"The Loud Cry"

Taylor G. Bunch

The "loud cry" is not strictly a Biblical expression. It is used often in the writings of the
Spirit of prophecy, and is based on a description of the final warning message during
the latter rain as set forth in Revelation 18 :1-4. Because the angel from heaven had
"great power," he "cried mightily with a strong voice" and "the earth was lightened with
his glory." Here is pictured the final announcement of the fall and demon possession of
Babylon, accompanied by the divine call, "Come out of her, My people." The
separation from Babylon is necessary in order to be emancipated from her sins and to
escape her plagues.
The time of the loud cry is definitely located. It comes just before the close of probation
and the falling of the seven last plagues, in which "is filled up the wrath of God." With a
loud c ry or strong voice the call is given for God's people remaining in the religious
organizations constituting Babylon to separate from what has "become the habitation
of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful
bird." Babylon includes the mother and the large family of daughters, all of whom have
fallen and been taken possession of by Satanic agencies.
The loud cry is not in itself the latter rain. It is rather the final message of salvation during the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the fullness of divine power, a call which will
bring every human being to a final and irrevocable decision. The latter rain furnishes
the power so that the message can be quickly finished and "cut short in
righteousness." As a result, "every truly honest soul will come to the light of truth." The
distinction betwe'en the latter rain and the loud cry is made clear by the messenger of
the Lord.

"At that time the 'latter rain,' or refreshing from the presence
of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the
third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when
the seven last plagues shall be pouredout."Early Writings, p.
86.

"I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven, descending to the

earth, and again ascending to heaven, preparing for the
fulfillment of some important event. Then I saw another mighty
angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his
voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his
message. . . . The work of this angel comes in at the right time
to join in the last great work of the third angel's message, as it
swells to a loud cry. . . . I saw a great light resting upon them
[God's people], and they united to fearlessly proclaim the third
angel's message. . . . This message seemed to be an addition to
the third message, joining it as the midnight cry joined the
second angel's message in 1844."/bid, p. 277, (Italics mine.)
Note also the following from the same book:

"I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth
with great power. It had effect. Many had been bound ; some
wives by their husbands, and some children by their parents.
The honest who had been prevented from hearing the truth
now eagerly laid hold upon it. All fear of their relatives was
gone, and the truth alone was exalted to them. They had been
hungering and thirsting for truth ; it was dearer and more
precious than life. I asked what had made this great change. An
angel answered, 'It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the
presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.' "
Ibid., p. 271.
"Then will the message of the third angel swell to a loud cry,
and the whole earth will be lightened with the glory of
the Lord."Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 401.

The loud cry is so closely identified with the latter rain that it is difficult to distinguish
between them except on the basis of the former being the message itself and the latter
the power that makes it effective.

"Those who have held the beginning of their confidence firm

unto the end will be wide-awake during the time that the third
angel's message is proclaimed with great power. During the
loud cry, the church, aided by the providential interpositions of
her exalted Lord, will diffuse the knowledge of salvation so
abundantly that light will be communicated to every city and
town. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of salvation.
So abundantly will the renewing Spirit of *God have crowned
with success the intensely active agencies, that the light of
present truth will be seen flashing everywhere.'Review and
Herald, Oct. 13, 1904.
It is evident that the purpose of the loud cry is to call out of Babylon all who had not
previously made the separation. This must be done before probation closes and the
wrath of God is poured out upon the finally impenitent. The Lord designates those
called out as "My people." They are just as verily His people even before they hear the
call as are those who are already in Zion and who are the instruments in the
proclamation of the message to escape from the doomed spiritual city.
Why the great urgency to make the separation? Because Babylon has become
completely possessed and controlled by enemy forces, has fallen to an all-time low
level of spiritual life, and is thus a dangerous and unfitting dwelling place for the saints
of the Most High. The sins of Babylon, like the tower of Babel in ancient Babylon, have
piled up until they have "reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered their
iniquities." Just as the angels hurried Lot and his family out of the doomed city of
Sodom before its destruction, so the saints of God must be hastened out of the final
spiritual city of destruction before the wrath divine brings it to a deserved end.
How many of God's true people will still be in Babylon when the loud cry calls them
out? Here is the answer:

"Notwithstanding the spiritual darkness and alienation from

God that exist in the churches which constitute Babylon, the
great body of Christ's true followers are still to be found in
their communion. There are many of these who have never
seen the special truths for this time. . . . The time will come
when those who love God supremely can no longer remain in
connection with such as are 'lovers of pleasures more than
lovers of God ; having a form of godliness, but denying the
power thereof.' Revelation 18 points to the time when, as the
result of rejecting the threefold warning of Rev. 146-14, the
church will have fully reached the condition foretold by the
second angel, and the people of God still in Babylon will be
called upon to separate from her communion. This message is
the last that will ever be given to the world ; and it will
accomplish its work. . . . Then the light of truth will shine upon
all whose hearts are open to receive it, and all the children of
the Lord that remain in Babylon will heed the call, 'Come out of
her My people.'"
"And in what religious bodies are the great part of the followers of Christ now to be
found? Without doubt, in the various churches professing the Protestant faith."
TheGreat Controversy, pp. 390, 383.

A Great Multitude Called Out

That those called out of Babylon during the latter rain and as a result of the loud cry
will be a great multitude is evident from the Bible and the Spirit of prophecy. In Micah
2:12 we are told that "the remnant of Israel" will be a "multitude of men" ; and
inZechariah 2:11 it is said that "many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day." It
is stated that "many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts,"
and will say to God's people, "We will go with you : for we have heard that God is with

you." Zech. 8:22, 23. No longer do they say reproachfully of the remnant, "Where is
their God?" The latter rain demonstrates that the Lord is in the midst of Zion and in full
possession and control.
In the seventh chapter of the Revelation is a description of the final gospel harvest as
the result of the preaching of the threefold message of Revelation 14 while the angels
are holding in check the winds of war and human passion. Verses 1-8 picture the
sealing of the 144,000, who are "redeemed from the earth" and are designated "the
firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb." Rev. 14:1-5.
After describing the sealing of the numerable first-fruit sheaf, the prophet wrote: "After
this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and
kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands." Rev. 7:9. The gathering of the
definite number composing the first fruits is followed by the reaping of a harvest so
great that it cannot be numbered. It is gathered from the same far-flung fields of the
earth to which the threefold message is proclaimed. (See Rev. 14:6.)
The identity of the "great multitude" is settled by the question and answer of the elder
for the benefit of John as recorded in Revelation 7:13-17. They live through the seven
last plagues because they come "out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes,
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Verse 14. There can be no doubt but
that the 144,000 live on earth during the falling of the plagues and come out of the
great tribulation with white robes, but the question and answer clearly refer to the great
multitude who are the only ones spoken of in the chapter as having "white robes."
They experience the hunger and thirst and the blazing heat of the sun which comes
during the plagues. "They have seen the earth wasted with famine and pestilence, the
sun having power to scorch men with great heat, and they themselves have endured
suffering, hunger, and thirst."---Ibid., p. 649.
We are told that the latter rain will be "much more abundant" than the former rain, and
therefore we can expect as great results, if not greater. It is surprising how many Spirit
of prophecy descriptions have been given us of a great ingathering of souls by the last
message, and especially under the loud cry phase of its proclamation. Among these
are the following :

"God rebukes His people for their sins, that He may humble
them, and lead them to seek His face. As they reform, and His
love revives in their hearts, His loving answers will come to
their requests. He will strengthen them in reformatory action,
lifting up for them a standard against the enemy. His rich
blessing will rest upon them, and in bright rays they will reflect
the light of heaven. Then a multitude not of their faith, seeing
that God is with His people, will unite with them in serving the
Redeemer."Review and Herald,Feb. 25, 5922.
"In vision I saw two armies in terrible conflict. One army was
led by banners bearing the world's insignia; the other was led
by the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. Standard
after standard was left to trail in the dust, as company after
company from the Lord's army joined the foe, and tribe after
tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God."Testimonies, vol. 8, P. 45.
During the shaking time companies will go out, but as a result of the latter rain tribes
will come in, and tribes are much larger than companies. There is danger of
overemphasizing the loss during the shaking, and forgetting the great ingathering that
follows, which will far more than make up for the apostasies. Here is another thrilling
picture of the time when God does great things for His people:

"Many . . will be seen hurrying hither and thither, constrained

by the Spirit of God to bring the light to others. The truth, the
Word of God, is as a fire in their bones, filling them with a
burning desire to enlighten those who sir in darkness. Many,
even among the uneducated, now proclaim the words of the
Lord. Children are impelled by the Spirit to go forth and

declare the message from heaven. The Spirit is poured out

upon all who will yield to its promptings, and, casting off all
man's machinery, his binding rules and cautious methods, they
will declare the truth with the might of the Spirit's power.
Multitudes will receive the faith and join the armies of
the Lord."Evangelism, p. 700.
The seed sowing in preparation for the in-gathering of this mighty harvest will be
accomplished largely through the scattering of the printed page "like the leaves of
autumn." In The Great Controversy, page 612, we are told that when the fatter rain
comes, the seeds of gospel truth have been sown and the arguments presented, and
that the purpose of this Spirit visitation is to bring conviction. It is stated that "the
publications distributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence." Note the
following :

"Our publications are now sowing the gospel seed, and are
instrumental in bringing as many souls to Christ as the
preached word. Whole churches have been raised up as the
result of their circulation."Christian Service, p. 146.
"'God will soon do great things for us, if we lie humble and
believing at His feet. . . . More than one thousand will soon be
converted in one day, most of whom will trace their first
convictions to the reading of our publications.'"Review and
Herald, Nov. to, 1885.
"In a large degree through our publishing houses is to be
accomplished the work of that other angel who comes down
from heaven with great power, and who lightens the earth with
his glory."Testimonies, vol. 7, P. 140.
What an incentive for our colporteurs and people to faithfully distribute our truth-filled
literature everywhere "in season and out of season." The returns in souls saved are

often long delayed; and therefore the temptation to become discouraged is greater
than in some other lines of missionary activity ; but in the end the harvest will be
abundant and certain and the regard great. "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing
precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with
him." Ps. 126:6.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

F.L. Chaney

From time to time we print articles in this section which are provocative of thought.
This article is from a nonagenarian worker whose mind is keen and whose eye is
largely undimmed. Our readers will appreciate this analytical approach to some
important fields of study.Eds.
Many people look upon the book of Revelation as a conglomeration of strange
symbols thrown together in a heterogeneous mass, without plan or reason.
Consequently, it is thought of as a book which cannot be understood or interpreted.
Even those who accept it as one of the inspired books of the Bible have confessed
their inability to understand it. For example, the noted Methodist writer, Dr. Adam
Clarke, in his preface to this book in his Commentary, writes as follows:
As I have scarcely any opinion to give concerning this book on which I could wish any
of my readers to rely, I shall not enter into any discussion relative to the author, or the
meaning of his several visions and prophecies. . . . Viewing all these things,
I feel myself at perfect liberty to state that, to my apprehension, all these prophecies
have been misapplied and misapprehended; and that the key to them is not yet
intrusted to the sons of men.Pages 963-966.
These statements from such a notable student as Dr. Clarke have no doubt led many
to take the same position. And yet we find other statements by the same pr. Clarke that
lead us to believe that if he were now living he might express an entirely different
opinion as to the possibility of understanding the book.

He clearly recognizes the fact that time is the great factor in the unfolding of prophetic
truth. For, in his comment on Daniel 12:9, he says:
The prophecy shall not be understood, but in its accomplishment; and then the depth
of the wisdom and providence of God will be clearly seen in these matters. . . . We
must wait "till the time of the end;" and this, it appears from the following calculations,
will not arrive before the TWENTIETH CENTURY. We here see the reasons why these
prophecies are at present so imperfectly understood. God has sealed them.Page
618.
We are now living in the twentieth century, to which Dr. Clarke looked forward for the
unsealing of the book of Daniel.
And since the unsealing of the book of Daniel furnishes us the key for the unlocking of
the book of Revelation, we must justly conclude that if Adam Clarke were living today
he would rejoice in the knowledge of the light which God in His providence has thrown
upon these two books during the past century. The object of this work is to gather up
these rays of light and demonstrate:
1.

That the author of Revelation, Jesus Christ Himself, had a very definite and
symmetrical plan in mind when He gave the book to the apostle John, through His
angel.

2.

That this plan gives emphasis to the message that God has entrusted to His
church in "the time of the end"; a message that has been unfolding with everincreasing light.

3.

That when the plan of the book has been discovered and comprehended, it will
be seen that the plan, in itself, bears witness to its divine origin, linking it with the
Creation week of seven days, and giving additional emphasis to the fourth
commandment as a memorial of Christ's creative work. For "He was in the world,
and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not" (John 1:10).

The unrolling of time is the unrolling of Bible prophecy; hence it may be truly said of
this generation who seek for God's wisdom, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and
your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous
men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to
hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them" (Matt. 13:16, 17).

In these words of the Master we observe again that it is time that unseals the prophetic
scroll and gives the advantage to those who are living when the predicted events take
place.

The Plan of the Book

In a general way the book of Revelation is constructed on the same plan as the book
of Daniel. In Daniel we find a series of prophecies dealing with world events, and
covering practically the same period of time, viz, from the days of Daniel to the second
coming of Christ. In Revelation we also find a series of prophecies in symbolic form,
five of which cover practically the same period of time, that is from the days of pagan
Rome down to the second coming of Christ; and two other prophecies which carry us
beyond that great event and into that eternal state described as the new heaven and
the new earth.
We have therefore in the book of Revelation seven great divisions, or lines, of
prophecy. Taking this thought of SEVEN as a working hypothesis, let us seek to discover these seven divisions.
We can make no mistake about the first three divisions, for the Spirit of God has
clearly set them before us as follows:
1.

The seven churches.

2.

The seven seals.

3.

The seven trumpets.

Each of these divisions has its introduction, which, like the introduction or preface of
any book, is included in the book itself. These three divisions cover the first eleven
chapters of the Revelation.
Omitting for the present the next three divisions and assuming that the Revelation is
constructed on the plan of seven, the number that is first brought to view in the Bible in
the Creation week, it is not difficult to ascertain what part of the book corresponds to
the last day of the weekthe Sabbath. The weekly Sabbath of rest, given to man as a
memorial of Creation, may be considered as a type of that eternal state of rest from sin
and all of the consequences described in Revelation twenty-one and twenty-two.
These two chapters constitute division seven.

Again, in the week, as described in the Scriptures and by the Spirit of Prophecy, the
day preceding the Sabbath is the day of preparation. Hence, in the antitype we should
find a period of preparation for that eternal Sabbath of rest.
The period of preparation is found and described in chapter twenty. This period is
usually called the millennium, or thousand year period. Whatever may be our view as
to the nature of the millennium, it is perfectly clear that this period is a distinct one. It is
still future and is 'marked off as beginning with the first resurrection and ending with
the events connected with the second resurrection. Chapter twenty, then, constitutes
the sixth division.
Beginning with chapter seventeen and ending with another description of the second
coming of Christ in the latter part of the nineteenth chapter, we have a clear-cut
division in the history of Babylon the Great.
It may be well to note at this point that the objective and final act in all of the first five
divisions of the book is the second coming of Christ, which puts an end to the present
order of things. And this event is to be considered as the final act in each of these five
divisions. Chapters seventeen to nineteen, therefore, constitute the fifth division of the
book.
We have now discovered the first three and the last three clear-cut divisions of this
wonderful book. And, if our hypothesis is correct, the middle or fourth division must
cover chapters twelve to sixteen inclusive.
The question to decide is this: Do these chapters present to us a distinct, united line of
prophecy as do the others we have discovered? The answer to this question may be
found in the following statement from the Spirit of Prophecy writings:
In Revelation 14, men are called upon to worship the Creator. . . . The line of prophecy
in which these symbols [the three angels] are found, begins with Revelation 12, with
the dragon that sought to destroy Christ at His birth.The Great Controversy, pp. 437,
438.
The first angel announces to the world that the hour or time of God's judgment has
arrived and this announcement is but a part of the "everlasting gospel." It is the same
gospel that Paul preached, only in a different time setting.

Paul, as he reasoned with Felix, warned him of a future judgment, a "judgment to

come" (Acts 24:25). But this angel or messenger announces that the judgment has
come.
The second angel announces what takes place when men reject the message of the
first angel-they become confused, and they become Babylon. The third angel tells
these confused ones and all men what will happen if they refuse to worship the Creator and prefer to worship the beast and his image, which are a part of Babylon. In other
words, they will suffer the agony of the seven last plagues as described in chapters
fifteen and sixteen. Note that the first plague falls "upon the men which had the mark of
the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image" (Rev. 16:2; see also verses
10, 19).
It is therefore very clear that chapters 12 to 16 present to us a distinct and united line
of prophecy, and this qualifies as the fourth division.
We now have our seven great divisions of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Creator
of all things, the One who in the creation of this world stamped upon it and upon this
book the number seven, His trademark and mark of His authority as Creator, the
number which symbolizes completion and perfection.
But this is not all. As we examine these great divisions more closely we discover that
each of them has seven divisions also. Thus we may think of this book as consisting of
seven volumes, each volume having seven chapters.
The following will illustrate our thought, keeping in mind that like any book there may
be a preface or introduction to the main theme of the book.
Volume I.-The Seven Churches (chapters 1-3).
1. Ephesus, 2. Smyrna, 3. Pergamos, 4. Thyatira, 5. Sardis, 6. Philadelphia, 7.
Laodicea.
Volume II.-The Seven Seals (chapters 4-8:1).
First seal, second seal, third seal, fourth seal, fifth seal, sixth seal, seventh seal.
Volume III.-The Seven Trumpets (chapters 8-11 inclusive).
First trumpet, second trumpet, third trumpet, fourth trumpet, fifth trumpet, sixth trumpet,
seventh trumpet.

Volume IV.-The Woman, or True Church, and Her Adversaries (chapters 12-16).
1. The woman and the dragon; 2. the woman and the leopard beast; 3. the woman and
the two-horned beast; 4. the woman's or first angel's message; 5. the church or
second angel's message; 6. the church and the third angel's message; 7. the result of
rejecting these last-day messages of the church-the seven last plagues.
Volume V.-Babylon the Great (chapters 17-19). Note Revelation 17:9.
1. Babylon on the first head; 2. Babylon on the second head; 3. Babylon on the third
head; 4. Babylon on the fourth head; 5. Babylon on the fifth head; 6. Babylon on the
sixth head; 7. Babylon on the seventh head.
Volume VI.-The Millennium, or Preparation Period (chapter 20).
1. The binding of Satan; 2. the first resurrection; 3. the reign of the saints with Christ
when "judgment was given unto them"; 4. the second resurrection; 5. the loosing of
Satan; 6. the battle around the Holy City; 7. the final judgment and destruction of the
wicked.
Volume VII.-The Rest, or the Eternal State of Redemption (chapters 21, 22). 1. The
new earth; 2. the heavenly Jerusalem; 3. the river of life; 4. the end of temporal ills; 5.
the final invitation and benediction.

The Mission of Adventism: The

Significance of the Three Angels
Messages for Today
Eugene Zaitsev

Was the founding of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in the middle of the nineteenth
century, justifiable? Protestantism was already split into many denominations. What
makes the rise of Adventism unique, defensible, and stand out from other

denominations? Does the appearance of another Christian denomination create further

confusion in the minds of people?
The question of identity must confront each Seventh-day Adventist. Why am I an
Adventist? What is our mission? What is the difference between our mission and that
of other Christian denominations? The answers to these questions depend on the
understanding of our origin and history.
This article will try to probe these issues in the context of the three angels messages
of Revelation 14. We will show the significance of this message in preaching the
everlasting gospel in the last days of earths history. We believe that the proclamation
of this message before Christs second coming is one of the most important and
exclusive features of the Adventist Church. This message directs the undertakings and
is part of the mission of the church.
The Adventist Church emerged from fragments of a religious movement led by William
Miller (17821849). The driving ideological idea of that movement was setting a
definite date for Christs second coming to earth. The date was based on the
interpretation of the prophecy of Daniel 8:14: It will take 2,300 evenings and
mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated (NIV).
Nothing extraordinary happened on the date set by Millers followers, and many of
them experienced a great disappointment. While in a state of hopelessness and
praying for guidance from above, a most important biblical truth was revealed, which
determined the theological position of the future Adventist Church. This revelation and
further study led to the conclusion that the sanctuary in Daniel 8:14 did not refer to
the earth, which, according to Miller, needed cleansing by fire during the Second
Coming, but rather to an event in the heavenly sanctuary.
The prophetic period of 2,300 evenings and mornings of Daniel 8:14 ended with the
beginning of the final phase in Christs ministry as High Priest in the heavenly
sanctuary. Using the analogy of the earthly sanctuary, in which the second section,
known as the Holy of Holies, was cleansed once a year (Lev. 16:2934), Christ as
the High Priest began cleansing the true sanctuary in heaven into which He entered by
His own blood (Heb. 9:11, 12). This day was the antitype of the earthly Yom Kippur,
the annual great Day of Atonement, literally meaning day of covering. Therefore, the
pioneers of the future Adventist Church linked the first angels message the hour of

his judgment has come (Rev. 14:7, NIV) to the fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel
8:14namely, the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary.

The context of the three angels messages

A second important point that the Adventist pioneers paid attention to was the context
of the three angels messages in the book of Revelation. Right after this message
follows the description of the Second Coming with the great heavenly reaper taking His
sickle to reap the greatest harvest on earth (vv. 1416). John described the reaper
seated on the cloud as the son of man, as Christ, who is ready to come in all glory
to this world for the final judgment. The Adventist pioneers paid attention to the fact
that the angel, flying in midair, had the eternal gospel. The powerful language of the
three angels messages presents the eternal gospelthe good news directed at
humanity just before the second coming of Jesus Christ.
But why do the three angels messages use such unusual language? Why do these
messages have disturbing images? The reason is found in the fact that the period
before Christs coming to earth was in need of this kind of language, addressing the
specifics of a historic situation emerging before the Second Coming.
The main characteristics of this historic flow may be summarized as:
Rationalism. Beginning in the eighteenth century, the Age of Enlightenment launched
the making of the modern human, proclaiming the independence and capacity of the
mind to probe and understand matters relating to ultimacy and reality, renegading, in
the process, the supremacy of faith in the life of humankind. The process eventually
led to the establishment of the so-called positive knowledge (science) in the place of
negative knowledge (religion).
Secularism. Ever since the nineteenth century, society has become more and more
secular. The role of God in human life has been increasingly questioned. Indeed,
people were led to think that they have grown out of their condition of dependency on
God and that they do not need Him anymore.
Materialism. With God and the call for spirituality minimized or eliminated, humanity
was increasingly dominated by forces of materialism. With this swing toward
materialism dominating the consciousness of humanity, and with the elimination of
Gods critical role in life, society saw the development of a new era, marked by

antitheistic values, a materialistic future, and class struggles, leading to a new

development in social-economic forces.
Communism. The middle and second half of the nineteenth century signify the
flourishing of socialistic ideas within which projects for the formation of a just society
were developed through revolutionary reforms. Society in many parts of the world
moved to the power of social progress leading to a communist paradise, without any
reference to God or the spiritual dimension of life.
Liberalization of Protestantism. Leading Protestant churches were accepting liberal
theology, which undermined faith in a God-inspired Bible and exposed many doctrines
of the Christian faith to rational criticism. As a result, Jesus Christ has become just a
historical figure with nothing in common with the Jesus Christ of the Gospels.
Darwinism. Perhaps the most daunting challenge to biblical faith and values,
undermining the very core of Christian proclamation, occurred in the mid-nineteenth
century when science proclaimed the origin of species by natural selection. The
biblical foundation of earths creation was at stake, and the theory of evolution
emerged not only as a critical challenge but also as a viable alternative.
These are only a few markers of the new era, which have become a real challenge to
Christian faith. Almost all of them are reflected in the backdrop against which the three
angels messages were to be proclaimed. The eternal gospel of Revelation 14thus
calls us to return to the core values of the biblical message proclaimed from the
beginning to the end of human history. The proclamation takes on a new force in these
last days.
Thus, a brief analysis of the historical situation during the mid-nineteenth century helps
us understand why the pioneers of the Adventist Church recognized the meaning of
their earthly mission in the three angels messages. The preaching of these
messages defined the face of future Adventism. In preaching the three angels
messages, Adventists found the explanation of their emergence in the arena of history.
Seventh-day Adventism does not live as just another confession, formed as a result of
a schism in an already- existing church. The Adventist Church emerged during the
prophesied historical period in order to proclaim the greatest message of all before the
second coming of Jesus Christ.

The first angels message

Against this overview, the message of the first angel assumes special emphasis. First
of all, attention is drawn to the appeal of the first angel to fear God and give Him
glory.
Fear is one of the characteristics that defines human existence. Also interesting to note
is that the so-called scientific religious studies, which developed in the nineteenth
century as a main factor in the emergence of religion, emphasized fear. Fear, so
argued the so-called scientists, gave rise to the religious feeling of dependence on
higher powers. But when we examine the phrase fear God in its context in Revelation
14, the meaning becomes clearer. The phrase calling for fear is followed by the
invitation, give Him glory. To fear God means to give Him glory. We find it interesting
to note that such a parallelism appears several times in the book of Revelation. For
example, Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? (Rev. 15:4,
NIV).
Most naturally, the question arises: What does it mean to give Him glory? We need to
implement the biblical meaning of these words to our stereotypical understanding of
glorification. The prayer of Jesus Christ can help us: I have brought you glory on
earth by completing the work you gave me to do (John 17:4). Here we again see an
example of parallelism. To give God glory, first of all, means to fulfill His will, complete
His work, and show obedience and submission to His will.
Hence, we can conclude that the first angels call to fear God, in fact, means to obey
and fulfill Gods will, conveyed in His commandments. This appeal becomes current in
an era of humanistic and secular values, in an era where God is excluded from the
human mind and affairs. These words have special significance in the era of
postmodernism and a relativistic attitude of life, making any moral standards relative.
The final words of the first angel are highly significant: Worship him who made the
heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water. These words were current in
the mid-nineteenth century when a whole chain of discoveries in the fi eld of geology
and biology challenged the idea that God created the world. These discoveries were
the beginning of a serious conflict between science and Christianity.
Hence the currency of the message of the first angel: Worship him who made. . . .
The message calls people to think about their origin and reconsider their purpose. The
Bible speaks about human origin: God created man in his own image; in the image of

God he created him (Gen. 1:27, NIV). Accepting that humans were created in Gods
image can radically change the way men and women perceive themselves.

The second angels message

In the context of what was mentioned previously, the message of the second angel
becomes clearer. This angel proclaims Babylons fall: Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the
Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries (Rev.
14:8, NIV).
No direct relationship exists between Babylon in the book of Revelation and the
historical Babylon. When John was writing the book of Revelation, Babylon, as
described in the book of Daniel, did not exist. Most likely John sees a new religiouspolitical power in his prophetic vision. This power, which John calls Babylon, while
taking into consideration the historical parallels, will confront Gods people. This power
will turn into a godless system, which will integrate all the false systems of worship and
all the institutions that suppress human freedom. During this time, the second angel
will proclaim Babylons fall twice, which refers to the apostasy of religious bodies.
Babylon will not overcome Gods people; in the end, victory will belong to Gods truth.

The third angels message

The third angels message proclaims the consequences for those who engage in the
works of the whore of Babylon. The angels language here is strong. He, too, will
drink of the wine of Gods fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his
wrath (Rev. 14:10, NIV). John uses language that was familiar to his contemporaries:
a person who had experienced Gods fury was pictured by prophets in the Old
Testament as drinking wine from Gods cup (Job 21:20; Pss. 60:3; 75:8; Isa. 51:17
23;Jer. 25:1528; Ezek. 23:3234).
In the seductive politics of the spiritual Babylon, John draws attention to the act of
receiving a mark on the forehead or on the hand (Rev. 14:9, NIV). What does this
mark mean, and how are we to understand it? John uses the Greek
word charagma,which, in his time, referred to Caesars image on coins, the imperial
seal on official documents, and the brand mark carved on animals.
The mark on the forehead and hand perhaps also connects to the ancient practice
among Israelites during prayer time when the tefillin or a phylactery, a small leather

box with passages from the Torah (Exod. 13:110; Deut. 6:49; 11:1321), is bound to
the forehead and hand. This ritual depicts the conscious acceptance of Gods will
reflected through His commandments (binding on the forehead), and the readiness to
fulfill this will in ones life (binding on the hand).
The beasts mark on the forehead and the hand represents the mark of authority of the
apostate church, the replacement of Gods righteous standards with human standards.
That is why one of the most important characteristics of Gods faithful people centers
in keeping His commandments (Rev. 14:12; 12:17).
To draw attention to one of the Ten Commandments is very important, just as keeping
it has a special significance in the struggle between good and evil. In the first angels
message (Rev. 14:7, NIV) that speaks about true worship, John emphasized: who
made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water. A clear allusion to the
fourth commandment of Gods law exists here: Remember the Sabbath day by
keeping it holy. . . . For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the
sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day (Exod. 20:8, 11, NIV).
The Sabbath played a very important role in the worship of Gods chosen people. In
Old Testament times, Sabbath keeping sustained the peoples hopes of future
deliverance, Messianic peace, and well-being. Sabbath, as the Israelites understood it,
was connected not only to Creation, but to deliverance, liberation, and redemption too.
Sabbath served as a sign of the covenant between God and His people (Exod.
31:13, 17).
This leads us to understand why the pioneers of our church placed the seventh day
in the churchs title. The name Seventh-day Adventist carries a significant meaning. It
reflects two positions that underscore a forceful identity. The seventh day indicates
the church memberships commitment to God, the Creator of all life, and Provider of
true meaning to human existence and hope.
No less important is the accent on the second position in the churchs title. The
wordAdventist points to the second coming of Jesus Christ. We must emphasize that
this position is biblical (John 14:13; Acts 1:10, 11; 1 Thess. 4:1318). According to the
Bible, God will put an end to the presence of sin one day and bring back harmony to
this world (Rev. 21:15).

So, the name of the Seventh-day Adventist Church testifies of two great events in
world historythe creation of the cosmos in the beginning and the launching of the
new heavens and the new earth at the second coming of Jesus Christ. These two
eventsthe beginning and the endare the alpha and omega of earths history.
Indeed these two events, centered in Christ, make Him declare, I am the Alpha and
Omega, ... who is, and who was, and who is to come (Rev. 1:8, NIV).

Conclusion
Summarizing the content of the three angels messages in Revelation 14, we must
note the importance of this message in the formation of the churchs mission. The
pioneers of our church did not accidentally emphasize that the three angels messages
in the book of Revelation are placed in the context of the Second Coming. The sermon
of the eternal gospel through the three angels messages became the essence of the
churchs mission. This sermon became the action program of the young Adventist
Church. The Seventh-day Adventist Church was not formed as a result of a schism of
an already existing denomination. Rather it was formed through consolidation of
representatives of different denominations around the majestic message to be
proclaimed before and until the Second Coming. This message reflects the tendencies
that are characteristics of the historical era that began in the nineteenth century.
Adventists recognized the actuality of this message in todays historical situation. The
preaching of this message defined the character and face of the church.
We must note that the core of the three angels messages, proclaimed before the
Second Coming, is worship. So, the author of the book of Revelation mentions two
groups of worshipers. One group worships Him who made the heavens, the earth,
the sea and the springs of water, and the other worships the beast and his image.
One shows obedience to God and fulfills His commandments (Rev. 12:17; 14:12), the
other participates in adultery with spiritual Babylon (Rev. 17:2). One will finally rest in
God (Rev. 14:13), while the other will not rest day or night (Rev. 14:11). The three
angels messages call every believer to choose his or her position in this great
controversy between good and evil, between truth and lie.
Let us draw our attention one more time to the phrase the hour of his judgment has
come. The word judgment is translated from the Greek word krisis. This word means
process of judgment (see Rev. 16:7; 18:10; 19:2), while a different Greek
word krimameans verdict or sentence. We indeed live in a time of crisiseconomic

crisis, financial crisis, energy crisis, food crisis, ecological crisis, moral crisis, spiritual
crisis, and so on; all of them are part of life today. The time of the Second Coming is
near, bringing with it the krima, the time for the verdict. For this reason, we consider it
of great importance that we participate in the preaching of the greatest message of the
Holy Scriptures. It is our duty and privilegethe essence of our mission.

The Babylonian temptation: making a

name for ourselves
Reinder Bruinsma

Some might say that an article about the mentality of Babylon hardly fits as a subject
for an Adventist journal for clergy. Because Gods people of all denominations, the
inhabitants of Zion, the citizens of the heavenly city, read this publication, this writing
does not target those who belong to Babylon.
True enough. We want to maintain a safe distance from Babylon. We want to call
othersas many as possibleto leave Babylon (Rev. 18:4). Babylon is bad news. Its
philosophy and lifestyle are godless and addictive (Rev. 14:8). We, who have left
Babylon, must always be reminded to stay far away from it, and not to succumb to the
temptation to try to stand with one leg in Jerusalem and another in Babylon. For that
reason I believe the story of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:19) remains utterly relevant.
Of course, this well-known, beautifully constructed narrative was sandwiched between
the stories of Noah and Abraham and placed somewhat awkwardly between the Table
of Nations of Genesis 10 and the genealogy from Shem to Abraham in Genesis 11b. It
tells us how, after the Flood, the descendents of Noah moved eastward, toward the
plain of Shinar. They settled in the fertile Mesopotamian lowlands, where they quickly
learned to master all kinds of technologies. Eventually, they felt confident they could
construct a city with a tower that reache[d] to the heavens (v. 4, NIV).
Genesis 11:4 informs us succinctly of the twofold motive for this ambitious enterprise:
The people wanted to make a name for themselves, and also wanted to make sure
that they would not be scattered. God expressed His disapproval in no uncertain

terms, for He went down and put a defi nitive stop to the disastrous enterprise by
confusing their language. Chaos resulted, and the very scattering the people wanted
to avoid was the inescapable result.

The root of the problem

Seventh-day Adventists know that the term Babylonstands as the ultimate symbol for
the powers that oppose God and His people. If we want to know what constitutes the
very essence of that opposition, we find the answer right here in Genesis 11. Babylonis
a collective name for all who want to do things without God, who are not intent upon
honoring the name of God but want to make a name for themselves. It is the
unmistakable symbol of those who, poisoned by their devilish arrogance, do not know
their place and want to reach into high heaven on their own steam. And it applies, as
we well know, in particular to the end time coalition of religious powers that will be
intent on destroying Gods remnant people.
This profile of Babylon finds confi rmation in another story of city building many
centuries after the construction of the Tower of Babel. King Nebuchadnezzar, the
famous ruler of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, manifested exactly the same spirit. One
day, when he walked on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, he surveyed the
magnifi cent buildings all around him and exclaimed: Is not this the great Babylon I
have built . . . by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty? (Dan. 4:30, NIV;
emphasis added). No wonder that the prophet Isaiah referred to the king of Babylon as
a fitting symbol for Satan, the first and ultimate embodiment of arrogance (Isa.
14:13,14).
Characterized by presumptuousness, Babylon adopted the unashamed usurpation of
Gods honor. A second characteristic, however, becomes clear in Genesis 11Babylon
also manifests a fortress mentality. Their belief that there is safety in numbers and in
staying with the crowd, coupled with their fear that they might be scattered and might
lose influence, power, and control, fostered in the postdiluvian people the desire to
build this Babylonian bastion as a monument for themselves.

What has this to do with us?

The story of the Tower of Babel has, I believe, a powerful message on two levels: for
the Adventist Church, and for clergy in particular.

How does it relate to us corporately, as a church? Let us, first of all, take a step back
and reflect on the history of the Advent movement. Our church originated on the
fringes of the Millerite movement. Its beginnings were among a small group of
predominantly uneducated, rural folks whose leaders were mostly young and
inexperienced. They were ridiculed after the 1844 debacle and treated as pariahs on
the American religious scene. Their movement, at first, grew slowly. It numbered a
mere 3,500 by 1863when the Seventh-day Adventist Church was officially
organized. By 1900 church membership stood around 75,000. Adventists were long
regarded as a strange sub-Christian sect, and honesty demands to add that, though
we have now grown into a significant worldwide movement, we are still regarded as a
sect in many places around the world.
The church has poured a tremendous amount of resources into efforts to build its
public image. We want to convince the world that we are a Christian church. We do all
we can to tell the world around us that we are not as small as many tend to think. And
we invite the world to look at what we are doing.
Yes, we want to be recognized as a growing, prestigious religious body. We proudly
point to our annual statistical report as undeniable proof of steady growth and
extension around the globe, and to our thousands of institutions in over two hundred
countries. We proudly proclaim that the Adventist Church presently has about fifteen
million adult members and predict that by 2020 membership may well exceed forty or
fifty million. Many countries now treat us with respect. We have become widely
recognized as having a strong organization and an educated ministry; we have an
ever-growing number of institutions of higher learning, and our Adventist Development
and Relief Agency (ADRA) continues to be increasingly respected as a global agency
for humanitarian outreach.
But, could it be that we are in danger of placing too much stress on this desire for
recognition? As we grow and develop, does it remain our sole purpose to honor the
name of God? Or are we also intent on making a name for ourselves? And might there
be the risk that, in so doing, we follow our own human strategies rather than the divine
agenda?
These questions apply not only globally but also nationally and locally. Always and
everywhere the danger exists that we so focus on the church as an institution, on
growth, on institutional development, on church finances, on a positive image in the

press, that we forget the real mission of the church: to preach and reflect Christ. I
would submit that the church exhibits a dangerous Babylonian trait if it is first of all an
institution, a corporation, that tries to position itself as positively as it can in the
religious marketplace, rather than as a place for spiritual growth and nurture.
This observation connects with the second aspect: the fortress mentality of Babylon.
We should continuously ask ourselves the questions, Is our church open, outgoing,
attractive to others? Is it interested in what is going on in the outside world? Is it
making an impact on the world? Or do we prefer a church that manifests itself as a
bastion, a fortress, where we feel safe and cozy as we live together in our own little
worldenjoying our own peculiar subculture? Are we happiest when we are at a
considerable distance from the world and do not have to mix and interact with others
who are not of our faith? Do we feel most comfortable when we talk to ourselves, in
our own jargon, focused on our own problems?
If that is the situation, we have created a little Babylon and we must expect God to
come down and take a critical look at us. Yes, we must even expect Him to shake us,
and possibly even to scatter us from our Adventist ghettos, to force us out of our
Babylonian fortress mentality.
Sadly, there are Adventists who want to stay away from the world as much as they
can. Studies indicate that most longtime Adventists have few or no friends outside of
the church. It takes, on the average, about seven or eight years for new members to
lose most of their non-Adventist friends. Christ was adamant: Although we are not of
this world, we must be in this world. The church must have its windows open to the
outside world. It cannot be reduced to a safe, secure, familiar environment for those
who already believe and belong. Gods children must not live in a spiritual ghetto, but
must be scattered. They must venture out, accepting the risks this involves. Their
mission must not be to shy away from the world and to abandon the world. They
should gladly accept the positives in the world and embrace the good things the world
still has to offer. Possibly even more importantly, they must know the language of the
world and be aware of what is happening in the world. They must know where people
are hurting, and learn how to relate to real people in the real world.

Where is our focus?

But what about each of us, as individual believers, or, specifically, as Adventist
pastors? Are we loyal citizens of the heavenly city, or do we continue to maintain an
address in Babylon? Are we fully focused on honoring Gods name and on that
grandiose promise that we will soon bear a new, God-given, name? Or are we at times
still rooted in a Babylonian mode of thought and intent on making a name for
ourselves?
The temptation to make a name for ourselves never goes away. I am very conscious of
that temptation. Why do I work for the church? Why do I travel, preach, write, work
long hours, and attend endless committees? Could it be that, deep down, I would like
to make a name for myself? That question remains relevant for all of us who work for
the church, whether employed by a church entity, or serving as an elder, deacon, or
organist in the local church.
What are our deepest aims, our innermost motivations and ambitions? Do we want to
be obedient to our calling, or do we simply want to be important? Do we strive to be
influential or to be a blessing to others? Is our ambition to lead and to be in charge, or
are we willing to serve?
In todays narcissistic culture, people tend to focus on themselves. The key words are
self-improvement, self-worth, and assertiveness. We are challenged to exploit our
unique talents and to keep working on ourselves. We must feel good about ourselves.
If we try hard enough, we can do almost anything. So, at least, we are told by the
media.
Many are obsessed with their work, their status, their material possessions, and the
very latest gadgets. They are totally convinced of their own importance. For many,
virtually no limit exists to what they will sacrifice on the altar of success. At the same
time, many do not want to invest time, energy, and emotion in deep and long-lasting
relationships.
They seek the anonymity of the masses rather than to take a more than superfi cial
interest in people and meet them where they are. They feel more comfortable in
networking than in establishing real friendships. The story of the Tower of Babel tells
us that God disapproves of this widespread desire to make a name for ourselves, and
of this tendency to cocoon in our private fortresses. God wants us to reject this
Babylonian approach to life. He wants us to realize that the deepest meaning of our

lives does not include how we can make ourselves shine; it is about how He can shine
through us.
Making a name for ourselves and refusing to be scattered so that we can bear our
witness in the wider community can be identified as a Babylonian trait that should have
no place among the citizens of the heavenly city. As a church and as individuals we
belong in Zion. We belong to that new world with God as the focus of praise and His
name honored above every other name.