THE THREE ANGELS OF REV. XIV, 6--12.
By John Nevins Andrews
It remains that we notice a few of the most important, practical duties that devolve upon us at the present time. 1. First of all, we would name holy living. God has committed to our trust the most precious truths. He holds us responsible for the light with which we are entrusted. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matt. v, 16. The sanctifying effect of the truth must be witnessed in us by others, if we would do them good. Especially must we watch unto prayer. Watchfulness and prayer are mighty weapons with which to resist the devil. Their importance may be seen from the following scriptures: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." 1 Pet. v, 8, 9. "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." Eph. vi, 18. "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." Luke xi, 9, 10. "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." James iii, 2. "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." 1 Pet. iv, 7. "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment: for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Matt. xii, 36, 37. 2. Growth in grace. It is greatly to be feared that the importance of this is too much lost sight of. If we would be final overcomers and stand upon Mount Zion we must be daily overcoming the foe of our souls. The long suffering of God is meant for our salvation. Let us most faithfully improve the gracious opportunity granted us to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. iii, 18. "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Heb. xii, 14. "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy." 1 Pet. i, 15, 16. 3. The duty of searching the Scriptures. This is solemnly enjoined by our Lord. John v, 39. Without this we cannot obey the precept of Peter, "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." 1 Pet. iii, 15. The sword of the Spirit, the word of God, is an important part of the armor which God has prepared for us. Eph. vi. It is certain that events before us are such that every person will be tested. If the truth of God is understood, appreciated and loved by us, we must examine the Scriptures for ourselves. If it is not loved, the time is not distant when we shall be sifted out. Every thing is before us to deceive and lead astray. The spirits of devils are about to perform the most extraordinary miracles. They will do this, professing to be the spirits of our departed friends. Hence the great importance of a thorough knowledge of the Bible doctrine of the sleep of the dead. The Lord would not have us ignorant concerning them that are asleep. 4. The duty of sacrificing to sustain the cause of God. There is no plainer duty in the Scripture. Ourselves, our time, our means, all that we have, all that we are belongs to God alone. Those who go out to preach the word of God are called upon to make the greatest sacrifice. All are not called to this; but those who are not, if they love Christ and the truth, will gladly sustain those who are thus thrust out. Let not the cause of truth suffer for the means to sustain it. Read Rom. xii, 1; 2 Cor. viii; Luke xii, 33, 34; 1 John ii, 15; Matt. vi, 19-34. 5. The duty of waiting and watching for our Lord's return. Let this ever be our posture, and let all our words and acts be in accordance with our profession, that the end of all things is at hand. "Watch ye therefore; for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch." Mark xiii, 35-37. "But ye, brethren, that are in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober." 1 Thess. v, 4-6. "And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation." Heb. ix, 28. "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the lord, when he cometh, shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." Luke xii, 35-37. 6. Finally let us indeed be Bible Christians. Let the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus be the continual rule of our lives, and the governing principle of all our conduct. May the great Head of the church help us all to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. We have now briefly and imperfectly surveyed this most important subject. Sufficient evidence has been adduced, we think, to satisfy the honest inquirer, that we occupy one of the most solemn and interesting periods in the history of the church. The first and second proclamations of Rev. xiv, in the past, the warning voice of the third angel now addressed to us; the fearful scenes of Rev. xiii, 13-17 about to open upon us; and last of all the seven last plagues to be poured out on those, who, regarding the decree of the beast more than the warning of the third angel, shall be found worshiping the beast and his image and possessing his mark. Who among us will be able to meet the fearful test between the warning of the angel and the decree of the beast? Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. The situation of the church when the decree goes forth that all shall worship the image of the beast on pain of death, will be precisely that of the three Hebrew worthies whom Nebuchadnezzar commanded to worship the golden image. Read carefully Dan. iii. God saved them by direct interposition. He has promised thus to interpose for his people, but it will not be until the time of trouble such as never was has fully opened upon the world. With this fearful prospect of the coming storm before us, we may well appreciate the words which follow the warning of the third angel. "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." Verse 13. The following scriptures will show us why those are pronounced blessed who now fall asleep in Christ, and also will show the situation of the saints at the time when God delivers them. "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the book." Dan. xii, 1. "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it." Jer. xxx, 7. "Oh that thou wouldst hide me in the grave, that thou wouldst keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldst appoint me a set time and remember me!" Job. xiv, 13. "When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops." Hab. iii, 16. "And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Luke xviii, 6-8.218The conflict with the beast and his image is inevitable. But the issue of this conflict is not a matter of doubt. God will interpose to save his people. Though the last act of Satan be to unite all the wicked of the earth in the worship of the beast, and to attempt the utter extermination of the saints, yet God has said the saints shall triumph! "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." Rev. xv, 2, 3. Glorious indeed will be the triumph of the saints. Reader, may it be your lot to join in singing that song of victory upon the sea of glass.