v

Revelation 14:6-12 (Amplified Bible)

“Then I saw another angel flying in midair, with an eternal Gospel (good news) to

tell to the inhabitants of the earth, to every race and tribe and language and

people.

“And he cried with a mighty voice, Revere God and give Him glory (honor and

praise in worship), for the hour of His judgment has arrived. Fall down before Him;

pay Him homage and adoration and worship Him Who created heaven and earth,

the sea and the springs (fountains) of water.

“Then another angel, a second, followed, declaring, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the

great! She who made all nations drink of the [maddening] wine of her passionate

unchastity [idolatry].

“Then another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a mighty voice, Whoever

pays homage to the beast and his statue and permits the [beast's] stamp (mark,

inscription) to be put on his forehead or on his hand,

“He too shall [have to] drink of the wine of God's indignation and wrath, poured

undiluted into the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and

brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

“And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no

respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, and no peace) day or night—these who

pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his

name upon him.

“Here [comes in a call for] the steadfastness of the saints [the patience, the

endurance of the people of God], those who [habitually] keep God's

commandments and [their] faith in Jesus.”

Spiritual Gifts, pp. 131, 132

“Preachers and people have looked upon the book of Revelation as mysterious, and

of less importance than other portions of the sacred Scriptures. But I saw that this

book is indeed a revelation given for the especial benefit of those who should live in

the last days, to guide them in ascertaining their true position and their duty. God

led the mind of Wm. Miller into the prophecies, and gave him great light upon the

book of Revelation.

“If Daniel's visions had been understood, the people could better have understood

the visions of John. But at the right time, God moved upon his chosen servant, who

with clearness and in the power of the Holy Spirit, opened the prophecies, and

Sabbath Afternoon | Today’s Reading

End-Time: Angels of Mercy | Lesson 5 | January 29, 2011

From Cornfield to Pulpit

showed the harmony of the visions of Daniel and John, and other portions of the

Bible, and pressed home upon the hearts of the people the sacred, fearful warnings

of the Word, to prepare for the coming of the Son of man. Deep and solemn

convictions rested upon the minds of those who heard him, and ministers and

people, sinners and infidels, turned to the Lord, to seek a preparation to stand in

the judgment.

“Angels of God accompanied Wm. Miller in his mission. He was firm and undaunted.

He fearlessly proclaimed the message committed to his trust. A world lying in

wickedness, and a cold, worldly church were enough to call into action his energy,

and lead him to willingly endure toil, privation and suffering. Although opposed by

professed Christians and the world, and buffeted by Satan and his angels, he

ceased not to preach the everlasting gospel to crowds wherever he was invited, and

sound the cry, Fear God and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is

come.”

FROM CORNFIELD TO PULPIT

“What shall I do?” the Low Hampton, New York, farmer puzzled.

No matter what he did lately, he could get no peace. Sleep lost its restfulness and

work its meaning. Wherever he turned, a gentle but firm voice seemed to say, “You

must tell the world of its danger!”

“I’m not a preacher,” he countered, unhitching horses from a plow and standing

still in the August sun that day in 1831. “I’m slow of speech and haven’t got much

learning.” He argued, as though someone were beside him. “I’m not right for the

job!”

“The job” involved the farmer’s Bible studies. That was strange, for earlier in his

life, he had rejected the Bible’s divine inspiration. He had also claimed that God

was no longer involved in the world’s affairs, having left it to run by nature’s laws

after He created it.

But that all changed after the War of 1812. Miller couldn’t understand how he and

the other American soldiers were able to defeat a well-trained British force that

outnumbered them by three to one. Could God be involved? he had wondered.

Turning to the Bible, he found the answer to more than this question. He

discovered that the Bible was divinely inspired. It led him to accept Jesus as his

Savior and join the local Baptist church, where he sometimes read printed sermons

when the minister was absent.

Then, by 1818, his years of Bible study let him to a shocking discovery: Jesus

would come around 1843 and destroy the world! It needs to be warned, he

thought. But he was sure he wasn’t the person for this task, although he shared his

views with a few Low Hampton residents.

As 1843 drew nearer and the almost audible voice encourages him to preach, he

began to reconsider. “I know what I’ll do,” he now said, walking toward some trees.

“I’ll pray about it.” Kneeling on the rocky earth, he promised, “Lord, if you’ve been

telling me to preach, I’ll do it if I get an invitation to do so.” Relieved, he arose,

thinking, it’ll never happen since I’m not a preacher!

Half an hour later, his nephew came, asking him to preach on Sunday in nearby

Dresden because the minister would be absent!

He angrily headed for the trees. He didn’t want to preach! Patiently, God listened to

his objections but didn’t remove the conviction.

With fear, William went to Dresden. But the congregation greatly appreciated his

message. In fact, they asked him to preach for the entire week, and a revival

(renewed religious interest) resulted! When the new preacher returned home, he

found written invitations asking him to present his views about Christ’s coming to

other congregations!

Clearly, God’s hand was in the matter! The former farmer, William Miller, took

courage and started a career that would prepare thousands for Christ’s return, both

in his time and ours.

1. Read Revelation 14:6-12. What is the message of the first angel?

_____________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________

2. What does the second angel say?

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3. What does the third angel say?

_____________________________________________________________

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Sunday | Today’s Reading

John 3:16, 17 (Amplified Bible)

“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His

only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies

on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal

(everlasting) life.

“For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to

condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation

and be made safe and sound through Him.”

Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pp. 38-40

"Ye are the light of the world."

Matthew 5:14.

“As Jesus taught the people, He made His lessons interesting and held the attention

of His hearers by frequent illustrations from the scenes of nature about them. The

people had come together while it was yet morning. The glorious sun, climbing

higher and higher in the blue sky, was chasing away the shadows that lurked in the

valleys and among the narrow defiles of the mountains. The glory of the eastern

heavens had not yet faded out. The sunlight flooded the land with its splendor; the

placid surface of the lake reflected the golden light and mirrored the rosy clouds of

morning. Every bud and flower and leafy spray glistened with dewdrops. Nature

smiled under the benediction of a new day, and the birds sang sweetly among the

trees. The Saviour looked upon the company before Him, and then to the rising

sun, and said to His disciples, ‘Ye are the light of the world.’ As the sun goes forth

on its errand of love, dispelling the shades of night and awakening the world to life,

so the followers of Christ are to go forth on their mission, diffusing the light of

heaven upon those who are in the darkness of error and sin.

“In the brilliant light of the morning, the towns and villages upon the surrounding

hills stood forth clearly, making an attractive feature of the scene. Pointing to

them, Jesus said, ‘A city set on a hill cannot be hid.’ And he added, ‘Neither do men

light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all

that are in the house.’ R.V. Most of those who listened to the words of Jesus were

peasants and fishermen whose lowly dwellings contained but one room, in which

the single lamp on its stand shone to all in the house. Even so, said Jesus, ‘Let your

light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your

Father which is in heaven.’

“No other light ever has shone or ever will shine upon fallen man save that which

emanates from Christ. Jesus, the Saviour, is the only light that can illuminate the

darkness of a world lying in sin. Of Christ it is written, ‘In Him was life; and the life

was the light of men.’ John 1:4. It was by receiving of His life that His disciples

could become light bearers. The life of Christ in the soul, His love revealed in the

character, would make them the light of the world.

“Humanity has in itself no light. Apart from Christ we are like an unkindled taper,

like the moon when her face is turned away from the sun; we have not a single ray

of brightness to shed into the darkness of the world. But when we turn toward the

Sun of Righteousness, when we come in touch with Christ, the whole soul is aglow

with the brightness of the divine presence.”

Highlight the sentence that states: “No other light ever has shone or ever will shine

upon fallen man . . .”

HERE’S WHAT I THINK

Mr. Runako teaches school on a tiny Indonesian island. One day, he rushes into the

village, warning that a typhoon will hit the island within 24 hours. He begs

everyone to leave for the mainland immediately. Most villagers refuse, saying

they’ll ride out this typhoon like any other. Nothing he says can budge them.

Tearfully, he piles his family into a small boat, departing promptly for the mainland.

Some families, skeptical about the storm’s arrival, leisurely cram their boats with

possessions, but a monster typhoon surprises them, destroying much property and

many lives.

How does this scenario reflect our stormy times? Why didn’t Mr. Runako force the

villagers to leave? How much are we responsible for others’ lives, if at all? How far

should we go in warning others of danger?

Log on to http://www.guidemagazine.org/rtf to post your responses. Be up-front

and honest. Say what you think. The lines below are provides as an alternative to

posting. You may wish to record your thoughts and share them with your class

later.

__________________________________________________________________

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Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 42

Monday | Today’s Reading

“It is thus that men are led to believe ‘the love that God hath to us.’ 1 John 4:16.

Thus hearts once sinful and corrupt are purified and transformed, to be presented

‘faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.’ Jude 24.

“The Saviour's words, ‘Ye are the light of the world,’ point to the fact that He has

committed to His followers a world-wide mission. In the days of Christ, selfishness

and pride and prejudice had built strong and high the wall of partition between the

appointed guardians of the sacred oracles and every other nation on the globe. But

the Saviour had come to change all this. The words which the people were hearing

from His lips were unlike anything to which they had ever listened from priest or

rabbi. Christ tears away the wall of partition, the self-love, the dividing prejudice of

nationality, and teaches a love for all the human family. He lifts men from the

narrow circle that their selfishness prescribes; He abolishes all territorial lines and

artificial distinctions of society. He makes no difference between neighbors and

strangers, friends and enemies. He teaches us to look upon every needy soul as our

neighbor and the world as our field.

“As the rays of the sun penetrate to the remotest corners of the globe, so God

designs that the light of the gospel shall extend to every soul upon the earth. If the

church of Christ were fulfilling the purpose of our Lord, light would be shed upon all

that sit in darkness and in the region and shadow of death. Instead of congregating

together and shunning responsibility and cross bearing, the members of the church

would scatter into all lands, letting the light of Christ shine out from them, working

as He did for the salvation of souls, and this ‘gospel of the kingdom’ would speedily

be carried to all the world.”

1. Underline the sentence that starts, “The Saviour’s words. . . . “

2. Highlight the paragraph that starts, “As the rays of the sun penetrate. . .”

A Second Angel Followed

Decode the message by finding each substitute letter or symbol.

I Am Not Ashamed

Decode the message by finding each substitute letter or symbol.

Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 43

“It is thus that God's purpose in calling His people, from Abraham on the plains of

Mesopotamia to us in this age, is to reach its fulfillment. He says, ‘I will bless thee,

. . . and thou shalt be a blessing.’ Genesis 12:2. The words of Christ through the

gospel prophet, which are but re-echoed in the Sermon on the Mount, are for us in

this last generation: ‘Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is

risen upon thee.’ Isaiah 60:1. If upon your spirit the glory of the Lord is risen, if

you have beheld His beauty who is ‘the chiefest among ten thousand’ and the One

Tuesday | Today’s Reading

‘altogether lovely,’ if your souls has become radiant in the presence of His glory, to

you is this word from the Master sent. Have you stood with Christ on the mount of

transfiguration? Down in the plain there are souls enslaved by Satan; they are

waiting for the word of faith and prayer to set them free.”

Find and highlight the sentence that begins, “The words of Christ through the

gospel prophet . . .”

Testimonies, vol. 8, pp. 26, 27

“Christ ascended to heaven and sent His Holy Spirit to give power to the work of

His disciples. Thousands were converted in a day. In a single generation the gospel

was carried to every nation under heaven. But little by little a change came. The

church lost her first love. She became selfish and ease-loving. The spirit of

worldliness was cherished. The enemy cast his spell upon those to whom God had

given light for a world in darkness, light which should have shone forth in good

works. The world was robbed of the blessings that God desired men to receive.

“Is not the same thing repeated in this generation? Many in our day are keeping

back that which the Lord has entrusted to them for the salvation of a world

unwarned, unsaved. In the word of God an angel is represented as flying 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,

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 14:6, 7.

“The message of Revelation 14 is the message that we are to bear to the world. It

is the bread of life for these last days. Millions of human beings are perishing in

ignorance and iniquity. But many of those to whom God has committed the stores

of life look upon these souls with indifference. Many forget that to them has been

entrusted the bread of life for those starving for salvation.

“Oh, for consecrated Christians, for Christlike consistency, for the faith that works

by love and purifies the soul! May God help us to repent and change our sluggish

movements into consecrated activity. May He help us to show in our words and

works that we make the burden of perishing souls our own.”

The Great Controversy, p. 36

“God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against

transgression [sin]; but He leaves the rejecters of His mercy to themselves, to reap

that which they have sown”

SO WHAT?

Like a foundation is to a building, so are the three angels’ messages in Revelation

14:6-12 to the Seventh-day Adventist church. The unique beliefs we have as a

church are all related to these messages from God.

In the first angel’s warning that “the hour of [God’s] judgment has come,” we see

the Adventist emphasis on people’s accountability to God for their actions and on

the judgment as a present reality, not just a faraway event. Also, with the

proclamation “Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the

springs of water” (v. 7, NIV), we understand that we are to worship the God of

creation (not evolution), who asked us to worship Him on the seventh day in

memory of His creation.

The second message refers to our ongoing commitment to biblical truth and our

role as a haven for those looking for a church in which biblical truth is not ignored.

The third angel’s message reminds us of our commitment to God’s kingdom and

heavenly values and our rejection of Satan’s kingdom and earthly values.

As God’s agents, our assignment is to help Him rescue as many people as possible

from the eternal death prepared for Satan and his kingdom.

You were asked the first day to put in your own words what the angels are saying.

Today, can you put in your own words what the messages are that the angels have

been sent to deliver?

First message

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__________________________________________________________________

Second message

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Third message __________________________________________________________________

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Match the text with the phrase. When you have found all the texts, pick one to

Wednesday | Today’s Reading

memorize and hide it in your heart. (Then later share it with your class.)

1. 2 Corinthians 5:17, 18 (NIV)

2. Revelation 1:1 (NIV)

3. Hebrews 1:14 (NIV)

4. 2 Corinthians 6:17,18 (NIV)

5. Joel 2:1 (KJV)

6. Daniel 7:9,10 (KJV)

7. Revelation 20:12 (KJV)

a. “I beheld till the thrones were cast down. . .” _____

b. “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion . . .” _____

c. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation . . .” _____

d. “And I saw the dead, small and great stand before God . . .” _____

e. “The revelation of Jesus Christ . . .” _____

f. “Are not all angels ministering spirits . . .” _____

g. “Therefore come out from them and be separate . . .” _____

Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 44

“‘In His temple doth everyone speak of His glory.’ Psalm 29:9. The sweet singer of

Israel praised Him upon the harp, saying, ‘I will speak of the glorious honor of Thy

majesty, and of Thy wondrous works. And men shall speak of the might of Thy

terrible acts: and I will declare Thy greatness.’ Psalm 145:5, 6.

“The cross of Calvary is to be lifted high above the people, absorbing their minds

and concentrating their thoughts. Then all the spiritual faculties will be charged

with divine power direct from God. Then there will be a concentration of the

energies in genuine work for the Master. The workers will send forth to the world

beams of light, as living agencies to enlighten the earth.

“Christ accepts, oh, so gladly, every human agency that is surrendered to Him. He

brings the human into union with the divine, that He may communicate to the

world the mysteries of incarnate love. Talk it, pray it, sing it; proclaim abroad the

message of His glory, and keep pressing onward to the regions beyond.

Thursday | Today’s Reading

“Trials patiently borne, blessings gratefully received, temptations manfully resisted,

meekness, kindness, mercy, and love habitually revealed, are the lights that shine

forth in the character in contrast with the darkness of the selfish heart, into which

the light of life has never shone.”

1. Highlight the sentence that begins, “The cross of Calvary is to be lifted. . . .”

2. Highlight the paragraph that begins, “Christ accepts, oh, so gladly. . . .”

3. Underline the sentence that begins, “Trials patiently borne. . .”

Revelation 12:7-18 (New King James Version)

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and

the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found

for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of

old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the

earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the

kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our

brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

“’And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their

testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O

heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the

sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows

that he has a short time.’

“Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the

woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a

great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is

nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.

“So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that

he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the

woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the

dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with the

woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the

commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ME?

The three angels’ messages portray a war between two kingdoms, each competing

for our allegiance. The first angel addresses people living at a time of great

invention and progress.

However, God fights back, for He sends another angel, inviting people who really

want to follow truth to leave the organizations that have chosen to be deceived by

Satan.

Reluctant to have them blindly follow Satan, He sends a final angel to warn them of

the terrible punishment they are choosing.

The choice for each individual is this: Will I choose God or Satan, life or death?

1. When did the war in heaven begin?

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2. Is there still a war going on? If so, where is the war and when will it be

over?

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3. What is the war about?

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4. How does it affect earliteens?

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5. Is there any other church besides the Seventh-day Adventist Church that

has heeded the message delivered by the three angels? Please explain.

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6. From the study of this lesson, how did the Seventh-day Adventist Church

begin?

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7. To whom did God give the three angels message to share with the world?

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8. Did the person God impressed with “The three angels message” really want

to preach it to everyone?

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9. Will God ever ask us to do things that we really don’t want to do?

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10. If God asks us to do things we are afraid of doing, how can we do them?

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That I May Know Him, p. 194

“God has a great work to be done in a short time. He has committed to the young,

talents of intellect, time, and means, and He holds them responsible for the use

they make of these good gifts. He calls upon them to come to the front, to resist

the corrupting, bewitching influences of this fast age and to become qualified to

labor in His cause. They cannot become fitted for usefulness without putting heart

and energy into the work of preparation

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Sometimes earliteens are tempted to think that God and religion are for older

people, not them. They claim that they will give their hearts to God after they get

older.

Match the people in the left column with their ages in the right column.

After you have matched them, record your feelings in a journal entry.

Friday | Today’s Reading

Person experiencing event

Person’s age at time of event

1. Jesus began His ministry by tactfully

teaching Jewish leaders in the Temple.

a. 19

2. At this age, the missionary J. N.

Andrews daughter, Mary, was speaking

French like a French girl and

proofreading French publications.

b. 24

3. At this age, O. A. Olsen, a future

General Conference president, was

baptized.

c.17

4. God called Ellen Harmon (White) to

be His messenger, giving her the first of

many visions.

d. 7

5. Pioneer Adventist educator Goodloe

Harper Bell started teaching at this age.

e. 16

6. Good King Joash was proclaimed king

at this age.

f. 12

7. Future conference president,

missionary, and teacher Stephen N.

Haskell started preaching at this age.

g. 13

8. Already a physician by this age, J. H.

Kellogg became director of Battle

Creek’s Health Reform Institute.

h. 21

9. Luther Warren was this age when he

helped to found the first Seventh-day

Adventist Society at his home church.

i. 20

10. G. W. Amadon worked at the

Review and Herald publishing group for

50 years, starting at this age.

j. 14

Answers at the bottom of the page

_______

Bible texts credited to Amplified are from The Amplified Bible, Old Testament copyright © 1965, 1987 by

Zondervan Corporation. The Amplified New Testament copyright © 1958, 1987 by The Lockman

Foundation. Used by permission.

Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978,

1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Texts credited to NKJV are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by

Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

_______

1 (f), 2 (e), 3 (a), 4 (g), 5 (c), 6 (d), 7 (i), 8 (b), 9 (j), 10 (h)