by COGwriter
Are you familiar with the messages of the three angels in the 14th chapter of Revelation and what they said about Babylon?
Are you acquainted with Church of God teachings related to them?
In addition to the warnings by God's two witnesses for 3 ½ years and God’s remaining people, as well as various signs and trumpets from God, God is going to provide a warning of repentance to the world by way of three angels. This is part of the final phase of the work that we in the Continuing Church of God have long been teaching.
The three angel messages will be proclaiming the everlasting gospel, the fall, or DOOM, of the harlot city of "Babylon the Great," and the warning against the MARK OF THE BEAST, which those in "Babylon" are deceived/coerced into having.
Here are some passages from the Book of Revelation about the three angels this article is about:
6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people 7 saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."
8 And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name" (Revelation 14:6-11).
These are messages by three angelic spirit beings. However, not all agree with that as some point to them as humans.
Yet, the fact that verse 6 points to "another angel" is consistent with passages elsewhere in the Book of Revelation, such as in 11:15 which has an angel blowing the seventh trumpet. Furthermore, the wording of verse 6 does not look like it can to apply to a physical human being flying and making that globe reaching proclamation of the everlasting gospel to every nation, tongue, and people. Additionally the statement about "fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels" (Revelation 14:10) is in line with Hebrews 1:7 which says God, "makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire."
Furthermore, let's see some verses that follow in chapter 14:
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe." (Revelation 14:15-18)
Since the above talks of another angel, who is in heaven, plus another angel, then another angel, and they all look to do things that regular humans would not be doing, this again supports the view that the three angels are actually angels.
So, yes it is the position of the CCOG that Revelation 14 has three literal angels making these pronouncements.
The Bible teaches that God wants people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30) and Revelation 14 shows He will also use angelic beings to get the gospel message out--including that everlasting good news of the Kingdom of God that will replace end time Babylon.
Notice something from the Old and New Testaments that related to that (the first "He" below is the king of the end time daughter of Babylon):
25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.
26 'But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever.
27 Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him. (Daniel 7:25-27)
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:10-11)
The Kingdom of God is everlasting--and needs to be preached now--and God's Kingdom will replace all Babylonian kingdoms of Satan' world--this preaching and prepartion for the three angels is part of the final phase of the work we in the CCOG are working on.
In the Continuing Church of God we are committed to assist with the fulfillment of what Jesus said about the everlasting gospel:
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
This preaching to the world as a witness will happen before the start of the "great tribulation" (Matthew 24:21) as well as before the first angel's gives his message.
While we do not have it currently available in all languages, we do have our free booklet, The Gospel of the Kingdom of God, available in in over 100 languages--and these cover the majority of humans alive today. This booklet as well as proclamation efforts look to be part of the foundation that the first angel will build upon.
Sometime after the first angel's message goes out, the harlot woman Babylon of the "great city" of seven hills (Revelation 17:5,9,18), Rome, will fall as the second angel proclaims.
The third angel warns against taking the mark of the Beast and we believe some will heed that message (cf. Revelation 7:9-14).
We in the CCOG are putting out warnings about Babylon as well as the image and Mark of the Beast. We assert that the Two Witnesses will do as well. So, these build on the foundation of the scriptural warnings that the three angels will proclaim.
The scriptural message to not take the mark of the beast or worship his image will absolutely have angelic proclamation as the third message goes out.
Yet, aspects of the angelic messages will be dismissed by most. However, because of them and other efforts, fruits will be born (cf. Revelation 7:9-14). The messages from the three angels will be a warning that the world will not be able to really miss.
True Christians will be around at this time as they will NOT have been 'raptured' up as some insist (see also: Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected?). Notice the verse in Revelation 14 that comes immediately mentions Christians:
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 14:12)
The true Christians will have refused the mark of the Beast that end time Babylon will push and will continue to keep the ten commandments.
Yet, actually, because much of the rest of the world will prosper at the during much of this Babylonian time (cf. Revelation 18), they will not be aware that the final “Day of the Lord” is soon to come upon them, even though they will have been warned.
That is probably why the Bible teaches that, despite various warnings, “the day of the Lord will come as a thief” (2 Peter 3:10).
Jesus, Himself, warned:
22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. (Matthew 13:22)
Hence, even some who may respond to the messages of the angels, thc Church of God, or the Two Witnesses may then ignore it because of the deceit and allure of this world's Babylon riches.
Most churches today do not understand these messages.
Even within the Church of God, much knowledge about them was lost to most.
Here is a link to a related sermon: The Three Angels' Messages.
In literature published by Sabbath-keepers who claimed to be Church of God in the 19th century (and many of the early quotes in this section here are not from those truly COG, but from some with ties to the Millerite movement), we see some references related to the scriptures in Revelation 14 and the message of one or more of the three angels.
The following relate to the first messages:
"I do not yet see the scriptural evidence of Elijah's coming in person. ... John the Baptist ... came in the 'spirit and power of Elijah' ... so the proclamation of the second advent as 'the gospel of the everlasting kingdom,' has been around the world, to prepare a people for the Lord." (Everett S. The Hope of Israel, April 10, 1864, p. 1)
Rev. 14: 7 ... The view that this message is only to be proclaimed for a few years, and that, too, at the end of the age, we think is erroneous. (Brinkerhoof AM. First Angel's Message. Advent and Sabbath Advocate, April 13, 1875)
The two accounts do not seem to be in full agreement. One problem that Sardis had was lack of biblical governance. There will be one to come in the spirit and power of Elijah and the everlasting gospel should always be proclaimed by the true church. However, the first angel's message will be proclaimed at a specific time and by an actual angel.
The following relates to the second angels' message:
God will send Elijah the prophet, to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord ... during whose message a voice from heaven calls people out of Babylon. (Reed J. Who is Elijah the Prophet? Hope of Israel. August 24, 1863, p. 1)
God will send someone in the spirit of Elijah (see also The Elijah Heresies), and there will be a message coming from an angel in heaven.
The following is wrongly asserted to relate to the second angels' message:
2. And there followed another angel. ... The wars of the French nation with Italy, and all the papal states of Europe; ... took away the church's ppwer and dominion ... no one outside her delusions expect her to regain the power she has lost ... The second angel proclaiming the downfall of Babylon has been at his mission these seventy-six years. No one can deny the reality of this proclamation. (Davison S. Six Angel Messages. Advent and Sabbath Advocate, February 16, 1875, p. 186)
In the Roman kingdom, controlled by a professed infallible church, is "found the blood of the prophets, and of the saints, and of all who were slain on the earth." She is Babylon the Great; (Brinkerhoof AM. The Second Angel's Message. Advent and Sabbath Advocate, May 25, 1875, p. 38)
The second angel commenced his work in Luther's time. (Hall WH. That Second Message. Advent and Sabbath Advocate, September 30, 1884, p. 203)
The second message has not gone forth from the angel yet, and contrary to various assertions in the 19th century, the Vatican-Roman kingdom will again arise for a time.
Here is somethings claimed about the third angel's message:
And now a few words on the third message, Had not Babylon the great fallen, lost her power, there would have been little need of the third message, for the saints of God were being put to death. (Brinkerhoof AM. The Second Angel's Message. Advent and Sabbath Advocate, May 25, 1875, p. 39)
The third angel's message is going forth to all lands, heralded by the press and active ministry, God's faithful embassadors, proclaiming truth in foreign lands as well as at home, giving the warning of the day of God, the pouring out of his wrath, unmixed with mercy upon the disobedient and ungodly, but offering mercy and pardon to those who heed the message and obey the commandments of God. ... The three angel messages have been giving light to the world. (Alverson JT. The Three Angel's Messages. Advent and Sabbath Advocate, May 10, 1881, p.48)
No, while we in the CCOG do currently warn about Babylon, the third angel's message is not going forth yet in that spiritual sense.
Various ones during the of the Sardis era, including some Protestant writers, have contended that future prophesied events have already happened.
Further related to that, notice the following:
It is probable that the sixth seal, the sixth trumpet, and the sixth vial are all three in their historical fulfillment now in action. (Greenwell TW. Shadows of Coming Night. Advent and Sabbath Advocate, October 11, 1881, p.48)
No, back in the 1800s, the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, the first four seals, the great tribulation, the fifth seal, and the events associated with the first six trumpets or the first six vials (called bowls in the NKJV) simply had not happened.
Some other events these cover include a third of the trees and grass burned up, the first trumpet (Revelation 8:7-8), a third of living creatures in the sea dying and a third of the sea becoming blood, the second trumpet (Revelation 8:8-9), 'Wormwood' falling from heaven and making a third of the waters deadly bitter, the third trump (Revelation 8:10-11), a third of the stars, etc. darkened, the fourth trumpet (Revelation 8:12).
Also notice the following wrong claim:
They are seen under the opening of the fifth seal, which was opened in A.D. 533 and continued for 1260 years. (Dugger AF. Question and Answers. Advent and Sabbath Advocate, October 11, 1882, p.311)
That, too, is not correct. That seal has not been open yet (as to when it can be, check out the article: When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?).
Just because someone is a Sabbatarian and/or even a Church of God supporter does not mean that they truly understand many biblical prophecies.
Now we in the CCOG claim:
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: (2 Peter 1:19, KJV)
But we do not want you to simply take our word for it. You need to "prove all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV) and should be like the Bereans of all to search the scriptures daily to see if what we teach is true (Acts 17:11).
As its turns out, in the early 1900s, the view of the three angels' messages seemingly shifted.
Notice something published in 1936 related to the first angel's message:
Any person who understands the first angel's message knows positively that the fall of Babylon is comlng quickly. ...
The second angel's message follows the first more naturally than fall follows summer. The hour of God's judgment is come.
The next thing in order is the fall of our modern civilization. Then what? The beast and his image, as sure as winter follows the fall, and night follows day. (Mackintosh M. The Three Angels' Messages. The Bible Advocate, February 3, 1936, p. 10)
Although the timing of that first item has not yet come as quickly as the author probably thought, the above does teach the three angels' messages as future events.
In a sermon give December 17, 1983 titled Mission of the Philadelphia Church Era by Herbert W. Armstrong, the late Pastor General of the old WCG, he related his encounter on the third angel's message in the Church of God 7th Day in the late 1920s/early 1930s:
I came among the true Church of God of the Sardis Era. They didn't know what the gospel was, they thought it was what they called the third angel's message. They didn't know what the gospel really was. They called it a third angel's message.
In the late 1800s, notice something a Church of God publication of the Sardis era realized:
We do not preach half of the glad tidings, if we keep back the doctrine of the kingdom. (Henn S. Preaching the Kingdom. Advent and Sabbath Advocate, June 28, 1887, p. 107)
Yes, Sardis had a problem understanding and proclaiming The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
The Church of God 7th Day had a split in 1933--with some supporting Stanbury Missouri and others supporting Salem, West Viriginia. The Salem group was led by A.N. Dugger. Despite a type of later reconciliation in the 1940s, there was another split. A version of the Salem group still exists and is called the Church of God 7th Day, Salem (West Virginia) (CG7-S). And the Stanbury group moved its top leadership to Denver (see CG7-D: Church of God, (Seventh Day): History and Teachings).
The largest USA CG7 group in the 21st century is that one based out of Denver. They do not have materials currently related to the three angels' messages that I could find. I also confirmed this with former CG7-Denver president Robert Coulter on January 24, 2022. who said the three angels message was not a focus and:
We don't really take any position on it.
So, that obviously is not an emphasis of that group.
The current Church of God 7th Day, Salem group, however, has the following in its tract titled THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH OF GOD (7th DAY) Salem West Viriginia:
33. That the First Angel's Message of Rev. 14:6,7, is the proclaiming of the everlasting Gospel.
34. The Second Angel's Message of Rev. 14:8 is warning people to stay away from apostate Babylon and her evil teachings.
35. The Third Angel's Message of Rev. 14:9-12 is a warning to all mankind to come out of Babylon and escape the Seven Last Plagues. http://www.churchofgod-7thday.org/Publications/Tracts/Constitution_of_the_Church.pdf accessed 01/01/22
Item 33 is the only place in that Constitution that the term "Gospel" is used.
In its THE CHURCH OF GOD SABBATH SCHOOL LESSONS Fourth Quarter 2020, the Salem group (CG7-S) asserts that the first angel's message started with Jesus and is continuing with a judgment. Hence, they do not believe that is a literal message to all the world by one angel.
Related to the second message, the Salem group teaches that Babylon is Rome.
That is consistent with a view in the 19th century which tied the angel's messages to the Church of Rome:
Rev. 14:6-2 ... The Roman hierarchy ... this church ... is particularly called Babylon in ch. 17: 'Mystery Babylon the Great' (Brinkerhoff J, ed. The Rainbow Angel, Rev. 10. Advent and Sabbath Advocate, June 28, 1887, p. 108)
In a tract, titled THE LAST DAYS, CG7-S has the following:
We are living in the closing drama of this six-thousand year period. The last, or Third Angel's Message, is going forth to warn the world of the impending doom that is coming upon the ungodly. ...
A message known as the Third Angel's Message should be and is being proclaimed as a warning against the beast power which exists at the second coming of Jesus and prior to Christ's reign on the earth for 1,000 years. This is a part of the Gospel, by the acceptance of which people may escape the "wrath of God" which is also to be consummated before the Millennial Reign of Jesus.
Yes, we are close to the end of the 6,000 years (for details, seeDoes God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?). While I believe that leaders in various Church of God groups have been warning about Europe, the ecumenical movement, and mystery Babylon, I also believe that the third angel's message is literally to come from an angel that is a spirit being, and hence do not believe it is being fulfilled yet.
Related to the third message, the Salem group also claims that those who keep the commandments can be saved and that Revelation 15:2 refers to the place of escape--which CG7-S teaches is the "sea of glass."
The tract also states:
Lesson For Sabbath, November 28, 2020
THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE
Scripture Reading: Revelation 14.
Golden Text: Revelation 22:14.
1. What is the third angel's message? Revelation 14:9-11.
2. What is the wrath of God? Revelation 15:1.
3. How shall we escape this wrath? Revelation 14:12.
4. How is the call defined? Revelation 18:4.
5. Does God have a place of escape prepared? Revelation 15:2.
6. What is this called in Isaiah 26:20-22?
7. Of what shall we not be afraid? Psalm 91:5-7.
8. Will the righteous see the reward of the wicked? Psalm 91:8-9.
9. How much evil will affect the saints? Psalm 91:10.
10. With whom will the righteous be at Armageddon? Revelation
17;14.
NOTE: The third angel's message is a distinct call for God's
people to come out of Babylon.
While God's people are to come out of Babylon, the Salem group seems to not point the the messages being literal from three angels.
Related to its view on the third angel's message, the late Richard Nickels (former WCG, then 'independent,' not CG7) reported:
Salem is purported to believe that the saints will be raptured to the sea of glass while the seven last plagues will be poured out. (Nickels R. History of the Seventh Day Church of God. Giving & Sharing, 1988, pp. 147-180)
Let me add that I confirmed with CG7-S Pastor David DeLong that his group does teach the 'sea of glass' protection location from the seven last plagues on June 24, 2020.
In the May 2022 of its The Advocate of Truth, CG7-S teaches:
II Thessalonians 2:1-4 ... first the gathering (rapture) of the church by the Lord Jesus Christ, then the coming of the man of sin is described. (Torres MM. The Temple of God And the Man of Sin. The Advocate of Truth. May 2022, p. 8)
The timing of CG7-S' 'rapture' is wrong. The man of sin will be revealed BEFORE Christians are at the 'sea of glass.'
We in the CCOG teach that Jesus promises physical protection to the Philadelphians from the 'hour of trial' (Revelation 3:7-10) in the wilderness:
14 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. 15 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. 16 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. (Revelation 12:14-16)
(See also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra.)
The protection promised to living physical Christians is on the earth. The sea of glass, which is in heaven per Revelation 15:2, comes later for the resurrected saints.
The sea of glass is NOT in the wilderness and is NOT the place of protection that the Salem group hopes that it is. Isaiah 26:20-21:
20 Come, my people, enter your chambers,
And shut your doors behind you;
Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment,
Until the indignation is past.
21 For behold, the Lord comes out of His place
To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;
The earth will also disclose her blood,
And will no more cover her slain.
Christians do not have to shut the door behind them, or hide themselves, if they are in heaven. But, if they are in the earth while God punishes its inhabitants, then that makes sense. Isaiah 26:20 is not related to the 'sea of glass.'
That being said, here is more that CG7-S teaches related to the three angels' messages:
27. The First Angel's Message of Revelation 14:6-7, the hour of God's judgment, and the everlasting gospel was preached to the world during the early days of the Church of God and is still a continued message today. John 9:39; 12:31-32; Romans 1:29- 32; 10:15; 2:1-2; I Timothy 5:24; I Peter 4:17; Acts 16:9-10; 15:7; Galatians 1:8-9; Romans 1:16; Acts 24:25.
28. The Second Angel's Message of Revelation 14:8 is "Babylon is fallen", and is being preached by the Church of God warning the people of the apostate doctrines of Babylon. II Thessalonians 2:6-7; Revelation 17:5, 9, 18; Revelation 18:2.
29. The Third Angel's Message of Revelation 14:9-12 is a present day message, and will continue to the second advent of the Lord Jesus. This message is a warning against worshipping the beast, his image, or receiving his mark in the forehead or hand. The Seven Last Plagues, "the wrath of God" are literal and fall at the termination of the Gospel Age. We should not obey pagan doctrines, or traditions of apostate Babylon, which are contrary to the Scriptures. All who oppose the Bible doctrines, the Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus, shall re- ceive these plagues, Therefore, this is a warning to all mankind to escape the indignation of God. Revelation 18:4; Isaiah 26:20-21; Revelation 15:1; Revelation 16:1- 21; Revelation 12:17. http://www.churchofgod-7thday.org/Publications/Doctrinal%20Points%20Final%20Proof.pdf accessed 01/01/22
My notes related to the above points:
27. No that angel has not yet made the public message. While there has been preaching of the gospel of the kingdom of God since the time of Jesus, that is not the fulfillment of that angel's message.
28. No, Babylon has not yet fallen yet. That may be a claim by CG7-S, but that is false.
29. The third angel has not yet proclaimed his message, even though groups are warning people against taking the coming mark of the beast.
Revelation 12:17 is not mainly a warning to the world, but the church. It is a warning that those true Christians that did not flee in vs. 12-16, would be subject to Satan's wrath:
17 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. (Revelation 12:17)
Now, although some in Sardis in the 1600s understood about the period of 1260 years in Revelation 12:6 as ending around that time, like around 1641 (cf. Ball B. Seventh Day Men: Sabbatarians and Sabbatarianism in England and Wales, 1600-1800, 2nd edition. James Clark & Co., 2009, p. xxi-xxii; Brayn J. The Churches Going In, and Coming Out of the Wildernes Opened. London, 1649, p. 14), in the late 1800s some during Sardis attempted to state that was the same period as in Revelation 12:14 (Brinkerhoof J., ed. The Time of the End. Advent and Sabbath Advocate, December 20, 1881, p.289)--yet that ignored Revelation 12:17--those are two separate periods.
THE THREE ANGEL'S MESSAGES NOTE: The everlasting gospel was first preached to Israel out of which were called 144,000. Study the lesson on the 144,000.
QUESTION: After the everlasting gospel had been preached to Israel, calling out of them 144,000, to whom then was it sent?
ANSWER: "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. NOTE: Angel in prophecy means message or messenger. These are three warning messages sent by God to His church for the world spanning the gospel age.
QUESTION: What two things comprise the everlasting gospel?
ANSWER: "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 water" Verse 7.
(Bible Study Questions and Answers. Advocate of Truth, April 2022, p. 16)
The claim looks to be that the "everlasting gospel" is to fear and worship God and judgment has come.
Well, the gospel is more than that and three angels' messages are still future--not one of them has yet been fulfilled.
The same Bible Study article states that Babylon has already fell (ibid, p 17) and that the "sea of glass" is the place of protection (ibid, p. 18).
We in the Continuing Church of God assert that Herbert W. Armstrong was right to dismiss much of CG7's teachings on the three angels' messages.
We also cite Jesus' words to show that Jesus expects His church to preach the full Gospel now:
4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. (John 9:4)
35 Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.' 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors. (John 4:35-38)
2 ...The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. (Luke 10:2)
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)
We also assert no Christian should not think they do not need to support the work or the three angels have done it or they and/or the two witnesses will do all of it.
Philadelphian Christians must support the work today, which includes leading The Final Phase of the Work.
The first angel's message looks to happen either after Matthew 24:14 has been fulfilled. If not right then, then likely towads the start of the Day of the Lord. The first angel's message is a supernatural reminder of that message of the good news of the coming kingdom of God. The second and third angels' messages may come not too long after that first one.
The three angels' messages would also support the preaching of the two witnesses, with yet, another supernatural signs that those witnesses are of God.
As far as the third angel's message in the end times, the old Radio Church of God and then WCG taught:
Warning of Third Angel
Soon, now, the time is coming when gross spiritual darkness will cover this earth -- when no human will be permitted to preach Christ's true Gospel. We must work while it is day -- the night is fast drawing on when no man can work, for God.
At that time God shall send angels with His final warning to these apostate nations under sway of this great deceiving Church as a final witness against them. Three such angel messages are foretold in Revelation 14.
Notice the final warning of the third angel:
"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" -- the seven last plagues, full force, unmixed with mercy! (Rev. 14:9-10). ...
You dear reader, must soon choose whom you will obey -- this coming Roman Empire resurrected by a United States of EUROPE, ruled by traditional Christianity -- or whether you shall OBEY GOD! (Armstrong HW. The MARK of the BEAST... it is here, NOW! Plain Truth, October 1952)
Warning of Third Angel
Soon, now, the time is coming when gross spiritual darkness will cover this earth -- when no human will be permitted to preach Christ's true Gospel. We must work while it is day -- the night is fast drawing on when no man can work for God.
At that time God shall send angels with His final warning to these apostate nations under sway of this great deceiving church as a final witness against them. Three such angel messages are foretold in Revelation 14. Notice the final warning of the third angel:
"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" -- the seven last plagues, full force, unmixed with mercy (Rev. 14:9-10)! ...
You must soon choose whom you will obey -- this coming Roman Empire resurrected by a United States of EUROPE, ruled by traditional Christianity -- or whether you shall obeyy GOD! ...
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:12).
There it is! In verses 9- 11 of this chapter the third angel warns that those who have the mark of the beast shall be punished by the plagues of God. In the next verse, the 12th, the saints who do not have the mark are those who KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD. Those who have the mark, therefore, are those who refuse to keep the commandments of God. The MARK of the beast, therefore, involves a rejection of the COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, or of one of them, for if we break one we are guilty of all (James 2: 10).
So, one class of people accepts the MARK of the beast.
The other class keeps the commandments of God.
A Mark of Disobedience
Hence, whatever the mark of the beast may be, it means disobedience to GOD'S government -- to the Commandments of God.
Here's further proof -- here are they who get victory over this mark:
Revelation 15:2-3: "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are THY WAYS, thou King of saints."
This corresponds to the children of Israel, delivered from Egyptian bondage under Moses. Moses was a type of Christ. Pharaoh was the type and forerunner of this beast. The plagues God poured on Egypt were a type of the last plagues to be poured out on Babylon. The children of Israel stood on the shore of the Red Sea, and God miraculously delivered them. Here the saints of God are pictured on this symbolic sea of glass.
They sing the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb (Christ). Moses pictures law and God's commandments; the Lamb (Christ) pictures faith and salvation from sin.
Remember, the beast is the human civil organization of the devil. In Revelation 12, we find Satan stirred to great wrath "because he knoweth that he hath but a short time" (verse 12). He then starts a great PERSECUTION, or TRIBULATION against the TRUE Church -- the true saints of God. This is just prior to the Second Coming of Christ (verse 10). Now notice against whom Satan is so wroth:
"And the dragon [Satan] was wroth with the woman [Church], and went to make war with the remnant [last generation] of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ [the Bible]" (verse 17).
There it is again! Those keeping God's COMMANDMENTS -- those yielding themselves to God's RULE, and living by every Word of Goodbye the BIBLE -- which is the written testimony of Jesus Christ -- they are the ones the devil will persecute and martyr through his false church and his reborn Empire! .(Armstrong HW. Who or What is the Prophetic Beast? 1960)
Revelation 14:9-10 And [There were now two angels with messages.] 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 [Here it is again, about the mark of the beast.], (10) 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 [at the Second Coming of Christ]. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST, you're tortured. You may be martyred. IF YOU DO RECEIVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST, then this is going to happen to you! (Armstrong HW. Mark Of The Beast. Sermon Date: December 11, 1982)
Note a time no human will be able to proclaim the gospel would seem to be somewhere around the start of the 1335 days. However, that period of time would not God's final warning or the third angel's message. Therefore, apparently Herbert Armstrong is referring to no human being able to broadcast the message, other than the two witnesses--which he did not refer to, or perhaps basically immediately after the death of the two witnesses. If that is the case, yes, that would be the final worldwide warning (scripture does not explicitly state the three angels messages are the final major worldwide warning, but they very well could be).
Between the two witnesses, the three angels, and the remaining Christians on the earth at that time, God will get an effective warning message out during the 42 months the Beast is reigning. And ultimately through the various plagues and other interventions mentioned in Revelation and elsewhere, eventually humans will have to pay attention. People of all backgrounds will respond (Revelation 7:9-17).
Related to some of this, Herbert W. Armstrong taught:
Here is what will happen to those who refuse to separate themselves from the false customs of this age and come under God’s protection:
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth . . . saying . . .Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of his judgment is come . . . 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.”
Whoever follows this foul, rotten system that permeates the world
“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[Christ) . . . Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Rev. 14:6-12) .
Notice, God’s wrath is unmixed-undiluted-full strength!! God must reveal to the world just how much He hates sin. Only those who patiently endure and keep the commandments will escape. (Armstrong HW. Why the Seven Last Plagues. Plain Truth, July-August, 1955)
Yes, God hates sin and His word declares that His people keep the commandments.
Let's also look at the following from the Old Testament:
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
The above is certainly consistent with the first angel's message.
Most of the larger groups that could be considered offshoots or offspring of the old WCG have produced very little about the three angels' messages. COGWA it looks like it did have a sermon online that touched on the three angels called "Final Warning - Fear God," but it was not available when I clicked on it--so it is unclear what COGWA may teach. CGG: Church of the Great God teaches it is unsure when the messages are given out, which is true to a degree, but then speculates that these messages could be given by human, not angelic beings--which I do not agree with.
LCG published, but without more details on the messages or the timing, the following:
The Two Witnesses, who "prophesy" (Revelation 11:3) and "finish their testimony" (v. 7), along with three angels whom God dispatches after the sounding of the seventh trumpet (14:6–9), (Ogwyn J. Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled, edition 1.4, 2009, p. 32)
When I asked John Ogwyn about various prophetic writings of his, he told me that he took them from notes from Ambassador College, not that anyone had necessarily given the related scriptures. Now, the old WCG published that chapter 14 was an "inset chapter" in Revelation (Armstrong HW. The Book of Revelation Unveiled at Last! 1972), meaning that it did not completely fit in chronological sequence of that book. In another WCG claimed document on the timeline of Revelation, the three angels' messages was left off (https://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/download/viewitem.cgi?PageNo= accessed 11/2023). It may be that many of the trumpets of Revelation 9 will go off after the first angel's message.
Other than CCOG, the largest group that had a more detailed position on the three angels' messages I located was CBCG. So on January 27, 2022, I spoke to its top leader, Fred Coulter to get his view. Basically, he stated that the three angels will give all their messages between the 1335 days and the start of the 1260 days--he says the three messages go out while the most faithful are in a place of safety, and essentially the messages are God's warning to the world during the famine of the word (cf. Amos 8:11-12) that the Great Tribulation is about to begin, that all should repent, that Babylon is in the process of falling, and that people should not take the mark of the beast.
He and I did not agree on the idea that the second angel's message was that Babylon is falling that early. He said the statement "Babylon is fallen" as he translated it in his New Testament transation called the A Faithful Version (AFV) means that Babylon is in the process of falling, not that it has fallen -- I told him that I had a problem with that as Babylon would be rising in power then and that I believed that the second angel was announcing that at least part of Babylon had fallen.
So, the next day, I decided to look at a translation edited by a Greek Orthodox priest and scholar that I knew (Laurent Cleenewerck) in what is called the Eastern Orthodox Bible (EOB). In a footnote to Revelation 14:8 it states:
MT reads "Babylon the Great has fallen"
MT stands for the Majority Text, of version of which is basically the text that Fred Coulter used for his translation of the New Testament. Hence, I believe my understanding of Revelation 14:8 makes more grammatical and sequential sense. That being said, I agree with Fred Coutler that the second message includes the concept of possibly additional falling. It looks like when it is given, this is when the great Babylon harlot woman city Rome is destroyed consistent with Revelation 17:15-18.
Based on a number of scriptures, when the second angel proclaims that Babylon the Great is fallen, I believe that one particular aspect of Babylon will have fallen then, with the rest falling shortly afterwards. For example, there would be little reason for the third angel to warn against the mark of the Beast if the entire Babylonian system was totally gone by the time of the second angel's announcement.
As far as the third angel's message goes, Fred Coulter stated that it was his view that the mark of the beast will have been present prior to that angel giving the message, that part of the purpose of the message is to tell people who had taken the mark to stop doing so and repent, and that the enforcement of the mark of the Beast (cf. Revelation 13:15-18) would take place after that message is given. He may be correct that there will be a delay between the introduction and the enforcement of the mark of the beast (though that may not be related to the third angel's message), as well as the fact that there may be some who repent of the mark before Jesus returns.
The Book of Revelation mentions some type of Babylon three other chapters.
The first reference to Babylon after chapter 14 of Revelation is in chapter 16:
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. (Revelation 16:17-20)
So, we see that after the seventh angel pours out his bowl, Babylon is mentioned.
This we see would come after the public message of the first of the three angels and is tied in with the second angel's message.
In the next chapter we see Mystery Babylon mentioned as well as the great city of seven hills/mountains:
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication."
3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. ...
9 "Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. ...
15 Then he said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth." ( (Revelation 17:1-6, 9, 15-18)
Verse 3 shows that the harlot woman sits on, controls, the Beast. But the Beast and his supporters do not want that to last as verses 16-17 show that supporters of the Beast turn against the harlot woman. The "great city" in this case, which is also confirmed by Roman Catholic scholars, is Rome. This looks to be destruction of the power base of the end time changed Roman Catholic Church. This looks to be related to the second angel's message. The desolation of the "Mystery Babylon" harlot does not appaer to be the same as the final fall of the geo-political Babylon, which is described elsewhere in scripture.
Barnes Notes states:
In the former Revelation 17:12-14, these ten governments are represented as in alliance with the beast; as "giving all their power and strength" unto it; and as uniting with it in making war with the Lamb. What is here said must, therefore, refer to some subsequent period, indicating some great change in their feelings and policy. We have seen the evidence of the fulfillment of the former statements. This statement will be accomplished if these same powers, represented by the ten horns, that were formerly in alliance with the papacy, shall become its enemy, and contribute to its final overthrow. That is, it will be accomplished if the nations of Europe, embraced within the limits of those ten kingdoms, shall become hostile to the papacy, and shall combine for its overthrow. Is anything more probable than this?
(Paranthetically, an issue that my former COG, which was LCG, has wrong in its literature is that this destruction in 17:16 supposedly includes the Antichrist/False Prophet. Yet since he is not destroyed until chapter 19, and he is not destroyed by supporters of the Beast, obviously, he is not destroyed in 17:16. That is consistent with my view the prophesied Antichrist will betray the Church of Rome, which looks to be destroyed in 17:16.)
Furthermore, contrary to the improper views of many, the final Antichrist, also called the False Prophet in Revelation, is NOT destroyed by supporters of the Beast, but the Church of Rome is. We know that the False Prophet was not destroyed then because he is tossed alive in the lake of fire in what could be considered the third falling or destruction of Babylon:
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:19-21)
So, we see the forces of God defeat the kings of the earth and toss the beast and false prophet in the lake of fire.
Recall that the Bible tells of the Mystery Babylon the Great harlot woman being destroyed in Revelation 17:15-18 by supporters of the Beast.
The problem at looking at the timing of some of this is that while the natural reading of Revelation 14 suggests it is near the start of the Day of the Lord, the natural reading of Revelation 17:15-18 could suggest it being shortly after the start of the Great Tribulation. But for various reasons that destruction of the harlot of Revelation 17 looks to come at least 2 1/2 years after the Great Tribulation begins.
CGG's John Ritenbaugh believes Revelation 14 is an inset chapter as does UCG (The Book of Revelation Unveiled, 2007, p. 8). An inset chapter, in this context, means it does not necessarily follow the general chronological sequence of the book. The old Worldwide Church of God and most leaders once part of it tend to view Revelation chapters 12 and 13 as insets (Armstrong HW. Book of Revelation Unveiled at Last. 1972). The old WCG pointed out that chapter 14 was not entirely sequential (Inside the Book of Revelation. Worldwide Church of God, 1989). Aspects of the timing have not been clear to many. There are still timing clarification issues.
The first angel's message sounds like it is just before or at the start of the Day of the Lord as it includes the statement, "the hour of His judgment has come" (Revelation 14:7). If this chapter is not chronological, and there is a major time gap before the second angel's message goes out, it could possibly be towards the start of the Great Tribulation.
I strongly lean towards at least the second and third angels' messages as occurring during the Day of Lord.
Consider that there will be turmoil in world after the sixth and seventh seals are opened. The Vatican will not be able to fix the problems and Rome will get at least some of the blame--and that will give supporters of the Beast an excuse to topple the Church of Rome.
Another reason I lean this way as far as timing goes is because of the following:
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth."
2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. (Revelation 16:1-2)
The warning message from the third angel includes the following:
9 If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. (Revelation 14:9-10)
And we see the wrath of God poured out on those with the mark of the beast in Revelation 16:1-2, shortly after the third angel gives his message.
Now other possible times for these messages could be towards the end of the Day of the Lord, after the Two Witnesses are dead (Revelation 11:7) or after they are raised up to heaven (Revelation 11:11-12). It would not seem that the angels' messages could be later than that.
Anyway, while the sequence of the three angels' messages is certain, the precise timing of each of the three angel's individual message is not clearly and fully laid out in scripture as some of us would prefer.
Of course, consider that the Apostle Paul was a prophet who Christ spoke through (2 Corinthians 13:3). He had visions and revelations (2 Corinthians 12:1) prophesied (Acts 27:22, 1 Corinthians 13:12). Yet, Paul used the term "perceive" once when he was making a prediction that turned out to be in error (Acts 27:10, 42-44).We need to remember somethings that he stated:
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. (1 Corinthians 13:9-10)
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
So, there are matters that are not as clear as we would like them to be. Why?
Notice what else Paul wrote:
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Obviously there are some details we are not yet to know as it is apparently better for us that we do not.
However, we can know what we need to know (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
And what we need to know is that Jesus wants us to reach the world with the good news of the kingdom of God (Matthew 24:14). We also know that the three angel messages are part of the final phase of the work and that work we are doing now should assist in the success of their messages.
Getting back to timing, when you get to chapter 18 of Revelation, it points to Babylon being destroyed after the world prospers from her. Yet, since Revelation 17:1-2 and Revelation 18:3 both state that the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, that seems to be pointing to the same Babylon. Yet, the context of chapter 18, the statement about who burns Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17, and Old Testament prophecies about the coming destruction of Babylon in Jeremiah 50 and 51, point to two separate destructions of Babylon--though they will happen relatively close to one another.
This destruction of Rome by the beast's supporters in Revelation 17:16 is one reason we in the Continuing Church of God have asserted that the final Antichrist is some type of an 'antipope.' He will condone (and probably encourage) the destruction of the then Roman Catholic Church. Many who claim to understand prophecy do not realize this. Both in the other COGs and also within in Protestantism (e.g. Adam Clarke's Commentary) many realize that Revelation 17:16 is going against the Roman Catholic Church, but few ever connect the reality that the False Prophet is a professed Roman Catholic that betrays that church.
In Revelation chapter 18, we read about the fall of geo-political Babylon and that Christians should leave it:
1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! (Revelation 18:1-2)
It is interesting to note that those who began to support a 'Babylonian' faith calling itself Christian in Alexandria, Rome, and elsewhere (cf. Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church), began to promote unclean meat consumption in the second century A.D., and that in the 4th century Emperor Constantine, who was somewhat the architect of expanding that type of religion ordered the death penalty for Christians in the area of Jerusalem who would not eat biblically unclean meat (see New Testament Church, History, and Unclean Meats).
Back to Revelation 18:
3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."
4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. 7 In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.' 8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day -- death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.
9 "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'
11 "And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. 14 The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17 For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.' Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What is like this great city?'
19 "They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.'
20 "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!"
21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. 22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. 23 The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth." (Revelation 18:3-24)
The Babylon reference in verse 2 is to a power tied to the City of Rome, but clearly not just Rome. The angel's message in verse 2 ties in with the message of the second angel in Revelation 14:8. It could be this is the same angel, so this expands that previous second angel's message.
Here is something that a remnant of the Sardis era taught about Babylon:
What is modern Babylon? Answer: The religious world, the political world, the business world, and the social world. In other words, our modern civilization. (Mackintosh M. The Three Angels' Messages. The Bible Advocate, February 3, 1936, p. 11)
That is somewhat true, but something more than what was around in the 19th century is coming.
Here is some of what the Radio and Worldwide Church of God taught about the identity of Babylon:
God has given Satan's system the name "Babylon," which means "Confusion" (Meredith CP. Satan's Great Deception. Radio Church of God, 1959)
This Babylon is the {coming} United States of Europe ... Not only a political system, not only an economic system, its also a military system. (Armstrong HW. God Warns of a Future Babylon, World Tomorrow Radio broadcast, March 7, 1980)
Bible prophecy reveals that a great military and economic superpower "Babylon the great" will dominate the world. ... Revelation is set in the future -- but not the distant future. It describes a series of events that bring mankind to a crisis point unparalleled in history. Let's pick up the story in chapter 17, at a point where centuries of greed, violence and mismanagement have finally caught up with the human race. Vast areas of the earth have been ravaged by war, famine and disease. As civilization is poised on the edge of disaster, the world's affairs are dominated by a strange power.
The Apocalypse describes the situation like this:
"And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns" (Revelation 17:3).
Much of the information in the book of Revelation is revealed in symbols. This peculiar beast and others like it are described in several other places throughout the Apocalypse. Other prophecies make it clear that they represent a series of regimes that have controlled the territory once ruled by the old Roman Empire and its heirs. The Roman Empire fell in A.D. 476, but Rome had a continuing influence, particularly on central Europe. A succession of governments based on the Roman model have ruled the area for most of the time between the fall of the Empire and today. But Revelation 17 is describing more than a regional power. John describes the woman riding on the beast as a
"great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication" (Revelation 17:1-2).
This great harlot has influence that extends far beyond the confines of the old Roman Empire. Who is she to wield such extraordinary power? Obviously not a real person. Like the beast, she is symbolic.
"And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.... 'And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth'" (verses 5, 18).
Babylon again! Not this time limited to a city. Babylon is personified as a harlot, a prostitute, who seduces and influences the destiny of the world. ...
The rest of Revelation 17 describes a violent, turbulent world, dominated by the woman on the beast. ... This is certainly not the world we know today. We have our problems, but we have not reached a crisis like this. We may not have a world of peace and plenty for all nations, but the leaders of the world's major nations are generally sensible, reasonable men and women. In spite of their differences, they have enough common sense and self control not to bring down civilization. So how does this grim world described in the Apocalypse come about? Major changes in the world situation don't just happen. They are caused, even while most people do not recognize what is happening. This is because most of us tend to understand the news in terms of the headline events, like an assassination, a revolution or a declaration of war. We forget that these are only the ultimate effect of pressures that have been building sometimes for decades. ...
So even though the world described in the book of Revelation may seem unlikely now, if we look carefully we may see how the future could be dominated by a system like "Babylon the great." ...
Babylon the great, as described in the Apocalypse, will be alluring. Those who conform will continue to enjoy the fruits of prosperity. Those who reject Babylon and her ways will be thrust out, left to fend for themselves, and to risk persecution, slavery, even death -- for a totalitarian system is ruthless in crushing all who oppose it.
Yet those who know the truth must not compromise. This is the challenge facing this last generation of the people of God. ...
A few biblical commentators have considered the "Babylon" of I Peter 5:13 to be a reference to the literal city on the Euphrates. ...
The "Babylon" passages in Revelation, however, are a wholly different matter. Those passages (Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2, 10, 21) are widely recognized today as being in a prophetic end-time context, referring to a great world power yet to emerge on the scene. To early Christians, Babylon in those passages symbolized Rome — the "city on seven hills" (compare Revelation 17:9).
The Jews had once been carried captive to Babylon.
Thus, that ancient name came to stand for any power hostile to God's people. Prophetic "Babylon" clearly denoted the world-ruling empire of the Caesars -- with its false gods, its manifold sins, its persecution of Christians. To Christians, Rome's name had become a synonym for moral corruption and political tyranny — and must surely be intended in a figurative sense in the prophetic passages about "Babylon." When the Roman Empire became {allegedly} Christianized in the fourth century A.D., it became difficult to continue portraying Rome as the personification of evil and symbol of opposition to God. Yet ... {the true} Christians -- outside the mainstream and critical of the church's alliance with the secular sphere -- persisted in regarding Rome as prophetic Babylon. (Babylon: Past, Present ...and Future. Ambassador College Productions, 1990)
As far as alluring goes, notice the following which is also applicable to the curreny Babylonian world and the coming final Babylon:
18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. (2 Peter 2:18-19)
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17)
Satan wants us to be slaves to corruption and to love his Babylonian world which will pass away.
The Apostle Paul warned Christians related to Satan:
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. (2 Corinthians 4:3-5)
Now Satan has been around since Eden influencing humans. He has deceived the whole world, but a change will happen:
9 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. (Revelation 12:9)
Sometime after Satan is cast out, the restrainter of Satan, probably Michael the archangel (see What is Restrained and Who is Restraining in 2 Thessalonians 2:7?), will be removed:
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, (2 Thessalonians 2:7-9)
Because of God allowing the restraint to be gone, Satan will use various signs and he is shown to be associated with the beast and false prophet in the end per Revelation 16:13-14.
So, even though we have seen Satanic 'Babylon' throughout human history, the end time Babylon will be deceptive beyond what humanity as a whole has ever experienced.
We are seeing the stage for this to be set now as Satan motivates political and religious leaders to get together on an agenda that is not the way of the true God.
Now, there are other scriptures that discuss Babylon in the end times.
Three times in the 50th chapter in Jeremiah we read of a power from the north will destroy Babylon. This is not limited to the power as the ten kings that turn against 'Mystery Babylon' in Revelation 17:16. This is referring to a massive destruction that will hit Babylonian Europe:
2 "Declare among the nations,
Proclaim, and set up a standard;
Proclaim — do not conceal it —
Say, 'Babylon is taken, Bel is shamed.
Merodach is broken in pieces;
Her idols are humiliated,
Her images are broken in pieces.'
3 For out of the north a nation comes up against her,
Which shall make her land desolate,
And no one shall dwell therein.
They shall move, they shall depart,
Both man and beast. (Jeremiah 50:2-3)8 "Move from the midst of Babylon, Go out of the land of the Chaldeans; And be like the rams before the flocks. 9 For behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon An assembly of great nations from the north country, And they shall array themselves against her;From there she shall be captured. Their arrows shall be like those of an expert warrior; None shall return in vain. 10 And Chaldea shall become plunder; All who plunder her shall be satisfied," says the Lord.
11 "Because you were glad, because you rejoiced,You destroyers of My heritage, Because you have grown fat like a heifer threshing grain, And you bellow like bulls, 12 Your mother shall be deeply ashamed; She who bore you shall be ashamed. Behold, the least of the nations shall be a wilderness, A dry land and a desert. 13 Because of the wrath of the Lord She shall not be inhabited,But she shall be wholly desolate.Everyone who goes by Babylon shall be horrified And hiss at all her plagues.
14 "Put yourselves in array against Babylon all around,All you who bend the bow; Shoot at her, spare no arrows, For she has sinned against the Lord. 15 Shout against her all around; She has given her hand,Her foundations have fallen, Her walls are thrown down; For it is the vengeance of the Lord. Take vengeance on her.As she has done, so do to her. 16 Cut off the sower from Babylon, And him who handles the sickle at harvest time. For fear of the oppressing sword Everyone shall turn to his own people,And everyone shall flee to his own land.
17 "Israel is like scattered sheep; The lions have driven him away.First the king of Assyria devoured him; Now at last this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has broken his bones."
18 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:
"Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, As I have punished the king of Assyria. 19 But I will bring back Israel to his home,And he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan; His soul shall be satisfied on Mount Ephraim and Gilead. 20 In those days and in that time," says the Lord, "The iniquity of Israel shall be sought, but there shall be none;And the sins of Judah, but they shall not be found; For I will pardon those whom I preserve.
21 "Go up against the land of Merathaim, against it, And against the inhabitants of Pekod.Waste and utterly destroy them," says the Lord," And do according to all that I have commanded you. 22 A sound of battle is in the land,And of great destruction. 23 How the hammer of the whole earth has been cut apart and broken! How Babylon has become a desolation among the nations!I have laid a snare for you; 24 You have indeed been trapped, O Babylon,And you were not aware; You have been found and also caught, Because you have contended against the Lord. (Jeremiah 50:8-24)
41 "Behold, a people shall come from the north,
And a great nation and many kings
Shall be raised up from the ends of the earth.
42 They shall hold the bow and the lance;
They are cruel and shall not show mercy.
Their voice shall roar like the sea;
They shall ride on horses,
Set in array, like a man for the battle,
Against you, O daughter of Babylon.43 "The king of Babylon has heard the report about them,
And his hands grow feeble;
Anguish has taken hold of him,
Pangs as of a woman in childbirth. (Jeremiah 50:41-43)
Babylon is still referred to as female with the pronoun "her" multiple times in translation, plus is called the "daughter" in Jeremiah 50:42 as well as in Jeremiah 51:33.
Furthermore, Jeremiah was inspired to write:
6 Flee from the midst of Babylon, And every one save his life! Do not be cut off in her iniquity, For this is the time of the Lord's vengeance; He shall recompense her. 7 Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord's hand, That made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; Therefore the nations are deranged. (Jeremiah 51:6-7)
11 Make the arrows bright! Gather the shields! The Lord has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes. For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it, Because it is the vengeance of the Lord, The vengeance for His temple. 12 Set up the standard on the walls of Babylon; Make the guard strong, Set up the watchmen, Prepare the ambushes. For the Lord has both devised and done What He spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon. 13 O you who dwell by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your covetousness. 14 The Lord of hosts has sworn by Himself: "Surely I will fill you with men, as with locusts, And they shall lift up a shout against you." (Jeremiah 51:11-14)
The destructive northern power involves some called the Medes (Jeremiah 51:11, 28). This destructive army is also referred to as various types of locust in Joel 2:25. The Bible teaches that end time Babylon will persecute the saints (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5-7) and God will have Babylon punished (Revelation 18). This is not punishment for damaging a Jewish temple, but the temple of God--which in the end times are His saints (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:16).
Herbert Armstrong, the late Pastor General of the old Worldwide Church of God, taught the following:
The second woe, with its symbols of horses and horsemen...and is also referred to as an event in the Day OF THE Eternal in Joel 2:4. This refers to a tremendous military power--also to the NORTH--due north! They come with an army of two hundred million! Think of it--an army of two hundred million! (Armstrong HW. The Book of Revelation Unveiled at Last! 1972 edition. p. 38-39).
Notice something else from Joel that is related to this:
6 Before them the people writhe in pain;
All faces are drained of color. (Joel 2:6)20 "But I will remove far from you the northern army,
And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land,
With his face toward the eastern sea
And his back toward the western sea;
His stench will come up,
And his foul odor will rise,
Because he has done monstrous things." (Joel 2:20)
This is related because the northern, King of the North army of Europe, will be facing forces from the east--these would be forces most likely led by Russia.
Also the Hebrew word translated "writhe in pain" in Joel 2:6 is the same basic word used in Jeremiah 51:29 and translated as "and sorrow." This also seems to tie all this together.
In a radio broadcast, Herbert Armstrong taught:
God ... is going to send ... Russia to destroy that power which is now rising up ...
A union of ten dictatorships in Europe and in the territory of the old Roman Empire; there is going to be a resurrection of that old Roman Empire. Not very many people believe it. Because people have gotten completely beyond really believing that the Bible means what it says. You're going to have to live and see it and you're going to have to know that God was speaking when He said this thing is coming. Even {most of those} those that profess to understand the Bible prophecies don't believe it because they don't understand.
Well now we've been in the fiftieth and the fifty-first chapters of Jeremiah looking into the future. A number of other world events, world-shaking events are going to happen prior to this but we're getting on over just prior to the second coming of Christ and when ... Russia is going to be rolling over this revived Roman Empire that is called by the symbolic name, Babylon, in the Bible prophecies.
As the daughter of the ancient Babylon of 600 years before Christ, it's the daughter and it's spoken of in the feminine gender always. Because there is going to be a union of church and state and the church is going to sit on the top of the heap.
And so, here we find, coming to verse 34 -- that's where we were -- we've seen what's going to happen, "Babylon's soldiers are going to cease to fight, they stay inside their forts; their strength is gone from them, they are weak as women" (Jeremiah 51:30 Moffatt paraphrased), and so on. And we were reading that in the preceding program in the thirtieth verse and here in the thirty-third verse, Jeremiah 51:
"For this is the sentence of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Babylon to be trampled like a threshing floor, then trampled like the grain upon the floor!" (Jeremiah 51:33 Moffatt)
And ... :
"I will take your part [says the Eternal God], I will avenge you, I will dry up her lake and drain her springs. Babylon shall lie in ruins , a mere haunt of jackals, a horror and a scorn, where no man lives." (Jeremiah 51: 34-37, Moffatt)
"I will dry up her lake,":is that referring to the Mediterranean? Does that mean that after the second coming of Christ and through the Millennium that the Mediterranean Sea will be solid land? And people will dwell there?
"Babylon shall lie in ruins, a mere haunt of [the] jackals, a horror and a scorn, where no man lives." (Jeremiah 51:37, Moffatt)
My friends, you're going to see that happen ... Now let's go back here just a minute. Israel has cried here;
"My torn flesh be avenged on Babylon" [and then] let those who in Sion cry [here are the saints, the people in the Church now, let them cry], "My blood be avenged on the Chaldeans!" -- let Jerusalem cry. Let my blood be avenged on these Chaldeans!" (Jeremiah 51:35 paraphrased, Moffatt).
The Great Tribulation
Now my friends, does that remind you of anything? If you know your Bible, and if you have been reading it. Over here in the sixth chapter of the book of Revelation where we come to The Great Tribulation; The Great Tribulation is pictured here, in the sixth chapter under the fifth seal, and beginning with verse 9.
Revelation 6, the first four were the four horsemen of the Apocalypse; first was the false preachers, the false Christs and the false preachers preaching a false Christ; and the second seal then was the red horse that is war; and the third seal the black horse that was famine; and the fourth seal, or the fourth horseman, was pestilence, the pale horse. (Revelation 6:2-8, summarized, KJV)
And now, the World Wars have already started, and the next thing to happen, at the very beginning and approximately at the same time as World War III or the third phase of the World War, when it comes, will be the famine and the pestilence. After that comes The Great Tribulation, in and as a part of World War III. As a matter of fact, World War III is bringing that Great Tribulation, and I've been reading to you; it's the time of Jacob's trouble and Jacob means our people, and it's a national time of trouble on our people and Christ is going to deliver us out of it as we've been seeing. And it is this modern Babylon, the daughter of the ancient Babylon that is going to put the yoke on our neck that Christ will break at His second coming. (Jeremiah 30:8).
Now, here are the saints pictured in verse 9:
"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain [that's already happened now] for the word of God, and for the testimony [that] which they held:" (Revelation 6:9, KJV).
Here are the martyrs of Jesus; here are the ones that had been put to death in past years by this same symbolic Babylon. Because we read over here in Revelation 17 where it describes this Babylon and the name is called Mystery Babylon the Great in verse 5 of Revelation 17, and verse 6 says:
"I saw the woman [it's the daughter of the ancient Babylon, this is a woman] drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus:" (Revelation 17:6, KJV, paraphrased).
She had them put to death, but she didn't kill them herself; no, the military, the government put them to death.
Now then, here we find the souls of them that were slain way back there,
"...for the word of God and for the testimony which they held: [the martyrs] and they cried with a loud voice, saying [just like Abel's blood cried to God from the ground, and God spoke to Cain way back there in the time of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel], And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" (Revelation 6:9-10)
God's Vengeance and Judgment
Now they knew that vengeance is God's. God says,
"...Vengeance is mine sayeth the [Eternal]" (Romans 12:19, paraphrased, KJV).
They knew that these judgments are coming on this Babylon. They had read this book of Jeremiah, they knew what was in the book of Jeremiah, and much of that is repeated here in the seventeenth and eighteenth chapters of Revelation; the fiftieth and fifty-first chapters of Jeremiah; the forty-seventh and forty-eighth chapters of Isaiah. And here we find in Revelation 18:
"Therefore shall her plagues [speaking of Babylon] come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication [with her] and lived deliciously with her [she's committed fornication with them], [they] shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come." (Revelation 18:8-10, KJV)
And it's the judgments of God on her. Now vengeance is God's. And the last plagues my friends; the seven last plagues are coming at the very time of the second coming of Christ; because they are to be poured out in the presence of the Lamb of God when He comes as the King of kings, at the second coming of Christ, and the presence of all the holy angels. (Revelation 14:10).
And you read in Matthew 25 that the holy angels come to earth from heaven at the Second Coming of Christ. There you read Matthew 25 and verse 31 that: "When the Son of man shall come in [all His power and] his [great] glory, and all the holy angels with him, [that] then shall he sit on the throne of his glory; and all nations will be before him." (Matthew 25:31-32, paraphrased, KJV) So the angels are then coming at that time.
Well, now they knew that these judgments of God are to be poured out at this time at the Second Coming of Christ. And it was the time of the Day of the Lord and these last plagues, these last judgments on this modern maiden Babylon, this daughter of the ancient Babylon of old, 600 years before Christ. (Armstrong HW. Outline of Prophecy 15 - Punishment of Modern Babylon. World Tomorrow Radio broadcast https://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/get/hwa.cgi?action=getbroadcast&InfoID=1332706424)
People on the earth will have been warned about the judgments coming on modern endtime Babylon because of the three angels' messages (which includes Revelation 14:10) as well as apparently the work of the two witnesses.
Going further in that same radio broadcast, Herbert Armstrong also said:
Now the time setting of this book of Revelation is our time now, and it's just in the future, it's coming, just ahead of us.
Well, now there they are pictured as crying out, and right back here in Jeremiah 51, where we were, here it is again
"Babylon shall lie in ruins, a mere haunt of jackals, a horror and a scorn, where no man lives." (Jeremiah 51:37, Moffatt).
It's going to happen, as certainly as you're grabbing a breath of air, as certainly as the sun rises and sets.
"The Babylonians all roar like lions, growling like lion-cubs over their prey? I [that's what God questions, He's, in other words He says they do that do they? Then God says]; I will feast them in my fury, (Jeremiah 51:38-39 Moffatt).
Now the fury, the Day of the Lord, the day of His anger, the day of His fury is the day of these last plagues, the Day of the Lord, it's the time that comes after the tribulation. Because you read in ... {Matthew} 24, in verse 29, where it speaks of the Great Tribulation; in the twenty-first and the twenty-second verses, in verse 29 it says:
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be dark, the moon will be, well, like blood [it won't give out the light that it usually does], and the stars will fall from heaven." (Matthew 24:30, KJV, paraphrased).
Now back in Joel 2:31 you will read that, that is going to happen before the great and terrible Day of the Lord comes. So the terrible Day of the Lord comes after these heavenly signs which in turn come after the Great Tribulation. (Joel 2:31). So this is speaking of the wrath of God, the wrath of God, the fury of God, the Day of the Lord, the plagues, the vengeance that God is going to take on this evil power that is now rising up in Europe and that we're actually aiding and abetting and helping to rise up. Oh God, open our eyes here in the United States to see what we're doing.
Now God's answers, when He says they're roaring like lions are they? These people, yes, they're going to do a lot of roaring too, (Jeremiah 51:38 Moffatt, paraphrased) and you're going to be dumbfounded when you see it come up ... God says: "I will feast them in my fury [and], make them drunk and stupefied, till they sleep the sleep that knows no waking." (Jeremiah 51:39, Moffatt)
In other words that's eternal death, that's eternal punishment and the wages of sin is death. But it's the second death from which there'll be no resurrection. He calls it here a sleep that knows no waking, but it's eternal death, that's exactly what He's speaking about.
"I will drive them to the shambles, like sheep, like rams and goats [the shambles are the meat markets]. What a downfall for Babylon! The Splendor of the world surprised!" (Jeremiah 51:41-42, Moffatt)
Ancient Babylon was the splendor of the world, and I tell you this thing when it comes up again my friends, it's only going to last a very, very short time. It's already being plotted and planned underground and under cover, it's coming up in Europe my friends. And it's going to be a thing that will have carnal and material and national glory. And they're going to have great splendor, but all that splendor and all that glory is going to be dashed down and quickly; because Christ is coming to do it:
"What horror in the world at Babylon's fate! A sea has burst on Babylon, she sinks below the roaring tides of water; {2} her towns lie desolate [or her cities] unpeopled, waterless, a waste where no man lives [you see, drought, absolute desert it will become] none passes through. And I will punish Bel in Babylon, forcing him to disgorge his plunder; prisoners shall stream from {3} him no more, for Babylon's walls are down." (Jeremiah 51: 41-44, Moffatt) And then He says: "Come out of her, my people..." (Jeremiah 51:45, Moffatt)
This whole Babylon actually my friends, it's a way of life; it's a type of civilization. It includes the military idea, it includes the political ideas. (Armstrong HW. Outline of Prophecy 15 - Punishment of Modern Babylon. World Tomorrow Radio broadcast https://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/get/hwa.cgi?action=getbroadcast&InfoID=1332706424)
It is also referred to a power from the north and east of Europe in Daniel 11:44-45.
This army and destruction are consistent with the comment in Revelation 18:21 about the violence coming to end time Babylon.
On May 27, 2012, then Pope Benedict XVI specifically warned that the world was becoming Babel (Babylon) and mentioned the Tower of Babel (http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1202209.htm).
Despite the fact that Pope seemed to warn against certain aspects of Babylon, Europe is trying to become the end time Babylon and Pope Francis is truly supporting the construction of a final Babylon.
Furthermore, although the Bible warns against end time Babylon, it should be realized that there are Roman and Byzantine (Greek) Catholic prophecies that look forward to Babylon being re-established.
Notice:
Monk Leontios (died 543): Rejoice, oh most unhappy one, oh New Babylon! . . . You, who are the New Babylon rejoice now on behalf of Zion! New Babylon, dance, bounce and leap greatly, make known even those in Haydes what a Grace you have received. Because that peace which was yours to enjoy in times past, and which God has deprived you of in course of battles, receive it once more from the hand of an Angel . . . oh, the City of Seven Hills the dominion will be yours. (Otto, Tzima. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Scriptural Prophecies. Verenika Press, Rock City (SC), 2000, pp. 82-83)
Abbott Joachim (died 1202) ... A remarkable Pope will be seated on the pontifical throne, under special protection of the angels. Holy and full of gentleness, he shall undo all wrong, he shall recover the states of the Church, and reunite the exiled temporal powers. As the only Pastor, he shall reunite the Eastern to the Western Church ... This holy Pope shall be both pastor and reformer. Through him the East and West shall be in ever lasting concord. The city of Babylon shall then be the head and guide of the world. Rome, weakened in temporal power, shall forever preserve her spiritual dominion, and shall enjoy great peace…At the beginning, in order to bring these happy results, having need of a powerful assistance, this holy Pontiff will ask the cooperation of the generous monarch of France (Great Monarch). (Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, pp. 31-32)
Those who look forward to, and will want to remain part of end time Babylon, will not pay enough attention to the second angel's message--those who rely on prophecies like those above will think God raised up their Babylon, not that He would be involved in destroying it.
Many parts of Satan's plan are laid out in non-biblical prophecies (see Satan's Plan).
This is another reason that God will have three of His angels send messages to warn those on the earth about Babylon and to turn to Him.
The Book of Revelation clearly has messages from angels as well as warnings about end time Babylon the Great.
Babylon the great is a political-economic-religious power that will try to force all to be part of it.
But as Christians, we are not to be.
Warning messages from three angels are mentioned in Revelation's 14th chapter. These come from actual spirit-beings called angels.
Parts of their messages also concur with other parts of the Book of Revelation, as well as several Babylon-tied prophecies in the Old Testament. The two witnesses will also putting forth a message, as well as the faithful protected and the faithful who will be martyred during this time.
Now, that does not mean end time Christians only need to pray and keep the commandments and wait for the angels and two witnesses do to all of God's work.
We in the CCOG have been working to lay the foundation for this by preaching the gospel of the kingdom to the world as a witnesses, putting up materials in scores of languages, warning about the rise of end time religious Babylon, and warning about the coming Beast dominated Babylon. These are all aspects of final phase of the work.
The Bible shows that God will send the first angel who will proclaim the everlasting gospel of God’s kingdom (Revelation 14:6-7). This looks to start shortly after the start of the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21) or near the start of the Day of the Lord which is about 2 1/2 years later.
Shortly after the first angel, a second angel is sent to point out that despite appearing great, Babylon falls (Revelation 14:8-9). These angelic messages will be supernatural confirmations of the gospel message that the world will have previously received as a witness (Matthew 24:14) and will be factors for the “great multitude” who come to God during the “great tribulation” (Revelation 7:9-14). Unlike the final Babylonian power that will arise and fall (cf. Revelation 18:1-18), the final phase of God’s kingdom lasts forever (Revelation 11:15). That is an important message for all to hear.
The third angel will warn against the mark of the beast, not too long after the second angel's message goes forth. Because of the fall of the Church of Rome that the second angel proclaimed, this should help all then on earth understand that Babylon will not last and none should keep or take up the mark of the Beast.
We in the CCOG are working to help insure that a pre-angelic witness will go forth, which will later help with the conversion of a great multitude during the tribulation (Revelation 7:9-14).
Many in various COG groups today, while not referring to the the messages of the three angels in Revelation 14 (but sometimes the two witnesses), act like they personally have little or no part in supporting the final phase of the work, but that God will work it out. And while God will succeed with His plan, people need to decide whether or not they have the Philadelphian zeal to actively support and even participate in that work.
Jesus did NOT tell His followers to wait on the two witnesses or the three angels to fulfill Matthew 24:14 and 28:19-20. Actually, Jesus praised the Philaladelphians for going through the open door to proclaim the truth (Revelation 3:7-13), while He condemned the Laodiceans for having only a lukewarm work (Revelation 3:14-22).
While God will use the three angels, God expects us to work while it is day.
There will be fruits from the three angels, two witnesses, and God's people during the time of the Great Tribulation:
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen."13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"
14 And I said to him, "Sir, you know."
So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:9-17)
Fruits will be born during the great tribulation and the three angels messages will be part of that.
The time for the three angels delivering their messages is getting closer.
We are seeing the rise of end time Babylon. It will be beyond what we have seen in the world related to its deception (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).
The ecumenical movement, pushed by the World Council of Churches and the Vatican, is helping set the stage for end time Babylon. So are many secularist globalist organizations and certain European governmental leaders.
Philadelphian Christians, however, do not need to wait for the three angels to give their messages to not be part of it.
The Apostle Paul wrote:
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
"I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people."17 Therefore
"Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you."
18 'I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
Yes, true Christians are to be separate.
Yet, many who claim this world's versions of Christianity do not understand these verses.
Partially because of this, God will send the three angels to proclaim their messages as a warning and a witness.
But we, brethren, should already realize that we cannot be part of Babylon that many religious and world leaders are now promoting.
We are to remain separate from Satan's world and his failing Babylonian system while proclaiming the good news of, while also looking forward, to the everlasting Kingdom of God.
That is the basic meaning of the three angels' messages.
Here is a link to a related sermon: The Three Angels' Messages.
Thiel B. Church of God on the Three Angels' Messages and 'Babylon.' COGwriter (c) 2022 2023 1121 https://www.cogwriter.com/ccog-three-angels-messages.htm