Keeping the Faith.

Continued…

EXEGESIS OF REVELATION The 144,000 and the Three Angels….

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We next turn our attention to the Three Angels

 -- and their messages. Immediately we face a problem. How are we to identify these angels, as symbols or real angels? We have said that they represent a movement. We have perceived that movement to be the Adventist Movement. However, there are more than three angels in Revelation 14. Besides the three which "fly in the midst of heaven,"

Rev 14:6  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, 

Rev 14:7  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. 

Rev 14:8  And there followed another  ANGEL, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 

Rev 14:9  And the third  ANGEL followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 

Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 

Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. 

Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 

there are three other angels: two come "out of the temple," and one "out from the altar." (vs. 15-18)

Rev 14:15  And another  ANGEL came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 

Rev 14:16  And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 

Rev 14:17  And another ANGEL came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 

Rev 14:18  And another  ANGEL came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 

One from the "temple" and the one from the "altar" are involved with "the great winepress of the wrath of God" and "the city." (vs. 19-20)

The previous reference where "temple," "altar," and "city" are associated together is Rev. 11:1-2.

Rev 11:1  And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 

Rev 11:2  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 

The references previous to Rev. 11:1, where the "altar" is seen is in Chapters 8 & 9. There it is called, "the golden altar before the throne." (8:3; 9:13)

Rev 8:3  And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 

Rev 9:13  And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God

Our problem is that if we interpret the three angels flying in the midst of heaven as an earthly movement, how can we interpret the last three as literal? If all are symbolic of "movements," what movements do the last three represent?

How do we  interrelate these angels which come out of the temple with the two temple scenes of Chapter 11:1, 19? Either we say that they mean something different in Revelation 14, or we say that they must be given a consistent identification in each reference where the term is used. Whichever interpretive decision we make, we come face to face with the realization that there are still areas in the book of Revelation that need prayer and study.

A suggestive interpretation of the angels of Revelation 14 might be found in the designation of the sixth angel. He had "authority ("power" - KJV) over the fire." (v. 18 Gr.)

Rev 14:18  And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 

In Revelation 16, the angel of the third plague is spoken of as "the angel of the waters." (16:5)

Rev 16:5  And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. 

Throughout the entire book, angels are given specific responsibilities in carrying out the directives that come from the throne of God. Thus we could say that the first angel of Revelation 14 was given the "authority" to see that the everlasting gospel with its specific emphasis for earth's last hour was implemented. This he did through the Advent Movement. From this viewpoint, the "angels of God" in Revelation are real beings - "ministering spirits" - placed in charge of God's plans and purposes to bring about the full realization of the victory of "His Christ." (12:10)

Considering the messages of the first three angels of Revelation 14, as we seek to let the text speak, we face problems in harmonizing what the text says with what our tradition has read into these verses.

The first angel comes in the midst of heaven "having the everlasting gospel." (14:6) It is age-long (aionion); the same gospel as promised to Eve in the beginning, and realized in the victory of the Man-child. It is to go not only to "them that dwell on the earth," but also to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." It carried a specific message. "The hour of God's judgment is come." "Is come" (elthen) is in the past tense (Gr. aorist). When this angel gives its message, the judgment has commenced. The message of the first angel is not a message telling of something to come, but a proclamation of what has begun - God's judgment hour. Further it is connected with three imperatives: 1) "Fear God," 2) "Give glory to Him," and 3)"Worship Him who made."

This message could not be given until the Judgment had begun in Heaven no more than the Spirit could come on Pentecost until the enthronement of Christ as High Priest in the Heavenly Sanctuary. (See Acts 2:33)

Act 2:33  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 

Thus the first angel began to sound after 1844, not before. It is also a historical fact that the Movement directed by this angel did not see the sanctuary truth of the final atonement of the great High Priest, or the Sabbath truth until after October 22, 1844. Further, since this message is a part of the age-long gospel, it will continue to be proclaimed till the close of all human probation. The other two which follow only join their voices with this first angel.

The second angel proclaims - "Babylon is fallen, is fallen." Again, this is in the past tense (epesen). When this angel sounds, there is an accomplished fact. In fact, the reason for the fall of Babylon - "because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication" - is in the Greek perfect tense (pepotiken), indicating completed action. The message of this angel is that the "nations" to whom "the everlasting gospel" was to be proclaimed, instead of accepting it, chose to drink of Babylon's wine under religious duress.

The third angel joins the other two. However, in John's recording of this message, he places it in the present tense - "If any man is worshiping (proskunei) the beast and his image, and is receiving (lambanei) a mark ...." (14:9) This message, therefore, except in a warning of what will be, cannot be "present truth" until the "mark" is in place, and the proclamation to worship is made. It needs to be kept in mind that the cause to worship this beast is contingent on the fact that "the deadly wound was healed." (13:12)

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When we consider the "wisdom" and "understanding" given to John in the previous chapter (13:18),

Rev 13:18  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. 

we discover that the basic element in this warning is against the worship of man for the "beast" is a man!

The third angel joins his voice in warning that the rejection of the everlasting gospel's imperatives - "Fear God, and give glory to Him ... and worship Him who made" - and in its place, worshiping man in whatever form that may take, brings "the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture." (14:10)

In the final confrontation when all that dwell on the face of the earth bow in worship to the beast that had a deadly wound and "was healed," there will be a "remnant of Israel" who, as the Three Worthies before them, refuse to bow to the image - they will keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." (14:12) It will be a trying ordeal for it will reveal the "endurance" (patience - KJV) of the saints. "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Matt. 24:13)

This verse - 14:12 - is interesting in that not only do the "saints" keep the commandments of God, they also keep the faith of Jesus. We hear much about "keeping" the commandments of God, but we hear little, if any thing, about keeping the faith of Jesus.

This word, "keep" (tereo) is the same word as used in the blessing pronounced upon those who "keep those things which are written" in the book of Revelation. (1:3; 22:7, 9) John uses this word frequently in both his Gospel and first Epistle. In these books, it is used primarily with keeping the commandments, and the sayings of Jesus.

We might ask, does the keeping of the faith of Jesus mean entering into the experience He entered, in both Gethsemane and Calvary, where unable to see through the darkness, He simply prayed, "Thy will be done. Father into thy hands I commend my spirit." Will the 144,000 who go with the Lamb "withsoever He goeth," have also gone with Him through their Gethsemane and Calvary?

"One thing will certainly be understood from a study of Revelation, - that the connection between God and His people is close and decided.” (TM, p. 114)

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Keep the Faith.