THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.
By James White
Under this caption in last week's REVIEW we called attention to the solemnity of this Message, and stated that God in his wisdom has not given a Message fraught with such terror, without making his revelation sufficiently plain, that we may clearly understand the symbols used in the Message. We also called attention to the fact that the Third Angel's Message is the very last call of mercy to mankind, and that it is to ripen the harvest of the earth. In order to make the position taken perfectly plain, that the Third Message is the last which offers mercy to man, we call attention to the prophetic chain of Rev. xiv, beginning at verse 6. That the first five verses of this chapter comprise the last link of the previous prophetic chain which stretches through chapters xi and xii, is evident. The Prophet in these chapters traces the Church of God through the Christian age, and marks the great persecuting powers which have oppressed her, and the two-horned beast which is yet to pursue the remnant. But the chain does not end here. He traces the Church through to her deliverance on Mt. Zion, [Rev. xiv, 1-5,] and there that prophetic chain ends. Then verse 6 commences another prophetic chain. We now trace this chain, link by link, down to the time when the offers of mercy to man cease. 1. The proclamation of the hour of God's judgment by the first angel. It is the first of this series of angels. This is the first link of this chain of prophecy. This is a warning to prepare for the Judgment, hence the Message must be given to the last generation of men prior to Christ's coming and the judgment. And unless we are entirely mistaken in the fulfillment of prophecy, this angel symbolizes the proclamation of the coming judgment already given in our day. If not, then there is yet to be a movement, in its main features, just like the Advent movement of our day. But we most solemnly believe that the First Angel's Message has been given to the present generation. 2. The second link in this chain of prophecy is the Second Angel's Message. That such an announcement has been given by those who gave the First Message, and that it separated those who were looking for Christ, from the fallen churches about twelve years since, will not be denied. It was this Message that made those who were looking for Christ's second coming, a separate people. Had it not been for this Message, the Advent people generally would have remained with the several churches, and would have attended their meetings of worship, instead of holding separate meetings. Those who rejoice that they are Adventists, should prize highly the means that separated them from the churches, and made them what they are. There are those who bless the name and position of those they call Adventists, yet are so extremely inconsistent as to curse the means which has made them such. But it should have be noticed that this angel announced only the fall of Babylon. Her becoming "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit," &c., [Rev. xviii, 2,] was left for a later announcement by "another angel." This was not true of the fallen churches twelve years since; but is now fast becoming their real condition. No one had then heard of the wonders of modern Psychology and Spiritualism. These were reserved to be exhibited within the last ten years, to fulfill the Word. Have the churches fallen in spirituality? They have. Was the fall of Babylon, as applied to the churches, announced about twelve years since? It was, and resulted in separating the Advent people from the churches. Have "foul spirits," or the "spirits of devils," come crowding their way into the fallen churches since the announcement of their fall under the Second Angel? They have. Here we have only to apply prophecies to facts, and see a perfect fit, like the glove to the hand. And will any who have rejoiced in the Third Angel's Message, reject so minute fulfillments of prophecy, and look for other fulfillments in the future age? God forbid. 3. The third link in this chain of prophecy, is the Third Angel's Message. Verses 9-12. It is written, "And the third angel followed them," &c. That is, it follows the other two, which have their fulfillment in the past Advent movement; therefore this is the period to expect the third with its decisive results. And it is no marvel that churches of Commandment-keepers are being raised up in many of the States and Territories of this country, (where the two former Messages were given,) since the closing announcement of the Third Angel is, that "Here are they that keep the Commandments of God," &c. Commandment-keepers, having the Faith and Testimony of Jesus Christ, have sprung up at the right time to fulfill the prophecy. It is an interesting fact, that immediately after the Advent people left the churches, under the influence of the Second Message, the Commandment and Sabbath question began to be agitated among them. The subject came up at the right time. It was necessary that, first, the judgment hour Message should be given to call men and women to search the Scriptures in view of the judgment; second, that the Second Message should break the creed power that bound them to the various churches. By this time the way was prepared for the Third Message to present the great cross of keeping all ten of the Commandments of God. This preparatory work seems indispensable to the rise and progress of the Message thus far. But it should be borne in mind that the "third angel follows" "with a loud voice," &c. That is, the Message is to arrest the public mind. The movement is to be extensive and mighty. The closing work of the third angel is evidently symbolized in Rev. xviii, 1-4. Here a mighty angel comes down from heaven, having great power. The earth is lightened with his glory. He cries mightily, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen." He repeats the testimony of the second angel, given twelve years since. This testimony was true then, it is true now, and ever will be true in all coming time. But the angel adds, "And is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit," &c. This was not true twelve years since; but is fulfilling before our eyes. The damning sin of necromancy (professing to deal with the dead) is to fill the cup of Babylon's iniquity, which calls down the vials of Jehovah's unmingled wrath. O dreadful thought! The time at hand, and the world and church rushing on to sure destruction! O God, save the Remnant! 4. The fourth link in this prophetic chain is the period of time when Christ occupies the position set forth in verse 14. "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." We would here say, that verse 13 presents no new event, but merely pronounces the blessing upon those who die in the Lord during the Third Message, hence we pass it, to notice verse 14, above quoted. Here is set forth a change in the position, office and work of the Son of man. His position is now in the heavenly Sanctuary, his office is priest, and his work is to offer his blood for the pardon and removal of sins. But then, instead of being in the Sanctuary, he will be on the "white cloud," his office will be King instead of priest—his crown is on his head—and instead of offering his blood, he will have in his hand a sharp sickle, an emblem of the wrath of the Lamb. Just where in the universe this white cloud will be, and how long the Son of man will remain upon it, are not, perhaps, as clearly revealed as other things. It may be enough for us to know that when Christ takes the white cloud, crown and sickle, that God's plan to save sinners through the blood of his dear Son is eternally finished. It is reasonable to suppose that Christ will be upon the white cloud during the pouring out of the seven last plagues, as none of them are poured out till Jesus leaves the Sanctuary, and mercy ceases to plead for the sinner, and they are all poured out before Christ appears. Many suppose that this period of the last plagues, while Christ is on the white cloud, will be a prophetic day, or one year. Says the Prophet, "For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, (pouring out of the plagues,) and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. Isa. xxxiv, 8. "For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come." Chap. lxiii, 4. "Therefore shall her (Babylon's) plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine," &c. Rev. xviii. Will this famine come in a literal day? or in a year? Judge ye. Again, just before Jesus appears the second time, the decisive sentence is passed on all, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." There is a period of time between this sentence, which eternally fixes the destinies of all men, and the Second Advent, and this period is called "quickly." This is the period of the last plagues, while Christ is on the white cloud. He has a sharp sickle (an emblem of wrath) and not a censor, (a proper emblem of mercy,) in his hand. If these scriptures, taken in connection, do not show that salvation through the blood of Christ ceases with the Third Angel's Message, then who can show that it will ever end in the endless years of eternity? 5. The fifth link in this chain of prophecy is the Fourth Angel, [verse 15,] who offers the following urgent prayer to the Son of man, "Thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the time has come for thee to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." The gospel will then have completed its design in the earth, having fitted mankind either for the kingdom of God, or for destruction. This angel symbolizes the living, perfected church after the work of saving sinners is finished. His prayer, "Thrust in thy sickle," &c., symbolizes the day and night cry of God's people, spoken of by our Lord in Luke xviii, 1-7. "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him?" &c. The Fourth Angel, then, symbolizes the people of God, in the time of Jacob's trouble, [Jer. xxx, 7,] crying to the Son of man for vengeance. Their prayers for the salvation of sinners were hushed at the close of the Third Message. Their tears and groans and sighs before the mercy-seat, for lost sinners, ceased then. They are oppressed and pursued by the dragon, and in their agony send up one united cry to the Son of man for vengeance, "Thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the time is come for thee to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."117 We have now pursued this chain of prophecy far enough to learn the important fact, that the Third Message, now being given, is the last which offers mercy to man. Solemn and responsible, indeed, is the position of those who profess this Message. A wide world is before them, lying in sin and unbelief, and a fallen church, with here and there a living soul, mourning, sighing over the desolations of Zion, yet bound by the creed power, and the traditions and commands of men. Could they but hear the Message, how soon would they emerge from their present state of darkness, to the light and freedom of the people of God. Who will God send to them? O, where is the living church, burdened, groaning, crying to the Lord of the harvest to raise up laborers? Where are the men of God who feel the woe upon them? to whom the Message is dearer than life? And where is the self-sacrificing church, clothed with the power of God, anxiously waiting to send them forth to the wide harvest, with their means, and their prayers? O God, arm thy people, and move them out to the holy work to which thou hast called them.
J. W.