THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.
THE PURPOSE OF THE SABBATH IN THE MESSAGE.
(Lesson 10, Sabbath, September 8.)
1. WHAT warning does the Lord send to the world, against the worship of the beast and his image?
"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." Rev. 14:9-11.
2. How widely was the first message of this chapter announced?
"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." Verse 6.
3. What is said of the second?—It followed. Verse 8.
4. And what is said of the third?—The third angel followed them. Verse 9. 5. If, then, the first one went to every nation and kindred and tongue and people, and the third one follows, what must be the extent to which the Third Angel's Message will go?
6. What does the first angel have to preach?
"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." Verse 6.
7. What does this angel proclaim?—The hour of God's judgment is come. Verse 7.
8. What does he call upon all people to do?—"Worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
9. What results from the rejection of this message?
"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." Verse 8.
10. What came of the first falling away from the everlasting gospel?—"That man of sin," "the mystery of iniquity," "the beast." 2 Thess. 2:2-8; Dan. 7:11; Rev. 19:19, 20.
11. What comes of this second falling away from the everlasting gospel?—"The image of the beast," and the enforced worship of the beast.
12. When men refuse to worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water, what are they led to do?—To worship the beast and his image. Rev. 13:12, 13.
13. What then do the three messages of Rev. 14:6-12 form?—One threefold message rather than three distinct messages. See note.
14. When the first in order tells men that the hour of God's judgment is come, what does the third tell them to do, to be prepared for the judgment?
"Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Verse 12.
15. What is to be the rule in the judgment?
"For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law." "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." Rom. 2:12, 16.
16. When the first angel calls upon all men to worship Him that made heaven and earth, etc., what does the third tell them to do that their worship may be acceptable to Him, and also that they may avoid the worship of the beast and his image?
"Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12.
17. Is a man's worship acceptable to God if he does not keep the commandments of God?
"He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." Prov. 28:9.
18. Is it possible to keep the commandments of God without faith in Jesus?
"For whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Rom. 14:23, last part.
19. Is there any part of the commandments of God that points especially to Him that made heaven and earth?
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Ex. 20:8-11.52320. Therefore in the time of the preaching of the Third Angel's Message, what will be done?—Every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people will be called upon particularly to keep the fourth commandment.
21. What day is the Sabbath of the Lord?
"But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates." Ex. 20:10.
22. Of what is it a sign?
"A sign . . . that ye may know that I am the Lord your God." Eze. 20:20.
23. Why is it such a sign?
"For [because] in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed." Ex. 31:17.
24. Then of what is the keeping of the seventh day a sign?—It is a sign that those who do so worship the true God—"him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
25. What is the one great question under the Third Angel's Message?—Whether men will worship Him that made heaven and earth, or worship the beast and his image?
26. What is the keeping of the seventh day—the Sabbath of the Lord?—It is the God-given sign that those who do so are worshipers of Him that made heaven and earth.
27. Therefore what is the inevitable conclusion?—That the keeping of the Sabbath of the Lord—the seventh day—is the one point above every other that distinguishes the worshipers of Him that made heaven and earth from the worshipers of the beast and his image.