First Angel’s Message

Question: who does the first angel symbolize (who gives the First message)?

Answer: there are two groups of people with whom the first angel symbolizes. the first group would represent mainly the advent movement that took place back  1843-1844 including William Miller and his associates. the other group would be us, God’s people who are living in the last days to go and present the commission that he gave to us the World.  We, His messengers are to act in accord with the message given by spreading a threefold message (first,second and third), and worshiping and abiding by his truth.

Support: These three angels represent the people who accept the light of God’s messages, and go forth as His agents to sound the warning throughout the length and breadth of the earth. {ST, January 25, 1910 par. 5}

Question: When was the first angel’s message first given?

Answer: the first angel’s message was given by William Miller and his colleagues during the anticipated arrival of Christ in the late 1830’s and early 1840’s.

Support: The first and second messages were given in 1843 and 1844, and we are now under the proclamation of the third; but all three of the messages are still to be proclaimed. . 1896.  {CW 26.2} Far and wide spread the message of the everlasting gospel: “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.” {GC 368.1} The work of judgment which began in 1844 must continue until the cases of all are decided, both of the living and the dead; hence it will extend to the close of human probation.  {GC 435.2} WHILE WE UNDERSTAND CLEARLY THAT THE MESSAGES OF THE FIRST AND SECOND AND THIRD ANGELS ARE MESSAGES THAT HAVE THEIR APPLICATION TODAY, WE RECOGNIZE ALSO THAT IN THEIR INITIAL PROCLAMATION THE SOUNDING OF THE FIRST ANGEL’S MESSAGE WITH ITS DECLARATION THAT “THE HOUR OF GOD’S JUDGMENT IS COME” IS LINKED WITH THE PROCLAMATION OF THE EXPECTED ADVENT OF CHRIST IN THE 1830′S AND EARLY 1840′S. {EW 304.1}

Question: Where did the prophecy of the first angel’s message have its most direct fulfillment?

Answer: it was in America that the prophecy had its most direct fulfillment where William Miller and his associates were preaching the gospel warning during the great advent movement. This was where the foretelling of the first angel was given in entirety.

Support: To William Miller and his colaborers it was given to preach the warning in America. This country became the center of the great advent movement. It was here that the prophecy of the first angel’s message had its most direct fulfillment. Far and wide spread the message of the everlasting gospel: “Fear God and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.” {GC 368.1}

Question: Why was the first angel’s message given?

Answer: The message that the first angel gives says that the hour of his judgment has come. This entails that we as the last generation, are to be set apart from the worldly pressure and influence that it offers. This message is calling on us to respect and love the one and only true God.

Support: The first angel’s message of Revelation 14, announcing the hour of God’s judgment and calling upon men to fear and worship Him, was designed to separate the professed people of God from the corrupting influences of the world and to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding. In this message, God has sent to the church a warning, which, had it been accepted, would have corrected the evils that were shutting them away from Him. The church would again have reached that blessed state of unity, faith, and love which existed in apostolic days, when the believers “were of one heart and of one soul,” and “spake the word of God with boldness,” when “the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 4:32, 31; 2:47. {GC 379.1}

Question: How is the first angel’s message announcing “the hour of His judgment is come,” a part of the gospel?

Answer: This question is really saying, “how is the Marriage apart of the gospel?”  To find this answer, we need to look at the gospel first. there are three parts to the gospel: the justification stage, which is when Jesus came and died for us and where we must come and confess our sins before Him. The second stage would be the sanctification stage which is where we grow up in our Christian walk and gain victory over sin, and the third stage is the perfection stage, which is taking part now as we perfect our character…then  the marriage ceremony to come, which we are to have a part in when he moves into the Most Holy Place of the Heavenly Sanctuary. the gospel has been preached from the beginning, but this part of the gospel was only to be given during the time of judgment. So this message, being apart of the everlasting gospel, is to be announced only in the last days.

Support: It is declared to be a part of the “everlasting gospel;” and it announces the opening of the judgment. The message of salvation has been preached in all ages; but this message is a part of the gospel which could be proclaimed only in the last days, for only then would it be true that the hour of judgment had come. This is especially true of the book of Daniel. But that part of his prophecy which related to the last days, Daniel was bidden to close up and seal “to the time of the end.” Not till we reach this time could a message concerning the judgment be proclaimed, based on the fulfillment of these prophecies. But at the time of the end, says the prophet, “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Daniel 12:4. {GC 355.3}

Question: What were the consequences to the churches when they rejected the first angel’s message?

Answer: as a result of the church’s action in rejecting the news of Jesus’ coming, the Lord, in turn, rejected himself from them. The announcement of the fall of Babylon was because of this rejection.

Support: Instead of receiving the message with gladness, they declared it to be a delusion. They hated those who loved His appearing and shut them out of the churches.    {EW 260.1}When the churches spurned the counsel of God by rejecting the Advent message, the Lord rejected them. The first angel was followed by a second, proclaiming, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” [REV. 14:8] This message was understood by Adventists to be an announcement of the moral fall of the churches in consequence of their rejection of the first message. The proclamation, “Babylon is fallen,” was given in the summer of 1844, and as the result, about fifty thousand withdrew from these churches. {4SP 232.1}

Question: How does the first angel’s message influence the second angel’s message?

Answer:  Although the first message seems entirely different than the second, they actually go in perfect harmony together. The first proclaimed message was of the hour of judgment. The second was about the fall of Babylon. These two compared show those who profess to love Jesus but derided the message of the hour of judgment given, are the reason of the fall of Babylon (which is the moral fall of the churches).

Support: All heaven watched with the deepest interest the reception of the first angel’s message. But many who professed to love Jesus, and who shed tears as they read the story of the cross, derided the good news of His coming. The first angel was followed by a second, proclaiming, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” [REV. 14:8] This message was understood by Adventists to be an announcement of the moral fall of the churches in consequence of their rejection of the first message.

Question: How is the first angel’s message still relevant today?

Answer: the first angel’s message is to be given yet again in the time of judgment that is to come. The first angel’s message is relevant today because it charges us to check our characters and to share God’s love through our example. It is just as crucial now as ever before because they shall be repeated to those who are seeking for the truth

Support: The first message is to be repeated proclaiming the second advent of Christ to our world.  {16MR 40.2} we are to sound the proclamation, showing their order, and the application of the prophecies that bring us to the third angel’s message. –Manuscript 32, 1896.  {CW 26.2}

Question: What is the “action step” for the first angel’s message?

Answer: The first angel’s message is calling upon men to fear and worship Him in order that we might be saved. We are to cleanse and purify ourselves from the ways of the world and set a standard and an example that shows God’s character so others may be convicted and inspired to follow.

Support: the Lord is coming. This is the good, the joyful news which should electrify every soul, which should be repeated in our homes and told to those whom we meet on the street – what more joyful news can be communicated! {2SM 38} ‘Go ye into the entire world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.’”. That law will be the standard of character in the judgment. {GC 435.2} there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon earth. This work is more clearly presented in the messages of Revelation 14. {GC 425.1} worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Verses 6, 7. {GC 355.1}

Question: How does the first angel’s message, as it was perceived during the advent movement of 1840-1844, fit together with the actual content of the first angel’s message?

Answer: the work of judgment that started in 1844 is to continue to the closing work of Christ’s intercession for us. When William Miller first was given the vision of preaching the first message he believed it to be significance to the cleansing of the sanctuary on earth, when really it was speaking of the heavenly sanctuary. He misunderstood the message as Jesus coming in 1844 instead of Jesus moving into the Most Holy place in the heavenly sanctuary.  Jesus started his work of judgment in the year of 1844 which is when he moved into the Most Holy Place, and will end during the time of probation when our intercession between us and God the father will be cut off.

Support: The announcement, “The hour of His judgment is come,” points to the closing work of Christ’s ministration for the salvation of men. It heralds a truth which must be proclaimed until the Saviour’s intercession shall cease and He shall return to the earth to take His people to Himself. The work of judgment which began in 1844 must continue until the cases of all are decided, both of the living and the dead; hence it will extend to the close of human probation.  {GC 435.2}

While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon earth. This work is more clearly presented in the messages of Revelation 14. {GC 425.1} The message itself sheds light as to the time when this movement is to take place. It is declared to be a part of the “everlasting gospel;” and it announces the opening of the judgment. The message of salvation has been preached in all ages; but this message is a part of the gospel which could be proclaimed only in the last days, for only then would it be true that the hour of judgment had come. Daniel was bidden to close up and seal “to the time of the end.” Not till we reach this time could a message concerning the judgment be proclaimed, based on the fulfillment of these prophecies. But at the time of the end, says the prophet, “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Daniel 12:4. {GC 355.3}