LESSON XXI

Questions to Lesson 21^{*By whom must the third angel’s message be given? Who will be seen when it closes? What does it warn against? Repeat verse 12. How will this message divide men? What will one class do? What the other? What proves this to be the last call of mercy? What other fact proves it? Who can endure this wrath and live through it? What do we wish to prove by this message? What is the beast? When his work is fully exposed, what will be kept by the church? Where, alone, are the commandments embodied in Scripture? To what do New Testament requirements belong? Will you obey the message?}

The third angel’s message of Revelation 14:8-12, must be given by the last generation of Christians on earth-the remnant which were noticed in our last lesson. For this is the last message to be given before the Son of man is seen upon the great white cloud.BIC 49.2

This message contains an awful warning against the worshipers of the beast and his image, followed by this declaration: “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”BIC 49.3

It is evident from the language of this message, that it will divide men into two classes. One class will worship the beast, the other will keep the commandments of God. These things are directly opposite to each other. One class will disregard the message; the other will obey it.BIC 49.4

That this message is the last call of mercy, is evident, not only from its connection with the coming of the Son of man in this chain of prophetic events, but from the fact, that unmingled wrath comes upon every one who does not heed the warning. This must fix the destiny of all, and close the scene of probation for ever; for no one can survive the wrath of God without mixture of mercy.BIC 50.1

We cannot examine all parts of this message, but only enough of it to prove that the commandments will be restored and kept by God’s people, as they were before the blasphemer of God, and the persecutor of the saints, thought to change and destroy them.BIC 50.2

The beast, against whose service we are warned, is described in Chap 13:1-10. By comparing this description with that of the horn of Daniel 7:24-26, it will be seen that he is the very one there described as the changer and enemy of the laws of God. When his work of law-changing is fully exposed by the third angel, and a line drawn between beast worshipers and the worshipers of God, the ten commandments will be kept by all the church remaining on earth. “Here,” at this very point in the prophetic fulfillment, “are they that keep the commandments of God.” These we find embodied in the Old Testament only, not in the New. Additional requirements of the New Testament belong to the faith of Jesus, which they also keep.BIC 50.3

My young friends, this solemn message is now being heard. Will you heed its warning, go with the commandment-keepers-the repairers of the breach, and escape the wrath of God? O, get ready that you may be caught up to meet the coming of Jesus, have a right to the City of God, and a beautiful and everlasting home in the new earth.BIC 51.1