Third Angel’s Message

1. What is the core content of the third angel’s message?

The core content of the third angel’s message is the mediation of Christ and the perpetuity of the law.

Those who had accepted the light concerning the mediation of Christ and the perpetuity of the law of God, found that these were the truths brought to view in the third message. {4SP 275.2}

 

2. When did Jesus send the third angel’s message?

Christ gave the third message when he entered the most holy place to perform the closing work of atonement.

When Christ entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing work of the atonement, he committed to his servants the last message of mercy to be given to the world. Such is the warning of the third angel of Revelation 14. Immediately following its proclamation, the Son of man is seen by the prophet coming in glory to reap the harvest of the earth.  {4SP 273.1}

 

3. How did the third angel light up the past, the present, and the future to the early advent believers after the passing of the time in 1844?

The third angel lights up the past, the present, and the future to the early advent believers because he showed them the light of the sanctuary message, and where they had gone wrong in their message.

 

4. Why does the evangelical Christian world not accept the truth of Christ’s change of ministration from the holy place to the most holy place in 1844?

They are not willing to accept that Saturday is the Sabbath which you must accept if you are going to accept Christ’s change of ministration.

Many and earnest were the efforts made to overthrow their faith. None could fail to see that if the earthly sanctuary was a figure or pattern of the heavenly, the law deposited in the ark on earth was an exact transcript of the law in the ark in Heaven, and that an acceptance of the truth concerning the heavenly sanctuary involved an acknowledgment of the claims of God’s law, and the obligation of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Here was the secret of the bitter and determined opposition to the harmonious exposition of the Scriptures that brought to view the ministration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. How hard men tried to close the door which God had opened, and to open the door which he had closed! But “He that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth,” had declared, “Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” [REV. 3:7, 8.] Christ had opened the door, or ministration, of the most holy place, light was shining from that open door of the sanctuary in Heaven, and the fourth commandment was shown to be included in the law within the ark; what God had established, no man could overthrow.  {4SP 275.1}

 

5. How is the message of justification by faith the third angel’s message?

Justification by faith is the third angel’s message because the third angel’s message takes place in the most holy part of the sanctuary above where Christ is performing the final atonement.  The final atonement is about the marriage which is where Christ’s takes His perfect character and exchanges it with our filthy one because we recognize that we can’t be saved without the exchange. This is justification by faith.

Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel’s message, and I have answered, “It is the third angel’s message in verity.”– Review and Herald, April 1, 1890.  {Ev 190.3}

This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. Many had lost sight of Jesus. They needed to have their eyes directed to His divine person, His merits, and His changeless love for the human family. All power is given into His hands, that He may dispense rich gifts unto men, imparting the priceless gift of His own righteousness to the helpless human agent. This is the message that God commanded to be given to the world. It is the third angel’s message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure. –Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 91-93. (1896) {Ev 190.4}

 

6. What is the purpose of the numbering system for the angels’ messages of Revelation 14?

The purpose of the numbering system is  only for the order of their rise.

The three messages are but one threefold message. They are three only in the order of their rise. But having risen, they go on together and are inseparable.  {GC 693 appendix}

 

7. How do the first, second, and third angels’ messages all blend into one?

They are somewhat different messages but one leads into the other.

Thus the substance of the second angel’s message is again given to the world by that other angel who lightens the earth with his glory. These messages all blend in one, to come before the people in the closing days of this earth’s history.   {2SM 116.2}

The first, second, and third angels’ messages are all linked together.  {2SM 117.2}

 

8. How can you show that the mediation of Christ and the perpetuity of the law of God are the truths of the third angel’s message?

These are the truths of the third angel’s message because the focus of the third angel’s message is the Sabbath which is a part of the law that is found in the earthly sanctuary which is a replication of the Heavenly sanctuary. The third angel’s message was sent when Christ entered the most holy place in the Heavenly sanctuary and started the mediating on our behalf. These must be the truths of the third angel’s message.

Many and earnest were the efforts made to overthrow their faith. None could fail to see that if the earthly sanctuary was a figure or pattern of the heavenly, the law deposited in the ark on earth was an exact transcript of the law in the ark in Heaven, and that an acceptance of the truth concerning the heavenly sanctuary involved an acknowledgment of the claims of God’s law, and the obligation of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Here was the secret of the bitter and determined opposition to the harmonious exposition of the Scriptures that brought to view the ministration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. How hard men tried to close the door which God had opened, and to open the door which he had closed! But “He that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth,” had declared, “Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” [REV. 3:7, 8.] Christ had opened the door, or ministration, of the most holy place, light was shining from that open door of the sanctuary in Heaven, and the fourth commandment was shown to be included in the law within the ark; what God had established, no man could overthrow.  {4SP 275.1}

Those who had accepted the light concerning the mediation of Christ and the perpetuity of the law of God, found that these were the truths brought to view in the third message. {4SP 275.2}

 

 

9. Where is the “here” in Revelation 14:12: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God” “and their faith in Jesus.”

The “here” is in the heavenly sanctuary because the third angel is pointing to there when he says it.

John was shown these things in holy vision. He saw the company represented by the five wise virgins, with their lamps trimmed and burning, and he exclaimed in rapture, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.  {16MR 269.2} 

As the ministration of Jesus closed in the holy place, and He passed into the holiest, and stood before the ark containing the law of God, He sent another mighty angel with a third message to the world. A parchment was placed in the angel’s hand, and as he descended to the earth in power and majesty, he proclaimed a fearful warning, with the most terrible threatening ever borne to man. This message was designed to put the children of God upon their guard, by showing them the hour of temptation and anguish that was before them. Said the angel, “They will be brought into close combat with the beast and his image.  Their only hope of eternal life is to remain steadfast. Although their lives are at stake, they must hold fast the truth.”   The third angel closes his message thus: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” As he repeated these words, he pointed to the heavenly sanctuary. The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place, where Jesus stands before the ark, making His final intercession for all those for whom mercy still lingers and for those who have ignorantly broken the law of God. This atonement is made for the righteous dead as well as for the righteous living. It includes all who died trusting in Christ, but who, not having received the light upon God’s commandments, had sinned ignorantly in transgressing its precepts.  {EW 254.1}

 

10. What is the “action step[s]” for the third angel’s message?

The action step for the third angel’s message is that we are to choose to worship on God’s holy day, the Sabbath, which is on Saturday. We are to enter the most holy with Christ and to realize we need to follow God’s law the way it has been for centuries or we will receive the mark of the beast.  The second action step is for us to go the marriage and receive Christ’s perfect character.

 

They had by faith followed their High Priest from the holy to the most holy, and they saw him pleading his blood before the ark of God. Within that sacred ark is the Father’s law, the same that was spoken by God himself amid the thunders of Sinai, and written with his own finger on the tables of stone. Not one command has been annulled; not a jot or tittle has been changed. While God gave to Moses a copy of his law, he preserved the great original in the sanctuary above. Tracing down its holy precepts, the seekers for truth found, in the very bosom of the decalogue, the fourth commandment, as it was first proclaimed: “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 man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, 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.]  {4SP 273.3}

Many and earnest were the efforts made to overthrow their faith. None could fail to see that if the earthly sanctuary was a figure or pattern of the heavenly, the law deposited in the ark on earth was an exact transcript of the law in the ark in Heaven, and that an acceptance of the truth concerning the heavenly sanctuary involved an acknowledgment of the claims of God’s law, and the obligation of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Here was the secret of the bitter and determined opposition to the harmonious exposition of the Scriptures that brought to view the ministration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. How hard men tried to close the door which God had opened, and to open the door which he had closed! But “He that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth,” had declared, “Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” [REV. 3:7, 8.] Christ had opened the door, or ministration, of the most holy place, light was shining from that open door of the sanctuary in Heaven, and the fourth commandment was shown to be included in the law within the ark; what God had established, no man could overthrow.  {4SP 275.1}

If the light of truth has been presented to you, revealing the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and showing that there is no foundation in the Word of God for Sunday observance, and yet you still cling to the false sabbath, refusing to keep holy the Sabbath which God calls “My holy day,” you receive the mark of the beast. When does this take place? When you obey the decree that commands you to cease from labor on Sunday and worship God, while you know that there is not a word in the Bible showing Sunday to be other than a common working day, you consent to receive the mark of the beast, and refuse the seal of God.  {7BC 980.1}

 Many who embraced the third message had not had an experience in the two former messages. Satan understood this, and his evil eye was upon them to overthrow them; but the third angel was pointing them to the most holy place, and those who had had an experience in the past messages were pointing them the way to the heavenly sanctuary. Many saw the perfect chain of truth in the angels’ messages, and gladly received them in their order, and followed Jesus by faith into the heavenly sanctuary. These messages were represented to me as an anchor to the people of God. Those who understand and receive them will be kept from being swept away by the many delusions of Satan.  {EW 256.2}

This is the great day of atonement, and our Advocate is standing before the Father, pleading as our intercessor. In place of wrapping about us the garments of self-righteousness, we should be found daily humbling ourselves before God, confessing our own individual sins, seeking the pardon of our transgressions, and cooperating with Christ in the work of preparing our souls to reflect the divine image. Unless we enter the sanctuary above, and unite with Christ in working out our own salvation with fear and trembling, we shall be weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, and shall be pronounced wanting (MS 168, 1898).  {7BC 933.14}

 

11. What are the two purposes for the warning against the beast and his image contained in the third message?

There are two people being warned. The first are those who are not saved and it is for them a warning so that they can go to Christ for salvation and the second is for God’s people to be on their gaurd.

 

The most solemn warning and the most awful threatening ever addressed to mortals is that contained in the third angel’s message. The sin that calls down the wrath of God unmixed with mercy must be of the most heinous character. Is the world to be left in darkness as to the nature of this sin?–Most assuredly not. God does not deal thus with His creatures. His wrath is never visited upon sins of ignorance. Before His judgments are brought upon the earth, the light in regard to this sin must be presented to the world, that man may know why these judgments are to be inflicted, and may have opportunity to escape them.  {ST, November 1, 1899 par. 7}

As the ministration of Jesus closed in the holy place, and He passed into the holiest, and stood before the ark containing the law of God, He sent another mighty angel with a third message to the world. A parchment was placed in the angel’s hand, and as he descended to the earth in power and majesty, he proclaimed a fearful warning, with the most terrible threatening ever borne to man. This message was designed to put the children of God upon their guard, by showing them the hour of temptation and anguish that was before them. Said the angel, “They will be brought into close combat with the beast and his image.  Their only hope of eternal life is to remain steadfast. Although their lives are at stake, they must hold fast the truth.”   The third angel closes his message thus: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” As he repeated these words, he pointed to the heavenly sanctuary. The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place, where Jesus stands before the ark, making His final intercession for all those for whom mercy still lingers and for those who have ignorantly broken the law of God. This atonement is made for the righteous dead as well as for the righteous living. It includes all who died trusting in Christ, but who, not having received the light upon God’s commandments, had sinned ignorantly in transgressing its precepts.  {EW 254.1}

  

12. What does it mean to receive the mark of the beast?

To receive the mark of the beast is that you advocate the same ideas as the beast which is in direct opposition to God’s word.

The third angel’s message has been sent forth to the world, warning men against receiving the mark of the beast or of his image in their foreheads or in their hands. To receive this mark means to come to the same decision as the beast has done, and to advocate the same ideas, in direct opposition to the Word of God. Of all who receive this mark, God says, “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.” . . .  {7BC 979.12}

 

13. What is “the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation”?

This wine is poured out when God has had enough of people worshiping of the beast. God’s tolerance has run out and then His judgement is poured out.

The third angel’s message has been sent forth to the world, warning men against receiving the mark of the beast or of his image in their foreheads or in their hands. To receive this mark means to come to the same decision as the beast has done, and to advocate the same ideas, in direct opposition to the Word of God. Of all who receive this mark, God says, “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.” . . .  {7BC 979.12}

Rev. 15:1 ¶ And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. 

When Christ ceases His intercession in the sanctuary, the unmingled wrath threatened against those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark (Revelation 14:9, 10), will be poured out. The plagues upon Egypt when God was about to deliver Israel were similar in character to those more terrible and extensive judgments which are to fall upon the world just before the final deliverance of God’s people.   {GC 627.3}   See Rev. 16.

These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals. All the judgments upon men, prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy.  {GC 628.2}

 

 

14. How are those who receive the mark of the beast “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 for ever and ever”?

Those who receive the mark of the beast are tormented because they have no mediator and they must face God with all their sins. They have no one to atone for them because they rejected his mercy and grace. See Revelation 20 as well.

 

15. What does it mean that “the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever”? Give some Biblical support. You could also take a look at Jude 7 and Isa. 34:10, 11.

Smoke can ascend even after the fire is put out so therefore hell doesn’t last forever but the smoke could.  Sodom and Gommorah were completely destroyed and the effects of their evil doing are seen today but they are not burning still so that means the consequences of those who  have sinned can be seen forever but they are not burning in hell forever.

Jude  1:7   Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.