Post by Bro.Jeff on Feb 26, 2015 17:10:14 GMT
The great commission is symbolized in the book of revelation, with three angels. Angels meaning messengers, and angels representing super nautrual power attending the message.
In revelation 14:6 two points are stressed. 1) it is the everlasting gospel being preach. 2) it must be preach to everyone on earth. Anyone who does not preach this message is not preaching God's end time message. The three angels message stresses the gospel, it makes plain that salvation is through Jesus alone, unveiling that salvation by works and salvation in sin are errors! The first angels message has four distinctive points. Fear,Giving Glory, Judgment, and worship. All are important concering the end time. Fearing God or reverence to him keeps us from evil(sin) sin is shown to be a violation of his law. 1John3:4. Our duty as human beings is to fear him and keep his commandments. The ten commandments. Ecclesiastes12:13.
We glorify God when we obey, praise, and give thanks. Most importantly we glorify God with our bodies and spirit(mind) which are God's.1Corinthians 6:20. We are charged in the 12th chapter in the books of Roman to present our bodies a living sacrifice unto God, which is our reasonable service.(verse 1) So everything we eat, drink, and think must be for his glory and to further us in our walk with God. "And the human being who is careless and reckless of the habits and practices that concern his physical life and health, sins against God. Many who profess to love Jesus Christ do not show proper reverence and respect for Him who gave His life to save them from eternal death.He is not reverenced, or respected, or recognized. This is shown by the injury done to their own bodies in violation of the laws of their being."—Manuscript 49, 1897 Ellen G. White, CD 43.3
Finally scripture tells us whatsoever ye do, do it all for the glory of God. Now, judgment. God's judgment is come (Rev 14:7), that's not past tense. Nor is it future, it is present. The book of Daniel bares record of this. "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 KJV. Thus was presented to the prophet’s vision the great and solemn day when the characters and the lives of men should pass in review before the Judge of all the earth, and to every man should be rendered “according to his works.” The Ancient of days is God the Father. Says the psalmist, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”[Psalm 90:2.] It is he, the source of all being, and the fountain of all law, that is to preside in the Judgment. And holy angels, as ministers and witnesses, in number “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,” attend this great tribunal. Ellen G. White, GC88 479.2
Why judgement? Is this love? In fact it is. Here is two reasons why? This judgment, is the final step in human redemption. Christ has offered himself, to make an atonement for our sins. He is now investigating each case, looking to see who has qualified; through reptence and remission of sins. Secondly, Daniel tells us "I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end." Daniel 7:21-22, 25-26. KJV.
Through out the ages Christians, have always suffered persecution, imprisonment, and death; by the nation or kingdom represented by the little horn and beast. Revelation 13 speaking of the same nation or kingdom, tells us clearly, that the same spirit will be manifested in this present day. The only way God can save his people is through the judgment. If we live a clean life Through the blood and power of Jesus, we won't be condemned in this judgment.
The fourth point mentioned worship. What constitute true worship? The bibles says "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselvesservants to obey, hisservants ye are to whom yeobey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" And again, "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." Roman 6:16, 1 Samuel 5:22. KJV.
The highest form of worship is obedience. Furthermore, "By the first angel, men are called upon to “fear God, and give glory to him,” and to worship him as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. In order to do this, they must obey his law. Says the wise man, “Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.”[Ecclesiastes 12:13.] Without obedience to his commandments, no worship can be pleasing to God. “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” [1 John 5:3; Proverbs 28:9.] Ellen G. White, GC88 436.1
The duty to worship God is based upon the fact that he is the Creator, and that to him all other beings owe their existence. And wherever, in the Bible, his claim to reverence and worship, above the gods of the heathen, is presented, there is cited the evidence of his creative power. “All the gods of the nations are idols; but the Lord made the heavens.” [Psalm 96:5.] “To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal?saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things.” “Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; ... I am Jehovah; and there is none else.” [Isaiah 40:25, 26; 45:18.] Says the psalmist, “Know ye that Jehovah, he is God; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves.” “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” [Psalm 100:3; 95:6.] And the holy beings who worship God in Heaven state, as the reason why their homage is due to him, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things.” [Revelation 4:11.] Ellen G. White, GC88 436.2
In Revelation 14, men are called upon to worship the Creator, and the prophecy brings to view a class that, as the result of the threefold message, are keeping the commandments of God. One of these commandments points directly to God as the Creator. The fourth precept declares: “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.... 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 20:10, 11.] Concerning the Sabbath, the Lord says, further, that it is “a sign, ... that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.” [Ezekiel 20:20.] And the reason given is, “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.”[Exodus 31:17.] Ellen G. White, GC88 437.1
“The importance of the Sabbath as the memorial of creation is that it keeps ever present the true reason why worship is due to God,” because he is the Creator, and we his creatures. “The Sabbath therefore lies at the very foundation of divine worship; for it teaches this great truth in the most impressive manner, and no other institution does this. The true ground of divine worship, not of that on the seventh day merely, but of all worship, is found in the distinction between the Creator and his creatures. This great fact can never become obsolete, and must never be forgotten.” It was to keep this truth ever before the minds of men, that God instituted the Sabbath in Eden; and so long as the fact that he is our Creator continues to be a reason why we should worship him, so long the Sabbath will continue as its sign and memorial. Had the Sabbath been universally kept, man’s thoughts and affections would have been led to the Creator as the object of reverence and worship, and there would never have been an idolater, an atheist, or an infidel. The keeping of the Sabbath is a sign of loyalty to the true God, “him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” It follows that the message which commands men to worship God and keep his commandments, will especially call upon them to keep the fourth commandment." Ellen G. White, GC88 437.2
Second Peter 1:12, speak about present, what is present truth? Present truth, is truth that is relevant for this present time. For example, Noah is his time, preach of a world destroying flood. He urged men and women, to come into the ark, to escape the wrath of God. It was the same for Jonah in his time. Both message was urgent. For they spoke of coming destruction or crisis. We are going to enter in a crisis of our own and we need present truth. The three angels message of revelation fourteen is needed, to prepare us to meet the crisis. What is the crisis? The Mark of the Beast. Please stay tune for part two. May God bless you.