon any portion of the human race in which there was no mixture of mercy, or whether any such judgments can be inflicted while Christ continues to act as mediator between the Father and the human family. As this message is the last message of mercy, and ceases only with the close of human probation, so the judgments it threatens may well be said to be without mixture of mercy, as they are poured out after all have made their final choice. The message defines what their punishment is to be in the following language:— “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.” A denunciation of wrath more terrible is not to be found in the word of God; and it is certainly not unbecoming any one to inquire carefully what this judgment is, when it is to be inflicted, and how he may escape it. The result of the message is then declared. A company is brought out of whom it is said, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” And the scene that immediately follows is the appearing of one like the Son of man on the great white cloud, which can represent nothing else but the second advent of Christ in the clouds of heaven. We have shown in previous articles (See REVIEW, Nos. 4, 6, and 9, of present volume) that the first and second messages of this series have already been heard, and that, too, in our own day. As the third message follows them in numerical and chronological order, the time has now come for this message to be given. And as this message has its place just before the second coming of Christ, reaching to that event, if that coming is now at hand, as all evidence combines to show, this is another proof that this message is now due, and must in some form be in progress in the land. Is such a movement anywhere seen at the present time? There is a movement now in progress which claims emphatically to be doing this work. For many years already it has been before the people, small at first, as from the nature of its work it must be, but destined soon to go with a power commensurate with the magnitude of the issue it has in hand. It has secured its foothold, and counts its adherents in every northern State from Maine to California. The ADVENT REVIEW and five other periodicals are published in its interest; and the reader whose eye may fall upon these lines is reading that which is written in its defense with the most absolute and unbounded conviction that what it claims is truth. The movement is here and doing its work. We now call the attention of the reader to an important consideration. Since the great Advent movement of 1844, various classes of Adventists have been developed. Their positions are contradictory, and hence cannot all be true. But the truth must be found with some of them, if the coming of Christ is at hand, and if that is the great truth for this time. Some class of Adventists must be following on in the order of the fulfillment of God’s word, and so in the order of his providence. Which class is it? Answer: It is that class which is giving the third angel’s message; because, as we have seen, that is the last true Advent movement previous to the appearing of Christ. Those who are giving the genuine proclamation, and doing the true work on this question, will inscribe this message on their banners. The burden of their work will be to warn against the worship of the beast, his image, and the reception of his mark. They will make these themes prominent in their sermons, books, and papers, and reason, urge, exhort, and entreat, in reference to them. What shall we think of those who claim to be Adventists, who are preaching that the coming of Christ is near at hand, and yet ignore this message? who never speak of those things which the prophecy under examination shows will be the important themes for the people just preceding the Lord’s appearing? Such certainly have mistaken the truth. They are off the track. They are not doing the true work for this time, and it is useless for them to claim it. What class, then, we ask, claim to be giving this message, and explain the symbols therein brought to view in a way to show the people a present duty in relation to them? None but Seventh-day Adventists. And we pledge ourselves to do this, supporting our claims by an array of evidence which we think must be conclusive to every reasonable and unprejudiced mind. U. S.