Revelation 14:6-12 (Amplified Bible)

“Then I saw another angel flying in midair, with an eternal Gospel (good news) to tell to the inhabitants of the earth, to every race and tribe and language and people.

“And he cried with a mighty voice, Revere God and give Him glory (honor and praise in worship), for the hour of His judgment has arrived. Fall down before Him; pay Him homage and adoration and worship Him Who created heaven and earth, the sea and the springs (fountains) of water.

“Then another angel, a second, followed, declaring, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She who made all nations drink of the [maddening] wine of her passionate unchastity [idolatry].

“Then another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a mighty voice, Whoever pays homage to the beast and his statue and permits the [beast's] stamp (mark, inscription) to be put on his forehead or on his hand,

“He too shall [have to] drink of the wine of God's indignation and wrath, poured undiluted into the cup of His anger; 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 ascends forever and ever; and they have no respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, and no peace) day or night—these who pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his name upon him.

“Here [comes in a call for] the steadfastness of the saints [the patience, the endurance of the people of God], those who [habitually] keep God's commandments and [their] faith in Jesus.

“Preachers and people have looked upon the book of Revelation as mysterious, and of less importance than other portions of the sacred Scriptures. But I saw that this book is indeed a revelation given for the especial benefit of those who should live in the last days, to guide them in ascertaining their true position and their duty. God led the mind of Wm. Miller into the prophecies, and gave him great light upon the book of Revelation.

“If Daniel's visions had been understood, the people could better have understood the visions of John. But at the right time, God moved upon his chosen servant, who with clearness and in the power of the Holy Spirit, opened the prophecies, and showed the harmony of the visions of Daniel and John, and other portions of the Bible, and pressed home upon the hearts of the people the sacred, fearful warnings of the Word, to prepare for the coming of the Son of man. Deep and solemn convictions rested upon the minds of those who heard him, and ministers and people, sinners and infidels, turned to the Lord, to seek a preparation to stand in the judgment.

“Angels of God accompanied Wm. Miller in his mission. He was firm and undaunted. He fearlessly proclaimed the message committed to his trust. A world lying in wickedness, and a cold, worldly church were enough to call into action his energy, and lead him to willingly endure toil, privation and suffering. Although opposed by professed Christians and the world, and buffeted by Satan and his angels, he ceased not to preach the everlasting gospel to crowds wherever he was invited, and sound the cry, Fear God and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come” (Spiritual Gifts, pp. 131, 132).

FROM CORNFIELD TO PULPIT

“What shall I do?” the Low Hampton, New York, farmer puzzled.

No matter what he did lately, he could get no peace. Sleep lost its restfulness and work its meaning. Wherever he turned, a gentle but firm voice seemed to say, “You must tell the world of its danger!”

“I’m not a preacher,” He countered, unhitching horses from a plow and standing still in the August sun that day in 1831. “I’m slow of speech and haven’t got much learning.” He argued, as though someone were beside him. “I’m not right for the job!”

“The job” involved the farmer’s Bible studies. That was strange, for earlier in his life, he had rejected the Bible’s divine inspiration. He had also claimed that God was no longer involved in the world’s affairs, having left it to run by nature’s laws after He created it.

But that all changed after the War of 1812. Miller couldn’t understand how he and the other American soldiers were able to defeat a well-trained British force that outnumbered them by three to one. Could God be involved? he had wondered.

Turning to the Bible, he found the answer to more than this question. He discovered that the Bible was divinely inspired. It led him to accept Jesus as his Savior and join the local Baptist church, where he sometimes read printed sermons when the minister was absent.

Then, by 1818, his years of Bible study let him to a shocking discovery: Jesus would come around 1843 and destroy the world! It needs to be warned, he thought. But he was sure he wasn’t the person for this task, although he shared his views with a few Low Hampton residents.

As 1843 drew nearer and the almost audible voice encourages him to preach, he began to reconsider. “I know what I’ll do,” he now said, walking toward some trees. “I’ll pray about it.” Kneeling on the rocky earth, he promised, “Lord, if you’ve been telling me to preach, I’ll do it if I get an invitation to do so.” Relieved, he arose, thinking, it’ll never happen since I’m not a preacher!

Half an hour later, his nephew came, asking him to preach on Sunday in nearby Dresden because the minister would be absent!

He angrily headed for the trees. He didn’t want to preach! Patiently, God listened to his objections but didn’t remove the conviction.

With fear, William went to Dresden. But the congregation greatly appreciated his message. In fact, they asked him to preach for the entire week, and a revival (renewed religious interest) resulted! When the new preacher returned home, he found written invitations asking him to present his views about Christ’s coming to other congregations!

Clearly, God’s hand was in the matter! The former farmer, William Miller, took courage and started a career that would prepare thousands for Christ’s return, both in his time and ours.

1. Read Revelation 14:6-12, what is the message of the first angel?
2. What does the second angel say?
3. What does the third angel say?

John 3:16, 17 (Amplified Bible)

“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

“For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.”

Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pp. 38-40.

Highlight the sentence that states: “No other light ever has shone or ever will shine upon fallen man . . .”

HERE’S WHAT I THINK

Mr. Runako teaches school on a tiny Indonesian island. One day, he rushes into the village, warning that a typhoon will hit the island within 24 hours. He begs everyone to leave for the mainland immediately. Most villagers refuse, saying they’ll ride out this typhoon like any other. Nothing he says can budge them. Tearfully, he piles his family into a small boat, departing promptly for the mainland. Some families, skeptical about the storm’s arrival, leisurely cram their boats with possessions, but a monster typhoon surprises them, destroying much property and many lives.

How does this scenario reflect our stormy times? Why didn’t Mr. Runako force the villagers to leave? How much are we responsible for others’ lives, if at all? How far should we go in warning others of danger?

Log on to http://www.guidemagazine.org/rtf to post your responses. Be up-front and honest. Say what you think. The lines below are provides as an alternative to posting. You may wish to record your thoughts and share them with your class later.

Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 42.

1. Underline the sentence that starts, “The Saviour’s words. . . . “
2. Highlight the paragraph that starts, “As the rays of the sun penetrate. . .”

A Second Angel Followed

Decode the message by finding each substitute letter or symbol.

I Am Not Ashamed

Decode the message by finding each substitute letter or symbol.

Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 43

Find and highlight the sentence that begins, “The words of Christ through the gospel prophet . . .”

“Christ ascended to heaven and sent His Holy Spirit to give power to the work of His disciples. Thousands were converted in a day. In a single generation the gospel was carried to every nation under heaven. But little by little a change came. The church lost her first love. She became selfish and ease-loving. The spirit of worldliness was cherished. The enemy cast his spell upon those to whom God had given light for a world in darkness, light which should have shone forth in good works. The world was robbed of the blessings that God desired men to receive.

“Is not the same thing repeated in this generation? Many in our day are keeping back that which the Lord has entrusted to them for the salvation of a world unwarned, unsaved. In the word of God an angel is represented as flying 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 judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.’” Revelation 14:6, 7.

“The message of Revelation 14 is the message that we are to bear to the world. It is the bread of life for these last days. Millions of human beings are perishing in ignorance and iniquity. But many of those to whom God has committed the stores of life look upon these souls with indifference. Many forget that to them has been entrusted the bread of life for those starving for salvation.

“Oh, for consecrated Christians, for Christlike consistency, for the faith that works by love and purifies the soul! May God help us to repent and change our sluggish movements into consecrated activity. May He help us to show in our words and works that we make the burden of perishing souls our own” (Testimonies, Vol. 8, pp. 26, 27).

“God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression [sin]; but He leaves the rejecters of His mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown” (The Great Controversy, p. 36).

SO WHAT?

Like a foundation is to a building, so are the three angels’ messages in Revelation 14:6-12 to the Seventh-day Adventist church. The unique beliefs we have as a church are all related to these messages from God.

In the first angel’s warning that “the hour of [God’s] judgment has come,” we see the Adventist emphasis on people’s accountability to God for their actions and on the judgment as a present reality, not just a faraway event. Also, with the proclamation “Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water” (v. 7, NIV), we understand that we are to worship the God of creation (not evolution), who asked us to worship Him on the seventh day in memory of His creation.

The second message refers to our ongoing commitment to biblical truth and our role as a haven for those looking for a church in which biblical truth is not ignored.

The third angel’s message reminds us of our commitment to God’s kingdom and heavenly values and our rejection of Satan’s kingdom and earthly values.

As God’s agents, our assignment is to help Him rescue as many people as possible from the eternal death prepared for Satan and his kingdom.

You were asked the first day to put in your own words what the angels are saying. Today, can you put in your own words what the messages are that the angels have been sent to deliver?

First message

Second message

Third message

Match the text with the phrase. When you have discovered what all the texts, pick one to memorize and hide it in your heart. (Then later share it with your class).

1. 2 Corinthians 5:17, 18 (NIV)
2. Revelation 1:1 (NIV)
3. Hebrews 1:14 (NIV)
4. 2 Corinthians 6:17,18 (NIV)
5. Joel 2:1 (KJV)
6. Daniel 7:9,10 (KJV)
7. Revelation 20:12 (KJV)

1. “I beheld till the thrones were cast down. . .” _________
2. “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion. . . .”                      _________
3. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. . . .” ________
4. “And I saw the dead, small and great stand before God. . . .” _______
5. “The revelation of Jesus Christ. . . .” ________
6. “Are not all angels ministering spirits. . . . ____________
7. “Therefore come out from them and be separate. . . .___________

Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 44

1. Highlight the sentence that begins, “The cross of Calvary is to be lifted. . . .”
2. Highlight the paragraph that begins, “Christ accepts, oh, so gladly. . . .”
3. Underline the sentence that begins, “Trials patiently borne. . .”

Revelation 12:7-18 (New King James Version)

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

“’And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.’  

“Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.

“So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ME?

The three angels’ messages portray a war between two kingdoms, each competing for our allegiance. The first angel addresses people living at a time of great invention and progress.

However, God fights back, for He sends another angel, inviting people who really want to follow truth to leave the organizations that have chosen to be deceived by Satan.

Reluctant to have them blindly follow Satan, He sends a final angel to warn them of the terrible punishment they are choosing.

The choice for each individual is this: Will I choose God or Satan, life or death?

1. When did the war in heaven begin?
   
2. Is there still a war going on? If so, where is the war and when will it be over?
   
3. What is the war about?
   
4. How does it affect earliteens?
   
5. Is there any other church besides the Seventh-day Adventist Church that has heeded the message delivered by the three angels? Please explain.
   
6. From the study of this lesson, how did the Seventh-day Adventist Church begin?
7. To whom did God give the three angels message to share with the world?
   
8. Did the person God impressed with “The three angels message” really want to preach it to everyone?
   
9. Will God ever ask us to do things that we really don’t want to do?
   
10. If God asks us to do things we are afraid of doing, how can we do them?

“God has a great work to be done in a short time. He has committed to the young, talents of intellect, time, and means, and He holds them responsible for the use they make of these good gifts. He calls upon them to come to the front, to resist the corrupting, bewitching influences of this fast age and to become qualified to labor in His cause. They cannot become fitted for usefulness without putting heart and energy into the work of preparation.” (That I May Know Him, p. 194).

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Sometimes earliteens are tempted to think that God and religion are for older people, not them. They claim that they will give their hearts to God after they get older.

Match the people in the left column with their ages in the right column.

After you have matched them, record your feelings in a journal entry.

Answers
1 (f)
2 (e)
3 (a)
4 (g)
5 (c)
6 (d)
7 (i)
8 (b)
9 (j)
10 (h)