The Three Angels' Messages

This flyer is dealing with an interpretation of the Three Angels' Messages and how they apply to our times, God's final call.

The Three Angels' Messages – Their application in our times

Three Angels' Messages as given in Revelation 14: 6-12

Revelation 14:6 – 12, highlights three distinct angels that are sent with messages to the people to prepare them for the second coming of Jesus Christ. These messages and their content does not seem to be primarily addressed to believers, but to all those that have not accepted God as the creator of heaven and earth and the LORD of everything, as well as Jesus Christ as their sole and only redeemer. The messages are intended to wake up a sleeping people from their slumber, to open blind eyes, to unseal closed ears and make plain the truth to the deceived. These messages are God’s final outreach to a world living in sin and open rebellion to repent of their ways and turn to Him for deliverance. With this offer, God provides a solemn truth that the majority of the world is deceived, following a false system that is feeding them lies rather than truth and that this system is openly challenging the authority of God. The messages also address the state of the world which follow this system, some out of conviction but the large masses out of ignorance, indifference and the preference of man-made traditions over the precepts of Christ. In three distinct messages, God wishes to wake up His people, show them their error, unveil the anti-Christ system that is drawing away the multitudes onto a path of error and destruction. It is for this reason, that the first angel is proclaiming with a loud voice, a voice to wake up, to open eyes and ears and for people to lift up their heads from looking down at their feet trotting on the worn out, broad path of human traditions leading to the wide gate of destruction.

At all times during the proclamation of these three messages is God waiting with open arms to receive all of these people that decide to turn to Him, that start asking questions about the world around them and that realise that their ways, the way of the world as dictated by the anti-Christ system, are contrary to God, His law and His character. Like the thief on the cross, God welcomes all that are repentant of their ways and seek to be in harmony with God, completely independent of their knowledge of God, theological wisdom or perfection of character. God will judge everyone according to their conscience.

The first angel’s message (Revelation 14:6+7)

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. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgement is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

The message of the first angel is as important as it is a dire revelation of the situation of man during the end times. The angel is sent with the message to the inhabitants of the earth to remember their creator. To lift up their heads and earnestly search for God, and the good news of the gospel with the promise of everlasting life through the faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. As the first message, it is introducing the state of the world and its inhabitants caused by false religious systems and man-made traditions that are valued over the word of God. At the same time, the angel is giving the saving solution to their situation, as well as the promise of God to those that remember and worship their creator, which is the message of the Gospel. The importance of the message is underlined by its urgency: The hour of judgement is come. Each and every case is reviewed in the heavenly courts and a judgement after the investigation of each individual case. Either for salvation (the true acceptance of God as the creator of heaven and earth, His law and His Word, as well as the blood of Jesus Christ as the only means for the remission of sins), or for damnation (the acceptance of the authority of worldly traditions and teachings that are contrary of the teachings of the Bible). This judgement has already commenced in 1844 when Jesus Christ went from the holy place into the most holy place to cleanse the heavenly sanctuary (Daniel 8:14). The date of 1844 as the commencement of this investigative judgement has been clearly defined through the prophecies of Daniel: In Daniel 9:25, the angel Gabriel is telling Daniel that the prophecy start date will be the date when the commandment for the rebuilding of the temple of Jerusalem will go forth. The date for this commandment is well documented in history to have been in the fall of 457 B.C when Artaxerxes I of Persia gave the commandment to rebuild the temple. In Daniel 8:14, the duration of the prophecy is given to Daniel which was for a total of 2300 years with the announcement that at the end of this prophecy the sanctuary will be cleansed. This cleansing work had its earthly counterpart in the yearly ritual when the sanctuary was cleansed from all of the accumulated sins that were confessed over the past year. Since the earthly tabernacle was only an image of the heavenly tabernacle, the ceremonies that were performed therein were also only examples of what was to happen in the heavenly sanctuary, once Christ took on His role as humanitie's High Priest. As such, with a start date in 457 B.C and a prophetic period of 2300 years, the prophecy ends in the year 1844.

Following this first angel’s message, the second angel’s message is giving further insight into the matter by identifying the system which is at the root of the challenge of God’s authority, the change of His laws, the substitution of God’s precepts with man made ones and the superimposing of human traditions over the teachings of the Bible.

The second angel’s message (Revelation 14:8)

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.

Babylon is fallen, is fallen. The second angel’s message is presenting this system to be beyond saving, so far removed from God, His commandments and the teachings of the Bible that it will never change its ways but only further challenge God’s authority. Given that this system is the reason why large numbers of people will be lead into destruction, it is of great importance to understand which system the second angel is referring to.

In the Bible, in the book of Daniel, Babylon and it’s king Nebuchadnezzar under whom Israel was conquered and their people (of which Daniel was one of them) were carried away is described. Since the second angel is referring to the end time system as Babylon, the historical Babylon should give us a good idea about the characteristics of the spiritual Babylon of the end-time. In the book of Daniel, king Nebuchadnezzar, his character and actions were based on self-exaltation and pride. Setting himself to be worshiped for the glorious Babylon that he had created to his honour. This self-exaltation to a god-like position stood in direct challenge to the authority of God. Further, Babylon was home to many mystery religions with diverse rituals and traditions based on occultism, spiritism and diverse deities. Whereas this could be said about many pagan religions, the particularity of Nebuchadnezzar was that he was convinced of the existence of “the most high God” (Daniel 3:26+28; Daniel 4 2+3). However, despite this knowledge, he was in open rebellion against God (Daniel 4:30). As such, Babylon stands for a rebellious system of self-exaltation and worship of pagan deities and traditions, despite of being fully aware of the existence and nature of God. Such a Babylonian system with its philosophy and mindset can be found in our current times hidden under the cloak of Christian religion. This spiritual Babylonian system is trying to hide its pagan roots and practices as well as its rebellion against the law of God. However, when looking closely, it becomes evident that this system based on the same traditions and pagan philosophy as historical Babylon, the worship of Mithras. The Mithras cult was one of the major religions of the Roman Empire, centred on the cult of Mithras, the ancient Persian god of light and wisdom. After the conquest of Assyria in the 7th century BC and Babylonia in the 6th century BC, Mithra was worshipped as a sun god. Therefore, the spiritual Babylon has to have at its heart the worship of the sun. The Deis solis, the day of the sun, or Sunday is just this. The worship on the day of the sun was declared a legal holiday by the Roman Emperor Constantine. Hauck's Realenzyklopädie (Real Encyclopedia) notes: “The first police Sunday law of 321 is not based on the Sabbath commandment, but on the requirement that the ‘DIES SOLIS’ be sanctified and firmly marked. The connection between the decree and the emperor's sun cult is unmistakable.” It was under Constantine that Christian religion was mingled with pagan religions and traditions in an effort to unite the people of the roman empire. Further, this spiritual Babylonian system has also borrowed many other basic features from the Mithras cult, such as the use of holy water, the adoration of shepherds at Mithra's birth, the designation of Sunday and December 25th (Mithra's birthday) as holy days, as well as the belief in the immortality of the soul. In addition, to the above religious characteristics of historical Babylon, spiritual Babylon also manifests its open rebellion towards God as did historical Babylon:

Pope Nicholas III (1277-1280) declared: "I have the right and the power to change time and law and to release from their regulations." (published in the "Grenzboten," Pressburg, No. 23, Year 70, p. 452)

The Cardinal is in complete agreement with the Archbishop of Reggio, who declared at the Council of Trent in 1562: "The Sabbath, the most celebrated day in the law, passed into the Lord's Day. This and similar things did not cease at the preaching of Christ, but were superseded by the authority of the Church."

“Not the Creator of the Universe, in Genesis 2:1-3,-but the Catholic Church can claim the honor of having granted man a pause to his work every seven days.”(S. C. Mosna, Storia della Domenica, 1969, pp. 366-367).

The above only being a small part of the evidence, spiritual Babylon, the end-time system that is in open rebellion to God and challenges His authority has been clearly identified as the roman catholic system.

As such, the message of the second angel is very clear: Get out of her, my people! Abandon this system of false teachings and human traditions that bring to nought the precepts of Christ and the law of God. Abandon this system that is so far lost that it cannot be brought to repentance and harmony with God. Abandon this system which will inevitably drag you down with it into eternal darkness.

To those that refuse to leave this system, the consequences are clearly announced by the third angels message.

The third angel’s message (revelation 14:9-12)

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 ascended up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever, receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

The wrath of God is poured out without mixture. What a terrible picture this message paints. The absolute, unhindered and total wrath of the omnipotent God. Everyone that will hold to the Babylonian system with its teachings and traditions will forfeit Gods mercy which can be found in His son Jesus Christ and will be judged by the universal authority of the law.

According to the third angel’s message, the people that will follow the Babylonian system will receive a mark in their forehead or their hand. Thus signifying that at the end of time, there will be people that go along with this Babylonian system out of conviction (the mark in the forehead, the location of the prefrontal cortex, the primary decision making centre of the brain), or out of convenience and fear of persecution (the mark in the hand, thus signifying that the actions of that person are in line with the Babylonian system without having the conviction that what they are doing is the right thing). This mark that those people accept is therefore a mark of death.

What is this mark of the beast that the third angel is referring to?

God’s mark of authority:

The Sabbath as contained within the 4th commandment, is declared by God as His sign:” Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you’” (Exodus 31:13). The 7th day Sabbath is therefore a sign between God and His people and the Sabbath commandment a mark of His authority over His creation.

The mark of the beast:

That the Bible is identifying the rise and actions of the beast which will be implementing the mark of the beast with 8 distinct characteristics (Daniel 7: 24+25):

Prophecy:

This system:

1) Will rise among the 10 western Roman kingdoms

2) Will rise after the 10 western Roman kingdoms are established

3) Will be different from the 10 western Roman kingdoms

4) Will destroy three of the 10 western Roman kingdoms that came before it

5) Will speak great things against God

6) Will persecute the people of God

7) Will change times and law

8) Will rule for 1260 years

Using these 8 requirements, all of the reformers have undoubtedly and unmistakenly identified this religious system of the anti-Christ as Papal Rome – the roman catholic church. Below are the fulfilments of the prophecy which over the span of centuries have predicted the appearance, acts and future of the roman catholic church.

Fulfilment:

1) Will rise among the 10 western Roman kingdoms

Papal Rome rose in Italy, among the 10 western Roman kingdoms (Alemanni, Franks, Burgundians, Suevi, Vandals, Visigoths, Anglo-Saxons, Ostrogoths, Lombards, and the Heruli).

2) Will rise after the 10 western Roman kingdoms were established

On March 29th 537 AD Vigilus ascended the Papal chair as the first pope, whereas the 10 western Roman kingdoms were established ca. 476 AD.

3) Will be different from the 10 western Roman kingdoms

Different from the 10 western Roman kingdoms, which were political powers, Papal Rome was a religio-political power, ruled by a religious leader.

    4) Will destroy three of the 10 western Roman kingdoms that came before it

Under Justinian I, Papal Rome destroyed the Heruli, Vandals and Ostrogoths kingdoms which did not accept the teachings and doctrines of Papal Rome.

5) Will speak great things against God

Two examples of many where Papal Rome assumes authority over the teachings of the Bible and puts its earthly teachings above the teachings of the Bible:

a)     Claim: “ The priest does really and truly forgive the sin in virtue of the power given to him by Christ.” (A complete catechism of the Catholic religion p.279 by Joseph Deharbe)

b)     Claim: “We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.” (Encyclical letters of Pope Leo XIII p. 304)

The Bible clearly says that only God can forgive sins (Colossians 1:14, 1 Timothy 2:5, 1 Timothy 2:5). The statement, Leo XIII assumes to be God on earth which is in direct contradiction to the 1st commandment.

6) Will persecute the people of God

History hath shown abundantly how the roman catholic church has persecuted God’s people that did not accept the teachings, doctrines and positions of Papal Rome. The Inquisition, which lasted for 600 years, killed approximately 50 million, Bible believing Christians that did not want to follow the doctrines of the roman catholic church:

“The church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind…”(History of the rise and influence of the spirit of rationalism in Europe (vol. 2, p. 40-45 by W. E. H. Lecky)

7) Will change times and law

“The Pope has power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things, even the precepts of Christ.”(Decretal De translat. Espiscop. Cap. ; see also Ferrari’s Ecclesiastical Dictionary)

Under this self-proclaimed authority, Papal Rome, as stated in the Catholic Catechism, changed the 10 commandments as they were given by God: The 2nd commandment was deleted, the 4th commandment shortened from a total of 94 words to 8 words and the 10th commandment was divided into two separate commandments in order to make up for the loss of the 2nd commandment to remain with a total of 10 commandments.

8) Will rule for 1260 years (Daniel 7:25)

On February 10th 1798 AD, under the power of Napoleon in France, Louis-Alexandre Berthier made his entrance into Rome, abolished the Papal government (Pope Pius VI) and established a secular one.” (The Encyclopedia America 1941 edition)

Following these, historic events, the rule of Papal Rome as a religio-political power existed from March 29th 537 AD  to February 10th 1798 AD = 1260 years (+318 days).

Interesting fact: What name does the period of the rule of Papal Rome as a religio-political power (538 AD – 1798 AD) have? The majority of this period is called “The Dark Ages”.

What then is the mark of authority (the mark of the beast) of this beast as identified by the Bible:

-        Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change [Saturday Sabbath to Sunday] was her act... And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical authority in religious things” (H.F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons)

-        ”The Church is above the Bible; and this transference of Sabbath observance from Saturday to Sunday is proof positive of that fact.” (The Catholic Record of London, Ontario, Sept. 1, 1923).

It can be therefore clearly identified, that God’s mark of authority is His 7th day Sabbath (Saturday), whereas the mark of the beast’s authority is the transference of God’s 7th day Sabbath, which is Saturday, to Sunday, thus turning it into a false Sabbath in direct conflict with God’s law.

At the time of writing this document, it does not seem to be a big problem to decide to keep the biblical Sabbath instead of the false Sabbath but the Bible also indicates that the mark of the beast will be enforced through secular laws with more and more severe punishments as time goes on. What will start with economic sanctions where people that refuse the mark of the beast will not be able to buy or sell (Revelation 13:17) will end in a death decree (Revelation 13:15).

Will it then be enough to just keep the biblical Sabbath at the time of the end and all will be good between God and you?

No, as the angel also clearly states: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” All those that want to be saved have to be in harmony with all of the commandments of God and have to keep the faith of Jesus. It seems therefore impossible that someone would be able to keep the biblical Sabbath against persecution, punishment and up to death if this person does not really believe in God. The faith of Jesus was the faith that He displayed on the cross towards the father. Being left all alone, even His Father had to separate from Him due to Christ’s acceptance of the world’s sin. The Father could not rest in intimate connection with the Son due to the presence of human sin which he bore for us willingly. Jesus was left alone, endured severe physical and psychological pain and died an agonising death nailed to the tree. In all of this, Jesus Christ never lost His faith in the Father, always held strong in the power and love of the almighty God. It is this faith of Jesus that we have to have towards the Father and the Son, their omnipotence and omniscience. The faith in their promise that when we die as a follower of Jesus Christ, that we will be resurrected to eternal life.

The three angel’s messages are an urgent and earnest shout from God to His creation. A last, loving effort to open the eyes of His people to realise their situation and come out of the Babylonian system which is openly and directly challenging the authority of the almighty Father.

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