The Three Angels'
MESSAGES
~ GOD'S FINAL WARNING TO THE WORLD ~
The First Angels' Message
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. ~ Revelation 14:6-7
To prepare a people to stand in the day of God, a great work of reform was to be accomplished. God saw that many of His professed people were not building for eternity, and in His mercy He was about to send a message of warning to arouse them from their stupor and lead them to make ready for the coming of the Lord.
This warning is brought to view in Revelation 14. Here is a threefold message represented as proclaimed by heavenly beings and immediately followed by the coming of the Son of man to reap “the harvest of the earth.” The first of these warnings announces the approaching judgment. The prophet beheld an angel flying “in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:6-7 ~ {The Great Controversy, Page 311}
Reflection: This first angel's message is part of the everlasting gospel. It is to go to the whole world. It calls upon all to worship God as their Creator. It points to the seventh-day Sabbath.
Understanding the First Angels' Message
Although Creation took place at the opposite end of history, it is still a point of debate today.
Revelation 14:6-7 ......."And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and Worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
In verse 6 we find the fulfillment of Jesus’ commission to His disciples in Matthew 28:19 and 20. Here, Jesus asks His people to tell others the good news of the Gospel: there is an escape from the bondage of sin and death. Those proclaiming the Three Angels’ Messages are actually God’s people living on the earth working to share the Gospel with the world.
Revelation 14:7 reminds us who God is and why He deserves our love and devotion. God wants us to know that we are living in the time of judgment and the wording used here is the same as what is used in the Fourth Commandment:
"For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:11).
This Lord made the heavens and the earth. He created each of us. And He will finally judge the world. By keeping His designated day of worship, the seventh day, we are reminded of His Creation and show our allegiance to Him as Creator. It is interesting to note that at the same time in history that this message in Revelation began to be understood and preached, another message was also being given: the theory of evolution. Darwin’s theory denies Creation and points us to nature instead of the God who created nature.
The fact that God includes the reference to the Creator in the First Angel’s Message shows that the Creation story will be a point of contention at the end of time, which indeed it is. Also, Creation is tied in closely to the Sabbath day, which was instituted in Eden. Because the Sabbath will be an important point for the end times, it is logical that Creation would be too.