Bible Readings for the Home
Chapter 50
The First Angel's Message
Has God appointed
the day of judgment?
"Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world
in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given
assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." Acts
17:31.
To whom has this
event been made known?
"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret
unto his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7.
Where is the
announcement of the judgment made?
"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 14:7.
What
does the angel preach who makes this announcement?
"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," Revelation 14:6.
By what is this
angel accompanied before his work is accomplished?
"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. 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. 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:" Revelation
14:8-10.
What will be the
effect of the united work of these three messages?
"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."
Revelation 14:15. (See Matt. 13:39.)
What takes place in
connection with the harvest?
"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat
like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his
hand a sharp sickle." Revelation 14:14.
What was the
appearance of an angel seen by John, as recorded in chapter ten?
"And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with
a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were
the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:" Revelation 10:1.
What did he hold in
his hand?
"And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his
right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth," Revelation 10:2.
And what did the
angel do?
"And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon
the sea, and his left foot on the earth. And cried with a loud voice,
as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered
their voices." Revelation 10:2,3.
What was the burden
of this message?
"And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth
lifted up his hand to heaven. And sware by him that liveth for ever and
ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth,
and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are
therein, that there should be time no longer." Revelation 10:5,6.
The book in the
hand of the angel, from which he proclaimed this time message, was said to
be "open." When was the only sealed book of the Bible, that contained
definite time, to be opened?
"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the
time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be
increased." Daniel 12:4.
What does the
prophet Daniel say about the judgment?
"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of
days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head
like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as
burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him:
thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were
opened." Daniel 7:9,10.
What did Daniel see
the little horn (Roman Church) do after the judgment opened?
"I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the
horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body
destroyed, and given to the burning flame." Daniel 7:11.
When did the angel
say this judgment work, called the cleansing of the sanctuary would
commence?
"And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days;
then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Daniel 8:14.
What did John do
with the little book given him by the angel? And what effect did it have
upon him?
"And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up;
and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my
belly was bitter." Revelation 10:10.
What was symbolized
by his eating the book?
"Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat
this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel." Ezekiel 3:1.
Were not the
disciples disappointed in their expectations concerning Christ's work at
His first advent?
"When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying,
Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"
Acts 1:6. (See also Luke 24:19-21).
NOTE. - The
disappointment of the disciples of Christ did not prove His mission false.
As He rode into Jerusalem amid the shouts of "Hosanna!" from the delighted
disciples, who supposed He would then take the throne of David and
commence His reign, the Pharisees asked Him to rebuke the disciples. But
Christ answered: "I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the
stones would immediately cry out" (Luke 19:40). And why? Because the
prophecies relating to His earthly work had predicted this entry into
Jerusalem (Zech. 9:9), and it must be fulfilled, even should the stones be
caused to fulfill it. Then the Lord in this event suffered His disciples
to be disappointed; and yet they were fulfilling prophecy. When Israel
left Egypt, under the impression that they would in a few days, at
farthest, enter the promised land, they, too, were disappointed. But that
did not disprove the divine call of Moses, nor show that the departure
from Egypt was not ordered by God. In every great movement which God has
inaugurated among His people, He has suffered disappointment to come, in
order to test the faith of those engaged in it. It was so in the cases of
Elijah, Jonah, and others. And so it was in 1844. God suffered His people
to misapprehend the intent of the prophecy, and thus their faith was
tested. The disappointment was due, not to an error in locating the
beginning or the end of the 2300 days, but in the nature of the event
to occur at the end of those days. They supposed the cleansing of the
sanctuary meant the purifying of the earth by fire, at the coming of
Christ.
What did the lord
say should afterward be done?
"And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many
peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." Revelation 10:11.
What message was
immediately to follow the proclamation of the judgment?
"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." Revelation 14:8. For explanation of
this message, see the next chapter (51).
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