Episode Transcript
Welcome to God's. Last message to the world. Presented by Dr.
Allan Lindsay. This is an eight part series showing the certainty of Bible prophecy. The accurate fulfillment of past prophecies give confidence in those that are yet to be fulfilled.
This presentation is entitled its content revealed. Hello, and welcome to another presentation in this series, god's Last Warning Message. It's wonderful to see those of you who are present with us in the studio.
And we don't forget about all those people around the world who may be watching our presentation, and we thank you for doing that as well. So welcome. Let's bow our heads, first of all, in a word of prayer.
Our loving Father in Heaven, we thank you for the wonderful privilege we have of opening your word and of hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts. We thank you for the assurance that everybody who is within cooe of my voice is one who is greatly loved by God. And I pray that that love might surround them this morning and that the Holy Spirit will speak to them and speak to me as we speak.
And we ask this today in Jesus precious name. Amen. This is the third of the presentations for this series and I'm just going to spend a little while, as we did last time, reviewing what we said in the last one, and we hope that that will clarify and remind you of some of the great truths that we're speaking about in this series.
In the first two presentations, we've been developing a chart that is based upon Bible prophecies. And these prophecies have predicted the great events that are to take place from 1798 onwards, because that was the beginning, as we discovered the beginning of the time of the end. That very significant phrase used in the Book of Daniel.
We have seen how there are prophecies and one particular prophecy in the Book of Daniel. We looked at it on the previous presentation, the prophecy, that is the 2300 year prophecy that ends in 1844, as you can see on our screen. This prophecy that was to be widely proclaimed, by the way, that was to play a major part in the opening of the Book of Daniel, as well as providing us with the foundation for God's last warning message.
So today we're going to look at the content of that message. What did God want to say to the world in the final days as he prepares for that day when he's going to return to the earth and take his people home? So we're going to turn to that wonderful book, the Book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible. This is a book that is unique in many ways, not the least of which is its title, because the Bible says the title is The Revelation of Jesus Christ.
It is not, as some people believe, a hidden book that cannot be understood. Rather it is called a revelation. And the revelation is not something that's hidden, it's something that is to be revealed.
And it's a revelation. And this is important to remember in all I say today. It's a revelation both of Jesus and from Jesus.
It's the only book in the Bible that's significant. It's the only book in the Bible that pronounces a special blessing on those who read the book. And we notice as we think about this, that here is the text in Revelation One, verse three blessed is he who reads and those who hear.
So there's not only a blessing on those of us who are reading it, but those of you who are hearing this prophecy and those who keep those things which are written in it. In other words, there are some things that are going to be revealed in the Book of Revelation that it's important that we not only hear about them, but also that we keep in our hearts the things that are there. And so I hope that you with me will claim that blessing today.
Having seen that the Book of Daniel was to be sealed or closed up, particularly prophecies in the Book of Daniel, is there any other part of the Bible that tells what will happen when a little book that once was closed but now is opened in the time of the end? Is there any other part of the Bible? Well, the answer, of course, is in the Book of Revelation. And it's in chapter ten of Revelation that we read these words. And I saw that's John recording one of the visions that God gave him.
I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow was upon his head and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire. The artist there has tried to portray what John saw that day, this mighty messenger who came down from heaven. Now, I want you to notice something, and this may well, it's important for us to notice when it says John saw a mighty angel, who is this angel? I noticed when I looked at the Greek word there, it's the word angelos.
That's the Greek for the word angel, but more commonly that's translated as a messenger. Sometimes it's translated as an angel. But we need to remember that the word angelos didn't always refer to angels.
The word angelos sometimes refers to human beings who are messengers from God. Let me give you a couple of illustrations of this. John the Baptist, who was the messenger to prepare the way for Jesus to come.
He is referred to as Angelos. Now, John the Baptist wasn't an angel, but he was a messenger. I noticed in Luke seven, verse 24, the two messengers this is an interesting story.
There were two messengers who were sent from John the Baptist to Jesus because John the Baptist was beginning to wonder, is jesus really the promised Messiah? I've come to prepare the way for him. Is he really the promised Messiah? And John the Baptist sends two messengers, two of his disciples to Jesus to ask him, are you really the Messiah? And the word there for the two messages is angelos, two human beings. Let me give you one other illustration in James, chapter two, verse 25.
You remember the story in the Old Testament of Rahab who lived in Jericho, and there were spies who came from Israel to visit this lady rehab, and those two men are called Angelos. Now definitely they're not angels that came, but nevertheless they are used. The word used to describe them is angelos.
Now, many Bible commentators, I notice, identify this mighty messenger from heaven as Jesus. Now that's why I've spent a little time to introduce this, because this is not really an angel as we think it that's come down, it's a messenger. But why do I say that the messenger is Jesus? Because when you consider his description there in Revelation ten, where he's very brilliantly dressed and there's a rainbow around his head, et cetera, that's very similar to the description of Jesus in Revelation chapter one and verses 14 and 15, did you also notice that in the hand of this messenger there is a little book? And the Bible says he had in his hand a little book open.
I was particularly interested, I checked up again on the Greek word for open, and I was surprised, but not really surprised, to find that it should strictly be translated as he had in his hand a little book having been opened. Now, that makes quite a difference to our understanding of it, because the little book that this messenger Jesus had in his hand was once closed. That's what it's implying.
If it's a book open, having been opened, it was once closed and has recently been opened. Well, what is the little book? I hope you're beginning to think of the answer. What is the little book that is open in the hand of the messenger? Remember, dear friends, that there is only one book, as I said in our earlier presentation, only one book.
Of all the 66 books in the Bible, there's only one that was ever closed and sealed unto a particular time. And that, as we noticed earlier, is the little book of Daniel. When the angel came to Daniel and said, close up your book.
Seal it up until the time of the end, which says, in effect, that when the time of the end comes, the book of Daniel, and particularly the prophetic parts of Daniel, are going to be opened up and presented to the world. So here in Revelation Ten, we see Jesus with the book of Daniel in his hand. I want you to notice as we consider this, that in Daniel, chapter twelve and verse seven, we see a very interesting parallel between Daniel, chapter twelve, and Revelation chapter ten.
Let me see if I can put it on the screen here. Daniel in Europe, Daniel twelve is told by the messenger to close his book. Then we notice that the messenger Jesus takes an oath and swears by him who lives forever.
Then we also notice that this message that he pronounces then concerns the time of the end, because the little book is to be open in the time of the end. And finally Daniel's book is to be opened in the time of the end. Now that's found in Daniel chapter twelve.
And Jesus is in that chapter too, because there's a description that this was told to Daniel by the man clothed in linen. And in Daniel chapter ten, the man clothed in linen is identified as Jesus in his preexistent form speaking to Daniel. Now that's in Daniel chapter twelve.
But have a look at Revelation chapter ten and verses five and six. The messenger comes to John with a little book open. Then we read that the messenger Jesus takes an oath and swears by him who lives forever.
The message concerns time no longer. And then the little book is open in the time of the end, before the 7th trumpet sounds. And you'll understand that in just a moment.
And so when we look at that comparison between Daniel twelve and Revelation ten, it confirms that this little book and it's important that we spend a little time to establish that in your thinking that the little book in the angels or the Messenger's hand is the book of Daniel. And we see that brought to us by making that comparison. So as we shall see, the little book open is in Revelation ten, is opened in the time of the end.
That's another confirmation that it's the book of Daniel that Jesus comes down with to present to the world. So let's have a look at Revelation chapter ten and verses five to seven. The angel, the messenger.
Remember whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore he's taking an oath. A solemn oath by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it the earth and the things that are in it and the sea and the things that are in it that there should be delay no longer. But in the days of the sounding of the 7th trumpet, the 7th angel after that, when he's about to sound, the mystery of God is going to be finished.
Now there are a few terms there that I need to explain to you. It says there that there would be delay no longer. Some translations say time no longer because the word there in the Greek is the word chronos, from which we get chronology.
And chronology of course, is the study of time. So that's the word that is used here that there should be time no longer or no longer any delay. Now why no more any delay? Because the Bible goes on to say there in Revelation Ten that God is about to finish his work upon the earth with the sounding of the 7th trumpet.
Now that needs a little explanation as well. In the book of Revelation there are a number of series of sevens. We have seven plagues, we have seven churches and we have seven trumpets.
And those visions that were given to John covered a period of time most often from the time of Jesus down to the second coming of Christ. And as you can guess, when its 7th trumpet sounds, that's not way back in the days just after Jesus, it's the days just before the second coming of Christ. Because there are seven trumpets that are brought to view there.
And there in Revelation Ten it says when he's about to sound the 7th trumpet, the mystery of God's going to be finished. So what is the 7th trumpet sounding? What time? Because whatever time when the 7th trumpet is sounding, that's when this little book open is going to have a message for the world. So let's have a look what happens when the 7th trumpet sounds.
I'm going to read it there because I don't think it's going to appear on the screen. But in Revelation eleven verse 15 it says this then the 7th angel sounded and there were loud voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever. A mighty message, a glorious message.
The kingdoms of this world are being replaced by the kingdom of God. Now that of course is a reference to the second coming of Jesus, when all the kingdoms of this earth are replaced by the kingdom of God. So what happens when the 7th trumpet sounds? Christ's kingdom replaces all earthly kingdoms.
But then we also need to ask the question what happens when the 7th trumpet is about to sound? As you can imagine, that's the time before the second coming of Jesus. If I can put another expression into that place, I would say it's the time of the end. Remember I said to you that later we would discover when the little book is open and haven't been opened, that that happens in the time of the end.
I say that because this message goes to the world in the days just before the 7th trumpet sounds. That's just before Jesus comes. Or another way of saying that in the time of the end.
So here is this mighty messenger coming down with a message in the time of the end from the little book of Daniel. Well, what are the events to occur when the 7th trumpet is about to sound? We find that that also is found in scripture. And I'm referring to Revelation eleven verse 18, and I would just summarize it on the screen for you to see.
The Bible tells us in Revelation Eleven, verse 18, that when the 7th trumpet is about to sound, the nations of the world would be angry. Think about this. The time of God's wrath has come, the time for judging the dead and rewarding God's people.
That's going to happen in the time of the end, just before Jesus comes. And then notice God will destroy those who destroy the earth. Again, if I can peel to the Greek, and I don't do this very often, but it sort of helps to clarify some things.
If I was to translate that exactly as the Greek says it, god will destroy those who are in the act of destroying the earth. When you think about what's happening to today's world, friends, is mankind destroying the earth? Does it have power now to contribute to all the problems of weather and all the rest that's happening? God will come and destroy those who are in the act of destroying the earth. So here are these great events that would be happening when the 7th trumpet is about to sound his trumpet.
Nations angry, the time of God's wrath, the time for judging the dead, rewarding God's people, and God will destroy those who destroy the earth. All of those events are associated with the time of the end. Now, I need to ask one other question of that verse.
You remember that says that there would be time no longer, no more any delay. Why? Because they're waiting on the mystery of God to be finished. What's the mystery of God that's going to be finished when the 7th trumpet is about to sound his trumpet, the 7th angel? I'm just going to refer you to Ephesians chapter one and verses nine and ten, and also Ephesians chapter three and verses three to six, because here Paul, the apostle Paul refers to the mystery of God that has been hidden in ages past, but what has now been revealed to prophets and to apostles.
And what is that mystery that God has planned that the Gentiles should be united with the Jews by the preaching of the Gospel? Well, what is the finishing of that mystery? Obviously, it's the finishing of the work of preaching the Gospel to the world that's going to gather together all Jews and Gentiles to be ready for the coming of the Lord, as it is in the days when the 7th angel is about to sound that the mystery is to be finished. That will be the time when the preaching of the Gospel will have gathered together Jews and Gentiles to make ready for the coming of Jesus. Now, in this amazing prophecy from Jesus in Revelation ten, what's it really telling us so far? That after 1798, in the time of the end, when the book of Daniel was to be opened, god was to send a message to the world based upon the book of Daniel and the unsealing of the prophecy of the 2300 years, announcing no more delay.
Time no longer, for Jesus is about to come back to this world. Now remember all that I've just said. Today, dear friends, is prophecy.
We're looking what something has been written 2000 years ago in the Book of Revelation and two and a half thousand years ago in the Book of Daniel. But how wonderfully we're going to see that it's been fulfilled. I think the next question we need to ask is this message that is going to be preached to the world from the little book of Daniel.
How would it be received by the people who hear it? In Revelation ten, verses eight and nine, we read this. Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth. Now, let me just explain something.
In looking at that verse on the screen, it says so I went the I, of course, is the one who's writing the Book of Revelation. It's John. The disciple of John.
He's the one to whom Jesus had revealed the wonderful Book of Revelation. And so it says there that I, John, heard from heaven where the messenger said to me now the messenger, of course, is Jesus, as we've noticed. So what does Jesus say to John? And why John? Since this is a symbolic vision, john is representing the people as a disciple of Jesus is representing the people who are going to hear this message from the book of Daniel, from the little book that is open.
So here he's told to go to the little book which is open in the hand of the messenger who stands on the sea and on the earth. And then the next verse in verse nine, what does it say to us? So I went to the angel and said to him, give me the little book. And he said to me now please notice this strange verse.
So he said to me, take it and eat it and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth. What strange words. Here John is told, go up to the messenger, go up to Jesus who's got a little book open in his hand and say to him after he said, go and take the book out of his hand.
When he ate it, it was sweet in his mouth. But it turned to very bitter experience after some time had passed, after digestion, if we could put it that way. What do you think is meant by John being told to eat the book? To eat the little book? If I say to you that, well, I went down to the library the other day and I took out a book and since then I've been devouring it.
What am I saying? That I tore the pages out one by one and began to eat the pages from the book? No, of course not. It's saying that I really read that book very carefully. It was a great challenge and a blessing to me, and I enjoyed reading it and I read every part of it.
That's implied that I devoured the book. There's an interesting verse that we find in Revelation 15, verse 16. Notice where it says in that book, jeremiah, chapter 15, your words were found.
Jeremiah says, speaking to God and I ate them. And your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. For I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.
What was Jeremiah's experience? I hope those of you who are listening, I hope that's been your experience with the word of God. But here Jeremiah is saying that your words referring to the word of God were found. And I ate them just like John in Daniel chapter in Revelation chapter ten, your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.
It made me happy. That's the response that Jeremiah had to eating the book or the words of God that he was given. Well, in Revelation chapter ten and verse ten, we read then I took this is his response.
John says, I took the little book out of the angel's hand and I ate it. And it was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, it became bitter in his stomach. Strange words.
This is prophecy. It's based upon the experience of God's people. In the time of the end, they were to receive the message of the Book of Daniel concerning time.
No longer the 2300 year prophecy that was to be sealed until the time of the end. And when they received and heard that message, oh, it was sweet in their mouth when they first heard it, but it turned a bitter taste by the time of digestion. Well, while you're wondering what this means, don't forget to come in our next presentation and we'll look at this in far more detail.
Well, the message was received with joy from the Book of Daniel, but the experience was to turn into a bitter disappointment. Was God still leading them? Now, this is a very important question, dear friends. Was God still leading them through this bitter experience? It's Jesus who gives them the book.
They ate it as he told them to. It's sweet in their mouth and bitter. What's Jesus doing? Why is he giving them a book to be eaten that turns from sweet to bitterness? I want you to notice the very next words after the bitter experience.
It's in verse eleven. And notice what the messenger said. And he said to me, you must prophesy.
And that really means proclaim or preach. But the next word is the word I'm interested in this morning, because what does it say? You must prophesy again about or before. Some translations translated a little bit differently before many peoples and nations, tongues and kings.
Notice what he's told. You must preach again. Don't think that the preaching has been finished because you've had a sweet and bitter experience.
The very word again implies what? That they've been preaching proclaiming before. But don't think your preaching is finished. You've got to preach again, but this time you've got to take a message to the whole world.
You've got to take it to many peoples, many nations, many tongues, many kings. Well, where do we find a reference later in the Book of Revelation to a message that's got to go to every nation, kindred, tongue and people? As we continue to read in the Book of Revelation, it's interesting to me, dear friends, we don't have to wonder about this and look at many alternatives, because as we read from Revelation Ten through towards the end of the Book of Revelation, there is only one did you notice what I said? Only one message that is described as going to every nation, every kindred, every tongue, every people. And where is that message contained in Revelation chapter 14? And in this tremendous vision given to John, again, john was shown in vision three angels, and each of them had an urgent message to be preached to the world.
Dear friends, that these messages are God's last warning message. Notice the words I used is evident from two considerations. If we look in Revelation chapter 14, verse six, beginning to describe the message of the three angels, we notice this.
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to be dwart to those who dwell on the earth. Notice the words that follow to every nation, every tribe, every tongue and every people there. It is a worldwide message, a worldwide message.
I want you to think as you're contemplating that verse, to think about a statement Jesus made earlier when he was alive on earth in Matthew chapter 24. Matthew chapter 24 is a wonderful chapter. That's the chapter that deals with Jesus taking his disciples to a place near the city of Jerusalem and talking about the signs of his second coming.
Notice what the talking is about, the signs of the second coming, because they'd come to Jesus and said, what's the sign of your coming and of the end of the world? Let's have a look at this in Scripture, in Matthew chapter 24, verse three. Now, as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately saying, tell us, when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age, the end of the world? Now, Jesus in his answer, tells of some of the signs. Can I remind you of some of them? He speaks about widespread deception in the world just before Jesus comes.
He speaks about wars and rumors of wars among the nations. He speaks about an increase in famines and earthquakes. He speaks about widespread pandemics.
Did you hear what I said? Now, in the Book of Matthew, it's called pestilences. But I noticed when I looked up the dictionary, it said a pestilence is a widespread worldwide pandemic and many die. Think about that.
A sign of the soon coming of Jesus. But then in verse 14, Matthew 24, verse 14, we read this also was listed as one of the signs. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached whereabouts in all the world as a witness to all the nations.
And what will happen when it's gone to all the world, then shall the end come. Now think about what we've just said in the Book of Revelation, chapter ten, because there the Gospel and in chapter 14, the Gospel has to go to the whole world. And here Jesus says, when the Gospel has gone to the world, then the end shall come.
That means, dear friends, that the last warning message ever sent to this world will be the messengers or the messages of the three angels of chapter 14. But there's a second reason that I'd just like to mention to you in relation to this. And that is that in Revelation 14 and verse 14, straight after John sees the three angels messages going to the world, the very next thing, the very next verse after it is this then I looked after hearing the three mangels going to the world, Then I looked and behold a white cloud.
And on the cloud one sat like a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And then it says, and then another angel. In the next verse I looked and behold, another angel came out of the temple crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, thrust in your sickle and reap, for the time has come for you to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
What sort of scene is Jesus showing to John here? He's showing a picture of the Second Coming in the imagery of a harvest. And that reminds us that sometime before, when Jesus lived on the earth, he told a parable one day, a parable that we call today, the parable of the wheat and the tears. And when Jesus explained that parable of sowing wheat and tears in the field, he said to his disciples, then the harvest is the end of the world.
And so the very fact that John saw the Second Coming in harvest imagery straight after the three angels'messages also points to the fact that these messages are to be preached in the last days of earth's history. And I am reminded, dear friends, to tell you again that they come from one who loves the people of the world. And after all, he died for them.
He wants. Them to be with Him in his everlasting kingdom. And the disciple Peter tells us something about the second coming of Jesus.
And as we look at that chart, we can see that the time of the end, the three angels'messages, are due after Daniel's book is being opened, as we see on the screen. But look at two Peter, chapter three and verse nine, speaking about the second coming that we've just been talking about. Notice what Peter says.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long suffering towards us, not willing. Please notice this, dear friends, that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And I want to say to those of you who are listening to my voice, no matter where in the world it might be, according to scripture, god doesn't want any human being to perish.
He wants them with Him in his kingdom. He's made every provision for them to be in his kingdom. He died for them to have them in his kingdom.
He's not willing that any should perish. But notice what he goes on to say in a later verse. But before we notice that, let's look at first thessalonians four what Paul tells us about the second coming of Christ.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means proceed or go back to go to heaven before those who are asleep. For this we say to you that the Lord Himself will descend. And now he's describing the second coming.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet of God. And what will happen? The dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so shall be we be ever with the Lord. Oh, what a wonderful promise, my friends, in the darkness of living in the world today, with the fear, the fear of death, the fear of this pandemic. This is called in the Bible, the blessed hope, when Jesus is preparing something ever so glorious for his people.
But I want you to notice what Peter says about the same event. The apostle Peter writes but the day of the Lord, that's the second coming of Jesus will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
But he goes on to say therefore and since this world is facing this end, therefore since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and Godliness looking for and hastening? The coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Oh, dear friends, that's a thought provoking question, isn't it? What manner of people should all of you who are listening be in view of the fact that this world is facing its end? But because God loves us all, because God loves the world, he's sending his last warning message to the world. So let us very quickly review the messages of these three angels.
Messages that come from his heart of love. The first angel's message. Here it is in Revelation 14, verse six.
The first angel's message. Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue and people. I'm glad that that's first because the good news of the gospel is not been put aside for this last warning message to the world.
It's the good news of Jesus that has been preached everlastingly from the days of the Garden of Eden. God set into operation a plan whereby people on this earth could one day have their sins forgiven and could live with him for eternity. You remember that text and we see it here to illustrate this first angel's message that is preaching the everlasting gospel to the world, where Jesus spoke these wonderful words that are in essence the Gospel for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish.
That's the choice, but have everlasting life. The message of the everlasting Gospel is that Jesus, the Son of God, died the most cruel death at the hands of those for whom he died, the ones who crucified him. He died for them that all sinners might be forgiven and their lives transformed.
That's the gospel and all that follows in these three angels messages afterwards will meet the great issues and choices that will be confronting the people of the world just before Jesus comes in. Revelation, chapter 14, verse seven. It says, saying with a loud voice, fear God, give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment has come.
And worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of waters. Do you notice, my friends, that this first angel's message, after having the everlasting Gospel to preach, calls the world to respect God? Not to be afraid of God, but to respect him, to acknowledge that God is God and the reason given, why should we respect God? Because the hour of his judgment has come. Notice it's not the hour of his judgment is coming.
It's come. It's here. It's present tense.
That's what Jesus what we read of in the Book of Acts in chapter 17 and verse one, where God has appointed a day. Look at the text as it reads that he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world. God has appointed that day in righteousness by the man whom he's ordained.
He's given assurance of the fact that there's coming a judgment by raising Jesus from the dead. That's a guarantee that we are all still accountable to God for the way we live appointed. A day of Judgment next, in our next assignment, we will show you the actual year when that judgment began because the Bible reveals it.
And so that year is such an important year. It's not a day that is future. The judgment has come.
The first angel announced. But then we notice too that the second part of that chart urges all people to worship the Creator. Who's? The Creator.
The Bible tells us in a number of places in the New Testament that the one who actually created this world was Jesus himself. Think about it. Here is a call in this last message to worship the one who created the world.
A message to be given, amazingly, I believe, at a time when an alternative explanation for the origins of the world is being preached to millions of people today. A message, by the way, that leaves Jesus entirely out of the story of evolution. But there is much more to this part of the message than just acknowledging that Jesus is the Creator and that we'll deal with in a future presentation.
But then very quickly we'll look at the second angel's message and here it reads and another angel followed saying babylon is fallen, is fallen that great city, because she may has made all the nations drunk drink of the wine of the wrath of her. Fornication that's a strange message. You might as you read that say, well, I thought the city of Babylon fell way back there in 539 BC.
As we've talked about as one of the first great kingdoms of the world. Well, what is the meaning of this strange word announcing the fall of Babylon? In the book of Revelation, there are two women that are mentioned, only two, and they are presented as symbols of the Church. Both of these women as symbols of the Church.
A call in this message is to separate from the end time confusion that is represented by the city of Babylon. So what are these two women that I'm referring to? In Revelation twelve, there is a beautiful woman that is presented. She's clothed with the sun, she has a crown of twelve stars.
She's standing on the moon and she's pregnant, waiting for the birth of a baby. In Revelation twelve, the baby is identified as Jesus Christ. And this is a picture of God's pure church down through time.
But in strong contrast with that, there is the picture of another woman, a woman dressed in purple and scarlet. She's sitting on a beast. You'll notice there she has a golden cup in her hand filled with that says the wine of her, fornication she's made all the world drunk with the false doctrines of this second woman.
And you notice that she has a name on her forehead and that name Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth. This is not talking about harlotry as we normally know it. It's speaking about the spiritual harlotry where a church, the Christian church, nominal at the start, has joined with the state the kings of the world and given them the wine of her false doctrine.
This is Babylon. And the second angel's message is to call God's people out of Babylon into the woman clothed with the sun. That is identified in Revelation twelve.
That word, Babylon, is an interesting word that I should just explain to you very quickly because in Genesis eleven it tells the story of the building of a great tower built by the people who were living after the flood, who had rebelled against God and during its construction. As we read the story there in Genesis eleven, god came down and made all the builders speak different languages because of their rebellion against God. And in Genesis eleven, verse nine, we read therefore its name is called Babel, the Tower of Babel because there the Lord confused all the language of the earth and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the earth.
There it is, babel, from which, of course, the city of Babylon or Babylon developed from that particular event recorded in biblical history. In fact, the word babel is a word in our language. If we say that's a babel of voices, what do we mean? I noticed the dictionary said a babel is a confused noise made by a number of voices.
And God has used that symbol of babel and Babylon and the confusion that existed to represent his people in the last days that are still in Babylon and he wants to call them out from Babylon. Look at Revelation, chapter 18, verse two. And he cried mightily with a loud voice.
This is the second angel, babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison of every foul spirit and a cage for every unclean and hateful bird. This is not, as I just mentioned, the second angel. It's a fourth angel that joins with the second angel to reinforce the message in the last days, the second angel's message merely announces babylon has fallen.
She's made all the nations drunk. But then when we come down to Revelation 18 there we find a fourth angel coming down saying these words. But notice what happens after it in verses four and five.
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, come out of her, this woman Babylon. And the next two words dear friends, I want you to think about knowing what Babylon is representing the confusion that will exist in the religious world in the last days. God is sending a message come out of her, my people.
We must never forget those two words that God has still his people scattered among all the confusion of the last days. People who love Him, people who are living up to all the light that they've received. And he's going to send a specially powerful message in that last warning.
Come out of Babylon, my people. Why? Lest you share in her sins and lest you receive of her plagues for her sins have reached to heaven and God has remembered her iniquities. Oh, dear friends, it's clear that the message of the second angel is so important that God sends a fourth angel with a messenger, with a message to call God's people to separate separate from the confusion of the last days.
But then we read of a third angel's message in Revelation chapter 14 and verses nine and ten, we read this. Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice pardon me from using another Greek word, but you'll understand why. Do you know what the two Greek words are from a loud voice? Megaphone.
What's that make you think about? You know what a megaphone is? What it does? And here it says this third angel is going to come down with a loud voice because what he's going to say and send to the world is tremendously important with a megaphone. A he speaks. And what does he say? If any man, if anyone, worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, then it says, he himself shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation.
And it goes on to say that he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Do you realize, my friends, that there is no text anywhere in the whole of the Bible that contains such a severe warning as that attached to the third angel's message? Because what is it saying? If anybody worships the beast in his image and receives this mysterious mark in the forehead or in the right hand, he's going to drink, it says, of the wine of the wrath of God, which has poured out full strength. What a message.
It reminds me, dear friends, that recently somebody was speaking to me and he said to me, look, why do you say this is from a God of love? Would a God of love actually talk about his wrath unmixed with mercy, full strength? Where's your God of love? Do you know what I said when I answered him? I said it's precisely because God is a God of love. That knowing the future and the issues and choices the people of the world will have to make and knowing the consequences of their choices, he sends such a strong message. He's sending a fearful message from his heart of love.
That warns of a worldwide perversion of the everlasting gospel in the time of the end, a message that will lead to a worldwide enforced false worship. That's what the Book of Revelation says that will turn people away from the worship of Jesus. The first angel message worship Jesus.
The third message don't worship the beast. And why does it say that? Have a look in Revelation 13 and verse eight. As we look at the serious nature of this experience, the Bible tells us, and I'll say more about this in a future presentation the day is coming just before Jesus comes, when all the earth, all who dwell on the earth, that's everybody almost will worship this beast.
No wonder Jesus sends a warning. All who dwell on the earth will worship him whose names have not been written in the book of life, of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. What does that mean? All the world shall worship whose names have not been written in the Book of life.
If I can put that in a more positive way, that all the world will worship Him except those whose names are written in the Book of life. And that's why I want towards as I close, why I want to say to you who are listening, do you have your name written in the Book of Life? You might want to say to me, well, how do I do that? How do I have my name written in the Book of life? The Bible tells us very clearly that when you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, when you've looked at the cross and realized that he died for you, when it leads you to repentance of your sins, you've confessed them to the Lord. He completely forgives you and writes your name in the Book of Life.
And yet the solemnity of this message is that all the world one day is going to worship the beast. They've been deceived. They don't know who they're really worshipping.
And I'll say more about that in a future presentation. But all the world will worship whose names are not written. A most serious consequence.
Does God give any further description of those who are going to be preaching his last warning message? As we think of Revelation, chapter 14, here is the message. Here is the patience of the saints. This is the summary and a description of the people who are going to be preaching this message to the world.
Here is the patience of the saints. God says, here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. At a time when many people will be solaying aside the commandments of God, when many will be saying, we don't have to keep the commandments.
We're saved by grace at a time when many people will believe that, well, we can't earn our salvation by our obedience to the commandments. And that's true. But Jesus describes the people proclaiming the messages of the three angels.
You remember in the first message, they are preaching the gospel. When it comes to the third message, it describes them as keeping God's commandments. Believing the gospel doesn't cancel out our obligation to keep the commandments of God.
Why not? Because as we read the words of Jesus in John, Chapter 14, and how powerful these words are, if you love me, Jesus said, what will you do? Keep my commandments. And that's the reason why these people in the last days delivering this last message to the world will be keeping God's commandments. And then it goes on to say they will have faith and believe in the faith of Jesus.
They will remain faithful to Jesus at a time when all the world has forgotten him. We will continue next week by looking at the history of the prophecies that have been talked about over the last three presentations. We hope you will come.
Let's bow our heads. Our loving Father in Heaven, we've been made solemn as we think of this last warning message to go to the world. But we thank you that these messages come from you and that you are concerned in sending them to the whole world because you want the world to be saved.
But it will present to us a choice. And we ask that you will accept us. As today we choose to follow Jesus and to worship him in his wonderful name.
We ask amen. You've been listening to God's last message to the World, a production of 3abnaustralia television presented by Dr. Allan Lindsay.
For more information, visit GLM.3abnaustralia.org.au
