Revelation 14:6 – Revelation 15:6

Three Angel’s Messages and the Close of Mercy

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At first, you are going to think these messages are out of character with the God that you have loved and known all of your life. But, you should know by now that God’s wrath is a part of His character.

 

You have heard me say many times that one of the hardest things the 144,000 will say during the Great Tribulation is that “God is love.” When the world is lying in ruins and 1.75 billion people are dead, many people will sneer at the testimony of the 144,000 saying, “How could a God of love” do such hateful things?”

 

One more introductory point:

 

There is a reason why these three tiny messages are represented in Scripture by angels flying in midair. These massages come from above… they are not of human origin. They come directly from God’s throne. These thee messages will be carried by God’s prophets to every person on Earth.

 

With these things in mind, let’s begin.

 

The first angel’s message is painfully blunt. The first message comes from an angry God – an indignant God. His first message does not invite discussion nor negotiation.

 

The first angel’s message is a direct – head on – conformation with all of the false religions of the world. Jesus Christ is about to confront man’s arrogance and ignorance with a brutal message.

 

Think about the context of this message for a minute: When the censer is cast down. God’s attitude and behavior toward Earth appears to change. When there is no intercession for sinners, there is wrath – in this case, corporate wrath (wrath against the world as a whole).

 

This is a starling transition!

 

Jesus has been corporately interceding for mankind every since the day that Adam and Eve sinned, so the world has not seen a time when corporate intercession was not available!

 

If you remember our studies on the Jubilee Calendar, (March-June, 2004), you know that I believe that God’s patience with Earth expired in 1994 with the fullness of 70 Jubilee Cycles, and at that time, the seven trumpets were given to the seven angels that stand before God.

 

And you already know that the first four trumpets have been delayed – four angels have been waiting for Jesus to declare, “There is no more delay.”

 

When God’s clock strikes the appointed hour, the time of the end begins, the censer comes down and Day 1 of 1,335 days occurs. On that day, Jesus will rise up in anger to do His “strange work”--- He will release divine wrath against a sinful world. This is something that has not been done for a long time. [Isaiah 28:21]

 

When the wrath of God is released, the Great Tribulation will begin. This is why Daniel 8 refers to the appointed time of the end as a time of wrath. It is in the context of displayed wrath that we have to view and understand the proclamation of the three angel’s messages in Revelation 14.

 

These three messages will operate like a giant magnet – they will attract those who love truth. The rest of mankind will find them offensive!

 

Consider this:

 

The fist angel’s message will come as an outright demand. “Fear God….” The second message will come as a defiant declaration. “Babylon is fallen….” The third message will come as an ultimatum. “If anyone worships the beast….”

 

Three messages”

 

1.   An outright demand

2.   A defiant declaration

3.   An ultimatum

 

1.   What is the meaning and timing of each message?

 

2.   Why are they so harsh?

 

3.   Who delivers these messages?

 

4.   What are the options?

 

Let’s see if we can answer these four questions:

 

1.   What is the meaning and timing of each message?

 

Each of these three messages aligns with a specific development on Earth and they are cumulative as the Great Tribulation unfolds.

 

In other words, the first message begins at a point in time and it continues sounding until the 1,260^th day, the end of mercy. Later on, the second message begins and it continues sounding until the end of mercy, etc. The net effect is that eventually, all three messages will be heard together.   

 

Let’s look at the first message (an outright demand) to see how it applies:

 

“Fear God and give Him glory for the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him who made the heavens, earth, sea and the fountain of waters.”

 

This message is similar in structure to the Ten Commandments. This message is a direct order, a divine command. Nothing less. The first angel’s message carries the force and weight of the law. There is no room for negotiation or deviation from the demand. It simple means what it says.

 

This law will be proclaimed in every nation by the 144,000 at the same time. Everyone will hear this demand. Here’s an interesting twist:

 

The God mentioned in the first angel’s message is Jesus Christ, The Creator of Heaven and Earth. The 144.000 will tell everyone that Jesus Christ now demands respect and worship because He is the Creator-God of Heaven and Earth who rules the Universe.

 

As you can guess, this message will be so inflammatory in some parts of the world that it cannot be presented to the world until the world has been humbled by a show of divine wrath.

 

I need to emphasize this highly important fact again. The God in the first angel’s message is Jesus Christ, the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

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