There followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Revelation 14:8.
The second angel’s message of Revelation 14 was first preached in the summer of 1844, and it then had a more direct application to the churches of the United States, where the warning of the judgment had been most widely proclaimed and most generally rejected, and where the declension in the churches had been most rapid. But the message of the second angel did not reach its complete fulfillment in 1844. The churches then experienced a moral fall, in consequence of their refusal of the light of the advent message; but that fall was not complete. As they have continued to reject the special truths for this time they have fallen lower and lower. Not yet, however, can it be said that “Babylon is fallen,… because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” She has not yet made all nations do this.
God still has a people in Babylon; and before the visitation of His judgments these faithful ones must be called out, that they partake not of her sins and “receive not of her plagues.”
This is the same message that was given by the second angel. Babylon is fallen, “because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” What is that wine?–her false doctrines. She has given to the world a false sabbath instead of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and has repeated the falsehood that Satan first told to Eve in Eden–the natural immortality of the soul. Many kindred errors she has spread far and wide, “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”. . .
In the last work for the warning of the world, two distinct calls are made to the churches. The second angel’s message is, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” And in the loud cry of the third angel’s message a voice is heard from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”
Maranatha p. 171
“““““““““““““““““`
Prayer Requests
—–Asking for prayers for me and my family. Nicole
——I ask for prayers for my friend David. He was diagnosed with Mesothelioma. Shirley
“““““““““““““““““““““““`
Dear Friends,
Before she had children, Esther had always had difficulty getting to sleep, but when she fell asleep, she slept deeply. In fact, it was almost impossible to wake her up. Over the years we had tried various ways to awaken her—tickling her, playing the radio loudly, etc. Anything that normally wakes a person up didn’t work on her.
One morning when she was 13, she burst into our bedroom where I was busy folding clothes. She asked me if I had touched her shoulder. I had not. Puzzled, she said that she had felt a very large hand on her shoulder and had awakened instantly. Then she smelled smoke but could not tell where it was coming from.
Instantly, I rushed to her room at the other end of the trailer. The room was slightly hazy and had the distinctive smell of burned wires. We looked around and found that the fan, that she had had on to mask the outside noise, was smoking. It was very near some clothes that had been tossed onto the floor. They surely would have caught fire if she had not awakened when she did.
Then we knew who had awakened her. Now we understood why this girl who normally had difficulty awakening had awakened at just a touch. She had felt the hand of her guardian angel! What a thrilling experience! The Bible tells us, “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” Ps 37:4
What a Wonderful God we serve! How thankful we were for His protecting care! He keeps us safe when we are in danger. Sometimes, however, we are protected from disaster and don’t even know it. Only when we see Jesus face to face will we learn of the many times that our life has been spared. David sang, ” I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” Ps 4:8
“Praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works for the children of men!” Ps 107:8 How fully we can trust our Great Creator with every aspect of our life! He assures us as He did Jeremiah of old, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jer 31:3 Even when things go terribly wrong, He promises to be with us, to help us, to guide us, to comfort and strengthen us. “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” Isa 43:1-3 No matter which way our life turns, it is an opportunity to get closer to
God. If our path has many “bumps” in it, we can look beyond those trials and see God’s hand leading and guiding us through “the valley of the shadow of death.” Ps 23:4
Life is not always fair. Life is not always pleasant, but no trial can come to us unless God allows it. He Who makes “the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure” (Job 28:25) also weighs our trials. Paul, speaking of the trials that come our way, declares, “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Heb 12:5-15; 1 Cor 10:13
Let us, whether delivered from danger as was Esther or allowed to pass through it, trust our Dear Saviour fully. Let us praise Him for all things as Paul reminds us, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thes 5:18 Let us cling to the Lord loving Him with our whole heart and soul and strength and being is my prayer.
Rose