God's Last Message of Mercy
The great threefold messages of Revelation 14:6-14, which contains the “everlasting gospel” (Revelation 14:6) is the last message of mercy given to our world in the final hours of earth’s history. It is a message of hope and describes the present-day world conditions. It also offers solutions to the global, social crises that we are seeing. We are experiencing wave after wave of terror and fear that has engulfed not just our nation but the whole world. The landscape of America is changing. There is a break-down of confidence with political leaders at almost every level. Law enforcement is under attack, race relations are deteriorating and citizens are dying. Concerned citizens watch with horror as they see the direction that our country and the world is headed.
The Three Angels’ Messages of Revelation 14 is the last, final warning message because they reach to the close of probation and culminate with the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven (Revelation 14:14-16). This message portrays God as He really is—a loving, personal God who is both Creator and Lord of all things, a God of law and justice. He is a God who has gone to infinite lengths making provision through Jesus Christ to save sinners, to justify and sanctify them, to impute righteousness on them, to empower them to live a new life (Jude 24) and to fit them for companionship with the sinless angels of heaven (Revelation 22:14). This message will bring every individual to a decision either for Christ or against Christ. It will draw a dividing line between all the people of earth and will separate them into just two classes,—those who follow the truth, and those who follow error; those who obey God, and those who disobey Him.
First Angel
The distinguishing features of the First Angel’s Message (Revelation 14:6, 7) is a call to preach the everlasting gospel, announcing the hour of God’s judgment, a call to fear God, to give Him glory and to worship Him as Creator of heaven and earth. This significant message is given in view of the fact that practically the entire world is drifting towards humanism, secularism, godlessness, evolution and anarchy. It is a fact that the more secular and godless this nation is the more careless and indifferent we become in our relationship with God and with each other. Our nation is becoming more and more divided. Greed is making many rich through corruption. Racism continues to wound and destroy the lives of both police and citizens. The justice system is broken because it favors some and punishes others. Women and children are being enslaved through sex-trade and trafficking. Godless behavior is destroying our civil and religious institutions. “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come” Revelation 14:7. It calls for mankind to recognize and acknowledge that there is a Creator who is the Law-giver and we are accountable to Him. If we continue to reject God’s commandments and His teachings (James 2:11-13), if we reject the principles of “love” and “respect” (Matthew 5:44) if we don’t treat people the way we want others to treat us (Matthew 7:12) then what we are seeing with the riots, the protests, the shootings and the killings will continue to happen until every major city in America is swept into anarchy. “Worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” Revelation 14:7. This is a call to recognize God as Creator and at the same time a call to the observance of the true seventh-day Sabbath, Saturday, for the observance of the Sabbath acknowledges and recognizes God as the Creator of all things in six days. See also Exodus 20:8-11; Genesis 2:1-3; Ezekiel 20:20.
Second Angel
This is a call that “Babylon is fallen” Revelation 14:8. This describes a world-wide phenomena and epidemic that has befallen both the world and the churches. Babylon comes from the word “babel” and originated with the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:9); it means confusion. Those who are in Babylon are confused. They think they are right when they are wrong. God’s word says: “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her [Babylon], my people?” Revelation 18:4. Many churches have become social clubs and are no longer emphasizing sanctification, holiness, purity or righteous living which comes as the result of reading and applying God’s word to our lives. Many churches are rejecting God’s view on morality and sexuality. This condition accurately describes the moral decay that we see. This is a fitting description of the popular churches who have opened wide their doors to the world. Babylon has truly fallen in this time of lawlessness and vice. “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” 1 Timothy 1:4.
Third Angel
This is a warning cry against the apostasy which is being introduced by Babylon. The ancient teachings of Babylon were firmly embedded into the teaching and practices of ancient Israel which included sun worship (2 Kings 23:5, Ezekiel 8:16) and spiritualism (2 Kings 21:6, Psalm 106:28). Today these doctrines have been repackaged and embraced by the church. They are now called Sunday sacredness and the doctrine of the immortal soul. By these two great errors the whole world has been made drunk on the wine of Babylon. The third angel’s message is a call to forsake these and all the other errors of Babylon and to take a stand of allegiance to God. It is a call to reject the Mark of the Beast—which is an attempt to enforce the wine of Babylon, or Sunday sacredness, through a legal enactment (a Sunday Law). It is a call to embrace the truths of the Holy Scriptures; to take a stand on the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This is clearly seen by the description of God’s people: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” Revelation 14:12. “If you love Me, keep My commandments” John 14:15. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” 1 John 5:3.
