Revelation Practical Living in The Judgment Hour (Norman McNulty)

By Norman McNulty
Copyright © 2022 by Remnant Publications, Inc.

All Rights Reserved
Published by
Remnant Publications, Inc.
649 East Chicago Road
Coldwater, MI 49036
Unless otherwise marked, all scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version.
All emphasis in quotations supplied by the author unless otherwise noted.
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright ©
1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked RSV are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible,
copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of
the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman
Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Cover artwork by Leandro Tonelli

Photos by gettyimages.com
Cover design by David Berthiaume
Text design by Greg Solie • Altamont Graphics
ISBN: 978-1-629132-88-4
RP1295
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
REVELATION 1
REVELATION 2
REVELATION 3
REVELATION 4
REVELATION 5
REVELATION 6
REVELATION 7
REVELATION 8
REVELATION 9
REVELATION 10
REVELATION 11
REVELATION 12
REVELATION 13
REVELATION 14
REVELATION 15
REVELATION 16
REVELATION 17
REVELATION 18
REVELATION 19
REVELATION 20
REVELATION 21
REVELATION 22
DEDICATION
T
his book is dedicated to the 144,000, a very special group of
people from God’s last-day church whom I believe God is
preparing even now to stand on the heavenly Mount Zion with
the Lamb. May this book challenge and inspire you to follow the Lamb
“whithersoever He goes” (Revelation 14:4) so that it may soon be said:
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the
commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12).
ACKNOWLEDGMEN
TS
A
big thank you to my wife, Joelle, who steadfastly encouraged me
to work on this book until it was completed. I could not have
done this without your help.
Also, thank you to Harvey Steck, and to my mother-in-law, Laurel

Damsteegt, for your outstanding editing. Truly, this book is much better
because of your superb editorial work and feedback.
And finally, thank you to the team at Remnant Publications for all their
assistance in the writing and editing process, and for encouraging me to
write this book on Revelation.
INTRODUCTION
Truly, the book of Revelation is an important and amazing book to study!

Ever since the time of the end began in 1798, and the final judgment
began in 1844, we have been living at the end of the world, and the
prophecies of Daniel and Revelation are rapidly approaching their
conclusion. While the prophetic book of Daniel gives us a clear
understanding of where we are headed, the prophetic book of Revelation
gives even more insight showing God’s people what will happen and how
to be ready for the Second Coming of Jesus. It is vital to build on the
foundation of prophetic knowledge in Daniel by studying the book
Revelation.
The books of Daniel and the Revelation are one. One is a

prophecy, the other a revelation; one a book sealed, the other a
book opened. 1
In my book, Daniel: Practical Living in the Judgment Hour, we began a

journey through end-time prophecy that makes the prophecies practical
and also gives an in-depth study of the more obscure prophecies. In this
book, Revelation: Practical Living in the Judgment Hour, we continue to
see practical applications for all of the prophecies, and we see just how
much the book of Revelation reveals Jesus. We also dig deeply into some
of the more challenging prophecies in a way that makes them clear and
understandable.
The seven churches, the seven seals, and the seven trumpets of Revelation
chapters 1–11 begin with Christ in the Holy Place of the heavenly
sanctuary and end with Him in the Most Holy Place where He produces
the 144,000. Thus, the first half of the book is God’s master strategy of
producing a people from the remnant church who will be a revelation of
Jesus Christ at the end of time.
In Revelation 12, right in the middle of the book, Satan fights back by
making war with this remnant church. In Revelation 13, Satan tries to
pull off his final ploy to prevent God from producing the remnant people
“who keep the commandments of God.” Yet, Revelation 14 shows us that
God is victorious, and that He produces the final harvest of righteous
saints through the three angels’ messages.
The book of Revelation makes it clear that we can all participate in the
work of the three angels' messages before Jesus comes. God is looking for
a people who not only do the work of proclaiming the three angels'
messages but who also experience these messages so that He can pour out
His spirit in latter-rain power.
We look for the day when Revelation 18:1 is fulfilled, the latter rain is
poured out, and the glory of God’s character is seen through His people.
Then, the loud cry is not only proclaimed but is demonstrated.
It is time for us as a people to make Jesus the number one priority of our
lives so that we can experience heaven and the new earth. The glories of
heaven await us. “The Spirit and the Bride say, Come” (Revelation 22:17).
May the pages of this book inspire you to be ready for Jesus when He
comes.
Norman McNulty, M.D.

Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
May 2021
REVELATION 1
REVELATION 1:1–3
OBSERVATION: The opening sentence of Revelation announces that this
book is the revelation of Jesus Christ. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ,
which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must
shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his
servant John” (Revelation 1:1). Revelation is not a sealed book. It reveals
Christ. The purpose of the book is to reveal Christ, and to show His
“servants things which must shortly come to pass.”
The servants of God are also mentioned in Revelation 7, where we find

them described as the 144,000. In Revelation 10:7, servants are
synonymous with the prophets of God. The prophet John is described as
Christ’s servant in Revelation 1:1. Servants are not limited to prophets.
They are also God’s followers who obey Him (see Romans 6:16–23). In
the context of the book of Revelation, servants are God’s people who live
through the fulfillment of the “things which must shortly come to pass.”
This fulfillment applies to Christians of all ages in the seven churches
from the time of Ephesus to Laodicea. In each church era, those who are
faithful are God’s servants. This culminates with the fulfillment of the
sealing of God’s servants, the 144,000 (see Revelation 7), which is then
followed by the Second Coming of Christ.
The book reveals the history and prophecy from John’s era at the end of
the first century AD down through time to the very end. There were
events relative to John’s day that would shortly come to pass. After his
time, there would continue to be further fulfillment of prophecy. Thus,
this book has always been relevant. However, it is especially relevant for
His servants living near the time of the final fulfillment of the prophecies.
The end of verse 1 states that God gave this message to His servant John.
This is the same John who was one of the twelve apostles. He authored
the gospel of John and three epistles. He is now given the honor of
receiving the prophetic vision which serves as the last book in the canon
of Scripture.
In verse 2, John said of himself, “Who bare record of the words of God,
and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.”
Obviously, the words contained in the book of Revelation are the words
of God. Revelation also constitutes “the testimony of Jesus Christ.” In
Revelation 12:17, the remnant are described as those who “keep the
commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” In
Revelation 19:10, John falls at the feet of the angel who said, “See thou do
it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony
of Jesus: worship God for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
And Revelation 22:9 depicts a very similar scene as John is about to fall at
the feet of an angel to worship him again. He is told, “See thou do it not:
for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them
which keep the sayings of this book.”
The testimony of Jesus is the same as the spirit of prophecy. By

connecting Revelation 12:17; Revelation 19:10; and Revelation 22:9, we
see that the spirit of prophecy or the testimony of Jesus is the gift given to
the prophets. The testimony of Jesus Christ in verse 2 is the prophetic
word given throughout the book of Revelation. John was given this gift of
prophecy; it is specifically God’s prophetic word.
Verse 3 closes with the salutation, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they
that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are
written therein: for the time is at hand.” A special blessing is promised to
those who read, hear, and keep the things written in this book. The time
that is at hand is “the time for the fulfillment of ‘those things that are
written.’ ” 2 This is the first of seven blessings throughout the book of
Revelation, just as there are nine blessings in the sermon given by Jesus in
Matthew 5. The word “blessed” is the Greek word makarios and can also
mean “happy.” These blessings are pronounced by Christ and are effective
from the day of John the Revelator until the end of time (see also
Revelation 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; 22:14).
As noted earlier, prophecy has been fulfilled from the time of the writing
of Revelation to the present. The seven blessings of Christ have been
available to Christians since this prophecy of Revelation was first given.
However, in these last days of earth’s history, we are living in the time of
the most important fulfillment of the final prophecies. This first blessing
rests especially upon the people living just before Jesus comes.
APPLICATION: We are living in a time when the study of Revelation is

essential. Ellen G. White makes many statements about the importance of
the study of this book:
As we near the close of this world’s history, the prophecies

relating to the last days especially demand our study. The last
book of the New Testament scriptures is full of truth that we
need to understand. Satan has blinded the minds of many, so
that they have been glad of any excuse for not making the
Revelation their study. But Christ through His servant John has
here declared what shall be in the last days, and He says,
“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this
prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.” 3
When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better

understood, believers will have an entirely different religious
experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates
of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the
character that all must develop in order to realize the
blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart. The
Lord will bless all who will seek humbly and meekly to
understand that which is revealed in the Revelation. This book
contains so much that is large with immortality and full of
glory that all who read and search it earnestly receive the
blessing to those “that hear the words of this prophecy, and
keep those things which are written therein.” 4
A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most

urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work.5
A study of Revelation will help guide us to an entirely different religious

experience that will lead to revival and reformation.
REVELATION 1:4–6
OBSERVATION: Verse 4 reads,
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you,
and peace from him which is, and which was, and which is to
come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne.
The seven churches in Asia are the seven churches seen in Revelation 2
and 3: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and
Laodicea. They are also described in verse 11, later in this chapter. We
will study the specific messages to these churches in chapters 2 and 3.
These were local, literal churches that received the message of the book of
Revelation. These seven churches also symbolize seven periods of time
representing the Christian church. So the message of Revelation is not
just to these seven churches in the first century but to the Christian
church until the close of time.
Grace and peace are given to us from “him which is, and which was, and
which is to come.” The Greek word for “him” can also be translated, “I
AM.” 6 I AM refers to God. Verse 5 speaks of Jesus Christ, so the context
suggests that the Father is being referred to in verse 4. He is described as
He who “is, was, and is to come.” God is present, past, and future. He is
eternal and unchangeable.
Of the seven spirits, notice this statement: “The association here of the
‘seven spirits’ with the Father and with Christ, as equally the source of the
Christian’s grace and peace, implies that they represent the Holy Spirit.” 7
The seven spirits are also mentioned in Revelation 4:5 as the seven lamps
of fire, and in Revelation 5:6 as the seven eyes of the Lamb, denoting the
omnipresence of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 5 continues,
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first
begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.
Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own
blood.”
Here is a description of Jesus Christ, who is given three titles. These three
titles fit the roles of Jesus as seen in the three “sevens” at the beginning of
Revelation—the seven churches, the seven seals, and the seven trumpets.
To the seven churches, He is the faithful witness telling them of their true
condition. One function of a witness is to give testimony in court. While
Jesus is the faithful witness to all seven churches, He is especially the
faithful witness to the seventh church during the hour of God’s judgment
in the heavenly court room. The church of Laodicea is the church of the
judgment hour. In Revelation 3:14, Jesus is described as the Faithful and
True Witness to the Laodicean church.
In the seven seals, He is the first begotten of the dead. Revelation 6 talks
about God’s people who were martyrs for the faith. It is reassuring to
know that, because Christ is resurrected, those who have died in faith will
also be resurrected. These resurrected saints are the great multitude in
Revelation 7:9. Hebrews 1:5–6 and Acts 13:33 show that Jesus became the
first begotten of the dead on the day of His resurrection. Before that, John
3:16 declares that He was the only begotten Son of God.
In the seven trumpets, Jesus is the prince of the kings of the earth. As the
seventh trumpet sounds in Revelation 11:15, we read:
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in
heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the
kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and he shall reign for
ever and ever.
The work of Christ can be seen in these three titles. He gives a faithful
message to the church, describing their true condition so they can repent
and receive salvation. In these three titles the concept of the present, past,
and future work of Christ is revealed. He currently is the faithful witness
as our High Priest in heaven; He already has been resurrected as our
Savior; and He will be coming back as King of Kings.
Another fascinating point of consideration is that Revelation is a walk

through the sanctuary. At the outset of the seven churches, seven seals,
and seven trumpets, Christ is in the Holy Place. In Revelation 1:12–13,
He is the Son of man in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, which
represent the seven churches. He is also the Lamb who was slain (see
Revelation 5:6) at the beginning of the seven seals. He is the angel with
the censer in His hand at the altar of incense at the outset of the seven
trumpets, which is a description of His work as High Priest in the Holy
Place.
These titles of Jesus as the Son of man, the Lamb of God, and the High
Priest are a clear revelation of Jesus Christ and describe the plan of
salvation through the sanctuary. Matthew 18:11 and Luke 19:10 teach
that “the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
John 1:29 says that Jesus is the “Lamb of God which taketh away the sin
of the world.” Hebrews 7:25 makes it clear that Jesus, as High Priest, ever
lives to make intercession for us.
In other words, Jesus, as the Son of man, is in the midst of the churches
and is working to save the lost. In the seals, we see that He has brought
salvation by His death, as the Lamb who was slain. In the trumpets, the
plan of salvation is carried to its completion as Christ intercedes
continuously on our behalf as High Priest in preparation for the final
atonement and blotting out of sin.
However, Christ’s work in the seven churches, seven seals, and seven
trumpets ends in the Most Holy Place. The titles for Christ here in verse 5
describe the work of Christ there. While He is the Son of man in the
seven churches, He is also the Faithful and True Witness. He brings us to
salvation not only by His death, but by giving us a straight testimony
when describing who we really are, so that we will be zealous, repent, and
allow Him to cleanse us.
While He is the Lamb that was slain in the seven seals, He is also the first
begotten of the dead. When He finishes His work in the Most Holy Place,
He will return to resurrect the dead in Christ.
Finally, He is High Priest at the beginning of the seven trumpets, but He

is the Prince of the kings of the earth in the seventh trumpet, and He will
come back as King of kings and Lord of lords.
These titles offer a powerful description of the work that Christ has been
engaged in since returning to heaven. When Christ, in the Most Holy
Place, finishes His work in the seven churches, the Laodiceans will be
overcomers as He was. When He finishes His work in the seven seals, the
144,000 will be sealed with the seal of the living God. When He finishes
His work in the seven trumpets, the mystery of God will be finished,
which, according to Colossians 1:27, is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Just before His return, this finished work from the Most Holy Place
produces the revelation of Jesus Christ in His people.
Through the seven churches, seven seals, and seven trumpets, we take a
walk through the sanctuary—the Holy Place, then the Most Holy Place—
and we see how Christ plans to prepare the Second Advent movement to
be a revelation of Himself. This sets the stage for the great controversy
chapter of Revelation 12, and then Satan’s attempt to destroy God’s plan
as seen in Revelation 13. Yet Revelation 14 and onward shows that Christ
will be victorious (see later chapters).
Verse 5 closes with the message that Jesus loves us and has provided a
way for our sins to be washed away by shedding His blood for us. The
opening chapter of Revelation clearly provides a description of Jesus as
our Savior.
Jesus “hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be
glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (v. 6). This concept of being
kings and priests is originally mentioned in Exodus 19:5–6, which says,
“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant,
then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the
earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy
nation.”
Notice that the process of becoming a kingdom of priests is on the

conditions of obeying God’s voice and keeping His covenant. Hebrews
8:10 and 10:16 show that the covenant is God’s law written in our hearts
and minds. A similar passage is found in 1 Peter 2:9–10:
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy

nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of
him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous
light. Which in time past were not a people, but are now the
people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have
obtained mercy.
The concept of being kings and priests unto God creates the idea of
reigning someday with Him in heaven. This idea is articulated to the
Laodicean church in Revelation 3:21, “To him that overcometh will I
grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set
down with my Father in his throne.” Those who overcome are those who
are kings and priests with God. They are those who, as Exodus 19:5–6
shows, obey God’s voice and keep His covenant. That is the calling for
each one of us today. Verse 6 closes with the thought that glory and
dominion will belong to God for ever and ever.
APPLICATION: The Laodicean church of Revelation 3:14–22 is the church

of the judgment hour. We are the Laodicean church. God has called us to
overcome, as did Christ, so that we can reign with Him as kings and
priests unto God. As 1 Peter 2 says, we are a chosen generation. God’s
purpose for His last-day church is to obey His voice and keep the
covenant by allowing Jesus to come in. Then He can write His law in our
hearts and minds.
REVELATION 1:7–8
OBSERVATION: Verse 7 announces the Second Coming of Christ:
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and
they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall
wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
The “clouds” refer to the cloud of angels with whom He will return. Acts
1:9 shows that He was taken up in a cloud of angels, and Acts 1:11 shares
that He will return in the same manner. It is also made clear that “every
eye shall see him.” This text destroys the idea of the secret rapture. All
who are alive will see Jesus when He returns. This also fits the picture of
Matthew 24:27, which says that “as the lightning cometh out of the east,
and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of
man be.”
Among those who will see His return are “those who pierced Him.” This
indicates that there will be a special resurrection. A discussion of this
special resurrection can be found in Daniel 12:2. 8 Not only those who
participated in Christ’s death will be raised but also those who have died
in the faith of the third angel’s message. All kindreds of the earth will
“wail” because of His coming. This fits the description of Christ’s coming
in Revelation 6:15–17, in which the wicked cry for the rocks to fall on
them, and His coming is described as the “great day of the wrath of the
Lamb.” For the righteous, it will be the most wonderful day and will be
received with great joy.
In verse 8, we read, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the

ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come,
the Almighty.” The Father has been identified in verse 4 as Him “which is,
and which was, and which is to come.” In verse 11, Christ is also
described as “Alpha and Omega.” Both the Father and the Son take this
title, but it is Christ described here in verse 8. 9
APPLICATION: At the outset of the book, the Second Coming of Christ is

announced. As Seventh-day Adventists, the message of the Second
Coming is at the heart of our message. It is very important to understand
the book of Revelation in order to explain what we believe. As we
advance through the chapters of this book, it will become clear how the
message of Revelation prepares us for His coming.
REVELATION 1:9–11
OBSERVATION: Verse 9 shifts to John receiving the vision from Christ:
I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation,

and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle
that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony
of Jesus Christ.
John suffered tribulation because of his belief and witness for the Word of
God. He was exiled to the island of Patmos. It is a reminder of 2 Timothy
3:12 which says, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall
suffer persecution.”
In this verse, John seeks to strengthen all of his brethren who were being
persecuted at the time and all of those who would suffer persecution in
the future. Revelation 12 speaks of the persecuted church in the
wilderness during the 1,260 years. The persecution of the saints for “the
testimony of Jesus Christ” is mentioned again at the close of Revelation
12:17, which reads, “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and
went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the
commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” What
John was suffering, at the time he wrote the book of Revelation, would be
repeated down through history, culminating in the final persecution of
God’s saints just before Jesus comes.
Verse 10 continues with John’s vision: “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s
day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.” Many have
claimed that the Lord’s day refers to the first day of the week. However,
Mark 2:27–28 makes it certain what day John is talking about. “And he
said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the
sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.” The
Sabbath is the Lord’s day, the day that John refers to when he said, “I was
in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.”
Ellen White confirms this in the following statement:
The Lord’s day is the seventh day, the Sabbath of creation. On

the day that God sanctified and blessed, Christ signified ‘by His
angel unto His servant John’ things which must come to pass
before the close of the world’s history, and He means that we
should become intelligent with regard to them. 10
Verse 10 closes with John saying that he heard a great voice as of a

trumpet behind him. This is the voice of Christ, who is described in the
following verses.
In verse 11, Christ’s voice speaks in trumpet-like tones:
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What
thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches
which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto
Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto
Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Christ is the Alpha and Omega. Thus, Christ is speaking.
Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. God
is the beginning and ending of the written word, the Word of God.
Revelation 22:13 uses a similar phrase to say He is the first and the last. A
similar concept of beginning and ending can also be found in Hebrews
12:2, in which Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Revelation 1:8
concludes with the reminder that Jesus “is, was, and is to come.”
These are the same attributes that are used to describe the Father in
Revelation 1:4. But as Jesus pointed out in John 14:9, if you have seen
Him, you have seen the Father. Jesus has been in the past, He is present
now, and He is coming again. That concept has been seen several times in
this chapter and will be an important perspective to maintain about the
Father and the Son as we continue our study through the book.
Verse 11 describes the inaugural words of Christ in the vision, and He

tells John to send the message of Revelation to the seven churches.
Chapters 2 and 3 show that each church received a specific message,
which we will study in more detail.
APPLICATION: John suffered persecution for living a godly life. Those who
live through the final period of earth’s history can expect similar
treatment. Inspiration is clear that the flames of persecution will be
rekindled when the spirit of revival and reformation takes hold of the
church in the way the Spirit took hold of the church during apostolic
times.
REVELATION 1:12–16
OBSERVATION: In verses 12 and 13, after John hears the voice of Christ,
he turns to look at Him:
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being
turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the
seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a
garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden
girdle.
The seven golden candlesticks are mentioned first, and then Christ is
shown to be in the midst of the seven candlesticks. Revelation 1:20 shows
that the seven candlesticks are the seven churches listed in verse 11. This
will be seen again in chapters 2 and 3.
The seven candlesticks are also one of the articles of furniture in the Holy
Place of the heavenly sanctuary (see Hebrews 9:2). The appearance of
Christ in the midst of the seven candlesticks shows that at the time John
received this vision, toward the end of the first century, Christ was
ministering in the Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. The other key
point is that Christ is in the midst of the churches. Since the seven
churches represent not only local, literal churches, but the global church
over epochs of time, we can gain comfort from the fact that Christ is in
the midst of His church today.
The description of Christ continues in verses 14–16:
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow;
and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine
brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of
many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out
of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance
was as the sun shineth in his strength.
This description is very similar to the description of Michael, or Christ,
given in Daniel 10:5–6 and Daniel 12:7, as well as the mighty angel of
Revelation 10 (also Christ). The prophetic description of Christ in these
verses in Revelation 1 helps identify Him in other places of Scripture.
The appearance of Christ is always related to utmost prophetic

significance. The beginning of the book of Revelation certainly qualifies
as one of those moments. The description of Christ shows that He has
white hair like wool with eyes like a flame of fire. His feet are like brass
that was burned in a furnace and His voice sounds like many waters. The
seven stars in His right hand are shown in verse 20 to be the seven angels
to the seven churches. The word for angels can also mean messengers. So
the seven stars would represent the messengers, or ministers, given to the
seven churches. The sharp twoedged sword out of His mouth represents
the Word of God (see Hebrews 4:12), and contextually shows that the
messages to the seven churches are the words of God that are cutting and
straight. This is consistent with the nature of God’s Word. We also see that
the countenance of Christ is like the sun. Clearly, His glorified
appearance is striking in nature.
APPLICATION: It is reassuring that Christ is in the midst of His church,

which today is Laodicea. However, the message to Laodicea, which we
will study, shows that Christ will spue us out of His mouth if we do not
repent and change from our lukewarm condition. Just because Christ is
in the midst of His church, we cannot ignore our true condition and
comfort ourselves with false assurances that He will save all of us even if
we are not living a righteous life. His word is cutting, like a twoedged
sword, and if we allow it to cut us, it has the power to transform our lives
into the likeness of Christ.
OBSERVATION: Verse 17 begins with John’s reaction to seeing Christ:
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his
right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and
the last.
John fell on His face when He saw Christ, yet Christ reassured him to not
be afraid. Christ also reminds John that He is the first and the last, or the
Alpha and Omega. Continuing in verse 18 we read,
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for

evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
The theme of past, present, and future with respect to God keeps
repeating itself in the opening chapter.
The fact that the book of Revelation is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”
shows that we will see Christ revealed through the past, the present, and
the future. Presently, He is our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. In
the past, He was the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world
(see Revelation 13:8). In the future, He is coming back as King of kings
and Lord of lords and will reign for ever and ever. Christ also has the keys
of hell (or Hades) and death. As The Seventh-day Adventist Bible
Commentary, vol. 7, 740 notes, “Keys are a symbol of power and
jurisdiction.” It then points out this concept in Matthew 16:19 in which
Christ said,
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven:
and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven.
Therefore, we understand that Christ has power and jurisdiction over hell
and death. He has this power because He died and rose again. Christ’s
resurrection shows that all who die will be resurrected. The righteous will
be resurrected at the beginning of the millennium and the wicked at the
end. Read Hebrews 2:14–15; 1 Corinthians 15:22; and Revelation 20.
Verse 19 reads,
Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are,
and the things which shall be hereafter.
Christ tells John to write down the vision that He is being shown, which
relates to past, present, and future events. This is representative of the
historicist understanding of Scripture and destroys the arguments of
preterism and futurism.
Verse 20:
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right

hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the
angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which
thou sawest are the seven churches.
Christ here makes it clear what the symbols are because He wants us to be
correct in our interpretation of the symbols. The seven stars are the
angels, or messengers, to the seven churches. The seven candlesticks
represent the seven churches. The seven churches and the messages to
them are the subject of Revelation 2 and 3. It is interesting that the
messages to each church are in Christ’s right hand, and verse 13 shows
that He is walking in the middle of the candlesticks, or the churches.
Christ is intimately connected to each message to the seven churches and
is in the midst of each church.
APPLICATION: John’s reaction to the presence of Christ reminds us of the

reverence we should maintain when entering His presence, especially in
the context of worship. God is holy. The common and unholy music and
worship styles so popular throughout Christianity have degraded our
realization for the holiness of God. As we study Scripture, we gain a
deeper appreciation for the holiness and reverence of God. It is also a
comforting reminder that Christ is in the midst of His people and, just as
He told John to not be afraid, He has similar words of comfort for us
today.
REVELATION 2
INTRODUCTION
Revelation 2 and 3 contain the messages to the seven churches. The seven
messages of Christ to the seven churches can also be described as the
seven epistles of Christ in the New Testament. Taylor G. Bunch gives a
nice outline of what is contained in the messages to the churches:
Each of these seven letters is divided into seven parts,

indicating that it contains a perfect and complete message to
the church and period to which it applies, containing all the
warnings, reproofs, counsels, and promises necessary to correct
the prevailing conditions. These divisions are (1) the
superscription, which names the recipient, or the church
addressed; (2) the identification of the writer, or divine Author;
(3) a description of the spiritual condition that was
praiseworthy, or commendable; (4) the things to be reproved,
censured, or condemned; (5) the exhortation to repent in view
of the need; (6) the appeal to hear, and the identification of the
Holy Spirit as the joint Author of the letter; (7) the promised
reward to the overcomer.
The only variations in this order are that in the first three letters
the appeal precedes the promised reward and in the last four it
follows, and that Smyrna and Philadelphia are given no reproof
and Sardis and Laodicea receive no praise. 11
The seven churches were seven local, literal churches at the time that John
received the vision from Christ. However, in addition to being literal and
local, these churches represent seven time periods of the Christian
church from the first century to the very end of time. The fact that some
of what is said is symbolic can be seen in the message to Thyatira in
Revelation 2:20, in which it is described as having the woman Jezebel. As
we will see when we study the message to this church, it represents the
time period in history when the Christian church united with the state as
did Jezebel and Ahab in the Old Testament. We will discover, as we study
these churches, a description of the spiritual condition of the Christian
church from the first century down to the time when Christ returns.
REVELATION 2:1–3
OBSERVATION: The messages to the seven churches begin,
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith
he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in
the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. (v. 1)
In this verse, the recipient is the church of Ephesus. Ephesus means

“desirable” and at the time of the vision, Ephesus was the leading city of
the Roman province of Asia and later became its capital, although
Pergamos was the capital at that time. Symbolically, the church of
Ephesus represents the first Christian church from the time that
probation closed on the Jews in AD 34 to AD 100. 12
Jesus Christ is the divine Author to each of the seven churches. To

Ephesus, He is described as having seven stars in His right hand and
walking in the middle of the seven golden candlesticks. As seen in
Revelation 1:20, the seven stars represent the seven messengers to the
seven churches, and the seven golden candlesticks represent the seven
churches. In the inaugural message to the first church, Christ makes it
clear from His description that He is the messenger to each church and
that He is the one who is in the midst of the seven churches.
Verses 2 and 3 describe the condition of the church and the

commendation from Christ:
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how
thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried
them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found
them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s
sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
As can be seen, the church of Ephesus had many positive traits. They
were commended for good works, patience, rooting out evil, laboring,
and not fainting no matter what the difficulty. The church of Ephesus was
capable of detecting heresy. They could tell when someone falsely claimed
to be a Christian or an apostle and were able to rightly show them to be
liars.
The vigilance among this church is likely related to the final message that
Paul gave to the leaders of the church of Ephesus in Acts 20:29–31:
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves

enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves
shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples
after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of
three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with
tears.
The church of Ephesus was on guard against heretics of the Christian

faith that Paul had warned about. This vigilance embodies the entire first-
century Christian church. The entire book of Jude was written, as
described in Jude 3, to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once
delivered unto the saints” because of the heresies that were coming into
the Christian church at that time. Second Peter 2:1 speaks of “damnable
heresies” that came into the church. We will see in further detail the
heresy that was coming into the Christian church when we study
Revelation 2:6 and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
APPLICATION: The traits that were commendable in the church of Ephesus

should be part of who we are as Christians today. Christ commended the
church for trying those who said they were apostles but were really liars.
He also commended them for their hard work in laboring for God. They
were described as having patience. This is one of the characteristics that
the 144,000 will have, as seen in Revelation 14:12. The good
characteristics of the church of Ephesus, especially its patience, are vital
for God’s last-day people to experience as well.
REVELATION 2:4–5
OBSERVATION: After the praiseworthy traits are mentioned, that which
is to be reproved, censured, or condemned is discussed in verses 4 and 5:
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou has left

thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen,
and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee
quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except
thou repent.
It should be noted that the word “somewhat” is supplied in the King

James Version. When that word is removed, the rebuke is clearly more
severe against the church of Ephesus and for good reason. Ephesus has
left its first love. The word “left” comes from the Greek word aphiemi
which means “to leave, forsake, lay aside, put away.” This reflects an
intentional action on the part of the believers in leaving their first love.
Their first love was not lost accidentally. It seems as if the love for God
was laid aside in an effort to fight heresy within the church.
This church was theologically sound, for which they were commended,
but they did not have God’s love to go along with the good theology. This
was no small matter. Christ warned them that if they did not repent, He
would remove their candlestick. In other words, He would reject them as
a church. Therefore, this was a matter of salvation. It was made clear to
Ephesus how to restore their relationship with God: repent, remember
from where it had fallen, and do the first works that they did when they
were in love with Christ. Notice, Ephesus was not told to stop doing the
good things it was commended for, but it was counseled to regain its love
for God and do the first works. It is also clear that if Ephesus did not
repent, Christ would come quickly and remove it as His church. Based on
the history of the early Christian church, it seems that the church heeded
the counsel from Christ, as there is nothing to indicate that the
candlestick of Ephesus was removed.
APPLICATION: It is very easy for Christians to lose sight of the big picture
when focusing on the details. For example, how many times have you
seen people get into arguments that turn into verbal fights with raised
voices, when discussing a controversial theological topic? Based on the
message to Ephesus, it is important to be theologically sound. God
commends the church of Ephesus for being sound. However, it is a grave
offense that will lead to the loss of our salvation if we leave our love for
Christ as we defend the truths of Scripture. We must learn how to
combine sound theology and the patience that Ephesus had with a loving,
meek, humble, and Christlike spirit. There are many of us in the church
today that are like the people in Ephesus. We would do well to take heed
to this counsel, repent, and remember what it was like when we first fell
in love with Christ. We must do the works that we did when we had our
first-love experience. To fail to do so will mean the loss of our souls. May
we repent and do the first works.
REVELATION 2:6
OBSERVATION: After giving the rebuke, Christ gave another
commendation to Ephesus in verse 6. “But this thou hast, that thou hatest
the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” Christ uses strong
language to describe the deeds of the Nicolaitans. He hates their deeds
and commends the church of Ephesus for hating the deeds of the
Nicolaitans as well. In Revelation 2:15, the deeds of the Nicolaitans are
also described as “the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.” As we will see, by that
point in the history of the church, this doctrine had taken hold in the
Christian church. It was a doctrine, or set of beliefs, that led to deeds or
actions that were hated by Christ. So what is the doctrine of the
Nicolaitans?
Notice what The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary says about the
Nicolaitans:
Adherents of this sect appear to have taught that deeds of the

flesh do not affect the purity of the soul, and consequently have
no bearing on salvation. 13
In other words, you can do whatever you want, and it will not cause you
to lose salvation. You can sin and live. You will still be covered by Christ’s
righteousness despite continuing to live in sin because what you do does
not change your standing with God. You are declared righteous even if
you are not. That is the teaching of the Nicolaitans, and it was hated by
the church of Ephesus, and it is hated by Christ.
Ellen G. White adds clarity on this false doctrine as well:
Is it [our sin] the sin of the Nicolaitans, turning the grace of

God into lasciviousness? 14
Notice that in Jude 3–4, as Jude earnestly contends for the faith, he
condemns “certain men [who] crept in unawares … ungodly men,
turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only
Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The errors condemned in the book of Jude relate to the teachings of the
Nicolaitans and turning the grace of God into lasciviousness. The word
“lasciviousness” can also mean “licentious” or “filthy.” Paul condemns the
idea of abusing God’s grace in Romans 6:1–2:
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may
abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any
longer therein?
Scripture is clear that God’s grace is not given to cover us while we
continue sinning.
Here is one more quote from Ellen G. White:
The doctrine is now largely taught that the gospel of Christ has
made the law of God of no effect; that by “believing” we are
released from the necessity of being doers of the Word. But this
is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ so unsparingly
condemned. …
Those who are teaching this doctrine today have much to say in
regard to faith and the righteousness of Christ; but they pervert
the truth, and make it serve the cause of error. They declare that
we have only to believe on Jesus Christ, and that faith is all-
sufficient: that the righteousness of Christ is to be the sinner’s
credentials; that this imputed righteousness fulfills the law for
us, and that we are under no obligation to obey the law of God.
This class claim that Christ came to save sinners, and that He
has saved them. “I am saved,” they will repeat over and over
again. But are they saved while transgressing the law of
Jehovah?—No; for the garments of Christ’s righteousness are
not a cloak for iniquity. Such teaching is a gross deception, and
Christ becomes to these persons a stumbling block as He did to
the Jews,—to the Jews, because they would not receive Him as
their personal Saviour, to these professed believers in Christ,
because they separate Christ and the law, and regard faith as a
substitute for obedience. They separate the Father and the Son,
the Saviour of the world. Virtually they teach, both by precept
and example, that Christ, by His death, saves men in their
transgressions. 15
In essence, the doctrine of the Nicolaitans separates sanctification from

salvation. The Scripture teaches that sanctification, or holiness, is part of
salvation as stated in 2 Thessalonians 2:13. “God hath from the beginning
chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of
the truth.”
Ellen White also makes it clear that justification and sanctification cannot
be separated in the work of salvation in this classic statement:
Our only ground of hope is in the righteousness of Christ

imputed to us, and in that wrought by His Spirit working in
and through us. 16
The attempt to separate sanctification from salvation and make it a fruit

of the gospel (but not part of salvation) has its origin all the way back to
the first century with the Nicolaitans. Christ’s words are too clear to be
misunderstood. He hates this doctrine, and He commended the church of
Ephesus for hating it as well.
APPLICATION: Seventh-day Adventists today need to rightly understand

the everlasting gospel of the first angel’s message. The gospel has never
changed. It is everlasting. Justification and sanctification have always
been together in the work of salvation. Since the 1950s, theological
doctrines have been introduced that minimize the role of sanctification in
the process of salvation. This belief in the gospel exploded in the late
1970s because of the influence of a prominent theologian who called into
question the role of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment due to
his understanding of a justification-only gospel.
Since that time, the idea that salvation is limited to justification and that
we can sin and still be saved has gained acceptance among many Seventh-
day Adventists. At this time in history, God is calling upon Adventists to
proclaim the everlasting gospel that includes both justification and
sanctification. We will never proclaim the three angels’ messages with
power when sanctification and holiness are left out. In the next chapter,
we will study the significance prophetically that a justification-only gospel
has had on Adventism when we study the message to the Laodicean
church. The doctrine of the Nicolaitans reaches its full maturity in the last
church.
REVELATION 2:7
OBSERVATION: The message to Ephesus closes with an appeal to hear the
message and the promise of the reward given to those who overcome:
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of
life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
As noted in the introduction, the Holy Spirit is being identified as the co-
author of this message. The reward to the overcomer is the promise of
eating from the tree of life, which clearly speaks of the gift of eternal life.
The implication is that those who have left their first love have fallen out
of salvation and need to overcome to gain eternal life. Despite the poor
condition of the church, Christ in His mercy holds out the promise of
overcoming and spending eternity in heaven.
APPLICATION: God still speaks to us through His Spirit today, and there is
no case that is hopeless. The power to overcome whatever we are
struggling with is still held out as a promise to each one of us today. We
can overcome by the grace of God, and we can live eternally with Him.
REVELATION 2:8–9
OBSERVATION: The message to the second church is found beginning in
verse 8:
And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things
saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know
thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I
know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are
not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
The message is addressed to a specific church, Smyrna, and again, the

author is Christ. Smyrna was another city in Asia Minor and was due
north of Ephesus. The period of history in the Christian church that
reflects Smyrna, in addition to its local and literal application of the first
century, is from AD 100–313, which closed with the ten years of
persecution from AD 303–313.
Christ described Himself to the church of Smyrna as “the first and the
last, which was dead, and is alive.” A clear reference is made to Christ’s
death and resurrection. As we will see in verses 10 and 11, Smyrna faced
persecution and death, and Christ let them know, by describing Himself
as having been dead and now being alive, that He has gained the victory
over death (see Hebrews 2:14).
Smyrna receives a commendation for their good works without any

rebuke. Christ commended Smyrna for their “works, tribulation, and
poverty.” It is evident that this church had good works that reflected a
saving faith (see James 2:17), endured tribulation, and was poor in the
things of this world. Yet Christ told them they were rich despite their
poverty. James 2:5 makes it clear that “God hath chosen the poor of this
world rich in faith. …” Despite their poverty, they were rich because of
their faith, and they were commended for their richness of faith. Christ
also commended them for their faithfulness while living in the midst of
professed Jews who committed blasphemy and were of the synagogue of
Satan.
The people who said they were Jews, but were not, could not represent
literal Jews. Christ was speaking of those who claimed to be spiritual
Jews, or Christians, of the seed of Abraham (see Galatians 3:26–29). It
seems evident that there were professed followers of Christ in the church
of Smyrna who Christ said really were not Christians but were of the
synagogue of Satan. Christ identified these people as followers of Satan in
a religious sense (the synagogue of Satan).
In the message to the church of Philadelphia (see Revelation 3:9), Christ

also described professed Christians who were part of the synagogue of
Satan. It is interesting that Philadelphia was the other church that did not
receive a rebuke. In Smyrna and Philadelphia we have the two churches
that receive no rebuke and who have professed Christians who really are
of the synagogue of Satan.
Who were these people that were professed Christians but in reality were
religious followers of Satan? The answer to this question becomes clear
when we look at the history of Philadelphia. We will study this in more
depth in Revelation 3, but the Philadelphian church represents the
Christian church from 1798 to 1844. The Millerite movement was the
culmination of the Philadelphian church. Yet most of the professed
Christian churches rejected the message of the soon coming of Christ.
It was in the summer of 1844 that the professed Christian churches

became the fallen churches of Babylon along with papal Rome.
Revelation 13:2 makes it clear that Satan gave his “power, seat, and
authority” to papal Rome, which is Babylon. When the professed
Christian churches became part of Babylon in 1844, they joined the
synagogue of Satan (see footnote). 17 They claimed to be Christians. They
truly believed they were still Christians, but they were receiving their
power and understanding from Satan. They joined papal Rome, who had
been Babylon (the synagogue of Satan) for centuries.
With respect to the synagogue of Satan in the church of Smyrna, papal

Rome was not yet in power, but the seeds for its development had been
planted and were beginning to develop. In Ephesus, there were those who
said they were apostles but were liars (Revelation 2:2), and there was the
teaching of the Nicolaitans (see discussion of Revelation 2:6).
In Smyrna, there were professed Christians committing blasphemy by

claiming to be followers of Christ, but they were really part of the
synagogue of Satan. In the next church of Pergamos, the doctrine of the
Nicolaitans and the doctrine of Balaam became accepted in the church
(Revelation 2:14–15).
The fourth church, Thyatira is rebuked for permitting Jezebel to teach the
doctrine of fornication in the church. The church of Thyatira represents
the church of papal Rome, or Babylon. What we see is that the doctrine of
the Nicolaitans (in the first century Christian church) which teaches that
you can do whatever you want and still be saved, laid the foundation for
people in Smyrna to profess to be Christians while still being part of the
synagogue of Satan. By the third church, this became accepted doctrine,
and the doctrine of Balaam was introduced as well. In the fourth church,
papal Rome reached its maturity, with the prophetess Jezebel teaching all
manner of false doctrine.
In Smyrna, the seeds for the apostasy of papal Rome, or Babylon, were
fully in place with professed Christians who formed the synagogue of
Satan based on their false teachings. These false teachings, as mentioned
before, are condemned in 2 Peter 2 and the book of Jude. As we can see,
the synagogue of Satan was already in place by the second church, and it
is papal Rome, as Babylon, that became the synagogue of Satan. In 1844,
the fallen Protestant churches joined Rome as part of Babylon, or the
synagogue of Satan.
APPLICATION: The church of Smyrna is an example of Christians who

received commendation without rebuke from God. They give us an
example to follow. If they could live amidst persecution and be faithful,
we have no excuse. It is also very revealing how strongly Christ
condemned professed Christians who were not really Christians. He said
they were of the synagogue of Satan. As we saw in our study, this includes
all of Babylon, which is papal Rome and the fallen Protestant churches.
We have no business as Seventh-day Adventists trying to emulate or

conform to the methods of these churches. Scripture condemns them as
the synagogue of Satan and as harlots (see Revelation 17). Unfortunately,
we will come to see that the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which led to the
development of the synagogue of Satan, has come into the Seventh-day
Adventist Church. This does not make the Adventist Church Babylon, or
the synagogue of Satan, nor will it ever. It simply means that there are a
lot of tares among the wheat. In the message to Laodicea, there is no
commendation, but only a rebuke. We will study this further in the
message to Laodicea.
OBSERVATION: The message to Smyrna continues with words of
encouragement from Christ:
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the
devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and
ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death,
and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh
shall not be hurt of the second death.
The believers of the church of Smyrna were exhorted to not be afraid of

the persecution that they faced. Some of them would be cast into prison
and tried. Second Timothy 3:12 reminds us: “Yea, and all that will live
godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Obviously, the church of
Smyrna was a faithful church. They received no rebuke by Christ, and
they were a persecuted church.
The ten days of tribulation mentioned in these verses represents ten years
of persecution (see the day-for-year principle: Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers
14:34) from AD 303–313 during the final years of the church of Smyrna.
These ten years are described as “the most bitter campaign of annihilation
Christianity ever suffered at Pagan Roman hands.” 18
Christianity was banned throughout the Roman empire in AD 303 in a

decree by Diocletian. It was in AD 313 that Constantine issued a decree
giving Christians full liberty to practice their religion again after ten
terrible years of persecution.
In verse 10, Christ implored the believers of Smyrna that if they were
faithful unto death, they would receive a crown of life. In verse 11, He
promised that if they overcame, they would not be hurt in the second
death. Jesus, in His title to Smyrna, has shown that He was dead but is
alive forevermore. He has destroyed the devil, who had the power of
death (Hebrews 2:14). While many in the church of Smyrna faced
persecution and the first death, they did not need to fear the first death
because they had the promise of eternal life awaiting them.
APPLICATION: If we are not facing any trials or persecution in our lives

today, we must ask ourselves whether we are really living godly lives in
Christ Jesus. Daniel 12:1 reminds us that a time of trouble is coming such
as the world has never seen. We need an experience now that will prepare
us for that time. The church of Smyrna is a shining example for us to
follow in times of persecution. If they were alive at the end of the world,
they would pass through the time of trouble with flying colors. Can we
say the same of ourselves? Do we love Jesus so much that not even the
threat of death can shake our faithfulness to Him? Revelation 12:11
promises that there will be a group of people at the end of time who will
be faithful unto death. May we be among that number.
OBSERVATION: The message to the third church begins in verse 12:
And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things

saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy
works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and
thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in
those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was
slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
Pergamos was the third of the seven churches. It represents the Christian
church in history from AD 313–538. The name Pergamos means “citadel”
or “acropolis.” It was another one of the prominent cities of Asia Minor.
Christ addresses the Pergamos church with the title “he which hath the
sharp sword with two edges.” This is the same description of Himself
given in Revelation 1:16. Hebrews 4:12 gives us a further understanding
of the sword with two edges:
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than
any twoedged sword, piercing even to the diving asunder of soul
and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.
Christ is the Word of God (see John 1), and He describes Himself as the
Word of God, which is a sharp two-edged sword, because He is able to
discern everything in the heart. As the Christian church departed from
the doctrines of the Bible, Christ reminded them that He could discern
their errors through the piercing scrutiny of the two-edged sword.
Because of this piercing scrutiny, Christ began verse 13 with the phrase,
“I know thy works.” Christ commended Pergamos for holding fast to His
name despite dwelling in the midst of Satan’s seat. In the first century,
Pergamos was the first location of cult worship of a living emperor. It
contained many pagan temples and was the center of Oriental mystic
religions that had moved from Mesopotamia. In addition to the literal
first-century application, it was in the church of Pergamos from AD 313–
538 that papal Rome established itself as the pre-eminent Christian
church. It was during this period that Constantine, in AD 321,
proclaimed from Rome that Sunday should be a day of rest as the
venerable Day of the Sun.
By AD 508, papal Rome received military and political assistance from

Clovis, the king of the Franks, so that by the end of the time period of the
Pergamos church, it had the arm of the state helping to enforce its
religious beliefs. As stated in the discussion of Revelation 2:9, it is made
clear in Revelation 13:2 that Satan gave his “power, seat, and authority” to
papal Rome, and this seat was established in Rome during the time
period of the Pergamos church. 19
Despite the development of Satan’s seat during this period of the

Christian church, there were those who did not deny the faith. In
addition, Antipas is mentioned as being a faithful martyr. Historically, a
character with the name of Antipas or any specific character that fits this
description has not been discovered. The word means “opposed to the
father” or “in place of the father.” William Miller believed this represented
a class of men opposed to the bishops, or popes, of Rome and the power
they were exercising. He believed that those who opposed this power in
the seat of Satan were martyrs for the faith. This seems to be a reasonable
explanation considering the historical setting of the Pergamos church. 20
APPLICATION: The message to Pergamos is a good reminder to us that

Christ is the Word of God and is like a sharp sword with two edges. He is
able to discern all of our thoughts and motives. It is also good for us to
realize that there were faithful Christians in the church of Pergamos
despite living in the middle of Satan’s seat. In our day, Satan is working
through modern Babylon (see Revelation 13:2) as well as the second beast
of Revelation 13, and we are forced to live during the development of
Satan’s last grand scheme to overtake the world. The faithful Christians of
Pergamos are an example of staying faithful despite living in the midst of
a hostile environment.
OBSERVATION: After commending the faithful Christians in Pergamos,
Christ gave a rebuke and a call to repentance in the following verses:
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there
them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast
a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things
sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou
also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I
hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight
against them with the sword of my mouth. He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that
overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give
him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which
no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
In verse 14, the Christian church is rebuked for allowing the doctrine of
Balaam to be taught. This doctrine is condemned in Jude 11. The story
and the doctrine of Balaam and the effect it had on the Israelites is found
in the book of Numbers, chapters 22–25. In chapter 22, Balaam
disregards God’s counsel to not go to Balak. In chapters 23 and 24,
Balaam attempts to curse the children of Israel but is only able to utter
blessings. In Numbers 25:1–8, we find that after Balaam blessed Israel,
they went into whoredom with the Moabite women and sacrificed to
their gods, and a plague entered into the camp. Numbers 31:16 shows
that Balaam gave the counsel that resulted in this plague. Revelation 2:14
makes it very clear that this counsel from Balaam was to Balak, the king
of the Moabites. He told Balak that the way to bring a curse on Israel was
to bring the women of Moab into the camp to draw on the lusts of the
men of Israel and to get them to worship the pagan gods of the Moabites.
The plan was very successful for Balak, as 24,000 Israelites died in the
plague (Numbers 25:9).
It is interesting that Acts 15:29 specifically condemns eating things

sacrificed to idols, yet this seems to have become accepted in the
Christian church at this time. It was in the era of the church of Pergamos
from AD 313–538 that many pagan rituals were accepted within the
Christian church.
Notice the following description of the Christian church during this era
and the effect of the doctrine of Balaam. Speaking of Constantine:
[He] pursued a policy of blending paganism and Christianity at

as many points as possible, in a studied attempt to unite the
diverse elements within the empire and thus strengthen it. …
Under Constantine and his successors, almost all of whom
continued his favorable policy, the church rapidly became a
politico-ecclesiastical institution and lost much of its former
spirituality. 21
This union of church and state began during the era of the church of
Pergamos. Revelation 17:2 describes such a union as fornication. By
adopting pagan worship practices, the Christian church became
positioned to accept the union of the civil power with that of the church.
This unlawful union is spiritual fornication and the doctrine of Balaam. It
is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans that paved the way for spiritual
fornication to enter the Christian church.
C. Mervyn Maxwell also makes note of the Nicolaitans in his book, God
Cares. He quotes a second-century minister named Irenaeus who said of
the Nicolaitans that they saw no problem with practicing adultery (or
fornication), nor did they have trouble eating things sacrificed to idols. 22
We have discussed extensively the doctrine of the Nicolaitans in

Revelation 2:6, and we noted that they fit the description of those in the
book of Jude who turned the grace of God into lasciviousness (Jude 4).
There is a clear connection with that teaching and the doctrine of Balaam
in Jude 11. The Nicolaitans believed that adultery and other sins of the
flesh could not cause them to lose their salvation. This false theology
paved the way for paganism to come into the church during the period of
Pergamos.
If one believes that what one does will not affect their standing with God,
then it can be expected that they will be willing to sacrifice principle for
political advantage. That is exactly what happened as papal Rome
developed its religious-political establishment. In Ephesus this theology
was rejected, as it was strongly condemned in the book of Jude and in
Revelation 2:6 and 2:15. In Pergamos this false teaching was embraced,
leading to the establishment of Satan’s seat in Rome in preparation for the
1260 years of papal dominance from AD 538–1798.
Christ rebuked Pergamos for allowing these teachings to come into the
church. He closed His message to Pergamos by calling them to repent, or
He would come “quickly and … fight against them with the sword” of His
mouth. This refers to how Christ would have direct combat with them by
contrasting their false teachings with the Word of God, or the sword of
His mouth. Again, that is why He described Himself as having a sharp
sword with two edges in Revelation 2:12. The sharp sword of the Word of
God clearly condemns the false teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans.
If Pergamos failed to repent, the Word of God would condemn them in
the judgment.
In the message to the overcomers in Pergamos, Christ promised to give

hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name. The hidden manna likely
represents Jesus as the bread of life, or the Word of God, as Jesus clearly
shows Himself to be the true bread that came down from heaven in John
6:32–35. The white stone may represent acquittal in the judgment, as
jurors anciently gave a white stone for acquittal and a black stone for
conviction when judgment was rendered. The new name represents a
new character that has been transformed through overcoming. The new
name that is patterned after God can be seen in Isaiah 62:2; 65:15; and
Revelation 3:12. 23
APPLICATION: The theological errors that crept into the church of

Pergamos were significant and catastrophic. The doctrine of Balaam and
of the Nicolaitans directly contradicted Scripture and was adapted to the
cultural norms of society. As noted in the observation, these teachings led
to the overwhelming invasion of paganism into the Christian faith so that
it became unrecognizable from the apostolic church. These teachings
paved the way for spiritual Babylon and the seat of Satan.
In our time, these very same teachings are being promoted by the
modern fallen churches of Babylon and are deceiving many Christians,
including many Seventh-day Adventists. Those who accept the teaching
that you can do whatever you want and still be saved will be among those
who receive the mark of the beast at the end of time when all the world
wonders after the beast (Revelation 13:3).
Once again, an unlawful union of church and state will be formed

(spiritual fornication). The basis for this development will be the result of
the modern teaching of the Nicolaitans. Many Christians believe that
they can love God and still do as they please. This has led to a terrible
decline in morality in modern society. As the last great crisis unfolds, the
fallen churches of Babylon, who have accepted this false theology, will
have no spiritual power to stem the tide of immorality. They will see the
calamities in the land as judgments of God, and, lacking the power of
God’s Word to change people’s lives, they will turn to the power of the
state to enforce moral legislation.
Those who have compromised all along will find themselves in agreement
with civil legislation of morality. This is what will result in the mark of the
beast at the end of time. As Seventh-day Adventists, we have been
entrusted with the message of the everlasting gospel that offers
forgiveness and saves people from their sins and points them to the
overcoming power that Christ offers. When we obey God and follow His
Word completely, we will not be deceived by these false teachings, and we
will be prepared when the final crisis comes upon the world.
OBSERVATION: Thyatira is the fourth of the seven churches, and the
message to it begins in verse 18:
And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things
saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire,
and his feet are like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and
service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last
to be more than the first.
Thyatira means “sweet savor of labor.” It represents the Christian church

from AD 538–1565. 24 Uriah Smith suggests that the dates are from 538–
1798, 25 but we will see in the observation of Revelation 3:1–6 that the
history of the Christian church beginning in the 1560s favors the
conditions described in Sardis.
Jesus is described as having “eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are
like fine brass.” This is an identical description of Christ as seen in
Revelation 1:14–15. He is also described by His title as “the Son of God.”
Christ is contrasting Himself with the professed Christian church of this
era. While the pope assumed the title of “Vicarius Filii Dei” or “Vicar of
the Son of God” during this time, Christ shows that He is the only one
with authority under the title of “Son of God.”
In verse 19, the church of Thyatira is commended for its works, charity,
service, faith, patience, and works. Its works are mentioned twice, and its
last works are found to be more than its first works. The good works seen
in verse 19 are contrasted with the serious offenses of the professed
Christian church in verses 20–24 in which it is seen that the church
descends to the “depths of Satan.”
From history, we understand that the descent to the depths of Satan

represents the papal domination of the Christian church. Revelation 12:6
tells us that God’s true church fled into the wilderness during this time
period. Revelation 13:2 tells us that the dragon, or Satan, gave his power,
seat, and authority to papal Rome. Therefore, the commendation in verse
19 must represent the good deeds of the faithful church in the wilderness
during this period.
The papal church had descended to the depths of Satan and persecuted
God’s true church. God’s true church was still characterized with good
works, love, service, faith, patience, and again good works. Considering
the period of tribulation that began in AD 538 (see Matthew 24:21–22),
faith and patience are especially noted as characteristics of God’s faithful
church during this era. Their good works in the face of adversity are so
noteworthy that they are mentioned twice. The last mentioning of the
good works may represent the Protestant Reformation which revived true
Christian faith after 1000 years of darkness. To have such a pure faith
after such long darkness was especially commendable in the sight of God.
The history of the faithful church is well documented in several works. 26
APPLICATION: During this era of intense persecution, God’s true church in

the wilderness remained faithful. The great tribulation mentioned by
Christ in Matthew 24:21–22 represents the 1260 years of persecution
from AD 538–1798. Christ mentions that no flesh would be saved unless
those days were shortened. The Protestant Reformation of the 1500s and
the subsequent end to the persecution of God’s true church by the 1560s
fulfills the part of Christ’s prophecy that the days of tribulation would be
shortened. This period of great tribulation from 538–1798 is also
described as the worst from the beginning of the world to the end of the
world (Matthew 24:21).
Yet Daniel 12:1 also describes a time of trouble that is worse than has ever
been seen. This is referring to Jacob’s time of trouble, after the close of
probation for the world, just before Jesus comes. The difference between
the two periods of tribulation that are the worst the world has ever seen is
that of duration versus intensity. The tribulation during the time of
Thyatira was the greatest duration of tribulation. The tribulation of God’s
last-day church will be the greatest in intensity (see Daniel 12:1). 27
The characteristics of the faithful Christians in the Thyatira period are

especially instructive to God’s last-day church who will go through the
time of Jacob’s trouble. The faithful Christians were noted for their good
works twice, as well as faith and patience. Revelation 14:12 describes the
144,000 who will pass through Jacob’s time of trouble as having “the
patience of the saints,” who “keep the commandments of God,” and who
have “the faith of Jesus.” Here is seen good works—commandment-
keepers; faith—faith of Jesus; and patience—the patience of the saints.
The faithful Christians of Thyatira are an example of what God’s last-day
people will be like when the fires of persecution are again rekindled by
papal Rome against the true church. Certainly, the 144,000 will have love
and service as well.
OBSERVATION: After the commendation to the faithful Christians of
Thyatira is given, the rebuke follows beginning in verse 20. It is the worst
rebuke yet to any of the churches:
Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou

sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to
teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to
eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of
her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into
a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great
tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her
children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he
which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every
one of you according to your works.
It is suggested that the phrase “a few things” does not belong to the text,
and the verse should read, “Notwithstanding I have [it] against thee.” 28
Thus, Christ has much more than “a few things” against this church.
The Christian church suffered, or permitted, Jezebel and her teachings

into the church. Jezebel is described as a prophetess in verse 20.
Historically, Jezebel became the queen of Israel after marrying Ahab, the
king of Israel. The historical account of Jezebel and Ahab’s union can be
found in 1 Kings 16:31–22:40 and 2 Kings 9:30–37. Of note, the rebuke
that God gave to Ahab and Jezebel is very strong in 1 Kings 21:25–26:
But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work
wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred
up. And he did very abominably in following idols, according to
all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the
children of Israel.
From this passage, it is seen that Ahab was the worst king of Israel up to
that time. He was the representative head of God’s people, Israel. Yet he
married a pagan queen, Jezebel, who was the daughter of Ethbaal, the
pagan king of the Zidonians. This was a union between God’s professed
people and the surrounding pagan nations, a union which God strictly
had forbidden. Jezebel brought the worship of the pagan god of Baal into
the nation of Israel. Only 7,000 of God’s people did not go along with this
false worship. Jezebel put to death those who objected to her worship
practices, and the prophets of God had to hide in caves to escape her
wrath. The worship of the true God in heaven was destroyed by this
unholy union of paganism with God’s people. It was in essence a union of
church and state.
Throughout history, when church and state unite, persecution follows.

The history of Jezebel is emblematic of what happened to the Christian
church under papal Rome from AD 538–1798. As the union of Ahab and
Jezebel was the low point in the history of Israel (1 Kings 21:25–26), so
the professed Christian church reached the depths of Satan during this
era (see v. 24). It was during this period that the professed Christian
church persecuted and killed those who disagreed with allowing pagan,
idolatrous practices into the worship of Christianity just as Jezebel had
done to the faithful in Israel. The beliefs of the papal church were
enforced with the military arm of the state in a manner similar to Jezebel.
The persecution of the church during this era is also found in Daniel 7:25;
8:11–13; 11:31–39; Revelation 11:2–3; 12:6; 13–16; and 13:5.
Through her false prophets, Jezebel was permitted “to teach … my

servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.”
As discussed earlier (see observations of Revelation 2:6 and Revelation
2:14–15), this is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. A clear progression is
seen as the church descends into the depths of Satan. The church of
Ephesus hated the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. The church of Pergamos
held the doctrine, and by the time of the church of Thyatira, it developed
into full maturity in which paganism and professed Christianity united.
The belief that the works of the flesh (like committing fornication and
eating things sacrificed to idols) cannot cause you to lose salvation led the
early Christian church to unite with the world, specifically paganism, so
that it eventually lost its identity and became the seat of Satan on this
earth. Christ makes it clear in Revelation 2:23 that they will be judged
according to their works despite their belief that works do not matter.
The church of Thyatira had ample time to repent (v. 21). Christ said “I
gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.” A nice
discussion of this time to repent is found in C. Mervyn Maxwell’s book. 29
Multiple attempts at reform came to the Catholic Church during its
history, culminating with the Protestant Reformation of the 1500s. Each
time, the biblical message of reform was rejected by the Catholic Church
in favor of the traditions of the church. From history, it is clear that the
Catholic Church did not repent despite repeated opportunities.
After the refusal to repent, Christ declared what would happen to the
church. The bed she was cast into is literally a sickbed. Not only was the
church cast into this sickbed but also those that committed adultery with
her. In Revelation 17:2, we see that the kings of the earth committed
fornication with papal Rome. Those that committed fornication with
papal Rome during the era of Thyatira, as described in Revelation 2:22,
are the political leaders and kings that maintained a political alliance with
the church. This is spiritual fornication, and those who upheld the false
teachings of the church (the wine of her fornication in Revelation 17:2)
suffered the same punishment.
The punishment that was given to the church and those who committed
fornication with her is described in verse 22 as “great tribulation.” This
tribulation was conditional, as again God allowed for the opportunity to
“repent of their deeds.” Historically we know that this repentance never
took place. The tribulation that fell upon papal Rome and her political
supporters during the era of Thyatira was foretold by Christ in Matthew
24:21–22. Not only did the true believers suffer persecution during this
time period, but the papal church and its supporters suffered as well. C.
Mervyn Maxwell describes the tribulation that fell on the territory of the
papal church during this era which is summarized in the following
paragraph:
The Black Death, or bubonic plague, destroyed about 40% of

the population in the fourteenth century. There was also the
Hundred Years’ War between England and France in the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. In addition, the Thirty Years’
War from 1618–1648 led to estimated casualties as high as 10
million in a population of 18 million in Germany. All these
territories supported papal Rome, with the exception of a
portion of Germany who sided with Martin Luther in the
Reformation. All who lived during this era suffered through
tribulation. 30
In verse 23, there is a continuation of this concept when Christ said, “I

will kill her children with death.” Jezebel is the mother of these children.
Revelation 12 and Revelation 17 make it clear that a woman represents a
church. The church being represented is papal Rome, and the children are
those who followed the teachings of the church.
It is suggested that the word “death” could mean “pestilence” or “plague”

in this instance, and this would fit with the tribulation that was discussed
in verse 22. 31 “All the churches” in this verse refers to the seven churches
of Revelation 2 and 3, through the successive ages, who will see the
judgments of God against the corrupt papal church. This final revelation
will take place at the time of the second death. At that time, it will be
evident that God searches “the reins and hearts.” The reins refer to the
kidneys and the heart refers to the mind. In ancient times, it was believed
the kidneys were the center of the will and the affections. The heart, or
mind, is the center of the intellect. 32
Christ is telling the church of Thyatira that He can read the will,
affections, and intellect (see Hebrews 4:12). Based on that, He will judge
everyone according to their works, and the works are a reflection of the
combined will, affections, and intellect. Works reflect inward thoughts
that are cherished in addition to outward actions. It is interesting that
Thyatira had accepted the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which taught that
works of the flesh do not affect the purity of the soul. Christ makes it
clear that sinful works will be judged accordingly.
APPLICATION: The terrible result of the union of paganism with

Christianity can be seen in the Dark Ages that began in AD 538. From a
practical standpoint, as Seventh-day Adventists, we are often tempted to
join forces with the world. Many young people destroy the opportunity
for lives of effective service by marrying outside of the faith. Church
leaders are tempted to follow the methods of the world to attract people
to church. The history of the Christian church during the Dark Ages
should remind us of the perils of following such a course.
In addition to the personal application, the history of the Dark Ages will
be repeated. The spiritual fornication that took place between papal
Rome and the kings of the earth during that era is described again at the
end of the world in Revelation 13 and Revelation 17. If we want to know
what will happen when church and state unite again, we simply need to
study the history of the church of Thyatira.
OBSERVATION: The message to Thyatira concludes with the final six
verses of Revelation 2:
But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as
have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of
Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. But
that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that
overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I
give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of
iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even
as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star.
churches.
After the rebuke concludes in verse 23, a message of encouragement is

given. There were many who did not hold to the doctrine of spiritual
fornication promulgated by papal Rome in this era. The Waldenses,
Albigenses, and the Protestant Reformers were among those who
remained faithful. Christ said He would put no other burden upon them.
This is an interesting choice of words. There is the possible implication
that there is more that could be said to them, but due to the intense
persecution during the Dark Ages, Christ commends them for their
faithfulness to the light they had.
The doctrine of spiritual fornication in papal Rome stemmed from the

doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which was a false concept of righteousness by
faith. The false doctrine of righteousness by faith, which taught that bad
works cannot affect your standing with God, led to the spiritual
fornication of papal Rome with paganism. Those who did not have this
doctrine had a true understanding of righteousness by faith. In fact, it
was Martin Luther’s understanding of Romans 1:16–17 and the concept
that “the just shall live by faith” that spurred on the Protestant
Reformation and countered the false understanding of meritorious works
through the sacraments, as taught by papal Rome.
The Protestant Reformers did not have the doctrine of the Nicolaitans
and did not descend to the depths of Satan in papal Rome. However, the
Reformers did not have a clear picture of the Sabbath (although history
suggests that the Waldenses and others throughout the Dark Ages were
Sabbath-keepers), the sanctuary message, the state of the dead, or diet
reform. Christ commended these faithful Christians for having a true
experience in righteousness by faith. He did not lay down any further
doctrinal instruction (or any other burden), instead saving that for the
rise of the Second Advent movement. Rather, He encouraged the
Christian church in verse 25 to hold fast to the true teachings that they
had, with the clear promise of eternal life.
In verse 26, the promise is given to those who overcome and keep “my
works.” This is a contrast to the works produced by the doctrine of the
Nicolaitans. The reward is “power over the nations.” This is an interesting
contrast because it was during this era that papal Rome, as a religious
body, had power over the political nations. Revelation 20:4 speaks of the
time when judgment will be given to the saints during the 1000 years
between the Second Coming and the executive judgment. Among those
who have this power are those “that were beheaded for the witness of
Jesus, and for the word of God.” At that time, the roles will be switched,
and the persecuted saints will then have power over the nations that
persecuted them.
In verse 27, a direct quote is made from Psalm 2:9, which is a Messianic
prophecy. The rule of Christ with a rod of iron can also be found in
Revelation 19:15. Christ is being referenced when it says, “he shall rule
them with a rod of iron.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
shows that the “rod” can be a shepherd’s rod (Psalm 23:4), a scepter
(Psalm 45:6), or a rod of punishment (Psalm 125:3). 33 The same source
then says, “The context of Revelation 2:27 suggests that the ‘rod’ is here
both a symbol of rulership and an instrument of punishment.” 34
The rulership and authority of the rod is used to destroy the vessels of the
potter. A similar analogy is used in Jeremiah 19:1–11 to describe the
destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon. The destruction of the Jews in
Jeremiah 19:11 is compared to breaking a potter’s vessel into pieces. The
key crime of the Jews in Jeremiah 19:4–5 was Baal worship. This was the
same crime as the church of Thyatira, in a symbolic sense, as a
connection can be seen with Jezebel and Baal worship. In both cases, God
compares their destruction to breaking a potter’s vessel into pieces. The
faithful of Thyatira were given the promise that Christ will reign over
those who have persecuted them, and they will reign with Him as long as
they remained faithful to the end.
After the promises of verses 26–27, they are also promised to be given
“the morning star” in verse 28. Christ is the morning star in 2 Peter 1:19
and Revelation 22:16. The overcomers will be given Christ Himself for
their faithfulness. The use of the morning star is an appropriate and
beautiful gift for the faithful who lived through the Dark Ages. Despite
the darkness of the night, Christ promised the overcomers that He would
be the morning star that would provide spiritual light to them despite the
darkness that surrounded them.
The message to Thyatira closes with the call to hear what the Spirit says to
the churches (v. 29).
In summary, there is a clear progression of degradation in the first four

churches. Ephesus was doctrinally pure but left their first love. Smyrna
received no rebuke, but there were professed Christians who constituted
the synagogue of Satan (likely because of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans).
Pergamos brought in the doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans that
Ephesus had fought against, paving the way for the development of papal
Rome.
Thyatira then developed the false doctrines of the synagogue of Satan,

Balaam, the Nicolaitans, and Jezebel to full maturity and became the seat
of Satan during the Dark Ages. It was during the church of Thyatira that
the light of Christ broke forth like a morning star to those who overcame.
Despite the darkness in the world around them, those who had Christ
had the light of the morning star throughout that time.
From a historical standpoint, Thyatira represents the worst of the seven
churches. While it is true that this union of church and state will be
rekindled before the Second Coming, during the period of Laodicea (see
Revelation 13 and 17), and while it is true that the church of Laodicea
receives only a rebuke without commendation, the Laodicean church still
represents God’s last-day remnant church. In addition, it is not the
Laodicean church that serves as the seat of Satan, nor will the union of
church and state last for centuries as it did during the period of Thyatira.
APPLICATION: The faithfulness of the Waldenses, Reformers, and others

during the Dark Ages shows that it is possible to be faithful no matter
how trying the circumstances. It is comforting to know that Christ
promises to be with those who are faithful. As we face the last days of the
renewed persecution that will come from a union of church and state, we
can be assured that Christ will be with us every step of the way.
REVELATION 3
REVELATION 3:1–3
OBSERVATION: Revelation 3 opens with the message to Sardis, the fifth
of the seven churches:
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things
saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I
know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art
dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that
are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before
God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and
hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will
come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will
come upon thee.
The meaning of the name Sardis is uncertain, but it may mean “song of
joy,” “that which remains,” or “something new.” 35 Historically, Sardis was
the Christian church from about 1565–1798. C. Mervyn Maxwell has a
nice summary in his book of the history of the church of Sardis. Maxwell
shares that by the mid-1560s, the key Protestant Reformers were dead
and from this point the church entered into a period of dead formalism.
36
Christ is described as having the “seven Spirits of God” and the “seven
stars” (see Revelation 1:4, 1:16). He told Sardis that “thou hast a name
that thou livest, and art dead” (v. 1). Sardis represents the church of the
Protestant Reformation after the power of its message had died. The
church became very formal and lost the force of its teachings. It still had
the Christian name. It still had the appearance of being alive due to the
doctrines it professed. In reality, the church was dead during this era.
This pattern of professed Christianity is seen repeatedly in the seven

churches. Ephesus left its first love. In Smyrna there were professed
Christians who really were of the synagogue of Satan. The synagogue of
Satan matured in Pergamos and Thyatira. Now, in Sardis, the church of
the Reformation said it was alive, but it was dead. Similar patterns appear
in Philadelphia and Laodicea.
Sardis was told to “strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to
die” (v. 2). Even the good that remained in the Christian church was
about to die off. Clearly, there was trouble in this church. Christ said He
had “not found thy works perfect before God.” It seems that there was a
disconnect between the theology of the church and the fruits that should
accompany its teachings.
In verse 3, Sardis was told to repent. If they did not watch, Christ warned
that He would come on them as a “thief.” This language is very similar to
the language of the Second Coming seen in 1 Thessalonians 5:4. 37 It
shows that the message of the Second Advent would come to the
Christians of the church of Sardis and that they must watch in order to be
ready.
After the period of Sardis ended in 1798, many Christians who were alive
at that time also witnessed the message of the Second Advent given from
the 1830s to 1844. Many of those Christians did not realize that they were
no longer following Christ. 38
This warning given to Sardis shows that Christ gave the Christian church
of that era sufficient warning to be ready for the nature of the message of
the Second Advent. However, history shows that a majority of the
Christians were not ready when the message came. We will see this when
we get to the message of Philadelphia.
APPLICATION: It is much easier to profess Christianity than to live the
Christian life. We are part of the Laodicean church today of which the
great majority believe that they are fine when, in reality, they are not. Like
the church of Sardis, we are in danger of professing to be Christians while
we are spiritually dead. We are in peril of not being ready for the Second
Coming of Christ just as the church of Sardis was not ready when the
message came to them. Now, more than ever, we need to watch and
awaken to the times that we live in so that we can proclaim the message
of the soon return of Christ and so that we will be ready when He comes.
REVELATION 3:4–6
OBSERVATION: The message to Sardis closes in verses 4–6:
Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled
their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are
worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white
raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life,
but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his
angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches.
During the period of Sardis, there were some Christians who remained
undefiled. Most prominent among those who were faithful during this
era were John and Charles Wesley in the mid-1700s in Great Britain.
Their messages brought a renewed sense of the need for consecration
among Christian believers. Christ promised that these faithful believers
would walk with Him in white and inherit eternal life.
The message to Sardis closes with a promise that those who overcome
and are faithful will also receive the garment of white raiment and their
names will not be blotted out of the book of life. Here is clear evidence of
the book of life in which those professing the name of Christ are found.
Only the names of those who overcome will remain in the book. These
are the ones that Michael, or Christ, stands for and those who are
delivered if their names are found “written in the book” (see Daniel 12:1).
As Revelation 3:5 shows, Christ will confess our names before His Father
if our names remain in the book of life.
APPLICATION: The pervasive condition of a spiritually dead church is not

an excuse to also be spiritually dead. The witness of the Wesley brothers
and others who were faithful in Sardis shows that revival and reformation
can take place no matter what the spiritual circumstances. As stated in
the application of verses 1–3, we are part of Laodicea which claims to be
alive, but many are not, which is quite similar to Sardis. God is looking
for modern-day Wesley brothers who will be a demonstration of total
consecration and who will overcome despite the spiritually dead
condition of the majority of the church. We can then claim the promise
that our names will not be blotted out of the book of life and that Michael
will stand for us at the close of probation.
REVELATION 3:7–8
OBSERVATION: Philadelphia is the sixth of the seven churches and the
message to it begins in verse 7:
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things

saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David,
he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man
openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open
door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and
hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
Philadelphia means “brotherly love.” There is no rebuke to this church,

just as there was none to Smyrna. The name of this church describes its
condition. There was true brotherly love among the members. This
church is represented in history from 1798–1844. Revelation 10 helps us
to see that the book of Daniel was open for understanding during this
time period after having been sealed till the time of the end. The time of
the end began in 1798 (see Daniel 11:35–40 and Daniel 12). 39 Based on
the unsealed message from the book of Daniel, which was opened for
understanding in 1798, the Philadelphian church was given an
understanding of what was set before them.
Christ described Himself as holy and true. He also said that He has the
key of David. This concept of the key of David is also found in Isaiah
22:20–25 in which Eliakim is given the key of David to signify the
authority that he has over the house of David. “Christ’s possession of the
‘key’ represents His jurisdiction over the church and over the divine
purpose to be achieved through it.” 40
With this key, Christ has the power to open and shut. Christ set before
the Philadelphian church an open door (v. 8). With the authority
signified by the key of David, Christ let the church know that He was
opening one door and shutting another one. With the understanding that
the Philadelphian era came to an end in 1844 and the investigative
judgment began when Christ entered the Most Holy Place, we can rightly
apply the door that is being opened to that of the Most Holy Place. The
door that is being shut is the Holy Place. 41
Ellen White also made reference to the shut and open door:
I saw that in ‘44 God had opened a door and no man could
shut it, and shut a door and no man could open it. Those who
rejected the light which was brought to the world by the
message of the second angel went into darkness, and how great
was that darkness. 42
The Millerite movement was the capstone of the Philadelphian church.

Christ commended them for having “a little strength,” keeping His Word,
and not denying His name (v. 8). When the rest of the world and the
Christian church denied the message that Christ gave, there remained a
group with enough strength to reach the world with this message. They
kept God’s Word and did not yield in giving the message, and they did
not deny Christ’s name despite the unpopularity of the message.
APPLICATION: The love that existed in the Philadelphian church reminds
us of the unity and love that Christ prayed for in John 17. If we could
experience the united love that drew the Second Advent movement
together, we would move forward to the climax of earth’s history in the
Second Coming, just as the faithful Millerites moved through the open
door that was set before them in 1844.
REVELATION 3:9–10
OBSERVATION: The commendation to Philadelphia continues is verses
9–10:
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say

they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to
come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved
thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will
keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all
the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
The synagogue of Satan is mentioned for a second time in the seven

churches. We saw it mentioned in Revelation 2:9 in the message to
Smyrna. It is interesting that for the two churches that receive no rebuke,
Christ mentions that the synagogue of Satan is in their midst.
From our discussion of Smyrna, we know that in the synagogue of Satan

were professed “Jews,” or Christians (see Galatians 3:26–29) who actually
were religious followers of Satan. Their teachings were a development of
the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which ultimately culminated with the
formation of papal Rome, or Babylon.
In Philadelphia, the synagogue of Satan is seen again. This time, Christ

mentions that these “Jews” are liars. The point of lying is implied in
Revelation 2:9, but it is explicitly mentioned in Revelation 3:9. While
there are many examples in Scripture of what it means to lie, 1 John 2:4
says, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is
a liar, and the truth is not in him.” The synagogue of Satan represents a
religious body of believers who profess to follow Christ, but they are liars,
because they do not keep the commandments.
After 1844, the faithful believers, who by faith followed Christ,

symbolically entered the Most Holy Place, began keeping all Ten
Commandments, and became Sabbath-keepers. Those who rejected the
message did not accept the Sabbath message. By not keeping all the
commandments, they fit the definition in 1 John 2:4 of being liars.
Historically, we understand that the organized Christian denominations

rejected the message of the Second Coming in 1844 and became part of
the fallen churches of Babylon. 43 In Revelation 2:9, just as the synagogue
of Satan is a synonym for Babylon, representing papal Rome, so the
synagogue of Satan in Revelation 3:9 also represents Babylon, this time as
the fallen Protestant churches. This is why Revelation 14:8 declares that
“Babylon is fallen, is fallen.” It is fallen twice to represent papal Rome and
the Protestant churches. The synagogue of Satan is mentioned twice, as
well, to show that both papal Rome and the Protestant churches that
rejected the message of the Second Coming are part of Babylon (the
synagogue of Satan).
Also, we see how Satan gave power to those who did not follow Christ by
faith and who remained in the Holy Place after 1844. 44 It is a startling
reality to understand that Christ considers the professed Christians of
Babylon as constituting the religious followers of Satan. Having said that,
Revelation 18:4 makes it clear that Christ has true believers in Babylon
who will come out when the final warning is given to the world.
In this historical era, the Second Advent believers of the 1840s were
ridiculed by many in the Christian world (representing the synagogue of
Satan). Revelation 3:9 shows that a day is coming when those professed
Christians who despised the true believers will worship before their feet
and know that Christ loved the believers of the Second Advent.
Ellen White applied this passage to those who passed through the Advent
movement of the 1840s as well as to those who will be alive at the Second
Coming. Notice the following statement:
You think, that those who worship before the saint’s feet
(Revelation 3:9) will at last be saved. Here I must differ with
you; for God shew me that this class were professed Adventists,
who had fallen away, and “crucified to themselves the Son of
God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” And in the “hour
of temptation,” which is yet to come, to show out everyone’s
true character, they will know that they are forever lost, and
overwhelmed with anguish of spirit, they will bow at the saint’s
feet. 45
The context of this statement refers to Adventists who had been part of
the movement of 1844 and then fell away. This was written shortly after
the Great Disappointment.
In addition, Ellen White made another interesting statement about this

passage:
The 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their

foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious star
containing Jesus’ new name. At our happy, holy state the
wicked were enraged, and would rush violently up to lay hands
on us to thrust us into prison, when we would stretch forth the
hand in the name of the Lord, and the wicked would fall
helpless to the ground. Then it was that the synagogue of Satan
knew that God had loved us, and they worshiped at our feet.
Soon our eyes were drawn to the east, for a small black cloud
had appeared about half as large as a man’s hand, which we all
knew was the sign of the Son of man. 46
It is evident that this worship occurs after probation closes and just before
Jesus returns in the clouds.
It is also evident from the quote in footnote 46, that the “hour of
temptation” mentioned in Revelation 3:10 is a future event and that it will
be global in nature. Some believe that the hour of temptation can be
applied to the Great Disappointment that the Philadelphian church
passed through. While that is a possible secondary application, we will
see that there is a primary future application. The word “hour” means a
“short season” and is not a prophetic period.
We also see evidence that the hour of temptation is the time of Jacob’s
trouble. 47 Ellen G. White describes the deliverance of God’s people after
the time of trouble. She quotes Revelation 3:10: “They have kept the word
of my patience; they shall walk among the angels.” 48
The first half is from Revelation 3:10, and the promise is given that those
who keep “the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of
temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell
upon the earth.” Those who are delivered from “the hour of temptation”
are those who “kept the word of my patience.” The word for patience in
this verse is the same Greek word hupomone, as found in Revelation
14:12 to describe the patience or endurance of the saints. The saints are
the 144,000.
It is interesting that the 144,000 of Revelation 14:12 not only have

“patience” but also “keep the commandments of God.” This contrasts
with those in the synagogue of Satan who will worship at the saints’ feet
after probation closes, because they have been proved to be liars for not
keeping the commandments (1 John 2:4).
APPLICATION: The great controversy struggle is taking place right now to

determine if we will be among the 144,000 when Jesus comes or if we will
be among the synagogue of Satan. To stand with the 144,000 will require
considerable patience. The trials that we face now are preparing us for
what is to come upon the whole world. It will seem as if the whole world
is against us, and we will need a faith that will endure weariness, hunger,
and delay. 49
Now is not the time to adopt methods from churches that constitute the
synagogue of Satan. Those who are assimilating to the methods of the
other churches are preparing to be assimilated into the religious body of
Babylon, or Satan, when the final crisis comes. May we be among the
ones who keep “the word of my patience” and who are delivered from
“the hour of temptation.”
OBSERVATION: The message to Philadelphia closes with verses 11–13:
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no
man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in
the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will
write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of
my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of
heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
churches.
“Behold, I come quickly” is a message that conveys the idea that the
Second Coming will occur in rapid manner relative to the period of
Philadelphia. The preaching of the Second Advent message by William
Miller and others fit the message given to Philadelphia. It was at the close
of the Philadelphian era in 1844 that Christ entered the Most Holy Place,
and His coming came as a “thief ” to those who were not ready.
Ellen White implies that if William Miller had accepted the third angel’s
message after 1844, he would have entered the heavenly Canaan without
seeing death. She said that he made a mistake similar to Moses. If Moses
had not erred, he would have entered Canaan, and then he would have
been translated. 50 This tells us that Jesus could have come “quickly” after
1844 to take William Miller and the other Second Advent believers to the
heavenly Canaan.
The church of Philadelphia was then instructed to “hold fast” what it had,
specifically their understanding of “[His] word” which led them to
understand the 2,300-day prophecy and the near return of Jesus. By
holding fast, they would not lose their crown of eternal life.
In verse 12, those who overcome will be pillars in the temple of God.
Note the following:
The word translated “temple” (naos) generally refers to the

inner sanctuary containing the holy and most holy places, not
to the whole complex of buildings that constituted the ancient
Temple.51
This shows that the overcomers in Philadelphia would dwell spiritually

with Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, and it strongly suggests that those
who overcame accepted the sanctuary message as revealed to the Advent
believers shortly after the Great Disappointment. They then entered by
faith in a spiritual sense into the Most Holy Place with Christ.52
Those who overcome have the promise that God’s name, the new
Jerusalem, and Christ’s new name will be written upon them.
Ellen White shows that this not only applies to the Millerites who
overcame but also to the 144,000:
The 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their

foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious star
containing Jesus’ new name. 53
As can be seen, an understanding of the sanctuary message is crucial to

being sealed at the end of time. Only those who are pillars in the Most
Holy Place will receive the seal of God. In verse 13, the message to
Philadelphia closes with the reminder to hear what the Holy Spirit is
saying.
APPLICATION: It should be noted that there is significant overlap with the

promises given to the Second Advent believers and to the 144,000 who
will be alive at the Second Coming. The reason is that there are
similarities in both groups. The Millerites proclaimed the first and second
angels’ messages that culminated with the midnight cry from August to
October of 1844. The 144,000 proclaim all three angels’ messages
culminating with the loud cry of the angel of Revelation 18:1–5. The
Millerites passed through the Great Disappointment. The 144,000 will
pass through the time of Jacob’s trouble.
Ellen White shows that the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 has
an application for both the Millerites and God’s last-day people who
proclaim the three angels’ messages:
When the third angel’s message is preached as it should be,

power attends its proclamation, and it becomes an abiding
influence. It must be attended with divine power, or it will
accomplish nothing. I am often referred to the parable of the
ten virgins, five of whom were wise, and five foolish. This
parable has been and will be fulfilled to the very letter, for it has
a special application to this time, and, like the third angel’s
message, has been fulfilled and will continue to be present truth
till the close of time. 54
Commenting on the Millerites and the close of the Philadelphian church,

Ellen White said:
Of all the great religious movements since the days of the

apostles, none have been more free from human imperfection
and the wiles of Satan than was that of the autumn of 1844. 55
Yet we understand from Scripture that the greatest work of God in

humanity will take place in the lives of the 144,000 just before Jesus
comes. To be part of that number, we must understand the experience of
the Millerite movement and assimilate it into our lives. Then we need to
take it to the next level in preparation for the Second Coming. As will be
seen in the message to Laodicea, we have fallen far below where God’s
people were in Philadelphia and are in need of much revival and
reformation.
OBSERVATION: The message to the last of the seven churches begins in
Revelation 3:14:
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These
things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art
neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then
because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue
thee out of my mouth.
Laodicea means “judged people.” This represents the judgment-hour

church from 1844 until the end of time. The judgment-hour message
given to this church can be found in Revelation 14:6–12. Christ describes
Himself to Laodicea as the “Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
beginning of the creation of God.” “Amen” indicates a concluding
message and means “trustworthy.” Christ is a trustworthy, Faithful, and
True Witness giving a testimony about the Laodicean church in the
judgment.
He is also described as “the beginning of the creation of God,” or the

Creator. This is evidence that creation is an important concept to the
judgment-hour church. We see this relationship in the first angel’s
message of Revelation 14:7 in which the judgment-hour message is
connected with “Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the
fountains of waters.” The reference to God as Creator in Revelation 14:7 is
directly quoted from Exodus 20:11, which is the end of the fourth
commandment calling us to “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.”
Creation reminds us that God made the earth in six days and rested on
the seventh (Genesis 2:1–3; Exodus 20:8–11). The message to Laodicea
about God as Creator is a reminder that the seventh day is the Sabbath.
This is at the heart of the first angel’s message in Revelation and is a key
component to the judgment-hour message that Laodicea is to give to the
world. While the rest of the Christian world has forgotten the Sabbath,
God’s judgment-hour people are to call the world back to the Sabbath and
to God who created the world. Historically, the seventh-day Sabbath was
rediscovered around 1844 by the Millerites.
In Revelation 1:5, Christ was given three titles, one of which was “the
faithful witness.” We see this role being fulfilled in the seven churches,
especially the last church of Laodicea. It is crucial for God’s people living
during the judgment to receive a faithful and true testimony from a
trustworthy witness about their condition. None could be better than
Christ Himself, who is our Advocate before the Father (see 1 John 2:1).
How important is this message, and what will be the effect of the
Laodicean message when received? Notice what Ellen White said in this
passage:
I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen and was shown
that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by
the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will
have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him
to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some
will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it,
and this is what will cause a shaking among God’s people.
I saw that the testimony of the True Witness has not been half
heeded. The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the
church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely
disregarded. This testimony must work deep repentance; all
who truly receive it will obey it and be purified. 56
Notice that Ellen White referred to this message to Laodicea as “the

straight testimony.” Those who receive this message will “pour forth the
straight truth.” However, some will not receive this message and will
oppose it. The opposition will cause “the shaking.” She also said this
testimony “has not been half heeded.” This shows that most of the church
has almost “entirely disregarded” the message. The message “must work
deep repentance.” The reception of the message will lead to obedience
and purification.
Based on what we have seen so far, the message of Christ, the Faithful
and True Witness, to Laodicea is of utmost importance to us for our time.
There is a quality to the message that will lead to the shaking in the
church and to deep repentance and purification for those who receive it.
We will now see what Christ said in this message that is so cutting to the
church.
In Revelation 3:15, Christ said, “I know thy works.” The very first point is
that our works do matter in the judgment. Revelation 20:12 reveals that
everyone will be judged according to their works. Ephesians 2:8–10
makes it clear that works do not save us, but it also shows that we were
created in Christ to do good works. Without good works, we will not
stand in the judgment.
Christ knows the works of Laodicea and says that they are “neither cold
nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.” Continuing in verse 16 He says,
“so then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue
thee out of my mouth.”
Laodicea is famously known for being “lukewarm.” The taste this leaves in
Christ’s mouth is terrible. He says if they remain in this state He will
“spue” them out of His mouth. Spue means “to vomit.”
The lukewarm condition of Laodicea, the judgment-hour church, is
nauseating to Christ. This is a tragic and serious condition for Laodicea
to be in since they represent Christ’s church just prior to the Second
Coming. It is not all right to be in a lethargic, lukewarm condition. To be
not hot or not cold represents being half with Christ and half with the
world. It also represents having a form of godliness but denying the
power. 57 See also 2 Timothy 3:1–5.
The danger of this condition is described here by Ellen White:
Halfhearted Christians are worse than infidels; for their

deceptive words and noncommittal position lead many astray.
The infidel shows his colors. The lukewarm Christian deceives
both parties. He is neither a good worldling nor a good
Christian. Satan uses him to do a work that no else can do.
There are those who, though professedly serving God, are
witnessing against Him. To them the message to the Laodicean
church is given. 58
Those who are satisfied with their lukewarm state and who believe that
they are in good standing with God will not want to hear that their
condition is nauseating to God and that, in reality, they are effective
agents for Satan. However, many others will receive this message when
they understand their true condition. This will lead to the shaking in the
church. The message to Laodicea gets stronger in the subsequent verses.
APPLICATION: We are the Laodicean church. This message was first given
to Sabbath-keeping Adventists by James White through a series of articles
in the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald starting in October of 1856.
The message had an effect at the time but then died away.
This message re-appeared in 1888 through the messages of righteousness

by faith given by A. T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner starting at the 1888
General Conference Session in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The message has
never been accepted considering that Ellen White said this:
This message, understood in its true character and proclaimed
in the Spirit, will lighten the earth with its glory. 59
Notice also how Ellen White connected the 1888 message to the
Laodicean message:
The message given us by A. T. Jones, and E. J. Waggoner is the

message of God to the Laodicean church, and woe be unto
anyone who professes to believe the truth and yet does not
reflect to others the God-given rays. 60
In other words, when the Laodicean message, given in 1856 and repeated
in 1888, is received, the earth will be lightened with the glory of God.
That is the language of Revelation 18 and the loud cry of the third angel
under the power of the latter rain. The fulfillment of Revelation 18:1 is yet
future, and the Laodicean message has not yet been received. It is our
part to hear and receive this message in our time.
OBSERVATION: Christ continues His straight testimony to Laodicea in
verses 17–19:
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and

have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched,
and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to
buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame
of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with
eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and
chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
In verse 17, we see a spiritual analogy of someone who thinks that they
are rich. In reality they are poor, destitute, and naked. Nothing could be
worse than to think you have everything when you actually have nothing.
This is not speaking of material wealth, but rather of the spiritual
condition. This makes the description of the church even worse. The last-
day, judgment-hour church thinks that it has everything that it needs
spiritually when it really does not. The great majority of those living in
the judgment hour are deceived about their true condition.
In His great love for us, Christ tells us the truth about who we really are
and what we really need. It is painful to hear. But if we receive it, by His
grace we will be able to stand in the judgment.
We will now look at the elements God’s people think they have but are
really lacking. Laodicea says, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and
have need of nothing” (v. 17). However, Christ says, “I counsel thee to
buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich” (v. 18), showing
that Laodicea is not rich. This reveals that having spiritual gold is what
makes us spiritually rich.
What does the Bible say about being rich and having gold in a spiritual
sense? Notice what James 2:5 says: “Hath not God chosen the poor of this
world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to
them that love him?” Those who are rich are “rich in faith.” Here, a
connection is made that richness is found in having faith.
Notice also what 1 Peter 1:7 says,
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of
gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found
unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus
Christ.
In Revelation 3:18, Jesus counsels us to “buy gold tried in the fire that [we
might] be rich.” In 1 Peter 1:7, the trial of our faith is compared to gold
being tried in the fire. In order to be rich, we must have faith tried like
gold in the fire. If we heed the counsel and buy gold tried in the fire, we
have faith. Revelation 3:18 shows if we have this gold of faith, we are rich.
Therefore, to buy gold is to buy faith.
Here is the key sticking point in the straight testimony message. Laodicea
thinks it is rich. In other words, Laodicea thinks it already has gold tried
in the fire, or that it already has faith. If they believe they have faith, they
must then believe they have saving faith, or righteousness by faith.
Another way of saying it is that many Seventh-day Adventists believe
they have assurance of salvation despite the fact that they do not have
righteousness by faith.
Because of this belief, they are convinced that they are spiritually rich and
are in need of nothing. In reality, they are nauseating to God. It would
only make sense that some would rise up against a message that shows
they lack saving faith when they believe they really have it. The remainder
of verse 17 shows the true condition of Laodicea, of which they are
unaware.
Christ says that Laodicea is “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and

naked.” An examination of each of these components helps us to
understand why Laodicea is in such a terrible condition.
Wretched: The word “wretched” comes from the Greek word talaiporos
and is only used twice in all of Scripture. The only other place it is used is
in Romans 7:24 to describe the man of Romans 7. This is the man who, in
Romans 7:14, is “sold under sin” or is a slave to sin. Because he is a slave
to sin, Romans 7:15–17 reveals that he does the things he does not want
to do, and he does not do the things he wants to do. The old man of sin is
his slave master and directs the actions of his life, even though he wants
to live differently because he is a slave to sin.
Even though in Romans 7:22 he delights in the law of God after the
inward man, the law of sin and death (v. 23) brings him into captivity, or
slavery to sin. Therefore, he describes his experience as “wretched” (v.
24). This is the same experience Laodicea is described as having by the
Faithful and True Witness.
The difference is that the man of Romans 7 knows that it is a wretched

experience. However, Laodicea thinks that having the experience of
Romans 7 is consistent with being spiritually rich or having righteousness
by faith. They do not realize that they are wretched, but Christ tells
Laodicea that they really are wretched, and they do not have the
experience of righteousness by faith. The man of Romans 7 has not
allowed the old man of sin to be crucified (see Romans 6:6), and thus the
old man of sin rules his life. What is needed is to be crucified with Christ
(Galatians 2:20) and to be servants, or slaves, to righteousness rather than
being slaves to sin (Romans 6:16–23).
Miserable: The word “miserable” comes from the Greek word eleeinos
and is only found one other place in Scripture—in 1 Corinthians 15:19.
This passage says, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all
men most miserable.” The condition that is miserable is only having hope
in Christ for the present life. There is no eternity to look forward to.
While Paul was addressing those who did not believe in a resurrection,
the condition applies to Laodicea. Unaware of its lukewarm, wretched
condition which is lacking the righteousness of Christ, Laodicea believes
it has assurance of salvation and is secure in Christ. The problem is that
this false security will only last for the present life. It will not last through
eternity. They have a hope in Christ that is only for this life, leading
Christ to declare that Laodicea is miserable, just as those previously
described in 1 Corinthians 15:19.
Poor: The word “poor” is found frequently in Scripture and simply is the
opposite of being rich. To be poor as described in Revelation 3:17 shows
evidence of lack of faith. We have seen already that to be rich is to have
faith. Therefore, to be poor is to lack faith. Laodicea does not have
genuine faith.
Blind: The word “blind” is also found many times in Scripture. In 2 Peter
1:9, we are told that those who lack the spiritual qualities noted in 2 Peter
1:4–7 are blind. The qualities found in this passage are as follows: being
partakers of the divine nature, having faith, virtue, knowledge,
temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. If one lacks
these qualities, Scripture describes this as being blind.
Laodicea is not a partaker of the divine nature and lacks faith, patience,
and the other qualities seen. By contrast, Revelation 14:12 shows that
God’s last-day people have “the patience of the saints and the faith of
Jesus.” In 2 Peter 1:10, we read that if you “do these things, ye shall never
fall.” Those who are partakers of the divine nature and do the things listed
in 2 Peter 1:4–7 are promised that they will never fall. This mirrors the
promise of Jude 24 that God will keep us from falling and will present us
faultless in the judgment.
However, Laodicea is blind, not realizing that they are failing to partake
of the divine nature and that they are lacking the things needed to keep
from falling. Their spiritual blindness leads them to believe that falling
and sinning is just part of the Christian experience when the Bible plainly
teaches that Christians who partake of the divine nature will have victory
over sin.
Naked: The nakedness of Laodicea reflects that they lack the white
raiment mentioned in Revelation 3:18, and they are counseled to buy it so
that they may be clothed (see also Revelation 16:15). Zechariah 3:1–5
makes it clear that we must be clothed with Christ’s garments to have His
righteousness. Not only that, the filthy garments must be removed first.
Christ will not put His righteousness over filthy garments, which
represent a life of unrepentant sin. The known sin in the life must be
removed first. Laodicea is naked because it lacks the white raiment of
Christ’s righteousness. Laodicea is steeped in a life of sin yet does not
realize it. There are few things more humiliating in life than to be exposed
as naked. What is worse for Laodicea is that it is naked but does not
realize it.
Notice this statement of clarity on the righteousness of Christ as

represented by the white raiment:
This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one

thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out
a perfect character, and this character He offers to impart to us.
“All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6. … By
His perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human
being to obey God’s commandments. When we submit
ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is
merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the
thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This
is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His
righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not the
fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but
His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to
the law of Jehovah. 61
There are many in the church today who believe that Christ will place His
perfect garment of righteousness as a covering over the filthy garments
that remain in our lives. Then they have the presumption to call this
righteousness by faith. The truth is that we can be submitted to Christ
and united with Him so that we live His righteous life by faith. This
experience is what Laodicea is lacking.
Now we see more clearly why the understanding of the message of the
True Witness to Laodicea will cause the shaking. This is a straight yet
loving message, because Christ is giving a faithful account of our true
condition in the judgment hour. He wants us to be saved. Some will
refuse to believe that this is their true condition and will stay lukewarm.
Others will receive it and be changed.
Verse 18 continues with the remedy that Christ tells Laodicea is necessary
to recover from its lukewarm condition. Laodicea is counseled to buy
“gold tried in the fire.” We saw in 1 Peter 1:7 that gold is equated with
faith. Ellen White tells us that the gold is “faith and love.” 62 When we
have faith and love, we become rich. The faith spoken of here is that
which passes through the fires of affliction and helps us to develop
character and faith in God no matter what happens.
Laodicea also is counseled to buy white raiment so that they will be

clothed. This represents the garments of Christ righteousness (see
Zechariah 3:1–5). The righteousness of Christ is needed to cover the
“shame of the nakedness” of Laodicea. In Ephesians 5:22–32, the church
is represented as Christ’s bride. Christ’s plan for the church is seen in
Ephesians 5:27:
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having

spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and
without blemish.
Christ’s righteousness is spotless. Ephesians 5:26 reveals that Christ

sanctifies and cleanses His church as He clothes it with His righteousness.
His righteousness is not only justifying, but sanctifying and cleansing.
However, Laodicea lacks this righteousness and is “naked.” This brings

shame to Christ, as it is His bride that is naked. An interesting passage
related to the shameful condition of the church is found in Jeremiah 3:1–
3. Here, Israel is described as leaving Christ, her husband, for many other
lovers, yet Christ appeals to them to return to Him. In Jeremiah 3:3, Israel
is described as having a “whore’s forehead” and refusing “to be ashamed.”
The same verse shows that the latter rain has been withheld because of
this condition.
Laodicea does not recognize its shameful, naked state, and those who
reject the message from the True Witness refuse to be ashamed of their
spiritual nakedness. The Laodicean condition has been a key factor as to
why the latter rain has been withheld for many years in the Seventh-day
Adventist Church. However, we saw earlier from Early Writings, 270, that
the message to Laodicea will cause the shaking.
Those who heed the counsel of the True Witness are described as follows:
I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth with
great power. It had effect. … I asked what had made this great
change. An angel answered, “It is the latter rain, the refreshing
from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.”
63
A point will be reached in Laodicea when those who recognize the

shamefulness of their naked, spiritual condition and repent will receive
the outpouring of the latter rain.
Laodicea is also counseled to anoint its eyes with eyesalve so that it can
see its true condition and recover from its spiritual blindness. Of this
eyesalve, Ellen White said:
The eyesalve is that wisdom and grace which enables us to

discern between the evil and the good, and to detect sin under
any guise. God has given His church eyes which He requires
them to anoint with wisdom, that they may see clearly; but
many would put out the eyes of the church if they could; for
they would not have their deeds come to the light, lest they
should be reproved. The divine eyesalve will impart clearness to
the understanding. Christ is the depositary of all graces. 64
In other words, the eyesalve helps us to see as God sees things and to
discern between good and evil. This is the work of the Holy Spirit (see
John 16:8–11).
Ellen White nicely summarizes all of these points again:

The True Witness counsels us to buy of Him gold tried in the
fire, white raiment, and eyesalve. The gold here recommended
as having been tried in the fire is faith and love. It makes the
heart rich; for it has been purged until it is pure, and the more
it is tested the more brilliant is its luster. The white raiment is
purity of character, the righteousness of Christ imparted to the
sinner. This is indeed a garment of heavenly texture, that can be
bought only of Christ for a life of willing obedience. 65
Notice that the righteousness of Christ received by Laodicea is imparted,

and this righteousness leads to a life of willing obedience.
Continuing in verse 19, Christ tells of His love for Laodicea, which is why
He gives such a strong rebuke and chastening. He implores the church to
“be zealous and repent.”
In Hebrews 12:6–12, a very similar message is given about the Lord

chastening and rebuking those whom He loves. The chastening and
rebuking in Hebrews 12 is in the context of Christ helping His people to
run the race that has been set before them. He serves as the example. He
endured the cross. We are called to endure the chastening from the Lord.
If we do so, the end of the race will lead us to Mount Sion (Hebrews
12:22), which is where the 144,000 stand with the Lamb, as noted in
Revelation 14:1.
The chastening and rebuking from the Lord to Laodicea helps His people
prepare to be among the 144,000 who stand on Mount Zion with Him at
the end of time. The Laodicean message is a loving message that prepares
God’s last-day, judgment-hour church for translation. Those who are
zealous and repent will receive the gift. Those who reject the message will
be shaken out. It is interesting to note that the shaking is also mentioned
in Hebrews 12:25–29, providing another connection between the message
to Laodicea in Revelation 3 and God’s people in Hebrews 12.
APPLICATION: Many personal applications can be made from this
message. One of Laodicea’s problems in the judgment hour is a wrong
perspective. Laodicea is supposed to give glory to God in the judgment as
part of the first angel’s message. However, the perspective of many
Seventh-day Adventists today is concern over the assurance of salvation.
The emphasis on assurance has led many to be unaware of their
deplorable personal spiritual condition as well as that of the church.
Members are often falsely reassured that the experience of Romans 7 is

the natural experience of salvation on the way to heaven, and thus they
are confident that they are saved even if they are not gaining victory over
sin in their lives. They believe that they simply need the covering of
Christ’s righteousness.
However, the testimony of Christ is that the experience of Romans 7 is

one of wretchedness, and the church is naked and nauseating to His taste.
The popular teaching that we can sin and still be covered is simply the
final fruit of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans as discussed in Revelation 2.
Just as the Nicolaitans believed the deeds of the flesh do not affect the
purity of the soul, many Seventh-day Adventists today believe they have
assurance of salvation despite living a life that is lacking in victory over
sin and the power of God. This false concept of assurance of salvation has
caused Seventh-day Adventists to take a selfish view of eternity. Rather
than living to bring glory to God’s name, many are more concerned about
living by a minimal Christian standard while believing they have
salvation. The sad reality is that many who believe this way are actually
wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
Notice what Ellen White said in this statement:
Those who accept the Savior, however sincere their conversion,

should never be taught to say or to feel that they are saved. This
is misleading. Every one should be taught to cherish hope and
faith; but even when we give ourselves to Christ and know that
He accepts us, we are not beyond the reach of temptation. …
Our only safety is in constant distrust of self, and dependence
on Christ. 66
A similar statement by Ellen White is made in the following source:
We are never to rest in a satisfied condition, and cease to make

advancement, saying, “I am saved.” When this idea is
entertained, the motives for watchfulness, for prayer, for
earnest endeavor to press onward to higher attainments, cease
to exist. No sanctified tongue will be found uttering these
words till Christ shall come, and we enter in through the gates
into the city of God. … As long as man is full of weakness,—for
of himself he cannot save his soul,—he should never dare to
say, “I am saved.” 67
As Seventh-day Adventists, we need to recalibrate our thinking. Yes, we

can have confidence in our standing with God (see Philippians 1:6) when
we are surrendered to Him. However, many of us know that we are often
not surrendered to God’s will, and we need to zealously repent of our sins
and to live a life that brings glory to God, rather than trying to live a
Christian life that follows the lowest standard possible to allow us
entrance into heaven. Following a minimum Christian standard and
having a self-centered focus of assurance of salvation, while believing that
we are covered by Christ’s righteousness, has fostered the Laodicean
condition of our church. We must have victory over all sin and focus on
bringing glory to God. The remedy for overcoming is seen in the final
three verses of Revelation 3.
OBSERVATION: Jesus concludes His appeal to Laodicea in verses 20–22:
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice,
and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him,
and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with
me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with
my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit saith unto the churches.
What is Jesus doing standing at the door? He is knocking, hoping some in

Laodicea will open the door so He can come in. Ellen White made a
helpful statement about what Christ is doing at the door:
The great Redeemer represents Himself as a heavenly

merchantman, laden with riches, calling from house to house,
presenting His priceless goods. 68
She then quotes Revelation 3:18–20. This shows that Christ is the
heavenly merchantman standing at the door of our hearts, trying to sell
us faith, love, His righteousness, and spiritual eyesalve. The way to receive
these heavenly goods is to let Him come in.
Laodicea needs the righteousness of Christ inwardly, not just as an

outward covering. When Christ comes in and we receive His faith, love,
and righteousness, we have the experience of righteousness by faith
which works by love. Furthermore, we have the experience of the
personal communion of “supping” or “dining” with Christ. This
represents a personal, intimate relationship with Christ. This also shows
that the majority of Laodicea is lacking a close, intimate relationship with
Him. The other key point that we find is that this relationship is
generated from Christ seeking us and knocking on the door of our hearts.
The reality is that Christ is on the outside of the hearts of those who are
in a Laodicean condition.
The concept of Christ coming into the hearts of the Laodiceans connects
with a key concept in Revelation 10:7. Revelation 10 describes the rise of
the Second Advent movement. Revelation 10:7 tells us that the mystery of
God should be finished during the sounding of the seventh trumpet. The
seventh trumpet began sounding on October 22, 1844 (see Revelation
11:15–19).
Colossians 1:27 reveals to us that the mystery of God is “Christ in you,
the hope of glory.” Christ dwelling in us is the mystery of God that will be
finished in the Second Advent movement. This is why Christ knocks on
the doors of the hearts of the Laodiceans, so that He can come in to finish
the mystery of God. Christ lives in us when we are crucified with Him
(Galatians 2:20). When Christ dwells in our hearts, we are filled with the
fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16–21). This is what God wants to do for
Laodicea, the church of the Second Advent movement.
When we allow Christ to come into our hearts, we can then receive the
promise given in Revelation 3:21. In this verse, we are promised that we
can overcome as Christ overcame. Those who are born of God overcome
by faith (1 John 5:4). Jesus overcame, and Laodicea can overcome as He
did. Faith is required to overcome. Jesus, therefore, overcame by faith.
To overcome as Jesus overcame will require the same kind of faith that
Jesus demonstrated. Laodicea needs the faith of Jesus to overcome.
Revelation 14:12 makes it clear that God’s last-day people, or the saints,
“keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Galatians 2:20
also makes it clear that when we are crucified with Christ, we live by the
faith of Jesus:
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but

Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I
live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himself for me.
It makes sense that when Christ lives out His life through us, He exercises
His faith through us. The key is to be crucified with Him, or to be fully
surrendered to Him. He then has permission to live out His life through
us, and then we can have the experience of living His life on this earth, a
life which overcomes the world through His faith.
The experience of justification by faith is affirmed by Ellen White in the

following statement:
God requires the entire surrender of the heart, before
justification can take place; and in order for man to retain
justification, there must be continual obedience, through active,
living faith that works by love and purifies the soul. 69
Notice that entire surrender is required to receive justification by faith

(see also Romans 6:1–7). Romans 6:7 says, “For he that is dead is freed
from sin.” In the King James Version, the marginal reading for “freed
from sin” is “justified.” Therefore, those who are dead, or who have had
the old man crucified, are justified.
This shows that the only way to open the door of our hearts when Christ
comes knocking is to surrender completely to Him and to be crucified
with Him. Then we receive faith, love, and His righteousness. Christ was
crucified because of His love for us. He risked everything for us. We gain
everything when we surrender to Him, including the power to overcome.
How can we turn down such an offer?
Not only is there the promise of overcoming as Jesus overcame, but there
is also the promise of sitting with Christ on the throne. Just as Christ sits
on the throne with His Father, we can sit with Him when we overcome.
This shows another relationship between the Laodicean message of
Revelation 3 and the message of Hebrews 12.
In Hebrews 12:1, we are called to run with patience (see again Revelation
14:12) the race set before us and to lay aside sin. In verse 2, we are called
to run this race by
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for
the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He set the example by
enduring the cross. When we keep our eyes on Him, He helps us to
overcome while we are running the race of faith on earth. The finish line
for this race ends at the throne of God.
The message to Laodicea closes, as with the the other churches, with an
exhortation to hear “what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
In closing, Ellen White has a poignant statement from a chapter entitled

“The Laodicean Church”:
Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and
overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of
the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus
be fitted for translation. 70
From this statement, it is clear that the Laodicean message, from Christ
the Faithful and True Witness, is a message designed to fit His judgment-
hour church for the latter rain and for translation. When we receive this
message, we will be tested on many points that will need to be overcome.
When this message is received and the needed experience is gained, we

will receive the latter rain. We will be fitted for translation. We will
overcome in the judgment. We will see Jesus come in the clouds of
heaven. This message has been sounding since 1844, when the judgment
began. The fact that we are still here shows that it has not yet fully been
received. May we be among the ones that receive this message and live to
see Jesus come.
APPLICATION: There are many areas in our lives that must be surrendered
to Christ as we hear the message to us, the Laodicean church. It is easy to
ignore the call for a self-sacrificing, Christ-filled life when the majority of
those around us are in the Laodicean condition. Many, if not most, of us
are in the Laodicean state. The message to us is straight and cutting. It can
be uncomfortable. Yet it is just what we need to be prepared to stand in
the judgment and to meet Jesus in the clouds of heaven. As this message
increases in intensity, we will see a shaking in the church between those
who accept and those who reject the message. God in His great love has
given us this message, not to leave us without hope, but to help us to be
ready to meet Jesus when He comes.
Notice what Ellen White said in the following passage:
But the counsel of the True Witness does not represent those
who are lukewarm as in a hopeless case. There is yet a chance to
remedy their state, and the Laodicean message is full of
encouragement; for the backslidden church may yet buy the
gold of faith and love, may yet have the white robe of the
righteousness of Christ, that the shame of their nakedness need
not appear. Purity of heart, purity of motive, may yet
characterize those who are half-hearted and who are striving to
serve God and Mammon. They may yet wash their robes of
character and make them white in the blood of the Lamb.71
It is my prayer that this study of the Laodicean message will lead to an

awakening, especially among the young people of the Seventh-day
Adventist church. It is time to fully surrender to Christ as He knocks on
the door of our hearts. It is time to surrender to God our idols of fashion,
music, entertainment, sports, and other worldly gods that are preventing
us from receiving His righteousness. May we heed the counsel of the
Faithful and True Witness.
Final Thoughts: As we come to the end of the seven churches, we have

learned that the Laodicean church is in a terrible condition. In the
following chapters, each of the “sevens” (seven seals, seven trumpets)
shows what the final outcome of Laodicea will be. The message from the
Faithful and True Witness is designed to prepare Laodicea for the
outpouring of the latter rain. In our study of the seven seals, we will find
in Revelation 7 that the 144,000 come from God’s last-day church. In our
study of the seven trumpets, we will find in Revelation 10 that the
144,000 are prepared by the Second Advent movement through the
proclamation of the three angels’ messages. Now is the time to awaken to
our prophetic identity and mission and to heed the counsel given to us as
a Laodicean people. Jesus is coming soon, and He is counting on you to
be among that number who wake up at this late hour of earth’s history.
REVELATION 4
REVELATION 4:1–3
OBSERVATION: Revelation 4 is a transition in John’s vision from the
seven churches and serves as an interlude between the seven churches
and the seven seals.
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven:

and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet
talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee
things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the
spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the
throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a
sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne,
in sight like unto an emerald. (Revelation 4:1–3)
“After this” indicates that John was shown this vision after his vision of
the seven churches. What John saw was an open door in heaven. This
door opened John’s view to the throne room of God in the Holy Place of
the heavenly sanctuary. Verse 5 will prove this to be the case. He hears a
voice as of a trumpet. In Revelation 1:10, Jesus is described as having “a
great voice, as of a trumpet.” Thus, Jesus is speaking to John again in
Revelation 4. In vision, Jesus tells John to “Come up hither.” This takes
John from earth to heaven. What he is shown is that “which must be
hereafter.” “Hereafter” means from the present time onward. The
reference point begins at the time John was alive late in the first century.
John was taken immediately into vision a second time after his vision of
the seven churches. John saw the throne of God in heaven. God is seated
upon the throne (v. 3). The description of God’s throne in Revelation 4 is
very similar to that seen by Ezekiel in Ezekiel 1:26–28. The jasper and
sardine stones create a spectacular appearance of a bright, flashing light
(jasper) and a brilliant red light (sardine). 72 The rainbow, emerald in
color, around the throne represents the combination of God’s mercy and
justice.73 A beautiful eminence of light with a rainbow surrounds the
throne of God, reminding us of His justice and mercy.
APPLICATION: As we study the concept of God’s throne, a clear picture of

His mercy and justice is seen. It is important to keep these two
characteristics of God together. Some emphasize God’s mercy by
inferring that God loves us so much that we can do whatever we want
and still be saved. Others err by painting a picture of God that makes
Him appear as if He is sitting around waiting to exact vengeance on those
who disobey Him. The true biblical picture of God is that of One who is
merciful and gracious but who will by no means clear the guilty (Exodus
34:7).
REVELATION 4:4–5
OBSERVATION: This chapter continues with more information about
who is around God’s throne. In verse 4, there are twenty-four elders
surrounding the throne. The twenty-four elders are seen in Revelation
4:4, 10–11; 5:5, 8–14; 11:16. They are always by God’s throne, and they are
clothed in white raiment and wear crowns of gold (Revelation 4:4). A
discussion of some of the varying viewpoints of the twenty-four elders
can be found in The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 767–
768.
However, Ellen White made a statement that gives inspired evidence as to

who the twenty-four elders are. She begins by quoting from Revelation
5:4:
John says: “I wept much, because no man was found worthy to

open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.” The vision
as presented to John made its impression upon his mind. The
destiny of every nation was contained in that book. John was
distressed at the utter inability of any human being or angelic
intelligence to read the words, or even to look thereon. His soul
was wrought up to such a point of agony and suspense that one
of the strong angels had compassion on him and laying his
hand on him assuringly said, “Weep not: behold, the Lion of
the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open
the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” 74
The key point for discussion about the twenty-four elders in this quote is
that Ellen White substitutes “one of the strong angels” for “one of the
elders” from Revelation 5:5. In Revelation 5:11, we see angels, the twenty-
four elders, and the four beasts together around the throne. Described as
“strong angels” by Ellen White, this suggests that the twenty-four elders
are leading angels of high authority among the angelic host.
John says that “lightnings and thunderings and voices” came out of the
throne of God. This phrase is seen three other times in Revelation. It is
seen at the beginning of the seven trumpets when the angel casts the
censer into the earth (Revelation 8:5). It is also seen in Revelation 11:19
when describing the sounding of the seventh trumpet. The last mention
of this phrase is found in Revelation 16:18 when the seventh of the last
plagues is poured out. The common theme in each of these verses is the
concept of judgment taking place. Revelation 4:5 gives us the first clear
picture of God’s throne from which place the judgment takes place.
Therefore, as God’s throne is seen in vision for the first time in

Revelation, the power and majesty of God in connection with His throne
is described as best as possible through the concept that “lightnings and
thunderings and voices” come out of His throne.
The location of God’s throne is referred to in Revelation 4. Revelation

paints a picture of the heavenly sanctuary. John saw “seven lamps of fire
burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God”
(Revelation 4:5). The golden candlestick of the Holy Place is alluded to
with the lamps of fire in verse 5 (at the beginning of the seven seals). The
altar of incense of the Holy Place is mentioned in Revelation 8:3 (at the
beginning of the seven trumpets). Then, at the end of the seven trumpets,
the Most Holy Place is opened to view in Revelation 11:19 when the ark
of God’s testament is seen.
Ellen White made this clear in the following statement:
The holy places of the sanctuary in heaven are represented by

the two apartments in the sanctuary on earth. As in vision the
apostle John was granted a view of the temple of God in
heaven, he beheld there “seven lamps of fire burning before the
throne.” Revelation 4:5. He saw an angel “having a golden
censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he
should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden
altar which was before the throne.” Revelation 8:3. Here the
prophet was permitted to behold the first apartment of the
sanctuary in heaven; and he saw there the “seven lamps of fire”
and the “golden altar,” represented by the golden candlestick
and the altar of incense in the sanctuary on earth. Again, “the
temple of God was opened” (Revelation 11:19), and he looked
within the inner veil, upon the holy of holies. Here he beheld
“the ark of His testament,” represented by the sacred chest
constructed by Moses to contain the law of God. … Moses
made the earthly sanctuary after a pattern which was shown
him. Paul teaches that that pattern was the true sanctuary
which is in heaven. And John testifies that he saw it in heaven.
75
This quote from Ellen White gives conclusive evidence that the throne of
God was initially found in the Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. This
is what was opened to John’s view (v. 1) when a door was opened in
heaven. This is also the door that was shut when Christ moved to the
Most Holy Place in 1844, as discussed in our study of Revelation 3:7.
The seven lamps are represented as “the seven Spirits of God.” The seven
Spirits of God are mentioned in Revelation 1:4 as being before God’s
throne. In Revelation 5:6 they are portrayed as the seven eyes of the Lamb
that was slain. This represents the Holy Spirit. In Zechariah 4:1–6, the
golden candlestick with seven lamps is filled with oil to give it light and
this represents the Holy Spirit. Revelation 4:5 also equates the golden
candlestick with the Holy Spirit (v. 5).
The Holy Spirit is closely connected to the work that surrounds God’s
throne. One of the works of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of the
work of judgment (John 16:8). The Holy Spirit, as represented by the
golden candlestick, has an important role with respect to God’s throne
and His judgment.
APPLICATION: God’s throne is where we find God dwelling. It is a fruitful

study to learn more about God’s characteristics when we see a description
of His throne. When in His presence, the awesome majesty and power of
God are seen as lightning, thunder, and earthquakes. The Holy Spirit is in
His midst as well as leading angels. The more we contemplate on these
themes, the more we will be drawn into His presence.
REVELATION 4:6–8
OBSERVATION: Verses 6–8 continue with a description of the beings that
surround God’s throne.
A beautiful picture of God’s throne continues to be painted when a sea of

glass like crystal is seen before the throne. In addition, there are four
beasts in the midst and around the throne. The Greek word for “beasts” is
zoa which means “living beings.” 76
These beasts, or living beings, have six wings, and they cry, “Holy, holy,
holy, Lord God Almighty” (v. 8). A nearly identical picture is found in
Isaiah 6:1–3, in which Isaiah is shown God’s throne. Here he saw
seraphims, or angels, who have six wings and who also cry, “Holy, holy,
holy.” Thus, we can safely conclude that the four living beings are four
seraphims, or four angels of high rank, that surround God’s throne, just
as the twenty-four elders are twenty-four angels of high rank.
Further information about the characteristics of the four beasts, or four

seraphims, is then provided in verse 7. The first beast is like a lion, the
second beast is like a calf, the third beast has the face of a man, and the
fourth beast is like a flying eagle. This description is very similar to the
four living creatures that Ezekiel saw in vision as described in Ezekiel
1:5–14. In his vision, Ezekiel saw a lion, the face of a man, an ox, and an
eagle. The only difference is that the four living creatures in Ezekiel have
four wings rather than six as seen in Isaiah and Revelation, and Ezekiel
described these angels in Ezekiel 10:20–22 as cherubims rather than
seraphims. Either way, the creatures in Ezekiel and Revelation are angels.
With respect to the meaning of the lion, the calf, the face of a man, and
the flying eagle, there are good sources for study. 77 What is helpful to
understand is that these angels are representing four different faces of
Christ. The lion is the king of the animal kingdom, and this represents
Christ as King of kings. The calf is a servant to man, representing the
servant-like characteristics of Christ (see Philippians 2:7). The calf is also
one of the sacrificial animals and could represent Christ offering Himself
as a sacrifice for sin. The face of a man represents how Christ became a
human being. The eagle is used to represent a divine being, and clearly
Christ is God.
It is interesting that the four gospels also portray these characteristics of

Christ. Matthew emphasizes that Christ is a King (see Matthew 2:2).
Mark portrays the servant-like characteristics of Christ in which He is
offered as a sacrifice (see Mark 10:45 NKJV). Luke places emphasis on the
humanity of Christ (see Luke 2:52). John emphasizes the divinity of
Christ (see John 20:31). While it is true that all four gospels show all these
characteristics of Christ, individually they place a special emphasis on the
individual characteristics as listed above. Thus, the gospels definitively
reveal the good news about Christ’s character.
The four beasts do not rest day or night, and they proclaim the holiness of
God (v. 8). We also see again the concept that Christ was, is, and is to
come. As previously noted in Revelation 1:8 and 1:11, this relates to the
everlasting existence of God and also that Christ has come to this earth to
die for our sins, is presently interceding in heaven as our great High
Priest, and is coming back again as King of kings and Lord of lords.
APPLICATION: In this passage, we clearly see the depth and the

interconnectedness of Scripture and how we can find Christ throughout
both the Old and New Testaments. We would do well to continue digging
into the truths of God’s Word to find a deeper revelation of Christ.
REVELATION 4:9–11
OBSERVATION: The last three verses of Revelation 4 conclude with a
scene of worship to God.
Here, the reverence and worship of the angelic host is demonstrated.

After the four beasts, or seraphims, sing praise to God, the other leading
angels (twenty-four elders) fall down and cast their crowns before Him.
They proclaim that God is worthy to receive glory and honour and
worship because He is the Creator of all things (v.11).
APPLICATION: The first angel’s message of Revelation 14:6–7 has similar

parallels. In the first angel’s message, the judgment-hour message is
proclaimed, which clearly points people to the throne of God. And just as
the angels declare that God is worthy for worship because He is Creator
of all things, the first angel’s message calls us to “worship Him” because
He is Creator of all things. That is the message we are to proclaim with a
loud voice at this time. It is not surprising that the doctrine of creation is
under attack even in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. May we be
among the ones who, like the angels, call people to the worship of God
the Creator at this time of earth’s history.
REVELATION 5
REVELATION 5:1–2
OBSERVATION: Revelation 5 is a continuation of the setting in Revelation
4. However, chapter 5 transitions from God’s throne to the opening of the
seals in the midst of the throne.
Verse 1 begins with mention of a book “in the right hand of him that sat
on the throne.” God is holding the book in His right hand. 78 The Lamb,
or Christ, takes the “book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the
throne” (Revelation 5:6–7). It is God the Father sitting on the throne who
holds the book with seven seals in His right hand. This book is “written
within and on the backside.” Ellen White also said, “This roll was written
within and without.” 79 The book is written on both sides.
A strong angel asks, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the
seals thereof?” (v. 2). The strong angel mentioned in this verse may be the
same heavenly being as the elder in Revelation 5:5 who tells John to
“Weep not.” As noted in the observation of Revelation 4:4, Ellen White
substitutes “strong angel” for “elder” when quoting Revelation 5:5. 80 It is
a strong angel that asks who is worthy to open the book, and in verse 5 it
is likely the same being that gives the answer.
The fact that a heavenly being asks “Who is worthy to open the book?”
shows that the sealed book is intended to be opened, but that only One of
great importance is able to open it. Heavenly beings often ask the right
questions to direct us to a proper understanding of what is truly
important. An example of this is found in Daniel 8, when one of the
heavenly beings asked how long the vision would be (v. 13). Without that
question being asked, Daniel himself likely would not have thought to
have asked such a question and would have missed the crucial 2,300-day
prophecy. 81
By asking the question, “Who is worthy?” it leads us to understand that a

victory has been gained that makes One worthy to open the book. We
will see what victory was gained that caused Christ to be worthy to open
the book with the seven seals.
Ellen G. White again weighs in with further information about the

significance of the book with seven seals:
There in His open hand lay the book, the roll of the history of
God’s providences, the prophetic history of nations and the
church. Herein was contained the divine utterances, His
authority, His commandments, His laws, the whole symbolic
counsel of the Eternal, and the history of all ruling powers in
the nations. In symbolic language was contained in that roll the
influence of every nation, tongue, and people from the
beginning of earth’s history to its close. This roll was written
within and without. 82
Obviously, this book sealed with seven seals is very important. The
question “Who is worthy to open the book?” shows that not just anyone
can open the book. Revelation 5 is setting the stage for the importance of
the opening of the seven seals that are opened beginning in Revelation 6.
APPLICATION: What we are studying in Revelation 5 is very important for

our time. Notice what Ellen White said,
The fifth chapter of Revelation needs to be closely studied. It is

of great importance to those who shall act a part in the work of
God for these last days. 83
Why this chapter is important is clarified in the remainder of the

statement. She goes on to describe two classes that are revealed in the
history of the seven seals. The first class calls for the rocks and the
mountains to fall on them (Revelation 6:15–17). The second class is
shown to be the great multitude who receive salvation (Revelation 7:9–
10). She then goes on to say,
In these scriptures two parties are brought to view. One party

permitted themselves to be deceived and took sides with those
with whom the Lord has a controversy. They misinterpreted the
messages sent them and clothed themselves in robes of self-
righteousness. Sin was not sinful in their eyes. They taught
falsehood as truth, and by them many souls were led astray. 84
As we study the history of the seals, beginning with Revelation 5, we will

discover a biblical description of the two classes of people living at the
end of time. God desires that we should be among the great multitude,
which no man can number, who will live eternally.
REVELATION 5:3–5
OBSERVATION: The dilemma continues of who can open the sealed
book. It is clear in verse 3 that no human being, whether in heaven or on
earth, or anywhere else, could open this book. The reaction of John
indicates how important it was for the sealed book to be opened. He
“wept much” (v. 4).
If the book could not be opened, the vital information needed by God’s
people would not be revealed. Fortunately, good news comes to John.
One of the elders tells him that there is One who can open this book (v.
5). As discussed already in Revelation 4:4 and in Revelation 5:2, Ellen
White identifies this elder as “one of the strong angels” (see Manuscript
Releases, vol. 20, 197). One of the twenty-four elders, or strong angels, has
good news for John that the book can be opened.
Who is worthy to open this book? The elder, or strong angel, tells John
that it is “the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David.” When Jacob
gave his dying blessing to his twelve sons, he described Judah as “a lion’s
whelp” (Genesis 49:9). Jesus was born of the tribe of Judah (Matthew 1:2–
16). And in Revelation 10:3, Jesus is the mighty angel who “cried with a
loud voice, as when a lion roareth.”
Clearly, Christ is the Lion of Judah. The description of Christ as a lion

conveys His strength, and as the Lion of Judah, He “prevailed to open the
book.” The root of David comes from Isaiah 11:1, 10 which describes the
“root of Jesse” who was David’s father. Paul directly applies this prophecy
from Isaiah to Christ (see Romans 15:12).
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary points out the following:
David was Israel’s greatest king and military hero. The Davidic
concept of the Messiah was essentially that of a conqueror who
would restore the kingdom to Israel (Matthew 21:9; cf. Acts
1:6). Although Christ did not restore a literal kingdom to the
Jews, His victory in the great controversy with Satan does
restore the kingdom in an infinitely greater and more
important sense. Therefore, from the point of view of the
present passage, this title is most fitting. 85
The concept of Christ “prevailing” to open the book is crucial to the big
picture of the plan of salvation, the great controversy, and the
understanding of the book of Revelation. The word “prevail” comes from
the Greek nikao, and it means “to conquer” or “to be victorious.” 86
Regarding this victory, the idea continues in the following quote:
This points directly to Christ’s victory in the great controversy

with Satan, which is the basis of His right to open the book.
Inasmuch as no one else in the entire universe could do this (v.
3), His victory is unique. An angel could not have taken Christ’s
place, for the basic issue in the great controversy is the integrity
of the character of God, which is expressed in His law. Neither
angel nor man could have accomplished this vindication, for
they themselves are subject to the law (see Patriarchs and
Prophets, p. 66). Only Christ, who is God, and of whose
character the law is an expression, could achieve such a
vindication of the divine character. This fact is central to the
thought of chapter 5. 87
This victory of Christ and the vindication of God’s character takes on a

more fascinating dimension when we study carefully the concept of the
root of David, or the root of Jesse, as described in Isaiah 11.
In Isaiah 11:1–2 we clearly see the Messianic prophecy of Christ:
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a
Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall
rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit
of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of
the LORD.”
In the verses that follow that passage, Isaiah continues to show the
righteousness of Christ. Through Christ’s life and death, He was
victorious and became “the Lamb that was slain” in victory.
However, the root of David, or Jesse, does not conclude with Christ’s life
and death. Isaiah 11:10–11 shows the completion of the work and victory
of this root:
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand
for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his
rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, that
the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the
remnant of his people, which shall be left.”
This is where the concept of the root of David becomes very fascinating.
Christ prevailed as the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God on the cross,
and this made Him worthy to begin to open the book with the seven
seals. However, for the entire book, or roll, to be opened, all seven seals
must be unsealed. When we come to the end of the sixth seal at the end
of Revelation 6, we find an interlude, or delay, between the opening of the
sixth and seventh seals. The delay will continue until the servants of God,
the 144,000, are sealed. Prophetically, the 144,000 must come from the
remnant described in Isaiah 11 that are recovered the “second time” (v.
11). This is the Second Advent movement, described in Isaiah 11:10 as
the root of Jesse, or David, just as Christ is described.
Christ gained a signal victory in the great controversy over Satan through
His life and death, and He will gain a monumental victory through the
“remnant recovered the second time”—the 144,000, or the Second
Advent movement. The victory Christ gains through the 144,000 will
allow Him to open the seventh and final seal, which will complete the
unsealing of the seven seals and will also represent the final and complete
victory over Satan in the great controversy.
Just to foreshadow this development, our study of the seven seals shows
that the 144,000, when they are sealed, will give Christ this victory. God
raises up the Second Advent movement to develop a sealed people
(Revelation 10). Jesus, as the Mighty Angel, roars like a lion, which seems
to connect to His role as the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 10:3).
This suggests that as the Lion of Judah, He is raising up the Second
Advent movement as those whom He will use to fight against Satan.
When the final victory has been gained, the 144,000 are standing on
Mount Zion, not with the Lion, but rather with the Lamb. The Lamb is
used to describe how the victory was gained (as in Revelation 5:5–6).
We will discuss the exact role of the remnant, or the 144,000, in the great
controversy battle as we continue our study through the book of
Revelation, but clearly the vindication of God’s character is at the heart of
this battle.
APPLICATION: We now see why Revelation 5 is important for our study.

Christ’s victory in the great controversy with Satan is at the heart of the
opening of the seven seals. Only He can vindicate His name through a
revelation of Himself. In the opening of the seven seals, we find that the
144,000 play a key role in revealing Christ to the universe. Through them,
He vindicates Himself in the great controversy. As seen in our study of
the message to the Laodicean church, God has designed that we will be
among that number, but we must accept the message and repent from our
lukewarm condition. The thought that Christ is working through us, His
last-day remnant, to achieve His final victory in the battle with Satan is
one of solemn importance.
REVELATION 5:6–8
OBSERVATION: Beginning with verse 6, a further description of Christ is
seen in the opening of the book with the seven seals.
Here, we again see the four beasts and the twenty-four elders. More
importantly, we also see “a Lamb as it had been slain.” John 1:29 and 1
Peter 1:19 reveal Christ as the Lamb of God. John shows that He is the
Lamb that “takes away the sin of the world.” Through the blood of the
slain Lamb we have our sins taken away. We see the plan of salvation at
work in this passage. It is interesting to note the contrast of Christ, first as
the Lion of Judah, and then as the Lamb.
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary has a nice observation

about this distinction.
John has just heard Christ called a lion and a conqueror, but as
he looks he sees a lamb! Such a dramatic contrast may suggest
that Christ’s victory is not one of physical force but of moral
excellence, for above all things else He is declared to be
“worthy.” … It is the … sacrifice of His sinless life, symbolized
by that of a spotless lamb, rather than any demonstration of
force, that has gained for Him the victory in the great
controversy with evil. 88
The Lamb, Christ, is described as having seven horns and seven eyes,
with the seven eyes representing the seven Spirits of God. The horns in
the Bible are symbolic of power, and seven is the number of perfection. 89
Christ has perfect power in overcoming the forces of evil. In Revelation
5:6, the seven Spirits of God are described as “seven eyes.” This is a
description of the Holy Spirit. The eyes represent His perfect wisdom and
intelligence.90 In Revelation 4:5 the seven Spirits of God are described as
seven lamps. Thus, the seven eyes and the seven lamps are
interchangeable.
Christ takes the sealed book out of the hand of God the Father (v. 7). In
response, the four beasts and twenty-four elders fall down and worship
the Lamb (v. 8). Both the beasts and the elders have harps and vials
containing the odours (or incense per the marginal reading of the King
James Version). The incense represents the prayers of the saints.
Ellen White said, “The angels who offer the smoke of the fragrant incense
are for the praying saints.” 91 This is further evidence that not only the
four beasts are angels but so are the twenty-four elders. It is not the work
of redeemed humans in heaven now to serve as human intercessors. God
has given angels the work of carrying the incense of the prayers of the
saints in the golden vials. Ultimately, Christ is the intercessor on our
behalf (see Hebrews 7:25).
APPLICATION: Much can be learned from the concept of Christ prevailing

as the Lion of Judah, yet doing so as the Lamb that was slain. It is so easy
to think that using force or politics to gain an objective is the way to go,
especially when we are mistreated. Yet Christ, as the Lamb of God, sets
for us the example. This is why we are called to “behold” Him in John
1:29. As we do so, we learn to see Him as the “author and finisher of our
faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2). And as we learn to behold Him every day, we
will reach the experience of the 144,000 who stand on Mount Zion with
the Lamb and who “follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth”
(Revelation 14:1–5). If we are going to follow the Lamb everywhere in
heaven, we must learn to do so now.
REVELATION 5:9–14
OBSERVATION: After Christ takes the book from the Father, the last six
verses of Revelation close with a magnificent scene.
Beginning with verse 9, John is shown what will take place when all of the
redeemed are in heaven at last. We see that this scene also occurred in
heaven at the ascension of Christ. Revelation 6 shows a progressive
unsealing of each of the first six of seven seals. Revelation 7 shows what is
delaying the unsealing of the seventh seal, and Revelation 8:1 shows the
unsealing of the seventh seal, which causes silence in heaven for half an
hour. We will discuss this in more detail in the discussion of Revelation
8:1, but it does relate to the Second Coming of Christ. Therefore,
beginning in Revelation 5:9, John is moved ahead in vision beyond the
opening of the seals to the scene when all of the redeemed are in heaven.
John said, “they sung a new song.”
Notice what Ellen White said in the following statement:
When the earthly warfare is accomplished, and the saints are all
gathered home, our first theme will be the song of Moses, the
servant of God. The second theme will be the song of the Lamb,
the song of grace and redemption. … The church history upon
the earth and the church redeemed in heaven all center around
the cross of Calvary. This is the theme, this is the song,—Christ
all and in all,—in anthems of praise resounding through
heaven from thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand
and an innumerable company of the redeemed host. All unite
in this song of Moses and of the Lamb. It is a new song, for it
was never before sung in heaven. 92
Ellen White also confirms that this takes place in the future in heaven:
John, in the Revelation, looking forward to the eternal state,

hears a universal anthem of praise undisturbed by one note of
discord. Every creature in heaven and earth was heard
ascribing glory to God. Revelation 5:13. 93
Revelation 5:9–14 is a picture of the redeemed in heaven as they give
praise to the Lamb. The “new song” (v. 9) is also described in Revelation
15:3–4 as the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. Verse 9 also gives
an explanation as to why Christ was worthy to open the book with the
seven seals. He is worthy because He was slain and because He redeemed
fallen humanity by His blood “out of every kindred, and tongue, and
people, and nation.”
In verse 10, fallen humanity declares that God has “made us unto our
God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” This is identical
to what John said in Revelation 1:6. A better reading for both passages is
“a kingdom of priests.” 94 This is a direct quote from Exodus 19:6 in
which God said to Israel, “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests,
and an holy nation.”
The condition for being a kingdom of priests is found in Exodus 19:5–6:
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my

covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all
people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a
kingdom of priests and an holy nation.
The condition is obedience and keeping the covenant. Hebrews 8:10 and
10:16–17 shows that the covenant is God’s law written in the heart and
mind of the believers. The redeemed, who become a kingdom of priests
unto God, are those who have kept His covenant by allowing God to
write His law into their hearts. This is a key element to the vindication of
God, as discussed earlier in verses 3–5.
God’s law is under attack in the great controversy, and God is vindicated
when He has a people who permit His law, a transcript of His character,
to be written in their hearts and minds. A similar concept of a kingdom
of priests is found in 1 Peter 2:9 when God says,
light.
Notice again in Revelation 5:10 that it is God who has made fallen
humanity into a kingdom of priests. It is His work in their lives. And He
has vindicated Himself through them by doing His work of writing His
law in their hearts and minds. In Revelation 5, they are giving the final
fulfillment of the prophecy of giving praise to Him who called them out
of darkness into light.
Among the twenty-four elders, the four beasts, the angels, and all of the
redeemed there are ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of
thousands (v. 11). This would be 100,000,000 and thousands of
thousands. This is the same group referred to by Ellen G. White in
Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 433. In other words, millions
upon millions of redeemed humans as well as angels will participate in
this song. It will be one of the great moments in all of eternity. It will be a
moment that none of us will want to miss. And it will take place because
of what Jesus, the Lamb that was slain, has done for us.
Verse 12 shows what will be sung. It is sung with “a loud voice.” The
message of the song is:
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches,
and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Christ is worthy. He is worthy because He was slain. In this moment, He

receives power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory, and blessing.
In the following statement, Ellen G. White shows that when Jesus

ascended to heaven after His life on this earth, the angels in heaven sang
the words of verse 12:
The angel host prostrate themselves before Him, while the glad
shout fills all the courts of heaven, “Worthy is the Lamb that
was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and
strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” Revelation 5:12.
95
This scene was fulfilled at the ascension of Christ and will be again when
all of the redeemed are in heaven after the Second Coming. “Every
creature” offers praise and worship to God and to the Lamb (v. 13). All of
God’s created intelligent beings will offer worship to God.
Again, Ellen White shows that this occurred at the ascension of Christ:
Songs of triumph mingle with the music from angel harps, till
heaven seems to overflow with joy and praise. Love has
conquered. The lost is found. Heaven rings with voices in lofty
strains proclaiming, “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and
power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the
Lamb forever and ever.” Revelation 5:13. 96
But as noted earlier, Ellen White also refers to Revelation 5:13 as a future
event when the redeemed will be in heaven (The Great Controversy, 545).
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary makes a helpful comment:
This varied setting suggests that the vision of chapters 4 and 5 is

not to be thought of as representing any one specific
occurrence in heaven, but as a timeless, highly symbolic
portrayal of the victory of Christ and the resulting vindication
of God. When so understood, this vision may be seen as
representing the attitude of heaven toward the Son and His
work since the cross, an attitude that rises to a crescendo as the
great controversy comes to its victorious climax.” 97
When we understand that Ellen White places the ending scene of

Revelation 5 at the cross and in the future in eternity, it makes sense in
the setting of the great controversy. Christ vindicated God by His death
on the cross. His death signaled the defeat of Satan. However, as we study
the book of Revelation, we also see that God works through His last-day
people, the 144,000, through whom He will also vindicate Himself. Both
the victory of Christ on the cross and the victory of the 144,000 through
the power of Christ, represent the vindication of God’s character to the
universe and lead to the setting described as taking place in heaven
(Revelation 5:9–14). As a result of this victory, God and the Lamb receive
blessing, honor, glory, and power for ever and ever.
Chapter 5 closes with the heavenly beings (four beasts and twenty-four
elders) worshipping God as a result of His victory in the great
controversy.
APPLICATION: Jesus did everything possible for us when He died on the

cross as the slain Lamb. His death provides complete and full salvation to
all who have faith in Him. Through the power of His life and death, those
who follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4) have the
promise of overcoming as He did (Revelation 3:21). Those who gain this
victory, while living in the judgment hour just before the Second
Coming, have the privileged opportunity to be part of the 144,000
through whom God will vindicate Himself in the final victory against
Satan in the great controversy. May we gain this experience, through His
strength, as we see the unfathomable grace of Jesus as revealed in the
book of Revelation.
REVELATION 6
REVELATION 6:1–2
OBSERVATION: Revelation 6 is a continuation of the setting of Revelation
4 and 5 and describes the opening of the first six of the seven seals. The
seals begin with a description of the first-century apostolic Christian
church and continue all the way to the Second Coming of Christ.
Verse 1 says that “one of the seals” was opened, and “one of the four
beasts” told John to come and see what was in this seal. Revelation 5
revealed that there was a book with seven seals. It becomes clear that this
is the first seal that is being opened, and that this is the first beast telling
John to come and see. This follows with the opening of the second seal
with the second beast (v. 3). In the opening of the first four seals the
corresponding four beasts tell John to see what has been opened (vs. 1–
8).
Now that we have established that verse 1 is describing the opening of the
first seal by the Lamb, Jesus Christ, we see that verse 2 is a description of
what John saw in the first seal. He saw a white horse. On the white horse
is a rider with a bow and a crown. The horse and rider “went forth
conquering, and to conquer.” White is a symbol of purity. For example, in
Revelation 3:5, those who overcome and are retained in the book of life
are clothed with white raiment. Horses are used in Scripture to describe
battles.98 In Revelation 19:11, Christ is seated on a white horse to “judge
and make war.” The white horse in Revelation 6 with its rider is
describing the pure Christian church of the first century, fighting
victoriously the battle of the gospel faith. (See 2 Timothy 4:7–8 where
Paul said, “I have fought a good fight … henceforth, there is laid up for
me a crown of righteousness.”)
The rider has a crown and a bow. A crown (stephanos) signifies that the
rider is already victorious. However, the horse and rider continue to go
forth for more victories. Notice what Uriah Smith said,
The crown which was given to the rider, and his going forth
conquering and to make still further conquests, [signify the]
zeal and success with which the truth was promulgated by its
earliest ministers. 99
It is interesting that the first beast shows this picture to John. Revelation
4:7 reveals that the first beast is like a lion. The lion is the king of the
animal kingdom due to its ability to conquer the other animals through
force. This parallels Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation
5:5) and adds weight to the idea that Christ conquered the world in the
first century through the apostolic Christian church.
Uriah Smith adds further clarity about where the horse and rider went.
“The rider upon this horse went forth—where? His commission was
unlimited. The gospel was to all the world.” 100
The early church succeeded in this mission. Paul said that the gospel “was
preached to every creature which is under heaven” (Colossians 1:23).
With this unlimited commission, the early Christian apostolic church
succeeded through the power of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 1:8). The
historical period of the first seal fits well with the apostolic church from
AD 31–100 and parallels the first of the seven churches (Ephesus)
chronologically.
APPLICATION: The purity and power of the apostolic church is evidence

that it is possible for the church of today to attain to such an experience.
In Ephesians 5:27, Paul shows that Christ is working to have “a glorious
church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should
be holy and without blemish.” When this work is accomplished, Christ
and the church will be one flesh. This will represent the completion of the
mystery of God (see Ephesians 5:31–32; Colossians 1:27; Revelation
10:7), for which purpose the Second Advent movement was raised up.
That is the movement that we are part of. The spirit of the early church
needs to be ours. How many of us satisfy ourselves with prior spiritual
accomplishments and fail to continue going forth to conquer? Past
victories do not guarantee future success. God is looking for a church like
the rider with a crown on the white horse of the first century, who will
not stop at early victories and who will move forward until the final
victory has been gained.
REVELATION 6:3–4
OBSERVATION: The second seal is described in verses 3 and 4. The
contrast in the colors of the horses from the first to the second seal is
obvious.
Notice what Uriah Smith said about this contrast:
If the whiteness of the first horse denoted the purity of the

gospel in the period which that symbol covers, the redness of
the second horse would signify that in this period that original
purity began to be corrupted. 101
In addition to the corruption that entered the church, this was a time of
persecution. Peace was taken from the earth in connection with killing
and with the sword. The period from AD 100–313 is well-known as a
time when the Christian church was persecuted by Rome (see again the
discussion about this persecution in Revelation 2 with regards to the
church of Smyrna). The second of the seven churches (Smyrna) and the
second of the seven seals are parallel with respect to the persecution of
the church. In Smyrna, it can also be seen that the synagogue of Satan
begins to form (Revelation 2:9). In AD 312, Constantine “converted” to
Christianity but opened the door for many pagan customs to enter the
church. The church began to lose its purity.
It is also interesting that the second beast, the calf, bids John come and
see the second seal. The calf represents that which was used as a sacrifice
and correlates with the church that shed its blood.
APPLICATION: The corruption that entered the Christian church after its
initial purity is a reminder that we can easily backslide from a zealous
faith to a corrupt or, in modern prophetic terms, lukewarm state. The
natural inclination of humanity is toward evil. Once we start down that
path, it is hard to regain the purity that has been lost, and the tendency is
to become worse. The following seals show this to be a fact, as the third
horse becomes black and the fourth horse becomes pale, or jaundiced, in
appearance.
REVELATION 6:5–6
OBSERVATION: Verses 5 and 6 describe the third seal. The third horse
represents a further decline in the church as it has descended from white,
to red, and now to black. Black is the opposite of white.
Uriah Smith adds further helpful commentary:
A period of great darkness and moral corruption in the church

must be denoted by this symbol. By the events of the second
seal the way was fully opened for that state of things to be
brought about which is here presented. The time that
intervened between the reign of Constantine and the
establishment of the papacy in AD 538 may be justly noted as
the time when the darkest errors and grossest superstitions
sprang up in the church. 102
This period parallels the church of Pergamos from AD 313–538, in which

it is noted in Revelation 2:13 that the church dwelt in the midst of Satan’s
seat. Revelation 2:14 shows that some in the church held the doctrine of
Balaam, and verse 15 shows that some in the church held the doctrine of
the Nicolaitans. This condition is clearly opposite to the first church of
Ephesus which hated the doctrine of the Nicolaitans—which was also
held by some in the church of Pergamos. Similarly, in the seals, the third
seal reveals a black horse, which is opposite of the white horse in the first
seal.
The rider on the black horse held a pair of balances in his hand. Wheat
and barley were being measured by the balances (v. 6). The church, in its
polluted state, seems to be concerned more with doing business in the
affairs of daily life (measuring out wheat and barley) than with the
propagation of the gospel. This indicates a union of church and state,
which historically did take place especially after the conversion of
Constantine.
Furthermore, the actions of the church in measuring out wheat and

barley suggest injustice. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
indicates that a measure of wheat amounted to one quart of grain or
enough food for one man for one day. However, the cost for that measure
of wheat was one penny. In Matthew 20:2, we find that a penny amounted
to a day’s wages. Thus, all of a laborer’s wages for one day were just
enough to buy food for himself for one day. Inflation of the cost of food
suggests a famine. Barley could be obtained for a slightly cheaper rate but
was a lower quality of food reserved for the poor. 103
Symbolic language is employed to show that as the church became

involved in civil affairs, it became polluted (black), and a famine ensued.
The famine in this passage was for wheat and barley, which is the grain
used to make bread. Bread is a known symbol for God’s Word. It could be
suggested that the famine being described is a famine for God’s Word
(Amos 8:11–12), developed by the rise of the Roman Catholic Church as
it entangled itself in the affairs of the state. By becoming involved in civil
affairs, the knowledge and practice of the Word of God became scarce.
At the end of verse 6, a voice from heaven said to “hurt not the oil and the
wine.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary says:
These were the two common liquids used as food in the ancient
world. Some have interpreted them as symbols of faith and
love, which were to be preserved in the face of materialism that
dominated the church after its legalization in the 4th century.
104
Uriah Smith equates the oil and wine as the graces of the Spirit, and he
also equates them as faith and love. 105
Oil is clearly symbolic of the Holy Spirit (see Zechariah 4), and wine can
symbolize Christ’s blood (see The Desire of Ages, 149). The work of the
Holy Spirit through the grace of love and faith, as well as the salvation
offered through the blood of Jesus Christ, would not be destroyed despite
the pollution that came into Christianity. There were always faithful
people who remained true to the pure gospel of faith in Jesus Christ
through His blood and who demonstrated the faith and love of Jesus
Christ.
The third beast, who revealed the information of the third seal to John,
had the face of a man. The third beast demonstrated how Christ became
human to lift humanity up to God. By contrast, in the third seal, the
Christian church allowed the corruption of humanity to overtake the
pure Christian faith.
APPLICATION: As the early Christian church descended into corruption, it

did so by turning away from the Word of God to pagan, human
traditions. We must be careful. If we allow the customs of the culture we
live in to override the Bible, we will be setting ourselves up to be
overtaken by the same spirit that overtook the papal church many
centuries ago.
REVELATION 6:7–8
OBSERVATION: The fourth and final horse is seen in the fourth seal as
described in verses 7 and 8:
And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the
fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale
horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell
followed with him. And power was given unto them over the
fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and
with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
The fourth horse is pale. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary

describes this as the color of fear and death. 106 Uriah Smith described it
as the color “seen in blighted or sickly plants.” 107 Kenneth Mathews says,
We see a pale horse. The Greek word is cloros. We derive Clorox

and chlorophyll from this word. The color is similar to that of a
potato shoot when it grows in the cellar. The color is
somewhere between yellowish, green, and ashen-grey. The
word was used in ancient times for the appearance of a person
who was sick.108
Thus, the church has become very sick. The church is supposed to lead its
people to Christ who is the source of life. During this era of history, the
church led its followers to sickness and death.
In addition, the rider on the horse is named “Death.” Not only was the
rider of the horse named “Death,” but “Hell” or hades came right behind.
Death and Hell are names that invoke the most negative connotations
that humans can think of. The description makes it apparent that the
church was leading people to death and hell rather than to everlasting life
and heaven.
Notice again what Uriah Smith said,
The mortality is so great during this period that it would seem

as if the “pale nations of the dead” had come upon earth, and
were following in the wake of this desolating power. The period
during which this seal applies can hardly be mistaken. It must
refer to the time in which the papacy bore its unrebuked,
unrestrained, and persecuting rule, beginning about AD 538,
and extending to the time when the Reformers began their
work of exposing the corruptions of the papal system. 109
Power was given papal Rome “over the fourth part of the earth” (v. 8).
This likely signifies “a wide area of the earth.” 110
Furthermore, papal Rome killed with the “sword,” “hunger,” “death, and
with the beasts of the earth.” These are some of the key means that the
papacy used in persecuting the true Christians of that era. Millions were
martyrs for the faith during the era known as the Dark Ages. This period
of the pale horse extends from AD 538 to the beginning of the
Reformation with John Wycliffe around AD 1374.
The fourth beast showed the fourth seal to John. The fourth beast was a
flying eagle. The eagle was symbolic of divinity, and the work of this beast
was to help show the divinity of Christ. In contrast, in the fourth seal we
find papal Rome assuming to be the “vicar of the Son of God.” The
papacy formed the antichrist system in direct contrast to Christ. By
assuming a false role, Christ was misrepresented, the church became very
sick, and the followers of this church were led to death and hell.
APPLICATION: The Christian church reached the lowest depths of

degradation after departing from the principles of the Bible. We must
take heed lest we follow a similar course. Many of us can think of friends
who were once strong in the faith who are now living a life of
licentiousness and debauchery. Perhaps we know others who persecute
those with whom they once rejoiced in the truth. The decline of papal
Rome from its roots as the pure Christian church is a reminder where
each one of us could end up if we do not follow Christ completely and
consistently.
REVELATION 6:9–11
OBSERVATION: A transition in the seals takes place with the fifth seal.
There are no more horses or riders on horses. There are no more beasts to
tell John, “Come and see.” What we do find is a dramatic cry from souls
under the alter.
Undoubtedly, the fifth seal is describing a symbolic cry of the blood of the
martyrs from the first four seals. There is a similar situation in Genesis
4:10 in which God tells Cain that Abel’s blood cries to Him from the
ground. Other verses in Scripture, such as Ecclesiastes 9:5–6 show that
“the dead know not anything.” Thus, this is symbolic language.
The blood of these martyrs was shed by the persecuting powers of pagan
and papal Rome. They “were slain for the word of God, and for the
testimony which they held.” Truth Triumphant, by B.G. Wilkinson, and
The Great Controversy, by Ellen G. White, are excellent resources for
describing this time period of persecution.
Symbolically speaking, in the fifth seal a protest began to be heard from

the martyrs. The question was asked how long it would be till God judged
and avenged the blood of the saints. This passage indicates that there will
be a judgment and that there needs to be a judgment based on the evil
work of persecution towards God’s people. The seven trumpets show the
judgments that God poured out on the persecuting powers of His saints.
This symbolic protest called forth by the blood of the saints corresponds
with the work of the Protestant Reformers who championed the cause of
truth and protested against the heresies and abuses of the papal system.
God heard their cry (v. 11). The promise is seen that their salvation is
sure. They received white robes, which is the reward given to the
overcomers in the church of Sardis (see Revelation 3:5). They must yet
rest in the graves, and there would be more martyrs for the faith. During
the Protestant Reformation there were more martyrs (Huss and Jerome
among others) during the “little season” that continued until the 1,260
years of papal supremacy came to an end.
The fifth seal began in AD 1374 with the work of John Wycliffe and
extended until November 1, 1755, when the great Lisbon earthquake
announced the prophetic opening of the sixth seal in heaven.
APPLICATION: A time is coming when persecution will be revived.

Revelation 12:11 declares that God will have a group of people at the end
of time from the remnant church who will overcome and will “love not
their lives unto the death.” The trials that we face now are the testing
ground to prepare for what lies ahead.
OBSERVATION: The first three key prophetic events of the sixth seal are
found in verses 12 and 13. These verses reflect the same prophetic events
that Jesus described in Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24–25; and Luke 21:25.
The opening of the sixth seal is a highly significant prophetic and
historical event. The sixth seal contains the elements that take us to the
Second Coming of Christ. The exciting thing is that the events of verses
12 and 13 are now part of history and not part of the prophetic future.
Following the historicist understanding of interpretation of Scripture,

once we establish the flow of history from the first-century Christian
church in the first seal through the development of the Protestant
Reformation in the fifth seal, it is straightforward to then understand
when the events of verses 12 and 13 take place.
In verse 12, as the sixth seal is opened, John saw a great earthquake. This
describes the great Lisbon earthquake of November 1, 1755, which was
felt throughout Europe, Africa, and even America. Ellen White confirms
this earthquake as the “first of the signs to precede the second advent.” 111
It is possible that the location of this earthquake in Europe was designed
by God as a judgment on the territory that rejected the messages of truth
throughout the dark ages.
Continuing in verse 12, the dark day is then described, which occurred
on May 19, 1780. Ellen White described this day in The Great
Controversy, 306–308. The dark day occurred in New England and is
significant because there were some alive on that day who lived to see the
preaching of William Miller regarding the Second Coming of Jesus in the
1830s and 1840s. Rather than the dark day being a judgment against New
England, it served as a warning sign and beacon of hope to the territory
that would receive the message of the soon coming of Jesus.
Verse 13 then describes the stars falling from heaven, which was fulfilled
on November 13, 1833. Ellen White gives a description of this in The
Great Controversy, 333–334. She calls the falling of the stars “a striking
and impressive fulfillment” of the prophecy of Revelation 6:13. Again,
this event occurred in New England and occurred only 11 years before
1844. This is the last sign in the sequence of events mentioned in the seals
before the Second Coming of Jesus.
By this time, William Miller, and the early Adventist preachers were
proclaiming the soon coming of Jesus. They believed it would occur
about the year 1843. Thus, this fulfillment of prophecy was quite
significant. Some who were alive in 1833 were also witnesses to the dark
day of 1780. The fulfillment of these signs from the teachings of Jesus, in
the gospels as well as from the sixth seal, provided overwhelming and
conclusive evidence to the soon coming of Jesus. The very next verse
begins a description of the Second Coming of Jesus. The events of verses
12 and 13 took place in 1755, 1780, and 1833. Now, we are in the 21st
century. Obviously, the coming of Jesus is sooner now than it was then.
As we continue our study through Revelation, we will see what needs to
happen in order for Jesus to come.
APPLICATION: It is amazing to consider that so much prophecy has been
fulfilled in the six seals. The next event in the seals is the coming of Jesus.
Daniel and Revelation show us that the investigative judgment and
cleansing of the sanctuary began in 1844. However, that is not mentioned
in the seals. When we study the seals, the last event we encounter is the
falling of the stars in 1833. This helps us to understand that now is the
time to be prepared to stand in the judgment. Those signs appeared
quickly without warning. So too, the coming of Jesus will come quickly.
However, we are not without warning. As we study this message, it is
important to use the time we have now to be prepared for that day.
OBSERVATION: Revelation 6 and the sixth seal conclude in the last four
verses with a description of the Second Coming of Jesus. In Early
Writings, 286–287, as well as The Great Controversy, 641–644, Ellen White
affirmed that this is clearly referring to the Second Coming of Jesus. The
language of Scripture is very clear that this is the Second Coming.
Note that the heavens will be rolled together like a scroll. All of the
mountains and islands will move (v. 14). This will be a cosmic day for the
ages!
Unfortunately, the wicked of the earth will not see this as a great day and
will call for the rocks and mountains to fall on them. It seems strange that
a Lamb could scare anyone, but this is the “great day of His wrath.” This is
the same Lamb who was slain but prevailed to open the seals in
Revelation 5:5–6. This is the same Lamb in Revelation 13:8 who was
“slain from the foundation of the world.” Now He is coming back as the
victorious Lamb. He has great wrath because His saints have been
persecuted, and the wicked have rejected His many offers of mercy.
The response of the wicked is a natural human response. Just as Adam

hid from God in the Garden of Eden, all humans tend to hide from those
that they have wronged. When Jesus comes, the wicked will know
immediately that they have lived contrary to God and will want to hide
from Him.
The wicked ask a rhetorical question: “For the great day of his wrath is
come; and who shall be able to stand?” (v. 17). To the wicked, it appears
no one will be able stand before the Lamb when He comes in the clouds.
However, the answer to the question is given in Revelation 7, which is the

interlude between the sixth and the seventh seals. As we study Revelation
7, we find it is the servants of God, the 144,000, who will stand when the
Lamb comes. Ellen G. White gives very helpful information about who
will stand:
His eyes were as a flame of fire, which searched His children

through and through. Then all faces gathered paleness, and
those that God had rejected gathered blackness. Then we all
cried out, “Who shall be able to stand? Is my robe spotless?”
Then the angels ceased to sing, and there was some time of
awful silence, when Jesus spoke: “Those who have clean hands
and pure hearts shall be able to stand; My grace is sufficient for
you.” At this our faces lighted up and joy filled every heart. And
the angels struck a note higher and sang again, while the cloud
drew still nearer the earth. 112
What is interesting about this passage is that Ellen G. White shows that
Psalm 24:3–6 provides the answer to Revelation 6:17. Notice what this
Psalm says,
Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in
his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who
hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He
shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from
the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek
him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
A careful reading of this passage in Psalm 24 describes the last
generation, the 144,000, who will stand on Mount Zion with the Lamb as
seen in Revelation 14:1–5. First of all, the hill of the Lord, seen in Psalm
24:3, is Mount Zion when you compare with Psalm 2:6. Thus the question
is, “who shall ascend into Mount Zion and stand in His holy place?” The
answer is those who have “clean hands and a pure heart.” This is the same
group of people described by Ellen White in Early Writings who stand at
the Second Coming.
Psalm 24:4 shows that each one in this group has also “not lifted up his
soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” The 144,000, in Revelation 14:5
have no guile, or deceit, in their mouths. There again is a correlation with
the group described in Psalm 24.
Psalm 24:6 describes a generation that seeks God. They come from Jacob,
or Israel. Compare that with Revelation 7, where we find that the 144,000,
the last generation, comes from the twelve tribes of spiritual Israel.
In Psalm 24, there is a crucial and very helpful description of those who
will stand when Jesus comes. They have “clean hands and pure hearts.” In
other words, by the grace of God, they have righteous hearts and perform
righteous actions. They do not lie. They receive the blessing of
righteousness and salvation. Revelation 7 shows that they will be sealed
with the seal of God in their foreheads. That seal is given to those who
live righteous lives by faith. It is not given to those who think an outward
covering will be enough. Those who stand will not only be covered, but
they will also be pure and clean inside. They are the people Jesus is
looking for, and He will take them back to heaven when He comes.
APPLICATION: The last event in the sixth seal occurred in 1833. The next
event is the Second Coming of Jesus, which is yet future. When Jesus
comes, He is coming for those who have clean hands and a pure heart.
Revelation 7 shows that the final winds of strife are being held until that
group of people is developed. God is calling on our generation to be the
generation who will stand when He comes.
REVELATION 7
REVELATION 7:1–4
OBSERVATION: Revelation 7 is an interlude between the sixth and
seventh seals. The sixth seal concludes with scenes of the Second Coming
of Jesus. The seventh seal, in Revelation 8:1, describes silence in heaven
for about half an hour when Jesus returns to this earth.
Revelation 7 provides us a picture of what Jesus is waiting for prior to His

return. There will be significant strife and upheaval immediately prior to
the the Second Coming; thus, there is need for a mature people in the
likeness of Christ’s character who can stand through such a crisis.
Four angels are standing on the four corners of the earth and are holding
the four winds of the earth (v. 1). The four winds represent a picture of
catastrophic strife that will be unleashed at the end of the world. Daniel
7:2 uses the term “four winds” to depict the strife, commotion, and
warlike elements that accompanied the rise of the four major world
empires. 113 The number four is used in Scripture to denote universality
(see Isaiah 11:12). At this time, there is impending worldwide destruction
that is currently being held back by worldwide angelic influences. 114
Next, an angel ascends from “the east” having the seal of the living God
(vs. 2–3). This angel has authority over the four angels as it tells those
angels to hold the four winds (or to not hurt the earth, sea, and trees)
until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads.
The direction of the east is also seen prophetically in Daniel 11:44. The
tidings that come out of the east and north represent the loud cry
message under the power of the latter rain. This sealing message is given
by God’s people who have been sealed. The earth is illuminated with the
character of Christ as this message from the east goes forth (see
discussion on Revelation 18:1). As this sealing message comes from the
east, it prepares the way for the Second Coming of the “kings of the east”
in Revelation 16:12.
The earth, sea, and trees are symbolic of the worldwide people groups
that will be harmed by the winds of strife. The first beast of Revelation 13
comes up out of the sea, representing the populated area of the Old
World. The second beast of Revelation 13 comes up out the earth,
representing the unpopulated area of the New World or the United States.
(Much more will be said of these two beasts in the chapter on Revelation
13). The trees are represented in Scripture as the righteous (see Jeremiah
17:7–8 and Psalm 1:1-3). The earth, sea, and trees represent the entire
world that will face the winds of destruction after God’s people are sealed.
115
The seal of the living God is placed in the foreheads of the servants of
God (Revelation 7:3). Verse 4 makes it very clear that the 144,000 are the
servants of God who will be sealed from the twelve tribes of the children
of Israel.
There is a parallel verse in Revelation 14:1 in which the 144,000 have

God’s name placed in their foreheads.
The seal of God and the name of God are inextricably linked. Isaiah 57:15
shows that God’s name is Holy. A name in Scripture refers to character,
and God is holy. The 144,000 are a holy people who have God’s name
placed in their foreheads.
Furthermore, a seal has historically been used to identify the name, title,
and jurisdiction of a person in authority. It is logical that the ultimate
Authority of the universe would have a seal. We find all these elements in
the fourth commandment, which discusses the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8–
11). Exodus 20:10 identifies the seventh day as “the Sabbath of the Lord
thy God.” His name is the Lord. In verse 11, God’s title is given as Creator
because He made heaven, the earth, and the sea. Finally, He has
jurisdiction over all that He has created. The Sabbath commandment
meets all the elements for the seal of God.
In Romans 4:11, we see that a sign and seal are used interchangeably.
Ezekiel 20:12, 20 shows that the Sabbath is the sign that God sanctifies
His people. Ellen White also had a succinct statement on the connection
between the Sabbath and the holiness of God’s people:
No other institution which was committed to the Jews tended

so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as did
the Sabbath. God designed that its observance should designate
them as His worshipers. It was to be a token of their separation
from idolatry, and their connection with the true God. But in
order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must themselves be holy.
Through faith they must become partakers of the righteousness
of Christ. When the command was given to Israel, “Remember
the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,” the Lord said also to them, “Ye
shall be holy men unto Me.” Exodus 20:8; 22:31. Only thus
could the Sabbath distinguish Israel as the worshipers of God.
116
To accentuate the understanding that the Sabbath is an experience of

holiness that leads to the sealing of God’s people, Ellen White also said
this about the sealing:
Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads

—it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into
the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be
moved—just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared
for the shaking, it will come. 117
The 144,000 who receive the holy name of God in their foreheads will be
a holy people that are Sabbath-keepers from God’s last-day judgment-
hour church. They know the truth on an intellectual level and on an
experiential level. They have the beautiful character of Jesus, and they will
be empowered to share the last message of God’s mercy to the world.
What is clear from this passage is that God will not allow the angels to
release the winds of destruction upon the earth until His people are
ready. When God’s people are sealed, probation closes, and the seven last
plagues are poured out, as seen in Revelation 16. The four winds that are
being held back especially describe the seven last plagues, but the winds
also describe the significant upheaval that will take place leading up to
the close of probation.
What is implied is that there is a delay because God’s people have not yet
been sealed.
The concept of a delay in the Second Coming is not a novel idea in

Scripture. Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. This is a
prophetic depiction of God’s church at the end of the world. He said,
“While the bridegroom tarried [was delayed], they all slumbered and
slept” (v. 5). The words tarried or delayed come from the Greek word
chronizo, which means to be delayed. Christ has long patience as He waits
for the precious fruit of the earth (James 5:7). This fruit will not be ready
until it receives the outpouring of the early and latter rain.
Revelation 7:1–4 is painting a picture of a delay in the return of Christ

because His people are not ready to be sealed. E.G. White has this to say
about the sealing and the delay:
I saw four angels who had a work to do on the earth, and were
on their way to accomplish it. Jesus was clothed with priestly
garments. He gazed in pity on the remnant, then raised His
hands, and with a voice of deep pity cried, “My blood, Father,
My blood, My blood, My blood!” Then I saw an exceeding
bright light come from God, who sat upon the great white
throne, and was shed all about Jesus. Then I saw an angel with a
commission from Jesus, swiftly flying to the four angels who
had a work to do on the earth, and waving something up and
down in his hand, and crying with a loud voice, “Hold! Hold!
Hold! Hold! until the servants of God are sealed in their
foreheads.”
I asked my accompanying angel the meaning of what I heard,

and what the four angels were about to do. He said to me that it
was God that restrained the powers, and that He gave His
angels charge over things on the earth; that the four angels had
power from God to hold the four winds, and that they were
about to let them go; but while their hands were loosening, and
the four winds were about to blow, the merciful eye of Jesus
gazed on the remnant that were not sealed, and He raised His
hands to the Father and pleaded with Him that He had spilled
His blood for them. Then another angel was commissioned to
fly swiftly to the four angels and bid them hold, until the
servants of God were sealed with the seal of the living God in
their foreheads. 118
To summarize this passage, before Jesus returns, God’s people will be

sealed once they have intellectually and spiritually settled into the truth.
They will not only know the theory of the seventh-day Sabbath truth, but
they will also have the experience of Sabbath holiness. When the 144,000
are thus fully formed, there will be an unleashing of destruction upon
this earth with the release of the four winds. This will coincide with the
last message of mercy to the world.
APPLICATION: God is not waiting for the pope. God is not waiting for
actions from the President of the United States. He is waiting for a people
that can be sealed and pass through the final crisis.
Notice this profound statement from Ellen White about the hastening of
Christ’s coming:
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,

gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Galatians
5:22, 23. This fruit can never perish, but will produce after its
kind a harvest unto eternal life.
“When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the

sickle, because the harvest is come.” Christ is waiting with
longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church.
When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in
His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.
It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for but to

hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (2 Peter 3:12,
margin). Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His
glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the
seed of the gospel. Quickly the last great harvest would be
ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.
119
The 144,000 who are sealed will be the kindest, most loving people on the
planet. They will have joy, peace, and patience. They will be gentle and
meek with temperance. And they will have steadfast faith to withstand
any trial. They will be the most effective soul-winners the world has ever
seen. That, my friend, is God’s purpose for your life.
REVELATION 7:5–8
OBSERVATION: These four verses identify the twelve tribes of Israel as
the source of the 144,000 who are sealed. Twelve thousand are sealed
from each tribe. An understanding of symbolism is helpful here. Ten of
the twelve tribes of Israel ceased to exist with the Assyrian captivity of the
northern kingdom of Israel in the Old Testament. Only the tribes of
Judah and Benjamin from the southern kingdom remained. In a literal
sense, for over 2,500 years now, people who come from the ten tribes of
the northern kingdom cannot be found. Thus, it becomes clear that the
twelve tribes from which the 144,000 come are a depiction of symbolic or
spiritual Israel.
Just before his death, Jacob gave a prophetic blessing to each of his twelve
sons in Genesis 49:1–28. Here we see key characteristics of these sons.
Each of the sons had strengths and weaknesses. Within the personalities
of the twelve sons of Jacob, a case can be made that all of the struggles
and sinful tendencies as well as character strengths common to all of
humanity are found.
Judah stands out among the twelve sons, as Jacob prophesied that the
Messiah would come from his tribe. Judah is the first tribe described in
Revelation 7:5. Furthermore, Jesus came from the tribe of Judah. He is a
demonstration of what all humans can be no matter their background
(see Romans 8:3–4). His grace is sufficient, and His strength is made
perfect in weakness (see 2 Corinthians 12:9).
When God places His seal on 12,000 from each tribe, He is sending a
clear message that no weakness is too strong to prevent anyone from
being made into the likeness of the lovely character of Jesus.
When looking at the names of the twelve tribes in Revelation 7, it should

be noted that two of the original tribes are missing: Ephraim and Dan.
In Genesis 49:16–17, Dan is described as a judge of the people and as a

serpent that bites the heels of a horse, causing the rider to fall off. Hosea
4:17 says, “Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.”
God, in His great mercy, goes to great lengths to save His people. The
sinfulness seen in the twelve tribes and among the twelve sons of Jacob is
great. The loss of Dan and Ephraim from the twelve tribes in Revelation 7
serves as a warning to all. There is a limit to the divine forbearance of
God. Sins that are not overcome, such as a judgmental, backbiting tongue
like Dan and the sin of idolatry like Ephraim, will not be allowed into the
kingdom of heaven.
Joseph replaces Ephraim and Levi replaces Dan among the twelve tribes
listed. 120
APPLICATION: It is sad to see that Ephraim and Dan are left out of the
twelve tribes. This serves as a warning to all of us that even with the best
background, the best parents, and the best education, it is not a guarantee
of salvation or sealing. On the other hand, despite the severe character
defects seen among the twelve sons of Jacob, God will develop the
144,000 from faulty people who have similar defects. You may have a
background like Reuben, Simeon, or Levi. Despite that, you can be an
overcomer by the grace of Jesus and receive the seal of the living God.
Notice this statement of warning and encouragement from the pen of

Ellen White:
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso
confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs
28:13. If those who hide and excuse their faults could see how
Satan exults over them, how he taunts Christ and holy angels
with their course, they would make haste to confess their sins
and to put them away. Through defects in the character, Satan
works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that if
these defects are cherished, he will succeed. Therefore he is
constantly seeking to deceive the followers of Christ with his
fatal sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome. But
Jesus pleads in their behalf His wounded hands, His bruised
body; and He declares to all who would follow Him: “My grace
is sufficient for thee.” 2 Corinthians 12:9. “Take My yoke upon
you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My
burden is light.” Matthew 11:29, 30. Let none, then, regard their
defects as incurable. God will give faith and grace to overcome
them. 121
I love the promise seen here that no defect is incurable. God truly can
give faith and grace to overcome every sin.
Consider also these statements:
Not all who profess to keep the Sabbath will be sealed. There
are many even among those who teach the truth to others who
will not receive the seal of God in their foreheads. They had the
light of truth, they knew their Master’s will, they understood
every point of our faith, but they had not corresponding works.
These who were so familiar with prophecy and the treasures of
divine wisdom should have acted their faith. They should have
commanded their households after them, that by a well-
ordered family they might present to the world the influence of
the truth upon the human heart. 122
Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our
characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to
remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple
of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the
early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. 123
These statements are solemn and serious, but they reflect the times in
which we live. It is not enough to understand every point of our faith. It is
not enough to be familiar with prophecy and the treasures of divine
wisdom. There must be corresponding works in our lives that reflect the
complete surrender of our hearts and lives to Jesus. As we are
surrendered completely to Christ, we can be cleansed of sin and this will
prepare us to receive the outpouring of the latter rain.
On a practical level, a Christian family is a demonstration to the world

that the truth as it is in Jesus has truly touched our hearts.
The greatest evidence of the power of Christianity that can be

presented to the world is a well-ordered, well-disciplined
family. This will recommend the truth as nothing else can, for it
is a living witness of its practical power upon the heart. 124
REVELATION 7:9–12
OBSERVATION: After mention of the 144,000 from the twelve tribes of
Israel, verse 9 serves as a transition to the great multitude which no man
can number. Whereas the 144,000 come from spiritual Israel, the great
multitude comes from all nations, languages, and people groups. And
while 144,000 is a distinct number that can be counted, the great
multitude describes a group that cannot be numbered.
Another contrast is that John heard the number that were sealed (v. 4),
but it does not say that he saw the 144,000 in verses 5–8. He saw the great
multitude. They are standing before the throne of God and the Lamb.
They are clothed with white robes and have palms in their hands.
The great multitude initiates worship to God and to the Lamb (v. 10).
This leads the angels, the twenty-four elders, and the four beasts to
worship God also (vs. 11–12).
Revelation 3:5 promises to the church of Sardis that those who overcome
will be clothed in white raiment. In the parable of the wedding feast
(Matthew 22:11–12) we learn that the wedding garment, symbolizing the
garment of Christ’s righteousness, is a requirement for entrance into
heaven. Those clothed in white robes are those who have overcome
through faith and by God’s grace.
Based on the countless number of redeemed in the great multitude, this

appears to be those who have been saved throughout the ages of earth’s
history.
There are differing views on the 144,000 and the great multitude. Many
believe that the 144,000 and the great multitude are different groups. 125
Others teach that these are the same people. 126
The evidence favors that the 144,000 and the great multitude are different
groups for the reasons listed above.
There is also discussion about whether the 144,000 is a literal or symbolic
number. Whether the number is literal or symbolic, what is clear is the
characteristics of the group. It is also vital that we strive to be among that
number.
However, there are some clues from Inspiration that give guidance in
understanding the number of the 144,000. Consider the words of Jesus in
Matthew 7:13–14:
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the
way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Notice also these statements from Ellen White:
It is a solemn statement that I make to the church, that not one

in twenty whose names are registered upon the church books
are prepared to close their earthly history, and would be as
verily without God and without hope in the world as the
common sinner. They are professedly serving God, but they are
more earnestly serving mammon. This half-and-half work is a
constant denying of Christ, rather than a confessing of Christ.
127
There is not one young person in twenty who has experienced

in his life that separation from the world which the Lord
requires of all who would become members of His family,
children of the heavenly King. 128
We need also much more knowledge; we need to be

enlightened in regard to the plan of salvation. There is not one
in one hundred who understands for himself the Bible truth on
this subject that is so necessary to our present and eternal
welfare. 129
Those who will honor the Lord in keeping His Sabbath holy
will be blessed of the Lord. There is not more than one in one
hundred who do honor to God in keeping His Sabbath from
polluting it. The Word of God is not practiced by thousands
who profess to be Christians. The looseness of the habits and
practices in observing the Sabbath has become a customary
thing. God help us to see that great blessings are enfolded in
the observance of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
The human agent cannot afford to lose these blessings by
dishonoring God in their loose habits and practices. This is a
day of meditation and of closely examining our own spiritual
condition before God. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in
the faith.” 130
We saw earlier in this chapter that the Sabbath is the seal of God, and in
order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must themselves be holy. Yet here we
see that very few in the church are prepared to receive that seal.
When reflecting on these serious statements from the pen of Inspiration,

we note a pattern. Not one in twenty in the church is ready to close their
life’s history. Not one in one hundred understands the plan of salvation,
and not more than one in one hundred is properly observing the Sabbath
in the church. These numbers suggest that very few in the church are
ready to meet Jesus at the present time. The large majority of Seventh-day
Adventists are in a lukewarm state. It is actually an amazing promise that
God will have 144,000 from his last-day church who will be like Jesus in
name and character.
Based on these considerations, my present conviction is that 144,000 is

more likely a literal number than a symbolic number from the remnant
church. The great multitude, in contrast, represents the countless
redeemed throughout the history of the earth. Thankfully, heaven will be
filled with an innumerable host of redeemed saints.
APPLICATION: While there may be some debate about who composes the
144,000 and the great multitude, there should be no dispute as to the
nature and character of these people. It is also very clear that we all have
the opportunity to be among the 144,000. Ellen White said,
Shall we not rather strive to be among that number of whom

John writes, “Here are they that keep the commandments of
God, and the faith of Jesus”? 131
We are living in a time of serious spiritual malaise in the church. God is

looking for a people who will be among the number of the 144,000. What
opportunities has God placed in our lives to develop the character
necessary to be part of that number? The difficult trials that are part of
life can be used as learning experiences on the pathway to heaven so that
we will be fitted to be among that number. It all starts with a complete
surrender of our hearts today to Jesus Christ. Take the time to do that
right now if you have not done so already, and God will give you
abundant grace to enable you to walk in that path. By His grace, we can
all pray to be among that number.
OBSERVATION: After a description of the great multitude, one of the
elders asks John about a group arrayed in white robes and where they are
from. While it is true that the great multitude are clothed in white
garments, it has already been shown that they have come from every
nation, language, and people group. Furthermore, the group in verses 13
and 14 does not have palms in their hands like the great multitude. These
distinctions suggest that the elder is telling John about a separate group.
At this point, it is useful to realize that John heard about the 144,000 in
verses 3–8, but he never saw them. Now he is seeing them. They are
arrayed in white robes, and they have come out of great tribulation. This
great tribulation is the time of earth’s history when the four winds are
released by the four angels after the servants of God have received the
seal of the living God. Just as the 144,000 in Revelation 14:4 follow the
Lamb whithersoever He goes, the same 144,000 in these verses are before
the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple.
There are differing views about the group described in verses 13–17.
Some believe that this represents the great multitude who were martyrs
during the great tribulation of the Dark Ages. 132 Others believe this
represents the 144,000 who have passed through the time of Jacob’s
trouble. 133 Based on statements from Ellen G. White that apply to both
the Dark Ages and the end of the world, still others believe that this could
represent a combination of martyrs from the great tribulation of the Dark
Ages and the 144,000 who lived through the great tribulation of the time
of trouble.
One of the challenges to this passage comes from understanding what is

meant by coming “out of great tribulation.” Jesus refers to a period of
great tribulation such as the world has never seen in Matthew 24:21–22.
This is the period of 1,260 years. Daniel 12:1 refers to the time of trouble
at the end of the world as a time of trouble such as has never been seen.
The first period of great tribulation from AD 538–1798 is the worst with
respect to duration. The second period of great tribulation known as the
time of Jacob’s trouble is the worst with respect to intensity.
Based on the context of the seals, it is helpful to realize that many in the
great multitude have come through great tribulation, as described in the
historical eras of the first six seals. Furthermore, the 144,000 are those
who pass through the time of Jacob’s trouble and will live through the
time in which the four winds are released just before Jesus returns. There
were also other martyrs and persecuted saints from the beginning of
time, starting with Abel.
Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to believe that the special group

described starting in verse 13 is a combination of a select group from the
great multitude and all of the 144,000 who have gone through great
tribulation. Not all of the redeemed through the ages of earth’s history
can make the claim of having gone through great tribulation. However,
many saints, beginning with Abel, the martyrs of the Dark Ages and
those who were persecuted incessantly during that era, along with the
144,000, can certainly make such a claim.
Ellen G. White has corroborating statements that support this concept of

a select group from the great multitude and the 144,000 being those who
have come out of great tribulation:
Suffering has been the portion of the people of God from the
days of the martyr Abel. The patriarchs suffered for being true
to God and obedient to His commandments. The great Head of
the church suffered for our sake; His first apostles and the
primitive church suffered; the millions of martyrs suffered, and
the Reformers suffered. And why should we, who have the
blessed hope of immortality, to be consummated at the soon
appearing of Christ, shrink from a life of suffering? Were it
possible to reach the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of
God without suffering, we would not enjoy so rich a reward for
which we had not suffered. We would shrink back from the
glory; shame would seize us in the presence of those who had
fought the good fight, had run the race with patience, and had
laid hold on eternal life. But none will be there who have not,
like Moses, chosen to suffer affliction with the people of God.
The prophet John saw the multitude of the redeemed, and
inquired who they were. The prompt answer came: “These are
they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” 134
While this statement applies to those who have been martyrs through the
ages, there is another statement that applies to the 144,000:
Upon the crystal sea before the throne, that sea of glass as it
were mingled with fire,—so resplendent is it with the glory of
God,—are gathered the company that have “gotten the victory
over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over
the number of his name.” With the Lamb upon Mount Zion,
“having the harps of God,” they stand, the hundred and forty
and four thousand that were redeemed from among men; and
there is heard, as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of
a great thunder, “the voice of harpers harping with their harps.”
And they sing “a new song” before the throne, a song which no
man can learn save the hundred and forty and four thousand. It
is the song of Moses and the Lamb—a song of deliverance.
None but the hundred and forty-four thousand can learn that
song; for it is the song of their experience—an experience such
as no other company have ever had. “These are they which
follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.” These, having been
translated from the earth, from among the living, are counted
as “the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.” Revelation 15:2,
3; 14:1–5. “These are they which came out of great
tribulation;” they have passed through the time of trouble such
as never was since there was a nation; they have endured the
anguish of the time of Jacob’s trouble; they have stood without
an intercessor through the final outpouring of God’s
judgments. But they have been delivered, for they have “washed
their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
“In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault”
before God. “Therefore are they before the throne of God,
and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that
sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.” They have
seen the earth wasted with famine and pestilence, the sun
having power to scorch men with great heat, and they
themselves have endured suffering, hunger, and thirst. But
“they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither
shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which
is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead
them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away
all tears from their eyes.” Revelation 7:14–17. 135
These statements seem quite convincing that Revelation 7:13–17 is

referring to the persecuted saints from the great multitude along with the
144,000 as those who have come out of great tribulation. These groups are
not the same. The great multitude has lived throughout the history of
earth. The 144,000 live at the end of the world. While this passage can
apply to both, in a special sense and especially at this time of earth’s
history, it applies to the 144,000.
We are living in the time in which we can be part of the 144,000. This is
the group we should strive to be part of that comes out of great
tribulation.
The 144,000 are a very special group. They come from spiritual Israel and
receive the seal of the living God. They come out of great tribulation at
the end of the world and live through the time of Jacob’s trouble and the
outpouring of the seven last plagues. They will be those who have heeded
the Laodicean message. They have been zealous and repented and
allowed Christ to come in. They have overcome as He overcame. They are
now found before the throne (Revelation 7:15) in fulfillment of Christ’s
promise to the Laodicean church that those who overcome as He
overcame will sit with Him in His throne (Revelation 3:21). They are like
Jesus in character, a revelation of Him to the world. God rewards them by
allowing them to serve Him day and night in His temple.
APPLICATION: What makes the 144,000 so special? Are they saved in a

different manner than all the other redeemed saints down through time?
Obviously, salvation by grace through faith is the same for all who will be
in heaven. And there have been faithful believers who have been
translated such as Enoch and Elijah. However, the 144,000 undeniably are
unique, as they represent a larger number of people who are faithful and
mature at one time than at any other age in the history of the earth.
Despite living in the most perverse age of earth’s history, the 144,000 are
like Jesus, fully and completely. They stand through earth’s final crisis
without a mediator yet are empowered by God to be a faithful
demonstration of His character.
There will be redeemed saints from all backgrounds and experiences in

heaven. This includes the thief on the cross and young children who died
before having an opportunity to grow in grace. There will be many who
never knew the truth of the Sabbath prior to going to heaven. While
saved in the same manner as all others, the 144,000 have developed a
character maturity that not all of the other redeemed had an opportunity
to experience due to a variety of circumstances.
The 144,000 will live in an age where all the knowledge of truth is
available, and they will grow in grace to a point where they are a complete
reproduction of Christ’s character. As first fruits of the harvest
(Revelation 14:4), their faithfulness through the final crisis is a
demonstration of what all the other redeemed would have experienced
and shown if given the same opportunity as the 144,000.
The faithfulness of the 144,000 through earth’s final crisis is the final
demonstration that God’s answers to Satan’s charges in the great
controversy are just and true. Satan will forever be silenced.
God will not allow the four winds to be released until He has a people
who are mature enough to face that crisis. A simple illustration makes
this point very clear. At the time of this writing, I have a daughter who is
in grade school. She is doing well for her point of development. However,
she does not have any idea of what it would take to go through a week of
final exams in medical school. As one who has gone through medical
school, I would never let her try a practice medical school examination.
She is perfect for her stage of development, but she is not ready for
medical school final exams. My job as her father is to help her continue in
her educational development so that someday, if she so chooses and time
should last, she could responsibly enter that arena of education.
God is doing the same for His last-day people. He sees so many of us who
are living like we are in spiritual grade school rather than advancing to
the full measure of what God would have us attain. We are not ready to
face the final crisis. He continues to intercede on our behalf, and He
sends the Holy Spirit to work on our hearts so that we can someday be
ready to face the final crisis of earth’s history.
So far, in the sequence of the book of Revelation, we started with seven

churches and ended with God’s last-day church in terrible condition.
Next came the seven seals. Amazingly, we find at the end of the seals that
from the Laodicean church comes the 144,000 who receive the seal of the
living God.
The reason we exist as Seventh-day Adventists is to receive the seal of

God and to be part of the 144,000. It is a high calling and a high privilege.
May you and may I be part of that number, and may Jesus come soon.
REVELATION 8
REVELATION 8:1
OBSERVATION: The first verse of Revelation 8 is the conclusion of the
seven seals. When the seventh seal is opened, there is silence in heaven
for about half an hour. Once the 144,000 are sealed, Jesus comes to this
earth the second time to take the redeemed back to heaven. The length of
“about half an hour” is calculated from prophetic time using the day-for-
year principle.
One day = one year.
One hour = 1/24 of one day.
Half an hour = 1/48 of one day.
There are 360 days in a biblical year. 360/48 = 7.5.
So prophetically, half an hour is 7.5 literal days. About half an hour is

about seven days or one literal week. Ellen G. White supports the concept
that it will take one week to go from earth to heaven when Jesus returns:
The graves opened, and the dead came up clothed with

immortality. The 144,000 shouted, “Alleluia!” as they
recognized their friends who had been torn from them by
death, and in the same moment we were changed and caught
up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. We all
entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to
the sea of glass, when Jesus brought the crowns, and with His
own right hand placed them on our heads. He gave us harps of
gold and palms of victory. 136
When the 144,000 are sealed, Jesus returns to this earth and empties all of
heaven to bring all of the redeemed back to heaven. All the angelic host
will accompany Jesus. Heaven will be silent for one week. It will be the
most majestic event in the history of the universe. You do not want to
miss it!
APPLICATION: The seventh seal represents the Second Coming, when all
heaven is emptied to bring home the redeemed. This silence takes place
because God’s people have been sealed, the harvest is fully ripened, and
Christ has come to gather the precious grain. The Laodicean church has
heard Christ knocking on the door of their hearts and let Him come in.
Do you hear the knocking today? Is the still small voice of the Holy Spirit
bringing conviction to your heart? Do not delay or harden your heart.
God is doing all that He can to save you in His kingdom. Let Christ come
in at once so that you can be among the number that receives the seal of
the living God and is alive to see Jesus come.
INTRODUCTION TO THE SEVEN TRUMPETS

OBSERVATION: Immediately after the conclusion of the seven seals, there
is a transition into the seven trumpets. Revelation 8:2–5 is the
introduction to the seven trumpets.
We have been walking through the heavenly sanctuary in the churches,

seals, and now the trumpets. Each section begins in the Holy Place of the
sanctuary and ends in the Most Holy Place. The seven trumpets are no
different.
We saw sanctuary imagery from the Holy Place in the introduction to the
seven churches (Christ in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks in
Revelation 1:12–13, 20) and the seven seals (seven lamps of fire in front
of the throne in Revelation 4:5—the throne representing the table of
shewbread).
In the introduction to the seven trumpets, we find the third and final
piece of furniture of the Holy Place, which is the altar of incense. Just as
the seventh church, part of the sixth seal, and all of the seventh seal
ended in the Most Holy Place, we will now see in the seven trumpets that
the seventh trumpet opens the door into the Most Holy Place.
Furthermore, Christ is revealing Himself more fully in His role for the
salvation of man in the Holy Place. He took on the title of Son of man in
the churches (Revelation 1:13). He was the Lamb slain in the seals
(Revelation 5:6), and He is introduced as the High Priest with the censer
in His hand at the outset of the trumpets (Revelation 8:3).
Here, is a more complete picture of Christ’s work in saving man. In the

seven churches, He is the Son of man seeking to save the lost (see
Matthew 18:11; Luke 19:10). In the seven seals, He has brought salvation
to humanity because He is the Lamb that was slain. In the seven
trumpets, He actively engages in the salvation of humanity as High Priest
and Intercessor. Hebrews 8:10–13 shows that the High Priest works to
write His law in our hearts and minds and will blot out our sins. Christ,
as High Priest, ever lives to make intercession on behalf of humanity
(Hebrews 7:25). Thus, the work that began on earth in saving man
continued into the Holy Place in heaven. The final work takes place in the
Most Holy Place at the end of the seven churches, seven seals, and seven
trumpets. A more detailed discussion about the final work will take place
at the end of seven trumpets.
REVELATION 8:2–5
OBSERVATION: There are seven angels and each angel has a trumpet (v.
2). At the appropriate time, each angel will sound its trumpet in
succeeding order.
Verse 3 introduces an angel standing at the altar of incense with a golden

censer and much incense. Ascending from the angel’s hand is the smoke
of the incense along with the prayers of the saints. The altar of incense of
the earthly sanctuary is described in Exodus 30:1–8. In that passage,
Aaron, the high priest, was to burn incense every morning from this altar.
While the heavenly being at the altar of incense is described as an angel,

the work this angel is doing is actually that of the high priest. Verses 3
and 4 describe the offering of incense and the prayers of the saints
ascending from the angel’s hand at the golden altar. This is a work of
intercession. Hebrews 7:25 makes it clear that Jesus “ever lives to make
intercession for us.”
We see Jesus as the angel, or High Priest, at the altar of incense at the
outset of the seven trumpets. It is interesting to note that toward the end
of the seven trumpets, Jesus appears again in Revelation 10:1 as the
Mighty Angel as He is moving from the Holy Place to the Most Holy
Place (we will have a detailed discussion on the Mighty Angel when we
get to Revelation 10). Jesus begins the trumpets described as an angel,
who is really the High Priest, in the Holy Place. At the end of the
trumpets, He is described as the Mighty Angel as He moves into the Most
Holy Place to complete His work as High Priest.
Not only is Jesus doing a work of salvation and intercession, with the
casting of the censer into the earth He is doing a work of judgment (v. 5).
As a result of this action, there are “voices and thunderings, and
lightnings, and an earthquake.”
The voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake are repeated in

Revelation 11:19 at the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Great hail is an
additional feature seen in the seventh trumpet and coincides with the
seventh plague of the seven last plagues as seen in Revelation 16:21. All
these elements are God’s judgments. The seven last plagues are poured
out after probation closes.
The trumpets began as judgments against the wicked from the Holy Place
through the first six trumpets. The seventh trumpet culminates with the
final judgment from the Most Holy Place and concludes with the
outpouring of the seven last plagues after probation closes, when the
work of Christ in the Most Holy Place is finished.
Ellen White has a statement in Early Writings that identifies the casting
down of the censer with the close of probation:
I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with a

writer’s inkhorn by his side returned from the earth and
reported to Jesus that his work was done, and the saints were
numbered and sealed. Then I saw Jesus, who had been
ministering before the ark containing the ten commandments,
throw down the censer. He raised His hands, and with a loud
voice said, “It is done.” And all the angelic host laid off their
crowns as Jesus made the solemn declaration, “He that is
unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be
filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still:
and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” 137
The language of Revelation 8:5 is that of the close of probation. Eugene

Prewitt gives helpful insight here:
Doubtless this represents the close of probation, when our

High Priest has finished His work as intercessor. These
wonderful events (lightnings, voices, etc.) naturally follow. One
should note that these events take place during the sounding of
the seventh trumpet, as well as the seventh plague (Revelation
11:19; 16:18). Thus, the alert student would find that Revelation
8:5 is fulfilled, not as a precursor to the trumpets, but as part of
their grand finale.
The figure above demonstrates the relation between Revelation

8:2–6 and 8:7–11:19. Both periods cover the same ground,
excepting that the first period begins while the seven trumpets
are preparing to sound—that is, before the first judgment
began. Christ’s ministration ends during the sounding of the
seventh trumpet. 138
Christ moves from the Holy Place and the altar of incense in Revelation
8:2–4 to the Most Holy Place and the ark of the testament in Revelation
8:5–6 and casts the censer into the earth at the close of probation. Once
we are taken to the grand conclusion of the seven trumpets with the close
of probation as described in Revelation 8:5– 6, we step back in time to the
first trumpet that occurred in the early centuries when the seven
trumpets began.
APPLICATION: It should be the hope of all of God’s people to follow the

Lamb whithersoever He goes in heaven. It starts by following Him
through the sanctuary from the cross on earth into the sanctuary in
heaven. The trumpets will continue to lead us to the sanctuary in
preparation for the Second Coming.
REVELATION 8:6
OBSERVATION: Verse 6 announces that the seven angels with the seven
trumpets are ready to sound. The first four trumpets are found in
Revelation 8. The trumpets denote a judgment that is taking place. The
messages of the seven seals told of the persecution that Rome would use
against God’s people. The fifth seal reveals the symbolic cry of the blood
of the saints who were persecuted by Rome, asking when their blood will
be avenged (Revelation 6:9–11). The seven trumpets follow the seven
seals. These trumpets are a judgment on Rome for its persecution of
God’s people.
The first four trumpets represent the judgment on pagan and Catholic
Western Rome, the fifth and sixth trumpets are the judgment on Catholic
eastern Rome, and the seventh trumpet denotes the judgment of the
three-fold union of the dragon (spiritualism), the beast (papal Rome),
and the false prophet (apostate Protestantism), culminating with the
outpouring of the seven last plagues in Revelation 16.
Western Rome is judged by the first four trumpets in Revelation 8:6–13.

In these verses, we find four barbaric tribes that attacked Western Rome,
resulting in the fall of the Western Roman empire in AD 476.
Notice this statement from Uriah Smith:
The blowing of the trumpets by the seven angels comes as a

complement to the prophecy of Daniel 2 and 7, beginning with
the breaking up of the old Roman Empire into its ten divisions.
In the first four trumpets, we have a description of the special
events which marked Rome’s fall. 139
APPLICATION: While God is a God of mercy, He also is a God of justice.

The persecution of the saints by Rome, in its three phases, led to the
outpouring of judgments from God on Rome. We can lean on God’s
mercy, but we must not think that we can turn God’s grace into a license
for sin. A day is coming when the wrath of God will be poured out
through the seven last plagues. May we learn the lessons that Rome failed
to learn as we study the history and prophecies of the seven trumpets.
REVELATION 8:7
OBSERVATION: The first trumpet is seen in verse 7. There is hail and fire
mingled with blood cast upon the earth. This language is compelling
evidence for a hailstorm. Notice how Austin Cooke connects the idea of a
hailstorm to a military invasion:
The Old Testament, on which the book of Revelation is based,

gives the clue to what a hailstorm represents in prophecy. In
describing the invasion of the Assyrians into the land of Israel,
the prophet declared, “Behold, the Lord has a mighty and
strong one, like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, like a
flood of mighty waters overflowing, who will bring them down
to the earth with His hand” (Isaiah 28:2). Here Isaiah likens the
Assyrian invasion to a mighty hailstorm.” 140
Judgments that fell upon Western Rome started in the form of military
invasions. Cooke goes on to say,
Hailstorms that fell upon Roman territory always came from
the north, suggesting that this invasion would be from the
northerly regions. 141
In other words, the hail is a description of the cold climate of northern

Europe from which this invasion would originate.
We see that hail and fire were mingled with blood. Clearly, the result of
this invasion would be a large amount of bloodshed in the Roman
Empire.
Uriah Smith also weighs in with helpful commentary on this passage:
“Hail and fire mingled with blood” were cast upon the earth.
The terrible effects of this Gothic invasion are represented as
“hail,” from the fact of the northern origin of the invaders;
“fire,” from the destruction by flame of both city and country;
and “blood,” from the terrible slaughter of the citizens of the
empire by the bold and intrepid warriors. 142
Further, “the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was
burnt up.” The Roman Empire had three divisions, the East, the West, and
Illyricum which extended from the Balkan Peninsula to modern day
Austria, with the exception of Thrace.143 A third part represents one third
of the Roman Empire. Historically it was the Western division that came
under attack from the military invasion from the north.
Verse 7 is a perfect description of the Visigoths’ invasion of the Western

Roman Empire under the leadership of Alaric. The Visigoths were at their
peak from AD 395–410. The Visigoths came from northeast Europe near
the Baltic, thus fitting perfectly with the image of hail and of leading an
invasion from the north.
The attacks on the Roman Empire began shortly after the death of
Theodosius, the Roman emperor, in AD 395.
Kenneth Mathews has this helpful insight on the rise of the barbaric
Visigoths:
Hardly had the mass been firmly established, when, in the same
year, Theodosius, the Roman emperor, died. With his death, a
flood-tide of barbarians came over the northern borders of the
empire. The barriers of the Danube were thrown open. Alaric
the Goth attacked and blasted a third of the Roman Empire,
with Rome as its capital. One-third of the Roman Empire came
under siege and was destroyed by the barbarians under Alaric
the Goth. 144
The attacks of the Visigoths reached their culmination in AD 410 with

the destruction of the city of Rome, when Alaric captured the city.
History suggests that Alaric himself knew that he was led by a power
outside of himself to accomplish the destruction of Rome:
While fulfilling the first trumpet prophecy, it is significant that

Alaric himself possessed a powerful conviction that he was
divinely inspired to destroy Rome. This was even recognized by
the people of the day. When he was intercepted by an Italian
monk with a plea to spare the city of Rome, Alaric assured him
that while he did not feel inclined to commence the siege, he
“found himself compelled by some hidden and irresistible
impulse to accomplish the enterprise.” 145
Thus, the judgments of God for the persecution of His saints began to
return in kind to the Western Roman Empire. The second trumpet, soon
to follow, shows a continuation of those judgments.
APPLICATION: God works through the unbelieving to bring judgments on

the wicked and on His professed people. He used the Assyrians to take
the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity. He used the Babylonians to
take the southern kingdom of Judah into captivity. He used Cyrus the
Persian to destroy Babylon so that the Jews could be restored to
Jerusalem. Here, He is using barbarian nations to bring judgment on the
Western Roman Empire. We should take heed, lest God use secular
people around us as instruments of judgment, should we choose to be
unfaithful to Him.
REVELATION 8:8–9
OBSERVATION: Verses 8 and 9 are a description of the second trumpet.
Again, a third part of the Roman Empire came under attack. This time it
was the third part of the sea, the third part of the creatures in the sea, and
the third part of the ships in the sea that came under siege. Just as the
Western Roman Empire was attacked from the north by the Visigoths,
this time the attack came from the south by way of the sea.
“A great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea” (v. 8). In
prophecy, a mountain represents a kingdom (see Daniel 2:35, 44).
Furthermore, this mountain is burning with fire. Just as the Visigoths
came with hail (representing a cold, northerly climate) in the first
trumpet, the kingdom attacking the Western Roman Empire in the
second trumpet is represented as burning with fire, or from a warm
climate. This attack came from the sea and from the south of Rome.
The Vandals, under the leadership of Genseric, are a perfect historical

description of the attacks on Rome in the second trumpet. The peak of
their power was from AD 428–468. After coming through Europe, they
crossed the Mediterranean Sea at Gibraltar near southern Spain and
eventually set up in Carthage on the north coast of Africa. From this
port, they waged war against Rome by sea.
Uriah Smith weighs in with some excellent thoughts on the second

trumpet:
The sounding of the second trumpet evidently relates to the

invasion and conquest of Africa, and afterward of Italy, by
Gaeseric (Genseric), king of the Vandals. His conquests were
for the most part naval, and his triumphs were “as it were a
great mountain burning with fire, cast into the sea.” 146
In explaining this trumpet, we are to look for some events
which will have a particular bearing on the commercial world.
… Nothing but a fierce maritime warfare would fulfill the
prediction. If the sounding of the first four trumpets relates to
four remarkable events which contributed to the downfall of
the Roman Empire, and the first trumpet refers to the ravages
of the Goths under Alaric, in this we naturally look for the next
succeeding act of invasion which shook the Roman power and
conduced to its fall. The next great invasion was that of
Genseric, at the head of the Vandals. 147
It is also significant to note that the naval invasions of the Vandals from
Carthage under Genseric are referenced in Daniel 11:30 as the “ships of
Chittim.” That is the point in Daniel 11 in which the Western Roman
Empire falls in preparation for the rise of the papacy.148
As seen here in Revelation 8, there are four invasions on Western Rome

that led to its downfall, and the attacks of the Vandals were of great
prophetic significance.
Even Genseric knew that he was carrying out the wrath of God:
The fleets … became, under Genseric’s guidance, the first naval

power on the Mediterranean. … At length the work [of
ravaging the coast] became almost monotonous, and the choice
of a victim hard. Once when the fleet had weighed anchor and
was sailing forth from the broad harbor of Carthage, the
helmsman turned to the king and asked for what port he
should steer. “For the men with whom God is angry,” answered
the Vandal king, and left the winds and the waters to settle the
question who were the proper objects of the wrath of heaven.
149
Eventually the Vandals were destroyed by the Catholic Roman emperor

Justinian and his general Belisarius. They were one of the three horns
plucked out by the roots as predicted in the prophecy of Daniel 7:8.
However, their destruction took place after they played a vital role in the
downfall of the Western Roman Empire.
APPLICATION: Rome was under attack from the north and from the
mountains by the Visigoths, and from the south by sea by the Vandals.
When God pronounces judgment, there is no escape for the wicked.
OBSERVATION: We see the third trumpet in verses 10 and 11 of
Revelation 8. Here is described “a great star from heaven” which burns
like a lamp. This description resembles a meteor flashing through the sky.
A meteor appears suddenly and disappears as fast as it came.
Historically, Attila the Hun fits the description of a meteor flashing

through the sky. His attack on Rome was brief but catastrophic. These
attacks occurred between AD 451–453.150
The target of the attack was on the third part of the rivers and upon the
fountains of waters. Once again, a third part of the Roman Empire is
attacked, and the rivers were in the northern region of Italy in the Alps.
Of this we read,
As a matter of fact, the principal operations of Attila were in

the regions of the Alps, and on the portions of the empire
whence the rivers flow down into Italy.151
Notice the extent of the destruction described here:
Attila crossed the Alps, “the fountain of waters.” Aquileia, the

richest and most populous city of the Adriatic, fell, and the
succeeding generation could scarcely discover the ruins, so
complete was the overthrow. Many cities were reduced to heaps
of stones and ashes. Milan, the city of the royal palace,
submitted. 152
Verse 11 says that “the name of the star is called Wormwood.” This word
is from the Greek apsinthos and describes a notoriously bitter herb,
Artemisia absinthium. “In the present passage the waters themselves
become wormwood.” 153
We also read of Attila the Hun the following:
It was the boast of Attila that the grass never grew on the spot
which his horse had trod. “The scourge of God” was a name
that he appropriated to himself, and inserted among his royal
titles. He was the “scourge of his enemies, and the terror of the
world.” The Western emperor with the senate and people of
Rome, humbly and fearfully deprecated the wrath of Attila.
And the concluding paragraph of the chapters which record his
history, is entitled, “Symptoms of the Decay and Ruin of the
Roman Government. The name of the star is called
Wormwood.” 154
The northern Alps, which were a source of life with rivers and fountains
of waters, instead became sources of bitterness, like a bitter herb, due to
the severe destruction that took place.
Just as quickly as he came onto the scene, the brilliant light of his life
faded away as he returned home to Hungary and died in AD 453. This is
just as the prophecy of the third trumpet predicted.
APPLICATION: There are many, like those in the Western Roman Empire,
who have lived for the pleasures of the world. Hebrews 11:25 says that
there are “pleasures of sin for a season.” Ultimately though, sinfulness
leads to bitterness. As Proverbs 13:15 says, “the way of transgressors is
hard.”
REVELATION 8:12
OBSERVATION: The fourth trumpet is the final trumpet of the judgments
against the Western Roman Empire. As we saw in the previous three
trumpets, a third part of the Roman Empire came under attack, which as
noted, was the Western Roman Empire. This time, it is the third part of
the sun, moon, and the stars that are attacked.
Notice this statement from S.N. Haskell:
The prophetic history given under the fourth trumpet,

represents the dense darkness that would exist if the sun,
moon, and stars all refused to emit light. Its fulfillment was the
extinction of the light of Western Rome. 155
Uriah Smith also weighs in with this insightful perspective:
The symbols sun, moon, and stars—for they are undoubtedly

here used as symbols—evidently denote the great luminaries of
the Roman government, its emperors, senators, and consuls.
The last emperor of Western Rome was Romulus, who in
derision was called Augustulus, or the “diminutive Augustus.”
Western Rome fell in AD 476. 156
It was under the leadership of Odoacer of the Heruli that Romulus and
the Western Roman Empire were extinguished. Uriah Smith has a helpful
historical quote to back this up:
Odoacer, chief of the Heruli—a barbarian remnant of the host

of Attila, left on the Alpine frontiers of Italy—interposed with
his command that the name and the office of Roman Emperor of
the West, should be abolished. The authorities bowed in
submission to him. 157
Just as the Vandals in the second trumpet led to the destruction of

Western Rome, so also did the Heruli. Both, along with the Ostrogoths,
would be eradicated completely by the papacy. However, the Heruli were
the final blow to the Western Roman Empire in AD 476. This opened the
door to the Middle Ages, or the Dark Ages, and to the rise of the little
horn power.
APPLICATION: The pagan Roman Empire lasted from 168 BC–AD 476. It
lasted the longest of the world empires from Babylon until its time. The
era of its dominance included the timespan of the Pax Romana from 27
BC to AD 180, known within the empire for its peace and stability.
However, its defiance of the God of heaven led to its downfall. Rome
participated in the crucifixion of Christ. Rome persecuted the saints.
Nero famously set Rome on fire and then blamed it on the Christians.
The apostles, including Peter and Paul, died at the hands of the Romans.
The Roman Colosseum was a scene of brutality in which many Christians
met death through martyrdom. Diocletian started an especially brutal
period of persecution against the Christians from AD 303–313.
Ultimately, the leaders of the empire, symbolized by the sun, moon, and
stars, were darkened as the Western Roman Empire was destroyed. This
was a certain judgment of God for the empire’s persecution of His people.
The seven last plagues will likewise bring judgments to papal Rome for its
persecution of God’s people that was continued during the Dark Ages
that followed.
REVELATION 8:13
OBSERVATION: Revelation 8 concludes with a message from an angel
who is not one of the seven angels sounding the seven trumpets. Rather,
this angel gives a warning that three more angels with the last three
trumpets are about to sound.
When the final three trumpets sound, there will be three woes
successively connected to these trumpets. The fifth trumpet is the first
woe. The sixth trumpet is the second woe. The seventh trumpet is the
third woe.
The Western Roman Empire has been judged by the first four trumpets.
Yet there are more judgments to come. Next, the Eastern Roman Empire
will be judged by the fifth and sixth trumpets with the respective first and
second woes. The conclusion of these judgments will take place with the
sounding of the seventh trumpet and the corresponding third woe which
will be the final judgment on spiritual Rome.
APPLICATION: Some bristle at the thought that God is a God of justice. It is

hard for them to believe that He would pour out retribution on the
wicked. They believe it goes against His character of love. It is true that
God is long-suffering and full of mercy. However, there is a limit to His
forbearance. The flood, the plagues on Egypt, the seven trumpets, the
seven last plagues, and the fire that consumes the wicked at the end of the
millennium (Revelation 20:9) are all evidence that God will by no means
clear the guilty. The righteous can be thankful that God steps in to
intervene on behalf of His people. We are reminded of Hebrews 10:30
which says, “Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the
Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people.”
REVELATION 9
REVELATION 9:1–2
OBSERVATION: Revelation 9 is an introduction of the Muslim world in
Bible prophecy. The fifth and sixth trumpets describe the scourge of the
Arabs, first as the Saracens, and then as the Ottoman Turks on the
Eastern Roman Empire. Verses 1–11 are a description of the fifth trumpet
and the corresponding first woe. Verses 13–21 are a description of the
sixth trumpet and corresponding second woe.
The fifth trumpet begins with a depiction of a star falling from heaven. A
better translation is a “star fallen” from heaven. 158 In the third trumpet,
Attila the Hun fit the description of a great star that fell from heaven. He
was the leader of the Huns and inflicted judgment on Western Rome.
Here in the fifth trumpet, the fallen star represents the leader of a new
power that emerges at this time of history, after the fall of the Western
Roman Empire. This new power is Islam. The leader of Islam is
Mohammad.
Not long after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in AD 476,
Mohammed came onto the scene of world history. Chronologically,
historically, and theologically, the rise of Islam is a perfect fit for the
events of the fifth and sixth trumpets:
Near the close of the sixth century there was born in Mecca, of
the princes of Arabia, a man who claimed direct descent from
Ishmael, the son of Abraham. This man was Mohammed, the
son of Abdallah, and the founder of a faith, which, today has
many thousand [now over one billion] adherents. 159
Mohammed was of a serious mind, and it was his custom to
retire one month each year to a cave, a few miles from Mecca,
where he gave himself to fasting and prayer. On his return from
one of these seasons of seclusion he announced his belief in one
God [Allah], and that Mohammed was the prophet of God.
This was the beginning of Islamism. The prophet first taught in
his own family, and gradually gained a number of converts. His
flight, from Mecca, called the Hegira [AD 622] is the era of his
glory, and the date from which the Mohammedans compute
their time. 160
Mohammed, the fallen star, had the key to the bottomless pit. There are
two significant elements here: the key and the bottomless pit.
The key represents the teachings of Islam as found in the Koran, or the
Muslim Bible. Austin Cooke provides a great description of this
understanding:
Did Mohammed actually possess a key? Note what Peyron, in

his essay on this question said, “The Alcoran [Koran or Muslim
Bible] continually speaks … of the key of God which … opened
to them the gates of the world and of religion. The key among
the Mussulmen [Muslims] is nearly what the cross is with
Christians: the chief sign of the faith. … We read in the Alcoran
… “Did not he [God] give to his legate [Mohammed] the
power of heaven which is above, and fire which is beneath?
With the key, did he not give him the title and power of a
porter, that he may open to those whom he shall have chosen?”
Cambridge Professor E.B. Elliott stated,
Whenever a convert from the Muslim religion was accepted

into the faith of the Greek Church, he had to state his rejection
of Mahomet’s [Mohammed’s] “pretended key of heaven.” 161
The bottomless pit is an important aspect described in this verse as well.

Mohammed taught that the Koran, represented as the key, opened the
bottomless pit. The phrase for bottomless pit comes from the Greek
abussos. This same phrase is found in Revelation 11:7 to describe the rise
of another satanic power at the end of the 1,260 years. In Revelation 11,
the satanic power that comes out of the bottomless pit represents atheism
as seen through the French Revolution. Austin Cooke states the
following:
Many scholars believe the abyss is a term describing the arsenal

or stronghold of Satan and that any power emerging from the
bottomless pit or abyss is inspired by him. 162
Here in Revelation 9:1–2 there is a satanic power that comes out of the
bottomless pit. This power is Islam. The leader of Islam, as it entered onto
the world stage, was Mohammed. The key is the teachings of the Koran.
The Koran teaches that there is one God, Allah, and Mohammed is his
prophet.
When this bottomless pit is opened, smoke comes out of the pit like a
great furnace (v. 2). The smoke is so thick that it darkens the sun and the
air.
In Malachi 4:2, Jesus is described as the Sun of Righteousness. The satanic

power that came out of the pit had the effect of obscuring Christ and His
righteousness.
Based on the timeline of history, the false religion of Islam is a clear

representation of the smoke that darkens the sun. Notice these
statements:
With respect to the Moslems, the darkening of the sun may be

thought of as an obscuration of the sun of Christianity. Such
was the effect of the spread of the religion of Islam. 163
When the “bottomless pit” was opened, there arose a smoke

which hid the face of the sun. The figure is a strong one,
representing the darkening effect of Mohammedanism, as it
spread over the face of the earth. 164
The darkness we may believe represents here … erroneous
teachings that veiled or denied the truth about God and about
Jesus Christ. We think of the Koran. 165
Wherever the followers of Mohammed met the foreigner, there

was a single rule of action. “Confess,” said the Mussulman, “that
there is but one God, and that Mohammed is His prophet; pay
tribute, or choose death.” The atoning blood of Christ was
spurned. Jesus was a prophet, they thought; but He, like Moses,
was inferior to Mohammed. The Bible of the Christians was
replaced by the Koran. True, the simple faith and austere
practices of the Mohammedans were, to all outward
appearances, a reform over the apostasy of the Greek Catholics;
but in the rejection of Christ, the Mohammedan had nothing in
which to place his faith, save in his own ability to obtain
righteousness by works. So while the papacy was exalting man
in the West, and perfecting its system of self-righteousness, the
new religion of the East was propagating, under another name,
the same device of the devil to destroy the souls of men. 166
Mohammed was the fallen star who, with the key of the Koran, opened
the door to the bottomless pit of the satanic arsenal of the false religion of
Islam that darkened the view of Christ, the Sun of Righteousness.
APPLICATION: Islam is one of many false religions that obscures Christ

and His Word. There are also other false ideologies that obscure Christ
that are satanic as well, including atheism and secularism. As God’s
people, we have allowed many activities and pursuits in life to obscure
Christ from our view. Anything that is darkening Christ from our daily
life should be removed, and Christ and His righteousness should be
placed where He rightfully belongs.
REVELATION 9:3
OBSERVATION: The new movement of Islam is described as locusts upon
the earth with the power of scorpions. They tormented men like the sting
of a scorpion (v. 5).
Ordinarily locusts don’t sting; but these locusts seemed to have
“tails like scorpions.”(Scorpions sting with their tails, very
painfully but not often fatally). 167
In other words, the locusts as described by Islam had a more potent effect
than would be expected.
Proverbs 30:27 offers very good insight on locusts representing Islam,

which S.N. Haskell refers to here:
The wisdom of Solomon led him to say, “The locusts have no

king, yet they go forth all of them by bands.” In using this one
figure, the divine historian tells the whole story of the Saracen
conquest. There was no king, there was no organized
government; but there was one common faith which bound the
hordes of Arabia to their caliph [the chief civil and religious
leader of Islam, viewed as the successor of Mohammed]. When
Mohammed first advocated his doctrine, he gained adherents
by the power of argument; but this process soon became too
slow for his ambition, and arms were taken to defend and
extend the territory of the new religion. In the course of a few
years, Persia, Syria, Egypt, Africa and Spain had been
conquered by Saracen arms. It was in 632 that Caled, the
lieutenant of the first caliph, began the conquest of Persia. His
efforts were crowned with victory. To every man was offered
death, or the acceptance of the Mohammedan doctrine. With
the sword above their heads, multitudes thanked God for
Mohammed, His prophet. 168
Another interesting fact brought out by C. Mervyn Maxwell is that the

range of the desert locust, known as Schistocerca gregaria, is strikingly
similar to the early spread of Islam. It extends from India through the
Middle East into Arabia and northern Africa all the way into southern
Spain. 169
We can see the perversity of this false religion that spread out like locusts
with the sting of a scorpion through the Middle East, Africa, and even
into Spain. While lacking the organization that comes from having a
king, the initial expansion of Islam was quite effective.
Mohammed died on AD June 8, 632. He was succeeded by Abu-bakr that

same year. Abu-bakr quickly established his own authority and
government as a continuation of what Mohammed started. He gathered
the Arabians for ongoing conquests against the Christian religion. 170
APPLICATION: False religion brings pain and the sting of sin into one’s life.
Sin expands rapidly when we are disconnected from Christ. Just as Islam
expanded rapidly when Christ was obscured from view, our descent into
worldliness and sin can become nearly all-encompassing when we
become disconnected from Him.
REVELATION 9:4
OBSERVATION: As the Muslims expanded their conquest, they were
commanded not to hurt the grass or green things of the earth. They were
also not to hurt those who have the seal of God in their foreheads.
In the discussion of Revelation 7:3, we saw that the Sabbath represents

the seal of God. During this era, the Muslim warriors focused their
attacks against those Christians who did not keep the law of God. S.N.
Haskell has the following insight:
It would seem that God put a spirit of gentleness into the hearts
of these warriors toward those Christians, who, in the solitudes
of Syria, were keeping the law of God; but the tonsured priests
and monks were to be slain without mercy, unless they
accepted the faith of Mohammed and paid tribute. Syria was
soon in the hands of the Saracens. 171
Notice also this passage from Austin Cooke:
Did the Arabs protect those who were observers of the seventh-
day Sabbath of the fourth commandment? Dr. B. G. Wilkinson
in his study of the rise and spread of the early Christian faith
gives some remarkable information concerning this period of
church history.
In the early centuries of the Christian era, the Church of the

East, sometimes called the Assyrian church—Sabbath-keepers
—effectively spread throughout Asia and the East. However,
they remained separate from the church in the West (the Latin
church), and especially from the apostasy. These true Christians
became the teachers of the Saracens (Arabs), and were
responsible for establishing an educational system in Syria,
Mesopotamia, Turkestan, Tibet, China, India, Ceylon and other
areas. … Assyrian Christians (Sabbath-keepers) suffered
comparatively little at the hands of the Muslims, but later much
more so at the hands of the Jesuits. 172
We can see from history that Sabbath-keeping Christians were spared

from the attacks of the Muslims.
There was also the command to not hurt the grass of the earth, or any
green thing or tree. Notice how this was fulfilled through the command
of Abu-bakr:
As soon as their numbers were complete, Abubeker ascended

the hill, reviewed the men, the horses, and the arms, and
poured forth a fervent prayer for success of their undertaking.
… “Remember,” said the successor of the prophet, “that you are
always in the presence of God, on the verge of death, in the
assurance of judgment, and the hope of paradise. Avoid
injustice and oppression; consult with your brethren, and study
to preserve the love and confidence of your troops. When you
fight the battles of the Lord, acquit yourselves like men, without
turning your backs; but let not your victory be stained with the
blood of women or children. Destroy no palm trees, nor burn
any field of corn. Cut down no fruit trees nor do any mischief
to cattle, only such as you kill to eat. When you make any
covenant … stand to it, and be as good as your word. As you go
on, you will find some religious persons who live retired in
monasteries, and propose to themselves to serve God that way;
let them alone and neither kill them nor destroy their
monasteries. And you will find another sort of people that
belong to the synagogue of Satan, who have shaven crowns; be
sure you cleave their skulls, and give them no quarter, till they
either turn Mahometans or pay tribute. 173
Cooke adds this statement to the above quote:
This was the actual command. The Arabs were not to destroy
any vegetation, just as the prophecy had declared six hundred
years before. This is remarkable and indisputable evidence that
all Scripture is inspired of God. 174
We can see from the initial expansion of Islam, as the prophecy foretold,
that the Saracens spared their attacks on vegetation and on Sabbath-
keeping Christians. However, with ferocity they attacked the apostate
Christian church.
APPLICATION: Just as Sabbath-keepers were preserved during the Saracen

expansion of Islam, those who receive the seal of God will be preserved
from the judgments of God when the seven last plagues are poured out at
the end of the world. The life of faith shown by obediently keeping the
Sabbath is a demonstration of a life of holiness. Sabbath-keeping is an
outward sign of what God has done through the week to sanctify our
lives. Those who are perfected and sanctified by God’s work in the heart,
will be preserved from the final judgments of God after probation closes.
REVELATION 9:5
OBSERVATION: This verse represents a transition in the description of
the Muslims in their attacks on the Eastern Roman Empire. The attacks
are represented as a torment on Eastern Rome, and they would last for
five months. During the five prophetic months, Eastern Rome would be
tormented but not killed. The destruction of Eastern Rome would take
place in the sixth trumpet, but the torment by the Muslims in the fifth
trumpet laid the foundation for the destruction in the sixth trumpet.
Verses 5–11 describe the torment that occurred for five prophetic
months. (Five months = 150 days. In prophecy, this is 150 years.) The five
months are mentioned in both verses 5 and 10 and this connects the
events that take place in verses 5–11.
Several reputable historicists have applied the five-month prophetic

period of 150 years to the initial Islamic expansion under Mohammed
and Abu-bakr. However, there is not agreement among these authors as
to the timeframe. These dates include AD 612–762, 632–782, and 673–
823.175
Another historicist author has suggested a “double description” of a 150-

year timespan in which the first period describes Muslim expansion
under the Saracens at the beginning of the fifth trumpet. The second
period of 150 years describes the Ottoman Turks in the first part of what
is described as the second wave of Muslim expansion. 176
However, the pioneers applied the 150 years exclusively to the Ottoman
Turks from 1299–1449. Ellen White also affirmed the direct connection
between the prophecy of the five months, or 150 years, that concluded in
1449 and the prophecy in the sixth trumpet. The lack of clarity from the
various authors on dates that fit with the Saracen expansion of Islam
reinforces the more sure prophetic word given through Ellen White,
along with the understanding that the pioneers had on these dates. More
discussion will take place on the five months, or 150 years, when we study
verse 10.
APPLICATION: The judgments that came through torment did not lead to
Eastern Rome’s repentance. The lack of repentance led to their complete
destruction in the sixth trumpet. How often does God allow us to feel the
effects of sin in our lives without destroying us? Do we allow the
measured judgments of God to bring us to repentance? Or do we
continue in sin, making excuses and silencing our consciences? May we
not harden our hearts to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
REVELATION 9:6
OBSERVATION: In this verse, men are described as seeking death due to
the torment that they experienced from the Muslims. However, death
runs away from them. Austin Cooke has another insightful point about
this verse:
This was the lot of oppressed Christians and was God’s

judgment upon apostasy. It was God’s response to the prayers
of the saints that had ascended to the altar of incense of the
heavenly sanctuary where our great High Priest ministered
before God (see Rev. 8:3–5). 177
Kenneth Mathews also notes the following:
This text would suggest the misery of humanity in the

prolonged and sustained attacks of the Saracens over the length
and breadth of the Eastern Roman empire. No safety could be
found in any place, no chance to make a home, put down roots,
grow crops, marry and give in marriage. To be alive was more
miserable than if they had been killed. Famine, pestilence,
hunger, privation, and fear all combined to give humanity a
miserable and wretched time. 178
All of the trumpets are successive judgments of God in response to the

prayer of the saints in Revelation 6:9–11. God does judge and avenge the
blood of His saints.
APPLICATION: It is easy to think that the wicked enjoy the pleasures of sin
for a season without any remonstrance for their sinfulness. Yet Scripture
is clear that the heart hardened by sin is not truly happy. Ecclesiastes
repeatedly points out that all is vanity for a life lived without God (see
Ecclesiastes 12:8).
REVELATION 9:7–9
OBSERVATION: These verses give indisputable descriptions of the Arabs
as they attacked the apostate Christian church in the Eastern Roman
Empire.
Locusts and Horses:Notice the following statement from Austin Cooke

about locusts:
When you examine Arabian locusts, you will soon see that they
literally look like little horses. In fact the Bedouins describe
them as “soldiers’ horses.” The old Italians called them
cavaletta, which literally means “little horses.”
Locust is used in Scripture to denote swarming numbers:

“Make yourself many—like the locust!” (Nahum 3:15); “For
they would come up … as numerous as locusts” (Judges 6:5).
The Arab tribes, issuing from Arabia with their great speed and
their far-ranging and irresistible progress and conquests, were
appropriately symbolised by swarms of locusts. 179
Kenneth Mathews brings out the relationship between the horse and the
locust from Scripture:
God’s description to Job of the horse and its activities here aids
us in understanding the connection between the locusts and
horses. God asks Job if he can do anything as a man. “Have you
given the horse its strength or clothed its neck with a flowing
mane? Did you give it the ability to leap forward like a locust?
Its majestic snorting is terrifying” (Job 39:19, 20). 180
Gold Crowns:Notice this statement from Kenneth Mathews:
The Saracens wore one peculiar set of headgear—a yellow

turban. A usual saying among them was that Allah had
bestowed four peculiar things upon the Arabs, and one of them
was that their turbans should be to them instead of diadems.
“Make a point,” says their prophet [Mohammed], “of wearing
turbans, because it is the way of angels.” 181
Austin Cooke also has this interesting point:

Niebuhr describes the turbans of the wealthy Arabs by
recording that “they [the Arabs] wear fifteen caps, one over the
other. … That which covers all the rest is usually richly
embroidered with gold.” 182
To state it succinctly, the gold crowns fit quite well historically with the
gold or yellow turbans worn by the Arabs.
Faces of Men:Here is more helpful insight from Kenneth Mathews’ book:
Whereas the custom in the eastern Roman Empire was for men
to shave, leaving their faces smooth and hairless like women’s
faces, the Saracens wore a beard, their “venerable sign of
manhood.” 183
Women’s Hair:Revelation 9:8 indicates that the Arabs had hair like
women despite having the faces of men. Historically, the Arab men were
known for their long hair. Interestingly, 1 Corinthians 11:14–15 says that
it is a dishonor for men to wear long hair, whereas for women Scripture
indicates that long hair is “a glory to her.” 184
Mathews also says, “The Arabs appeared with long flowing hair to the
shoulder, which the Greeks regarded as effeminate and shameful.” 185
Teeth as Lions:This verse concludes with the Arabs described as having

the teeth of lions. The ferocity of the Arab forces were known to be
destructive. Notice this statement from Cooke:
The lion is also associated with Arabia. This is a symbol of the

courage and destructive power of the Arabs in their invasions.
In describing Arabia, Isaiah the prophet wrote that it was “a
land of trouble and anguish, from which came the lioness and
lion” (Isaiah 30:6). 186
Iron Breastplates:The Arabs had iron breastplates (v. 9). Notice again
what Mathews says about this feature:
In the Koran, among God’s gift[s] to the Arabs, their coats of
mail are specially mentioned, as “God hath given you coats of
mail to defend you in your wars.” The Saracen policy was the
wearing of defensive armor. The breastplate of iron, as
symbolized by their iron breasts, was a descriptive feature
answering literally to the Arab warriors, in the sixth and
seventh centuries. 187
Sound of Horses With Wings and Chariots:Notice what Mathews says

here:
Wings could represent the rapidity of the early Arab conquests.

The Saracens made extensive use of their cavalry in their
warfare and depradations. 188
Austin Cooke also makes an interesting observation about the latter part
of verse 9:
In the second half of the verse, we find a description of a locust

invasion. When locusts swarm out into the countryside, their
sound is similar to that of chariots charging to battle. Thus, this
aptly describes an army of Arab cavalry rushing into battle, by
which great terror was brought to the people of the day. 189
The more we survey the evidence, the more compelling and convincing it
becomes that these passages regarding the fifth trumpet are a description
of the Arabs in their attacks on the Eastern Roman Empire.
APPLICATION: The Bible is very specific and particular in prophecy. The

accurate description of a persecuting power that God used to bring
judgments on the Eastern Roman Empire is very faith-affirming. It also
reminds us that as the prophecies progress toward the end of the world
and the Second Coming of Christ, we can have even more confidence in
the accuracy of those prophecies.
OBSERVATION: In these verses, we see a description of the Arab
conquerors as having scorpion’s tails, the five-month prophecy, and the
rise of a king as the conquest over the Eastern Roman Empire moves into
a new phase.
Scorpion’s Tails:In verse 3, the Arabs are described as locusts with the
power of scorpions. In verse 10, we read that the Arabs had tails like
scorpions with the purpose of stinging those who they hurt. Just as the
locusts have a range similar to the territory of the Arab conquests, we see
that scorpions are also found in Arabia.
Austin Cooke offers excellent commentary on this passage:
Arabia is the natural home of the scorpion. Scorpions in that

region can grow up to thirty centimetres in length, and they
have eight legs and eight eyes. … While the scorpion’s sting is
not fatal, it causes acute suffering.
What is the significance of the scorpion’s tail? The key is found

in the writings of Isaiah in the Old Testament. “The elder and
honorable, he is the head; the prophet who teaches lies, he is
the tail” (Isaiah 9:15). The false prophet, the lying prophet, and
false religion is depicted as the tail. In other words, the false
religion of Mohammed is the tail that tormented human
beings. The sting was in the false religion, and by it men were
tormented five months—“their power was to hurt men five
months” (Revelation 9:10). 190
The false religion of Mohammed led to lies and deceit that combined
brutal force and false hope of eternal life (based on the false teachings
found in the Koran). Many were stung by the effects of Islam through
deception and persecution.
This led to the escalation and expansion of Islam in two phases, into what
is known as the Ottoman Empire. The first phase of the Ottoman Empire
is seen at the end of the fifth trumpet in which it has power to hurt men
for five months. Just as the scorpion stings, but does not kill, the same is
true of the Ottoman Empire in its first phase. The second phase of the
Ottoman Empire is found in the sixth trumpet and will be discussed
further, but there is an escalation in which it goes beyond hurting to
slaying its target.
For added clarity, during the five prophetic months of torment in which
the Eastern Roman Empire was hurt by the Ottomans, there was
bloodshed and death. However, the ultimate goal of the Ottomans during
this period was not achieved, and that was the conquest of
Constantinople, the capital city of Eastern Rome. Eastern Rome was hurt
but not killed during the five prophetic months. This changes with the
sixth trumpet, or the second phase of the Ottoman Empire. This will be
discussed in greater detail in verses 15–21 of this chapter.
Five Months:As discussed in verse 5, there is a period of five prophetic

months during the fifth trumpet, or first woe, in which Islam made an
assault on the Eastern Roman Empire. During this time, Constantinople,
the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, was assaulted repeatedly but it
was not destroyed.
As mentioned previously, several reputable historicist authors believe that

the five months of verse 5 refer to the first wave of Islam expansion under
the Saracens in which Islam spread throughout the Middle East and
North Africa and even into Spain. In addition, there were multiple
unsuccessful attempts by the Saracens to conquer Constantinople.
As Austin Cooke notes though:
The Arabs did kill hundreds of thousands during their

conquest while overrunning almost all of Eastern Rome. …
While they made concerted efforts to capture Constantinople,
the capital of the empire, they were always unsuccessful. In all
their conquests, they were not able to destroy (or kill) the
Empire of Eastern Rome. 191
In my view, there is not clear evidence to support the five months in verse
5 representing a separate prophetic period from the five months of verse
10.
What is clear is that there are thirty days in a biblical month, and this
represents 150 prophetic days or 150 literal years.
The pioneers were unified in their understanding of the five prophetic

months as stated in verse 10. They believed that the five prophetic months
began once the Islamic movement unified under the king Othman, who
became the leader of the Ottoman Empire.
Notice this statement from J.N. Loughborough:
The fifth trumpet presents the rise of Mohammedenism with its

cloud of errors, but especially the period of “five months,” or
one hundred and fifty literal years from a time they “had a king
over them.” July 27, 1299, Othman, the founder of the Ottoman
empire, invaded the territory of Nicomedia. From that time the
Ottomans harassed and “tormented” the Eastern empire of
Rome till July 27, 1449, the one hundred and fifty years of the
sounding of the fifth trumpet. 192
It should be noted that I do not believe that the entirety of the fifth
trumpet and first woe is limited to 150 years. There is ample evidence
provided at the beginning of this chapter to see the history of
Mohammed and the Saracens starting in the 600s. Then we see a
transition to the first phase of the Ottoman Empire in 1299 all the way to
1449.
S.N. Haskell also weighs in on this topic:
The close of the thirteenth century was near. The Crusades had
thrust Europe against the Turks in a most reckless manner.
Constantinople had numerous emperors, but the Greek
government grew weaker, and the time of its destruction was
stealthily approaching. “It was on July 27 A.D., 1299” says
Gibbon, “that Othman first invaded the territory of Nicomedia;
and the singular accuracy of the date seems to disclose some
foresight of the rapid and destructive growth of the monster.”
More than human foresight recorded this date with such
definiteness. To the prophet on Patmos, it had been revealed
that “their power was to hurt men five months.”
Five prophetic months is the equivalent of one hundred and

fifty literal years, one day meaning a year, and counting thirty
days to the month. Since the exact day for the beginning of this
power is given, the expiration of the five months may be
reckoned to the day. It closed July 27, 1449. It is these dates
which enable the student, to locate the events which take place
under each trumpet. These dates are “nails in a sure place” for
both the first and the second woe. 193
Finally, we look at Uriah Smith’s commentary to add further weight to the

understanding of the pioneers:
“To Hurt Men Five Months”—The question arises, What men

were they to hurt five months?—Undoubtedly the same they
were afterward to slay (see verse 15), “the third part of men,” or
third of the Roman Empire—the Greek division of it.
When were they to begin their work of torment? The eleventh

verse answers the question.
“They had a king over them.” From the death of Mohammed

until near the close of the thirteenth century, the
Mohammedans were divided into various factions under
several leaders, with no general civil government extending
over them all. Near the close of the thirteenth century, Othman
founded a government which has since been known as the
Ottoman government, or empire, which grew until it extended
over all the principal Mohammedan tribes, consolidating them
into one grand monarchy. …
But when did Othman make his first assault on the Greek
empire?—According to Gibbon “it was on the twenty-seventh
of July, in the year twelve hundred and ninety-nine of the
Christian Era, that Othman first invaded the territory of
Nicomedia; and the singular accuracy of the date seems to
disclose some foresight of the rapid and destructive growth of
the monster.” 194
What can be seen from these three pioneers is that they believed the Arab
power being referred to in verses 10 and 11 is that of the Ottoman
Empire. A key basis for this is found in verse 11 with the phrase, “And
they had a king over them.” As stated by the pioneers, this king is
Othman, the founder of the Ottoman Empire.
Verse 11 continues with a vivid description of this king. Notice that he is

the angel of the bottomless pit. As seen in the discussion of verses 1 and
2, the bottomless pit refers to a satanic power.
Othman was the king over an empire that Scripture denotes as a satanic
power, just as Mohammed used the key of the Koran to unlock this
power.
Furthermore, the power is given two names in this verse. His Hebrew
name is Abaddon, and his Greek name is Apollyon. Uriah Smith again
offered this commentary:
His name in the Hebrew tongue is “Abaddon,” the destroyer; in

Greek, “Apollyon,” one that exterminates, or destroys. Having
two different names in two languages, it is evident that the
character rather than the name of the power is intended to be
represented. If so, as expressed in both languages, he is a
destroyer. Such has always been the character of the Ottoman
government. 195
We can see as we conclude the fifth trumpet, that the Ottoman Empire
has emerged onto the scene of world history to carry out a work of
destruction on the Eastern Roman Empire.
While this work of destruction was begun in the fifth trumpet, it was
completed in the sixth trumpet. Notice this statement from Josiah Litch
which Uriah Smith references:
“And their power was to hurt men five months.” Thus far their
commission extended, to torment by constant depredations but
not politically to kill them. “Five months” [thirty days to a
month, one hundred and fifty days] that is, one hundred and
fifty years. Commencing July 27, 1299, the one hundred and
fifty years reach to 1449. During that whole period the Turks
were engaged in an almost perpetual war with the Greek
Empire, but yet without conquering it. They seized upon and
held several Greek provinces, but still Greek independence was
maintained in Constantinople. But in 1449, the termination of
the one hundred and fifty years, a change came, the history of
which will be found under the succeeding trumpet. 196
The history of 1299 to 1449 is one of frequent and significant attacks on

the Eastern Roman Empire and Constantinople. This is in fulfillment of
the fifth trumpet and corresponding first woe. What was to follow would
be even worse.
APPLICATION: We are reminded in Hebrews 12:29 that “our God is a

consuming fire.” The apostasy of the Catholic Eastern Roman Empire led
to the escalation of God’s judgments upon them. He raised up a destroyer
in the Ottoman Empire that was a satanic power. God will employ any
power and any means that He chooses in fulfillment of His word. Those
who choose to willfully disobey are subject to the correcting hand of God
through a variety of powers. It can come through secular or believing
forces. However, it is not God’s purpose to destroy us. It is His hope that
His goodness will lead us to repentance before it is too late.
REVELATION 9:12
OBSERVATION: Verse 12 announces that the first woe is in the past. The
first woe ended on July 27, 1449, exactly 150 years after it commenced.
There are two woes that follow afterward. The word “hereafter” in this
verse indicates a direct continuation without a break from the first woe
into the second woe. The second woe is in conjunction with the sounding
of the sixth trumpet which begins in verse 13. We will see an escalation of
the attack on the Eastern Roman Empire until it is subdued. The
judgments of God are being poured out in response to the prayers of the
saints in Revelation 6:9–11. He is avenging the blood of His saints.
APPLICATION: As we see the dire effects of the first and second woes, we
are reminded that we do not want to be on the receiving end of the third
woe during the outpouring of the seven last plagues. There is no need for
us to worry about such consequences, for God has made abundant
provision for us to receive His grace. The penalty for our sins was paid on
the cross. If Jesus is the Savior and Lord of our lives, we have nothing to
fear for the future judgments that are coming. Furthermore, we should be
motivated to warn the world so that they will come out of Babylon and
not receive the plagues.
OBSERVATION: When the sixth trumpet sounds, a voice is heard from
the four horns of the golden altar which is before God. This is the altar of
incense, and it is the same altar that is seen at the beginning of the seven
trumpets in Revelation 8:2–5. This is in the Holy Place of the heavenly
sanctuary. This event fits perfectly in the prophetic timeline of history as
the sixth trumpet begins to sound on July 27, 1449. Prophetically, the
sixth trumpet takes us almost to the transition of Christ from the Holy
Place into the Most Holy Place in 1844.
From this altar, the prayers of the saints are ascending to God. As a result
of these prayers, God pours out judgments in each of the seven trumpets.
The prayers are continuing to ascend here in the sixth trumpet.
At the beginning of the seven trumpets, there was an angel with a censer
standing before this altar. This angel was Christ, the High Priest, and our
Intercessor. It is likely that the voice heard from the four horns of this
altar is none other than Christ. This voice said to the sixth angel, who is
to sound the sixth trumpet, “loose the four angels which are bound in the
great river Euphrates.”
The Four Angels:We have seen four angels holding back the four winds
of strife (Revelation 7:1–3). Those four winds will bring the final
destruction to this earth just before the Second Coming. Here we have
four angels bound in the great river Euphrates that are prepared “to slay
the third part of men.” There are remarkable similarities. In both cases,
these angels are waiting for a command to unleash destruction.
It should be noted that Uriah Smith believed that the four angels were the
four Turkish caliphates located in Baghdad, Iraq; Aleppo, Syria;
Damascus, Syria; and Iconium in Asia Minor. 197
However, Austin Cooke points out that these caliphates had not been
formed by the beginning of the sixth trumpet, most of them were not
near or connected to the Euphrates River, and that in fact there were
eventually five caliphates, rather than four. 198
Cooke goes on to say,
The four angels of the sixth trumpet are most likely the same
four angels [of Revelation 7:1–3]. They may be understood to
be the agents of God controlling the power that would bring
judgments and punishments upon the world. The six trumpets
are judgments on the Roman Empire, and these four angels
could be the same divine agents who are given the task of
releasing the powers that bring punishments upon that empire.
199
Therefore, it is logical to conclude that the four angels bound up in the

great river Euphrates are the same four angels holding back the four
winds of strife upon the earth. In this case, when these angels are
released, it is the Eastern Roman Empire that feels the destructive forces
as a result of the divine judgments of God.
The River Euphrates:In this passage, the great River Euphrates

symbolizes the destroying power that is set to destroy the Eastern Roman
Empire. Water is symbolic of peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues
(Revelation 17:15). The great River Euphrates is dried up just before Jesus
returns, representing the loss of the support of the people or multitudes
of the world for spiritual Babylon (Revelation 16:12).
What nation or multitude is represented by this great river? Austin Cooke

says that “the Euphrates represents a rushing, invading, destroying
power.” 200
The Euphrates River is known to overflow its banks when the snow melt
from the mountains of Ararat descends into the lower elevations and into
the river in the springtime. When the river becomes swollen at this stage,
it takes on the characteristics of an invader and destroyer. Isaiah 8:7–8
likens the attack of Assyria on Judah to that of the overflowing Euphrates
River in which Assyria reaches to the neck of Judah. 201
Once the four angels are released from this great river, a nation comes
forth to bring destruction, as an invading force or power like that of a
swollen river overflowing its banks. This great nation is that of the
Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans escalate in the sixth trumpet from that
of a persecuting power to that of a destroying power. They come forth
with a force likened to the great River Euphrates at flood stage. The force
of this flood will lead to the destruction of the Eastern Roman Empire.
APPLICATION: It is very significant that, in verse 13, the voice of Christ is

heard from the golden altar of incense. While it is easy to skip over the
more complicated and less known prophecies in the seven trumpets, we
see that Christ is actively involved in the events that take place. He is the
one that is directing the judgments that are poured out. His direct
involvement in these events should make it clear to us that it is of great
importance to study and understand these prophecies.
REVELATION 9:15
OBSERVATION: The four angels are loosed at the command of Christ’s
voice from the golden altar. The work of these angels released from the
great River Euphrates is to slay “a third part of men.” As discussed in
Revelation 8:7 regarding the first trumpet, the Roman Empire had three
divisions, the East, the West, and Illyricum.
Just as in the first four trumpets in which a third part of the trees burned
or a third part of the sea turned into blood with respect to the destruction
of the Western Roman Empire, the same applies in this verse. The third
part of men being killed refers to the destruction of the Eastern Roman
Empire, which was one third of Rome.
One Hour, One Day, One Month, One Year:Also seen here in
Revelation 9:15 is a remarkable time prophecy. Some scholars deny that
this is a time prophecy and argue that it refers to a point in time.202
However, there is compelling and inspired evidence that this is an actual
time prophecy.
Notice what Dr. Alberto R. Treiyer says regarding this prophecy:
The fact that the “hour” has here a definite article and it is
preceded by the preposition eis, “for,” followed in turn by the
other nouns in accusative, allow us to conclude that the
appointed time here is not punctual, but denotes space of time.
203
First, let us examine the components of this prophecy following the year-
day principle:
One year = 360 days = 360 years
One month = 30 days = 30 years
One day = one year
One hour = 1/24 day; 360/24 = 15 days
Added together, we have 391 years and 15 days of literal time.
Uriah Smith said this of the prophecy:
This period, during which Ottoman supremacy was to exist,

amounts to three hundred ninety-one years and fifteen days.204
The pioneers and Ellen White weigh in on this prophecy with authority.
We will see more of their statements later in the chapter.
Historically, this time prophecy began in 1449. The key event that took
place in that year was the ascent of Deacozes Constantine (Constantine
XIII) to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire. He was the brother of
John Palaeologus who died without a son to take his place. However,
Deacozes would not accept this position without the consent of the
Turkish sultan, Amurath.205
This submission to the Turks by Deacozes elevated the Ottomans to the

role of being a superior power over the Eastern Roman Empire in 1449,
in fulfillment of the commencement of the sixth trumpet and second
woe. Deacozes was installed as the ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire in
early 1449. He would be the last Christian ruler in Constantinople.
Uriah Smith quotes Josiah Litch, who remarks on the significance of this
concession of the Eastern Roman Empire to the Ottoman Empire:
Let this historical fact be carefully examined in connection

with the prediction [given] above. This was not a violent assault
made on the Greeks, by which their empire was overthrown
and their independence taken away, but simply a voluntary
surrender of that independence into the hands of the Turks, by
saying, “I cannot reign unless you permit.” 206
The manner in which the Ottoman Empire gained power over the
Eastern Roman Empire in 1449 would be the same manner it would
surrender its power 391 years and 15 days later. We will discuss the
fulfillment of the prophecy of the 391 years and 15 days at the end of
verse 19.
APPLICATION: It is very remarkable that there is a Bible prophecy that

takes us to not just a specific year or month but to a specific day. 2 Peter
1:19 calls biblical prophecy “a more sure word of prophecy.” It is like a
light that shines in a dark place. We serve a God who can foretell events
before they happen down to the very day. This is what gives me complete
confidence and faith to believe in the God of Scripture. I can trust every
step that He directs in my life. He knows the future, and He knows the
best path and plan for my life. You can trust Him too. He is the God of
the universe, and He will guide you.
OBSERVATION: Two years after Deacozes ascended to the throne in 1449,
Amurath, the Turkish sultan who gave him permission to be ruler, died
in the year 1451. Mahomet II ascended to the rulership of the Ottoman
Empire, and he immediately set his sights on conquering Constantinople.
207
In verse 16, we see 200 million horsemen, literally translated into English
(in the KJV) as two hundred thousand thousand. Notice this helpful
commentary from Austin Cooke:
In the Greek this reads “myriad of myriads.” … Daniel 7:10

uses the same language: “A thousand thousands ministered to
Him: Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.”
Here the Hebrew reads “myriad of myriads” stood before Him.
The significance of this numbering in the sixth trumpet is that

it was the Turkish method of numbering. They numbered by
tomens. A tomen is ten thousand people, or the number 10,000,
or myriad. Gibbon himself (author of The History of the Decline
and Fall of the Roman Empire) used this very term when he
described the Turks. …
This method of numbering was peculiar to the Turks, and the

prophecy utilises it centuries ahead of the fulfillment. 208
What is clear is that this represents a very large number of Ottoman

warriors who set forth to complete the destruction of the Eastern Roman
Empire.
Verse 17 is a further description of the Ottoman warriors as they prepare

to destroy the Eastern Roman Empire. The New King James Version
offers clarity on the colors of the breastplates of these warriors, saying,
“those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and
sulfur yellow.”
Cooke notes that “red, blue, and yellow were the colours of the uniforms
of the Turkish army.” 209 Furthermore, verse 17 says that “the heads of the
horses were as the heads of lions.”
Cooke again says the following:
The “heads” no doubt refer to the Turkish leaders who are

described as lion-like. The lion is symbolic of courage and
destructiveness. It is significant to note that the Turkish leaders
often used the term “lion” in their titles, as well as their
character. 210
Finally, in verses 17 and 18, destruction comes out of the mouths of the
horses in the form of fire, smoke, and brimstone (also described as
sulphur). It is through these three elements that destruction is brought to
the third part of men. The Turks introduced a new form of warfare with
the use of gunpowder and cannons. It was especially through the use of
the cannon that Constantinople was destroyed by the Turks.
The destruction of the third part of men is referring to the third part of
the Roman Empire that is being destroyed—the Eastern Roman Empire
with its capital in Constantinople.
Constantinople had stood for a little over 1100 years as the seat of the
Eastern Roman Empire since it was established in AD 330. It was a
Catholic city. It had withstood eight separate assaults through the
centuries. Yet the time for its capture had come.
Here is what Josiah Litch said of Constantinople’s fall:
The siege commenced on the 6th of April, 1453, and ended in

the taking of the city, and death of the last of the Constantines,
on the 16th day of May following. And the eastern city of the
Caesars became the seat of the Ottoman Empire. 211
Austin Cooke adds this:
On April 6, 1453, Mahomet II assembled 258,000 men to

commence the attack. The inhabitants implored the Virgin
Mary for deliverance—an image of the virgin was driven along
the city’s walls as protection against the enemy. This, in itself, is
a confirmation of their apostasy. 212
Cooke then quotes Edward Gibbon to show how the cannon and gunfire
were used to destroy Constantinople:
The incessant volleys of lances and arrows were accompanied

with the smoke, the sound, and the fire of their musketry and
cannon. … the long order of the Turkish artillery was pointed
against the walls; fourteen batteries thundered at once on the
most accessible places. …
The fortifications, which had stood for ages against hostile

violence, were dismantled on all sides by the Ottoman cannon;
many breaches were opened; and near the gate of St. Romanus,
four towers had been leveled to the ground. …
From the lines, the galleys and bridge, the Ottoman artillery
thundered on all sides; and the camp and city, the Greeks and
the Turks, were involved in a cloud of smoke, which could only
be dispelled by the final deliverance or destruction of the
Roman empire. …
The double walls were reduced by the cannon to an heap of

ruins … The victorious Turks rushed through the breaches. …
Constantinople … was irretrievably subdued … her empire …
subverted, … her religion was trampled in the dust by the
Moslem conquerors. 213
Prophecy met its fulfillment nearly 1,350 years later. Once

Constantinople fell, the foretelling that a third of men would be killed,
came to pass. The third part of the Roman Empire, in its Eastern territory,
was gone. 214
APPLICATION: It is sad when a final judgment is poured out on the wicked.

Eastern Rome suffered from the results of their apostasy in rejecting the
teachings of Scripture. God does not delight in the death of the wicked.
In His judgments in the first six trumpets, with mercy He is warning
those who will fall under the final judgments of the seventh trumpet to
repent before it is too late. He even sends His remnant church with the
last message of mercy through the three angels’ messages to call His
people out of Babylon before the plagues are poured out. He will do
whatever it takes to save as many as He can, but He will by no means
clear the guilty (Exodus 34:7).
REVELATION 9:19
OBSERVATION: Verse 19 is the final description of the ferocity of the
Ottoman Empire during its reign of 391 years and 15 days. In this verse
we see further evidence of the power or authority of the Ottomans. The
power, or authority, of the Ottomans was in their mouth and tails. The
mouth represents the authority of the government when it speaks
through its laws or decrees (see Revelation 13:5 and 13:11). The
government of the Ottomans was based on the teachings of the Koran
and the Islamic faith.
With respect to the tails, it is interesting to note that the Ottoman

military standards were made of horses’ tails. Streamers attached to these
standards had verses from the Koran written on them. 215
Cooke adds to this and quotes E.B. Elliott:
The Turks’ peculiar ensign, the standard that they used to

represent authority, was a horse’s tail. From prime vizier to the
governors of provinces, the horse’s tail was the badge of
authority, as affirmed by Elliott: “The ensign of one, two, or
three horse’s tails … marks distinctively the dignity and power
of the Turkish Pasha.” 216
Furthermore, the verse adds that the tails were like serpents and had
heads. With these serpent-like tails that had heads, they did hurt, or
harm. The serpent symbolizes a snake or a satanic power.
Cooke again has very helpful commentary:
This verse speaks of heads that are connected to the tails, which
do harm. The Greek meaning for “do harm” is committing
injustice. It is believed that this refers to the oppression by the
Turkish leaders over those whom they conquered, especially
the Christians in Greece and elsewhere. 217
Kenneth Mathews makes this poignant observation. “The power of the

Ottomans was their belief in Allah and the Koran.” 218
To summarize this verse, the power of the Ottomans came out of their
mouth by declaring they were fighting on behalf of Allah based on the
teachings of the Koran. This power, or authority, was backed up by the
tails of the horses which had snake-like heads, representing the satanic
leaders (heads) of the Ottomans who used military power (tails) to do
injustice. This injustice was carried out in a serpent-like fashion, meaning
that a satanic spirit inspired the movements of the Ottomans. This is
consistent with the fact that the teachings of Islam came out of the
bottomless pit, which, as we saw at the beginning of this chapter,
represents the arsenal of Satan.
While the Ottoman Empire represented a false religion, God used them
to protect the rise of the Protestant Reformation.
Protestantism had arisen in 1517, and millions of people had

left the Catholic Church to become Protestants.
Charles V, a devout Roman Catholic, was earnestly persuaded

by his church to not only sternly oppose the Protestant faith,
but to destroy it. However, whenever he advanced to attack the
Protestants, tidings often came alerting him to the fact that the
Turks were on the move, and Charles would be forced to turn
away from the Protestants and march against the Turks. History
is very clear that had it not been for the Turks, Protestantism
would never have survived. 219
The Fall of the Ottoman Empire:In verse 15, we saw that the Ottoman
Empire would reign for an hour, a day, a month, and a year. Prophetically,
we saw that this adds up to 391 years and 15 days. This time frame is
directly connected to the five prophetic months, or 150 literal years, that
began on July 27, 1299. It is a direct continuation of that prophecy and
proceeds without interruption on July 27, 1449. Adding 391 years and 15
days to July 27, 1449 takes us to August 11, 1840. The entire length of
time is 541 years and 15 days.
It is helpful to remember that at the beginning of the sixth trumpet and

second woe, Deacozes would only agree to reign in Constantinople with
the permission of the Turkish sultan Amurath. It would stand to reason
that the Ottomans would fall in similar fashion.
Uriah Smith weighed in again on this matter and quotes Josiah Litch in
portions of the following two paragraphs. Litch was the original Millerite
preacher to arrive at this understanding:
This supremacy of the Mohammedans over the Greeks was to

continue, as already noticed, three hundred and ninety-one
years and fifteen days. “Commencing when the one hundred
and fifty years ended in 1449, the period would end August 11,
1840. Judging from the manner of the commencement of the
Ottoman supremacy, that it was by a voluntary
acknowledgement on the part of the Greek emperor that he
only reigned by permission of the Turkish sultan, we should
naturally conclude that the fall or departure of the Ottoman
independence would be brought about in the same way; that at
the end of the specified period [that is on the 11 of August,
1840] the sultan would voluntarily surrender his independence
into the hands of the Christian powers,” just as he had, three
hundred ninety-one years and fifteen days before, received it
from the hands of the Christian emperor, Constantine XIII.
This conclusion was reached, and this application of the

prophecy was made by Josiah Litch in 1838, two years before
the expected event was to occur. In that year he predicted that
the Turkish power would be overthrown “in AD 1840,
sometime in the month of August;” but a few days before the
fulfillment of the prophecy he concluded more definitely from
his study that the period allotted to the Turks would come to an
end on August 11, 1840. It was then purely a matter of
calculation on the prophetic periods of Scripture. It is proper to
inquire whether such events did take place according to the
calculation. 220
This is where Ellen White weighed in with prophetic and inspired

authority about this prophecy:
In the year 1840 another remarkable fulfillment of prophecy

excited widespread interest. Two years before, Josiah Litch, one
of the leading ministers preaching the second advent, published
an exposition of Revelation 9, predicting the fall of the
Ottoman Empire. According to his calculations, this power was
to be overthrown “in AD 1840, sometime in the month of
August;” and only a few days previous to its accomplishment he
wrote: “Allowing the first period, 150 years, to have been
exactly fulfilled before Deacozes ascended the throne by
permission of the Turks, and that the 391 years, fifteen days,
commenced at the close of the first period, it will end on the
11th of August, 1840, when the Ottoman power in
Constantinople may be expected to be broken. And this, I
believe, will be found to be the case.”—Josiah Litch, in Signs of
the Times, and Expositor of Prophecy, August 1, 1840.
At the very time specified, Turkey, through her ambassadors,

accepted the protection of the allied powers of Europe, and
thus placed herself under the control of Christian nations. The
event exactly fulfilled the prediction. … When it became
known, multitudes were convinced of the correctness of the
principles of prophetic interpretation adopted by Miller and his
associates, and a wonderful impetus was given to the advent
movement. Men of learning and position united with Miller,
both in preaching and in publishing his views, and from 1840
to 1844 the work rapidly extended. 221
There are several key elements from this passage that are worth
mentioning. First, Ellen White affirmed the connection between the five
prophetic months, or 150 literal years, and how they connect directly to
the 391 years and 15 days. Secondly, she described the event in 1840 as a
remarkable fulfillment of prophecy. Then, to add force to her statement
she said, “The event exactly fulfilled the prediction.” Finally, she brings
out how this fulfillment of prophecy gave power and a “wonderful
impetus” to the Second Advent movement under the leadership of
William Miller. Many could now see that the year-day principle was true.
The prophetic timeline related to the 2,300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:14
now had much greater credibility and power as the Advent preachers
taught this message.
As we will see in our study of Revelation 10, the fulfillment of the
prophecy of the sixth trumpet directly correlates with the Mighty Angel
coming down from heaven to start a new movement. We will study that
in great detail in the next chapter.
To summarize how the Ottoman Empire fell in fulfillment of this

prophecy, the sultan of Turkey (Ottoman Empire) had become embroiled
in a war with Mehemet Ali, pasha of Egypt. In 1839, a battle took place in
which Egypt destroyed much of Turkey’s naval fleet and much of the
remaining fleet was taken into Egypt. The pasha, who was supposed to be
a vassal of Turkey, refused to give up this fleet and threatened to burn it if
attempts were made to recover it.
In 1840, the four major powers of Europe, England, Russia, Austria, and
Prussia, intervened. They drafted an ultimatum that would give the pasha
of Egypt control of his own country along with control of the territory up
into Syria from the Gulf of Suez to Lake Tiberias and the province of
Acre. In exchange, Egypt would return the captured fleet of the Turks. If
this ultimatum was not accepted, the four European powers would take
the matter into their own hands.
The sultan of Turkey accepted this intervention realizing that without the
intervention he would fall under the control of Egypt. He dispatched his
emissary Rifat Bey to Alexandria with the ultimatum from the European
powers. As long as the ultimatum remained in the hands of Rifat Bey, the
Ottomans were still in possession of their autonomy. However, once the
ultimatum was delivered, the matter became an issue between Egypt and
the Europeans, and the Ottomans would be under the protection of
Europe.
As history and prophecy collide, it is not a coincidence that the

ultimatum was delivered from Rifat Bey of the Turks into the hands of
Mehemet Ali, pasha of Egypt, on August 11, 1840.
Notice Uriah Smith’s declaration regarding this event:
On August 11, 1840, the period of three hundred ninety-one

years and fifteen days, allotted to the continuance of the
Ottoman power, ended; and where was the sultan’s
independence?—GONE! Who had the supremacy of the
Ottoman Empire in their hands?—The four great powers; and
that empire has existed ever since only by the sufferance of
these Christian powers. Thus was the prophecy fulfilled to the
very letter. 222
Remember, Ellen White called this “a remarkable fulfillment of

prophecy,” and that “the event exactly fulfilled the prediction.”
There have been higher critics in modern times who say that the events
with Turkey and Egypt gave encouragement to the Millerites, but it was
not really a fulfillment of prophecy. Furthermore, they say that Josiah
Litch discarded this understanding of these events after 1844, and so we
should, too. However, Josiah Litch also discarded his belief that the 2,300-
day prophecy of Daniel 8:14 terminated on October 22, 1844. Should we
discard our belief in that as well? I should say not!
We have been given a more sure word of prophecy that shines light into
the darkness of this world. The prophet for our time (the testimony of
Jesus) affirms this remarkable fulfillment of prophecy, and we should do
the same.
APPLICATION: There is plenty of evidence for us to believe in this

remarkable fulfillment of prophecy on August 11, 1840. However, just
like the rest of Scripture, God never takes away all reasons for doubt. It is
a slippery slope when we doubt what God has affirmed. Whether it is the
veracity of August 11, 1840, or the reliability of the ancient manuscripts
of Scripture, some will find reason to doubt. Nevertheless, there is
overwhelming evidence for the authenticity of God, Scripture, and the
fulfilled promises and prophecies contained within the Bible. The more
we believe, the stronger our faith becomes, and the more God can use us
as His witnesses.
OBSERVATION: The chapter concludes with the reminder that the Arabs,
first in the Saracen expansion, and then as the Ottomans, inflicted many
plagues on the Eastern Roman Empire. These were judgments on Eastern
Rome for its persecution of God’s true church. It is interesting to note
that those who were judged worshipped “devils, and idols of gold, and
silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood.” These are the same gods that
Daniel condemns Belshazzar for worshipping in Daniel 5:4 and 5:23.
Uriah Smith has an excellent thought in closing out this chapter:
God designs that men shall make a note of His judgments, and
receive the lessons He thereby designs to convey. But how slow
they are to learn, and how blind to the indications of
providence! The events that occurred under the sixth trumpet
constituted the second woe, yet these judgments led to no
improvement in the manners and morals of men. Those who
escaped them learned nothing by their manifestation in the
earth.
The hordes of Saracens and Turks were let loose as a scourge

and punishment upon apostate Christendom. Men suffered the
punishment, but learned no lesson from it. 223
It should also be noted as well that the lack of repentance of the subjects
of the Eastern Roman Empire is remarkably similar to those who receive
the outpouring of the seven last plagues as described in Revelation 16:9.
The seven last plagues constitute the full wrath of God and are the
culmination of the sounding of the seventh trumpet and of the third woe,
as God pours out His final judgments on spiritual Rome.
Thus, we see God’s judgments on the Western Roman Empire in the first
four trumpets. We see His judgments on the Eastern Roman Empire in
the fifth and sixth trumpets. And we will see His judgments on spiritual
Rome, or Babylon, in the seventh trumpet.
APPLICATION: It is terribly sad that those who received these judgments

failed to learn the lessons that should have been understood. Yet when we
look at the world today, the same is true. Even in the church, many refuse
to turn away from sin even when afflicted by the natural consequences of
their rebellion. That is why it is so important to learn to listen to the still
small voice of the Holy Spirit and to submit to His voice the moment He
speaks to us. As Hebrews 3:7–8 says, “To day if ye will hear His voice,
harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in
the wilderness.”
Rather than hardening our hearts through the deceitfulness of sin, may
we submit ourselves to Christ and the voice of the Holy Spirit in
preparation for the soon return of Christ.
REVELATION 10
INTRODUCTION
Revelation 10 is one of the signature chapters in the book of Revelation.
This chapter reveals the prophetic rise of the Second Advent movement.
Jesus is the leader of this movement. Through this movement, we see a
more complete revelation of Jesus Christ.
Revelation chapter 10 and most of chapter 11 are sandwiched between

the descriptions of the sixth and seventh trumpets. Before the final
judgment begins, Revelation 10 shows what God does to demonstrate His
purposes through the Second Advent movement in finishing the
controversy between Christ and Satan. Revelation 11 introduces another
satanic power that wars against God’s people till the close of time.
Understanding the flow of history in the first six trumpets is crucial for
recognizing where Revelation 10 fits in the prophetic timeline. As we
learned at the end of Revelation 9, the fall of the Ottoman Empire on
August 11, 1840, galvanized the Second Advent movement. Multitudes
were convinced by the prophetic expositors proclaiming the soon return
of Christ.
It is in the context of the fall of the Ottoman Empire that Revelation 10

enters the scene of prophetic history. While the sealed portion of Daniel 8
was opened to understanding in 1798 with the beginning of the time of
the end, it was in the year 1840 that the Mighty Angel came down from
heaven to start the new movement. The fulfillment of the prophecy of the
sixth trumpet in Revelation 9 gives the fuel for the Mighty Angel to begin
the new movement as described in Revelation 10.
REVELATION 10:1–2
OBSERVATION: Revelation 10 begins with John’s attention drawn to a
Mighty Angel that comes down from heaven. The description of this
Mighty Angel in the first three verses of the chapter gives indisputable
evidence as to His identity.
Mighty Angel:First, we see that the Mighty Angel comes from heaven.
He is a heavenly being. We are also reminded of the fact that the seven
trumpets begin with an Angel working from the altar of incense. As seen
in the observation of Revelation 8:2–5, this Angel with the censer is the
High Priest, or Jesus. Near the end of the seven trumpets, we see Jesus
again as an angel, but this time He is described as the Mighty Angel. He is
moving. He is coming down from heaven to earth to start a new
movement. This becomes clearer as we see a further description of this
Mighty Angel.
Clothed With a Cloud:This Mighty Angel is clothed with a cloud. This is

not the first time that a divine being is covered by a cloud in Scripture.
The pre-incarnate Christ was covered by the pillar of cloud in Exodus
13:21–22:
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to

lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them
light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of cloud
by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
Christ was clothed with the pillar of cloud as He led the Israelites from
Egypt to Canaan. Furthermore, Leviticus 16:2 shows us that the pillar of
cloud resided in the Most Holy Place of the earthly sanctuary:
And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother,
that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail
before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I
will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
The ark of the testament and the mercy seat are within the Most Holy
Place of the sanctuary (see Hebrews 9:4–5). Christ, covered with the
pillar of cloud, resided in the Most Holy Place of the earthly tabernacle.
It is fascinating that Christ, clothed with a cloud as the Mighty Angel, is

announcing that He is raising up a new movement. Just as He led the
movement of ancient Israel from Egypt to Canaan while hovering over
the Most Holy Place in the earthly sanctuary, He is about to lead a new
movement from earth to heaven. Just as He resided in the Most Holy
Place of the earthly sanctuary to lead Israel, Revelation 10 announces that
He is moving to the Most Moly Place of the heavenly sanctuary, where He
will be the leader of the Second Advent movement.
The time frame for this movement of Christ into the Most Holy Place is a
perfect fit. The Ottoman Empire has just fallen. It is 1840. The Second
Advent movement is taking off with great power in preaching and with
newspaper articles throughout America and around the world. In just
four years, the 2,300-day prophecy announcing the cleansing of the
sanctuary will be fulfilled.
Rainbow Upon His Head:In addition to being clothed with a cloud, the
Mighty Angel has a rainbow upon His head. The rainbow is first seen in
Scripture in Genesis 9:9–17. In this passage in Genesis, God made a
covenant with Noah that He would not destroy the entire world by flood
again. The rainbow is a symbol of that covenant. The most significant
covenant in Scripture is that of God’s law written in the hearts and minds
of His people. This can be seen in Jeremiah 31:31–34, Hebrews 8:10–13,
and Hebrews 10:16–17. The tables of the covenant are found in the ark of
the covenant in the Most Holy Place (see Hebrews 9:4).
The rainbow upon the head of Christ, the Mighty Angel, signifies that He
is moving to the location in the sanctuary in which the covenant will be
renewed and completed. From the ark of the covenant in the Most Holy
Place, Christ raises up a movement that will keep the commandments of
God, including the fourth commandment. He promises that He will write
this law, or covenant, into the hearts and minds of those who follow Him
by faith as High Priest into the Most Holy Place. The Second Advent
movement has been raised up by God from the Most Holy Place to be His
new-covenant people. The rainbow signifies this plan.
Furthermore, a rainbow surrounds God’s throne as mentioned in

Revelation 4:3. In our discussion of God’s throne in Revelation 4, the
throne of God was symbolized by the table of shewbread in the Holy
Place until 1844. However, Daniel 7:9–10 also shows that the throne of
God has wheels and can move. At the conclusion of the 2,300-day
prophecy of Daniel 8:14, the throne of God moves into the Most Holy
Place. In Romans 8:34; Hebrews 8:1–2; 12:2; and Revelation 3:21, Jesus is
seated at the right hand of the throne of God. The rainbow being above
the head of the Mighty Angel confirms the presence of Jesus at the throne
of God. He is repeatedly shown in New Testament Scripture to be at the
right hand of God’s throne.
To summarize, the rainbow above the head of Christ signifies that He is

raising up a new-covenant people from the Most Holy Place in the
heavenly sanctuary. This work will be completed from the throne of God,
during the hour of His judgment, while the sanctuary is being cleansed.
One of the key undertakings that Christ performs from the Most Holy
Place is to complete the new covenant in the lives of His believers. He
does this by writing His law into our hearts and minds. The rainbow
above Christ’s head combines His work from the throne of God and the
completion of the work of the new covenant as our High Priest.
By now, it is becoming very clear that the language being used at the
outset of Revelation 10 is an announcement of Christ’s imminent move
into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary.
Face Like the Sun:The face of the Mighty Angel shines like the sun. In
Malachi 4:2, Jesus is described as the Sun of Righteousness. The
righteousness of Christ shines as brightly as the sun. Not only is He the
Sun of Righteousness, Jeremiah 23:6 says that His name is The Lord Our
Righteousness. As Jesus moves into the Most Holy Place and writes His
law into our hearts and minds, His purpose is to produce a people who
will shine like the sun with His righteousness through faith in His power
to do what He has promised. The culmination of this experience will take
place as described in Revelation 10:7 when the mystery of God is finished
and in Revelation 18:1 when the earth is illuminated with the glory of
God’s character.
Feet as Pillars of Fire:The Mighty Angel also has feet described like
pillars of fire. This is nearly identical to the description of Christ in
Revelation 1:15 which says,
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace;
and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Revelation 1:12–16 is a description of Christ as He reveals Himself to

John at the beginning of the book. In both Revelation 1:15 and Revelation
10:1, Christ’s feet are pictured like they are burning with fire.
In totality, Revelation 10:1 reveals a clear picture that the Mighty Angel is
Christ. Furthermore, all the characteristics associated with Christ are
related to His work in the sanctuary in heaven. He is clothed with a
cloud, just as He was for ancient Israel while residing above the Most
Holy Place. He has a rainbow above His head because He is seated at the
right hand of the throne of God. He is the High Priest who is the
Mediator of the new covenant from the Most Holy Place. His face shines
like the sun because He is the Sun of Righteousness. This righteousness
will be produced in its totality from the Most Holy Place. His feet shine
like pillars of fire because He is blazing a new path for a new movement
that will be a shining light of Christ’s character to the world.
Ellen White affirms that the Mighty Angel is Christ in the following
statement:
The mighty angel who instructed John was no less a personage

than Jesus Christ. Setting His right foot on the sea, and His left
upon the dry land, shows the part which He is acting in the
closing scenes of the great controversy with Satan. 224
Little Book Opened:At the outset of verse 2, Christ, the Mighty Angel,
has a little book opened in His hand. One certainty that can be agreed
upon is that when Christ opens a book, that is a book that all should have
a desire to study and understand. The fact that it is opened means that it
can be understood. There is also the implication that the little book was
closed, but now Christ has opened it so that it will be studied and
understood.
Based on the context of verse 1, it should be obvious as to what book is

opened. The timing of the beginning of Revelation 10 is in the year of
1840 with the completion of the sixth trumpet and the fall of the
Ottoman Empire (Revelation 9). Christ has revealed Himself with
sanctuary and judgment language from the throne of God with a
description that He is about to move into the Most Holy Place.
Historically, the Second Advent movement was in full swing by 1840, and
the fuel to the engine of that movement was the prophecy of Daniel 8:14
and the 2,300 days, which were to conclude on October 22, 1844. As we
saw in Revelation 9, the fall of the Ottoman Empire on August 11, 1840,
based on the fulfilled prophecy of Revelation 9:15, added further
momentum to the movement.
Now Christ comes down with a prophetic announcement that the little
book of Daniel is opened to be studied. While much of Daniel was
already understood, the prophecy of Daniel 8:14 was sealed from
understanding until the time of the end.
Daniel is told to seal the vision of the 2,300-day (evenings and mornings)
prophecy in Daniel 8:26:
And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is
true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many
days.
In Daniel 12:4, Daniel is also told to seal the vision:
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to
the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge
shall be increased.
What becomes clear through a study of the book of Daniel and of history
is that much of the book of Daniel was understood even before the time
of the end commenced in 1798. The identity of the head of gold in Daniel
2 should never have been a mystery. Martin Luther understood in the
1500s that the little horn of Daniel 7 and 8 represented the papacy.
However, it was the prophecy that extended beyond 1798—the 2,300 day
prophecy—that would not be understood until that time. This is the
portion of the little book that is unsealed by Christ Himself. This
prophecy is so important to be understood, that Christ Himself came
down from heaven to announce that the 2,300-day prophecy was about to
be fulfilled and that the sealed portion of the book of Daniel should be
studied and understood in the time frame of the 1840s and beyond.
Even more fascinating is that Christ is identified as the Wonderful

Numberer (Heb. palmoni) in Daniel 8:13, who announces the length of
time until the sanctuary is cleansed. 225 As this momentous time comes to
a conclusion, He appears again, as the Wonderful Numberer, to announce
the fulfillment of the time prophecy that He originally announced in
Daniel 8:13–14.
It is absolutely vital to study the book of Daniel in connection with the
book of Revelation to have a complete understanding of these prophecies.
That should especially be clear, given that Christ has the open book of
Daniel in His hand as He comes down from heaven to begin the Second
Advent movement here in Revelation 10. The book of Daniel and the
unsealed prophecy of the 2,300 days is the engine of the Second Advent
movement. Christ is saying so by having the book of Daniel opened in
His hand. The 2,300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:14 connects to the
prophecy of the 70 weeks and the death of Christ in AD 31, and it
ultimately leads to His movement into the Most Holy Place in heaven on
October 22, 1844. The entire plan of salvation with the cross and the
sanctuary is seen in this prophecy.
Just as surely as Christ came down from heaven and was clothed with a
cloud to lead the children of Israel from Egypt to Canaan, He has just as
certainly come down from heaven to lead a new movement—the Second
Advent movement—from earth to heaven. The more sure word of
prophecy from Daniel and Revelation makes this point indisputably clear.
As a Seventh-day Adventist, it is incredible to realize that Christ is our
leader from the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. If you are
reading this and you are not part of the Second Advent movement as
embodied within the Seventh-day Adventist Church, now is the time to
join the movement in which Christ is the leader. Keep studying and
practically applying all of Scripture (John 5:39) and the prophecies in the
open book of Daniel and the book of Revelation, in which Christ reveals
Himself, and you will be led to an eternally secure relationship with
Christ.
Right Foot Upon the Sea; Left Foot on the Earth:Jesus, the Mighty
Angel, sets His right foot upon the sea and His left foot on the earth.
Revelation 17:15 and Daniel 7:2–3 show that the sea represents the
populated areas of the world. Revelation 13:11 identifies the earth as the
unpopulated areas of the world. Jesus is indicating by the location of His
feet that the message in the open book of Daniel is worldwide in its
scope. The Second Advent movement that is powered by the prophecy of
Daniel 8:14 is not limited to North America. It is for the Old World and
the New World. It is to go to the entire world.
The angel’s position, with one foot on the sea, the other on the
land, signifies the wide extent of the proclamation of the
message. It will cross the broad waters and be proclaimed in
other countries, even to all the world. The comprehension of
truth, the glad reception of the message, is represented in the
eating of the little book. The truth in regard to the time of the
advent of our Lord was a precious message to our souls. 226
The location of the feet of the Mighty Angel symbolizes more than the
worldwide scope of the message of the open book. Notice this statement
from Ellen White:
This position denotes His supreme power and authority over

the whole earth. The controversy had waxed stronger and more
determined from age to age, and will continue to do so, to the
concluding scenes when the masterly working of the powers of
darkness shall reach their height. Satan, united with evil men,
will deceive the whole world and the churches who receive not
the love of the truth. But the mighty angel demands attention.
He cries with a loud voice. He is to show the power and
authority of His voice to those who have united with Satan to
oppose the truth.227
APPLICATION: Now more than ever is the time to be studying the

prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. Jesus told us to read and understand
the prophecies of Daniel in Matthew 24:15. Here in Revelation 10, He has
revealed that the book of Daniel is unsealed for us to understand. The
prophecies, rightly understood, are life-changing. When we follow Christ
by faith, we see that He is the leader of the Second Advent movement. He
is leading us to the glorious climax of the Second Coming. Those who
follow Him by faith now can be part of the 144,000 who will follow the
Lamb wherever He goes throughout eternity.
REVELATION 10:3–4
OBSERVATION: These verses give further confirmation that the Mighty
Angel is Christ. The Mighty Angel cries with a loud voice like a lion. Jesus
is described as the Lion of the tribe of Judah in Revelation 5:5. When He
speaks, it has a very powerful effect like when a lion roars. The roar of the
Lion of the tribe of Judah causes seven thunders to sound and utter their
voices. John was able to clearly hear the message of the seven thunders
because he was about to write down what he had heard.
However, just as he was about to write down what he had heard, a voice
from heaven told him to seal up the message contained in the seven
thunders.
Naturally, we want to know what Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah,
said, especially when what is said is like listening to the roar of a lion or
to that of the noise of seven thunders. Why would a voice from heaven
tell John to not write this message down?
Notice what Ellen White said in the same passage quoted above about the
seven thunders:
After these seven thunders uttered their voices, the injunction

comes to John as to Daniel in regard to the little book: “Seal up
those things which the seven thunders uttered.” These relate to
future events which will be disclosed in their order. Daniel shall
stand in his lot at the end of the days. John sees the little book
unsealed. Then Daniel’s prophecies have their proper place in
the first, second, and third angels’ messages to be given to the
world. The unsealing of the little book was the message in
relation to time.
The books of Daniel and Revelation are one. One is a prophecy,

the other a revelation; one a book sealed, the other a book
opened. John heard the mysteries which the thunders uttered,
but he was commanded not to write them.
The special light given to John which was expressed in the

seven thunders was a delineation of events which would
transpire under the first and second angels’ messages. It was not
best for the people to know these things, for their faith must
necessarily be tested. In the order of God most wonderful and
advanced truths would be proclaimed. The first and second
angels’ messages were to be proclaimed, but no further light
was to be revealed before these messages had done their
specific work. This is represented by the angel standing with
one foot on the sea, proclaiming with a most solemn oath that
time should be no longer. 228
The seven thunders described events that were future to John’s day.
Specifically, the seven thunders described the events of the first and
second angels’ messages. Historically, these messages were first given by
the Millerite movement with the first angel’s message beginning in the
1830s. The second angel’s message commenced in the summer of 1844
when the Protestant churches rejected the message of the Second
Coming. The third angel’s message would not begin until Jesus went into
the Most Holy Place in 1844.
Inevitably, the seven thunders spelled out in a very clear fashion the
history of the Millerite movement and the Great Disappointment that
they were to experience. This disappointment is referenced later in this
chapter in more symbolic language that would not be understood until
after it happened. God did not want the details of the Millerite movement
to be written down. The early Advent believers must pass through this
experience first.
APPLICATION: We cannot see the future as God does. He does not reveal
everything that we must pass through. If He did, we would likely shrink
from the challenges that lie ahead.
God never leads His children otherwise than they would
choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning
and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as
co-workers with Him.229
We should be thankful that we do not see the end from the beginning as
God does, but we can be confident that every step set before us is
prepared by God as we step forward in faith. The Millerites would not
have gone through with the proclamation of the Second Advent if they
could have seen the Great Disappointment. Thus, God did not allow
them to see their mistake until it was over. In eternity, they will see God’s
plan and purpose.
REVELATION 10:5–6
OBSERVATION: In these verses, the Angel, who is Jesus Christ, lifts up
His hand to heaven. He swears by an oath to Him who lives forever and
ever, and by the Creator of all things.
The Three Oaths of Christ:This is not the first time God (Jesus is God)
swears by Himself.
Notice Hebrews 6:13:
For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could

swear by no greater, he sware by himself.
This passage in Hebrews is a direct reference to Genesis 22:15–17. Not

only do the two passages show that God swears by Himself, but there is a
strong connection between the Mighty Angel of Revelation 10 and the
Man clothed in linen in Daniel 12 as seen in Daniel 12:7:
And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters
of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand
unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be
for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have
accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these
things shall be finished.
As in the oath of Hebrews 6:13 and Genesis 22:15–17 and also the oath of
Revelation 10:6, God swears by himself in Daniel 12:7. He is making an
oath. All three of these oaths are of supreme significance.
The oath to Abraham in Hebrews 6:13 and Genesis 22:15–17 is the

everlasting covenant which confirms Abraham as the father of the
faithful. However, the literal seed of Abraham fell away through idolatry
and apostasy. They rejected Jesus Himself, who is the Prince of the
covenant (see Daniel 11:22). Then, the Christian church was raised up,
and those who belong to Christ can be part of Abraham’s seed and heirs
according to the promise (see Galatians 3:29).
However, the Christian church had a great falling away as well, and the
true church was scattered for 1,260 years. The oath in Daniel 12:7 is the
promise that after God’s people are scattered for 1,260 years, they will be
gathered shortly after 1798 to begin a movement in preparation for the
Second Coming.
The oath for which Christ swears by Himself in Revelation 10:6 is that
“there should be time no longer.”
Even more amazing is that these three oaths are connected. God swore by
an oath and made a covenant with Abraham that he would be the father
of faith. This everlasting or new covenant is a promise that God will write
His law into the hearts and minds of those who have faith. This covenant
is renewed with the Second Advent movement which God raised up to be
the final fulfillment of this covenant (see again discussion from verse 1
about the rainbow and the covenant).
Daniel 12:7 shows that God’s covenant people were scattered for 1,260
years. However, Christ swears by Himself that the scattering of His
covenant people comes to an end in 1798 at the end of the 1,260 years.
Once the scattering is over, the gathering of God’s people can begin, and
the fulfillment of the oaths of Christ can take place.
Revelation 10:6 is the culmination of the oaths of Christ. Revelation 10 is

pointing to the open book of Daniel and the unsealed prophecy of Daniel
8:14 with the 2,300-year prophecy which reached its fulfillment on
October 22, 1844. Christ swears by an oath, while pointing to the open
book of Daniel and the 2,300-day prophecy, that “there should be time no
longer.”
Christ swears by an oath that after 1844 there is no more prophetic time.
The message for God’s people is no longer a message based on time.
Rather, the culmination of the oaths shows that after 1844, when Christ
began the work of the final atonement in the Most Holy Place of the
heavenly sanctuary, He brings all the oaths together in one work. He will
produce a covenant people who will be the children of Abraham and who
will allow Him to write His law in their hearts. Rather than being
scattered, they will be gathered as the Israel of God as a prophetic people
who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. All the
prophecies reached their fulfillment in 1844, and the Second Advent
movement is the final purpose and demonstration of these oaths
continuing from 1844 to the Second Coming of Jesus.
Time No Longer:When Christ swears by an oath, you can know that it is

certain. There are no more time prophecies after 1844.
Ellen White affirms this interpretation of “time no longer” in the

This time, which the angel declares with a solemn oath, is not
the end of this world’s history, neither of probationary time, but
of prophetic time, which should precede the advent of our
Lord. That is, the people will not have another message upon
definite time. After this period of time, reaching from 1842 to
1844, there can be no definite tracing of the prophetic time. The
longest reckoning reaches to the autumn of 1844. 230
Those who seek to reinterpret prophecies after 1844 such as the 1260,
1290, and 1335 days of Daniel 12 are going up against an oath by which
Christ swore. Misguided individuals have used these prophecies from
Daniel 12, which have already been fulfilled, to set dates for Sunday laws
that have come and gone. There is no justification for this false
reinterpretation, especially when Christ has sworn by an oath that there is
no prophetic time between 1844 and the Second Coming.
There has been some debate as to the meaning of the phrase “time no
longer.” The Greek is chronos ouketi estai, which literally translated reads
“time no more shall be.” 231 The word for “time” here is chronos rather
than kairos which is also translated as time. The difference between these
words is that chronos is used to denote a duration or space of time, while
kairos refers to a specific point in time. 232 Considering that prophetic
time is coming to an end, the word chronos is a better fit to describe time
in this verse.
Some translations such as the King James Version and Young’s Literal
Translation use the word “time” for chronos. Others, such as the New
King James Version, Revised Standard Version, New American Standard
Bible and New International Version, use the word “delay.” However, the
word chronos is translated as “time” at least thirty times in the New
Testament and only once (Revelation 10:6) in some of the translations is
it translated as delay. 233
When we understand that prophetic time is being referenced here, delay

does not make sense. Prophetic time is no more, from 1844 to the Second
Coming. There was no delay in the fulfillment of the 1260, 1290, 1335, or
2,300-day prophecies.
Furthermore, there is a similar word in the Greek that is translated as
delay and that is chronizo. We see this word in Matthew 24:48, “My lord
delayeth his coming” and Matthew 25:5, “While the bridegroom was
delayed, they all slumbered and slept” (NKJV).
The best translation of Revelation 10:6 is that there should be “time no

longer” rather than no more delay.
Creator of Heaven and Earth:Further proof that Christ swears by

Himself is seen in verse 6 which says that He “sware by him that liveth for
ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and
the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things
which are therein.”
John 1:1 reminds us that Jesus is the Word and in John 1:3 we specifically
see that “All things were made by him; and without him was not any
thing made that was made.”
Christ has always been. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (see
Hebrews 13:8). He is the Creator of all things. There is no greater
authority by which Christ can swear.
The language of Christ as Creator and of no more prophetic time after

1844 makes a very strong link between Revelation 10:6 and the first
angel’s message of Revelation 14:6–7.
Notice the clear parallels in the table below:
Revelation 10:6 Revelation 14:7
Made heaven, earth, sea, and

Created heaven, earth, and sea
fountains of waters
Time no longer—No time prophecy Hour of His judgment is come—

after 1844 1844
When we look at the parallels between the two passages, another
important point rises to the forefront. The call to worship Christ who
made heaven and earth, the sea, and the fountains of waters is a direct
reference to the fourth commandment and the Sabbath in Exodus 20:8–
11. Much more will be said in the discussion of Revelation 14:7 later in
the book.
The creation of this world with Christ as Creator is clearly connected to

the Sabbath message. The renewal of the Sabbath is part of God’s plan to
raise up a covenant people. The fact that Christ swears by Himself as
Creator is a guarantee from Him that, after 1844, He will have a Sabbath-
keeping people who will stand at the end of the world and honor Him as
the Creator. As we discussed in Revelation 7, a Sabbath-keeping people
will be a holy people.
The work of Christ after 1844 from the Most Holy Place of the heavenly
sanctuary is not a work based on time, but a work of producing a holy
people.
To summarize this amazing passage, Christ has guaranteed by three

sworn oaths that He will have a covenant people of faith, like Abraham,
who will be gathered and not scattered after 1798 and 1844. They will
worship the Creator by remembering the seventh-day Sabbath. Their
Sabbath obedience will be evidence, or the fruit, of their holy lives. This is
the work that Christ will complete after 1844 when He writes His law into
our hearts and minds. This work of Christ as Creator, from the Most Holy
Place, producing a holy, Sabbath-keeping people, prepares us to better
understand the message of Revelation 10:7 and what it means for the
mystery of God to be finished.
APPLICATION: It is very faith-affirming to know that Christ has sworn by

an oath by Himself three times that He will have a covenant people of
faith after 1844. It is easy to doubt the promises of God that say we can
perfectly obey His commandments. Yet Revelation 14:12 reminds us that
God will have a people who keep the commandments of God and the
faith of Jesus. When we remember that God has sworn by an oath, and
that He is Creator of heaven and earth, we are strengthened to step
forward in faith to be the people that God has said we will be.
REVELATION 10:7
OBSERVATION: Revelation 10 is an interlude between the events of the
sixth and the seventh trumpets. Verse 7 announces that the seventh
trumpet is about to sound. The sounding of the seventh trumpet takes
place in Revelation 11:15–19. When the seventh trumpet sounds (v. 19),
the temple of God (heavenly sanctuary) is opened in heaven, and the ark
of the covenant is seen. This is the opening of the Most Holy Place of the
heavenly sanctuary on October 22, 1844.
Revelation 10:7 is announcing that when the seventh trumpet begins to

sound, a very special work will be finished. This special work is the
mystery of God, which will be finished during the time of the seventh
trumpet. It will be finished from the Most Holy Place of the heavenly
sanctuary.
Scripture is not silent regarding the mystery of God. John the Revelator
said that this mystery has been “declared to his servants the prophets.”
So what is this mystery, and why is it important that it will be finished

after Christ moves into the Most Holy Place?
The apostle Paul directly addresses the mystery of God in Ephesians 3

and Colossians 1.
Paul clearly defines the mystery of Christ (God) in Ephesians 3:1–6:
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is
given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known
unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby,
when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery
of Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons
of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets
by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the
same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.
The mystery of God is that the Gentiles can be fellow heirs of the body of
Christ through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In Romans 1:16–17, Paul elucidates this idea more clearly:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of

God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first,
and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God
revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by
faith.
The mystery of God is the gospel of Jesus for Jews and Gentiles. It is for
everyone. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of power. The Greek word
for power in Romans 1:16 is dunamis which is similar to dynamite. The
explosive power of the gospel is that it produces a revelation of the
righteousness of God in the lives of the Jews and Gentiles who have faith.
Those who experience the gospel in this way are the just (righteous) who
live by faith. It is a mystery that God’s righteousness can be revealed in
the lives of sinners, and that is why the gospel is so amazing.
The mystery of God is finished in the Second Advent movement—a

movement commissioned to take the gospel to every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people. However, it is not simply a message. The gospel is
also a transformative experience.
The apostle Paul develops the concept of this transformation more clearly
in Colossians 1:25–29 and Ephesians 3:16–21. See how Paul defines this
mystery in Colossians:
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of
God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even
the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations,
but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would
make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among
the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom
we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all
wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which
worketh in me mightily.
The mystery of God is not only the gospel message. It is the gospel
experience, which is Christ in you. When Christ dwells within you, by
God’s grace, you can be presented as perfect in Christ Jesus because it is
Christ’s life that is being lived out within you. When Christ lives in you,
the power of Christ, according to Colossians 1:29, works within you
mightily.
Paul paints an amazing picture in Ephesians 3:16–21 giving further

clarity to just how powerful the mystery of God is when Christ dwells
within us:
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be

strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that
Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted
and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints
what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to
know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might
be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to
do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in
the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without
end. Amen.
This passage describes more completely the results of the mystery of God
and of Christ dwelling in us. When Christ lives in our hearts by faith, we
are rooted and grounded in love. We have the fruit of the Spirit. We also
see the amazing promise that we can be filled with all the fulness of God.
He can do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” This is
possible because of the power of Christ that works within us.
When the mystery of God is finished, there will be a complete

demonstration of the character of Christ as God’s people are filled with all
the fulness of God.
The mystery of God being finished is connected to Revelation 18:1 and

the loud cry message, in which an angel comes down from heaven having
great power, and the earth is illuminated with its glory. Ellen White made
this connection in the following statement:
The latter rain is to fall upon the people of God. A mighty angel
is to come down from heaven, and the whole earth is to be
lighted with his glory. Are we ready to take part in the
glorious work of the third angel? Are our vessels ready to
receive the heavenly dew? Have we defilement and sin in the
heart? If so, let us cleanse the soul temple, and prepare for the
showers of the latter rain. The refreshing from the presence of
the Lord will never come to hearts filled with impurity. May
God help us to die to self, that Christ, the hope of glory, may
be formed within! 234
What Ellen White does in this statement is quite fascinating. She shows
the clear connection of the mystery of God being finished when Christ is
formed within. Once Christ is formed within, the soul temple is cleansed.
When the soul temple is cleansed in the lives of God’s people on earth,
the sanctuary in heaven will be cleansed of sin. When the sanctuary in
heaven is cleansed of sin, the sins of God’s people will be blotted out, and
the latter rain will be poured out. Then the angel of Revelation 18:1 will
descend from heaven, and God’s character will illuminate the earth.
The Bible very clearly shows in Acts 3:19–20 that the latter rain is poured
out at the time that the sins of God’s people are blotted out:
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the
presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before
was preached unto you.
After the latter rain is poured out, Jesus Christ is sent shortly thereafter at
His Second Coming.
To put it succinctly, when the mystery of God is finished, the heavenly

sanctuary will be cleansed of sin, and the latter rain will be poured out.
Then the world will see the character of Jesus in its fullness. This is the
purpose for which the Second Advent movement was raised up by Jesus
Himself. He came down from heaven as the Mighty Angel to start a
movement in which His character will be formed in the lives of His
people. When the mystery of God is finished, this will be the revelation of
Jesus Christ at the end of the world in preparation for the Second
Coming.
What we have learned in Revelation so far is that the Laodicean church,

in its lukewarm condition, is satisfied with its spiritual poverty. Thus,
Christ is standing at the door of the hearts of His church and knocking.
He is saying, “Let Me come in!” (see Revelation 3:20). The four winds in
Revelation 7:1–3 are being held by the four angels because the church is
not ready to be sealed due to its lukewarm state. When the mystery of
God is finished, the spiritual poverty of Laodicea will be vanquished, and
God’s people will be ready to receive the seal of God.
There is also a clear connection between the final church of the seven
churches, the 144,000 at the end of the seals, and the Second Advent
movement at the end of the seven trumpets. What God’s last-day church
needs is for the character of Christ to be fully formed within and for sin
to be fully and completely eradicated. This is the work that Christ is doing
from the Most Holy Place in heaven right now. May we cooperate with
Christ, that this work may finish soon!
APPLICATION: What is keeping you from letting Jesus into the door of
your heart? It does require the entire surrender of the heart to let Christ
come in. Galatians 2:20 perfectly describes the experience in which we
are crucified with Christ. Too many Seventh-day Adventist Christians are
content to have Jesus as Savior but not as Lord. We are Laodicean and
think we are spiritually rich, but we lack the power of the indwelling
Christ. We need Christ and Him crucified to be our experience so that
the power of His life may be seen in ours. Then the third angel’s message
can be proclaimed and demonstrated with power.
OBSERVATION: In verses 8–10, John the Revelator is commanded by the
same voice that he heard in verse 4 of this chapter to take the little book
that is in the hand of the Mighty Angel. From our discussion in verse 2,
we know that this is the unsealed portion of the book of Daniel and is
specifically referring to the 2,300-day prophecy.
After taking the book, he is commanded by the Mighty Angel, Jesus, to

eat the book. He is told by Christ that the book will be bitter in his belly,
but it will be sweet in his mouth.
John affirms that the book was sweet as honey in his mouth, but as soon
as he had eaten it, his belly became bitter (v. 10).
To eat a book, means to study it and make the message of that book your
life. John is personifying the experience of the early Advent believers of
the 1840s who studied the unsealed portion of the book Daniel.
Led by William Miller, the early Advent believers became known as the
Millerite movement. The initial belief of this movement was that the
2,300-day prophecy would conclude in 1843 or by the spring of 1844,
which was the end of the Jewish calendar year of 1843. After an early
disappointment, further light led to the understanding that the 2,300-day
prophecy would reach its fulfillment on October 22, 1844. The Millerites
believed that the cleansing of the sanctuary referred to the cleansing of
the earth by fire and that the Second of Coming of Jesus would occur on
that day.
The message and experience of believing in the imminent return of

Christ was sweet as honey in the mouth to those who were part of that
movement. The Millerite movement was correct about the date of
October 22, 1844, as the conclusion of the 2,300-day prophecy. However,
they were wrong about the event. Jesus did not return to this earth as they
had confidently expected. The message of the little book that had been
sweet in their mouths, turned into a very bitter disappointment.
One of the most poignant testimonies of this bitter disappointment is

described by Hiram Edson.
Our fondest hopes and expectations were blasted, and such a

spirit of weeping came over us as I never experienced before. It
seemed that the loss of all earthly friends could have been no
comparison. We wept, and wept, till the day dawn. I mused in
my own heart, saying, My advent experience has been the
richest and brightest of all my Christian experience. If this had
proved a failure, what was the rest of my Christian experience
worth? Has the Bible proved a failure? Is there no God, no
heaven, no golden home city, no paradise? Is all this but a
cunningly devised fable? Is there no reality to our fondest hope
and expectation of these things? And thus we had something to
grieve and weep over, if all our fond hopes were lost. And as I
said, we wept till the day dawn. 235
Ellen White gave a strong endorsement to the purity of this movement:
Of all the great religious movements since the days of the

apostles, none have been more free from human imperfection
and the wiles of Satan than was that of the autumn of 1844.
Even now, after the lapse of many years, all who shared in that
movement and who have stood firm upon the platform of truth
still feel the holy influence of that blessed work and bear
witness that it was of God.236
There is an application to the Millerite movement in the parable of the

ten virgins of Matthew 25. The experience of their belief in the imminent
return of Christ in 1844 parallels that of those who will be alive when
Jesus returns. Both experiences are part of the Second Advent movement.
The Millerite movement was the first to proclaim the imminent return of
Jesus with certainty. While wrong about the event, God used the message
of that movement to awaken the world to the reality that Jesus really is
coming again. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is the logical extension
of that movement, and those who are faithful, when the mystery of God
is finished, will be alive to see Jesus come in the clouds of heaven.
APPLICATION: As the years go on, it is easy for Seventh-day Adventists to

lose the sense of urgency of the nearness of Christ’s return. How many
Seventh-day Adventists today can honestly claim to have the same
urgency for the return of Christ that the Millerite movement had in the
days leading up to October 22, 1844?
The following statement by Dr. P. Gerard Damsteegt sums up well many

of the current challenges facing the Seventh-day Adventist Church:
Many of the problems in the church today are the result of not
knowing what it means to live in the great antitypical Day of
Atonement. Few even among believers seem to know the
science of salvation that looks constantly to Jesus and
experiences the true meaning of how to “afflict the soul,” so that
God can form us into His image, fully reflecting Jesus. We hear
much talk today about the necessity of change. Some eagerly
introduce new forms of worship with new types of music.
Constantly there is the cry for more relevance. Waves of new
Bible translations flood the market, each claiming to be the
most relevant. The effectiveness of preaching is questioned, and
music, dialogue and drama occupy an increasingly important
part of church services. More and more ministers and church
members hesitate to address “church standards.” A greater
laxness than ever results in an increasing number of young
people drinking, smoking, using drugs, wearing jewelry and
other worldly attire, and viewing worldly movies and videos.
Few lead out in the biblical spirit of true reform centered
around the Scriptures, focused on the life of Jesus, so believers
can reflect Him more fully. Our contemporary situation reveals
the great urgency of recapturing the spirit of the early
Adventists. Unless today’s believers rediscover the true
meaning of the great disappointment and also of its abundant
blessings, they will not know what direction to give to the
remnant church and its mission. This failure could lead to a
shift of direction that God never intended. 237
REVELATION 10:11
OBSERVATION: Revelation 10 closes with a message to those who ate the
little book and experienced the Great Disappointment, that they must
prophesy again. Historically, the Millerite movement proclaimed the first
angel’s message that the hour of God’s judgment is come. They also
proclaimed the second angel’s message that Babylon is fallen, is fallen.
However, the third angel’s message could only be proclaimed after Christ
moved into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. Only then
could the commandments of God be fully set forth. Not long after the
Great Disappointment, the truth of the Sabbath became understood by
some of the early Advent believers. This paved the way for the rise of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church who could then proclaim with power all
of the commandments of God and of the soon return of Jesus. Only then
could the mystery of God be finished.
APPLICATION: We are to prophesy again. We have our marching orders.

The work of proclamation did not end with the Millerite movement in
1844. The world must hear the third angel’s message, and it must also see
a demonstration of the third angel’s message.
In a special sense Seventh-day Adventists have been set in the
world as watchmen and light bearers. To them has been
entrusted the last warning for a perishing world. On them is
shining wonderful light from the word of God. They have been
given a work of the most solemn import—the proclamation of
the first, second, and third angels’ messages. There is no other
work of so great importance. They are to allow nothing else to
absorb their attention. 238
As a people we have allowed many other things to absorb our attention,

even good things like education, work, and family. And we have allowed
other things which are not so good such as the entertainment industry
with movies, sports, and fashion to distract us from our mission. Some
are even more concerned with fighting for modern political parties than
in doing God’s work. However, God in His mercy is waiting for a people
who will devote their entire lives to the work of the three angels’
messages. Adventism exists for the mystery of God and the three angels’
messages to be completed. In what way is God calling you so that you can
be part of this finishing work? All the power in heaven is at God’s
command to enable you to be among those who participate in this
closing work.
REVELATION 11
INTRODUCTION
As discussed in the introduction to Revelation 10, there is an interlude

between the sixth and seventh trumpets in all of Revelation 10 and in
Revelation 11:1–13. The rise of the Second Advent movement is seen in
Revelation 10. The rise of the satanic power of atheism is seen in
Revelation 11. The initial work of this power from the bottomless pit
occurs at the end of the 1,260 years. When the seventh trumpet begins to
sound (Revelation 11:15–19) in 1844, the final judgment begins in
heaven. The rise of the beast from the abyss is Satan’s final major act
before the judgment in heaven begins. The Second Advent movement,
raised up by Christ Himself in Revelation 10, is heaven’s response to this
end-time satanic power. We will explore this concept in much greater
detail through this chapter.
REVELATION 11:1–2
OBSERVATION: Revelation 11 commences with John being given a rod to
measure the temple of God during the 42 prophetic months, or 1,260
years. Not only is he to measure the temple of God but also the altar and
the worshipers in the temple. This altar is the same as that described in
Revelation 8:2–5 in the Holy Place. The altar is where Christ and His
worshippers are found in the temple of God during the 1,260 years. It is
also where they are found during the experience of the seven trumpets
until the sounding of the seventh trumpet.
The act of measuring is significant. God is taking stock of who His true
believers are during this dark era of Earth’s history. Only those who
followed Christ by faith into the Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary
after His ascension in AD 31 and during the 1,260-year period from AD
538–1798 are marked as being the true worshipers of God.
God measures the sanctuary very carefully. Every phase of His ministry is
carried out in exact detail. By the end of the chapter, the Most Holy Place
is opened in heaven at the sounding of the seventh trumpet in 1844. God
is very exact about His movements through the heavenly sanctuary, and
the measuring of the temple adds evidence to that understanding.
Verse 2 shows that the outer court of the sanctuary is left outside of the
measurement of God’s true worshipers. Initially, this seems strange, as the
sacrifice of the lamb takes place in the outer court. The outer court
symbolizes the location of Christ’s death as the Lamb of God.
While there is no doubt that the death of Christ is at the very heart of the
Christian faith, Christ did not stay on Earth after His death. Our study of
the churches, seals, and trumpets in the first half of the book of
Revelation demonstrated that Christ moved into the Holy Place of the
heavenly sanctuary at His ascension. Christ’s death as the Lamb of God
took place on Earth. He did not remain on Earth, and His people are to
follow Him into the sanctuary in heaven.
The earth is symbolized by the outer courtyard of the sanctuary. In verse

2, we see that the Gentiles are given dominion of the outer courtyard, or
the earth. Within the earth is the holy city. The Gentiles persecute the
holy city for 42 months, or 1,260 years.
Luke 21:20, 24 adds a lot of clarity to the meaning of this passage:
And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then

know that the desolation thereof is nigh. … And they shall fall by
the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all
nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles,
until the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled.
Luke 21:20 starts off by describing the abomination of desolation in
which the pagan Roman army destroys the city of Jerusalem in
fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel 9:26–27. 239 By verse 24, Jesus has
transitioned to a description of the 1,260 years of persecution. (Luke
21:25 describes the dark day of May 19, 1780, and the falling of the stars
on November 13, 1833.) Jerusalem is the holy city that will be “trodden
down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
The “times of the Gentiles” is the 1,260-year period of papal persecution.

We see this period in Daniel 7:25 when the papacy persecutes God’s
people for 1,260 years. The 1,260 years of papal persecution of God’s
people is also seen in Daniel 12:7; Revelation 11:3; Revelation 12:6, 14;
13:5.
It is evident that the Gentiles are a description of the little horn power, or
the papacy. The holy city represented as Jerusalem in Luke 21:24 and
Revelation 11:2 is symbolic of God’s people, or the Christian church. By
the time we reach the “times of the Gentiles” that began in AD 538, the
Jews and the literal city of Jerusalem had lost its favored status. After
probation closed for the Jews, Jerusalem becomes symbolic of the
Christian church.
The holy city is trodden down. In other words, God’s people are
persecuted by the papacy, also known as the Gentiles, for 1,260 years. The
persecution takes place in the outer court, or on this earth. While the
holy city—the Christian church—is still on this earth, by faith the true
worshipers of God have fled for refuge into the Holy Place of the heavenly
sanctuary (see Hebrews 6:18–20), where they worship the Lamb of God
and the Forerunner of their faith.
The seventh trumpet, which will sound at the end of the chapter, will be a
judgment on the papacy, or the Gentiles, for the persecution of God’s
people during the 1,260 years.
APPLICATION: Those who have faithfully followed Christ have always been
the target of Satan’s persecution. Just as the Christian church that
followed Christ into the Holy Place was persecuted by the papacy during
the Dark Ages, so the true Christian church who follows Christ into the
Most Holy Place will be the target of the powers of darkness at the end of
the world. Persecution will be revived, and we will see 2 Timothy 3:12
fulfilled again.
REVELATION 11:3–4
OBSERVATION: During the Dark Ages of papal persecution, the two
witnesses prophesy for 1,260 years while clothed in sackcloth. These two
witnesses are also described as two olive trees and two candlesticks. In
addition, God refers to them as “my two witnesses.” These two witnesses
testify on behalf of God. We saw in the discussion of Revelation 3:14 that
Jesus is the faithful witness, and that a witness gives testimony.
These two witnesses that testify on God’s behalf are identified by Jesus in
John 5:39:
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:

and they are they which testify of me.
The Bible testifies of God. There are two testaments, the Old and the New
Testament, that testify of Christ.
Ellen White added further clarity to this understanding:
The two witnesses represent the Scriptures of the Old and the
New Testament. Both are important testimonies to the origin
and perpetuity of the law of God. Both are witnesses also to the
plan of salvation. The types, sacrifices, and prophecies of the
Old Testament point forward to a Saviour to come. The Gospels
and Epistles of the New Testament tell of a Saviour who has
come in the exact manner foretold by type and prophecy. 240
While John 5:39 makes it clear that the two witnesses represent the
Scriptures, there is further evidence in Scripture to prove this point. Two
olive trees and two candlesticks are also used to describe the Bible as seen
in Zechariah 4. 241
In Zechariah 4:1–6, Zerubbabel was shown a candlestick, or lamp stand,

and two olive trees with pipes from the olive trees that are feeding oil to
the bowls. When he asked what this meant, he was told in verse 6, “This
is the word of the LORD.” Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto
my feet, and a light unto my path.”
The interchange between the olive trees and the candlesticks is rather
interesting. Both are symbolic of the Word of God in different ways. It is
the olive tree that produces the olive oil which Zechariah 4:6 identifies as
the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, the candlestick utilizes the oil to
produce light.
From the olive tree of Scripture, the fruits of the Holy Spirit are produced
in the lives of those who, by the grace of God, study and follow its
teachings. At the same time, the oil of the Holy Spirit from the olive tree
enlightens the understanding of Scripture so that the candlestick of God’s
Word will illuminate the world.
In modern language, the Word of God and the Holy Spirit are
interdependent. We cannot understand the truth of Scripture without the
guidance of the Holy Spirit, but God can use the reading and study of the
Bible to lead us to the Holy Spirit and to a converted life.
In this passage of Revelation 11, we see in verse 3 that these two witnesses
were clothed in sackcloth for 1,260 years. During the Dark Ages of papal
supremacy, the light of Scripture was shrouded in darkness by the
teachings of the papacy. The witness of Scripture was hidden by the
teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. The persecution of those who
faithfully taught the Bible is the reason the Bible is described as being
clothed in sackcloth. It was not exterminated. There remained faithful
teachers of Scripture during the 1,260 years, but their lives were at risk,
and the light of Scripture was dimmed by the false teachers of the papacy.
APPLICATION: The Bible is not clothed in sackcloth today as it was during

the Dark Ages. However, it is effectively in sackcloth for many in this
world. It is unread, and its teachings are not followed. The moral
declension in society, even in the church, is due to the widespread
rejection of its teachings. As we near the soon return of Jesus, we must
return to the instruction found in Scripture so that it will give light to our
paths.
REVELATION 11:5–6
OBSERVATION: Even though the Bible was clothed in sackcloth for 1,260
years, verses 5 and 6 remind us how powerful the Word of God is when it
is attacked. The first illustration we see is that fire proceeds out of the
mouth of the two witnesses and devours its attacking enemies. This is a
clear reference to the story in 2 Kings 1:1–14 when Ahaziah, king of
Israel, sent three separate emissaries of fifty men to the prophet Elijah.
After the king had enquired of the gods of Ekron about his illness, he had
been given a death sentence by the prophet.
Upon hearing that Elijah had uttered this sentence, Ahaziah sent these
groups of men to bring Elijah to him. In the first two cases, Elijah said to
the captain of the fifty men, “If I be a man of God, let fire come down
from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty” (2 Kings 1:10, 12). At the
word of the prophet, fire came down from heaven and consumed the fifty
men both times. The third group showed respect to the prophet and were
not destroyed. Revelation 11:5 uses this story to show the power of God’s
Word.
A similar concept is found in Jeremiah 5:14:

Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak
this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and
this people wood, and it shall devour them.
God’s Word is a consuming fire to the wicked. While there have been
times in Earth’s history that the enemies of God have appeared to have
the upper hand over the Bible, the power from the Word can be
demonstrated at a moment’s notice.
This passage is not finished with the prophetic work of Elijah. Verse 6
says, “These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of
their prophecy.” Notice that this work is not attributed to Elijah even
though he was the messenger. Rather it is attributed to the two witnesses,
or the Word of God. 1 Kings 17:1 and James 5:17–18 tell the story. Elijah
prayed that it would not rain due to the apostasy in Israel. Thus, God
used him as the messenger to deliver the Word of God.
There is some irony in the fact that Revelation 11:5 shows that the Word
of God can demonstrate His power by sending fire down from heaven, at
a moment’s notice, to destroy its enemies. Yet in Revelation 13:13–14 the
false prophet of apostate Protestantism calls fire down from heaven as a
means to deceive those on the earth to worship the papacy. Ultimately,
the false prophets and enemies will be overcome by the power of God and
His Word.
There are parallels between the Dark Ages and the time of Ahab and
Jezebel. This power couple were the wicked and idolatrous king and
queen in Israel and were followed by their son Ahaziah. It seemed as if
God’s Word and the worship of the true God would be wiped off the face
of the earth in their time. Yet God showed through the prophet Elijah
that His Word can bring fire from heaven to devour His adversaries.
It is not a coincidence that Jezebel is referenced in Revelation 2:20 with

respect to the church of Thyatira. This was the church of the Dark Ages in
which the Bible was clothed in sackcloth, much like God’s prophets were
hidden in caves during the time of Elijah while Ahab and Jezebel reigned
in Israel.
Verse 6 concludes by saying that the two witnesses “have power over
waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as
often as they will.” This is undoubtedly referring to the first of the ten
plagues in Egypt when the Nile river was turned into blood for seven
days according to the Word of God (Exodus 7:17–25). The end of the
verse also may be making prophetic reference to the seven last plagues
described in Revelation 16.
Ultimately, verses 5 and 6 point to the future of the enemies of God’s

Word. Despite the fact that the papacy had the apparent upper hand over
the Word of God during the 1,260 years and will seemingly be in the
same position after the deadly wound is healed, the seven last plagues will
be poured out on those who have opposed God and His Word
(Revelation 16). Furthermore, Revelation 20:9 reminds us of the final end
of the wicked when it says, “and fire came down from God out of heaven,
and devoured them.”
APPLICATION: It is not a coincidence that two of the greatest prophets of

the Old Testament are used to describe the work of the Word of God in
this passage. Elijah called fire down from heaven to destroy the emissaries
of the king. Moses stretched forth his rod and the Nile River turned into
blood. Moses and Elijah represent the law and the prophets. They were
the glorified humans who ministered to Christ on the Mount of
Transfiguration. The Word of God speaks through the law and the
prophets. To ignore God’s law or the messages from His prophets is to do
so at the peril of eternal life.
REVELATION 11:7–8
OBSERVATION: At the end of the 1,260-year period, the two witnesses
finish their testimony in sackcloth due to the abuses of the apostate
Christian church, only to face an attack from a new satanic power. The
power that makes war with the two witnesses is described as “the beast
that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit.” As stated in the discussion of
Revelation 9:2, the Greek for “bottomless pit” is abussos.
The following statement from Austin Cooke about the meaning of the
bottomless pit is worth repeating here:
Many scholars believe the abyss is a term describing the arsenal

or stronghold of Satan and that any power emerging from the
bottomless pit or abyss is inspired by him. 242
What we see here is a beast, or kingdom, ascending from the stronghold

of Satan. Daniel 7 has established the precedent that a beast represents a
kingdom (see Daniel 7:17, 23). Thus, a kingdom that is a satanic power
arises at the end of the 1,260 years to make war against the Bible. This
power will overcome the two witnesses and kill them (v. 7). This
represents an eradication of Scripture.
Verse 8 adds further clues that clarify the identity of this satanic power.
Not only does this power eradicate Scripture, but we also see that the
dead bodies of Scripture lie in the streets of the city of this satanic power.
This great city is identified spiritually as Sodom and Egypt.
First, it should be noted that this power is identified as a great city.

Babylon is identified as a great city in Revelation 14:8 and 17:18. Babylon
is used to describe the kingdom of the papacy that makes war against the
Lamb by attacking His saints (Revelation 17:14).
In Revelation 11, the great city is not Babylon, but it does represent a
political kingdom that makes war against Christ in the same manner.
Furthermore, this power has the spiritual characteristics of Sodom and
Egypt. Therefore, we are looking for a major world power that arose from
the stronghold of Satan around the time that the 1,260-year prophecy
came to an end. This power would originate from a major world kingdom
and have the spiritual characteristics of Sodom and Egypt, and it would
make war with the Bible and eradicate it.
Sodom is famous in Scripture for its licentiousness and profligacy. Egypt

is known for its atheism, with Pharaoh defying the true God of heaven
during the time of the plagues and the exodus of the Israelites.
Ellen White gave excellent commentary on this section of Scripture:
“The great city” in whose streets the witnesses are slain, and
where their dead bodies lie, is “spiritually” Egypt. Of all nations
presented in Bible history, Egypt most boldly denied the
existence of the living God and resisted His commands. No
monarch ever ventured upon more open and highhanded
rebellion against the authority of Heaven than did the king of
Egypt. When the message was brought him by Moses, in the
name of the Lord, Pharaoh proudly answered: “Who is
Jehovah, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I
know not Jehovah, and moreover I will not let Israel go.”
Exodus 5:2, A.R.V. This is atheism, and the nation represented
by Egypt would give voice to a similar denial of the claims of
the living God and would manifest a like spirit of unbelief and
defiance. “The great city” is also compared, “spiritually,” to
Sodom. The corruption of Sodom in breaking the law of God
was especially manifested in licentiousness. And this sin was
also to be a pre-eminent characteristic of the nation that should
fulfill the specifications of this scripture.
According to the words of the prophet, then, a little before the

year 1798 some power of satanic origin and character would
rise to make war upon the Bible. And in the land where the
testimony of God’s two witnesses should thus be silenced, there
would be manifest the atheism of the Pharaoh and the
licentiousness of Sodom. 243
From history, it is obvious what this prophecy is describing. From the

great city of Paris in the nation of France the French Revolution
originated. This revolution made war against God and the Bible. Christ
was crucified in the streets as Christianity was eradicated, and the
goddess of reason was worshipped in the place of God.
This prophecy has received a most exact and striking

fulfillment in the history of France. During the Revolution, in
1793, “the world for the first time heard an assembly of men,
born and educated in civilization, and assuming the right to
govern one of the finest of the European nations, uplift their
united voice to deny the most solemn truth which man’s soul
receives, and renounce unanimously the belief and worship of a
Deity.” 244
Christ was crucified again, not only during the French Revolution itself,
but in the centuries leading up to the Revolution. From its inception,
France took the lead in supporting the papacy and eventually in rejecting
the Protestant Reformation. Clovis, the king of the Franks, used his
military power in AD 508 to establish the papacy as the pre-eminent
power of Western Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
The Albigenses and the Huguenots were persecuted, and many were
killed in France during the 1,260 years. Many others fled from the nation
during the time of the Protestant Reformation.
The following is a very insightful commentary regarding Christ being

crucified in France:
France was referred to as the eldest daughter of the church

because of her fervent support of the Roman Catholic cause.
France was foremost in carrying out the papacy’s will in
opposing and destroying those who rejected Roman Catholic
dogma. It is appalling that in the long period when France was
dominated by the papacy it was guilty of the slaughter of
millions of Christians who refused to follow the Roman
Catholic faith. In this manner, France in particular was guilty of
crucifying or putting to death Jesus Christ in the person of His
true followers. 245
Prior to the Revolution, the greatest atrocity toward the true Christians of
France occurred during St. Bartholomew’s Massacre. In the middle of the
night at the tolling of a bell, Protestants were dragged out of their homes
and murdered in cold blood. At the direction of the Roman Catholic
Church, 70,000 were killed in this fiendishly wicked act of evil. 246
Ellen White added further commentary on Christ being crucified in

France:
The same master spirit that urged on the St. Bartholomew

Massacre led also in the scenes of the Revolution. Jesus Christ
was declared to be an impostor, and the rallying cry of the
French infidels was, “Crush the Wretch,” meaning Christ.
Heaven-daring blasphemy and abominable wickedness went
hand in hand, and the basest of men, the most abandoned
monsters of cruelty and vice, were most highly exalted. In all
this, supreme homage was paid to Satan; while Christ, in His
characteristics of truth, purity, and unselfish love, was crucified.
8
It is not a coincidence that the same satanic spirit that inspired the
slaughter of the Albigenses and Protestants in France, during the 1,260
years, also inspired the rise of atheism and its attack on Christianity in
the same territory. Revelation 13:2 shows that the dragon, Satan, gave his
power, seat, and authority to the Roman Catholic church-state power. He
also gave his power to the beast that comes from the bottomless pit here
in Revelation 11. Both kingdoms are satanic powers. Both make war
against Christ and His people. The suppression of Scripture by the papacy
during the 1,260 years paved the way for the rise of atheism and the
French Revolution. The Scripture was again suppressed and eradicated
during the Revolution as a reaction against the abuses of the Roman
Catholic Church.
APPLICATION: Both atheism and the apostate Christian church (as seen in
the papacy) are really just opposite sides of the same satanic coin. Both
are persecutors of God’s people. We should not align with either side or
we place ourselves on the side of Satan. Some, in their attempt to avoid
apostate Christianity, have sided openly with atheistic progressives. While
it is certainly true that God’s last-day people should be doing everything
possible to avoid apostate Christianity, we must also avoid the satanic
power of secularism and atheism that has invaded this world since the
1790s.
This statement from Ellen White is particularly instructive:
As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith

in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified
through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and
join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and
partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly
the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared
to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing
address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to
deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter
enemies of their former brethren. When Sabbathkeepers are
brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these
apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent
and accuse them, and by false reports and insinuations to stir
up the rulers against them. 247
“Uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit” is not merely a
warning against siding with the apostate Christian church of America. It
is also a warning against uniting with the secular left. By uniting with
either satanic side, you are in danger of receiving the mark of the beast.
The current political climate in America and throughout the world is the
final struggle between the king of the north and the king of the south. 248
Both powers are determined to destroy God’s people. God’s people must
stand apart from either power.
OBSERVATION: In verse 9, the nations of the world witness the dead
bodies of the Old and New Testament in the streets of France for three-
and-a-half days. This is a time prophecy that lasts for three-and-a-half
literal years, following the same day-for-year principle used throughout
Daniel and Revelation.
The political aspect of the French Revolution began with the Storming of
the Bastille on July 14, 1789, and its corresponding Reign of Terror. The
nobility and bourgeoisie, while smaller in number, had suppressed the
proletariat (or working class) for centuries. The abuses that the masses
had suffered led to the initial aspect of the Revolution. The masses were
not prepared to judiciously handle the power that was given to them by
King Louis XVI.
Notice this fascinating statement from Ellen White:
At the opening of the Revolution, by a concession of the king,

the people were granted a representation exceeding that of the
nobles and the clergy combined. Thus the balance of power was
in their hands; but they were not prepared to use it with
wisdom and moderation. Eager to redress the wrongs they had
suffered, they determined to undertake the reconstruction of
society. An outraged populace, whose minds were filled with
bitter and long-treasured memories of wrong, resolved to
revolutionize the state of misery that had grown unbearable
and to avenge themselves upon those whom they regarded as
the authors of their sufferings. The oppressed wrought out the
lesson they had learned under tyranny and became the
oppressors of those who had oppressed them. 249
The language of oppressed and oppressors is still used today and was
picked up by Ellen White in her description of the French Revolution. It
was first used in 1802 by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel who said,
The Catholics had been in the position of oppressors, and the

Protestants of the oppressed. 250
Karl Marx expanded upon this thought, and his philosophy is still
influential today. 251 He published the Communist Manifesto in 1848.
Atheism is a major foundational principle of his teachings. Cultural
Marxism is a variation of the initial philosophy regarding socioeconomic
Marxist ideology. In cultural Marxism, not only can class distinction lead
to oppression, but religious and ethnic privilege can as well. Undoubtedly,
there have been abuses across the spectrum that must be addressed, but
often modern conflicts tend to lead to similar overreactions as occurred
in the French Revolution.
The proletariat were the oppressed, and the nobility and the bourgeoisie
were oppressors in France leading up to the French Revolution. Clearly,
the tables turned in the Revolution, and the oppressed became the
oppressors.
Louis XVI was executed on January 21, 1793, by means of the guillotine.
Just ten months later the Revolution accelerated into the next phase in its
war against God and Scripture. It was during this phase that the three-
and-a-half years met an exact fulfillment.
Austin Cooke has helpful insight on the historical fulfillment of this

prophecy:
On November 10, 1793, “the commissioners of the Convention

dressed up an ass in sacerdotal habit, loaded it with symbols of
Christianity, and tied the Old and New Testament to its tail. It
was then led in mock procession. … The crowd piled books of
devotion into heaps and burned them to ashes amid
blasphemous shouts. … A prostitute was enthroned as
‘Goddess of reason.’ ”
On November 23, 1793, “The Convention … decreed the

abolition of all religion,” which included the abolition of the
Scriptures.
On June 15, 1797, just over three-and-a-half years later (3 years,
6 months and 20 odd days), the National Assembly voted that
religion be restored and toleration given to the Scriptures, thus
fulfilling in remarkable detail the specifications of this
prophecy. 252
During the three-and-a-half years, verse 10 shows that the citizens of

France rejoiced over the eradication of Scripture. The people of France
had been tormented by the testimony of Scripture and were grateful to no
longer be under its messages of reproof and conviction.
“And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them,
and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because
these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.”
Infidel France had silenced the reproving voice of God’s two
witnesses. The word of truth lay dead in her streets, and those
who hated the restrictions and requirements of God’s law were
jubilant. Men publicly defied the King of heaven. Like the
sinners of old, they cried: “How doth God know? and is there
knowledge in the Most High?” Psalm 73:11.
With blasphemous boldness almost beyond belief, one of the

priests of the new order said: “God, if You exist, avenge Your
injured name. I bid You defiance! You remain silent; You dare
not launch Your thunders. Who after this will believe in Your
existence?” … What an echo is this of the Pharaoh’s demand:
“Who is Jehovah, that I should obey His voice?” “I know not
Jehovah!” 253
The atheistic philosophy behind the French Revolution led to the utter
ruin of France during the three-and-a-half years.
APPLICATION: Any kingdom that divorces itself from the teachings of

Scripture will face utter ruin as did France. While the separation of
church and state is absolutely essential, it should also be remembered that
the United States of America, as the second beast of Revelation 13, has
two horns like a lamb. Christian principles from Scripture have formed
the foundation of this great nation. These principles are civil and religious
liberty. The further America moves away from the Bible, the more these
liberties come under attack.
There have been attacks against faithful Christians, including Seventh-

day Adventists, by the secular left.254 Ultimately, in America there will be
a reaction by the religious right to the totalitarian tactics of the political
left that will lead to the total loss of civil and religious liberty for God’s
people. A national Sunday law will be passed, and every principle of our
constitution will be repudiated.
When the state shall use its power to enforce the decrees and
sustain the institutions of the church—then will Protestant
America have formed an image to the papacy, and there will be
a national apostasy which will end only in national ruin. 255
OBSERVATION: As seen in the discussion of verse 10, the French
Revolution made war against the Bible and God for three-and-a-half
years. At the end of that period, on June 15, 1797, the National Assembly
voted to restore religion and to give toleration to the Scriptures.
After 1,260 years of suppression of the Bible by the papacy, and then the
three-and-a-half years of war on Scripture and God by atheistic France,
the Bible finally was given life. Fear fell upon the onlooking world as they
saw with horror how the French had abolished God and His Word.
Verse 12 shows that after the Bible was suppressed for so long by the
papacy and by France, the circumstances changed dramatically, and the
Bible ascended symbolically to heaven in a cloud in full view of its
enemies.
By 1804, the British and Foreign Bible Society was formed. The American
Bible Society followed soon after in 1816.256 The Bible has been freely and
widely circulated and translated into many languages since the
Revolution.
According to Guinness World Records as of 1995, the Bible is the best-

selling book of all time with more than five billion copies sold and
distributed. Far from being suppressed, it is available to a large percentage
of the world’s population in fulfillment of the prophecy of Revelation
11:11–12.
APPLICATION: There are periods in Earth’s history when it seems that the
Bible and God’s people have been defeated. However, the resurrection of
the Bible after the French Revolution reminds us that God always prevails
in the end. We have a time of trouble ahead of us in which all earthly
support will be cut off, and to all human appearances, God’s people will
face certain defeat. We can take courage in the final triumph of God, His
Word, and His people at the end of the time of trouble. Stay grounded in
the Bible, and you will be part of the victorious people in the end.
REVELATION 11:13
OBSERVATION: Verse 13 summarizes the momentous effect that the
French Revolution had on France and on the world. At the same hour
that the two witnesses ascended to heaven in a cloud, there was a great
earthquake. This earthquake is the French Revolution. Ellen White said,
“France was shaken as if by an earthquake.” 257 As a result of the
earthquake, “the tenth part of the city fell.” The city here is Babylon, or
spiritual Rome. This is the first beast of Revelation 13 that has seven
heads and ten horns. The ten horns represent the ten divisions of Western
Europe that were under the dominion of the papacy. France was one of
the ten horns. The French Revolution was a massive geopolitical
earthquake in which France collapsed from being one of the pre-eminent
powers of Western Europe to one of its weakest. One tenth of Babylon, or
spiritual Rome, fell as a result of the French Revolution.
Kenneth Mathews summarizes the fall of France very well in the
France, as a nation, as one of the ten kingdoms, as one nation

that would oppose God and that would kill His witnesses, fell.
At the twilight of Louis XVI’s reign, France was the strongest
nation in Europe. At the end of the Napoleonic wars in 1815,
France was prostrate, the weakest of the European nations.
What a fall! 258
Speaking of the French Revolution, verse 13 says “in the earthquake were
slain of men seven thousand.” In the marginal reading of the King James
Version and in the Greek, this can be translated “were slain of names of
men seven thousand.” The names of men that were slain refers to the
aristocratic titles of the French nobility that were abolished in the French
Revolution. 259 These titles had been a divisive feature of French society.
The number 7,000 is symbolic, but it likely represents the complete
eradication of these names of men from French society. 260
On June 19, 1790, a decree was given that abolished the titles of the
French nobility:
Hereditary nobility is forever abolished in France: in

consequence the titles of marquis, chevalier, squire, count,
viscount, prince, baron, noble, duke, and all other like titles
may not be taken by anyone nor given to anyone; no citizen
may bear any name except that of his family. 261
Not only were the titles of the French aristocracy abolished, but many
perished in the Revolution during the Reign of Terror. It is estimated that
20,000–40,000 perished by means of the guillotine. Most famously King
Louis XVI was executed in this fashion.
Verse 13 concludes by stating that “the remnant were affrighted, and gave
glory to the God of heaven.” Uriah Smith has a nice summary of the
meaning of the remnant who were afraid and gave glory to God:
Their God-dishonoring and Heaven-defying work filled France
with such scenes of blood, carnage, and horror, as made even
the infidels themselves to tremble, and stand aghast; and the
“remnant” that escaped the horrors of that hour “gave glory to
God”—not willingly, but the God of heaven caused this “wrath
of man to praise Him,” by giving all the world to see that those
who make war on heaven make graves for themselves; thus
glory redounded to God by the very means that wicked men
employed to tarnish that glory.262
While the professed principles of the French Revolution were liberty,

equality, and fraternity, the end result of the Revolution was complete
enslavement to terror and ruin. Thankfully, the Revolution came to an
end in 1797.
However, the principles of atheism that arose as the beast from the
bottomless pit were to live on. It was France that delivered the deadly
wound to the papacy when Pope Pius VI was taken captive by Napoleon’s
General Berthier on February 20, 1798. This occurred less than one year
after the end of the French Revolution and exactly at the end of the 1,260-
year prophecy. Atheistic France had no use for the Roman Catholic
Church. The country that had initially supported the papacy in a church-
state alliance through Clovis in AD 508, severed that alliance in 1798 in
fulfillment of Bible prophecy.263
The atheism that sprung up in France continued to blossom even further.

Karl Marx wrote The Communist Manifesto while living in Paris, France.
It was published in 1848. The principles of this manifesto gave rise to the
Russian Revolution in 1917 led by Vladimir Lenin. From the Russian
Revolution, the maturation of communism and atheism developed in the
former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. China remains a major world
power under the influence of this philosophy.
APPLICATION: The rise of philosophical and political movements similar

to the French Revolution at this time of Earth’s history was foretold by
Ellen White:
At the same time anarchy is seeking to sweep away all law, not
only divine, but human. The centralizing of wealth and power;
the vast combinations for the enriching of the few at the
expense of the many; the combinations of the poorer classes for
the defense of their interests and claims; the spirit of unrest, of
riot and bloodshed; the world-wide dissemination of the same
teachings that led to the French Revolution—all are tending to
involve the whole world in a struggle similar to that which
convulsed France.
Such are the influences to be met by the youth of today. To

stand amidst such upheavals they are now to lay the
foundations of character. 264
Marxist and atheistic thinking are very much alive in our time in the
United States of America and the rest of the world, through movements
in which atheism is exalted, anarchy and tyranny are promoted, and the
teachings of Scripture are ridiculed. We have seen a surge of this thinking
through the rise of the acceptance and promotion of the homosexual and
lesbian lifestyles (LGBTQ+). Those who do not accept these unbiblical
views are treated with intolerance in a fashion similar to dissidents of the
French Revolution. Just as the Revolutionaries of France rejected the
teachings of Scripture, modern-day Marxists are doing the same, and the
results will be dreadful for this nation and the world.
REVELATION 11:14
OBSERVATION: After the French Revolution concludes, we read in verse
14, “The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.”
It should be recalled that the first woe is part of the fifth trumpet, the
second woe is part of the sixth trumpet, and the third woe is part of the
seventh trumpet. We saw in great detail the history of the fifth and sixth
trumpets and corresponding first and second woes in Revelation 9. While
it is clear that the first and second woes were God’s judgments on
Catholic Eastern Rome through the Saracen Muslims (first woe only) and
the Ottomans (first and second woes), it can also be seen from the
context of Revelation 11 that the French Revolution was part of the
second woe and was a judgment from God on the papacy.
The second woe, or the sixth trumpet, ended on August 11, 1840, with
the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The beginning of the third woe is tied to
the seventh trumpet and comes “quickly” after August 11, 1840.
Notice the contrast of the timing compared to Revelation 9:12 in which

the second woe continues “hereafter” from the first. While the second
woe was a direct continuation of the first woe, after the 150 years of the
first woe ended, Revelation 11:14 helps us to understand that there is a
brief interlude between the second and the third woes and indicates this
by using the word quickly. It is not a long break. Sometime quickly after
August 11, 1840, the third woe will begin, or the seventh trumpet will
begin to sound. The timing of the beginning of the seventh trumpet, or
the third woe, is clearly seen immediately following Revelation 11:14.
Revelation 11:15 announces that the seventh trumpet begins to sound.

When the seventh trumpet began to sound, the Most Holy Place was
opened in the sanctuary in heaven. Verse 19 says, “And the temple of God
was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his
testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an
earthquake, and great hail.”
As Seventh-day Adventists, we know from Inspiration and history that

the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary was opened on October
22, 1844. This is when the seventh trumpet began to sound and when the
third woe began in history. Notice the following statement from Ellen
White:
The ark of God’s testament is in the holy of holies, the second

apartment of the sanctuary. … Therefore the announcement
that the temple of God was opened in heaven and the ark of His
testament was seen points to the opening of the most holy place
of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844 as Christ entered there to
perform the work of the atonement.265
Notice that the timing of the third woe is quickly after August 11, 1840.
The interval between August 11, 1840, and October 22, 1844, is four
years, two months, and eleven days. Prophetically speaking, that is
“quickly.” Furthermore, the first and second woes were parallel and
concurrent with the fifth and sixth trumpets. Therefore, the third woe
must be parallel and concurrent with the seventh trumpet. The
commencement of the sounding of the seventh trumpet (and beginning
of the third woe) announces the beginning of the judgment in heaven
and the process of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary.
As the first four trumpets were a judgment on pagan and Catholic

Western Rome, and the fifth and sixth trumpets were judgments on
Catholic Eastern Rome, the seventh trumpet is the beginning of the
judgment on papal Rome (which also includes all of spiritual Babylon—
known as the three-fold union of the dragon, beast, and false prophet in
Revelation 16). In addition, the seventh trumpet announces the
beginning of the investigative judgment.
In order to properly understand all that takes place in the seventh

trumpet, or third woe, it is important to read the language of this in
verses 15–19. Based on these verses, in the third woe there is the angering
of the nations, the wrath of God, the time to judge the dead, the time
when the kingdoms of this earth will become the kingdoms of Christ, and
the opening of the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary.
APPLICATION: Judgments fell on Western Rome and Eastern Rome in the

first six trumpets. The seventh trumpet will bring the final judgment on
papal Rome, culminating with the third woe and the outpouring of the
seven last plagues.
As Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 12:14, “For God shall bring every work
into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it
be evil.”
REVELATION 11:15
OBSERVATION: In verse 15 we read,
kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for
ever and ever.
This scene parallels Daniel 7, in which Christ comes in the clouds of

heaven to the Father at the beginning of the judgment (v. 13). Verse 14
then shows the end result of the judgment in which the kingdom is given
to Christ and His dominion is announced as everlasting.
Ellen White made it clear in the following statement that the kingdoms
becoming Christ’s are yet future:
The kingdoms of this world have not yet become the kingdoms
of our Lord and of His Christ. Do not deceive yourselves; be
wide awake and move rapidly, for the night cometh in which no
man can work. 266
While it is clear that Revelation 11:19 refers to the beginning of the

investigative judgment when the Most Holy Place is opened in the
heavenly sanctuary on October 22, 1844, the beginning of the seventh
trumpet is also referring to the Second Coming of Christ.
We see this from the following statement:
About His coming cluster the glories of that “restitution of all

things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy
prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:21. Then the long-
continued rule of evil shall be broken; “the kingdoms of this
world” will become “the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His
Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.” Revelation 11:15.
267
In between the beginning of the judgment in 1844 and the Second

Coming, Rome attempts to come back from its deadly wound before it is
finally destroyed (see Daniel 11:40–45; Revelation 13; 17). In Revelation
11:15, we see the end result of the judgment in which the kingdoms of
this world are destroyed, and God sets up His everlasting kingdom at the
Second Coming. This is the same language as Daniel 2 when the stone
strikes the image.
Thus, when the judgment sits at the beginning of the seventh trumpet,
these kingdoms must face God in the judgment. This means that the
verdict of the final outcome is already certain. God cannot be fooled. His
verdict will be just and true, and the kingdoms of this world will be
destroyed. The promise is also given here that Christ will reign for ever
and ever, just as Daniel 7:14 says that His dominion is everlasting.
APPLICATION: We long for the day when the kingdoms of this world
become the kingdoms of Christ. This world is certainly nothing to live
for. The kingdom of grace and glory that will be established throughout
eternity is what we should be working for and living for now. God has
raised up a people to do a special work to prepare for that moment.
OBSERVATION: In these verses, the twenty-four elders give thanks to
God that He has taken His great power and reigns. They also fall on their
faces and worship God. We saw the twenty-four elders in Revelation 5:8–
9 and learned that they are a special order of angels. 268 Angels worship
God, too (see Hebrews 1:6 and Revelation 22:8–9).
In verse 17, they speak of how He is, He was, and He is to come. God
always has been. Jesus is God. He always has been. He is, and was, and is
to come.
The verse suggests that at this point, the Second Coming of Christ is still
future. So the sounding of the seventh trumpet, at its beginning, is an
announcement of the commencement of the judgment, not of the Second
Coming.
APPLICATION: If unfallen angels worship God, how much more should we

as fallen, sinful human beings place a priority on worshiping Him? By
worshiping God as Savior and Lord, we are placing Him above any
earthly idols, and our eternal salvation is secured.
REVELATION 11:18
OBSERVATION: In Revelation 11:18, we find more helpful information
that describes the events of the seventh trumpet, or the third woe. Notice
the first half of verse 18. “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is
come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged. …”
Fortunately, Ellen White gave several statements regarding the

components in the first half of verse 18, so we are not left guessing as to
the timing or sequence. First of all, we know that each of these
components begins no sooner than 1844. Here is a clear statement from
Ellen White on the nature of these events:
I saw that Jesus would not leave the most holy place until every
case was decided either for salvation or destruction, and that
the wrath of God could not come until Jesus had finished His
work in the most holy place, laid off His priestly attire, and
clothed Himself with the garments of vengeance. Then Jesus
will step out from between the Father and man, and God will
keep silence no longer, but pour out His wrath on those who
have rejected His truth. I saw that the anger of the nations, the
wrath of God, and the time to judge the dead were separate
and distinct, one following the other, also that Michael had
not stood up, and that the time of trouble, such as never was,
had not yet commenced. The nations are now getting angry, but
when our High priest has finished His work in the sanctuary,
He will stand up, put on the garments of vengeance, and then
the seven last plagues will be poured out.” 269
This statement is from a vision received on January 5, 1849. This

statement seems to show that the angering of the nations, the wrath of
God, and the time to judge the dead are chronological. Ellen White said
that “the nations are now getting angry,” showing that part was beginning
to be fulfilled as early as 1849. Furthermore, we see that “the angering of
the nations,” “the wrath of God,” and “the judging of the dead” are
distinct and separate in the order in which they occur, and one follows
the other. While we understand from The Great Controversy, p. 480, that
the judgment of the righteous dead began in 1844, she also said that the
“judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work, and takes place
at a later period.”
What is clear from the Early Writings statement is that the wrath of God
occurs once probation closes. We will evaluate further statements in the
following section so we have a clearer understanding of the angering of
the nations and the time to judge the dead.
The Angering of the Nations:Ellen White gave helpful information about

the timing and nature of the angering of the nations. On page 33 of Early
Writings, she stated that at the commencement of the time of trouble,
God’s Sabbath-keepers will receive the latter rain power and will proclaim
the Sabbath more fully. She then went on to further clarify this:
“The commencement of that time of trouble,” here mentioned

does not refer to the time when the plagues begin to be poured
out, but to a short time period just before they are poured out,
while Christ is in the sanctuary. At that time, while the work of
salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and
the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent
the work of the third angel. At that time the “latter rain,” or
refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give
power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the
saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall
be poured out.” 270
This is a very interesting passage. Here Ellen White made it clear that
when the latter rain is poured out on God’s people, simultaneously the
nations will be angry at the outset of the “little time of trouble.” This is a
fulfillment of the angering of the nations in Revelation 11:18. This shows
that the angering of the nations begins before probation closes and the
time of Jacob’s trouble. However, further statements from Ellen White
made it clear that the angering of the nations had already begun.
Notice this statement on the angering of the nations:
Everything in the world is in an unsettled state. The nations are

angry, and great preparations for war are being made. Nation is
plotting against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. The
great day of God is hasting greatly. But although the nations are
mustering their forces for war and bloodshed, the command to
the angels is still in force, that they hold the four winds until
the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads. 271
The next statement says the following:
Everything in our world is in agitation. There are wars and

rumors of wars. The nations are angry, and the time of the
dead has come, that they should be judged. Events are
changing to bring about the day of God which hasteth greatly.
Only a moment of time, as it were, yet remains. 272
Notice that both quotes are very similar and indisputably are referencing
Revelation 11:18. They show that the nations are already angry, and the
second quote shows that the time to judge the dead has come “that they
should be judged.” The phrase that states “the nations are angry”
describes a present event. The first quote was written in 1909, and the
second quote comes from Volume 6 of Testimonies for the Church, which
was written between 1891–1900. Therefore, we can safely say that by at
least 1900, the angering of the nations had begun.
Based on the initial quote from Early Writings, page 36, it is clear that the
angering of the nations begins first, and the wrath of God follows. The
judgment of the wicked dead is the last in the sequence of events.
In connection with the above statements about the nations being angry,
Ellen White linked “preparations for war” with this concept. Some of the
greatest wars the world has seen have occurred since the seventh trumpet
began sounding in 1844 and since this statement that Ellen White wrote
in 1909. World War I and World War II are among the worst wars the
world has seen. These reasonably fit the description of “great preparations
for war” that were fulfilled shortly after Ellen White wrote those
statements.
Based on what Ellen White said, the final fulfillment of the angering of
the nations culminates around the time of the latter rain.
Turning back to Early Writings, pages 85–86, the time of trouble that
Ellen White referred to (which is during the latter rain) is known as the
“little time of trouble.” This is distinct from the time of Jacob’s trouble.
Notice that one of the key elements of the latter rain message is a more
complete proclamation of the Sabbath message (p. 85). With respect to
the angering of the nations, the question to ask is, What nations will be
angry yet held in check during the time of the latter-rain proclamation, so
that the third angel’s message can go forth in power? Is there any other
place in Scripture that gives a clue to this?
In Daniel 11:44–45 we read about “tidings” from the east and north that
trouble the king of the north. These tidings from the east and north
represent the loud cry message of Revelation 18:1–5 and are the same as
the sealing message of Revelation 7:1–3 which ascends from the east. This
sealing message of Revelation 7 is the Sabbath message and corresponds
with what Ellen White said in Early Writings, page 85, that the Sabbath
message will be proclaimed more fully. This sealing message will produce
great fury in the king of the north. The king of the north is papal Rome.
Notice what Daniel 11:44 says: “But tidings out the east and out of the
north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to
destroy, and utterly to make away many.” The culmination of this great
fury on the part of papal Rome climaxes with the death decree and the
final close of probation for the world.
From this passage, we come to understand which nations are angry and
are orchestrating the persecution of God’s people. When the latter rain is
poured out and the sealing message begins to be given, persecution
against God’s saints will be initiated by the nations that are angry. Papal
Rome is at the head of these angry nations, yet Revelation 13 makes it
clear that Protestant America will unite with the papacy in this work of
persecution. Revelation 17 shows that the kings of the earth will work
together in making war with the Lamb. This concept is also mirrored in
Revelation 12:17.
The loud cry message of Revelation 18:1–3 identifies Babylon as fallen

(which is papal Rome and Protestantism), and verse 3 specifically says
that “all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,
and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her.” These
nations have formed an unlawful union of church and state (spiritual
fornication) that leads them to use the force of the state to persecute
God’s saints. Thus, we can see that the angry nations are led by papal
Rome and Protestant America but include all nations who drink the wine
of the wrath of her fornication.
Another point of instruction regarding the angering of the nations can be

found in this statement from Ellen White:
Four mighty angels are still holding the four winds of the earth.
Terrible destruction is forbidden to come in full. The accidents
by land and by sea; the loss of life, steadily increasing, by storm,
by tempest, by railroad disaster, by conflagration; the terrible
floods, the earthquakes, and the winds will be the stirring up of
the nations to one deadly combat, while the angels hold the
four winds, forbidding the terrible power of Satan to be
exercised in its fury until the servants of God are sealed in their
foreheads.
Angels are holding the four winds, which are represented as an

angry horse seeking to break loose and rush over the face of the
whole earth, bearing destruction and death in its path.
A terrible conflict is before us. We are nearing the battle of the

great day of God Almighty. That which has been held in control
is to be let loose. The angel of mercy is folding her wings,
preparing to step down from the throne and leave the world to
the control of Satan. The principalities and powers of earth are
in bitter revolt against the God of heaven. They are filled with
hatred against those who serve Him, and soon, very soon, will
be fought the last great battle between good and evil. The earth
is to be the battlefield—the scene of the final contest and the
final victory. 273
To summarize, Ellen White made it clear that when the four winds of
strife seen in Revelation 7 are released, the final fulfillment of the
angering of the nations will be seen. This correlates with the
understanding that the four winds will be released when God’s servants
are sealed. As they are sealed, the latter rain message will go forth, and
the four winds will be released, simultaneously leading to the angering of
the nations and the persecution of the saints. It is therefore very clear that
persecution (corresponding with the angering of the nations) will
coincide with the outpouring of the latter rain, and this persecution will
be orchestrated by papal Rome and Protestant America as well as the rest
of the world (all nations) that follows along.
The Wrath of God:The timing of the wrath of God is again see in this
quote from Ellen White:
I saw that Jesus would not leave the most holy place until every
case was decided either for salvation or destruction, and that
the wrath of God could not come until Jesus had finished His
work in the most holy place, laid off His priestly attire, and
clothed Himself with the garments of vengeance. Then Jesus
will step out from between the Father and man, and God will
keep silence no longer, but pour out His wrath on those who
have rejected His truth. 274
The wrath of God occurs when probation closes. The entire chapter of
Revelation 16 shows that the wrath of God is poured out in the seven last
plagues.
The Time to Judge the Dead:While we have seen that the judgment of
the righteous dead and all who have claimed the name of Christ began in
1844, according to The Great Controversy, page 480, we also see that the
judgment of the wicked will take place later. This refers to the executive
judgment at the end of the millennium when all the wicked who have
ever lived are called to stand before the great white throne following the
second resurrection. Ellen White described this scene in the following
quote:
In the presence of the assembled inhabitants of earth and

heaven the final coronation of the Son of God takes place. And
now, invested with supreme majesty and power, the King of
kings pronounces sentence upon the rebels against His
government and executes justice upon those who have
transgressed His law and oppressed His people. Says the
prophet of God: “I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat
on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and
there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small
and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and
another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the
dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works.” Revelation 20:11, 12.
As soon as the books of record are opened, and the eye of Jesus
looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which
they have ever committed. They see just where their feet
diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far
pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation of the
law of God. The seductive temptations which they encouraged
by indulgence in sin, the blessings perverted, the messengers of
God despised, the warnings rejected, the waves of mercy beaten
back by the stubborn, unrepentant heart—all appear as if
written in letters of fire. 275
We see from this quote that the executive judgment at the end of the
millennium could fit the chronology of Ellen White’s statement from
Early Writings, page 36, for the timing of the judgment of the dead. It is
after the thousand years that the final execution of the judgment of the
dead will take place. Further evidence for this idea is seen here:
Everything in our world is in agitation. There are wars and

rumors of wars. The nations are angry, and the time of the dead
has come, that they should be judged. Events are changing to
bring about the day of God which hasteth greatly. Only a
moment of time, as it were, yet remains. 276
The phrase “that they should be judged” fits language that describes a
future event. While some may believe that the above quote is referencing
the beginning of the judgment in 1844, we can see that Revelation 11:18
and Early Writings, page 36, are describing the judgment of the wicked
after the wrath of God is poured out. Revelation 16 makes it clear that the
wrath of God is poured out beginning with the seven last plagues, so the
time to judge the dead of Revelation 11:18 is a different event than the
judgment of the dead in 1844.
The following table helps to summarize the sequence of events during the
seventh trumpet, or third woe.
1. The seventh trumpet sounded (third woe begins) on October 22,
1844, as Revelation 11:19 shows that the Most Holy Place was opened.
2. Christ entered the Most Holy Place to receive the kingdom
(Revelation 11:15).
3. The judgment of the dead commenced in 1844 (The Great
Controversy, 480, 486; Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 14;
Revelation 11:18). At some point in the future beyond 1844, the
judgment of the living among God’s professed people begins (The
Great Controversy, 490).
4. Sometime between 1844 and 1900, the angering of the nations began
(The Review and Herald, January 28, 1909; Testimonies for the Church,
vol. 6, 14) and certainly has already been fulfilled through World War
I and World War II among other wars.
5. As the latter rain is poured out and God’s people are sealed, the four
winds of strife are released, which leads to the final angering of the
nations and the persecution of the saints (Early Writings, 36, 85–86;
My Life Today, 308; Daniel 11:44; Revelation 11:18; 12:17; 13).
6. In its final phase, “the nations that are angry” are primarily
represented by papal Rome and Protestant America, but the kings of
the earth also play a key role (Daniel 11:44–45; Revelation 13, and
Revelation 17).
7. The wrath of papal Rome against the sealing message leads to the
death decree which precipitates the close of probation (Daniel 11:44,
45–12:1; Revelation 12:17, and Revelation 13).
8. The close of probation ushers in the wrath of God, which is
manifested by the outpouring of the seven last plagues (Early
Writings, 36; Revelation 16).
9. After the close of probation, the Second Coming, and the
millennium, Christ returns with the saints to the earth the third time
for the executive judgment. At this point, the final judgment of the
dead takes place (Revelation 11:18; 20:11–12; The Great Controversy,
666).
Now that we have established the sequence from Revelation 11:18 of “…
the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead,
that they should be judged,” we can evaluate the remaining components
of the seventh trumpet.
In the last half of Revelation 11:18 we read, “… and that thou shouldest
give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them
that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which
destroy the earth.”
The reward that is given speaks to the reward (or gift) of everlasting life
given to God’s faithful people as a result of the investigative judgment
that began in 1844. This includes those who have already died, whose
names are reviewed in the judgment, as well as those that are living
during the time of the judgment. The faithful are the “servants the
prophets,” “the saints,” and “them that fear thy name.” Those who “fear
thy name” connects to Revelation 14:7 and the call to fear God in the
time of the judgment.
The final phrase shows that God will destroy those who “destroy,” or
“corrupt” (per margin), the earth. During the seventh trumpet, at the end
of the executive judgment, God destroys those who corrupt the earth by
pouring out His wrath in sending fire down from heaven to destroy them
(see Revelation 20:9). Thus, the seventh trumpet culminates at the end of
the millennium.
APPLICATION: As God’s people, we should be preparing to receive the

outpouring of the latter rain as the nations of the world are becoming
angrier. We have a message to call people out of Babylon, which will keep
them from being ruined by the angry nations and the mark of the beast.
REVELATION 11:19
OBSERVATION: The description of the seventh trumpet closes in
Revelation 11:19 with the opening of the Most Holy Place in the heavenly
sanctuary. Our understanding of Daniel 8:14, as well as of the timing of
the end of the sixth trumpet, or second woe, on August 11, 1840, helps us
to know that Jesus entered the Most Holy Place on October 22, 1844,
“quickly” after the end of the second woe (see again The Great
Controversy, 433). This announces the beginning of the judgment on
papal Rome (and spiritual Babylon) and the investigative judgment of all
of God’s professed people, starting with those who are dead.
At the end of this verse, we see the phrase, “and there were lightnings,
and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” This
phrase is also seen in Revelation 8:5, just before the description of the
seven trumpets begins. In Revelation 11:19, “hail” is added to lightnings,
voice, thunderings, and an earthquake. In both Revelation 8:5 and here in
Revelation 11:19, we have a description of the close of probation. The
judgment began in 1844 and concludes with the close of probation.
In the seventh plague of Revelation 16:21, there is great hail falling on the
wicked. There are also voices, thunders, lightnings, and a great
earthquake in Revelation 16:18 at the beginning of the seventh plague.
There is a clear connection with the seventh trumpet (hail in Revelation
11:19) and the seven last plagues. The lightnings, and voices, and
thunderings, and an earthquake denote the close of probation in the Most
Holy Place. The hail denotes the seventh plague just prior to the Second
Coming of Christ.
This brings up a crucial point about the third woe and the seventh
trumpet. As seen in the sequence in the nine points previously listed,
point eight shows that the wrath of God is poured out in the seven last
plagues as part of the seventh trumpet. This shows that the seventh
trumpet, or third woe, which began in history on October 22, 1844,
continues with the wrath of God in the outpouring of the seven last
plagues after the judgment has ended, or after probation has closed. This
makes the third woe far worse than the first and second woes. It also
shows the end result of the judgment on papal Rome.
The Interlude of Revelation 10 and 11
At this point, one may wonder why Revelation 10 and Revelation 11:1–13
are between the sixth and the seventh trumpets. Looking first at
Revelation 11, we see that it describes the French Revolution. The three-
and-a-half years of the French Revolution mentioned in Revelation 11:9,
in which atheism was introduced, occurred from the fall of 1793 to the
spring of 1797. This also marks the end of the 1,260 years, described as
the times of the Gentiles in Revelation 11:2. It was during this time that
the two witnesses, the Old and New Testament, were clothed in sackcloth
due to their suppression by papal Rome. A union of church and state was
formed in AD 508 in France, beginning the 1,290-year prophecy of
Daniel 12:11. France consistently rejected the Protestant Reformation and
participated in killing the Huguenots in St. Bartholomew’s massacre in
1572.
Thus, the principles of the papacy of the union of church and state began
in France and reached full maturity over the 1,260 and 1,290 years.
Revelation 13:2 reminds us that the dragon, or Satan, gave his power, seat,
and authority to papal Rome. The papacy’s principles of Satan’s
government were developed by papal Rome especially in the country of
France. At the end of the 1,260 years, Satan’s principles of government
came to full maturity as seen in the French Revolution. Papal Rome
received its deadly wound in 1798, and forty-six years later the judgment
began in 1844. Papal Rome had persecuted the saints during the 1,260
years, showing what Satan does to God’s true believers.
The French Revolution revealed that the end result of the principles of
Satan’s government is complete anarchy and a godless society full of
licentiousness and debauchery. Once Satan’s principles were fully revealed
through papal Rome after the 1,260 years, God was justified, or
vindicated, to begin His judgment on papal Rome as denoted by the
sounding of the seventh trumpet. This culminates with the wrath of God
in the outpouring of the seven last plagues. Revelation 11 is in between
the description of the sixth and seventh trumpets because it shows why
God was vindicated to begin His judgment on Rome at the sounding of
the seventh trumpet.
Revelation 10 describes the rise of the Second Advent movement.

Revelation 10:2 shows the unsealing of the understanding of the 2,300-
day prophecy from Daniel 8:14 and reveals that there is no more
prophetic time after 1844 (Revelation 10:6). The Great Disappointment of
the Millerite movement is shown in Revelation 10:9–10, and the
commission to prophesy again through the proclamation of the three
angels’ messages is seen in Revelation 10:11.
The key issue with respect to the seventh trumpet is found in Revelation
10:7. We read,
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall
begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath
declared to his servants the prophets.
This verse tells us that the purpose for the Second Advent movement is
for the mystery of God to be finished during the sounding of the seventh
trumpet. Several verses (Ephesians 6:19; 3:3, 6; Colossians 4:3) show that
the mystery of God is the gospel. Thus, one element of the finishing of the
mystery of God is the completion of the gospel commission as seen in
Matthew 24:14.
Colossians 1:27 also tells us that the mystery of God is “Christ in you, the
hope of glory.” The mystery of God represents the indwelling Christ,
through the power of the Holy Spirit, living out His life through His last-
day people in the Second Advent movement (see also Ephesians 3:16–21).
Christ’s life, or His righteousness, will be completed, or finished, in His
believers. Therefore, the principles of God’s government will be fully
demonstrated through the Second Advent movement just as Satan’s
principles have been demonstrated through the papacy after 1,260 years.
God was justified to begin the judgment in heaven, based on the work of
Satan through the papacy for 1,260 years and the French Revolution at
the very end of the 1,260 years, and He will be justified to finish the
judgment when the mystery of God is completed in the Second Advent
movement. When the principles of His government are fully seen
through the character of His last-day people, we will see the angel of
Revelation 18 and the outpouring of the latter rain and the giving of the
loud cry. Not long after that, we will see the fulfillment of the words in
Revelation 22:11:
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he that is filthy, let
him be made filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be
righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be made holy still.
APPLICATION: There are other interesting parallels with Christ’s ministry,

the papacy, and the French Revolution. Christ and the papacy are
opposites. The papacy is the antichrist power. Christ’s ministry was for
three-and-a-half literal years. At the end of that ministry, He died. The
completeness of His character was seen at the end of that time when He
died on the cross. As Ellen White succinctly states, “Hanging on the
cross, Christ was the gospel.” 277
The papacy, as antichrist, also needed three-and-a-half years to

completely demonstrate its character. This time it was not literal years but
prophetic years. Just as Christ died at the end of His ministry, the
antichrist received a deadly wound in 1798 at the end of the three-and-a-
half prophetic years.
Toward the end of the 1,260 years, the completeness of the character of
the antichrist is seen when the French Revolution occurred in the
territory known as the eldest daughter of the papacy. Here we see that
Christ is again crucified in the streets of the nation of France. The
anarchy and tyranny are a representation of what heaven would have
become if Satan had gained control of heaven.
Adventism is the answer to the tyranny and anarchy of the French
Revolution. The character of God’s government will be fully seen through
His end-time faithful people who keep the commandments of God and
the faith of Jesus.
REVELATION 12
INTRODUCTION
Revelation 12 is arguably the most significant chapter in the entire book
of Revelation. Here is outlined the great controversy between Christ and
Satan that began in heaven. We then see that the battlefield has moved to
this earth. This chapter identifies the key figures in this cataclysmic
struggle. We see God’s church in the Old and New Testament. We see
Christ under attack. Then we find the church in the wilderness under
attack. The chapter closes with God’s remnant church under attack, facing
the wrath of the dragon.
At this point in our study of the book of Revelation, the first half of the
book has revealed God’s master strategy to defeat Satan in the great
controversy. Revelation 12 details the warfare between Christ and Satan
from its beginning in heaven to its pinnacle, when the accuser of the
brethren is cast down. The next chapter, Revelation 13, shows Satan’s
master strategy to prevent Christ from winning the great controversy.
In the first 11 chapters, we have seen how Christ plans to defeat Satan in
this great struggle. The seven churches, seven seals, and seven trumpets
identify this strategy. In each of these series of sevens, the climax of
Christ’s work occurs in the Most Holy Place.
From the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:14–22, we learned that

despite its terrible condition of spiritual poverty, Christ promises that His
last-day church will overcome as He did—when His knock on the door of
the Laodicean’s hearts is answered and He is allowed to come in. This
victorious life of faith empowers the church to receive the seal of the
living God and become part of the 144,000 at the end of the seven seals in
Revelation 7. By the end of the seven trumpets in Revelation 10, Christ
Himself raises up the Second Advent movement so that the mystery of
God is finished, which is Christ in you the hope of glory. The power of
the indwelling Christ, by faith, allows His church to be filled with all of
the fulness of God.
As described in the previous paragraph, this work that Christ does from
the Most Holy Place in the life of the believer will be simultaneously
completed as the sanctuary in heaven is being cleansed of sin. When
Christ finishes this work, He will have a revelation of Jesus Christ
through His people to present to the world and to the universe. In the
great controversy, this will be Christ’s demonstration of victory to Satan
and the onlooking universe.
However, Satan is not going down without a fight. The war started in
heaven and continues on this earth. He targets God’s church, and his final
attack is against God’s last-day remnant who “keep the commandments
of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17). This is
a full-scale assault.
In Revelation 13, Satan brings together the powers of this world, united
under false religious worship, in an attempt to eradicate God’s people.
This final conflict is still in the future. That is why it is so important to
understand the upcoming chapters. Revelation 12 sets the stage for what
comes next. It is absolutely vital that we know what is coming. We must
read and understand the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. As we
come to know Jesus on a deeper level, we also learn how to avoid
deception in these last days.
REVELATION 12:1
OBSERVATION: Revelation 12 begins with a magnificent wonder, or sign, in

heaven. This great wonder, or sign, is a woman clothed with the sun, the
moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. The sight
of the woman is spectacular.
The Woman: God’s church is repeatedly referred to as a woman in

Scripture. This is seen in the Old and New Testaments. In the Old
Testament, Jeremiah 6:2 says, “I have likened the daughter of Zion to a
comely and delicate woman.” Zion is the mountain on the north side of
Jerusalem and represents God’s people (Isaiah 60:14). The daughter of
Zion is God’s church. 278
Isaiah 54:5 says,
For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name;
and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole
earth shall he be called.
Song of Solomon 6:10 says,
Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon,
clear as the sun, and terrible [awesome] as an army with
banners?
In the New Testament, 2 Corinthians 11:2 says,
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused
you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to
Christ.
Ephesians 5:31–32 says,
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall
be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a
great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
All of these passages clearly indicate that God uses a woman to symbolize
the church in the Old and New Testaments. Christ desires to be one with
His church. Marriage between one man and one woman symbolizes the
union that Christ has with His church. The pure woman of Revelation 12
is God’s church.
The symbols associated with the woman make the relationship between
Christ and His people in the Old and New Testament that much clearer.
Clothed With the Sun: Malachi 4:2 identifies Christ as the Sun of
righteousness. Jeremiah 23:6 says that His name is “The LORD OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS.” The sun that clothes the woman is Christ. The
beautiful imagery painted here is that the woman is shining as brightly as
the sun, with the glory of Christ and His righteousness. The glory of the
church comes from Christ alone, and He is what makes the church
attractive to the world.
The Moon Under Her Feet: The moon is the foundation upon which the
woman is standing. It shines with borrowed light reflecting the light of
the sun and is the primary object of the woman that reflects the light of
the sun. 279 Christ is the source of the light that the moon reflects.
The Old Testament Scriptures served as the foundation for God’s church
prior to the first Advent and reflected the light of Christ. They also
pointed forward to His first Advent. Within the Old Testament, the key
elements that form this foundation of God’s church include the law of
God, the sanctuary service, and the prophets. All of these pointed
forward to Christ. Christ is the light. These key components reflect the
light of Christ.
After Christ came to Earth, the church cherished the New Testament
Scriptures also as a reflection of Christ.
Crown of Twelve Stars: The woman wears a crown of twelve stars. Stars
can represent angels (see Revelation 1:20) or leaders who shine for God
(see Daniel 12:3), and crowns imply rulership. 280 The church represents
God’s government upon Earth. Godly leadership should be seen from
God’s true church, and those leading will demonstrate righteous
characters (see again Daniel 12:3; 1 Timothy 3:1–7; and Titus 1:5–9).
While Christ is the Head of the church, He has set rulers with whom He
has invested authority over the church in the Old and New Testament and
until the end of time. The order and authority of Heaven was challenged
by Satan. We will see that as the chapter progresses.
The twelve stars are thought by some to represent either the twelve tribes
of Israel and/or the twelve apostles. 281 It seems reasonable to believe that
the leaders of the Old Testament and New Testament churches would be
represented on the crown of the woman. Thus, the twelve stars represent
the twelve patriarchs from the twelve tribes of Israel in the Old
Testament, and the twelve apostles from the New Testament church.
APPLICATION: God is a God of order. We, as His people, are His church.
We are the body of Christ. Christ gives light to this church through His
righteousness. We stand on the foundation of the Bible with the
sanctuary message, the prophets, and the law of God. We show respect to
the authority that God has given to those who are ordained to be leaders
in His church. We follow what the Bible says when specifying the
qualifications for those leaders. By His grace, like the stars in Daniel 12:3,
we can shine with the brightness of Christ’s righteousness as we are
transformed into His likeness.
REVELATION 12:2
OBSERVATION: In verse 2, there is a dramatic picture of the woman in
active labor to deliver a child. This male child is born in verse 5. This
depiction is clearly symbolic of the Messiah being brought forth from the
church. The promised Messiah had been looked for since the fall of man.
The children of Israel had long looked for His coming over the course of
many centuries. It was not without a great struggle that Christ was born
in Bethlehem of Judea. The Babylonian captivity had greatly dimmed the
hopes of His coming.
Then the prophecy of Daniel 9:24–27, given during the Babylonian
captivity, brought renewed hope, as it defined the timing of His coming
and ministry. However, the Jewish bondage to the Romans made the
plight more difficult. All of these struggles throughout the history of
God’s people typify a woman giving birth as she agonizes to bring forth
the long-desired child.
God’s church waited for thousands of years for the birth of Christ. It was
not without anguish and struggle that He was born. However, the true
church of God has rejoiced ever since that day.
APPLICATION: Any woman reading this book who has gone through the
experience of childbirth knows of the agony and pain of labor. The joy of
looking forward to the birth has been present for months, but then comes
the agony of labor and delivery. Many women rightfully dread the labor
before it happens.
As John 16:21 says,
A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is

come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she
remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born
into the world.
The apostle Paul likens the work of leaders developing Christ-like

disciples in the church to that of labor in Galatians 4:19 when he says,
“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be
formed in you.”
Just as the Christian church struggled to give birth to Christ, there can be
challenges in pushing forward to do the work that God has given this
church. Trial and opposition to the work of the third angel’s message is
often discouraging and very painful.
However, just as the labor experience brings pain that is followed by joy
when the child is delivered, the same is true in ministering for souls. As
Luke 15:10 says, “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of
the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
REVELATION 12:3–4
OBSERVATION: We have seen a great wonder, or sign, in heaven with the
woman in verse 1. Now we see another sign, or wonder, in heaven. This
time it is not a good scene. Rather, it shows the evil antagonist of the
woman. In this passage, there is a great red dragon with seven heads, ten
horns, and seven crowns on the heads.
This is the first of three passages in Revelation with a similar picture.

Here in Revelation 12:3, we see “a great red dragon having seven heads,
and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.” Revelation 13:1 depicts
“a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and
upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.”
In Revelation 17:3 there is a woman sitting “upon a scarlet coloured beast,
full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.”
There are striking similarities in each of the descriptions. In these beast

powers, we find the antagonists to God and His church. We will look in
greater detail at the beasts of Revelation 13 and 17 when we come to
those chapters later in this book, but it is obvious that they derive their
power and strength from the great red dragon that is seen here in
Revelation 12.
The Great Red Dragon: The antagonist to Christ and His church is the
great red dragon. The identity of the great red dragon is made very clear
later in this same chapter. Revelation 12:9 identifies the great dragon as
“that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan.” Revelation 20:2 uses the
same language to describe the dragon. Satan is the great red dragon. 282
Revelation 12:9 shows that Satan has been cast to this earth. He does a
work of persecution against God by attacking the woman and the Child
that is about to be delivered. This persecution continues against God’s
church till the close of time.
The color red is used in Scripture to describe sin (Isaiah 1:18) and to
describe persecution (Revelation 6:4). The two are obviously connected as
sin leads to persecution, and Satan is the father of both.
Seven Heads; Ten Horns; Seven Crowns: Satan is the great red dragon,
but he has invested power and authority to earthly kingdoms and
potentates. Revelation 13 and 17 also describe a beast with seven heads
and ten horns. Just as the prophecies of Daniel have a pattern of
repetition and enlargement, the same principle applies to the seven
heads. Revelation 12 lays the foundation of the nature and purpose of the
seven heads. The seven heads are connected to the great red dragon. Each
head represents a king, or kingdom (see Revelation 17:9–10). From this
we can see that the seven heads are the earthly kingdoms that Satan has
worked through to persecute God’s people. Here in chapter 12, we
understand that pagan Rome must be one of the seven heads as it was the
power that tried to destroy Christ. We cannot tell which head pagan
Rome is, based on Revelation 12 alone.
Revelation 13:1–2 gives helpful historical context showing that the first
head and prophetic kingdom is from the lion of Babylon. This is
consistent with the kingdoms described in the book of Daniel. It also
shows that one of the seven heads received a deadly wound (v. 3). We
now have a better idea of the order of these heads based on Babylon
being the first head.
Thus, the kingdoms represented by the seven heads are Babylon, Medo-
Persia, Greece, pagan Rome, papal Rome, The United States of America
(second beast of Revelation 13), and the One World Coalition. 283 These
seven heads, or kingdoms, persecute God’s people from the time of
Babylon to the end of the world.
In the beginning of Revelation 12, it is the head of pagan Rome that is the
persecuting power that Satan is working through to persecute the woman
and Christ. This is the fourth head of the dragon.
With respect to the seven crowns, we noted in the discussion of verse 1

that crowns imply rulership. There is a crown on each head, showing the
rulership and dominion of each kingdom.
The ten horns are described in Revelation 17:12 as “ten kings, which have
received no kingdom as yet.” Ten is a universal number, and it represents
the kings of the earth who unite with the dragon and the beast to support
the cause of the dragon. In Revelation 13, the ten horns have crowns. In
Revelation 17, the horns are without crowns. Revelation 13 describes the
1,260 years in which the papacy had control over the state powers of the
earth and ruled as the pre-eminent power on this earth. Revelation 17
describes the papacy in its wounded condition in which the horns do not
have crowns because the papacy does not have control over the state after
its deadly wound in 1798.
Revelation 17:12 describes a time in the future in which the ten horns, as
ten kings, will unite for “one hour with the beast.” This describes the time
in which the kings of the earth unite with the papacy and apostate
Protestant America to form an image to the beast in which church and
state unite and a Sunday law is passed—first in America, and then
throughout the world. This will be discussed in greater detail in
Revelation 17. 284
Tail of the Dragon; One Third of the Stars: It is the tail of Satan that
takes one third of the stars from heaven. Revelation 1:20 shows that stars
can represent angels. Kenneth Mathews has excellent insight into the
Bible verses that add clarity to this passage:
“Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail,
branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honourable, he is
the head; and the prophet that teaches lies, he is the tail (Isaiah
9:14, 15).” John 8:44 tells us who the liar, or the “tail,” is. “Ye are
of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the
truth, because there is not truth in him. When he speaketh a
lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
Lucifer, turned Satan, the “tail,” speaks the seductive lies that
draw a third part of the angels away from their loyalty to God.
285
It is a sad yet remarkable achievement that Satan was able to win the
loyalty of one third of the angels in heaven. He won them over with lies.
When some angels were ready to go back to God’s side before being cast
out, Satan lied even further and said that they had all gone too far to go
back. 286
So Satan has a host of evil angels who assist him in doing a work of
persecution and destruction on this earth, as far as God will permit.
The Dragon Attempts to Devour the Child: At the end of Revelation

12:4, we see a sinister scene in which the dragon stands before the woman
to devour the newborn child. It is hard to think of anything more evil
than a criminal trying to destroy an innocent newborn baby. Yet that is a
perfect description of the utter malignity and evil of Satan.
Through the power of Rome, Satan attempted to destroy Christ just after
His birth by the decree of Herod287 to destroy all the male children ages
two and under in Bethlehem and surrounding districts (see Matthew
2:16–18; Jeremiah 31:15). But God sent an angel to warn Joseph to escape
and would not allow His Son to be destroyed until He accomplished His
mission and died as a perfect sacrifice on the cross.
APPLICATION: We are reminded of the description of Satan in 1 Peter 5:8–

9:
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same
afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the
world.
Much of the remaining portion of Revelation 12, as well as Revelation 13

and Revelation 17, describes the ongoing work of Satan in persecuting
God’s people. We are reminded to resist him steadfastly in the faith (1
Peter 5:9). It takes faith to withstand trial and persecution. Thankfully,
there are many promises given to us about overcoming these attacks.
Jesus said in John 16:33,
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have

peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer;
I have overcome the world.
REVELATION 12:5: The woman brings forth the male child. While Mary
was the biological human mother of Jesus, it is God’s church that gave
birth to Christ. 288
Rule With a Rod of Iron: After Jesus is born, we see that He is to rule all
nations with a rod of iron. Psalm 2:7–9 is the Messianic prophecy to
which this promise refers:
I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art
my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give
thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of
the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of
iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
In addition to Revelation 12:5 and Psalm 2:7–9, the rod of iron is also
mentioned in Revelation 2:26–27 and Revelation 19:15.
Revelation 2:26–27 expands on the promise of Psalm 2:7–9. The promise
is made that those who overcome will have power over the nations, and
then Psalm 2:9 is quoted, declaring that the overcomers will rule with a
rod of iron. Revelation 19:15 is a picture of the Second Coming. The
promise is given again that Christ will rule all nations with a rod of iron.
How does Christ rule with a rod of iron? The illustration is that the rod of
iron is used as a rod of destruction. Christ destroys the nations into
pieces like a potter’s vessel. The meaning is much clearer when we see
how Christ works as a potter does with clay vessels.
Isaiah 64:8 says,
But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou
our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
Jeremiah 18:1–11 gives a more extensive description of the work Christ

does as a potter on the vessels:
The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise,
and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to
hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and,
behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he
made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it
again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel,
cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the
clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of
Israel. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and
concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to
destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn
from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto
them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and
concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in my
sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good,
wherewith I said I would benefit them. Now therefore go to, speak
to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,
Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise
a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way,
and make your ways and your doings good.
From these passages, we see that human vessels as well as nations are
marred by sin. We need the potter to re-shape us with the rod of iron.
Christ uses the rod of iron to break into pieces the sin in our lives that
ruins our vessels. Thus, vessels that have been marred are transformed
into new creations.
God does not rule with a rod of iron for the purpose of enjoyment in
destroying the wicked. It is His desire that the wicked will turn to Him.
As Ezekiel 33:11 says,
Say unto them, As I live, saith the LORD GOD, I have no pleasure
in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way
and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die,
O house of Israel?
Those who overcome are given the promise in Revelation 2:26–27 of

ruling with Christ. Those who refuse to be shaped by Christ will
eventually be broken into pieces. Revelation 19:15 then shows that the
wicked who have refused to submit to Christ’s authority will be destroyed
at the Second Coming.
Furthermore, the Messianic prophecy of Psalm 2:7–9 begins with the

identity of Christ as the Son of God:
I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art
my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
The fulfillment of this promise occurs in Acts 13:33:
God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath
raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm,
Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
Here we see in Acts 13:33 the promise from Psalm 2:7. It is at the
resurrection of Christ that He becomes the first begotten Son of God (see
Hebrews 1:5–6). Christ’s perfect life, perfect sacrifice, and resurrection
qualify Him to be the King of this earth and to rule all nations with a rod
of iron.
Christ Ascends to the Throne of God: After Christ succeeds on this

earth with a perfect life and as a perfect sacrifice, He is caught up to God
and His throne. How did He get there? Notice Revelation 3:21:
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,

even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his
throne.
Christ’s life of perfection, in which He overcame, qualified Him to ascend

to God and the throne where He is now seated at the right hand of God. 1
John 5:4 reminds us that we overcome by faith. Christ, in His humanity,
lived by faith and overcame by faith. We call His faith the faith of Jesus.
Ellen White described this faith quite poignantly in the following passage:
Suddenly the gloom lifted from the cross, and in clear,

trumpetlike tones, that seemed to resound throughout creation,
Jesus cried, “It is finished.” “Father, into Thy hands I commend
My spirit.” A light encircled the cross, and the face of the
Saviour shone with a glory like the sun. He then bowed His
head upon His breast, and died.
Amid the awful darkness, apparently forsaken of God, Christ

had drained the last dregs in the cup of human woe. In those
dreadful hours He had relied upon the evidence of His Father’s
acceptance heretofore given Him. He was acquainted with the
character of His Father; He understood His justice, His mercy,
and His great love. By faith He rested in Him whom it had ever
been His joy to obey. And as in submission He committed
Himself to God, the sense of the loss of His Father’s favor was
withdrawn. By faith, Christ was victor. 289
The faith of Jesus as an overcomer is most clearly seen in His submission

to the Father in Gethsemane and on the cross. His ascension to the
throne of God in Revelation 12:5 is a testimony of His victorious life of 33
years and His victorious death on the cross. Not only is He the Lord of
our lives by ruling with a rod of iron, He is also our Savior who died on
the cross. Furthermore, He is our great High Priest, seated at the right
hand of the throne of God (see Hebrews 8:1–2). So much about Christ is
packed into this one verse here in Revelation 12:5.
APPLICATION: In Revelation 12:5, we see Christ as our Lord, Savior, and

High Priest. We are all like the marred clay in the hand of the potter
(Jeremiah 18:4). We need a Savior to forgive us and to change us. We
need Jesus not only to forgive us but to lead our lives as our Lord by
ruling gently with the rod of iron. Now that He is at the right hand of the
throne of God as our High Priest, He promises that we can sit with Him
on His throne if we overcome as He did. This is where the promise of
Hebrews 4:14–16 brings great hope:
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into
the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time
of need.
It is very faith-affirming to know that Jesus understands the infirmities of

human nature and that He was tempted in all points like us. He
overcame, and if we come boldly to the throne of grace to receive His
help, He promises that we can overcome, too. Ellen White contributed
this powerful statement in commenting on Revelation 3:21:
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My
Father in His throne.” We can overcome. Yes; fully, entirely.
Jesus died to make a way of escape for us, that we might
overcome every evil temper, every sin, every temptation, and sit
down at last with Him. 290
REVELATION 12:6
OBSERVATION:After Christ ascended to heaven, He was out of the reach of

Satan. Now the woman becomes the primary target of the dragon. The
persecution of the church is implied but obvious in this passage. The
woman reacts to the persecution by fleeing into the wilderness for 1,260
days. These are the 1,260 years of persecution during the Dark Ages from
AD 538–1798. This was also discussed in Revelation 11:2–3. 291
The Christian church first faced persecution by pagan Rome. But

persecution escalated during the Dark Ages when the papacy became the
dominant world power. The dragon gave his power, seat, and authority to
the papacy (Revelation 13:2) and worked through the papacy to persecute
dissenters, the true Christian believers.
Further description of this persecution during the 1,260 years is seen in

verses 13–16.
However, it should be noted why AD 538 is the beginning of the 1,260

years of papal persecution. 292 In AD 533, Justinian, the Roman emperor,
decreed that the pope would be the head of all the churches. But the
decree did not go into effect until AD 538 when Belisarius, the Roman
general, drove out the Goths from the city of Rome. This decree united
church and state. Now the papacy worked with the strong arm of the state
as a persecuting power.
Austin Cooke cites the historian Procopius, who followed the Roman
armies, with these fascinating declarations regarding Justinian:
In his zeal to bring all men to agree in one Christian doctrine,
he [Justinian] recklessly killed all who dissented therefrom,
under the pretext of piety; for he did not think that it was
murder, if those whom he slew were not of the same belief as
himself.
The churches of these so-called heretics—especially those

belonging to the Arian heresy—were rich beyond belief. …
Many agents were straightway sent out to all parts of the

Empire everywhere to force whomsoever they met to renounce
the faith of his forefathers. … Hereupon many were put to
death at the hands of the persecuting faction … but the greater
part of them voluntarily quitted [fled] the land of their fathers,
and went into exile. … From this time forth, nothing was to be
seen in the Roman Empire except massacres and flight. 293
Very clearly we see from these statements that the faithful church was
either massacred or fled into exile in the wilderness which is the place
that God prepared for them.
APPLICATION: Just as many fled the lands of their nativity due to papal
persecutions, we may find ourselves in places not of our own choosing.
However, just as God prepared places for His church during the Dark
Ages, He prepares a place for us today in His keeping. Notice this
amazing statement from Ellen G. White:
Each has his place in the eternal plan of heaven. Each is to work
in co-operation with Christ for the salvation of souls. Not more
surely is the place prepared for us in the heavenly mansions
than is the special place designated on earth where we are to
work for God. 294
REVELATION 12:7–9
OBSERVATION: The first six verses identify the struggle between Christ
and Satan on this earth. Starting with verse 7, we are taken back in time,
prior to the creation of this earth, when war developed between Christ
and Satan in heaven.
War in Heaven: The Greek word for “war” is polemos. Notice what
Kenneth Mathews says:
We get our English word polemic from a transliteration of

polemos. A polemical article or book written today would be
the equivalent of a “word war.” 295
The war in heaven was a war of words. It was a polemical fight between
the dragon and Christ. The words that Satan used in this war were full of
lies, as we saw regarding the tail of the dragon in verse 4. Ellen White
gave excellent commentary on this war, depicting Satan as full of lies:
Concealing his real purposes, he assembled the angelic host. He

introduced his subject, which was himself. As one aggrieved, he
related the preference God had given Jesus to the neglect of
himself. He told them that henceforth all the sweet liberty the
angels had enjoyed was at an end. For had not a ruler been
appointed over them, to whom they from henceforth must
yield servile honor? He stated to them that he had called them
together to assure them that he no longer would submit to this
invasion of his rights and theirs; that never would he again bow
down to Christ; that he would take the honor upon himself
which should have been conferred upon him, and would be the
commander of all who would submit to follow him and obey
his voice.
There was contention among the angels. Lucifer and his

sympathizers were striving to reform the government of God.
They were discontented and unhappy because they could not
look into His unsearchable wisdom and ascertain His purposes
in exalting His Son, and endowing Him with such unlimited
power and command. They rebelled against the authority of the
Son. 296
Satan had to work through deception and lies to gain loyal sympathizers.
Ellen White added further insight:
Leaving his place in the immediate presence of God, Lucifer

went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among the angels.
Working with mysterious secrecy, and for a time concealing his
real purpose under an appearance of reverence for God, he
endeavored to excite dissatisfaction concerning the laws that
governed heavenly beings, intimating that they imposed an
unnecessary restraint. Since their natures were holy, he urged
that the angels should obey the dictates of their own will. He
sought to create sympathy for himself by representing that God
had dealt unjustly with him in bestowing supreme honor upon
Christ. He claimed that in aspiring to greater power and honor
he was not aiming at self-exaltation, but was seeking to secure
liberty for all the inhabitants of heaven, that by this means they
might attain to a higher state of existence. 297
Isaiah 14:12–15 and Ezekiel 28:12–19 give further insight into the fall of
Satan and the war that he waged against Christ. He was exalted as a
covering cherub, yet pride developed, and he desired to be like God. This
pride led him to lie about the character and government of God. It is
astonishing to realize that the created being who was exalted so highly
could fall equally as hard and create all of the sorrow that has existed
since that time. Truly it is a mystery—the mystery of iniquity.
Michael Fights the Dragon: We have established here in Revelation 12

that the dragon represents Satan. Now, in opposition, appears Michael
who is seen in four chapters of Scripture, including Revelation 12.
Chronologically, the four chapters in which Michael appears are as

follows:
• Revelation 12:7: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon.
Here is the war in heaven before the creation of the earth.
• Jude 9: Michael, the archangel, and Satan contended over the body of
Moses.
Daniel 10:13, 21: Michael turned the mind of Cyrus, king of Persia,
• after Satan moved against the Jews through an evil report from the
Samaritans.
• Daniel 12:1: As probation closes, Michael stands up to deliver His
people from a death decree inspired by the dragon, who is working
through the papacy.
Michael means “who is like God.” He is the archangel in Jude 9. In 1

Thessalonians 4:16, the Lord descends from heaven with the voice of the
archangel, and the dead are raised at His voice. John 5:26–29 makes it
clear that it is the voice of Christ that raises the dead to life. Thus, Michael
is Christ, the Son of God.
When looking at these four chapters in which Michael appears, we

immediately notice that Michael is in conflict with Satan in each of these
stories. Michael is the title used for Christ whenever He is at war with
Satan. It is also the title connected to Him as the chief of the angels, or
leader of the angels. Lucifer was next only to Christ, or Michael, among
the angels. Christ’s title as Michael is a reminder that Lucifer rebelled
against the chief of the angels and desired to be like God.
In each case described in Scripture when Christ takes the title of Michael,
He is victorious. The final victory occurs in Daniel 12:1. At the end of the
world, Michael stands up to deliver a faithful generation who have proven
Satan’s charges false.298
Here in Revelation 12, Michael the archangel, or the chief angel, has a
litany of angels on His side. The dragon, or Satan, has angels on his side.
It is a polemical war that is fought over Satan’s lies against the
government of God and Christ’s place in that government.
In verse 8, we see that Satan and his angels did not prevail. There was no
place in heaven for his lies and for the dissension he had created.
The Old Serpent, the Devil, and Satan: In verse 9 the great dragon is
cast out of heaven. Lest there be any doubt as to the identity of the
dragon, he is also called that old serpent, and the devil, and Satan.
Revelation 20:2 is identical in identifying these names with respect to
Satan.
The “old serpent” takes us back to Genesis 3:1–5 when Satan worked
through the serpent to deceive Eve. This led to the fall of humanity. The
most prominent lie that the serpent told Eve was that she would not
surely die. This deception is at the heart of spiritualism, which teaches
that when you die, you really do not die—you live forever and go straight
to heaven (or hell) at death. The serpent has been successful in getting the
majority of the Christian world to accept the false teaching that the dead
really do not die.
The Bible clearly teaches that the dead actually know nothing
(Ecclesiastes 9:5–6). The whole world is ripe for deception at the end of
time when, during the sixth plague of Revelation 16:12–16, the dragon,
beast, and false prophet unite in a three-fold union of spiritualism
(dragon), the papacy (beast), and apostate Protestantism (false prophet).
Supernatural manifestations by the old serpent that are counter to
Scripture will easily deceive those who are not grounded in the Bible.
Satan’s name, the devil, connects to 1 Peter 5:8 and how he is a roaring
lion seeking to devour the world. He is the great adversary of souls. His
goal is to destroy as many souls as possible.
Satan was cast into this earth with his angels (v. 9). His deceptive lies had
drawn one third of the angels of heaven with him (v. 4). While he seemed
to have gained an initial victory by winning over one third of the angels,
he and his angels were met with defeat and were cast out of heaven into
the earth.
We again gain excellent insight from Ellen White into the controversy
that led to Satan and his angels being expelled from heaven:
To the very close of the controversy in heaven the great usurper

continued to justify himself. When it was announced that with
all his sympathizers he must be expelled from the abodes of
bliss, then the rebel leader boldly avowed his contempt for the
Creator’s law. He reiterated his claim that angels needed no
control, but should be left to follow their own will, which would
ever guide them right. He denounced the divine statutes as a
restriction of their liberty and declared that it was his purpose
to secure the abolition of law; that, freed from this restraint, the
hosts of heaven might enter upon a more exalted, more
glorious state of existence.
With one accord, Satan and his host threw the blame of their
rebellion wholly upon Christ, declaring that if they had not
been reproved, they would never have rebelled. Thus stubborn
and defiant in their disloyalty, seeking vainly to overthrow the
government of God, yet blasphemously claiming to be
themselves the innocent victims of oppressive power, the
archrebel and all his sympathizers were at last banished from
heaven. 299
It is hard to understand how perfect angels could rebel against a perfect

God. Sadly, we must deal with the ongoing collateral damage here on this
earth as we wait for the return of Jesus. Satan is relentless in his attacks
against the government of God.
APPLICATION: Most Christians would shudder to think about standing on

the side of Satan. However, when we repeat the lies of Satan against the
government of God, we unwittingly take his side. We see this point in the
following quote:
The same spirit that prompted rebellion in heaven still inspires

rebellion on earth. Satan has continued with men the same
policy which he pursued with the angels. His spirit now reigns
in the children of disobedience. Like him they seek to break
down the restraints of the law of God and promise men liberty
through transgression of its precepts. Reproof of sin still
arouses the spirit of hatred and resistance. When God’s
messages of warning are brought home to the conscience, Satan
leads men to justify themselves and to seek the sympathy of
others in their course of sin. Instead of correcting their errors,
they excite indignation against the reprover, as if he were the
sole cause of difficulty. From the days of righteous Abel to our
own time such is the spirit which has been displayed toward
those who dare to condemn sin. 300
One of the great lies of Satan is that we cannot overcome sin. Despite
multiple promises in Scripture such as Jude 24 and Revelation 3:21, many
Christians do not believe an overcoming life is possible. This deceptive
thinking comes straight from Satan as evidenced by the following
statement:
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso
confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs
28:13. If those who hide and excuse their faults could see how
Satan exults over them, how he taunts Christ and holy angels
with their course, they would make haste to confess their sins
and to put them away. Through defects in the character, Satan
works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that if
these defects are cherished, he will succeed. Therefore he is
constantly seeking to deceive the followers of Christ with his
fatal sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome. But
Jesus pleads in their behalf His wounded hands, His bruised
body; and He declares to all who would follow Him: “My grace
is sufficient for thee.” 2 Corinthians 12:9. “Take My yoke upon
you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My
burden is light.” Matthew 11:29, 30. Let none, then, regard their
defects as incurable. God will give faith and grace to overcome
them. 301
Praise God that none of our defects are incurable. God has provided
ample faith and grace to overcome every sin. Even this lie of Satan will be
overcome at last.
REVELATION 12:10: The signal victory in the great

controversy is announced from heaven in verse
10.
Now Is Come Salvation: Salvation undoubtedly occurred when Jesus

died on the cross. The Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament,
speaking of Christ’s death, met their climax on the cross. Jesus is the
Lamb who has been slain. Isaiah 53 is no longer a promise; it is a reality.
The promise of Genesis 3:15 with the serpent’s head being crushed has
been accomplished. John 3:16, and Christ’s promise to Nicodemus is now
a reality for the entire world: “Whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.” Now is come salvation!
Ellen G. White gave a poignant observation about this moment:
Satanic agencies confederated with evil men in leading the

people to believe Christ the chief of sinners, and to make Him
the object of detestation. Those who mocked Christ as He hung
upon the cross were imbued with the spirit of the first great
rebel. He filled them with vile and loathsome speeches. He
inspired their taunts. But by all this he gained nothing.
Could one sin have been found in Christ, had He in one

particular yielded to Satan to escape the terrible torture, the
enemy of God and man would have triumphed. Christ bowed
His head and died, but He held fast His faith and His
submission to God. “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,
Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our
God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our
brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day
and night.” 302
Christ’s victory on the cross is the fulcrum point of the ages. The promise
of deliverance and salvation from sin and Satan was eternally secured.
Now is come salvation!
The Kingdom of Our God: “Satan had contended that he was the
rightful ruler of this world. His failure to lead Jesus into sin assured the
kingdom for Christ.” 303
Christ’s victory on the cross assures that He will set up His kingdom on
this earth which will never be destroyed (see Daniel 2:44). Satan and his
kingdoms (the seven heads of the great red dragon) are now facing
certain destruction.
The Power of His Christ: This can be translated “the authority of His
anointed” as Christ means anointed. 304 Christ says in Matthew 28:18,
“All power [authority] is given me in heaven and in earth.” Christ is the
rightful ruler of this earth due to His victory on the cross. We can access
the almighty power of God even now in our battles against the kingdom
of darkness, as we advance the everlasting gospel to every nation of this
world.
Accuser of Our Brethren Is Cast Down: With Christ’s signal victory on

the cross, Satan was cast down from heaven as the accuser of the
brethren. In the minds of the heavenly host, his accusations were
destroyed.
Satan’s accusations in heaven against the brethren occurred from the time
of the fall of man until the cross. Job 1:6–11 shows that Satan came before
God to accuse Job. He accused Job of being faithful because he only
received blessings. The whole book of Job disproves these charges, but it
did not stop Satan from continuing his work of accusations. Satan’s
accusations against Job are illustrative of what he says about all of God’s
people.
In Zechariah 3:1–5, we read the familiar story of Joshua the high priest,
clothed with filthy garments, standing before the Lord. Satan, as the
accuser of the brethren, stands at the right hand of Joshua to resist the
work of the Lord. Joshua is sinful and needs forgiveness for his sins, as
represented by the filthy garments. From this passage we see that one of
the key aspects of Satan’s work as the accuser of the brethren is his claim
that God’s professed people are not worthy of forgiveness. God dismissed
this charge and said, “The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan.” The Lord then
removed the filthy garments and placed a new garment on Joshua,
representing the righteousness of Christ.
Since Christ died on the cross, nobody in heaven will ever again listen to
Satan’s charge that God’s people cannot be forgiven of their sins. The
blood of Jesus has paid the price. As 1 John 1:7 says, “The blood of Jesus
Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” The accuser of our brethren has
been cast down.
Forgiveness is not the only issue for which Satan has worked as the
accuser of the brethren. In Jude 9, Michael and Satan contended over the
body of Moses. Satan clearly leveled accusations against Moses because
Scripture here says that Christ did not respond in kind with a “railing
accusation.” Satan’s accusation was obviously related to Christ’s ability
and authority to resurrect Moses from the dead before the cross. Satan
pointed out the sin that Moses committed when he lost his temper in
striking the rock. This sin kept Moses out of the Promised Land. Satan
likely said that without Christ’s actual sacrifice for sin, Moses rightly
belonged to him and that he must remain in the grave. There had never
been a resurrection prior to Moses. However, just as in Zechariah 3:2,
Christ responded by saying, “The Lord rebuke thee.” Moses was
resurrected and ascended to heaven with Christ. Moses was the first
resurrection of the dead. This is why Paul says in Romans 5:14,
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them

that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression,
who is the figure of him that was to come.
Christ’s ability and right to forgive sins and resurrect the dead was clearly
present before the cross. Many enjoyed the peace of forgiveness and
salvation. Abraham became the father of faith and experienced salvation
and forgiveness prior to the cross as did many others. Moses was raised
from the dead. However, Satan still had the ability to make his
accusations in heaven prior to the cross. Once Christ died and was
resurrected, those accusations in heaven came to an end.
With respect to death, Hebrews 2:14–15 says that Christ, through His
death, destroyed “him that had the power of death, that is, the devil,” and
He delivered “them who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage.”
Verse 10 closes with the point that Satan accused God’s people “before
our God day and night.” It was a never-ending tale of accusations and lies
that Satan had brought before God. The cross settled this in heaven
forever.
APPLICATION: It is common for Satan to place doubts in our minds about

how bad our sins are against God. He tempts us to believe that our sins
are so bad that God can never forgive us. He tempts us to believe that we
are so evil that there is no hope for us. He tempts us to believe that there
is no hope for eternity beyond this life. Do not let Satan deceive you. Now
is come salvation! Christ’s death on the cross has paved the way for you to
be forgiven and to receive everlasting life. Never forget the promise of 1
John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Just as Christ removed
the filthy garments from Joshua, He will forgive you and cleanse your
sins, too. And should you die before Jesus comes, you can have faith in
His resurrecting power so that “with the voice of the archangel, and with
the trump of God” you will be among “the dead in Christ [who] shall rise
first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
REVELATION 12:11
OBSERVATION: The brethren who have been accused by Satan before
God day and night overcome Satan “by the blood of the Lamb, and by the
word of their testimony.” This is one of the signature verses in Scripture of
the faithfulness of God’s people. It really is possible to be victorious over
the devil by the blood of Jesus Christ. Yes, all have sinned and come short
of the glory of God, as Romans 3:23 says; however, the blood of the Lamb
has made it possible to be victorious over Satan and his charges against
us.
The past record of sin in our lives does not define us when we accept
Jesus as our Savior. His blood removes the record of our sins from the
books in heaven.
The victory over the devil is also on account of the testimony seen in the
lives of the faithful people of God. All who have received Jesus as Savior
and Lord have a personal testimony of what Jesus has done through His
blood and how the gospel has transformed them from a sinner to an
overcomer and follower of Jesus. The testimony of a faithful Christian is
one that Satan cannot refute. The blood of Jesus takes care of the record
of our sins. On account of the cross, Satan has no accusations for our
past. And he has no further accusations over victorious Christians living
in the present by the grace and power of Jesus Christ.
Christ’s death on the cross was a signal and monumental victory against
Satan in the great controversy (v. 10). Verse 11 shows that the victory is
extended when God’s people are victorious and overcome the devil. The
faithfulness of God’s people is so complete in their victory over Satan that
Scripture says here that “they loved not their lives unto the death.” They
would rather die than sin.
When we see how Jesus died for us, out of His love for us, we are willing
to die for Him and to die with Him. Galatians 2:20 means so much more
in this light. “I am crucified with Christ.” May we all learn every day what
it means to be crucified with Him.
APPLICATION: Scripture and history repeatedly cite heroes of faith who

have so experienced the power of the blood of the Lamb that they would
rather die than be unfaithful. The three Hebrews in Daniel 3 would have
died had not Christ appeared in the fiery furnace with them to deliver
them. We think of Isaiah who was sawn asunder. We think of John Huss
who was burned at the stake during the Reformation, the Waldenses who
were slaughtered for their faith, and many other countless heroes of faith
down through history.
Then we look to the end of the world. God’s people living through the
final crisis of Earth’s history will be just as faithful. God is looking for a
people today who will overcome by the blood of the Lamb. He is looking
for a people who have a testimony of God’s faithfulness in their lives. He
is looking for a people who are faithful unto death. As Christ says in
Revelation 2:10, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown
of life.” This is possible when we learn to love Jesus fully and completely—
and we love Him more than life itself.
REVELATION 12:12
OBSERVATION: The heavenly host rejoices that Christ has gained the
victory on the cross. Not only does the victory on the cross restore Christ
to His rightful place in the heavenly dominion, in the heavenly trio, and
among the angelic hosts, it also has permanently banished Satan and his
accusations from heaven. What a joy and relief to never have to hear his
accusations again!
However, a woe is pronounced upon the inhabitants of the earth and sea.
The woe is apparent. Satan’s lies will never be heard in heaven again, but
he still has a voice on this earth. He has great wrath, and he knows that
his time is short.
Those who lived in the early Christian church faced his wrath through
the persecuting power of pagan Rome. Then the papal inquisitions
wreaked havoc upon God’s faithful. Likewise, those who live at the end of
the world will be persecuted by a resurrected papacy along with the
second beast of Revelation 13 when it speaks like a dragon. Truly it can
be said, “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea!”
Satan is still the accuser of the brethren. He can no longer claim that God
has no right to forgive sins or to raise the dead to life. Those charges were
answered by the cross. However, Satan’s final accusation is that God’s
people cannot really obey God’s law or overcome sin. 305
While Christ has demonstrated His victory over Satan on the cross, Satan
continues his fight against Christ on this earth. He especially targets
God’s people. He will contend until the very end against a people who
profess to keep the commandments of God. Satan still has the power of
temptation. His accusation until the end of time is that God’s people
cannot keep the commandments of God.
The first eleven chapters of Revelation show that God raises up the
Second Advent movement to be a holy people, cleansed of sin. They will
keep the commandments of God. In the last act of the great controversy,
Satan desperately takes out his wrath on God’s people. He does
everything possible to keep the church from being obedient. This will be
explored further at the end of this chapter when we look at Revelation
12:17.
Relative to the ages of eternity, once Christ won the war at the cross,
Satan’s time has been short. For us, two thousand years is a long time. But
in the scope of eternal history, it is a very short time. When God has a
people who are faithful unto death, Satan will be defeated once and for
all. Romans 16:20 says, “And the God of peace shall bruise [crush] Satan
under your feet shortly.” Christ crushed the head of the serpent on the
cross. Just before He comes at the end of time, Christ will crush the head
of the serpent again through the Second Advent movement and those
who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
APPLICATION: God is all-powerful, and there is no need for us to cower in

fear at the strength of Satan. When we are connected to Christ, the devil
cannot defeat us. It is worth asking, however, if Satan’s charges against Job
apply to us. Job proved to be faithful. He did not serve God simply
because He was blessed. What about us? If God were to allow Satan to
remove all of the blessings that you currently have, would you remain
faithful? Why do you serve God? Would you be faithful unto death
today? The answers to these questions are at the heart of the great
controversy warfare that will soon come to an end. God will have a
people who, under the most trying circumstances, will prove to be
faithful at the end of the world. Will you be part of that group who is
faithful unto death?
OBSERVATION: Verse 13 picks up where verse 6 left off. It also has greater
historical context once we see the complete victory of Christ on the cross
in verse 10.
After Christ’s ascension to heaven, Satan turns his attention to the woman
to persecute her, as we have learned in this chapter and in earlier chapters
of Revelation. As stated already, the Christian church was persecuted by
pagan Rome and then again by papal Rome.
Two Great Wings of an Eagle: The woman is given two great wings of an
eagle to fly into the wilderness. This is language very similar to Exodus
19:4 when God said to Israel,
Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you
on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
God worked in a miraculous way to deliver Israel from the persecuting
Egyptian slavemasters. He led the Israelites into the wilderness to escape
their persecution. Likewise, He gives His church two great wings of an
eagle during the Dark Ages so that they can flee into the wilderness. 306
In Psalm 61:4 we read,
I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert
[shelter] of thy wings.
Likewise, Psalm 91:4 says,
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt
thou trust [take refuge]: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
The language of eagles’ wings is symbolic, but it clearly speaks to a

miraculous path of deliverance and escape as well as shelter and
protection. God’s people were able to fly away like eagles into the
wilderness so that their escape could not be stopped.
The Wilderness: Verses 6 and 14 of Revelation 12 mention the wilderness

to where the church fled. This is the place that was prepared by God for
the church to flee to during the 1,260 years of papal persecution from AD
538–1798.
Austin Cooke writes a summary of the place God prepared to nourish the
church:
The most famous refuge during those dark years was the area
encompassing the Waldensian believers amid the Cottian Alps,
thirty miles west of Turin in northern Italy. Significantly this
area was located in the centre of papal territory. There the Lord
had a place prepared for many of His people during those
trying years. …
The Waldensian refuge was comprised of seven remarkable

valleys. These constituted a natural fortress against invasion.
One valley led into the other and finally within them was the
seventh, a secret valley, accessible through a narrow, rocky
canyon. In this valley was situated the College of the Barbs
where young men were educated for the ministry.
The valleys were self-supporting. The soil was very fertile and
provided sufficient food. There was also an abundance of trees
that bore nuts which were used for food. The mountain soil was
full of slate, which the Waldensians used as building material
for their homes, many of which were hidden among the trees
along the sides of the mountains. Here for hundreds of years
the Waldenses, or Vaudois as they were called, resided and
maintained the true faith. 307
Ellen G. White also provided this excellent insight:
Through ages of darkness and apostasy there were Waldenses

who denied the supremacy of Rome, who rejected image
worship as idolatry, and who kept the true Sabbath. Under the
fiercest tempests of opposition they maintained their faith.
Though gashed by the Savoyard spear, and scorched by the
Romish fagot, they stood unflinchingly for God’s word and His
honor.
Behind the lofty bulwarks of the mountains—in all ages the

refuge of the persecuted and oppressed—the Waldenses found
a hiding place. Here the light of truth was kept burning amid
the darkness of the Middle Ages. Here, for a thousand years,
witnesses for the truth maintained the ancient faith. 308
The wilderness aptly refers to the less-inhabited territory of the world in

places like the Alps in northern Italy. Here, God’s true church observed
the Bible Sabbath, and upheld the true Word of God. 309
Nourished for 1260 Years: Despite living in the wilderness obscurity for
1,260 years, God’s church was nourished by the Word of God. Jesus is the
Word (John 1:1). He is the Bread of life (John 6:35). The Bible is like
bread. The Word of God is also likened to milk (1 Peter 2:2). Bread and
milk are still considered staple foods. The nourishment of Scripture is
absolutely vital for spiritual growth.
Waldensians were famous for memorizing and copying large portions of

Scripture.310 Their schools, including the College of the Barbs, were
training schools where the Bible was taught. While much of the world
was shrouded in darkness from the suppression of Scripture (see again
Revelation 11:2–3), the true church in the wilderness was sustained by
the Word of God.
The 1,260 years are referred to as “a time, and times, and half a time” (v.
14). This is identical to Daniel 7:25 which also refers to the same period
of papal persecution in this manner. This was the era in history in which
the apostate Christian church tried to change God’s law by making
Sunday the day of worship rather than the seventh-day Sabbath. Daniel
7:25 also says that the little horn would wear out the saints during this
period of time. Here in Revelation 12:14, the persecuting power is
described as “the face of the serpent.” During this era, Satan, the old
serpent, is the power behind the persecution carried out by the papacy.
The Serpent Spews Out Water Like a Flood: Flood waters are
destructive in nature, wiping out that which is in its path. Satan, as the
serpent, is shown to “cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the
woman” (v. 15). The marginal reading says he “spewed out of his mouth a
river of water as a flood.” His intent was to have the woman, or church,
carried away by the flood and destroyed. The flood waters here clearly
represent persecution. The dragon had the entire world under his control.
Even the professed Christian church worked on his behalf to persecute
the true church.
The Earth Swallows Up the Flood: Scripture has shown us that the
woman fled into the wilderness. This especially represented places like
the low population area of the Alps of northern Italy. In Revelation 13:1,
the sea represents the populated areas of the world. In Revelation 13:11,
the earth represents the unpopulated areas of the world. The low
population areas were a perfect place to swallow up the flood of
persecution. Scripture says that the earth swallowed up the flood. The
earth kept the woman from being annihilated by Satan and the papacy
during the 1,260 years.
Austin Cooke identifies other areas that represent the earth as a safe
haven for God’s people:
Other areas of refuge for God’s people included parts of

Ethiopia, which were cut off from papal intrusions by the
Muslim conquests. Still others found refuge in areas of the
Ukraine and southern Russia where German Christians called
Pietists migrated, fleeing opposition in the seventeenth century.
In addition, the Caucasus, Armenia, and areas where the
Church of the East flourished were safe havens. These areas
were isolated from papal influence by Arab and Turkish rule.
The French Protestants (Huguenots) resorted to the remote
mountain valleys of southern France for worship and refuge
from the fierce persecution of Catholic civil and religious
leadership. These French believers in the wilderness regions
became known as the church of “the Desert.” 311
Ultimately, the earth created a safe place for the rise of the second beast of
Revelation 13. We will study this in greater detail in the next chapter of
this book. In the passage, we will find the rise of the United States of
America, coming up out of the earth (Revelation 13:11). As a preview, the
two horns like a lamb on the beast, represented by America, have created
a territory for the development of civil and religious liberty.
With the rise of America from an area largely uninhabited at that time,
after the end of the Dark Ages in 1798, persecution was swallowed up and
a safe haven was provided for God’s people to worship, with the promise
of the free exercise of religion. Thus, America effectively swallowed the
flood completely at the end of the 1,260 years of papal persecution. The
Alps of northern Italy were also effective in swallowing the flood of
persecution during that era, prior to the deadly wound. Unfortunately, as
we will see in Revelation 13, America will speak as a dragon, and the fires
of persecution will again be re-kindled just before the return of Jesus.
APPLICATION: A day is coming in which God’s people will face

persecution similar to the church of the wilderness during the 1,260
years. In the meantime, we are tested and tried through trials and
temptations. Just as God made a way of escape for the woman to flee into
the wilderness, He has promised power to provide a way of escape for us
from any temptation. Notice this well-known promise in 1 Corinthians
10:13:
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to

man: but 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.
REVELATION 12:17
OBSERVATION: We see a dramatic conclusion to the story of chapter 12
here in verse 17. The controversy started in heaven between Christ and
Satan. After Satan was cast to this earth, the controversy extended here
with the fall of humanity and the death of Christ. The cross has proven
Christ to be victorious. Yet Satan continued his persecution against the
church through the Dark Ages.
With the rise of Protestant America in the late 1700s, the world has
enjoyed a time of religious liberty that has been relatively free of
persecution. Protestant America, represented by the earth, provided a
fertile territory for the rise of the Second Advent movement. From
America, Adventism has spread to the ends of the earth through the
proclamation of the three angels’ messages.
However, verse 17 identifies that sometime after the earth opens its
mouth and swallows up the flood of persecution, the dragon will bring a
revival of persecution.
The Remnant of Her Seed: The Second Advent movement, as described

in the first eleven chapters of Revelation and developed by Christ from
the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary, represents the remnant of
the woman’s seed (or offspring). The Second Advent movement, known
as the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is God’s church at the end of the
world. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is the remnant church of Bible
prophecy.
The dragon is enraged with God’s last-day church. He has come to make
war against this church. Just as he made war (polemos) in heaven through
a war of words (Revelation 12:7), he does the same against the remnant
church.
There are two key identifying marks that confirm the Seventh-day
Adventist Church as the remnant of the woman’s seed. It is these two
identifying marks that Satan attacks with his war (polemos) of words.
Keep the Commandments of God: The first identifying mark of the

remnant church is that they keep the commandments of God. This
includes the fourth commandment, which identifies the seventh day as
the Sabbath of the Lord our God. The commandment that tells us to
remember the seventh-day Sabbath has been largely forgotten by the rest
of the world. That is one reason why God’s last-day church is described as
a remnant. All ten commandments are important to God’s last-day
church. As part of the new covenant, which God promises to complete
from the Most Holy Place, He plans to write His law into our hearts and
minds. God’s last-day church is the new-covenant church that keeps the
commandments of God.
Satan is enraged that there is a church that upholds the whole Word of
God, including the law of God. His attacks against the law of God are at
the heart of the great controversy. He contends that through the power of
his temptations, he will keep God’s people from living obedient lives.
Satan makes war against the remnant church through false theology
which teaches that we cannot obey God completely. He tempts the church
to rely on human experience rather than the promises of the almighty
and all-powerful God. He tempts us to become discouraged by mistakes
of our past, and he does everything he can to get us to believe that we
cannot fully keep the law of God. He tempts us to believe, through his
fatal sophistry, that it is impossible to overcome. He even produces
theology that teaches that a Spirit-filled life, one that keeps the
commandments through the power of the indwelling Christ, is legalism.
Any teaching or theology that subtly or boldly asserts that we will

continue to sin until Jesus comes, and discourages us from living
obedient lives through the power of Christ, is part of Satan’s war against
God’s last-day church.312
It is ironic that God says His last-day church will keep the
commandments of God, yet many who profess to be part of His church
have accepted the lies of Satan in believing that we really cannot do so.
Testimony of Jesus Christ: The second identifying mark of God’s last-day

remnant church is that they “have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” The
testimony of Jesus Christ is more clearly identified in Revelation 19:10:
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See
thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that
have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of
Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Revelation 22:9 is a

corresponding passage that shows that the testimony of Jesus is directly
connected to the work of prophets:
Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy
fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them
which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
In both verses, John is about to fall down and worship an angel. He is told
not to. Austin Cooke has an excellent table showing the parallels of
Revelation 19:10 and Revelation 22:9:
Parallels between Revelation 19:10 and 22:9 313
Revelation 19:10 Revelation 22:9(NKJV)
See that you do not do that! See that you do not do that.
I am your fellow servant For I am your fellow servant.
and of your brethren and of your brethren
who have the testimony of Jesus the prophets
Worship God! Worship God.
This table shows that those who have the testimony of Jesus are the
prophets. The testimony of Jesus is the prophetic gift. Revelation 12:17
teaches that God’s remnant church will keep the commandments of God,
and they will have the prophetic gift in their midst.
There are some who teach that the testimony of Jesus is the testimony of
what Jesus has done in the lives of those in the church. Or they teach that
it represents the testimony of Jesus’ ministry in the church. 314 However,
the meaning of the testimony of Jesus in Revelation 12:17; 19:10; and 22:9
is related to the prophetic gift. Those who have the testimony of Jesus
have the gift of the spirit of prophecy. The spirit of prophecy is to have the
calling of a prophet.
Therefore, one of the key identifying marks of the remnant church of
Bible prophecy is that they have a prophet of God raised up in their
midst.
In our study through the first eleven chapters of Revelation, we have seen
the rise of the Second Advent movement when Jesus entered into the
Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary, at the end of the 2,300-day
prophecy of Daniel 8:14—on October 22, 1844.
Here in Revelation 12:17 is seen more clearly the characteristics of this

special end-time church. They keep the commandments of God,
including the fourth commandment, and observe the seventh day as the
Sabbath. They also have a prophet in their midst.
The only church that professes to keep all ten commandments and has
had a prophet in their midst since 1844 is the Seventh-day Adventist
Church. God raised up Ellen White as His messenger to give the
testimony of Jesus to the remnant church. In her words, her writings are a
lesser light to lead to the greater light of Scripture. 315 Her writings
consistently uphold the authority of all of Scripture and point to the soon
return of Christ. Her life was consistent with that which she taught. 316
Not surprisingly, Satan has attacked the prophetic gift in the remnant
church. He knows that those who listen to the testimony of Jesus will be
safe from his deceptions.
The testimony of Jesus has warned us of these attacks. Here are two key
statements:
Men may get up scheme after scheme, and the enemy will seek
to seduce souls from the truth, but all who believe that the Lord
has spoken through Sister White, and has given her a message,
will be safe from the many delusions that will come in these last
days. 317
One thing is certain: Those Seventh-day Adventists who take
their stand under Satan’s banner will first give up their faith in
the warnings and reproofs contained in the Testimonies of
God’s Spirit. 318
If you are a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, you should

not find it surprising that two of Satan’s greatest attacks against the
church are in regard to obedience and the spirit of prophecy. These are
the identifying marks of God’s last-day church. He is enraged with the
woman. He is at war with God and the church.
Revelation 12:17 sets the stage for the final crisis of Earth’s history. God
says that He will have a people who, through obedience, are kept safe by
the power of God and by the prophetic gift in their midst. Satan does
everything he can to destroy those within the church who make a
profession of being part of the remnant. If he can destroy the woman,
God will not have a faithful church that Jesus can return for to take to
heaven. But Christ has won the victory on the cross that guarantees He
will have a people who will keep the commandments.
Satan’s last desperate effort, which will fail, is to use a war of words
designed to create unbelief in order to keep God from producing that
people. Revelation 13 is the further development of his war against God’s
people. All of the world will wonder after the power to whom Satan has
given his power, seat, and authority.
As members of God’s last-day remnant church, we are in the very

crosshairs of this war. Will we be faithful?
Application:It may seem unsettling to realize that we are part of God’s

last-day church that is specifically the target of Satan. However, we must
always remember that God is more powerful than Satan. Michael stands
up to deliver His people (Daniel 12:1). If we are secure in our walk with
Christ, Satan cannot destroy the gift of eternal life that has been won for
us by Christ on the cross.
In this final struggle between Christ and Satan, I urge you to hold on to
the scriptural teaching that God will have a people who really keep His
commandments. I urge you to surrender your life to God each day so that
He can work out His obedient life through you.
I also urge you to listen to the testimony of Jesus through the prophetic
gift as found in the writings of Ellen G. White. Her writings are designed
to lead us back to Scripture and Jesus, and they are designed to prepare us
to go through the final crisis of this earth’s history.
The world is rapidly falling apart around us. We have a special calling.
What a privilege it is to be alive at this time of history! What a privilege it
is to have a calling to be the people that God will work through to
demonstrate the principles of His government at the end of time! He will
have a people who keep the commandments of God and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ.
REVELATION 13
INTRODUCTION
The Book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Revelation chapter 13 is the revelation of the antichrist.
While Revelation’s primary focus is Jesus, it is necessary to identify the

character of the earthly powers that serve as the main antagonists to
Christ. We have seen the work of the antichrist in the first twelve
chapters. However, chapter 13 reveals the final master strategy of Satan to
deceive the whole world. The deception is so convincing that all the world
embraces it except a small remnant. God describes this deception in
detail so that His people are warned and can share this warning to
unsuspecting souls who would otherwise be deceived.
At the end of Revelation 12, Satan goes to war with God’s last-day church.
The final deception, as depicted in Revelation 13, is not only designed to
secure the whole world on the side of Satan, but it is also an attempt to
deceive as many professed commandment-keepers as possible to his side.
The mark of the beast deception will be so overwhelming that many
Seventh-day Adventists will be deluded and receive the mark of the beast.
That is why it is so important to understand the deception and be able to
identify the antichrist, and to embrace Jesus and the truth as it is in Jesus.
Otherwise, we will be deceived. That is why we study Revelation 13.
There are two major powers that make war against God and His people in
Revelation 13. The first beast, which is leopard-like, is depicted in the first
ten verses, and the second beast is depicted in verses 11–18. As we will
see, the first beast, that comes up out of the sea, represents the Roman
Catholic church-state power. The second beast represents the Protestant
United States of America.
THE FIRST BEAST

REVELATION 13:1–2
OBSERVATION:Revelation 13 begins with John in vision standing “upon
the sand of the sea.” Revelation 17:15 shows that these waters represent
“peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.”
The First Beast Rises Out of the Sea: John’s attention is immediately
drawn to a beast rising out of the sea. As stated in this book already, a
beast represents a kingdom (see Daniel 7:17, 23). This kingdom
represents a new world power arising from a populated area of the earth.
Historically, this new power arises from the territory of its predecessor,
pagan Rome. The description of the beast that follows makes its identity
very clear.
Seven Heads; Ten Horns; Ten Crowns: Previously, we examined the

beasts with seven heads and ten horns and the similarities with the great
red dragon of Revelation 12:3 (see Revelation 12:3 discussion which
included Revelation 13 and 17).
For added clarity, Revelation 17:9 says that the seven heads represent
seven mountains. In Daniel 2, the stone that strikes the image becomes a
great mountain and fills the whole earth (vs. 35, 44). This mountain
represents God’s everlasting kingdom. Therefore, a head represents a
mountain, and a mountain represents a kingdom.
Furthermore, Revelation 17:10 defines the seven heads as seven kings. As

referenced earlier, Daniel 7 shows that the terms “kings” and “kingdoms”
are interchangeable in prophecy (vs. 17, 23).
Thus, the seven heads in Revelation 13 represent seven kingdoms
connected to this beast that arises out of the sea. These seven heads are
kingdoms that support the great red dragon in its persecution of God’s
people (Revelation 12). Likewise, here in chapter 13, these seven
kingdoms support the first beast in its persecution of God’s people.
When reading Daniel 7, we find four beasts. Added together, they have
seven heads and ten horns just like the first beast of Revelation 13.
The seven heads of this first beast in Revelation 13 are the same heads, or
kingdoms, that are seen in Revelation 12 and Revelation 17. As discussed
in Revelation 12:3, these kingdoms are Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece,
pagan Rome, papal Rome, the United States of America, and a One
World coalition at the end of time. The logic behind this sequence will be
much more obvious when we study the seven heads in Revelation 17.
If we try to make the seven heads from Daniel 7 the same as the seven
heads on the first beast of Revelation 13, it does not work because Greece
accounts for four of the heads in Daniel 7. The seven heads would be
accounted for by Babylon (lion—one head), Medo-Persia (bear—one
head), Greece (leopard—four heads), and pagan Rome (dreadful beast—
one head). Using the heads from Daniel 7 does not fit because here in
Revelation 13, one of the seven heads is wounded to death. The wounded
head is the papacy, and the papal kingdom occurs after the first four
kingdoms of Daniel 7.
Mouth of a Lion: Of significance, Babylon is the first beast of Daniel 7,

and thus it is the first head of the seven kingdoms that give their support
to the first beast. In verse 2, we see that it has the mouth of a lion. The
speech center is located in the brain, which is the body organ that
contains the mind. From the mind, thoughts are generated that are
articulated in speech. Matthew 12:34 says, “Out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaketh.” Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinketh in his
heart, so is he.” This beast speaks with the mouth and mind of Babylon.
Thus, we call the first beast spiritual Babylon. Babylon is not only the
ancient kingdom from 605–539 BC, but Revelation 17:5 identifies
Babylon as the symbolic name for the power that is antagonistic to God
and His people unto the very end of time. All seven heads of the great red
dragon of Revelation 12, the first beast of Revelation 13, and the scarlet
beast of Revelation 17 have attributes that support the power of spiritual
Babylon, from the time of ancient Babylon down to the end of the world.
It is important to ask, who is spiritual Babylon? Who is this sea beast?

Note here in Revelation 13:2 that he has the mouth of a lion. With this
mouth, he speaks “great things and blasphemies” for 42 months, or 1,260
years (v. 5). In Daniel 7:8, 11, 20, 25, the little horn is described as having
a mouth speaking great things, or very great things. Daniel 7:25
specifically notes that the little horn would speak against God for 1,260
years. The little horn power is the papacy, or the Roman Catholic church-
state power.
Here in Revelation 13, the first beast with the mouth of a lion that speaks
great things and blasphemies for 1,260 years is the identical power
described in Daniel 7 as the little horn. The first beast is the Roman
Catholic church-state power that reigned for 1,260 years. The
characteristics of this power become more apparent later in this section
when we discuss the features of each of the beasts of Daniel 7 that make a
significant contribution to the papacy.
While it is tempting to connect the ten horns of Daniel 7 to the ten horns
on this beast in Revelation 13, there is a clear problem with that
understanding. In Daniel 7, three of the ten horns are uprooted by the
little horn. Those three horns are not present during the 1,260 years of
papal supremacy. In Revelation 13, the ten horns are present throughout
the dominion of the papacy during the 1,260 years.
Furthermore, there are ten crowns—a crown for each of the horns.
Crowns represent rulership. The crowns on the horns demonstrate the
kingdoms of this earth that support the rulership of the papacy. It is
interesting to note that the scarlet beast in Revelation 17 also has seven
heads and ten horns, but there are no crowns. Revelation 17 is describing
the papacy in its wounded condition after 1798. Without the crowns, the
papacy does not have dominion over the kingdoms of this earth. This will
be discussed in much greater detail in our chapter on Revelation 17.
The key point here is that the ten crowns on the ten horns indicate the
universal dominion of the papacy during the 42 prophetic months or
1,260 years. 319 Thus, the ten horns indicate the kingdoms of the earth
under the dominion of the papacy during the 1,260 years. These universal
kingdoms unite with the resurrected papacy again at the very end of the
world (Revelation 17).
Blasphemy: The seven heads of the first beast have the name of
blasphemy written on them (13:1). It can also be read as having a
“blasphemous name” written on them. Blasphemy is associated with the
words spoken by this first beast in verses 5–6 of this chapter.
Blasphemy is defined in the New Testament as when one claims to be

God (John 10:30–33), or claims power to forgive sins (Mark 2:6–7). Jesus
claimed to be God, and He forgave sins. This led the Jewish leaders to
accuse Him of blasphemy. They saw Him as a man like themselves rather
than the Son of God. Jesus is God, so it was not blasphemous for Him to
forgive sins or to proclaim that He is God.
The fact that the first beast has the names of blasphemy on its heads and
that it has a mouth speaking blasphemy shows that this is a religious
power. It is also a political power with seven kingdoms empowering it
throughout history.
Remarkably, from history we see that the papacy has the attributes of
blasphemy defined by the New Testament. The pope takes titles such as
“Vicar of Christ,” “Vicar of the Son of God,” or “His Holiness.” He speaks
ex cathedra as the voice of God on Earth. Parishioners of the church are
told to confess their sins to the priest rather than to Christ. Individuals go
to priests for confession to receive forgiveness rather than receiving it
directly from Christ. This is blasphemy. These are the characteristics of
the antichrist. Only God can rightly claim to be God, and only God can
forgive sins.
Beast Like a Leopard, Bear, and Lion: The first beast, an antichrist
power rising out of the sea, is actually a composite beast. It primarily
looks like a leopard, but it has the feet of a bear, and the mouth of a lion.
These are the beasts of Daniel 7, but rather than being separate beasts,
here in Revelation 13 the first beast features each of the kingdoms that
form the antichrist beast of spiritual Babylon.
In Daniel 7, the lion represents Babylon, the bear represents Medo-Persia,

the leopard represents Greece, and the dreadful beast with teeth of iron
represents pagan Rome. All four kingdoms have characteristics that are
seen in this antichrist beast.
In the antichrist beast of the papacy here in Revelation 13, there is a

synthesis and composite of the characteristics of all the other kingdoms.
Papal Rome profanes the holy Sabbath and worships on the common day
of Sunday, just as Belshazzar used the holy vessels from the temple and
worshipped the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone (Daniel
5). Papal Rome also uses political power to enforce religious worship, just
as Nebuchadnezzar tried to force Daniel’s friends to worship the golden
image (Daniel 3).
Papal Rome claims infallibility, just as the laws of the Medes and Persians
were unchangeable. Papal Rome believes human reason and tradition
should be a higher authority than the Word of God, just as Greek
philosophy places the reason of man over the Word of God. Finally, papal
Rome persecuted God’s saints and will do so again in the future, just as
pagan Rome also persecuted His people. 320
All of the false forms of religion of the pagan nations from Babylon to
Rome have been incorporated into the papacy. The papacy is the ultimate
system of false religion. It unites church and state. Under the guise of
Christianity, many forms of paganism continue.
The Dragon Gives the Beast His Power, Seat, and Great Authority: It is
a striking reality that Satan has a power on this earth with whom he has
invested his authority. It is especially tragic considering that this entity is
a professed Christian power. This first beast, known as spiritual Babylon,
or the papacy, receives his power, seat (or throne), and great authority
from the dragon. The dragon is Satan (Revelation 12:9). Thus, the first
beast is a satanic power. While Christian in appearance, the papacy’s
source of power is from Satan.
The dragon is Satan, and He persecutes Christ and the Christian church.
Satan then gives his power, seat, and authority to the papacy. The papacy
continues the same work of persecution for 42 prophetic months, or
1,260 years.
The seat of the papacy is in Rome, and it established its power where
pagan Rome had its seat. As we saw in Revelation 8 and the first four
trumpets, the barbarian nations attacked Rome in a struggle for the
control of Western Europe, leading to the fall of the Western Roman
Empire in AD 476. With the fall of pagan Rome, there was a continued
struggle for supremacy in Western Europe. Daniel 7 shows that the
papacy arose, as the little horn, from the territory of pagan Rome, and
annihilated the Ostrogoths, Vandals, and Heruli in its ascent to power.
Some teach that it is pagan Rome who gave its seat to the papacy. 321 It is
true that we see Rome (as the little horn of Daniel 8) in two phases, pagan
and papal.
However, the dragon is Satan. He worked through pagan Rome. Then he

invested the papacy with power to be his representative government on
the earth after pagan Rome fell in AD 476.
Kenneth Mathews again has good insight on this passage:
Crucial to realize is that the dragon, Satan, is giving this beast

his power, seat, and great authority. Satan, the father of lies—
that murderer from the beginning and the great deceiver—is
behind every act of evil on this earth. He is the one who
instigated these nationalistic monarchies and empires to harass,
torture, and kill God’s people. These prophecies in Daniel 7,
Revelation 12, and Revelation 13 show the link that connects a
real Satan with these real empires that perform real works of
torture and devastation on God’s people on this earth. Christ is
given authority from the Father (2:27), becomes our
Priest/King (4and 5) and casts Satan out of the heavenly
councils and limits him to this earth (12:7). Satan, in turn,
gives his surrogates power and great authority. 322
The dragon has given great authority to the papacy. The spirit with which
the papacy ruled during the 1,260 years makes it clear that it operated
under the authority and principles of Satan’s government. Under the
authority of Satan, the papacy persecuted God’s people “by the sword,
and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days” (Daniel 11:33). The
authority upon which it based its decisions was by the traditions of the
church rather than by the Word of God. The church fathers established
this tradition. But their teachings were based on ideas like Greek
philosophy or strange allegorical interpretations of Scripture. These were
all inspired by Satan to obscure the plain teaching of Scripture.
When we realize the power behind the papacy, we better understand its
role in the great controversy. It is the vicegerent of Satan to attack God
and His people on this earth. The 1,260 years of persecution make more
sense when we realize that it is Satan empowering the papacy to destroy
God’s people.
APPLICATION: While Satan has power on this earth that he works through
to deceive the world, God has His people that shine as a light to the
world. The battle rages between Christ and Satan for the hearts and
minds of the citizens of this world.
When looking at the tactics of Satan that create a conglomerate in the

papacy, we find attributes in each of the four kingdoms that attract the
masses into the snares of Satan.
Babylon appeals to the pride of humanity as it did to Nebuchadnezzar. In

the supposed worship of God, sinful humanity is willing to unite the
sacred with the profane, because pride does not want to be humbled
before the God of heaven.
As Medo-Persia was not willing to change its laws, we often refuse to

admit our wrong ways, which would allow us to experience revival and
reformation and bring our lives into harmony with the Word of God. The
pride of humanity does not want to admit being wrong.
The beauty of Greek art and philosophy appeals to our carnal nature, and
we accept the ability and reasoning of man over the power of God and
authority of the Word of God.
Finally, just as pagan Rome persecuted God’s people, many today respond
with persecution toward God’s messengers when they preach truth that
cuts across the grain of sinful humanity.
May we choose to be on the Lord’s side and listen to His Word rather
than to be under the influence of the deceptions of this first composite
beast.
REVELATION 13:3
OBSERVATION: After John saw the full attributes of this first beast with
its seven heads, ten horns, and ten crowns, he saw that one of the seven
heads received a deadly wound. Then, the deadly wound was healed.
After the wound was healed, all the world wondered after the beast.
The Deadly Wound: In order to understand the timing of the deadly
wound, we note that this beast had power for 42 prophetic months (vs. 5).
These are the 1,260 years of papal supremacy from AD 538–1798, also
seen in Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 11:2–3; and Revelation 12:6, 14.
The deadly wound takes place at the end of the 1,260 years of papal
supremacy.
Revelation 17:8 uses very similar language to this verse in describing the
deadly wound and the world wondering after the beast:
The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out
of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell
on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the
book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold
the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
By connecting Revelation 17:8 with Revelation 13:3, notice that the beast
is referred to in the past tense after the deadly wound of 1798. However,
the deadly wound will be healed sometime in the future after 1798. When
that wound is healed, all the world wonders after the beast.
Revelation 17 gives clear evidence for which of the heads on the beast
received the deadly wound. Revelation 17:8 helps define 1798 as the
dividing line between the past and the present in that chapter. Therefore,
Revelation 17:9–10 identifies which of the heads received the deadly
wound in 1798:
And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are
seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are
seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet
come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
By 1798, five of the heads were fallen. Clearly, the fifth head is that which
fell in 1798 when the beast went from being “was” to “is not.” Thus, the
papacy is the fifth of the seven heads of the great red dragon in Revelation
12, the first beast of Revelation 13, and the scarlet beast of Revelation 17.
On the fifth head are the ten horns and the ten crowns. When the deadly
wound was received in 1798, the crowns were removed from the horns
because crowns are missing in Revelation 17. After 1798, the papacy lost
its dominion over the kings of the earth.
During the 1,260 years, the papacy had absolute power over the kings of
the earth. As a church power, it also had complete power over the state.
However, this power over the state was lost when it received its deadly
wound.
What happened in 1798 that caused the papacy to receive the deadly
wound? Just after the French Revolution, it was Napoleon of France who
led the way in delivering the deadly wound. Austin Cooke has an
excellent summary of the events that transpired and the reaction within
the world at that time:
The deadly wound to the head of the papacy occurred in 1798

at the behest of the revolutionary government of France. It
directed General Berthier to invade Italy and destroy the
papacy. “There is one thing more bessential to the attainment of
the end desired, and that is to destroy, if possible, the centre of
unity of the Roman Church.”
In response Berthier arrested Pius VI and gave orders for the

abolition of the papacy. He carried the pope prisoner to France
—the pope died the following year. Italy was declared a
republic. This momentous event was recognized by authorities
as the death knell of the papacy. Berthier entered Rome on
February 10, 1798, and proclaimed a republic. Historians wrote
of that time period:
• “Half of Europe thought Napoleon’s veto would be obeyed and

that with the pope the Papacy was dead.”
“Orators deliver its [the Papacy’s] funeral oration with a joyous
• and blasphemous irony. It has ceased to exist. It well seems as if
everything were finished.”
• “Rarely during all its history has the church known a more
critical situation. … In short, Catholicism as a whole seems
dying.”
The stripping of the church’s political power constituted the

deadly wound. The church continued as a religious body, but
the political element was destroyed. A secular government was
established.
“A proclamation was issued, declaring them a free and

independent republic, under the special protection of the
French army. A provisional government was acknowledged, as
established by the sovereign people; and every other temporal
authority emanating from the pope was suppressed, nor was he
any longer to exercise any function.”
It was the papal government that was slain. While various

attempts were made to recover her political power, they were
not successful. 323
With the loss of its control over the kings of the earth, the papacy lost its
power. That is why Revelation 17:8 describes it as the beast that “was, and
is not.” However, it will not stay mortally wounded forever.
Daniel 11:40 is the corollary passage that describes the deadly wound. In
that verse, the king of the south (France), pushes (Hebrew naggach means
to gore) at the king of the north (papacy) at the time of the end (1798).
324
Deadly Wound Healed: Sometime after 1798, the deadly wound is

healed. It seems like it comes in short order in Revelation 13:3. Revelation
17:8 says that it “shall ascend out of the bottomless pit.”
While the papacy’s wound began to be healed in 1929, when Mussolini,
the dictator of Italy, restored political power to the Vatican, the wound
will not be completely healed until the papacy has dominion over the
kings of the earth as it did during the 1,260 years. The complete healing
of the wound takes place when the second beast of Revelation 13 comes
up from the earth, speaks like a dragon, and “causeth the earth and them
which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was
healed” (Revelation 13:12).
When those dwelling in the earth worship the first beast, the deadly
wound will be healed.
The complete healing of the deadly wound is yet future, but the wound is
actively healing. The relationship between the popes and the United
States presidents, especially from the time of Pope John Paul II and
President Ronald Reagan to the present, shows that the wound is healing
very nicely in preparation for the fulfillment of the prophecy of the
complete healing of the wound.
All the World Wonders After the Beast: When the deadly wound is
healed, all the world wonders, or marvels, after the beast. The respect
shown toward the popes demonstrates that the groundwork is being laid
for this fulfillment. The national Sunday law will be passed in response to
calamities that come upon the earth. Protestant America will call for the
people of its nation and around the world to return to God by worshiping
on Sunday. The papacy will be in a perfect position to unite the various
political and religious factions of the world. It will use the environment as
a reason for a rest day to reach the secularists, and it will use spiritual
reasons to reach the religions of the world. Supernatural manifestations
will appear in support of this movement, and thus, all the world will
wonder after the beast.
The words of Scripture in 2 Thessalonians 2:7–12 fit well with the concept
of all the world wondering after the beast:
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now
letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall
that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the
spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan
with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because
they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they
should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed
not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Comparing Revelation 17:8, we note also that the beast goes into
perdition after the deadly wound is healed, and those who wonder after
the beast are those whose names are “not written in the book of life.”
It will be an almost overmastering delusion, designed to lead the majority

to unite with the papacy when the deadly wound is healed, as “all the
world” marvels “after the beast.”
APPLICATION: The papacy represents the power of Satan on this earth. It

was mortally wounded in 1798. Yet it will have a resurrection in the
future. When the papacy is resurrected, it will have greater power than
ever.
By comparison, we are confronted with a similar spiritual struggle. When

we give our lives to Jesus Christ, we follow the steps as seen in Romans
6:6:
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the
body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not
serve sin.
That old man of sin is constantly fighting to be resurrected. When an

unclean spirit departs, if we allow it back in, seven other spirits enter that
are stronger than before (Matthew 12:43–45). That is why Paul says, “I die
daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31). God’s grace is sufficient daily to keep the old
man of sin from having a resurrection in our lives. Sadly, for those who
allow the old man of sin to reign, they will wonder after the resurrected
beast and go into perdition. Christ must remain on the throne of our
hearts.
REVELATION 13:4
OBSERVATION: Those who wonder after the beast, worship the dragon,
or Satan, here in verse 4.
Worship the Dragon: Make no mistake, Satan works through the papacy
so he can gain the worship of this earth. He wants to be like God, and he
wants the worship of those whom God has created. There is no middle
ground in this struggle between Christ and Satan. We either worship God
or Satan. We demonstrate our allegiance to God through obedience. That
is why Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
We demonstrate allegiance to Satan through disobedience to God.
Anything that is ungodly is satanic.
Those who choose to accept a man-made law which goes against the law
of God, worship the dragon. Choosing to do something my way in direct
defiance of God’s specific direction is blatant disobedience. Disobedience
to the law of God is the worship of Satan. Those who disobey are
accepting the authority of Satan over God.
Notice the following verses of Scripture:
1 John 2:4: He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 John 3:7–10:Little children, let no man deceive you: he that

doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that
committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that
he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of
God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he
cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God
are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not
righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
The Bible is unequivocal. Those who persist in sin and disobey are of the
devil. Those who are born of God do not sin. This is how the children of
the devil versus the children of God are manifest. Here in Revelation 13:4,
the children of the devil are made distinct. They are disobedient, and they
worship the dragon, who is the devil and Satan.
Scripture is clear that those who claim to know God, but do not keep His
commandments, are liars. Yet Revelation 12:17 and 14:12 both show that
God will have a people who keep the commandments of God.
Worship the Beast: The sad reality is that the great majority who wonder
after the beast and worship the dragon and the beast do not know they
are following a false system. They believe they are worshiping God.
The perceived harmony and order with which the papacy unites the
world, through the union of church and state, will be such that the people
of the earth will think that the papacy is an unconquerable force. When
the world unites under the authority of the papacy, they will say “Who is
like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
They will go along with the decree enforcing worship on a false day, as it
seems that they are uniting on God’s side.
APPLICATION: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the
end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). We must be careful
that in all the decisions of our lives, we are following the clear teaching of
Scripture. As Matthew 7:13–14 says,
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the
way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
We are living in a time in which all the world will wonder after the beast
and worship Satan. But God promises that He will have a faithful people
on the earth who will worship Him. It is our choice as to whom we will
serve.
REVELATION 13:5–6
OBSERVATION: The prophecy of Revelation 13 is not linear. The first four
verses are sequential and show how the papacy arises from the sea,
becomes the great power on earth, is wounded to death, is resurrected,
and then gains the worship of the world at the end of time. Verse 5 steps
back again to the 1,260 years to show more characteristics of the papacy
during that dark era so that we can understand in greater detail what to
expect when the papacy is resurrected sometime after 1798. Verses 5–10
expand on the work of the papacy during the 1,260 years.
Mouth Speaking Great Things: We saw in verse 2 that the beast has the
mouth of a lion. The lion represents Babylon. This is spiritual Babylon
speaking, which is also the name given to the papacy (Revelation 17:5).
Here we see that the papacy has “a mouth speaking great things and
blasphemies.” This language is nearly identical to the mouth of the little
horn (Daniel 7).
In fact, we see four separate times in Daniel 7 that the little horn has a
mouth speaking great things:
Daniel 7:8: I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up

among them another little horn, before whom there were three of
the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn
were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great
things.
Daniel 7:11: I beheld then because of the voice of the great
words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was
slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
Daniel 7:19–20: Then I would know the truth of the fourth

beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful,
whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured,
brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; And of the
ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up,
and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and
a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more
stout than his fellows.
Daniel 7:25: And he shall speak great words against the most
High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think
to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand
until a time and times and the dividing of time.
In Daniel 7, the little horn is judged because of the great words that it
spoke against God. In the fourth example (v. 25), we see that these great
words are especially based on the premise that the papacy believes it has
the authority to change the law of God. It is the Roman Catholic church-
state power that attempted to change the sanctity from Sabbath to
Sunday. It thought it could change the law of God, but God’s law is
unchangeable.
Mouth Speaking Blasphemies: Revelation 13:5 adds that the papacy

speaks blasphemies. We earlier noted that blasphemy is defined in the
New Testament as claiming to be God (John 10:30–33) and claiming to
have the power to forgive sins (Mark 2:6–7), both of which the papacy
claims to have power to do. The passage in John 10 shows that those who
committed the blasphemy of claiming to be God were to be stoned. It is
interesting that Numbers 15:32–36 shows that Israelites were to be stoned
for defiantly breaking the Sabbath. The papacy has also been a leading
violator of the fourth commandment. While the papacy will not be
judged with a modern stoning, its violation of the Sabbath will lead to its
destruction in the final judgment.
In addition to the papacy committing blasphemy by claiming that the

pope is the vicar of the Son of God and the priests have power to forgive
sins, it is blasphemous to claim that the papacy has the power to change
the law of God. It is blasphemous to claim that the specific day God said
to remember to keep holy, in the fourth commandment, has been
changed from the seventh day to the first day of the week. This is a
defiance against something God said specifically.
There are many other dangerous unbiblical heresies that the papacy
introduced, including:
• The mass—teaching that a mere human priest can change bread

into the literal body of Christ
• The immaculate conception of Jesus’ mother Mary—there is no
biblical justification for such an idea
• Purgatory—a doctrine of an indefinite state between heaven and
hell where dead people go; this is not found anywhere in
Scripture
• Indulgences—the teaching that one can pay money to get the
dead out of purgatory or hell and promote them to heaven; or
one can buy merits to secure eternal life or forgiveness of sins
past and future. The more money, the more merit.
• Salvation by observing the sacraments rather than salvation by
grace through faith
• The traditions of the church supersede the teachings of Scripture
Power Given for 42 Months: Revelation 13:5 is a corollary to Daniel 7:25.

In both verses, the papacy has a mouth speaking great things, and it rules
for 1,260 years. The 42 months are the same as the time (one year), times
(two years), and dividing of time (half a year). These are the 1,260 years
of papal supremacy from AD 538–1798. From the decree of Justinian
(enforced in AD 538) declaring the bishop of Rome to be the head of all
the churches, to Pope Pius VI being taken captive by General Berthier,
the papacy had universal dominion for 1,260 years.
Blasphemy Against God, His Name, and His Tabernacle: There are
verses in Daniel that are similar in describing the work of the papacy
during the 1,260 years. Notice the following passages:
Daniel 8:11: Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the

host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place
of his sanctuary was cast down.
Daniel 8:13: Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint
said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the
vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of
desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden
under foot?
Daniel 11:36: And the king shall do according to his will; and he
shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and
shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall
prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is
determined shall be done.
In the first of these passages, the papacy magnifies himself even to the
prince of host, which is Christ. He magnifies himself above every god and
speaks marvelous things against the God of heaven (Daniel 11:36). As a
result, the sanctuary was trodden under foot (not taken away). 325
People were led away from the authority of Christ to the dictates of the
pope. They were led away from the true seventh-day Sabbath
commanded in the ten commandments to Sunday. They were led from
Christ, the High Priest and His sanctuary ministry in heaven, to human
priests on earth. God, His name, the sanctuary in heaven, and the host of
heaven were blasphemed by the papacy during the 1,260 years.
APPLICATION: The papacy has a mouth that speaks pompous words
against the God of heaven. But our pride can also lead us to trust in our
wisdom over the specific Word of God. We may think we are secure from
the heresies of the papacy. However, if we think it is fine to place our own
opinions above what the Scripture says, we are on the same path as the
papacy.
REVELATION 13:7
OBSERVATION: Not only does the papacy exalt himself against the God
of heaven, but he also makes war against God’s people.
Make War With the Saints and Overcome Them: We see a nearly
identical description of the papacy in Daniel 7:21: “I beheld, and the same
horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them.” The little
horn “shall wear out the saints of the most High” during the 1260 years
(Daniel 7:25). This war against the saints leads to judgment against the
papacy, and the saints who were persecuted will possess the kingdom of
heaven (see Daniel 7:22, 27).
As Jesus said, if the days of persecution during the 1,260 years had not
been shortened, no flesh would have survived (Matthew 24:22).
Austin Cooke quotes historical evidence about the shocking number of

martyrs for the faith during the 1260 years:
Countless scholars document the atrocities of the papacy:
Dr. J. Dowling wrote, “From the birth of Popery in 606, to the

present time, it is estimated by careful and credible historians,
that more than fifty millions of the human family, have been
slaughtered for the crime of heresy by popish persecutors, an
average of more than forty thousand religious murders for every
year of the existence of Popery.” 326
What countless horrible atrocities came from the papacy who received its
power, seat, and great authority from Satan! Truly it can be said that the
papacy is a satanic power. With certainty, we can say that this is the
revelation of antichrist.
While some may say that the papacy of today is not the papacy of the
Dark Ages, the prophecy of Revelation 13 makes it clear that these
atrocities will be repeated in the future. Ellen White affirmed this in the
And let it be remembered, it is the boast of Rome that she never

changes. The principles of Gregory VII and Innocent III are
still the principles of the Roman Catholic Church. And had she
but the power, she would put them in practice with as much
vigor now as in past centuries. Protestants little know what they
are doing when they propose to accept the aid of Rome in the
work of Sunday exaltation. While they are bent upon the
accomplishment of their purpose, Rome is aiming to re-
establish her power, to recover her lost supremacy. Let the
principle once be established in the United States that the
church may employ or control the power of the state; that
religious observances may be enforced by secular laws; in short,
that the authority of church and state is to dominate the
conscience, and the triumph of Rome in this country is assured.
327
Even in recent times, we have heard of the horrendous sexual abuse

scandals of the clergy toward innocent boys and girls.328 In a myriad of
forms, the power of Satan continues to live on through this church as it
waits for the deadly wound to be fully healed.
Power Over All Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations:The end of verse 7

indicates the universal power, or authority, that the papacy had during
the 1,260 years. We are reminded of the story of King Henry IV and Pope
Gregory VII. Following a disagreement in which King Henry IV was
appointing bishops to the German church, Pope Gregory VII
excommunicated King Henry IV and placed his subjects under interdict,
which released Henry’s subjects from his authority. In response, Henry
IV traveled to Canossa in northern Italy in AD 1077 and waited outside
in brutally cold conditions for three days before the pope agreed to see
him. He walked barefoot through the snow, and then he knelt before the
pope begging for forgiveness. As a result of his penitence, the pope
revoked the king’s excommunication. Clearly, the papacy had power “over
all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
APPLICATION: When the deadly wound is healed, the papacy unites with
the kings of the earth and again makes war, this time with the Lamb in
the person of His saints (Revelation 17:14). The Lamb will overcome the
papacy. Furthermore, while the papacy had power over all kindreds,
tongues, and nations during the 1,260 years, God has given His last-day
church a commission to give the everlasting gospel to “every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people.” Through the power of the everlasting
gospel, God will have a people who will be delivered from the snares of
Satan and the papacy. It is through this people, transformed by the
gospel, that the Lamb will overcome Satan and the papacy.
REVELATION 13:8–9
OBSERVATION: The scope of the papacy’s power during the 1,260 years is
clearly religious, as it involves worship.
Those Who Dwell on the Earth Shall Worship the Beast: During the
1,260 years, the great controversy plays out. God’s true church, as seen in
Revelation 12, flees into the wilderness and worships the God of heaven.
The rest of the world worships the papacy, and ultimately Satan. As a
result, the worshipers of the papacy during the 1,260 years have their
names blotted out of the book of life.
The Book of Life of the Lamb: There is a book of life of the Lamb.
Revelation 3:5 tells us whose names are found in this book:
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment;
and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will
confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
When Michael stands up to deliver His people, these are found written in
the book of life (Daniel 12:1).
The great majority of the earth’s population during the 1,260 years are
missing from the Lamb’s book of life. Only the faithful remnant, who did
not worship the beast, find their names written in the book of life.
Lamb Slain From the Foundation of the World: The Lamb is clearly
Jesus Christ. He is identified as the Lamb of God by John the Baptist
(John 1:29). We saw in Revelation 5:6 that the Lamb that was slain is the
antitype of the sacrificial lambs that were sacrificed in the sanctuary
service. Jesus is the Lamb slain on the cross. What is made clear here in
this verse is that Christ is slain from the foundation of the world.
The world has been committed to Christ, and through Him has
come every blessing from God to the fallen race. He was the
Redeemer before as after His incarnation. As soon as there was
sin, there was a Saviour. 329
The promise of salvation was made in Genesis 3:15. Those who

participated in the ceremonial sacrificial services before the cross receive
salvation by grace, through faith, to the same degree as those who accept
Christ’s sacrifice after the cross. Christ is the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world.
As discussed in Revelation 12, Christ’s death on the cross brings

salvation, and it defeats Satan in the great controversy.
It is sad to realize that the great majority of the professed Christian

church during the 1,260 years rejected the true sacrifice of Christ on the
cross even though the provision was available.
If Any Man Have an Ear, Let Him Hear: The language of verse 9 is very
similar to the concluding thoughts given in each of the messages to the
seven churches. God is speaking to those in the apostate Christian church
during that era. There was enough light to reach them if they chose to
hear His message. Even though most of the world worshiped the beast
during the 1,260 years, God gave them an opportunity to worship Him
through the message of Christ and Him crucified.
APPLICATION: Christ’s sacrifice remains all-sufficient for us today. Our

names can be written in the Lamb’s book of life if we “behold the Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). By beholding
Him, we are changed into the same image. Ellen White encapsulated this
thought quite well in the following statement:
It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in

contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by
point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the
closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us,
our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be
quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit.
If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of
penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross. 330
May we heed this counsel and have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying
to our hearts today.
REVELATION 13:10
OBSERVATION: The concluding description of the papacy during the
1,260 years is found in verse 10. The next time we see the papacy
described in this chapter, it will be in its resurrected state when the
deadly wound is healed.
The Papacy Leads Into Captivity and Kills With the Sword: During the
1,260 years, the papacy made war with the saints and overcame them (as
seen in Daniel chapters 7, 8, 11; and Revelation 13:7). Many of the saints
were imprisoned or killed with the sword for their faith.
Daniel 11:33 identifies the various means used for persecution:
And they that understand among the people shall instruct many:
yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by
spoil, many days.
Here we see the terms of “sword” and “captivity” just as we do in

Revelation 13:10. In addition, we see the terms “flame” and “spoil.” Death
by the sword, burning at the stake, imprisonment, and loss of possessions
were some of the leading means by which the saints were persecuted by
the papacy during the 1,260 years.
However, the papacy met the same fate with which it persecuted God’s
people. The papacy led many into captivity, but it was taken into captivity.
The papacy killed many with the sword, but it received the deadly wound
by the sword in 1798. The Roman Catholic Church was largely destroyed
in France during the French Revolution. This was retribution for how
they persecuted the Huguenots, Cathars, and Albigensians. The
corruption and perverseness of the Catholic Church was paid back
during the French Revolution.
Ellen White clearly applied verse 10 to the papacy during the 1260 years:
“Power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.”
And, says the prophet, “I saw one of his heads as it were
wounded to death.” And again: “He that leadeth into captivity
shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be
killed with the sword.” The forty and two months are the same
as the “time and times and the dividing of time,” three years
and a half, or 1260 days, of Daniel 7—the time during which
the papal power was to oppress God’s people. This period, as
stated in preceding chapters, began with the supremacy of the
papacy, AD 538, and terminated in 1798. At that time the pope
was made captive by the French army, the papal power received
its deadly wound, and the prediction was fulfilled, “He that
leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity.” 331
The papacy reaped its own fruit at the end of the 1,260 years. The deadly
wound by the sword (see Revelation 13:14) caused the papacy to go into
captivity in 1798. It has not had total power of the state since that time. It
is waiting for its resurrection. From 1798 until the healing of the deadly
wound when a Sunday law is passed, the papacy is in its period of
captivity.
When reading verses 6–10, we see how the papacy will again have similar
powers when the deadly wound is healed. Ellen White made a fascinating
statement about the history of Daniel 11:30–36 with respect to that which
will be repeated at the end of the world:
We have no time to lose. Troublous times are before us. The

world is stirred with the spirit of war. Soon the scenes of
trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place. The
prophecy in the eleventh of Daniel has nearly reached its
complete fulfillment. Much of the history that has taken place
in fulfillment of this prophecy will be repeated. In the thirtieth
verse a power is spoken of that “shall be grieved, and return,
and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do;
he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that
forsake the holy covenant.” [Daniel 11, verses 31–36, quoted.]
Scenes similar to those described in these words will take place.

332
Verses 31–36 of Daniel 11 describe the Dark Age papacy. Much of that
history will be repeated when the deadly wound is healed. Specifically,
Ellen White said that “scenes similar to those described in these words
will take place.” Reading Revelation 13:6–10 is another description of the
same era of the Dark Age papacy. What happens in these verses will be
repeated in a similar fashion after the deadly wound is healed. The events
will not be identical, but they will follow a similar pattern.
Here Is the Patience and the Faith of the Saints:The description of the
saints who endured the 1,260 years of papal persecution is nearly
identical to that of the faithful saints at the end of the world (Revelation
14:12). The endurance and faith of those who remained true to God
during the Dark Ages are to be commended considering the ferocity of
the persecution that they faced.
While there were faithful Sabbath-keepers during the 1,260 years (see
discussion on the Waldenses in Revelation 12), many of the Protestant
Reformers did not observe the seventh-day biblical Sabbath, although
they strictly observed Sunday. Their failure to observe the true biblical
Sabbath was out of ignorance. This may suggest that the commendation
for those who keep the commandments of God and have patience and
faith is reserved for the faithful from the remnant church at the end of the
world, who really do keep all ten commandments, including the fourth.
Those who remained faithful during the 1,260 years received a special
commendation from God, but there is an extra commendation
pronounced upon the commandment-keepers from the remnant church
at the end of the world.
APPLICATION: Galatians 6:7 reminds us that we reap what we sow. The

papacy reaped what it had sown when it was killed by the sword and
taken into captivity in 1798. The same is true for us. God had faithful
saints who had faith and patience, or endurance, during the 1,260 years.
We are living at the end of the world. Of all people on the earth, we
should be developing faith and patience to stand through the final crisis.
At the end of the world, God will say of a special people, “Here is the
patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God,
and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). May we each be part of that
special group.
THE SECOND BEAST
REVELATION 13:11
OBSERVATION: A new prophetic power is introduced here in Revelation
13:11. This new kingdom plays an integral role to the events that will
transpire at the end of the world.
The Second Beast From the Earth: Here we see the second beast
“coming up out of the earth.” Austin Cooke gives an excellent summary
of this rise to power:
The second beast rises silently, like a plant growing out of the
earth. The Greek expression anabainon—is translated “coming
up” and means “to grow up perfectly like a plant.” It was not to
rise up by military conquest, as did most of the European and
other nations. No nation was overturned in order to make
room for the United States. The population increased through
peaceful immigration. It flourished as a result of the
development of its natural resources. 333
A clear distinction is seen with this new prophetic kingdom compared to

those that have been described earlier. We have seen repeatedly in Daniel
7, and again here in Revelation 13, that a beast represents a kingdom. The
first beast of Revelation 13, representing the papacy, came up out of the
sea. The description of the first beast is a composite of the four beasts of
Daniel 7. The four beasts, or kingdoms, respectively of Babylon, Medo-
Persia, Greece, and pagan Rome come up from the sea, and “the four
winds of heaven strove upon the great sea” (Daniel 7:2–3). All four of
those kingdoms in Daniel 7, and the papacy in Revelation 13, arose from
populated areas of the earth (sea represents populated areas: Revelation
17:15), and they arose through strife to gain dominion (wind represents
strife: Daniel 7:2–3 and Revelation 7:1–3).
The second beast is different from the aforementioned kingdoms. It arises

from the earth. Whereas Greece, pagan Rome, and papal Rome arose
from the populated territory of the western European continent in the
Old World, this new kingdom arises from a relatively unpopulated area of
the earth around the time that the papacy received a deadly wound in
1798. 334 Right at the time the papacy was wounded by the sword and was
taken into captivity (Revelation 13:10), a new power arises on the world
scene (v. 11).
Historically, the only nation that fits these characteristics and timing is
the United States of America. It arose in the North American continent of
the New World, a territory that was sparsely populated in the late 1700s.
Furthermore, the United States of America had a relatively peaceful rise
to power 335 in this new territory, as opposed to the prior prophetic
kingdoms who had turbulent rises to power. The Declaration of
Independence was signed in 1776, and the United States Constitution was
ratified in 1787. Just as the papacy was passing off the world scene, the
United States of America became the new prophetic kingdom.
Two Horns Like a Lamb: One of the striking differences of the new
kingdom compared to the papacy is that it has two horns like a lamb. The
horns do not have crowns. Scripture shows that horns represent power
(see Deuteronomy 33:17; 1 Samuel 2:10; 1 Kings 22:11; and Habakkuk
3:3–4). The two horns on this lamblike second beast symbolize the power
by which the United States of America operates. It is not a monarchy.
There are no crowns, as opposed to the first beast in the chapter which
had ten horns and ten crowns. The monarchial kings of the earth
empowered the papacy during the 1,260 years. In contrast, the United
States of America is a constitutional republic empowered by its lamblike
horns.
The two horns are like the horns of a lamb. The lamb has already been
defined in Revelation 5:6 and in Revelation 13:8. The Lamb is Jesus
Christ. We see Jesus Christ again as the Lamb in Revelation 14:1, 4 and in
Revelation 17:14.
The fact that the United States of America has two horns like a lamb
makes it a prophetic kingdom empowered by two horns with Christian
principles. In contradistinction to the first beast, the papacy, which
received its power and authority from Satan, the United States of America
begins as a kingdom with Christian principles.
Based on the founding principles of the United States of America, it is

clear what the Christian principles are that represent the two horns on
the earth beast: civil and religious liberty. Another name for these
principles are Republicanism 336 and Protestantism. These principles
come from Christ Himself.
Civil Liberty: Under the umbrella of civil liberty and a form of

government called a republic, we find several key features. Self-
government is at the top of the list. Rather than being controlled by an
autocratic monarchy, there is a representative elected government in the
United States of America.
Furthermore, the Declaration of Independence of 1776 makes these

powerful assertions as founding principles to the United States of
America:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created

equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the
pursuit of Happiness.
The civil liberties of all citizens of the United States of America are
encapsulated in this statement. These principles form the foundation of
functional self-government.
Many citizens around the world long for the freedoms that exist in
America. Despotism makes life very difficult for some parts of the world.
Freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion makes this country
unlike many other countries around the world.
A further genius aspect to civil liberty is contained within the idea of
republicanism. This form of government protects minority groups from
the majority. All citizens have constitutional rights such as the free
exercise of religion. Within a republican form of government, the
majority cannot vote into law that which violates the constitutional rights
of a minority. For example, if a majority of the citizens of the United
States of America voted to outlaw the free speech of any minority group,
the United States Supreme Court has a duty, based on the constitution, to
strike down that law.
For us as Seventh-day Adventists, or any religious group, this form of

government is designed to protect our religious freedom as well. It is
designed to prevent the inquisitions and persecutions the people of God
went through during the 1,260 years from ever happening again.
Religious Liberty: Many fled the Old World to find refuge in freedom of
religion in the United States of America. Prophetically, this freedom
established in the United States of America was the final fulfillment of the
earth swallowing up the flood that was cast out of the mouth of the
dragon in Revelation 12:16. Whereas the religion of the papacy, seen in
the first beast of this chapter, restricts freedom of religion, Protestantism,
seen here in the second beast, gives religious liberty.
The United States of America is shown to have two horns like a lamb. The
horns are based on Protestant Christian principles. Protestantism
represents true Christianity. Freedom of religion is the basis of
Protestantism. True Christianity does not coerce individuals into being
its adherents. It does not persecute those who see religion differently.
Protestants allow for religious liberty to all the citizens of the United
States of America. Thus, one can be Christian, Atheist, Muslim, Jewish,
Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, or any other religion and freely espouse and
practice that belief without fear. Christ never forces anybody to follow
Him. The United States of America is built on that principle.
Separation of Church and State: The further genius model of American
democracy is that while all citizens have civil and religious liberty, church
and state are separate. As Uriah Smith said, those who came to America
were looking for a country where there was “a church without a pope,
and a state without a king.” 337
We see a perfect articulation of the principle of the separation of church

and state by Christ Himself in Luke 20:25 when he said, “Render
therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the
things which be God’s.”
Because of separation of church and state, the United States of America

still allows for freedom of conscience and the free exercise of religion.
The French Revolution demonstrated a hostile separation of church and
state, and Marxist nations have taken this hostility even further and have
sought to eliminate the church and religion completely.338
Any ideology today that suppresses freedom of conscience or the free

exercise of religion in the name of separation of church and state is in
opposition to the two horns on the lamblike beast of civil and religious
liberty. Those forces that are trying to suppress free exercise of religion
find their roots in the beast from the bottomless pit that we studied in
Revelation 11.
The United States Constitution addresses these principles of civil and

religious freedom along with separation of church and state quite clearly
with the following statements:
• Article IV, section 4: The United States shall guarantee to every

state in this union a republican form of government.
• Article VI: No religious test shall ever be required as a
qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
• First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
The United States of America, since its rise to power, has been a shining
light around the world due to the principles it has espoused. Notice this
statement from Ellen White:
Republicanism and Protestantism became the fundamental

principles of the nation. These principles are the secret of its
power and prosperity. The oppressed and downtrodden
throughout Christendom have turned to this land with interest
and hope. Millions have sought its shores, and the United States
has risen to a place among the most powerful nations of the
earth. 339
One final thought is worth mentioning with respect to the two horns of
civil and religious liberty. Both horns are connected to the United States
of America. Both horns are necessary for each horn to function. If United
States citizens do not have free exercise of religion, they do not have civil
liberty. And if citizens are denied civil liberties, they do not have religious
liberty. Both civil and religious liberty are united to principles given to us
by Christ Himself. Church and state are separate, but true freedom allows
for liberty within both domains.
Speaks Like a Dragon: Despite starting off as a nation with the Christian
principles of civil and religious liberty, ultimately the United States of
America will come to speak as a dragon. Satan is the dragon. America
will abandon its Christian principles of freedom and then stand on the
side of Satan and speak like him.
How does the United States of America speak like a dragon? If we follow
the definitions already established in the prophetic chapters of Daniel 7
and Revelation 13, we see very clearly how this happens.
In verse 2, the dragon gives “his power, seat, and great authority” to the
papacy. The papacy has the mouth of a lion and speaks blasphemous
words (vs. 5–6). The lion represents Babylon, but a lion also represents
the devil (1 Peter 5:8). When the papacy, or first beast, speaks with the
mouth of a lion, it is as if the dragon, or Satan, is speaking.
Earlier, we saw that the leopard-like first beast of Revelation 13, with the
mouth of a lion, and the little horn of Daniel 7, are identical powers (vs.
5–6). Four times in Daniel 7, the little horn has a mouth speaking great
things. In the fourth example, the papacy thinks to change the law of God
(Daniel 7:25). The great words of the little horn and the great and
blasphemous words against God by the first beast represent the papacy’s
attempt to change the law of God and to change Sabbath to Sunday. This
is the voice of the dragon. Satan is against Christ. The power that he
works through on this earth, the papacy, is antichrist. Satan is against the
law of God because the law of God establishes God’s government.
It must be remembered that a nation speaks through the laws that it

passes. The papacy, as a kingdom, claims the authority to change Sabbath
to Sunday.
Therefore, when the United States of America speaks as a dragon, it will

speak just as the papacy did during the 1,260 years. America, as a nation,
will pass a law that will claim the power and authority to take away
individuals’ freedom of religion and to enforce Sunday as the day of
worship. When this law is passed, the United States of America will speak
as a dragon.
Notice this statement from Ellen White:
The lamblike horns and dragon voice of the symbol point to a

striking contradiction between the professions and the practice
of the nation thus represented. The “speaking” of the nation is
the action of its legislative and judicial authorities. By such
action it will give the lie to those liberal and peaceful principles
which it has put forth as the foundation of its policy. The
prediction that it will speak “as a dragon” and exercise “all the
power of the first beast” plainly foretells a development of the
spirit of intolerance and persecution that was manifested by the
nations represented by the dragon and the leopardlike beast.
And the statement that the beast with two horns “causeth the
earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast”
indicates that the authority of this nation is to be exercised in
enforcing some observance which shall be an act of homage to
the papacy. 340
The time in which the United States of America speaks as a dragon is in

the future. This will involve intolerance, persecution, and by extension,
the worship of the papacy with its false institution of Sunday sacredness.
This will happen when the United States passes a Sunday law. When this
law is passed, we will be at the very end of the world, as made clear by the
By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in

violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself
fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her
hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power,
when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with
spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union,
our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution
as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make
provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and
delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the
marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. 341
It should be noted that many of the Adventist pioneers taught that the
United States of America spoke as a dragon based on its laws that
permitted slavery. Certainly, slavery is a shameful part of American
history, and the African Americans who were enslaved were not allowed
the liberties of the constitution. Clearly, the United States of America has
not always lived up to the ideals of the two horns of civil and religious
liberty. In the case of slavery, it fell far short. How a Christian nation of
religious people could stoop to own, sell, and persecute fellow human
beings is shameful. James and Ellen White were very much opposed to
slavery, but neither of them applied America speaking as a dragon to
their contemporary issue of slavery. 342 Ellen White, the only inspired
pioneer, applied the “United States of America speaking as a dragon” to
the future. 343
Many barriers between Protestants and Catholics have been torn down in
recent decades. The United States is steadily but surely becoming more
and more like Rome. At the time of this writing, the majority of the nine
justices of the United States Supreme Court are Roman Catholic.
We will study this concept further in Revelation 14:8, but when the
Protestant churches of America fell in the summer of 1844 and became
part of Babylon, they took a step toward their prophesied destiny, that the
Protestant United States of America would someday speak as a dragon.
APPLICATION: From this land of the United States of America, under the
protection of civil and religious liberty, the Second Advent movement as
seen in Revelation 10 was able to find fertile territory for its rise. From
here, the three angels’ messages have been carried to the ends of the
earth. Despite some of America’s obvious flaws, we can be thankful to still
be living in a time when America offers freedom to worship according to
our conscience. We can be thankful that God has given us freedom to
promote the message of truth that the world needs.
However, today there are undercurrents in the United States of America

that are similar to that which empowered the French Revolution. Not
everything that promotes separation of church and state is to be
commended. While we believe and advocate separation of church and
state, we also denounce any ideology that destroys religious liberty and
freedom of conscience in the name of separation of church and state.
Movements that force all Americans to accept secular ideology, which is

contrary to Scripture, are a violation of religious and even civil liberty.
This is radical totalitarianism and is contrary to the principles of liberty
in the United States of America.
We understand prophetically that the religious right of apostate

Protestantism will lead the charge to enforce Sunday worship. This has
led some in the church to stand with the left on almost every issue even
when it is unbiblical. We should shun the extremes of either party. While
we should avoid uniting too closely with Catholics and Protestants on
political issues, some in the church fail to realize the grave danger of
accepting radical leftist principles. The forces behind the leftist agenda
destroy liberty of conscience when it forces acceptance of unbiblical
ideology. When civil or religious liberty is torn down from either the
right or the left, the path is being paved for the United States of America
to speak like a dragon through a Sunday law.
Let us stand on the Lord’s side and continue to advocate for civil and
religious liberty under the umbrella of the separation of church and state.
REVELATION 13:12
OBSERVATION: When the United States of America speaks like a dragon
and passes a Sunday law, the deadly wound of the papacy is healed (v. 12).
Exercises All the Authority of the First Beast:At the beginning of verse
12, the King James Version says that the United States of America
exercises “all the power of the first beast before him.” The word for
“power” in the Greek is exousia, which is translated as “authority” in
verse 2 of this chapter and is different than the word for “power”
(dunamis) in verse 2. The end of Revelation 13:2 says “and the dragon
gave him his power (dunamis), and his seat, and great authority
(exousia).”
It was Satan who gave his “great authority” to the papacy in verse 2. Also,
the United States of America exercises this authority “before the first
beast.” The marginal reading is that the United States of America
exercises this authority “in the presence” of the first beast. The fact that
the papal beast is present shows that it has been resurrected, and the
deadly wound has been healed.
Here in verse 12, the United States of America exercises the same
authority as the papacy did during the 1,260 years. This authority comes
from Satan because America now speaks as a dragon by passing a Sunday
law. The authority for Sunday worship does not come from God. It comes
from Satan. When America passes a law that goes against the law of God,
it is operating under and exercising the authority of Satan. This is a
dramatic departure from having two horns like a lamb.
The United States of America Causes the Earth to Worship the Papacy:
The Sunday law is passed for the purpose of worship. When this law is
passed, it causes those on the earth to worship the papacy. Worshiping on
a day that is not sanctioned by God as sacred is not the worship of God; it
is worship of the institution—the papacy—that has set this day up as the
mark of its authority.
Here we see that the passing of this law and the worship of the beast
cause the deadly wound of the papacy to be healed.
When the papacy was at the height of its power during the 1,260 years, it
had universal dominion over the political kingdoms of the earth. The
United States of America restores the power of the papacy by passing a
law that restores what the papacy lost in 1798—universal power over the
church and the state.
It should also be pointed out that when the deadly wound is healed, all
the world wonders after the beast, or the papacy (v. 3). When the United
States of America speaks as a dragon and causes the earth to worship the
papacy, we see the fulfillment of what was foretold in Revelation 13:3.
Sadly, it is Protestant America that restores the power that the Roman
Catholic church-state power lost in 1798.
APPLICATION: The issue at the end of time is worship. The choice will be
distinctly clear. Either worship the papacy and Satan by honoring Sunday
as the Sabbath, or worship God by honoring the seventh day of the week
as God’s holy day. As the verses progress here in Revelation 13, the
pressure to unite with the United States of America and the papacy to
worship Satan will become almost overwhelming. Ellen White made it
clear in the following statement that even many Seventh-day Adventists
will be swept away:
As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith

in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified
through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and
join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and
partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly
the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared
to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing
address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to
deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter
enemies of their former brethren. When Sabbathkeepers are
brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these
apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent
and accuse them, and by false reports and insinuations to stir
up the rulers against them. 344
It should be noted that those who have not been sanctified through
obedience to the truth will be those who abandon the ranks. The Sabbath
is a sign of sanctification. Those who are truly sanctified will remain holy,
and they will keep the Sabbath holy during the final crisis. This was
discussed in Revelation 7 with respect to the sealing of God’s people. Now
is the time to develop a sanctified walk with God during the week and to
gain a deep appreciation for the blessing of the Sabbath. Having a close
walk with God will be vital to avoid the deceptions and pressures that will
come at the end of time.
OBSERVATION: In order to gain the worship of the whole world toward
the papacy, Protestant America resorts to tactics that appear to
demonstrate that God is on its side.
Fire Comes Down From Heaven on the Earth: In verse 13, we see
symbolic language in which the United States of America does great
wonders, or signs, and “he maketh fire come down from heaven on the
earth in the sight of men.” The language of signs and wonders, and fire
coming down from heaven, shows that supernatural manifestations will
occur to support this false system of worship.
Furthermore, we are reminded of the story in 1 Kings 18:36–39 in which

the prophet Elijah prayed to the God of heaven on Mount Carmel and
called fire down from heaven. God heard Elijah’s prayer. This
supernatural miracle of fire coming down from heaven was a
demonstration that the God of heaven was the true God of Israel and that
Elijah was the true prophet of God.
By symbolically calling fire down from heaven, Protestant America is

taking on the role of a prophet. The supernatural miracles make it appear
that God is on the side of this false system of worship. In Revelation
19:20, Protestant America is given the title of false prophet:
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that
wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that
had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his
image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with
brimstone.
The false worship will be promoted by apostate Protestant America (the

false prophet) and the Roman Catholic church-state power (the beast). In
Revelation 13:13, the supernatural manifestations are described as fire
coming down from heaven. In Revelation 19:20, these signs and wonders
are described as miracles for the purpose of deception, so that the world
will worship the image of the beast and receive the mark of the beast.
Those Who Dwell on Earth Are Deceived by Miracles: When the
United States of America, under the guise of Christianity, performs
supernatural miracles, the world will be deceived and quickly fall into
line with the false system that America (the false prophet) is promoting.
Supernatural miracles that promote falsehoods are defined as

spiritualism. The source of spiritualism is from the dragon, or Satan. The
United States of America, by speaking as a dragon through the passing of
a Sunday law, unites fully with Satan to use his power to deceive the
whole world into accepting the Sunday law.
Protestant America, and the Christian world at large, has been ripe for
this deception through two key errors—the state of man in death and
Sunday sacredness. By rejecting the plain biblical teaching that the dead
know nothing (Ecclesiastes 9:5–6), many Christians have unwittingly
accepted the false teaching of spiritualism that Satan, as the old serpent,
said to Eve in the garden of Eden, when he said, “You shall not surely die.”
If most of Protestant America believes that their dead loved ones are in
heaven looking down on them, it would seem plausible that these dead
loved ones could reappear alive and coming from heaven.
Thus, many will be in a position to be deceived when evil spirits, in the

guise of dead loved ones or other well-known persons who have died,
speak in favor of the Sunday law and of the union between Protestant
America and the Roman Catholic church-state power. The acceptance of
Sunday will not be difficult for many, as most of Protestant America
already observe Sunday as the Lord’s day despite no biblical evidence for
doing so.
Ellen White drove this point home in the following statement:
Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and
Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his
deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of
spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome.
The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in
stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of
spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with
the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold
union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in
trampling on the rights of conscience. 345
Here we see a threefold union of the dragon (Satan and spiritualism), the
beast (the papacy), and the false prophet (Protestant America) that will
lead the world to destruction. Revelation 13:3 says that all the world
wonders after the beast. Verse 4 states that all the world will worship the
dragon. Verses 11–14 show us how this is accomplished. Supernatural
miracles will be performed by the false prophet of Protestant America,
and these will deceive the whole world into accepting this false system of
worship. Those who have already accepted Sunday sacredness and who
believe that one goes to heaven at death are especially ripe for these
deceptions. The rest of the world, including atheists and all other
religions, will accept these miracles and will join the papacy and
Protestant America in the worship of the dragon.
The United States of America Forms an Image to the Beast: As

Protestant America joins with the authority of Satan to perform miracles,
it calls for those who dwell on the earth to “make an image to the beast”
in response to the supernatural manifestations that are being
demonstrated.
This warrants a discussion on the image to the beast. This is also referred
to as an image of the beast (v. 15). First, an image is a likeness of that
which is being copied. In modern language, a photograph is an image
that resembles the real thing, whether it is a person or place. The beast
here is the first beast, or leopard-like beast—the papacy. Thus, the image
to the papacy is like the papacy. What is it that is the primary
characteristic of the papacy of Revelation 13? It is the universal dominion
that it had over the kings of the earth as a religious power in which it
changed the law of God from Sabbath to Sunday, and its persecution of
those in opposition to its dogmas. The pattern that the Revelation 13
papacy exhibits is the union of church and state which was destroyed in
1798 with the deadly wound. This papacy also demonstrates the violation
of God’s law by changing Sabbath to Sunday.
Protestant America resurrects the papacy by passing a Sunday law that

unites church and state. This passing of the Sunday law forms an image to
the beast. Just as the papacy united church and state during the 1,260
years, when the United States of America speaks as a dragon and passes a
Sunday law, it forms an image to the papacy. By forming this image to the
beast, America is honoring the papacy.
The Beast Was Wounded; Now It Lives: The union of church and state
forms an image to the beast, honoring the papacy. The deadly wound is
fully healed when the Sunday law is passed. The papacy now lives again.
Once a law is passed that unites church and state, the papacy can assume
the power that it had during the 1,260 years. The beast lives again, in its
resurrected state, to have power over the kings of the earth.
APPLICATION: It seems difficult to believe that Protestant America will

abandon its principles of civil and religious liberty and give homage to
the papacy. Yet prophecy is undeniable. This fact should encourage us to
stay connected to the Word of God more than ever. We should heed the
counsel of this statement:
The time is at hand when Satan will work miracles to confirm

minds in the belief that he is God. All the people of God are
now to stand on the platform of truth as it has been given in
the third angel’s message. All the pleasant pictures, all the
miracles wrought, will be presented in order that, if possible,
the very elect shall be deceived. The only hope for any one is to
hold fast the evidences that have confirmed the truth in
righteousness. Let these be proclaimed over and over again,
until the close of this earth’s history. 346
REVELATION 13:15
OBSERVATION: Apostate Protestant America reaches the point of no
return when it passes a Sunday law.
Power to Give Life Unto the Image of the Beast: The image of the beast
is the union of church and state in which a law is passed violating the law
of God. This is the Sunday law. America has power to give life to this
image through its laws. That is how the image of the beast speaks. A
nation speaks through its laws. The Sunday law is passed by the
government of the United States of America which gives power and life to
the image of the beast.
The Death Decree: The government of the United States of America

speaks through its laws. Eventually, those who refuse to worship the
image of the beast, or worship on Sunday, will face a world-wide death
decree. The United States of America will “cause that as many as would
not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” This is the voice of
the dragon. The civil and religious liberty of Americans will be
completely repudiated, and the United States of America will be speaking
as a dragon. When the death decree is passed, probation closes for the
world. Once probation closes, the seven last plagues are poured out, as
seen in Revelation 16.
OBSERVATION: While it will seem as if the United States of America is

gaining ground and influence, this national apostasy will lead to its total
ruin. Notice this statement from Ellen G. White:
A time is coming when the law of God is, in a special sense, to

be made void in our land. The rulers of our nation will, by
legislative enactments, enforce the Sunday law, and thus God’s
people be brought into great peril. When our nation, in its
legislative councils, shall enact laws to bind the consciences of
men in regard to their religious privileges, enforcing Sunday
observance, and bringing oppressive power to bear against
those who keep the seventh-day Sabbath, the law of God will,
to all intents and purposes, be made void in our land; and
national apostasy will be followed by national ruin. We see that
those who are now keeping the commandments of God need to
bestir themselves, that they may obtain the special help which
God alone can give them. They should work more earnestly to
delay as long as possible the threatened calamity. If, in our land
of boasted freedom, a Protestant government should sacrifice
every principle which enters into its Constitution, and
propagate papal falsehood and delusion, well may we plead, “It
is time for thee, Lord, to work, for they have made void thy
law.” 347
As this statement says, we as God’s people must seek the special help
which God alone can give us to face this unprecedented crisis that is
coming.
OBSERVATION: Apostate Protestant United States of America not only
forms an image to the beast, but it also causes all of the world to receive
the mark of the beast.
The Mark of the Beast: Whether you are unknown or famous, wealthy or
poor, free or enslaved, Protestant America will use its miracles as a
pretext to enforce everyone on the earth to receive the mark of the beast.
What is the mark of the beast? Just as God has a seal to identify His
people in Revelation 7, Satan has a mark to identify his followers. The
Sabbath is the sign of those who are loyal to God. The false day of
worship is Satan’s mark of authority. Satan gave his power, seat, and great
authority to the papacy. With that authority, the papacy presumed to
change the law of God from Sabbath to Sunday. The papacy openly
admits this.
Here is a statement from the Catholic Catechism in 1947:
Q. What is the Third Commandment?

A. The Third Commandment is: Remember that thou keep holy the
Sabbath day.
Q. What is the Sabbath day?
A. Saturday is the Sabbath day.
Q. Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
A. We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church
transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.
Q. Why did the Catholic Church substitute Sunday for Saturday?
A. The church substituted Sunday for Saturday, because Christ rose from
the dead on a Sunday, and the Holy Ghost descended on the disciples
on a Sunday.
Q. By what authority did the Church substitute Sunday for Saturday?
A. The Church substituted Sunday for Saturday by the plenitude of that
divine power which Jesus Christ bestowed upon her.
Q. What does the Third Commandment command?
A. The Third Commandment commands us to sanctify Sunday as the
Lord’s Day. 348
Here, the Roman Catholic Church falsely claims that it has divine
authority to change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. It also
eliminated the second commandment about graven images, so it moved
the fourth commandment to the third position. Yet we have seen that this
authority did not come from God. Rather, the authority came from the
dragon, or Satan. By claiming to have authority to change the law of God,
the papacy has exalted itself above God.
The papacy’s claim to have the authority to change the law of God by
changing God’s holy day from Sabbath to Sunday is the mark of its
authority. Therefore, enforced Sunday worship is the mark of the beast.
Those who accept the decree of enforced Sunday worship are worshiping
the dragon, Satan, and the papacy. It is the false prophet of the Protestant
United States of America that uses the influence of spiritualism to bring
the whole world under the dominion of the papacy at the very end of the
world.
Receive a Mark in Their Right Hand or Forehead: Enforced worship is

characteristic of Satan and the beast power. God only accepts those who
worship Him willingly from a loving heart. Satan gladly accepts those
who go along with false worship even though they do not believe.
In Revelation 14:1, the 144,000 have the Father’s name written in their
foreheads. This is equivalent to the seal of God in the foreheads of the
144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7:3. Isaiah 57:15 declares that God’s
name is holy. That which is written, or received in the forehead,
represents the character of the individual. The 144,000 have the character
of God.
Those who receive the mark of the beast in the forehead have the
character of the beast. The Sunday law is symbolic of disobedience. Those
who receive the mark of the beast in their foreheads are willingly
disobedient to God, and they willingly obey Satan and the beast power.
Those who receive the mark of the beast in their right hand are different
than those who receive the mark in their foreheads, yet the end result is
the same. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do
it with thy might.”
The hand represents one’s actions. To receive the mark of the beast in the
right hand represents going along with the worship of Satan and the beast
by accepting Sunday worship, even if you do not intellectually accept it.
Many who have embraced the truth of the Sabbath and the third angel’s
message will receive the mark of the beast in the hand because they
comply with Sunday worship due to the overwhelming pressure.
Satan does not care if you intellectually believe in the false system of
worship or if your actions go against your beliefs. In either case, you will
receive the mark of the beast and will have joined his side in the final
crisis.
No Man Can Buy or Sell Without the Mark of the Beast: The ability to
buy and sell lies at the heart of self-preservation and sustainability.
Without that ability, after a time it becomes impossible to buy food to
preserve life. By enforcing a decree that keeps everyone in the world from
buying and selling and eventually by making a death decree, everything is
done to bring all the world under the power of Satan. The natural human
reaction will be to go along with these decrees in order to preserve life.
Sadly, those who receive the mark of the beast will receive the wrath of
God poured out without mixture during the seven last plagues. By
seeking to preserve temporal life, those who go along with the mark of
the beast ultimately lose eternal life.
Four Stages of the Sunday Law: The Sunday law will come in stages. It
will not happen in just a few days. It will take time from when the image
to the beast is first formed to when a death decree is passed. These four
stages are adapted from Gordon Collier’s The Closing Events Chart:
Phase 1—Refrain from working on Sunday. (Testimonies for the Church,

vol. 9, 232–233; Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 550–551)
Phase 2—Honor Sunday but can still worship on Sabbath. (The Great
Controversy, 608, 624)
Phase 3—Cannot worship on Sabbath, only Sunday; fines and

imprisonment imposed; no man can buy or sell. (The Great Controversy,
445, 607)
Phase 4—Death penalty to those who worship on Sabbath and disregard

Sunday. (Revelation 13:15–17; The Great Controversy, 604, 615–616, 621,
635; Prophets and Kings, 12; Early Writings, 34, 36–37, 272, 282–285;
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 353–354) 349
Mark of the Beast; Name of the Beast; Number of His Name: The mark
of the beast has been defined as enforced Sunday worship. The name of
the beast is the same as the character of the beast. The Greek word for
“name” here is onoma, and is the same word as seen in Revelation 14:1 for
those who have the Father’s name in their forehead. Name represents
character. Those who have disobedient characters have the name, or
character, of the beast.
Those who have the mark or name of the beast, also have the number of
his name. The “number of his name” is defined clearly in verse 18.
APPLICATION: When Protestant United States of America appeals to the

civil government to pass a law that enforces Sunday worship, it is an
implicit admission that the evangelical gospel of Protestantism is not
powerful enough to change humanity or society. The gospel of Babylon,
which largely teaches a legal justification without transformation, has
sapped the church of the power afforded by the true gospel of Jesus
Christ. This has led to a decline in the morality of the Protestant
churches. When the crisis hits at the end of time, the church does not
have a gospel that works to change society. Thus, it appeals to the strong
arm of the state.
However, Romans 1:16–17 makes it clear that the power of the gospel
produces a demonstration of the righteousness of God. That is why God
has raised up the Second Advent movement. We will discuss in greater
detail the power of the everlasting gospel in Revelation 14:6.
Furthermore, God’s people will not compromise even when they lose the
ability to buy and sell. As Isaiah 33:16 says,
He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions

of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
REVELATION 13:18
OBSERVATION: In the last verse of Revelation 13, we are given an
unmistakable clue to the identity of the beast power. In order to
understand this clue, God says, “Here is wisdom.” This is very similar to
Revelation 17:9, when, discussing the identity of the seven heads, God
says, “And here is the mind which hath wisdom.” There are certain
passages of Scripture which require extra care and study. This is one of
those passages. Those who have understanding will “count the number of
the beast.”
Six hundred sixty-six (666): When we connect the end of verse 17 with
verse 18, we find that this number is “the number of his name,” “the
number of the beast,” and the “number of a man.”
The Greek word onoma is translated as “name” in verse 17. When name is
used in Revelation 19:16 to describe the name of Christ, we are given His
title of “KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.” Thus, “the number of
his name” can mean “the number of his title.”
Based on this understanding, we can apply the number of 666 to the title
of a man who represents the leadership role of the beast. The man who
sits as the head of the papacy is clearly the pope. What title does the pope
have? Kenneth Mathews has some excellent insight on this topic:
This identification of 666 with the papal title of Vicarius Filii

Dei first surfaced in print in the year AD 1612, in a book by
Andreas Helwig called The Roman Antichrist. The name in
question is Vicarius Filii Dei. This is Latin for “Vicar of the Son
of God.” Vicarius means “substituting for,” or “in the place of.”
Filii means “son.” Dei means “God.” 350
The method of gematria is the employment of letters in the Hebrew and

Greek alphabet to designate numbers. Using gematria for the Latin title of
the pope, Vicarius Filii Dei, we arrive at the following calculation:
There have been some in the church who have tried to teach that 666 is 6
6 6 (triple six). However, the Greek is hexakosioi (six hundred), hexekonta
(sixty), and hex (six). 351 This is unequivocally six hundred, sixty, and six.
It is not six + six + six. It is stated that “the triple six stands for the satanic
triumvirate in contrast to the triple seven of the Godhead in Revelation
1:4–6.” 352
In Stefanovic’s revised edition of his book on Revelation, he remarks on

the number 666 with the following statement: “It consists of the triple six
clearly expressed in Greek: hexakosioi hexekonta hex.” 353
However, Edwin de Kock does a nice job in showing the error of this
interpretation:
This would mean that because hexakosioi, like its English

equivalent six hundred, contains the word six, it is equal to six.
Likewise sixty is equal to six. And so, of course, six itself. That is
to say, 600 = 6, 60 = 6, and 6 = 6, which leads to the interesting
conclusion that 600, 60, and 6 are all one and the same number!
Really? 354
Edwin de Kock has shown the error of the “triple six” interpretation.
Non-historicist interpretations of Scripture, including what has been
done to this vital passage with the “triple six” interpretation, steer
Seventh-day Adventists and other honest seekers of truth away from the
true understanding that God has set before us. While the intentions of
idealism may be sincere, they are wrong.
The fact that the title of the pope adds up mathematically to 666 is not a
coincidence. It requires some wisdom to understand, but the mind
guided by the Holy Spirit sees what God is revealing about the beast and
its leader.
With the understanding that 666 identifies the title of the pope, we see
that the pope has set himself up in the place of God.
The words of Scripture in 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 perfectly fit with the

papacy and the pope:
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not
come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin
be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth
himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that
he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is
God.
It is certainly not popular or politically correct to identify the antichrist

power and the man of sin, but fidelity to Scripture and love for God’s
people who are still in Babylon compels us to do so. A day is soon coming
when nearly all of the world will worship this antichrist power, and as a
result they will be lost.
The next chapter in Revelation contains the three angels’ messages, which
proclaim that Babylon is fallen, and that those who “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, which is poured out
without mixture into the cup of his indignation” (Revelation 14:9–10).
Now is not the time to shy away from these clearly revealed prophecies.
With the love of God, we must share these truths in a timely and
compelling fashion to warn the world before it is too late.
APPLICATION: We have been given a more sure word of prophecy of that

which is soon to take place. Do not fall into the trap of false prophetic
interpretation such as preterism, in which everything has taken place in
past, or futurism, in which everything is in the future. Even more so,
avoid the perils of idealism, which spiritualize away the plainest
landmarks of Bible prophecy. Follow the path of historicism. That is the
methodology that the pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
used, guided by the Holy Spirit, to arrive at the foundational prophetic
truths that continue to shine light upon our church today. Historicism,
also known as the historical-grammatical interpretation or historical-
biblical interpretation of Scripture, takes the text as it reads and applies it
to the major events of history. The patterns for historicism are clearly
seen in the books of Daniel and Revelation.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS: Revelation 13 is the revelation of the antichrist.

It is one chapter, but it is an important chapter. The great majority of the
book of Revelation is of Jesus Christ. Yet even in this chapter, as we see
the exact opposite of who Jesus Christ is, we witness even more of the
beauty of who He is as our Savior and Lord.
As stated earlier in the book, the first eleven chapters of Revelation show
that Christ raises up the Second Advent movement from the Most Holy
Place of the heavenly sanctuary to produce a people who keep the
commandments of God and are cleansed of sin.
Revelation 12 demonstrates that Satan will not go down without a fight

before God accomplishes this work. Satan targets God’s remnant church
who “keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ.”
Revelation 13 is his final master strategy to prevent God’s people from

keeping the commandments of God. He works through apostate
Protestant America to form an image to the papacy so that the entire
world will receive the mark of the beast and worship him as the dragon.
He uses miracles to deceive the whole world. Despite this last desperate
push, Revelation 14 follows, which shows that Satan is unsuccessful in his
final attempt to destroy God’s people. This next chapter in Revelation
starts with the 144,000 standing on Mount Zion with the Lamb. Thank
God that He will be victorious over Satan and the agencies that work on
Satan’s behalf. Now, more than ever, may we stay faithful and loyal to the
Lamb of God.
REVELATION 14
INTRODUCTION
Revelation 12 and 13 gave a description of the warfare that is waged
between Christ and Satan. By the end of Revelation 13, Satan appears to
be very successful. All the world is wondering after the first beast, and he
has worked through the second beast to pass the Sunday law. It seems as
if all the world receives the mark of the beast.
However, Revelation 14 shows that Christ is ultimately victorious over

Satan’s attempt to bring the world under his dominion. Although God
desires the acceptance and worship of everyone, He does not need the
whole world to accept and worship Him. All He needs is a faithful
remnant known as the 144,000.
Once we come to Revelation 14, Christ is victorious against Satan

through the remainder of the book. Revelation 14 shows how Christ wins
the final victory.
There are three sections to Revelation 14. The Lamb and the 144,000 are
in verses 1–5. The three angels’ messages are in verses 6–12. The chapter
closes with the harvests of the righteous and wicked at the Second
Coming of Jesus in verses 14–20. The sequence of these sections shows
that the 144,000 are produced by the three angels’ messages. When the
work of producing the 144,000 by the three angels’ messages is
accomplished, the harvest occurs and Jesus returns.
The 144,000 are part of the Second Advent movement. They are produced
by the work of Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly
sanctuary. When Revelation 14:12 becomes a spiritual reality in the lives
of His people, Jesus will have a revelation of Himself to demonstrate to
the world.
Revelation 14 is another important chapter in the book of Revelation.

Some of the most precious truths in all of Scripture are found in this
chapter. It is an amazing reality that God has given us the keys to
understand and experience the messages contained within Revelation 14.
This chapter details how Christ gains the victory over Satan in the great
controversy so that He can fulfill His promise of coming again. Not only
is it important to understand the theory of this chapter, but we also need
to experience it.
May we faithfully study and understand this chapter, and may we live to
experience the fulfillment of these promises as one of God’s faithful
saints.
REVELATION 14:1
OBSERVATION: The scene in Revelation suddenly changes. John the
Revelator, at the end of chapter 13, had just witnessed the cataclysmic
disaster in which the papacy and Protestant America unite under the
delusion of satanic spiritualistic power to deceive the world into receiving
the mark of the beast. This is the apparent success of Satan.
Now in the next verse, however, John saw a scene of victory. You can hear
the joy in his voice. He used the expression, “Lo!” Using this word
conveys the excitement and joy that John felt as he said, “Look!” The
scene is magnificent and majestic.
A Lamb Stood on Mount Zion: John saw the Lamb standing on Mount
Zion with the 144,000. Jesus is that Lamb of God. Isaiah 53 is the
Messianic prophecy that first identified Jesus as a Lamb brought to the
slaughter (Isaiah 53:6–7). John the Baptist identified Jesus as the Lamb of
God “which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). This is the
same Lamb that was slain, who prevailed, and was found worthy to open
the book with seven seals (Revelation 5:6–9). As we recall from our study
of the seven seals, when the seventh seal is opened there is silence in
heaven for about half an hour (Revelation 8:1). The silence symbolizes the
Second Coming of Jesus.
As John saw Jesus standing as the Lamb of God on Mount Zion, he

discerned that the history of the seven seals was fulfilled. All of the seals
have been opened. The Lamb has prevailed to open each seal. Prior to the
opening of the seventh seal, the 144,000 have received the seal of the
living God in their foreheads (Revelation 7:1–4). There has been silence
in heaven for half an hour (prophetically) when the seventh seal is
opened, so that Jesus can bring the 144,000 from the earth to heaven. The
Second Coming is a reality. John looked at the scene of victory in heaven
and was overjoyed by the unmistakable prophetic picture that the Lamb
was in heaven with the 144,000.
How is it that the Lamb has prevailed so that the 144,000 are with Him on
Mount Zion? It is because the Lamb is the title given to Christ to
represent His victory on the cross. He is the slain Lamb, now resurrected.
He is the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation
13:8). He is the Lamb that the beast power warred against (Revelation
17:14). But He has overcome Satan and the forces of evil, and now He
stands on Mount Zion with the 144,000.
The moment is described in Isaiah 53:11:
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his
knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall
bear their iniquities.
When the Lamb sees the 144,000, He sees the travail of His soul. When
He sees the great multitude as described in Revelation 7, He again sees
the travail of His soul. He is satisfied. What an amazing reality that our
salvation brings satisfaction to Jesus!
Christ’s experience as the Lamb on the cross is what produces the

144,000. The character of the 144,000 is that which the Lamb
demonstrated on the cross. We will see this as we look at the totality of
the character of the 144,000 as described in the first five verses of this
chapter. Christ’s victory as the slain Lamb is what creates this amazing
scene of victory in heaven.
Mount Zion: Mount Zion is described multiple times in the Old

Testament. Zion is first mentioned in the following passage:
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites,
the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying,
Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not
come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.
Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the
city of David (2 Samuel 5:6–7).
Here, Zion is identified as the city of David, or Jerusalem.
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our

God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the
joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north,
the city of the great King (Psalm 48:1–2).
O LORD, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let

thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city
Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the
iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a
reproach to all that are about us (Daniel 9:16).
Based on the above verses, the holy mountain is Mount Zion, and it is the
city of the great King, or Jerusalem.
Zion is also used to describe God’s people:
And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee
in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and
lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my
people (Isaiah 51:16).
Mount Zion is also described as the location of the throne of David when
he was installed as king of Israel:
Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion (Psalm 2:6).
Then we find Zion as a description of the location of deliverance of God’s

people:
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name
of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in
Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the
remnant whom the LORD shall call (Joel 2:32).
But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be

holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions
(Obadiah 17).
Not only are Zion and Jerusalem symbols of deliverance, they are also
described in Scripture as the place from where the law of God and the
word of the Lord go forth in the last days:
And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of
the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains,
and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow
unto it.
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to
the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and
he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out
of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from
Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2–3).
This passage in Isaiah could very well represent the loud cry message
given in Revelation 18:1–5 and onward when the Sunday law is passed. It
is then that the law of God and the word of the Lord goes forth with great
power from God’s people, or spiritual Zion and Jerusalem.
Mount Zion and spiritual Jerusalem describe the location of deliverance

for God’s people at the end of the world (see previously mentioned Joel
2:32 and Obadiah 17). This parallels what Daniel said about the glorious
holy mountain and the deliverance of God’s people when Michael stands
up:
But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him:
therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly
to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his
palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he
shall come to his end, and none shall help him. …
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which
standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time
of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that
same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every
one that shall be found written in the book (Daniel 11:44–12:1).
Mount Zion becomes symbolic as the location of deliverance for God’s

people, and it is also symbolic of the remnant church (Joel 2:32; Daniel
11:45; 12:1) 355 who give the loud cry message by teaching the law of God
and the word of the Lord (Isaiah 2:2–3).
Zion is used to describe Jerusalem. Zion is also described as the holy

mountain where David was installed as king of Israel.
It is also very significant that Psalm 2:6 indicates that David was installed
as king of Israel on Mount Zion. Scripture reminds us that Jesus will
reign from the throne of King David forever:
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a
son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be
called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto
him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the
house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end
(Luke 1:31–33).
David’s throne on Mount Zion in Israel represents the throne on which

Christ will sit on Mount Zion in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Furthermore, we saw in our study of Revelation 3:21 what Jesus has

promised to the Laodicean church:

throne.
When the Lamb stands on Mount Zion, it shows that He has been
installed as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:16)
on the throne of David on the holy hill of Zion (Psalm 2:6). This
installment is not in the earthly Jerusalem but in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Hebrews 12:18, 22 makes it clear that Mount Zion refers to the New
Jerusalem in heaven:
For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and
that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and
tempest. … But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city
of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable
company of angels.
The 144,000: Standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion are the 144,000.
They have followed the pathway, not to Mount Sinai and the experience
of the old covenant, but to Mount Zion and the experience of the new
covenant (Hebrews 12:22). These are the redeemed saints who have
zealously repented of the lukewarm experience of Laodicea, and they
have overcome as He overcame. Now Christ’s promise is fulfilled, and the
overcoming Laodiceans are seated with Christ on His throne in heaven.
The 144,000 sit with Christ on the throne of David on Mount Zion.
The 144,000, the remnant, come from spiritual Mount Zion and
Jerusalem (Joel 2:32). They are delivered from a death decree (Daniel
11:45–12:1) because they overcame as Jesus did (Revelation 3:21). They
will shine as the brightness of the firmament and as the stars for ever and
ever because they have turned many to righteousness (Daniel 12:3)
through the loud cry message in which they have taught the law of God
and the word of the Lord from Zion (Isaiah 2:2–3).
Father’s Name in Their Foreheads: The 144,000 are the same group
described in Revelation 7:3–8. They have received the seal of the living
God in their foreheads. The “name of the Father in their foreheads” is
synonymous with the seal of the living God in their forehead.
Isaiah 57:15 shows us that the Father’s name is holy:
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,
whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him
also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of
the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
The name of God is Holy. The character of God is holy. The 144,000 have
the name and character of the Father in their foreheads. They are a holy
people standing with the spotless Lamb of God on Mount Zion.
The forehead is anterior to the frontal lobe of the brain. The frontal lobe is
the seat of morality and judgment in the brain. God places His seal and
His name where His people have made a conscious choice to
unreservedly serve Him.
God has called us to be a holy people. He is looking for a holy people who
will stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion.
APPLICATION: We are the Laodicean church. Many of us are content with

a knowledge of truth without a true conversion. Jesus is knocking at the
door of our hearts asking to come in. When we let Him come in, He
empowers us to overcome as He did while on this earth. Opening the
door to Christ involves crucifixion of self (Galatians 2:20), but it does
enable us to stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion as one of the 144,000.
God brought you into this world to be part of this special number. He is
still calling you today. May each one of us respond to His call.
REVELATION 14:2–3
OBSERVATION: After John saw the Lamb standing with the 144,000 on
Mount Zion, he then heard a majestic sound in heaven.
Voice From Heaven, Voice of Many Waters, Great Thunder, and

Harpists: What John heard sounded like the roar of many waters
(probably like the sound of a mighty waterfall) along with great thunder
and the music of harps. He had never heard anything like this. It was a
beautiful sound. It was a combination of voices singing and harpists
playing. This is the song of the 144,000.
144,000 Sing a New Song: The 144,000 sing a new song before the throne
of God. They are overcomers seated with Jesus on His throne. They sing
the song in the presence of the four beasts and the twenty-four elders,
which are a special order of angels as we discussed in Revelation 4 and 5.
The song that is sung describes the experience of the 144,000 in
overcoming Satan in the final crisis of Earth’s history.
In Scripture, songs represent the experience of the one who is singing the
song. This is seen frequently in the Psalms. David described the Lord as
his Shepherd in Psalm 23. In Psalm 54, David described his experience in
hiding from King Saul. In Exodus 15, the song of Moses expressed the
jubilation of the victory of the Red Sea deliverance from the Egyptians.
Similarly, in Revelation 14 the 144,000 have victoriously passed through

the terrible experience of the last days, so only they can sing this new
song. They have lived through the experience of overcoming the beast,
his image, and the mark of the beast. They have faced a death decree.
They have been victorious over the beast power. The song they sing is
unlike any song that has ever been sung in the history of the universe.
The words of this song are recorded in Revelation 15:2–4:
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. Who shall not fear
thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all
nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are
made manifest.
We will discuss this passage in greater detail in Revelation 15, but the
parallels are obvious. The song that the 144,000 sing is the song of Moses
and the song of the Lamb. We should earnestly pray that we will be
among the 144,000 so we will sing this song on Mount Zion. In order to
sing the song, we must learn to have the experience of Moses and the
Lamb now. It is an experience of redemption from the earth and victory
through the blood of the Lamb.
APPLICATION: The lives we are living on this earth right now are creating a
song. What song are we singing? Do others enjoy our testimony? We can
sing the song of Jesus right now by beholding Him and by being changed
into His image. There are many distractions that compete for our
attention. If we are not careful, we can sing discordant songs of
worldliness and strife that keep us from singing the song of the Lamb.
May we learn to look to Jesus and sing a song in our lives every day that
brings glory to His name.
REVELATION 14:4
OBSERVATION: Verses 4 and 5 of Revelation 14 paint an even clearer
picture of why the 144,000 can sing the song of Moses and the song of the
Lamb.
Not Defiled With Women; They Are Virgins: The 144,000 have not been
defiled by the wine of the harlot of Revelation 17 or of her daughters. As
we saw in Revelation 12, a woman represents a church. Revelation 17
describes a defiled woman, the harlot, and her daughters. These women
defile all who partake of her wine, or false teachings. The 144,000 are not
defiled by the false teachings of the apostate churches of Catholicism or
apostate Protestantism.
The 144,000 are described as virgins. They are pure. They come from a
pure church. This reminds us of the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew
25. The virgins have lamps (the Word of God as seen in Psalm 119:105).
Based on their study of the Word of God, they understand the prophecies
that point to the soon return of Jesus, and they go forth to meet Him.
However, only the five wise virgins fit the characteristics of the 144,000
described here in Revelation 14:4. The wise virgins have extra oil in their
vessels with their lamps. The oil represents the Holy Spirit (see Zechariah
4:6).
Thus, the 144,000 are theologically pure, wise virgins who are filled with
the Holy Spirit. Their purity in understanding and obeying Scripture and
in being filled with the Holy Spirit allows them to maintain their
connection to Christ when all of the world is deceived.
Follow the Lamb Whithersoever He Goes: One of the most amazing

promises to the 144,000 is that they will stay with the Lamb, Jesus Christ,
throughout eternity and follow Him wherever He goes. This is similar to
the promise given to the Laodicean church that those who overcome as
Christ did will sit with Him in His throne (Revelation 3:21). It is also very
similar to the promise in Revelation 7:15:
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day
and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall
dwell among them.
The 144,000 can sing the song of the Lamb and follow the Lamb
throughout eternity wherever He goes because they have the experience
of the Lamb during the final crisis of history on the earth.
What does that path look like on this earth? Does Scripture give us a path
to follow so that we can stand on Mount Zion with the Lamb as part the
144,000? It does! Hebrews 12:18, 22–24 paints the picture of Mount Zion
as the finish line of a path or a race:
For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and
that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and
tempest. … But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city
of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable
company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the
firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of
all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the
mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that
speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Mount Zion is the finish line of a race where we will meet God the Judge
of all and Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant. This correlates with the
144,000 standing on Mount Zion with the Lamb.
Where does this race begin? In the same chapter mentioned above, we
find the race set before us in Hebrews 12:1–2:
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which
doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that
is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the
throne of God.
We are called to run with patience, or endurance, the race set before us.
We are called to lay aside every weight and sin that would prevent us
from running this race. This is a race of faith because we are called to
look to Jesus the “author and finisher of our faith.” Jesus helps us to begin
this race of faith, and He promises to take us to the finish line. The
beginning point of the race of faith and endurance is when we meet Jesus
at the cross. We behold how He endured the cross. This empowers our
faith to keep running the race set before us. He had the joy set before
Him of seeing us redeemed with Him in heaven. The joy set before us is
being among the redeemed with Him in eternity.
Hebrews 12:3 tells us to “consider him that endured such contradiction of

sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” We
often face our greatest trials from fellow humans. As we run this race of
faith and endurance, we are called to consider Him.
Hebrews 12:4 then says, “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving
against sin.” The obvious implication is that those who look unto Jesus
will learn to resist sin unto blood, fitting perfectly with the promise of
Revelation 12:11 in which God’s people overcome the devil by the blood
of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and “they loved not their
lives unto the death.”
Hebrews 12:5–11 describes those on this race of faith receiving

chastening from the Lord as a father chastens his son. This is a
description like that of the Laodicean message where Jesus says, “As many
as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Revelation 3:19). The result of this
chastening is “the peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11).
Hebrews 12:12–14 brings the point home about this pathway or race that
is set before us:
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.
By lifting up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees, we take
courage while meditating on what Jesus went through, submitting to
Christ, and being crucified with Him (Galatians 2:20). As we are crucified
with Him, the path becomes straight, and we follow Him completely on
the path of holiness.
Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, is our final destination on this race
of faith and endurance. By learning to follow the Lamb whithersoever He
leads us on this earth, we can follow Him whithersoever He goes
throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. What an amazing calling! May
we learn to follow Him each day right now.
Redeemed From Among Men: When all the world wonders after the
beast and receives his mark, the 144,000 are redeemed from the earth.
They are saved by the blood of Jesus. By beholding the Lamb of God on
the cross, they follow Him on the pathway of faith and endurance. They
are saved by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. They
love not their lives unto the death.
Firstfruits Unto God and the Lamb: Harvest language is used to

describe the 144,000. They are clearly not the first who are saved
throughout history. Jesus is described as the firstfruits of the dead in 1
Corinthians 15:20, but He was not the first resurrected. Notice what
Austin Cooke says:
In the Old Testament the term “firstfruits” referred to the best

fruits of the crop and not necessarily to the earliest of the fruit
… (see Numbers 18:12 and Ezekiel 44:30). This means then
that the 144,000 are not necessarily the first to be reaped.
Rather, at the second advent of Christ, they represent the best
of the harvest. 356
As firstfruits, the 144,000 are clearly different than the great multitude
described in Revelation 7. All are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. All
are saved by grace through faith. However, the 144,000 are a
demonstration of theological purity and character maturity not seen in a
group of saints from the fall of man until the end of the world. Kenneth
Mathews weighs in with excellent insight on the firstfruits:
It should follow that the 144,000 are the first-fruits of the

Christian Era, who keep all ten of the commandments of God
and have the testimony of Jesus. They alone answer the charge
of Satan, when by the power of the Holy Spirit, they keep ALL
ten of God’s commandments and have the faith of Jesus. Are
the great multitude any less saved? Absolutely not! Are those in
the Old Testament who were not raised at Jesus’ resurrection
any less saved when they come from the grave at the Second
Coming? Absolutely not! Satan has made accusations against
the character and government of God. Jesus answers Satan by
presenting the “first-fruits” of the 144,000 at the end time. 357
The 144,000 represent the best of the harvest. They keep the Sabbath
along with all of the other commandments. They have followed Jesus into
the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. They represent the
experience that all of the saved would have had if given the same
opportunity. All of the harvest is saved in the same way. The firstfruits
simply represent the best of the harvest. To the fullest extent, they have
character maturity in the most difficult time of Earth’s history. The
remaining harvest of the saved throughout history would have had the
same experience if they were alive at the end of the world. God will bring
the rest of the harvest of the redeemed to heaven when the 144,000
demonstrate character maturity like Jesus. Only Jesus can save. Only
those with the faith of Jesus are saved. The 144,000 are not co-redeemers
with Christ. They are a demonstration of His work. Through His work as
the Lamb of God, He will produce this demonstration.
APPLICATION: As we personally experience redemption at the cross, we

learn to run with endurance the race set before us. This allows us to
follow Jesus everyday as He leads us to the heavenly Jerusalem. He is
taking us on this path so that He can make us into His firstfruits of the
harvest.
REVELATION 14:5
OBSERVATION: The first four verses of this chapter reveal the special
character of the 144,000. In verse 5, we find two additional very special
characteristics of this group.
No Guile Found in Their Mouth: The 144,000 have no guile, or deceit, in

their mouth. As commandment-keepers, they do not lie. This was
foretold prophetically about God’s remnant church in Zephaniah 3:13:
The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither
shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall
feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
Jesus also described Nathaniel as having no guile when He called him as a

disciple (John 1:47).
Of even greater significance is the following passage in 1 Peter 2:21–23:
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for
us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who
did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he
was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened
not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Jesus had no guile in His mouth, especially in His experience as the Lamb
of God on the cross. The above text references Isaiah 53:7 when, as a
Lamb, Jesus opened not His mouth.
Christ has set before us this example to follow. Rather than fighting back
with a deceitful tongue, He committed Himself to the Father who judges
righteously. The 144,000 follow this example. They are just like Jesus.
There is no guile, or deceit, found in their mouth.
Without Fault Before the Throne of God: The 144,000 are “without fault
before the throne of God.” The Greek word for “without fault” is amomos
which can mean “without blemish, blame, or spot.” 358 The identical
Greek word, translated as “without spot,” is used to describe Jesus as the
perfect sacrifice in Hebrews 9:14:
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your
conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Jesus is the Lamb of God without blemish, fault, or spot. The 144,000 are
without blemish, fault, or spot before the throne of God.
As the 144,000 stand without fault before the throne of God, we see the
fulfillment of the promise in Jude 24–25:
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to
present you faultless before the presence of his glory with
exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and
majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
The Greek word for “faultless” is again amomos. While any believer can
experience the promise of being faultless, the final prophetic fulfillment is
seen in the 144,000.
Here again, the 144,000 are like Jesus. Just as He had no guile in His
mouth as the Lamb of God on the cross, the 144,000 have no guile in
their mouth. Just as Jesus was without blemish, spot, or fault as He offered
Himself as a perfect sacrifice, the 144,000 are also without blemish, spot,
or fault before the throne of God.
The 144,000 have the character that Jesus especially exemplified during
His whole life and on the cross. That is why they stand with the Lamb on
Mount Zion. It is a moment of remarkable prophetic significance. Christ
has won the great controversy over Satan.
Christ demonstrated an obedient life and offered Himself without

blemish or spot on the cross. He produces the 144,000 who are not simply
a reflection of His character, they are a reproduction of His character.
What He demonstrated on the cross, they demonstrate, through His
power, in the final crisis of Earth’s history. The faithfulness of the 144,000
silences Satan’s charges forever.
Austin Cooke beautifully describes the significance of this passage with

the following statement:
From the beginning, one of Satan’s major accusations has been

that it is impossible for created beings to keep God’s law.
However, God exposed the falsity of Satan’s accusation by
showing that Jesus, while on earth, and having a human nature,
perfectly kept the commandments of God.
In a final demonstration, using the last generation on earth—

the weakest generation of all time—God will prove to the
universe that His people can keep the commandments of God.
This demonstration will occur after the high priestly
intercession of Christ has ceased. There will be no mediator
between God and humanity, and the Holy Spirit will have
completed His work on earth. Out of this final generation,
which has inherited the weaknesses and degeneration of the
ages, God will take a people and develop them to be “without
fault.” The fact that “in their mouth was found no deceit” is a
marvelous demonstration of God’s grace (Revelation 14:5). 359
The book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Here in

Revelation 14:1–5, we see the revelation of Jesus Christ through the
144,000. God has taken the weakest generation that has ever lived and
produced a perfect reproduction of Himself. Truly, this is remarkable!
Satan was the highest created angel. He was a perfect angelic being in a
perfect environment. Yet through the mystery of iniquity, Satan fell,
taking one third of the angels with him and leading Adam and Eve into
sin.
However, God flips the great controversy on its head. When, from the
weakest generation that has ever lived, He produces an obedient people
who are just like Jesus in character and who pass through the final crisis
of Earth’s history without fault, truly God will have vindicated Himself
and His government against Satan’s false accusations.
APPLICATION: By beholding Jesus, we become like Him. When we

contemplate the cross, we learn to be like Him in character. The closer we
come to Him, the more sinful we realize that we truly are, but those
around us see the difference as we are changed into His image. God has
raised us up to be part of the 144,000. He is looking for a people whom
He can empower to be His demonstration to the onlooking universe. God
believes in you. Jesus believes in you. He died for you, so that you can live
for Him. The great drama of the ages is just before us. Now is the time to
place our faith and trust in Him.
We are weak. We are sinful. We are the weakest generation that has ever
lived. But God’s grace is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9). Well may
we claim the promise of Philippians 1:6:
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a

good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
The grace of Jesus truly is sufficient. He will perform this work in us. He
is able to keep us from falling. We can overcome as He overcame. May it
be so in us today and every day as we walk forward in faith.
THE THREE ANGELS’ MESSAGES

We have finished a magnificent section of Scripture regarding the
144,000. In the next section of Revelation 14, we find the messages that
God uses to produce the 144,000. The three angels’ messages are the most
important messages during this time of Earth’s history. They contain the
last calls of mercy and warning to a world that is rapidly plunging toward
destruction. From these messages, God produces the 144,000. Therefore,
it is of utmost importance that we study and understand these end-time
messages that are designed especially for this time.
Ellen White underscored the importance of these messages with this

statement:
In a special sense Seventh-day Adventists have been set in the

world as watchmen and light bearers. To them has been
entrusted the last warning for a perishing world. On them is
shining wonderful light from the word of God. They have been
given a work of the most solemn import—the proclamation of
the first, second, and third angels’ messages. There is no other
work of so great importance. They are to allow nothing else to
absorb their attention.
The most solemn truths ever entrusted to mortals have been

given us to proclaim to the world. The proclamation of these
truths is to be our work. The world is to be warned, and God’s
people are to be true to the trust committed to them. 360
The three angels’ messages are not only to be understood, they are to be
proclaimed and experienced. That is the work that we have been given to
do. As you study Revelation 14:6–12, may you be inspired to fulfill the
work that God has raised you up to perform at this time.
THE FIRST ANGEL’S MESSAGE
REVELATION 14:6
OBSERVATION: After John saw the scene of the 144,000 standing on Mount
Zion with the Lamb, his attention was directed to three angels flying
through the midst of heaven. We know that there are three angels because
verse 9 identifies the angel of that verse as “the third angel.” Thus, the
angel in verse 6 is the first angel, and the angel in verse 8 is the second
angel.
Angel Flying in the Midst of Heaven: Before the first angel gives its
message, it is seen flying through the midst of heaven. The Greek word
for “angel” is aggelos which means agent or messenger. The angel is a
messenger from heaven with a message accessible to all, and it can be
seen by anyone who desires to hear.
Having the Everlasting Gospel: The significance of the first angel’s

message is indicated by the fact that this angel has the everlasting gospel.
The gospel has never changed. From the time that the Lord God met
Adam and Eve in the garden and promised to save the descendants of
Adam and Eve by crushing the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15), the
gospel has been a reality.
Revelation 12:10 declares the victory of the gospel when Jesus died on the
cross, securing salvation for all who believe in Him and accept His
forgiving grace and the merits of His blood.
The word “gospel” comes from the Greek word euaggelion which means
“good news.” There is no better news in the universe than the gospel
message of salvation.
While most of the Christian world preaches a gospel, there is only one
true gospel. It is the gospel of the Old and New Testaments.
One of the clearest descriptions in Scripture of the gospel is found in
Romans 1:16–17:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of

God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first,
and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God
revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by
faith.
The gospel “is the power of God unto salvation.” The Greek word for
“power” is dunamis. This was the word of origin for dynamite. The gospel
has the explosive power of dynamite to change our lives. This power is
available to all who believe, or to those who have faith. No matter how
weak or inept you are, Jesus has the power to save you.
What is it that makes the gospel so powerful? Romans 1:17 tells us, “For
therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith.” The
gospel is the revelation of the righteousness of God. It is not simply a
legal declaration of Christ’s righteousness. The gospel produces a
revelation of the righteousness of God.
This righteousness of God that is revealed is seen in the lives of those who
have faith. It is seen in the just who live by faith (Romans 1:17). The
Greek word for “just” is dikaios, which also means righteous.
This same word is used to describe the righteousness of Jesus Christ in

the following passages:
But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer
to be granted unto you. (Acts 3:14)
Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they
have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just
One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.
(Acts 7:52)
Both Peter and Stephen, respectively, described Jesus as just (dikaios), or
righteous. The just (dikaios) who live by faith experience the holy and
righteous life of Jesus Christ. His righteousness is revealed in them. This
is justification by faith. The righteousness of Christ revealed in those who
believe in the power of God unto salvation is what produces the 144,000,
who are just like Jesus.
We also find in Scripture that the law of God is a transcript of the

righteous character of God and of Jesus. Notice what Romans 7:12 says:
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just,
and good.
The law is holy and just (dikaios). Therefore, the law is righteous. As
Psalm 119:172 says, “all thy commandments are righteousness.”
Jesus is righteous (dikaios). His law is righteous (dikaios). That is why the
law is a transcript of God’s character. The true gospel of Jesus Christ
teaches that those who are righteous by faith will be empowered to keep
all the commandments of God. Any other gospel that teaches that we
cannot render full obedience or keep the commandments is a false
gospel, and it destroys the power of the everlasting gospel and of
righteousness by faith. Not only is it a false gospel, it is also a lie straight
from Satan in his effort to keep God from producing a people who will be
like Jesus.
The true everlasting gospel is the experience of righteousness by faith, in

which the righteousness of God is revealed in the lives of God’s last-day
people who keep the commandments of God and have the experience of
justification by faith.
To Preach to All the World: The everlasting gospel is to be preached to

all the world and to every single people group on this earth. This clearly
connects with the message of Jesus in Matthew 24:14:
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world
for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
This gospel is not only to be preached—yes, it must be preached; it must

be explained; the theory of it must be taught—but even more so, it must
be a witness. It must be lived. The gospel has far greater influence when
the power of God is seen in the lives of those who proclaim it. When the
power of the gospel is seen, it transcends all cultures, backgrounds,
languages, or ethnicities. The gospel is so powerful and effective that it
can save anybody from any background no matter how weak, wicked,
and sinful.
We are to preach this gospel of power to all the world. We are to share
this true gospel with all who will listen. Sharing this gospel is part of our
marching orders for these last days. May we experience the power of the
gospel so that we have a testimony and witness to share to those who
need it.
Jesus identified the preaching of the gospel as a sign of the end of the
world. Within the context of the first angel’s message, the everlasting
gospel is designed to bring the world to an end so that Jesus can come
again.
APPLICATION: Many misunderstand the gospel of Jesus Christ. Much of

the Christian world believes that the gospel saves us and offers
forgiveness. It is even believed that the gospel leads to a better life. All of
that is true. However, few understand the true power of the gospel. Many,
even in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, hang on to the idea that a
legal declaration will save us even if there is not a total transformation of
life. Here are a few statements from Ellen White that show the error of
such thinking:
Pardon and justification are one and the same thing. Through
faith, the believer passes from the position of a rebel, a child of
sin and Satan, to the position of a loyal subject of Christ Jesus,
not because of an inherent goodness, but because Christ
receives him as His child by adoption. 361
But forgiveness has a broader meaning than many suppose.

When God gives the promise that He “will abundantly pardon,”
He adds, as if the meaning of that promise exceeded all that we
could comprehend: “My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than
your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:7–9.
God’s forgiveness is not merely a judicial act by which He sets
us free from condemnation. It is not only forgiveness for sin,
but reclaiming from sin. It is the outflow of redeeming love that
transforms the heart. 362
But while God can be just, and yet justify the sinner through
the merits of Christ, no man can cover his soul with the
garments of Christ’s righteousness while practicing known sins
or neglecting known duties. God requires the entire surrender
of the heart, before justification can take place; and in order for
man to retain justification, there must be continual obedience,
through active, living faith that works by love and purifies the
soul. 363
Justification is more than a judicial act. It represents a complete surrender

of the heart, and the new birth experience, so that God’s redeeming love
and transforming grace are seen in our lives. This is the true gospel
experience that we need in order to be ready to meet Jesus when He
comes.
REVELATION 14:7
OBSERVATION: After seeing this angel, or messenger, flying in the midst of
heaven having the everlasting gospel for all the world, we find further
significant elements of the first angel’s message in verse 7. Each
component of the first angel’s message is of utmost importance.
Saying With a Loud Voice: The first angel’s message is designed by God
to be given with a loud voice. The Greek for “loud voice” is megale phone.
The meaning is obvious. It is a message that needs to be given with clarity
and power, the way a megaphone amplifies a normal voice. Now is not
the time to be silent with a message that is to go to the ends of the earth.
This message is supposed to be given to those who have never heard it
before. Let us not be ashamed of the very message that is to go forth to
the world with a loud voice.
Fear God: What does it mean to truly fear God? “Fear” is translated from
the Greek word phobeo which means to fear, reverence, or to be in awe.
Truly God deserves awe and reverence. He is the God of the universe.
There are several corresponding passages in Scripture that clearly show us

what it means to fear God. Learning to fear God helps us to become part
of the 144,000. Psalm 34:11–13 gives us a key to understanding how to
fear God:
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of
the LORD. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many
days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy
lips from speaking guile.
In this passage, fear is translated from the Hebrew word yiraw which also
means to reverence. God wants to teach us what it means to fear God.
Here we see that it means to “keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from
speaking guile.” These are key characteristics of the 144,000 who have no
guile in their mouth.
Genesis 22:10–12 gives us a tangible example of what it means to fear

God:
And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay
his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven,
and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he
said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing
unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast
not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
The word “fearest” comes from the the Hebrew word yawray which
means to be afraid or reverent. Abraham is the father of faith. His
faithfulness was on full display as he feared God and showed reverence to
Him by not withholding that which was dearest to him in this life. The
144,000 will not withhold anything in their lives in preparation for the
return of Jesus. As Revelation 12:11 says, “they loved not their lives unto
the death.”
We find more connections with fearing God and the 144,000 in

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14:
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and
keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For
God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret
thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The Hebrew word for fear in this verse is nearly identical to that of
Genesis 22:12 and also means to show reverence. When we fear God and
show reverence to Him, we keep His commandments. Here in
Ecclesiastes we also see that the fear of God is connected to the judgment,
just as it is in Revelation 14:7.
The fear of God leads us to keep God’s commandments, and the 144,000
“keep the commandments of God” (Revelation 14:12).
There are many other Scripture verses that describe the fear of God. Here
are a few poignant verses from the wisest man who ever lived:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools

despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from
evil. (Proverbs 3:7)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the

knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)
Finally, when the 144,000 sing the song of Moses and the song of the
Lamb, one of the key aspects of the song is found in Revelation 15:4:
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou
only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee;
for thy judgments are made manifest.
When the 144,000 sing the song of their experience, the fear of God is at
the heart of their song. This will be explained in greater detail in chapter
15, but the 144,000 can sing the song of Moses and the Lamb because
they fear God.
Clearly, we see that the introduction to the first angel’s message, calling us
to fear God, is a preparation for us to be part of the 144,000. We will
reverence God and be in awe of Him. We will keep our lips from
speaking evil and our tongues from speaking guile. We will not withhold
our dearest possessions and treasures in this life. We will keep God’s
commandments. We will have knowledge, we will depart from evil, and
we will have wisdom.
This is a high calling, but through the power of God and the everlasting
gospel, these experiences will become a reality in our lives as we partake
of the three angels’ messages. We will fear God.
Give Glory to Him: The first angel’s message continues with the powerful
call to “give glory to Him.” “Glory” comes from the Greek word doxa
which means praise, honor, or glory. We are called to give praise, honor,
and glory to God as part of the first angel’s message.
Giving glory to God shapes all aspects of our lives as 1 Corinthians 10:31
says:
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to

the glory of God.
It has sometimes been said that what we do does not matter as long as we
love God. That is a wrong perspective. When we love God, we will honor
Him and give glory to Him. Every aspect of our lives and every decision
that we make will be for the purpose of bringing glory to Him. God is not
glorified when we lower the standard that He has set in Scripture. He is
only glorified when we follow and embrace all of His promises,
instructions, and standards.
Abraham, the father of faith, gave us a tangible example of how to

experience the first angel’s message, showing us what it means to give
glory to God as recounted in Romans 4:19–22:
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now
dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the
deadness of Sara’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God
through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and
being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able
also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for
righteousness.
Here we see quite specifically that Abraham gave glory to God by being
strong in faith. Abraham was strong in faith by believing God’s promise
that He would give Sarah and him a child from their own flesh, even
when they were biologically beyond the age of conceiving. Abraham’s
faith was so strong that it overcame his human weakness and that of his
wife Sarah. By their belief in God’s word and denying their human
weakness, God gave them both a miracle through the birth of Isaac.
Abraham experienced imputed righteousness, or justification by faith.
His experience of having strong faith is what gave glory to God.
God has promised that we can have a new birth through the miraculous
power of the Holy Spirit (see John 3:3–5) like Abraham, who experienced
the birth of Isaac through a miracle. As Ezekiel 36:26 says,
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put
within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh,
and I will give you an heart of flesh.
It may seem impossible to believe that God can truly give us a new heart.
Sometimes it feels like our lives are dead in “trespasses and sins”
(Ephesians 2:1). We give glory to God when we exercise strong faith in
the power of the everlasting gospel that God can raise us up to “walk in
newness of life” (Romans 6:4). God is not glorified when we doubt His
promises. He is only glorified when we exercise faith in all that He has
promised, even when it seems humanly impossible.
Just as Abraham was strong in faith in giving glory to God, the 144,000
will have the faith of Jesus as seen in Revelation 14:12.
As we give glory to God and exercise strong faith in His promises, we will
see the fulfillment of the mystery of God being finished in the Second
Advent movement through the lives of the 144,000 (see Revelation 10:7).
Colossians 1:27 tells us that it is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” As we
give glory to God, His glory is seen in us.
The Hour of His Judgment Is Come: A crucial aspect to the first angel’s
message is the announcement that “the hour of his judgment is come.”
This provides a timeline for the three angels’ messages. The judgment
hour of God is prophetically delineated in Daniel 7:9–14, 25–27. After the
four beasts, or kingdoms, we see the rise of the little horn power out of
the fourth kingdom. This little horn has a mouth speaking great things
for 1,260 years, which ends in 1798. The judgment begins shortly after,
and ultimately a verdict is given in favor of the saints of God. Daniel 8:14
gives us the 2,300-day (year) prophecy, which when connected to Daniel
9:24–27, takes us from 457 BC to AD October 22, 1844, and the
beginning of the judgment in heaven.
Thus, the announcement in the first angel’s message that “the hour of
[God’s] judgment is come” takes us to the beginning of the judgment
scene in heaven on October 22, 1844. This announcement is given on the
earth by the Millerite movement, shortly ahead of 1844, to warn the
world of what they mistakenly thought would be the Second Coming. In
fact, it was the judgment hour that was soon to begin. The complete
fulfillment of this message, which identifies the prophetic timeline of the
earth’s history, has taken place since 1844 through the Second Advent
movement which became the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The table below outlines the four major prophetic visions of Daniel and
the timing of the hour of God’s judgment:
TIMING OF THE JUDGMENT HOUR

When we look at the announcement, “the hour of his judgment is come,”
we can identify the timing of that judgment in this table. The hour of
God’s judgment is synonymous with the beginning of the cleansing of the
sanctuary in heaven in the Most Holy Place.
Even more fascinating is how the four major prophetic visions of Daniel
point us to the most important prophetic period of the earth’s history.
The visions of Daniel 2 and of Daniel 10–12 take us to the Second
Coming and the close of probation respectively. These two events are at
the end of the world, and the time is unknown, other than that it is in the
future.
However, as seen in Daniel 7 and 8, the middle two prophecies are based
on the 2,300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:14 and take us to October 22,
1844. The announcement that “the hour of his judgment is come” lets us
know that the 2,300-day prophecy is reaching its terminus, and the
judgment and the cleansing of the sanctuary are beginning in heaven.
When we look at the table and carefully study the three angels’ messages,
it is obvious that the first angel’s message announces the commencement
of the judgment—taking place between 1844 and the Second Coming—
as the most important prophetic era in the history of the world. The three
angels’ messages teach us how to live during this weighty time.
A careful study of the three angels’ messages helps us to see that these
three messages teach us how to live during the most important prophetic
era in the history of the world.
We have already seen the importance of the everlasting gospel and what it
means to fear God and to give glory to Him. Next, in the first angel’s
message, we learn the importance of worshiping God during this time of
history. All of these components in the first angel’s message, as well as
what comes in the second and third angel’s messages, prepare us to live in
the hour of God’s judgment.
A few further points are important to mention about the hour of God’s
judgment. First, we recall that the message to the Laodicean church is
directly related to the judgment-hour church. As we studied in Revelation
3:14–22, Laodicea means “a judged people.” Jesus is the Faithful and True
Witness. A witness gives testimony in court. It is disappointing that the
church is lukewarm, despite the fact that it is entrusted with the three
angels’ messages at the most important prophetic period in the history of
the world.
To shake His church out of its Laodicean stupor so that it can stand in the
judgment, Jesus gives a straight testimony to His judgment-hour people.
The remedy offered is to let Jesus in and to buy what He is selling: gold
tried in the fire (faith and love); white raiment (righteousness); and eye
salve (spiritual discernment). In order to stand in the judgment, Laodicea
needs the righteousness of Christ by faith, the love of God, and spiritual
discernment.
Jesus says to Laodicea, “I know your works” (Revelation 3:15). While we

are not saved by our works, we are judged by them, as seen here in
Revelation 20:12:
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the
books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the
book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which
were written in the books, according to their works.
Romans 2:4–6 paints a similar picture, showing that we will be judged

according to our works:
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and

longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee
to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart
treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and
revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to
every man according to his deeds.
While we are saved by grace through faith, in Christ Jesus we are created
for good works (Ephesians 2:8–10). In the judgment, God reviews the
record of the lives of those who profess to follow Him. Good works are an
evidence that Christ lives in the heart. Jesus says to His Laodicean church
of the judgment hour, “Let me come in!” Those who let Christ in gain the
experience of obedience as Jesus lives out His obedient life in them.
At its essence, the judgment reviews whether one has let Christ come in.
If Christ has come in, the works of Christ and His righteousness will be
seen. As Galatians 2:20 (RSV) says, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ
who lives in me.” If Christ is not allowed in, the works that are seen are
filthy. “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).
The first angel’s message is a call to accept the power of the everlasting
gospel, which allows Christ to come in and become Lord of one’s life. This
allows those who have this experience to stand with confidence before
the judgment seat of Christ.
Worship Him That Made Heaven, Earth, the Sea, and the Fountains of
Waters: The first angel’s message concludes with the important call to
“worship Him.” We are called to worship the Creator of heaven, earth, the
sea, and the fountains of waters. The call to worship the Creator God is in
distinct contrast to the whole world that worships the beast and the
dragon. As we saw in Revelation 13, the worship of the dragon and the
beast is related to the image to the beast and the mark of the beast, which
is Sunday worship.
How do we worship God, the Creator? Notice the language here in verse
7: “…and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the
fountains of waters.” This statement is a direct reference to Exodus 20:11:
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all
that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD
blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
The Lord made heaven, earth, the sea, and everything in it in six days and
rested on the seventh day. He is the Creator of heaven and earth.
The Sabbath is a memorial of God’s creation of this world. We have

already seen that the Sabbath represents the seal of God (Revelation 7:1–
4). Here, in Revelation 14:7, we are reminded that the observance of the
Sabbath as God’s holy day is a sign that we worship God as the Creator.
The contrast in worship at the end of the world is clear and distinct.
During the hour of God’s judgment, those worshiping God observe the
seventh day as the Sabbath. Those worshiping the beast and receiving the
mark of the beast worship on Sunday. Those keeping the commandments
of God are keeping holy the day that God said to remember in the fourth
commandment.
As we saw in Revelation 7, keeping the Sabbath is a sign of the holiness of

God’s people. This succinct statement by Ellen G. White drives this point
home:
But in order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must themselves be

holy. Through faith they must become partakers of the
righteousness of Christ. 364
The worship of God on the Sabbath is a sign that the everlasting gospel
has produced a holy people who keep the commandments of God and
who are prepared to be part of the 144,000. We have a message to take to
the world about the Sabbath. Most of the world is in darkness about the
blessing of this special day. We are to call them to worship God, the Lord
of the Sabbath.
THE SECOND ANGEL’S MESSAGE

REVELATION 14:8
OBSERVATION: While the first angel’s message contains the key messages of
truth that all should know for this time, the second angel’s message
transitions to a warning about dangers of falsehood during the last days.
Babylon Is Fallen, Is Fallen, That Great City: Who is Babylon?
Revelation 17:5 identifies Babylon as the woman clothed in scarlet and
purple that sits upon the scarlet beast:
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY,

BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Furthermore, the woman is described as “that great city” in Revelation

17:18:
And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which
reigneth over the kings of the earth.
The first beast had the mouth of a lion, which represents Babylon
(Revelation 13:2). The first beast of Revelation 13 is the Roman Catholic
church-state power.
We also saw in Revelation 12 that the pure woman represents the

Christian church. As we can see here in Revelation 14 and 17, Babylon is
a symbol of the apostate church.
Babylon has two parts that have fallen: the mother and the daughter
harlots. The mother represents the Roman Catholic church-state system
as described in Revelation 13 and 17. The daughters (mentioned in
Revelation 17) are the harlots, which are the fallen Protestant churches.
The message of the second angel is, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen.” There are
two falls. The Roman Catholic Church fell many centuries ago. As a
system, it incorporated pagan idolatry into the Christian church and
claimed that it changed the Sabbath to Sunday. It also introduced
confession of sins to the priest rather than to Christ, the High Priest.
Furthermore, the church claims that the pope is the voice of God on the
earth. These specious errors and more have continued for centuries
unabated.
When did the harlot daughters fall? The answer is evident within the text
of the three angels’ messages. The daughters fell at the time when the first
angel proclaimed that “the hour of his judgment is come.” Yes, the Roman
Catholic church-state power had already been fallen for centuries prior to
1844. However, the Protestant churches rejected the first angel’s message
when it was proclaimed with great power in the 1840s. Those who
accepted the message of the soon return of Jesus were voted out from the
fellowship of these churches.
The time when God sent the message that “the hour of his judgment is
come,” was the very time that the daughters of the harlot, by rejecting that
message, became part of Babylon.
God identifies false worshippers as the synagogue of Satan (seen in

Revelation 2:9; 3:9). In the era of the church of Smyrna (AD 100–313),
the great falling away had already begun through what became the
Roman Catholic Church. In the church of Philadelphia (1798–1844), we
see the Millerite movement leading up to 1844. The Protestant churches
that rejected the message given by the Millerite movement joined the
synagogue of Satan historically in the summer of 1844.
Ellen White affirmed this understanding in the following statement:
Babylon is said to be “the mother of harlots.” By her daughters

must be symbolized churches that cling to her doctrines and
traditions, and follow her example of sacrificing the truth and
the approval of God, in order to form an unlawful alliance with
the world. The message of Revelation 14, announcing the fall of
Babylon must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and
have become corrupt. Since this message follows the warning of
the judgment, it must be given in the last days; therefore it
cannot refer to the Roman Church alone, for that church has
been in a fallen condition for many centuries. Furthermore, in
the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation the people of God are
called upon to come out of Babylon. According to this
scripture, many of God’s people must still be in Babylon. And
in what religious bodies are the greater part of the followers of
Christ now to be found? Without doubt, in the various
churches professing the Protestant faith.365
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. 366
She Made All Nations Drink of the Wine of the Wrath of Her
Fornication: At the time of the initial giving of the second angel’s
message in 1844, the fall of the Protestant churches applied especially to
the United States of America. The Protestants in America imbibed the
wine of Babylon.
What is this wine? Notice the imagery that comes from Jeremiah 25:15–
17:
For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup
of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I
send thee, to drink it. And they shall drink, and be moved, and be
mad, because of the sword that I will send among them. Then
took I the cup at the LORD’s hand, and made all the nations to
drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me.
Wine has an effect on all those who drink it. In modern language, those
who have too much to drink are described as being “under the influence”
of alcohol. Those who drink the wine of Babylon come under its
influence. Alcohol causes the one under its influence to do things that
they would not do if they were in their right mind. The wine of Babylon
leads those under its influence down a wrong path, contrary to the
teachings of Scripture. The wine, therefore, represents the false doctrines
of Babylon.
Here are some passages of Scripture from the book of Isaiah that identify
the effect on the mind of being under the influence of wine, or false
doctrine:
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of
strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for
reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from
him! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame
consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their
blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law
of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of
Israel. (Isaiah 5:22–24)
In this passage above, we see that those under the influence of wine cast
away the law of God and despise the Word of God.
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink
are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through
strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the
way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in
judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that
there is no place clean. Whom shall he teach knowledge? and
whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are
weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (Isaiah 28:7–
9)
In the verses above, we are shown that those who consume wine and
strong drink err in vision and judgment, and they are not able to be
taught knowledge or understand doctrine.
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are
drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong
drink. For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep
sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the
seers hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as
the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that
is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot;
for it is sealed. (Isaiah 29:9–11)
This passage shows that those who are drunken cannot understand the
teachings of God. Perhaps it should be no surprise that modern Babylon
claims that the book of Revelation is a sealed book that cannot be
understood.
In these three passages in the book of Isaiah, we find three key points
regarding those under the influence of wine:
1. They cast aside the law of God and the Word of God. Babylon has
done this by attempting to change Sabbath to Sunday, as well as
disregarding God’s Word in many other aspects.
2. They err in vision and judgment and do not understand doctrine.
Babylon teaches the false doctrine that the soul goes to heaven at
death. This false teaching is at the heart of spiritualism.
3. Those who are drunken claim that revelations from God in the books
that He has given us are sealed. Babylon teaches that the book of
Revelation is sealed and cannot be understood.
The wine of Babylon in the judgment hour represents false teachings that
will prevent the world from having a correct understanding of doctrine,
especially related to the key issues at the end of the world. The wine of
Babylon sets the stage for the world to worship the dragon and the beast
rather than worshiping the Creator.
Notice what the The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary says about
the purpose and the effect of the wine of Babylon:
But wrath is not Babylon’s object in offering the wine to the
various nations. She contends that drinking of her wine will
bring peace to nations. … However, the drinking of it brings
down on men the wrath of God. 367
The leading false teachings of Babylon that have been accepted by

Protestants in America and throughout the world are Sunday sacredness
and the immortality of the soul. This statement by Ellen White makes
that very clear:
Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and
Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his
deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of
spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome.
Sunday sacredness is a denial of the true Sabbath and prevents worship of

the Creator God. The belief in the immortality of the soul sets the stage
for those who accept that false doctrine to believe false messages of
demons who impersonate those who have died.
The message that “Babylon is fallen, is fallen” as first given in 1844, with
the fall of the Protestant churches in America, has not reached its
complete fulfillment in which it proclaims “she made all nations drink of
the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
The final fulfillment of the second angel’s message takes place in

Revelation 18 under the power of the loud cry. At the passing of the
Sunday law, which begins in the United States of America and then
spreads to the rest of the world, we will see the fulfillment of this
proclamation.
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. The
spirit of world conforming and indifference to the testing truths
for our time exists and has been gaining ground in churches of
the Protestant faith in all the countries of Christendom; and
these churches are included in the solemn and terrible
denunciation of the second angel. But the work of apostasy has
not yet reached its culmination. 369
When the work of apostasy reaches its culmination and all nations have
drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the second angel’s
message is repeated in Revelation 18 in what is known as the loud cry.
Revelation 18:3 repeats the message that “all nations have drunk of the
wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
It should be noted that the first and third angel’s messages of Revelation
14 are given with a loud voice from their inception. The second angel’s
message is not identified as being given with a loud voice. However, when
it is repeated in Revelation 18, the angel cries “mightily with a strong
voice.”
Only when Babylon’s sins reach unto heaven does God send the message
against it with the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Even now, He sends
the second angel’s message to identify Babylon. During the loud cry,
those who give the message have the full character of Jesus to recognize
the complete fall of Babylon. God can entrust the final message to these
messengers who will announce the fall of Babylon, without the prideful
spirit of Babylon.
The wine of Babylon leads to fornication. Fornication is an illicit union.

This illicit union is especially represented by Sunday sacredness that is
passed as law. The union of church and state in passing a law that violates
God’s law is the wine, or false teaching, of Babylon’s fornication. Those
who accept this false teaching at the end of the world receive the mark of
the beast. Those who receive the mark of the beast “shall drink the wine
of the wrath of God” as seen in the third angel’s message.
The second angel’s message is a warning message to the entire world of

the false religious systems and false doctrines of the Roman Catholic
church-state power (mother of harlots) and of apostate Protestantism
(daughter harlots). All who are under the influence of the wine of
Babylon will receive the wrath of God. By implication, the call is given to
go back and heed the clarity of the first angel’s message and to worship
God in the time of the hour of His judgment.
APPLICATION: As Seventh-day Adventists, we may feel secure from the

false doctrines of Babylon. We might feel very confident that we will
never accept Sunday sacredness or the immortality of the soul. However,
there are many different influences in the world that stem from the wine,
or false teachings, of Babylon. Entertainment, politics, educational
philosophy, and career objectives, along with many other ideologies are
sweeping many of God’s people into the snares of Babylon. Let us
remember the statement from Ellen White in Testimonies for the Church,
vol. 9, p. 19, regarding the three angels’ messages in that “[We] are to
allow nothing else to absorb [our] attention.”
By placing anything in our lives ahead of the three angels’ messages, we

are unwittingly being influenced by the philosophy of Babylon.
As stated earlier, the three angels’ messages prepare us to be part of the

144,000. The 144,000 are not defiled with women, for they are virgins.
The second angel’s message is necessary to help us avoid the defilement of
the mother and her harlot daughters. By heeding this message, we retain
our purity in Christ, through the power of the everlasting gospel, so that
we can stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion.
THE THIRD ANGEL’S MESSAGE

OBSERVATION: The third angel is identified at the beginning of verse 9. Just
as the first angel’s message began with a loud voice, so the third angel’s
message is proclaimed with a loud voice. This message of what is coming
is so urgent that it must be given to warn the world of a great deception.
Warning Against Worshiping the Beast and His Image and Receiving
the Mark of the Beast: The third angel speaks with a loud voice to warn
the world against worshiping the beast. This beast is the first beast of
Revelation 13—the papacy. How is the beast worshiped? As discussed in
Revelation 13, the beast is worshiped by the worship of the image of the
beast and by receiving the mark of the beast through honoring Sunday as
a sacred day in the place of the seventh-day Sabbath.
The third angel’s message is given with a loud voice to counter the effect
of the false prophet of apostate Protestant America performing
supernatural miracles. Revelation 13 says that all the world wonders after
the beast and worships the beast and the dragon (verse 4). Thus, God
sends the third angel’s message with a loud voice to do all that He can to
warn the world of the deception of the mark of the beast.
Wine of the Wrath of God: The wine of Babylon is intoxicating. It seems

so inviting. Those who drink it appear to be preserving life so that they
can buy and sell and so that they will avoid the death decree. By drinking
the wine of Babylon, they receive the mark of the beast, and as Revelation
14:10 declares, “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God,
which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.”
By opting to preserve life on this earth, those who worship the beast and
his image and receive the mark of the beast, forfeit everlasting life. They
drink the wine of the wrath of God.
What is the wine of the wrath of God? Notice what Revelation 15:1 and
16:1 say respectively:
And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven
angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the
wrath of God. … And I heard a great voice out of the temple
saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials
of the wrath of God upon the earth.
The seven last plagues are the expression of the wrath of God. Revelation
16 describes in detail what happens to the inhabitants of the earth who
receive these plagues.
Poured Without Mixture: “Without mixture” can also be translated “full

strength.” The seven last plagues are poured out unmixed with any mercy.
These are the final judgments of God upon the earth after probation
closes. Prior to the close of probation, God’s judgments are mixed with
mercy and offer opportunity for repentance. However, those who receive
the mark of the beast have rejected God’s last warning of mercy given in
the third angel’s message. They have also participated in a death decree
against God’s saints who refuse to receive the mark of the beast.
Therefore, they receive the wrath of God. They drank the wine of
Babylon. Now they drink the wine of the wrath of God.
The Cup of His Indignation: What is the cup of His indignation? Notice
what Kenneth Mathews says,
Drinking wine from a cup is a symbol of receiving the wrath of

God, in the Old Testament. Drinking from the cup means to
suffer the consequences of your behavior. 370
This principle is laid out clearly in Psalm 75:8:
For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it
is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs
thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and
drink them.
“Indignation” comes from the Greek word orge and can mean
indignation, wrath, anger, or specifically anger exhibited in punishment
by magistrates or leaders.
In Daniel 8:19 and Daniel 11:36, we also find the word indignation,
which is translated from the Hebrew word za’am. In the context of the
passages in Daniel, indignation represents God’s displeasure against the
widespread abominable sins of the little horn power, or the papacy.
At the end of the world, those who have partaken of the abominable sins
of the papacy and have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication
will drink from the cup of God’s indignation. They will receive the
outpouring of the seven last plagues.
Jesus Drank the Cup: What should be remembered is that Jesus drained
this cup to its dregs in Gethsemane and Calvary so that we do not have to
drink from it ourselves, even though we deserve to drink from it. The
following verses in Matthew 26 show that even Jesus, in His humanity,
did not want to drink the cup:
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed,
saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:
nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. (Matthew 26:39)
He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my

Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it,
thy will be done. (Matthew 26:42)
Despite His humanity shrinking from drinking this cup, Christ submitted
to the will of His Father.
Ellen White described this scene with amazing clarity and beauty:
The awful moment had come—that moment which was to

decide the destiny of the world. The fate of humanity trembled
in the balance. Christ might even now refuse to drink the cup
apportioned to guilty man. It was not yet too late. He might
wipe the bloody sweat from His brow, and leave man to perish
in his iniquity. He might say, Let the transgressor receive the
penalty of his sin, and I will go back to My Father. Will the Son
of God drink the bitter cup of humiliation and agony? Will the
innocent suffer the consequences of the curse of sin, to save the
guilty? The words fall tremblingly from the pale lips of Jesus,
“O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I
drink it, Thy will be done.”
Three times has He uttered that prayer. Three times has

humanity shrunk from the last, crowning sacrifice. But now the
history of the human race comes up before the world’s
Redeemer. He sees that the transgressors of the law, if left to
themselves, must perish. He sees the helplessness of man. He
sees the power of sin. The woes and lamentations of a doomed
world rise before Him. He beholds its impending fate, and His
decision is made. He will save man at any cost to Himself. He
accepts His baptism of blood, that through Him perishing
millions may gain everlasting life. 371
Tormented With Fire and Brimstone in the Presence of the Holy

Angels and the Lamb: There are two possibilities for when the wicked
will be tormented with fire and brimstone. This could represent the
destruction of the wicked at the Second Coming, or it could represent the
destruction of the wicked at the end of the 1,000 years.
The wicked are destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s Second Coming

(see 2 Thessalonians 2:8). Scripture says,
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the
camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came
down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (Revelation
20:9)
Considering that the next verse here in Revelation 14 describes the

eternal effect of the fire and brimstone, this favors the idea that the final
destruction of the wicked is being described here in verse 10.
There is a sequence to this passage. First, the wicked drink the wine of the
wrath of God, then they receive the outpouring of the seven last plagues
which leads to their destruction at the Second Coming. Then, after the
millennium, they are resurrected again to face destruction by fire and
brimstone, this time for eternity.
The destruction of the wicked takes place “in the presence of the holy
angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.” Sin cannot exist in the presence
of God. God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). He sends fire from
heaven to devour the wicked at the end of the millennium. Sin will be no
more.
The Smoke of Their Torment Ascends Up for Ever and Ever: The
picture painted by the third angel’s message has been used by the
Christian church at large to teach the doctrine of eternal hell fire. God
has been misrepresented by the false teaching of eternal hell fire. Yes,
there is punishment and destruction of the wicked in what can be called
the fires of hell, but the fires of hell do not last forever.
So, what does the Bible mean here in Revelation 14:11? It says that “the
smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no
rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever
receiveth the mark of his name.”
This language was also used in Scripture to describe God’s punishment of

the land of Idumea (Edom), or the descendants of Esau. Notice what
Isaiah 34:5, 8–10 says:
For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come

down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to
judgment. …
For it is the day of the LORD’s vengeance, and the year of
recompences for the controversy of Zion. And the streams thereof
shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone,
and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be
quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever:
from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass
through it for ever and ever.
Geographically, Edom was to the southeast of Judah. Clearly, symbolic

language is used to describe its destruction. Smoke is not literally going
up forever from this territory today. The effect of Edom’s judgment,
however, was permanent.
Malachi 4:1 makes it very clear that the wicked will be destroyed
completely in the fire of destruction:
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all
the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the
day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that
it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Just as the effect of the destruction of Edom was permanent in Isaiah 34,
so the effect is permanent in Revelation 14:11 when the wicked are
destroyed. Similar symbolic language is used in both passages to describe
permanent destruction.
Here is what Austin Cooke says about the passage in Isaiah 34:
This is a picture of the total destruction of the Edomites and

their civilization, and it is borrowed by the Revelator for his
description of the punishment of the wicked at the end of time.
The wording does not describe eternal torment, but rather
complete and utter destruction, the effect of which lasts forever.
372
It is clear that Revelation 14:11 refers to the utter and complete

destruction of the wicked rather than of eternal torment.
They Have No Rest Day Nor Night: Similar language of the permanent
effect on the wicked is used here to accentuate the point made of utter
loss and destruction of the wicked. The Greek word for “rest” is anapausis
and is also found in Matthew 11:29 when Jesus said to those who
accepted Him, “ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Through salvation in Christ, the righteous will have rest throughout

eternity. The wicked permanently miss out on this rest throughout
eternity. 373
Again, we do not see eternal torment, but we see the permanent effect of
destruction and of the loss of eternal salvation and rest for the wicked.
At the end of verse 11, we are reminded that this punishment, as outlined
in the third angel’s message, is given to those “who worship the beast and
his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
There is urgency to the third angel’s message. Most of the world right now
is on a fast track to receiving the mark of the beast and the wrath of God.
This is not what God wants. Therefore, He has entrusted His people who
live during this judgment hour to proclaim the third angel’s message so
that as many as possible can be warned and saved.
APPLICATION: In some circles of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, little

effort is given to sharing the third angel’s message with the rest of the
Christian community. Some have thought that as long as Christians of
other faiths are in a saving relationship with Jesus, why should we “steal
sheep” from other churches? When we really understand the gravity of
the third angel’s message, we clearly see why we should be sharing this
message in a Christlike way with everyone.
Here is another perspective. How many committed Christians have gone

to sleep in Jesus without a knowledge of the third angel’s message? Yes,
they will be saved in the kingdom, but think about the effect that they
could have had for the cause of God if they had known and embraced the
truth.
Furthermore, those who stay in Babylon now are at great risk to remain
there when the final crisis hits. The more of God’s people who can be
reached now, the better it is for them and for God’s church.
REVELATION 14:12
OBSERVATION: Verse 12 is the conclusion of the third angel’s message.
Ellen White affirmed this point with the following statement:
The third angel closes his message thus: “Here is the patience of
the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God,
and the faith of Jesus.” 374
The first three verses of the third angel’s message contain a message of
warning and mercy to the world. Here, in verse 12, we find a declaration
of the character of the 144,000. You can almost hear God saying, “Here
they are!” The character of the 144,000, declared here by God, is His
answer to Satan’s charges against the government of God in the great
controversy.
The 144,000 in verse 12 are the same group who stand on Mount Zion
with the Lamb in verse 1. This verse builds upon what we have already
been shown about the character of the 144,000 in verses 1–5.
As we look at the three key characteristics of the 144,000 here in verse 12,
we see two very significant points.
First, the characteristics of the 144,000 are produced as they experience

what Jesus did on the cross.
Second, when this character is produced by God within the 144,000 and
is demonstrated through the closing crisis of the earth’s history, He wins
the final victory in the great controversy against Satan.
We will prove these points sequentially. We begin with the connection of
Christ’s experience on the cross and the character of the 144,000 in
Revelation 14:12.
Jesus promised that His death on the cross would bear a harvest of fruit:
And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son
of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a
corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if
it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:23–24)
Jesus likened His death to a seed of wheat being planted in the ground.
The death of the kernel produces a plant in the likeness of the seed that
died. Jesus promised that the fruit produced by His death would be like
His character as demonstrated on the cross. As seen in Revelation 14:12,
the three key characteristics of the 144,000 depict the fulfillment of
Christ’s promise in John 12:23–24.
Here Is the Patience of the Saints: In the Greek, the word for “patience”
is hupomone, and it can also be translated as endurance.
There are key passages in the book of Hebrews that connect the
experience of patience, or endurance, with God’s last-day people.
Notice what Paul said in Hebrews 10:36–39:
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of
God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he
that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall
live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no
pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto
perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
The experience of patience, or endurance, is necessary among those who

are waiting for the Second Coming. This experience of patience also
connects to the message that “the just shall live by faith.” We will explore
that connection in greater detail as we look at the faith of Jesus.
Paul expanded upon the experience of patience, or endurance, and

connected it with the experience of Jesus on the cross in Hebrews 12:1–4:
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a

cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which
doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that
is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the
throne of God.
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners

against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye
have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
In Hebrews 12:1, we are called to run with patience, or endurance, the

race that is set before us. In the next verse, we see it is a race of faith that
is run by “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”
What is significant here is that Jesus “endured the cross.” The Greek word
for “endured” in verse 2 is the verb hupomeno (meaning to endure or to
undergo), which is the root for the noun hupomone, from which
“patience” is translated in verse 1. Both refer to having patience,
endurance, and steadfastness under trial.
Scripture shows that Jesus demonstrated patience, or endurance, on the

cross. The 144,000, of whom it is said, “here is the patience of the saints,”
give demonstration during the final crisis of the character of Jesus and
His patience and endurance on the cross.
Jesus endured the contradiction of sinners against Himself (Hebrews

12:3). The 144,000 will endure the sinners who have received the mark of
the beast during the earth’s final crisis. And they will follow the command
in Hebrews 12:3 to “consider Him.” By beholding His character of
patience on the cross, the 144,000 will be changed into the same image.
God will say, “Here is the patience of the saints!” Here is My special
group, known as the 144,000, who have the same character of patience, or
endurance, as Jesus did on the cross. What a moment of eternal
significance that will be when God makes that statement!
Just as Jesus promised, His death produces fruit in the likeness of the seed
that was planted.
Here Are They That Keep the Commandments of God: Not only do the
144,000 have the patience of the saints, God says of them that “they keep
the commandments of God.” The 144,000 are a demonstration of
obedience to the ten commandments, including the fourth
commandment regarding the Sabbath. Despite facing the wrath of the
dragon for keeping the commandments of God (see Revelation 12:17),
they have proved faithful by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their
testimony (see Revelation 12:11).
The obedience of the 144,000 is a demonstration of loyalty and love for

God. As Jesus said to His followers in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my
commandments.”
The faithfulness of the 144,000 in keeping the commandments of God—

which is only possible through the power of God—shows that there is no
excuse for the great majority of the world who receive the mark of the
beast by honoring Sunday.
As discussed in verse 6 of this chapter, Romans 7:12 shows that the law of
God is a transcript of His character. The law is holy, just, and good. God
is holy, just, and good.
Jesus has provided the power to live an obedient life through His perfect
life and perfect sacrifice. We have already seen how Jesus demonstrated
patience, or endurance on the cross. Hebrews 5:8–9 shows us that the
sufferings of Christ helped Him to learn obedience:
Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things

which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author
of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.
The obedience that Christ learned in His sufferings allowed Him to be the
Author of our salvation.
Scripture shows how He displayed perfect obedience on the cross. Notice

what Paul said in Hebrews 10:5–7:
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and

offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In
burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of
me,) to do thy will, O God.
Jesus came in a human body prepared to be a sacrifice on the cross. Jesus

then said of Himself that Scripture has declared that He has come to do
the will of God. The will of God is defined more clearly in Psalm 40:6–8,
which is the Messianic prophecy that Hebrews 10:5–7 directly quotes
from:
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou
opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of
me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my
heart.
The will of God is His law within the heart. Christ delighted to do God’s
will, and His perfect life of obedience was the outflowing of loving
obedience from His heart. Jesus was a perfect sacrifice. His lifelong
perfect obedience, in which He did the will of God, culminated on the
cross when He offered Himself without blemish, fault, or spot as Hebrews
9:14 says:
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your
conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
As discussed earlier in verse 5 of this chapter, the Greek word for

“without spot” is amomos, and it means without spot, without fault,
without blemish, or without blame.
In the promise of the new covenant, God has said that He “will write His
law into our hearts and minds” (see Hebrews 8:10–13 and Hebrews
10:16–17). Jesus lived the new-covenant life, as God’s law was within His
heart. In Revelation 14:12, the 144,000 are a picture of the new-covenant
experience just like Jesus. God has guaranteed that He will complete the
work of producing an obedient people. This work of writing the law in
the heart begins at the cross with Jesus as our Savior, and it is completed
from the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary with Jesus as our
High Priest. As Christ writes His law in the heart, the obedience that
comes from within is not forced or seen as an obligation, but it is
delightful and joyful, just as it was for Christ.
Jesus planted the seed of perfect obedience with His death on the cross,
and He has promised fruit in the likeness of His obedience. Just as the
endurance of Jesus on the cross produces the patience of the saints, so
does His perfectly obedient life and sacrifice produce a people who keep
the commandments of God. The seed that was planted on the cross bears
the fruit of obedience in the 144,000.
The Faith of Jesus: The third and final attribute of the 144,000 in
Revelation 14:12 is that they have the faith of Jesus. “Faith of Jesus” is
translated from the Greek pistis Iesous. It can either be translated faith in
Jesus or faith of Jesus.
It is believed by some that the “faith of Jesus” represents the teachings of
Jesus, confidence in Jesus, and faith in Jesus.375 Others suggest that it
means to remain loyal to Jesus and to keep the faith.376 All of these
attributes can be aspects of the faith of Jesus. With respect to “faith in
Jesus” versus “faith of Jesus,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible
Commentary, p. 833 acknowledges that the passage can be read either
way, but it suggests that faith in Jesus would be the preferred
understanding in this passage.
However, from the context of the verse alone, faith of Jesus fits the
narrative of the passage much more clearly. The 144,000 have the same
faith that Jesus had while on the earth and especially while He was on the
cross. By having the faith of Jesus, the 144,000 are thus empowered to
keep the commandments of God and to have the patience that is
necessary to live through the last days of the earth’s history.
Galatians 2:20 perfectly describes the experience of the faith of Jesus:
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ

liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Jesus fully submitted Himself to the will of the Father when He died on
the cross. When we are crucified with Christ, we fully submit ourselves to
Him. There is a death to self and sin (Romans 6:6). Christ then lives out
His life through us. The faith that is exercised in a life that is crucified
with Christ is the faith of Jesus. Galatians 2:20 explicitly states that we live
by the faith of the Son of God when we are crucified with Christ. The
implication is that He exercised faith during His crucifixion. When we
allow Him to come in while we are crucified with Him, He will enable us
to exercise the same faith that He exercised while on the cross.
During the crucifixion, Jesus exercised faith when His human feelings
were pulling Him in the opposite direction. Notice the following
statements from Ellen G. White:
The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb.
Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave
a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father’s acceptance of the
sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their
separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the
sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty
race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father’s wrath upon
Him as man’s substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter,
and broke the heart of the Son of God.377
Christ, however, did not let His feelings and perceptions affect His faith.
Suddenly the gloom lifted from the cross, and in clear,

trumpetlike tones, that seemed to resound throughout creation,
Jesus cried, “It is finished.” “Father, into Thy hands I commend
My spirit.” A light encircled the cross, and the face of the
Saviour shone with a glory like the sun. He then bowed His
head upon His breast, and died.
Amid the awful darkness, apparently forsaken of God, Christ

had drained the last dregs in the cup of human woe. In those
dreadful hours He had relied upon the evidence of His Father’s
acceptance heretofore given Him. He was acquainted with the
character of His Father; He understood His justice, His mercy,
and His great love. By faith He rested in Him whom it had ever
been His joy to obey. And as in submission He committed
Himself to God, the sense of the loss of His Father’s favor was
withdrawn. By faith, Christ was victor. 378
On the cross, we see the clearest demonstration of the faith of Jesus. This
is the faith the 144,000 will have at the end of the world. When it appears
that God’s people will be annihilated by a death decree, and that there is
no way out, the 144,000 will look beyond the trying circumstances to
claim the promises of deliverance that they are acquainted with from
Scripture. The faith of Jesus will be on full display through the 144,000 at
the end of the world.
Here is what is absolutely fascinating about Revelation 14:12. In this verse
we find the capstone to the third angel’s message. We see that the 144,000
have “the patience of the saints,” they “keep the commandments of God,”
and they have “the faith of Jesus.”
These three attributes also described Jesus on the cross. He “endured the
cross” and He “endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself.”
God’s law is described as being within His heart as He offered Himself as
the Lamb of God without blemish or spot. And He exercised faith on the
cross when He could not see past the portals of the tomb.
The third angel’s message has power because it is a demonstration of Jesus

on the cross, and it is a demonstration of what the power of the cross can
do to transform the weakest generation that has ever lived. Through the
power of the cross, the last generation alive will be fully transformed into
the character of Jesus.
When Revelation 14:12 is fulfilled, the promise that Jesus made in John
12:23–24 about His death bringing forth much fruit will be completed.
Revelation 14:12 is a re-capitulation of Revelation 14:1–5. Here is seen the
revelation of Jesus Christ through the 144,000 at the end of the world,
produced by the three angels’ messages.
When the remnant gains the experience of having the character that Jesus
demonstrated on the cross, we will see the fulfillment of the loud cry
message of Revelation 18 in which the earth is illuminated with the glory
of God’s character. Not only will a proclamation be given with a loud
voice, but there will also be a full and complete demonstration of the
character of Christ to the world. It is for this reason that Adventism
exists.
Even more amazing about Revelation 14:12 is that while Jesus has
promised that His death on the cross is the seed that will produce the
harvest, we also find in Scripture that it is His work since 1844, seated at
the right hand of the throne of God in the Most Holy Place, that will
produce the 144,000 described here in this verse.
In Scripture, we find many instances where Jesus is seated at the right

hand of the throne of God in the heavenly sanctuary. He moved into the
Most Holy Place of the sanctuary in 1844, but He remains seated at the
right hand of the throne of God. Daniel 12:1 reminds us that eventually
the work in the sanctuary will be completed, and when it is, Christ stands
up. The following passage is from my commentary on the book of Daniel
from Daniel 12:1:
While He is seated, Hebrews 8:1 shows us that He is our High

Priest, seated on the right hand of God. In Hebrews 12:2, we
find that He is also the Author and Finisher of our faith, seated
on the right hand of God.
Hebrews 8 pictures Jesus as our High Priest, seated on the right

hand of God. In verse 6, we find that He is the “mediator of a
better covenant.” In verses 10–13, we learn that this better
covenant is God writing His law in our hearts and minds and
blotting out our sins (remembering our sins no more). When
He accomplishes this work, it would be fair to say that He will
have a commandment- keeping people.
In Hebrews 12:1–4, we see Jesus’ role as Author and Finisher of

our faith, seated at the right hand of God. Verse 1 encourages
us to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily
beset us,” promising victory over sin. Furthermore, God knows
that removing sin from our lives, when it so easily besets us,
requires patience, so we are exhorted to “run with patience the
race that is set before us.” Verse 2 tells us how: “Looking unto
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”
In order to have victory over sin and run with patience the race
set before us, we must learn to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus as
the Author and Finisher of our faith. He gave us the example of
His endurance, or patience, when He suffered on the cross.
After He victoriously overcame for us on the cross, we see that
He “is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Remarkably, in the message to the Laodicean church in

Revelation 3:21, Jesus promises that: “To him that overcometh
will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also
overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” The
connection between this verse and Hebrews 12:2 is strong. The
victory that Jesus accomplished in Hebrews 12:2 was enduring
the cross and despising the shame in the race that had been set
before Him. His promise to the Laodicean church is that if we
overcome as He did, we will sit with Him in His throne. To
overcome as He overcame is a high calling yet clear promise,
and it is what the Laodicean church must experience in order
to stand in the judgment.
In Galatians 2:20, we see an identical concept. Paul said, “I am

crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by
the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for
me.” To be crucified with Christ is to be tested in the way that
He was on the cross, which enables us to overcome as He did.
Romans 6:6 says, “that our old man is crucified with him, that
the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should
not serve sin.” To be crucified means death to self and sin.
When this happens, we see in Galatians 2:20 that Christ lives in
us, and the life we live in the flesh, we live by the “faith of the
Son of God,” or the faith of Jesus.
When we overcome as Jesus overcame, it clearly means we are

exercising His faith. We have allowed Him to truly be the
Author and Finisher of our faith, and when He finishes our
faith, we have the “faith of Jesus” (Galatians 3:22) and can
overcome as He did and finish with “patience” the race that has
been set before us. Therefore, His role as Author and Finisher
of our faith, seated on the right hand of God, is to develop
patience in His people and help them overcome as He did by
giving them the power to exercise His faith.
Here is what is fascinating. In combining the two roles of Jesus
in the book of Hebrews while He is seated at the right hand of
God—High Priest and Author and Finisher of our faith—we
see that the goal for His work in this capacity is to produce a
commandment-keeping people by writing His law in our hearts
and minds and blotting out our sins (see 8:10–13 and 10:16–
17). It is also His goal to produce a people with patience (see
12:1) who have the faith of Jesus (see v. 2). This combination of
commandment-keeping, patience, and the faith of Jesus is the
description of the 144,000 in Revelation 14:12: “Here is the
patience of the saints: here are they that keep the
commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
When Michael stands up in Daniel 12:1, His work as High

Priest and Author and Finisher of our faith will have ended.
God’s law will be written in the hearts and minds of His people;
they will have the patience needed to endure the great time of
trouble that lies directly before them because they will have
learned to exercise the faith of Jesus through daily being
crucified with Him. There will be no more need for intercession
or mediation because God will have sealed His servants, the
144,000, with the Father’s name in their foreheads (see
Revelation 7:1–3 and 14:1). As we saw in Revelation 7:1–3,
once the sealing takes place, the four winds of strife will be
released, and this corresponds with the great time of trouble
that occurs right after Michael stands up in Daniel 12:1.
In summary, when Michael stands up, the 144,000 will be ready

to face Jacob’s time of trouble that begins at that time, and the
victorious experience of this group during this time will be the
demonstration of God’s character in a way that mirrors what
Christ passed through while on the cross. He demonstrated
that Satan’s charges against God’s government were false. The
144,000 will validate, through the power and grace of Christ,
the principles of His government on Earth that will dispel the
devil’s charges that God’s law cannot be kept. His name will
therefore be vindicated through the 144,000 at the very end of
time. 379
As discussed in Revelation 12:7, Michael is the title used by Christ in four
chapters of Scripture when He is in great controversy warfare with Satan.
When He stands up in Daniel 12:1, He is announcing that His work as
High Priest and Author and Finisher of our faith is finished. He has
produced the 144,000 of Revelation 14:12. By so doing, He has won the
final victory over Satan in the great controversy. He has raised up the
Second Advent movement to be the demonstration of His final victory
over Satan. It is through His death on the cross as our Savior, and through
His work in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary as our High
Priest, that Christ empowers us to be part of that final demonstration.
APPLICATION: It is no small thing to be among the number described in

Revelation 14:12. Each of the three characteristics seen in this verse was
displayed by Jesus on the cross. The only way we can gain this experience
is by beholding Christ so that we can be changed into His same image.
There are important applications for all three attributes.
Patience of the Saints: If we expect to have “the patience of the saints,”

we must learn to grow through the fires of affliction now.
The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith

that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger—a faith that will
not faint though severely tried. The period of probation is
granted to all to prepare for that time. 380
Now is the time to allow the fires of affliction, including weariness, delay,
and hunger, to prepare us for having the endurance necessary to go
through the final crisis. It is when we are tired, running late, and hungry
that we often lose our Christian experience. Yet there are greater trials
than being late, hungry, and tired. Through any scenario that tries your
patience, learn to let God sustain you with sweetness, pleasantness, peace,
long-suffering, and joy:
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers

temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh
patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be
perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:2–4; see also 1
Peter 1:7)
Obedience: What is striking about Christ’s obedience is that He found

great delight in obeying the law of God (see Psalm 40:7–8). When He
promises to write His law into our hearts and minds, it is not so that we
will grudgingly avoid things that we wish could do. Like Jesus, we will
take delight in obedience to God’s law as we understand that it is truly
“the law of liberty” (James 2:12).
Faith of Jesus: Having the faith of Jesus is righteousness by faith. God’s

last-day church, the Laodicean church, is lacking righteousness by faith
because Christ declares that it is naked (see discussion in Revelation 3 on
the message to Laodicea). It seems impossible that Jesus can truly bear
our sins and pardon them. Ellen White provided a poignant quote about
the faith of Jesus:
“The faith of Jesus.” It is talked of, but not understood. What

constitutes the faith of Jesus, that belongs to the third angel’s
message? Jesus becoming our sin-bearer that He might become
our sin-pardoning Saviour. He was treated as we deserve to be
treated. He came to our world and took our sins that we might
take His righteousness. And faith in the ability of Christ to save
us amply and fully and entirely is the faith of Jesus. 381
Belief in the forgiving grace of Jesus is part of righteousness by faith and

it is part of the third angel’s message. This also connects with another key
aspect of the third angel’s message—the concept of justification by faith.
While the warning to avoid the mark of the beast is a key part of the third
angel’s message, it is just as important to proclaim and fully demonstrate
the message of justification by faith.
There are key statements from Ellen White that connect justification by
faith to the third angel’s message:
Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of
justification by faith is the third angel’s message, and I have
answered, “It is the third angel’s message in verity.” The prophet
declares, “And after these things I saw another angel come
down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was
lightened with his glory.” Brightness, glory, and power are to be
connected with the third angel’s message, and conviction will
follow wherever it is preached in demonstration of the Spirit.
382
When justification by faith is truly experienced, it leads to the loud cry

experience of Revelation 18. Clearly, there is a connection between
justification by faith and the faith of Jesus. True justification by faith leads
to pardon and transformation. We believe in forgiveness, and we believe
in God’s ability to change us into His character.
Another aspect of justification by faith is the humility that is part of God’s

character:
What is justification by faith? It is the work of God in laying the

glory of man in the dust, and doing for man that which it is not
in his power to do for himself. 383
When the glory of God illuminates the world with the character of God,
not a thread of man’s glory will be seen. Those who are justified by faith
will have had every ounce of human glory removed so that only God’s
glory is seen.
One of the reasons we have not seen the fulfillment of Revelation 14:12 or
Revelation 18:1 is that if God were to pour out the Holy Spirit with great
power now, we would take the credit for His work. We often elevate
minsters, church leaders, and workers as “stars.” But God is looking for
those who have had their human glory laid in the dust so that He can do
His work in us.
Truly the three angels’ messages are powerful messages. May we allow
these three messages from God to work in our hearts so that the
experiences of Revelation 14:1–5, 14:12, and 18:1 will be fulfilled very
soon.
REVELATION 14:13
OBSERVATION: After the three angels’ messages of verses 6–12, we have a
special commendation for those who die in the Lord. John the Revelator
heard a voice from heaven telling him to write down this message. It is a
very important and significant point that needs to be made.
Blessed Are the Dead Which Die in the Lord From Henceforth: This is
the second time that “blessed” is said out of seven times in the book of
Revelation (see also Revelation 1:3; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14). There is a
special blessing for those who die in the Lord “from henceforth” or, as the
NKJV says, “from now on.” The timing of this blessing is clear. The
prophetic era of this section of Scripture is identified as the hour of God’s
judgment (Revelation 14:7). We have learned that the hour of God’s
judgment began on October 22, 1844, when Jesus entered the Most Holy
Place of the heavenly sanctuary.
It is during the hour of God’s judgment that the third angel’s message is
proclaimed. There have been countless righteous saints who have rested
in the merits of Jesus and have died in the Lord from the beginning of
time. However, the blessing described in this verse is for those who die in
the Lord “from now on,” or from 1844 until the Second Coming.
That They May Rest From Their Labours; Their Works Follow Them: It
is not just any righteous saint who dies after 1844 for whom this blessing
is proclaimed. This blessing is specifically given to those who have
labored in the cause of the third angel’s message from 1844 until Jesus
comes. Those who have proclaimed the third angel’s message since 1844
have the promise that their works will follow them even after they are laid
in the grave.
We think of the Seventh-day Adventist pioneers and of the foundation
they laid for future generations, putting into print their understanding of
the third angel’s message. The list of faithful pioneers is long, but we
especially think of James and Ellen White, Joseph Bates, J. N. Andrews,
Hiram Edson, Uriah Smith, and S. N. Haskell. All of these wrote books
that are still read today. Found within their books are words of truth
related to the third angel’s message that are as valuable now as they were
when the books were first published.
Even more so, Ellen White’s large number of inspired writings continues
to offer supreme value and instruction which God’s church especially
needs today. Truly, it can be said of these faithful ones that “their works
do follow them.”
Besides these pioneers, there are many other faithful Seventh-day

Adventists who faithfully engaged in the work of the third angel’s
message and who are sleeping in the grave waiting for this special
resurrection.
So, what is this blessing that God has promised to those who die in the
Lord from 1844 until the Second Coming? While the blessing is not
explicitly stated, it is obvious that it has to do with being resurrected from
the dead. All those who die in the Lord will not stay in the graves forever.
However, the blessing of this resurrection must be a special type of
resurrection that those who died before 1844, or the righteous in Babylon
who die after 1844 but have not engaged in the work of the third angel’s
message, do not experience. Ellen White clearly identified this
resurrection in this statement:
Graves are opened, and “many of them that sleep in the dust of
the earth … awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame
and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2. All who have died in
the faith of the third angel’s message come forth from the tomb
glorified, to hear God’s covenant of peace with those who have
kept His law. “They also which pierced Him” (Revelation 1:7),
those that mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, and the
most violent opposers of His truth and His people, are raised to
behold Him in His glory and to see the honor placed upon the
loyal and obedient.384
There will be a special resurrection of the righteous who engaged in the

work of the third angel’s message from 1844 onward and who died in the
Lord. These bypass the time of Jacob’s trouble but are raised just in time
to see Jesus, the focus of their life and work. Jesus comes bursting
through the clouds to receive them. In this same resurrection, a notorious
group of wicked who were responsible for killing Him are also
resurrected, to fulfill Jesus’ promise that they would see Him coming in
the clouds of glory (Matthew 26:64; Revelation 1:7).
For the righteous who selflessly engaged in the work of the third angel’s
message and longed for the coming of Jesus, this resurrection allows
them to be alive when Jesus appears in the clouds of heaven. It will be as
if they did not die. They will be alive when Jesus comes, before He calls
forth the remaining righteous from their graves. Many have gone to their
graves in disappointment that Jesus had not yet returned. In His mercy,
Jesus allows His faithful saints who died in the faith of the third angel’s
message to experience the thrill of seeing Him come in the clouds.
APPLICATION: It should be the desire of every Seventh-day Adventist to be

alive, without tasting death, when Jesus comes. That is the lifelong
passion of any faithful follower of Jesus. However, not all will have the
privilege to live without dying until Jesus comes. In John 21:18–19, Jesus
told Peter the manner of death in which he would die. Peter saw John
nearby and asked Jesus what would become of John. Jesus’ response is
instructive. “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow
thou me” (John 21:22).
Clearly, there is a blessing for those who never die and who live to see
Jesus come. Naturally, that would be our first desire. But it is not our
concern as to whether we will live or die prior to the Second Coming.
That is up to God. If we remain faithful to the third angel’s message and
die as a martyr or are laid to rest before He comes, we will receive the
blessing of the special resurrection. If we remain alive, we will have the
privilege to be part of the 144,000. Either way, we will live throughout the
ceaseless ages of eternity with God.
THE HARVEST
OBSERVATION: The final section of Revelation is introduced here in verse
14. The final harvest is the topic of this section. The harvest of the
righteous is seen in verses 14–16. The harvest of the wicked is described
in verses 17–20. The three angels’ messages of verses 6–12 have produced
the 144,000. The 144,000 are the firstfruits. Now it is time for the harvest
to bring the remaining righteous home to heaven and to destroy the
wicked.
A White Cloud: The first thing that John noticed was a white cloud. A
cloud is used in Scripture to represent the presence of Deity.385 The pre-
incarnate Christ was in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by
night (Exodus 13:21–22; 16:10; 19:16; 33:9; Numbers 9:16). In Daniel
7:13, Jesus, as the Son of man, comes to the Ancient of Days at the
beginning of the judgment “with the clouds of heaven.” In Revelation
10:1, Jesus is the Mighty Angel, clothed with a cloud. Acts 1:9 says “he
was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.” Revelation 1:7
says, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and
they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail
because of him. Even so, Amen.”
The fact that a white cloud is used to create the setting of the harvest
shows that Deity is present. In this case it is Jesus. And it clearly shows
that Jesus is returning in the clouds for the Second Coming. The cloud is
white, the color used in Scripture to describe righteousness (Revelation
3:18). This is the harvest of the righteous.
Son of Man: Seated on the white cloud is the Son of man. This is Jesus
Christ Himself. Jesus is also described as the Son of man in the
introduction to the seven churches (Revelation 1:13). Jesus is the Deity
associated with the white cloud. He is the Son of man. He is God.
Golden Crown on His Head: Christ is wearing a crown on His head.

Crowns are worn by rulers and monarchs. The crown on Christ’s head
signifies that He is KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
(Revelation 19:16). This accentuates the understanding that this vision of
Christ, with a golden crown on His head while seated on the white cloud
as the King of the universe, is a vision of His Second Coming.
Sharp Sickle in His Hand: In Scripture, the sickle is the instrument of

reaping used by farmers when the harvest is ripe. It is clear that Christ is
coming on a cloud as the King of the universe to reap what He has
planted. As discussed in Revelation 14:12, the seed planted to produce the
harvest was Christ’s death on the cross (see again John 12:23–24). Christ
likened His death to a corn of wheat being planted in the ground.
The sickle is an instrument of judgment that separates the wheat from the
tares, which have grown together until the harvest (see Matthew 13:30).
Angel Came Out of the Temple With a Loud Voice: Here we see a
heavenly messenger, or angel, that comes from the temple in heaven with
a message for the Son of man. The message is given with a loud voice. It is
very likely that the angel is coming from the Most Holy Place of the
heavenly temple. This indicates that Christ’s work as High Priest in the
Most Holy Place has come to an end, and it means the sanctuary has been
cleansed of sin.
Thrust in Thy Sickle and Reap; Harvest of the Earth Is Ripe: The
message from the angel to Christ is very clear. The harvest of the earth is
ripe, and it is ready to be reaped. We see in Mark 4:28–29 that there is no
delay in harvesting ripe grain:
All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head,
then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he
puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come. 386
Christ is patiently waiting for a ripe harvest. It is not as if He has been

waiting around for over a hundred years with a ripe harvest while trying
to gather more saints. In Mark 4:29, when the harvest is ripe, the King
James Version says “immediately” the sickle is put to the grain, and the
English Standard Version says the sickle is put to the grain “as soon as the
grain is ripe.” Notice also what James 5:7–8 says about a ripe harvest:
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.

Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the
earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and
latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming
of the Lord draweth nigh.
The early rain occurred at Pentecost with the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit. The Christian church rapidly multiplied like new plants coming up
out of the ground. In order for the harvest to fully ripen at the time of
Christ’s Second Coming, there must be the outpouring of the latter rain.
The fact that the angel tells Christ that the harvest of the earth is ripe (v.
15), informs us that the latter rain has been poured out on God’s people.
The latter rain is the Holy Spirit poured out without measure. The fruits
of the spirit are seen completely in the harvest of God’s people. The
following statement from Ellen White is especially relevant for this
passage:
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,

gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Galatians
5:22, 23. This fruit can never perish, but will produce after its
kind a harvest unto eternal life.
“When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the

sickle, because the harvest is come.” Christ is waiting with
longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church.
When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in
His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.
It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for but to

hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (2 Peter 3:12,
margin). Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His
glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the
seed of the gospel. Quickly the last great harvest would be
ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.
387
There is clearly a delay in the ripening of the harvest (see again James
5:7–8 and Matthew 25:5). The Laodicean condition of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church has prevented the Holy Spirit from being poured out
completely. The three angels’ messages are designed by God to bring
conviction, revival, and reformation to the lukewarm church so that the
144,000 can be produced and the harvest can be ripened. The 144,000 are
the firstfruits, but the harvest of the righteous at the end of the world
includes all of the righteous who responded to the three angels’ messages,
along with those who come out of Babylon before the end of the world.
Son of Man Thrusts in Sickle; Earth Is Reaped: Christ thrusts in His

sickle at the Second Coming. As promised, Jesus returns to this earth
with a multitude of angels to take home, with Him, those who have His
character perfectly reproduced within them. The seed that was planted on
the cross by His death has produced a harvest in the likeness of Himself.
Christ reaps the grain that has become like Him. What a day that will be
when Christ returns to take His people home!
APPLICATION: The illustration of a harvest of grain for the Second Coming
helps us to see how God is working to prepare His people. Christ is very
patient with His crop and works carefully to weed out any elements that
prevent the maturation of the plants. The challenge that Christ has with
His people is that we profess to be His followers, but we are not bearing
fruit to His glory.
We need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to bear the fruits of the Spirit
to the glory of God. Acts 5:32 reminds us that the Holy Spirit is given to
those who obey God. Lack of submission to Christ and lack of willing
obedience prevents God’s people from receiving the outpouring of the
latter rain. At this late date of Earth’s history, I urge you to submit
everything in your life to Jesus for His glory so that Christ will have a
people who are a reproduction of His character.
OBSERVATION: The harvest at the end of the world is not just for the
righteous. Just as there is a righteous last generation, there is also a
wicked last generation. Both the righteous and the wicked are fully ripe at
the time of Christ’s Second Coming. Verse 17 is a transition to a
description of the harvest of the wicked.
Another Angel Came Out of the Temple in Heaven With a Sharp

Sickle: Just as we saw an angel come out of the temple in heaven in verse
15, we now see a similar picture in verse 17. This time it is the angel that
has the sickle rather than the Son of man. In both the harvest of the
righteous and the wicked, there is a response from the heavenly sanctuary
to the conditions on this earth. As recorded in Matthew 13:39, the angels
specifically do the reaping of the wicked. Here, the angel has a sharp
sickle to do the work of reaping the wicked:
That the sickle is a “sharp” sickle symbolizes the clear decision

and clean cut of the harvest and the finality of its action. 388
Another Angel Came Out From the Altar Which Had Power Over
Fire: There are two angels that are engaged in the work of the harvest of
the wicked. Both come out of the sanctuary in heaven. The second angel
of the harvest of the wicked comes from the “altar which had power over
fire.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, p. 834, says that this
altar is the same as the altar of incense seen in Revelation 8:3–5, and 9:13.
From the altar of incense ascends the prayers of the saints (see again
Revelation 8:3–5). We noted the vengeance of God poured out from this
altar in the sixth trumpet (Revelation 9:13). Furthermore, in Revelation
6:9–11, we learned of souls “under the altar” crying to God and asking
how long until He judges and avenges their blood.
The fact that the angel now comes from the altar “which had power over
fire” shows that the time of God’s vengeance has come. He has heard the
cries of the prayers of the saints that ascend from the altar of incense. The
sins of the wicked have reached their limit. “Vengeance belongeth unto
me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his
people” (Hebrews 10:30).
Thrust in Thy Sharp Sickle and Gather the Clusters of the Vine; Her
Grapes Are Fully Ripe: The harvest of fully ripe grapes being placed into
a winepress as an act of God’s judgment has been described in Joel 3:11–
14:
Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather

yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to
come down, O LORD. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up
to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the
heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe:
come, get you down; for the winepress [margin] is full, the vats
overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in
the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley
of decision.
Lamentations 1:15 and Isaiah 63:1–6 have similar language about the
winepress and God’s judgments against the wicked.
The grapes represent the wicked as they are “cast into the great winepress
of the wrath of God” (v. 19).
In verse 18, the angel with the sharp sickle is commanded to “thrust in
[his] sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her
grapes are fully ripe.”
Just as the Son of man gathers the righteous when they are fully ripe, so
the reaping angel gathers the wicked when they are fully ripe. What is it
that makes the wicked fully ripe, or fully wicked? Revelation 18:5 says,
“For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her
iniquities.”
When do Babylon’s sins reach unto heaven? Ellen White answered this
very clearly:
When do her sins reach unto heaven [Revelation 18:2–5]?

When the law of God is finally made void by legislation.389
At the end of the world, the sins of Babylon and of the wicked are fully
ripened with the passing of the law that makes void the law of God.
Furthermore, as seen in Revelation 13, there are four stages to the Sunday
law, and the fourth stage is when a death decree is issued. When the death
decree is passed in connection to the Sunday law, a loud voice is heard
from heaven saying that it is time to “gather the cluster of the vine of the
earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.”
When Babylon, or the wicked of the earth, makes war against the Lamb
(Revelation 17:14) through a death decree, God hears the cries of His
saints from the altar of incense. He sends an angel with a message to the
angel that has the sharp sickle, that it is time to pour out His judgments
on the fully ripened grapes, or on the wicked. Their sins have reached
unto heaven.
Angel Thrusts Sickle Into the Earth; Gathers Vine of Earth; Casts Vine
Into Great Winepress of the Wrath of God: The wicked are reaped by
the destroying angel and cast “into the great winepress of the wrath of
God.” The wrath of God (Revelation 15:1 and 16:1) is a description of the
seven last plagues. The seven last plagues culminate with the Second
Coming of Jesus in the seventh plague. The Second Coming is part of
God’s wrath against the wicked. As 2 Thessalonians 2:8 says:
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall
consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the
brightness of his coming.
Revelation 6:16–17 paints a similar picture regarding the wrath of God

and the Second Coming:
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us
from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the
wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and
who shall be able to stand?
When Jesus comes, the wicked who are still alive will be “cast into the
great winepress of the wrath of God.”
The Winepress Was Trodden Outside of the City: Austin Cooke has
excellent commentary on this passage:
The city is spiritual Jerusalem, the church of God, the remnant.

The winepress is trodden outside of the remnant church. Of the
holy city, Jerusalem, Scripture states that “they will tread the
holy city underfoot for forty-two months” (Revelation 11:2).
This prophecy was fulfilled by the papacy, which for forty-two
prophetic months (1260 years) trod down the church of God.
In the final conflict, the combined powers of the unsaved, led
by the papacy, again endeavor to tread down the church of
God. This time, however, God intervenes and treads them down
outside the spiritual city of the church. When the saints are
surrounded by the unrepentant population of the world who are
determined to slay them, it is then that God intervenes and
treads down the unsaved instead.390
Revelation 19:15 describes the Second Coming and connects the

destruction of the wicked with the winepress of the wrath of God at the
conclusion of the seven last plagues:
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp [two-edged] sword, that with
it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a iron
rod: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of
Almighty God.
Blood Came Out of the Winepress Unto the Horse Bridles: A symbolic
picture is painted in which the angel who has the sharp sickle is riding on
a horse. The angel is using the sharp sickle to slay the wicked. There are so
many wicked who are destroyed that the blood fills the earth from the
ground to the bridle of the horse. Revelation 19:14 describes an army of
angels riding on white horses who accompany Christ at the Second
Coming to destroy the wicked. Thus, the destruction of the wicked is said
to come up to the horse bridles of the horses that the destroying angels
are riding.
By the Space of 1600 Furlongs: The Greek word for “furlongs” is stadia.
The length of 1,600 furlongs is 184 miles or 300 kilometers. This is the
symbolic length in which blood comes from the ground to the bridle of
the horse. It has been noted that this is the literal length of Palestine from
the border on the north with Syria to the border on the south with
Egypt.391 This number of 1,600 furlongs seems to be symbolic of the
massive extent of the destruction of the wicked at the time of the Second
Coming.
APPLICATION: God has borne long with wickedness in this world. The
forbearance of God in bringing judgments against the wicked is His
mercy. But His mercy has only hardened the hearts of the wicked, and
someday soon, God will pour out His judgments.
As Numbers 14:18 says,
The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity

and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting
the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation.
We have no guarantee that we will be here tomorrow. Every day could be

our last on this earth. While time still lingers, come to Jesus with sorrow
for sin. Come to the throne of grace to receive the grace and mercy that is
so needed right now. Jesus will save you to the uttermost.
CLOSING THOUGHTS: As stated at the beginning of this chapter, Revelation

14 contains some of the most beautiful truths in all of Scripture. What an
amazing chapter we have seen here! It contains so many glorious truths.
From this chapter, we learned that the three angels’ messages, under the
power of the everlasting gospel, produce the 144,000. Jesus, as the Lamb
of God, stands with the 144,000 on Mount Zion because they are like
Him in character. When the 144,000 are produced by the three angels’
messages, we will see the final harvest of the fully ripened righteous and
wicked on this earth.
As Seventh-day Adventists preparing for the coming of Jesus, we have

been chosen to proclaim and demonstrate the three angels’ messages.
There is nothing else that should be absorbing our attention at this time
of Earth’s history. May we be faithful to the call that God has given us.
REVELATION 15
REVELATION 15:1
OBSERVATION: At the beginning of Revelation 15, John the Revelator was
presented with a new, great and marvelous sign.
Seven Angels; Seven Last Plagues; Wrath of God: Here, John

encountered a striking contrast to the beginning of Revelation 14, where
he saw the 144,000. In chapter 15, he saw seven angels prepared to pour
out the seven last plagues. This is a dramatic and awful moment in the
history of the universe. In the seven last plagues “is filled up the wrath of
God.”
The sequence of events is clear. The third angel’s message has warned the
world that those who worship the beast and his image, and receive the
mark of the beast, will receive the wrath of God (Revelation 14:9–11).
Now the time has come for the wrath of God to be poured out. The final
message of mercy and warning has been rejected. Those who have
rejected that message will now receive the wrath of God through the
seven last plagues.
John also saw a group who gained the victory over the beast and his
image (vs. 2–4). Therefore, there is no excuse for those who rejected the
three angels’ messages. God is justified in pouring out His wrath on those
who not only reject the final warning message but who also try to destroy
God’s people who refuse to go along with the counterfeit worship scheme
described in Revelation 13.
APPLICATION: We are again reminded of the lengths to which God goes to
prevent anyone from receiving the wrath of God poured out in the seven
last plagues. It is God’s great desire that we will be part of the group
described in verses 2–4 and not among those who will receive His wrath.
There is still time to give your life to God and choose to be part of His
family. As your heart has been stirred by the three angels’ messages of
Revelation 14, let it be touched further as you study more about the
144,000 in the next few verses.
REVELATION 15:2–4
OBSERVATION: Before a further description of the seven last plagues is
given, God reveals explicitly why He is justified to pour out the seven last
plagues. We are shown the 144,000 standing on the sea of glass. This same
group who was standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion was also
described in Revelation 14:1-5, 12; and 7:3-8. Their faithfulness is a key
reason for why the plagues can be poured out.
This repetition regarding the 144,000 is for effect. God is going to defeat
Satan in the great controversy. He will have a faithful people on the earth
at the end of time. In case one doubts that the three angels’ messages,
through the power of the everlasting gospel, really produce the 144,000
who are just like Jesus, we see the message repeated here in verses 2–4.
What a glorious picture we see in these verses! There is no need to

worship the beast and his image or to receive the mark of the beast. God
has made provision for us to victoriously stand on the sea of glass.
Sea of Glass Mingled With Fire: The sea of glass was previously
mentioned in Revelation 4:6. The sea of glass is before the throne of God,
and we see a majestic picture here in verse 2 of the sea of glass mingled
with fire.
Fire is connected to the throne of God and the judgment scene in Daniel
7:9–10:
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days
did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his
head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and
his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth
from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment
was set, and the books were opened.
Here we are taken to the throne room of God. The sea of glass is in front
of the throne, and the fire tells us that God is present. While He is a
consuming fire to the wicked (Hebrews 12:29), those who have gained the
victory over the beast have been purified through the fires of affliction.
They have heeded the counsel of Christ to buy gold tried in the fire
(Revelation 3:18). As a result of being purified, they have overcome their
Laodicean condition, and they can stand in the presence of a holy God.
Them That Had Gotten the Victory Over the Beast, Over His Image,
Over His Mark, and Over the Number of His Name: John sees a special
group here who have gained a signal victory. There is no doubt as to who
is the group that stands on the sea of glass. They are the 144,000. They
have lived through the final crisis of Earth’s history and have gained the
victory over the beast, his image, his mark, and the number of his name.
They did not conform to required Sunday observance or go along with
the false religious revival in which church and state united. They stood
true to God even in the face of a death decree (Revelation 13:15).
They are purified and glorified so they will never taste death. Now they
stand in the presence of the One who made it possible for them to be
victorious.
Stand on the Sea of Glass; Having the Harps of God: The location of the
sea of glass is repeated at the end of verse 2, and now the 144,000 have the
harps of God. The 144,000 also had the harps of God in Revelation 14:2
as they prepared to sing a song that only they could sing. Revelation 14:3
says that this new song is sung by the 144,000 before the throne of God.
We have noted that the sea of glass is in front of the throne.
While Revelation 14:2–3 tells us that the song of the 144,000 is a new
song, Revelation 15:3–4 gives us the words to this new song. Just as in
Revelation 14:2, the song is accompanied by the harp.
They Sing the Song of Moses, the Servant of God, and the Song of the
Lamb: Regarding the song the 144,000 sing, a song in Scripture describes
the experience of the one who sings it. Revelation 14:3 says that only the
144,000 can sing this song because only they have had this experience.
They sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb because that best
describes their experience in the final crisis of Earth’s history.
In Scripture, there are some characteristics of Moses that are worth

mentioning. We see here in Revelation 15:3 that Moses is described as
“the servant of God.” The 144,000 in Revelation 7:3 are described as “the
servants of God.” The 144,000 are like Moses, in character, as they sing
the song of his experience. Hebrews 3:5 accentuates the understanding of
Moses as the servant of God:
And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a
testimony of those things which were to be spoken after.
One of the key moments in Moses’ life of faithfulness is found in Exodus

32:31–32:
And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people
have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet
now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray
thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
God threatened to destroy the children of Israel for their wickedness and
to instead make of Moses a great nation. Moses loved God’s people, and
he reminded God that His name would be profaned among the heathen if
the Israelites were destroyed. Moses was concerned about the honor of
God’s name.
Just as Moses was a faithful servant of God, so the 144,000 are faithful
end-time servants of God. They only want to glorify God’s name in all
things as the end of the world unfolds. They sing the song of Moses
because they have his experience.
The song of Moses is recorded in Exodus 15. It is a song of deliverance.

The faith of Moses encouraged the Israelites to trust God in a very dire
strait. The Israelites were truly trapped with the Egyptian army behind
them and the Red Sea before them. It seemed that certain destruction or
a swift return to slavery would be their outcome. As recorded in Exodus
14:13–14, Moses spoke faith to the Israelites:
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see
the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for
the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again
no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold
your peace.
God then commanded them to go forward and step into the Red Sea.
Moses stretched forth his rod, and by faith, they obeyed; the sea opened,
and they walked through the Red Sea on the dry pathway God created. It
is truly a remarkable miracle of deliverance.
The next morning, when the Israelites saw the dead bodies of the
Egyptians washed up on the shore, they knew that they were forever free
from the Egyptians. Their hearts were full as they sang this special song
of deliverance recorded in Exodus 15:1–21. We can sense the joy of their
new freedom as they praised God:
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the
LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath
triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into
the sea.
The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my

salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my
father’s God, and I will exalt him.
The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his
chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a
stone.
Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right

hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown

them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath,
which consumed them as stubble (Exodus 15:1–7).
Just as God delivered the Israelites and destroyed the Egyptians, He

delivers the 144,000 and destroys the wicked who issued a death decree
against them. Just as Moses declared that God would deliver the Israelites,
the 144,000 will claim God’s promises for deliverance when facing a death
decree, and they will move forward in faith. They also will be victorious.
This is an experience worth singing about.
Not only do the 144,000 sing the song of Moses; they also sing the song of
the Lamb, a song that describes the experience of Jesus on the cross as the
Lamb of God. This song is described most clearly in Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter
2:19–23.
We clearly see the song of the Lamb in Isaiah 53:6–11:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to
his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us
all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his

mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep
before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall
declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the
living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his
death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit
in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:
when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his
seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall
prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his
knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall
bear their iniquities.
What is striking about the song of the Lamb in Isaiah 53 is His silence
under provocation. The mental and spiritual anguish that Jesus endured
as the Lamb of God on the cross mirrors what the 144,000 will endure—
on a smaller scale—through the final crisis. His song in Luke 23:34 was
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Other than that,
He was silent. The 144,000 sing the song of the Lamb because they
respond in the same manner during the final crisis.
Patience is part of silence. The patience of Christ during His crucifixion is

described in 1 Peter 2:19–24:
For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God
endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye
be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when
ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable
with God.
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for
us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who
did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he
was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened
not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who
his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we,
being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose
stripes ye were healed.
Even more striking in this passage is that Christ remained silent while
being grossly mistreated for being righteous. It is hard enough to
maintain self-composure when being rebuked for doing wrong. However,
the true mark of a Christian is in not striking back with a fiery and
vindictive tongue when being rebuked or mistreated for doing what is
right. Jesus gives us the ultimate example from His experience as the
Lamb of God on the cross.
Christ’s silent patience while under provocation for being righteous

demonstrates how the 144,000 will gain the victory over the beast, his
image, his mark, and over the number of his name. They will not fight
back with deceitful tongues, they will not fume inwardly, but will instead
be forgiving and commit themselves to God who judges righteously. Just
like Jesus, they will have done nothing that is deserving of persecution or
death, but they will respond just as He did while going through the sham
trials, the scourging, the mocking and reviling, and yes, the agony of the
rejection of everyone, even His disciples and seemingly His own Father
while on the cross.
The song of Moses and the song of the Lamb combine the miraculous
deliverance that Moses and the children of Israel experienced with the
victory that Christ gained as He cried, “It is finished!”
Each deliverance and victory within the 144,000 will be personal and
very unique but will be just as miraculous and decisive as the children of
Israel’s victory in passing through the Red Sea.
The victory gained by the 144,000 will be like Jesus’ victory; no guile or
deceit will be in their mouth, just as Jesus “opened not His mouth.” The
victory gained contrasts the patient character of the Lamb with the
tyrannical character of Satan and the beast power. The meekness and
humility of Jesus as a Lamb being slaughtered demonstrates the merciful,
gracious character of God. On the other hand, working through the beast
power, Satan attacks the righteous even though they are not worthy of
death.
Truly, the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb, sung together on the
sea of glass before the throne of God, will be the climax of the ages.
Amazingly, we may choose to be one of the 144,000 in this greatest
triumphal moment since Christ died on the cross.
Great and Marvelous Are Thy Works, Lord God Almighty: The 144,000
can sing the song of Moses and the Lamb because they have had the
experience of Moses and the Lamb. In Revelation 15:3–4 we see the
specific words that are sung. Just as the Israelites marveled at the great
and mighty works of God in destroying the Egyptians, the 144,000
marvel at the “great and marvellous” works of the Almighty God in
delivering them from the beast power. Only God can deliver them from
the hand of the enemy just as they are about to be destroyed. He is the
Almighty God.
Just and True Are Thy Ways, Thou King of Saints: The next phrase to
the song indicates that God has completed the judgment of this earth. His
ways are just and true. We are reminded of the saying in Romans 3:4:
God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is
written, That thou mightiest be justified in thy sayings, and
mightest overcome when thou art judged.
In the hour of God’s judgment, God is vindicated. He is found to be just

and true. He overcomes the charges of Satan against Him by producing
the 144,000, who are just like Him in character. He comes as KING OF
KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:16) for His saints who
will possess the kingdom of the Most High (Daniel 7:27).
Who Shall Not Fear Thee, O Lord, and Glorify Thy Name: Here is a
direct relationship of the three angels’ messages to the song of Moses and
the song of the Lamb. In the first angel’s message, there is a clarion call to
“Fear God, and give glory to Him” (Revelation 14:7). The 144,000 clearly
fear God and give glory to Him because they now sing the song that says,
“Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name?” It is a rhetorical
question. They sing so that all of the righteous in heaven will fear God
and glorify His name throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Those
who accept the message of the first angel—to fear God and give glory to
Him—and who live to see Jesus come will be among the 144,000 who
sing this song.
For Thy Judgments Are Made Manifest: The song of Moses and the
Lamb continues with more of the first angel’s message. After the first
angel’s messages commands us to fear God and give glory to Him, it then
tells us why: “for the hour of His judgment is come” (Revelsation 14:7).
Those who fear God and give glory to Him stand through the judgment
hour of God. As God’s judgments are made manifest, the righteous find
their names written in the book of life (Daniel 12:1), while the wicked
receive the outpouring of the wrath of God through the seven last
plagues. They are then destroyed by the brightness of His coming (2
Thessalonians 2:8).
For Thou Only Art Holy: God only is holy. Holiness comes from God
alone. And God is powerful enough to make His people holy. The
144,000 have the Father’s name in their foreheads, signifying that God
has made them holy. Notice what Scripture says in 1 Peter 1:15–16:
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all

manner of conversation; Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am
holy.
The 144,000 acknowledge their unworthiness before God, who alone is

holy. However, God has made the 144,000 holy through His grace and
power. He even calls for His people to be holy because He is holy. The
144,000 can stand in the presence of God and sing the song of Moses and
the song of the Lamb because God has made them holy. As Hebrews
12:14 says,
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man
shall see the Lord.
For All Nations Shall Come and Worship Before Thee: The 144,000
have also heeded the call of the first angel’s message to “worship Him that
made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters”
(Revelation 14:7). Now they can sing the song that says all nations will
worship before God. This language is found originally in Psalm 86:9–10:
All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before
thee, O LORD; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and
doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
The fulfillment of this promise from Psalm 86 is found in Revelation 15:3.
In the first angel’s message, the issue of the worship of the true God, as
opposed to worshiping the beast, is connected to the seventh-day Sabbath
and its relationship to God as Creator. The 144,000 can sing the song
about worshiping God because they have worshiped God on the seventh-
day Sabbath, despite facing a coercive decree of enforced Sunday worship
that elevates the laws of men above the law of God. Thus, they have
gained the victory over the beast, his mark, his image, and over the
number of his name.
The victory of the 144,000 in the issue of Sabbath versus Sunday makes
them the first fruits of the harvest, and it allows them and all of the
righteous saints throughout history to come and worship before God in
heaven.
The 144,000 have experienced the first angel’s message. Thus, the message
of the first angel is part of the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.
They have feared God, given glory to Him, and have lived for God in the
hour of His judgment. Finally, they have worshiped Him.
The point is that the 144,000 have experienced the remaining portion of
the three angels’ messages. They were not part of fallen Babylon; thus,
they heeded the second angel’s message. They gained the victory over the
beast, his mark, his image, and the number of his name. They faithfully
followed the portion of the third angel’s message which calls for all to
avoid the worship of the beast. And the end of the third angel’s message
in Revelation 14:12 gives even further description to the 144,000.
The 144,000 can sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb
because they completely experience the three angels’ messages. This is a
reminder of why the three angels’ messages are so important. Those who
experience these messages will stand on Mount Zion with the Lamb, and
they will stand on the sea of glass before the throne of God. They will sing
the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.
APPLICATION: There is much to apply personally from the 144,000 singing

the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. In the midst of
overwhelming obstacles, Moses spoke faith and not doubt. This inspired
the Israelites to move forward in faith and cross the Red Sea. At the end
of the world, the 144,000 will speak faith even in the face of a death
decree. Thus, we must learn to speak and live by faith and hope now, even
when circumstances are foreboding.
Furthermore, our greatest tests of faith can come from how we are
treated, especially by fellow Christians and close family members. It is
easy to fight back with an impatient tongue or to exaggerate how poorly
we have been treated. But Christ gives us the ultimate example. He
remained sinless and endured to the end. He did not fight back with
tongue or attitude. That is how we are to live. By learning to commit
judgment to God, we become like Christ. This is not to say that we do not
stand up and call sin by its right name. But we do not fight for our own
personal rights when we have been mistreated. We do not become bitter
or angry over circumstances. We let God handle that and remain at
peace. “Great peace have they that love Thy law: and nothing shall offend
them” (Psalm 119:165). As we learn to surrender this aspect of our lives
to God, He uses personal trials and mistreatment to prune us and prepare
us to be part of the 144,000.
REVELATION 15:5–6
OBSERVATION: Trials that purify gold can harden steel. As the 144,000 are
growing to be more like Jesus, the wicked become more like Satan. With
the preparation of the 144,000, God shows why He is justified to pour out
His wrath on the wicked, those who wholly reject Him. Now the narrative
shifts back to God’s wrath being poured out through the seven last
plagues. This work begins with decisions that are finalized in the heavenly
sanctuary.
John’s attention was immediately drawn to what he saw next. He said,

“And after that I looked, and behold. …” The word “behold” shows that
what John saw was of great importance.
The Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in Heaven Was

Opened: That which catches John’s attention is the opening of the
“temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven.” This is the heavenly
sanctuary that is opened again. This is not the first time in the book of
Revelation that the sanctuary in heaven has been opened.
We saw in the seven churches, seven seals, and seven trumpets, that
Christ began His work in the Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. With
the opening of the seals, a door to the Holy Place was opened in heaven
(Revelation 4:1).
At the onset of the seventh trumpet, the Most Holy Place of the heavenly
sanctuary was opened:
kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for
ever and ever. … And the temple of God was opened in heaven,
and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and
there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an
earthquake, and great hail. (Revelation 11:15, 19)
At the beginning of the seventh trumpet, the Most Holy Place of the
heavenly sanctuary was opened, and John saw the ark of the testament.
This event took place on October 22, 1844. Within the ark of the
testament is contained the ten commandments. God raised up the
Second Advent movement to keep the commandments of God, have the
testimony of Jesus Christ, and demonstrate the patience of the saints and
the faith of Jesus.
When that work is finished, the sanctuary in heaven is opened again

(Revelation 15:5). Here it is described as the temple of the tabernacle of
the testimony in heaven. What is it that gives testimony in the tabernacle?
As Kenneth Mathews says, “The Ten Commandments in the ark of the
testimony stand as a witness to the deeds of the people.” 392
Those who have kept the commandments of God (Revelation 12:17;

14:12) are a witness to the character of God. Those who have been
disobedient and have received the mark of the beast are condemned by
the law. Everyone is judged according to their works (Revelation 20:12).
Here in Revelation 15:5, the opening of the sanctuary in heaven indicates

that the work begun with the initial sounding of the seventh trumpet in
1844 has now come to an end. At the beginning of the chapter, we
learned that the seven last plagues are about to be poured out.
Once the sanctuary in heaven is opened, verse 6 tells us that the seven
angels with the seven last plagues come out of the temple. The seventh
trumpet directly correlates the seventh plague with the outpouring of hail
(Revelation 11:19). Thus, the seventh trumpet reaches its climax at the
end of the seven last plagues.
As we recall from the study of the seven trumpets, the first four trumpets
are judgments on the Western Roman Empire. The fifth and sixth
trumpets are judgments on the Eastern Roman Empire. The seventh
trumpet includes the final judgment in heaven beginning in 1844 but
climaxes with the outpouring of the seven last plagues as God’s judgment
on papal Rome. This includes the judgment on the threefold union of the
dragon (spiritualism), the beast (the papacy), and the false prophet
(apostate Protestantism). As the culmination of the seventh trumpet, the
judgment against the enemies of God through the seven last plagues is
about to commence.
God opened to prophetic view a picture of the Most Holy Place of the
heavenly sanctuary at the beginning of the judgment in 1844. As
probation closes, He once again opens a picture of the Most Holy Place,
so it can be seen what He will do to culminate the judgment.
And the Seven Angels Came Out of the Temple, Having the Seven Last
Plagues: As we saw in verse 1, the seven last plagues contain the full
wrath of God. The seven angels come out of the temple, or sanctuary, in
heaven to pour out the seven last plagues. The seven last plagues are
poured out when probation closes. The fact that the seven angels with the
seven plagues come out of the heavenly sanctuary indicates that they have
come out in response to the completion of the work of judgment in the
sanctuary. The sins of God’s people are blotted out before the mercy seat.
The final atonement is made, every case decided. Probation is closed.
Clothed in Pure and White Linen; Having Their Breasts Girded With
Golden Girdles: The attire of the angels is similar to that which Christ
wears in Daniel 10:5 and Revelation 1:13 respectively:
Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man
clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz.
… And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the
Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt
about the paps with a golden girdle.
Kenneth Mathews gives insight to this description of the angels as it

relates to the plagues:
We have seven angels who come out of the temple, ready to

receive the vials of God’s wrath. Bright and shining, they are
clothed in the character of God, or in their heavenly garments,
ready to reveal His wrath upon those who worship the beast
and his image or receive the mark of the beast in the forehead
or in the hand. Their golden sash signifies that they are girded
for service, clad in similar attire to the glorified Jesus of
Chapter 1. These angels are His representatives in this
judgment. 393
APPLICATION: In the book of Revelation, God made clear the nature of His
work in the heavenly sanctuary. When by faith we follow Him now, we
find Him in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary where He prepares us
to stand through the final crisis and to be among the 144,000. Notice this
statement from Ellen White:
The great plan of redemption, as revealed in the closing work of
these last days, should receive close examination. The scenes
connected with the sanctuary above should make such an
impression upon the minds and hearts of all that they may be
able to impress others. All need to become more intelligent in
regard to the work of the atonement, which is going on in the
sanctuary above. When this grand truth is seen and
understood, those who hold it will work in harmony with
Christ to prepare a people to stand in the great day of God, and
their efforts will be successful. By study, contemplation, and
prayer God’s people will be elevated above common, earthly
thoughts and feelings, and will be brought into harmony with
Christ and His great work of cleansing the sanctuary above
from the sins of the people. 394
REVELATION 15:7–8
OBSERVATION: We learned in Revelation 4 that the four beasts, or living
creatures, are a special order of angels. Here in chapter 15, one of these
four beasts gives the seven golden vials to the seven angels (v. 7). These
vials contain the wrath of God as seen in the seven last plagues. A brief
mention is made that God lives for ever and ever. The God who lives
forever now brings an end to those who have tried to destroy His people,
thus bringing justice to His people and fulfilling the prayers of the
martyrs under the altar (Revelation 6:9–10).
And the Temple Was Filled With Smoke From the Glory of God, and
From His Power: Here we see language that signifies the completion of
Christ’s work in the heavenly sanctuary. Similar language is used to
describe what happened when Solomon dedicated the newly completed
temple:
And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy
place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the
priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the
glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. (1 Kings 8:10–
11)
The same scene is described in parallel language in 2 Chronicles 5:11–14:
place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and
did not then wait by course: Also the Levites which were the
singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their
sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having
cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the
altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding
with trumpets:) It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and
singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising
and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with
the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and
praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth
for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the
house of the LORD; So that the priests could not stand to minister
by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the
house of God.
The smoke of the Lord (which represents the glory of the Lord) filling the
temple in both of these passages indicates that the work of building the
temple was complete, and God had accepted that work.
In Revelation 15, when the temple is filled with smoke from the glory of
the Lord, it represents the end of Christ’s work in the Most Holy Place of
the heavenly sanctuary. Probation is closed. Michael stands up (Daniel
12:1) and proclaims,
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let
him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous
still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. (Revelation 22:11)
The names of the righteous are found written in the book of life. Now the
temple is filled with smoke, with the glory of the Lord and His power.
The purpose of the work in the heavenly sanctuary is to bring an end to
sin. When the work in the sanctuary is completed by Christ in His high
priestly role, the sins of God’s people are blotted out forever.
And No Man Was Able to Enter Into the Temple, Till the Seven
Plagues of the Seven Angels Were Fulfilled: During the time of the
outpouring of the seven last plagues, the intercession of Christ as High
Priest has come to an end. Until that time, all can enter boldly to the
throne of grace to “obtain mercy and find grace” (Hebrews 4:15–16) to
help us through whatever needs that we have. God’s strong arm of
deliverance will still be available for His people after probation closes, but
His work as intercessor will be over.
In the Old Testament, on the day of atonement, the high priest comes out
of the sanctuary after the sins of God’s people are blotted out. He then
confesses these sins onto the head of the scapegoat. A fit man then leads
the scapegoat away. This is described in Leviticus 16:20–22:
And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and
the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring
the live goat: And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head
of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the
children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins,
putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away
by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall
bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and
he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
In Revelation 15, the temple being filled with smoke from the glory of the
Lord indicates that Jesus has come out of the Most Holy Place of the
sanctuary, and has confessed the sins of God’s people—which have been
blotted out by His blood in the final atonement—onto the head of the
scapegoat. Contrary to what many other Christians believe, we
understand that the scapegoat is Satan.
Ellen White provided a very interesting statement about the scapegoat
and the fit man:
Then I saw that Jesus’ work in the sanctuary will soon be

finished. And after His work there is finished, He will come to
the door of the first apartment, and confess the sins of Israel
upon the head of the Scape Goat. Then He will put on the
garments of vengeance. Then the plagues will come upon the
wicked, and they do not come till Jesus puts on that garment,
and takes His place upon the great white cloud. Then while the
plagues are falling, the Scape Goat is being led away. He makes
a mighty struggle to escape, but he is held fast by the hand that
leads him. If he should effect his escape, Israel would lose their
lives. I saw that it would take time to lead away the Scape Goat
into the land of forgetfulness after the sins were put on his
head. 395
When probation closes, Jesus is the High Priest who places the sins of
God’s people onto the head of Satan, the scapegoat. Then the seven last
plagues begin to fall. It is during the outpouring of the seven last plagues
that Satan is being led away into the wilderness. This wilderness is the
desolated earth during the millennium, after its destruction by fire at the
Second Coming of Jesus (see Revelation 20). The millennium is the
period of time in which the righteous are in heaven. During the
millennium, Satan remains on the desolated earth. It is during the seven
last plagues, before the beginning of the millennium, that he is led toward
the wilderness that he will inhabit for a thousand years.
During the seven last plagues, the fit man leads Satan away. The fit man
was an individual, chosen from the camp of Israel, who was strong
enough to accomplish the task of leading the scapegoat into the
wilderness. At the end of the world, God chooses those who are
spiritually fit to lead Satan into the land of forgetfulness.
The fit man represents the 144,000 who are sustained by the power of
God during the outpouring of the seven last plagues. Satan claims that he
will get the 144,000 to fall during that time. God knows that the 144,000
will be impervious to the attacks of Satan, even though Satan will throw
everything that he has against them during that time. This is why God
waits for a harvest that is fully ripened. He must have a people with full
character maturity to face the final onslaught of Satan after probation
closes. Christ empowers the 144,000 and is victorious through them as
they hold fast to the scapegoat through the outpouring of the plagues.
As Ellen White said in the statement above, Satan will make a mighty
struggle to escape. It is worth mentioning that every sin confessed over
the head of the scapegoat, Satan, represents all of the sins of the righteous
which Satan enticed them to commit. At the end of the investigative
judgment, these sins are finally blotted out by the blood of Jesus. While
Christ bore our punishment for these sins on the cross, by confessing
them on the head of the scapegoat He requires Satan to ultimately bear
the responsibility of all sin in the world. Satan will be punished
accordingly when he is destroyed by fire at the end of the millennium.
Thus, he is motivated to keep as many people as possible from being
saved. If they are lost, they bear the responsibility and are punished for
their own sins.
Ellen White affirmed this point in the following statements:
Satan bore not only the weight and punishment of his own sins,
but also of the sins of the redeemed host, which had been
placed upon him; and he must also suffer for the ruin of souls
which he had caused. 396
As the priest, in removing the sins from the sanctuary,

confessed them upon the head of the scapegoat, so Christ will
place all these sins upon Satan, the originator and instigator of
sin. The scapegoat, bearing the sins of Israel, was sent away
“unto a land not inhabited” (Leviticus 16:22); so Satan, bearing
the guilt of all the sins which he has caused God’s people to
commit, will be for a thousand years confined to the earth,
which will then be desolate, without inhabitant, and he will at
last suffer the full penalty of sin in the fires that shall destroy all
the wicked. Thus the great plan of redemption will reach its
accomplishment in the final eradication of sin and the
deliverance of all who have been willing to renounce evil. 397
Satan will clearly be motivated to destroy God’s people during the

plagues. But the 144,000 have gained the victory over the beast, his
image, his mark, and over the number of his name. They will be sustained
by God’s power during the outpouring of the plagues, and they will prove
faithful during this trying period.
During the outpouring of the seven last plagues, when the temple of God
in heaven is filled with smoke from the glory of the Lord, the 144,000 will
be a demonstration of the glory of God on the earth. At this time, the
faithfulness of the 144,000 places Satan into ineffectiveness (the land of
forgetfulness, or the wilderness) once and for all. Their song of victory,
when they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the
Lamb, is poignant. They have lived through the Sunday law crisis when
they could not buy or sell. They faced a death decree. They lived through
the outpouring of the seven last plagues. And by the grace of God, as they
represent the fit man holding the scapegoat firmly during the plagues, the
144,000 have gained the victory. Their faithfulness is a testament forever
to the faithfulness of God and will testify forever to the fact that Satan’s
charges against God’s character and government are false. Their
faithfulness is also God’s justification for pouring out the seven last
plagues on the wicked.
God does not delight in destroying the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11; 1

Thessalonians 5:9–10). This is His strange act (Isaiah 28:21). But He must
protect the righteous from the destruction that is certain if He does not
intervene. And He must judge and avenge the blood of the righteous
saints (Revelation 6:9–11).
APPLICATION: There is harmony with what happens in the heavenly
sanctuary and what is simultaneously happening in the lives of God’s
people on the earth. When the temple is filled with smoke from the glory
God, it also means that God’s people are filled with His glory. As 1
Corinthians 3:16 says,
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of
God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him
shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye
are.
Ellen G. White affirmed this understanding in the following statement:
From the Holy of Holies, there goes on the grand work of

instruction. The angels of God are communicating to men. Christ
officiates in the sanctuary. We do not follow Him into the
sanctuary as we should. Christ and angels work in the hearts of
the children of men. The church above united with the church
below is warring the good warfare upon the earth. There must be
a purifying of the soul here upon the earth, in harmony with
Christ’s cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven.398
As God’s people are cleansed from sin on the earth, the sanctuary in
heaven is cleansed. Now is the time for us to follow Jesus, by faith, into
the Most Holy Place to receive cleansing. Someday soon, Jesus’ work in
the Most Holy Place will be finished, probation will be closed, and it will
be too late to receive the forgiveness, grace, and mercy that we need. Our
soul temples need cleansing. Jesus can truly cleanse us from all sin. Let us
now come boldly to the throne of grace to receive the grace and mercy
that we so desperately need.
REVELATION 16
INTRODUCTION
Revelation 16 introduces explicit detail of God’s wrath upon the wicked.
It is difficult for some to imagine that God would punish or destroy the
wicked in any manner. Some have suggested that God gives the wicked
up, and they destroy themselves, or are destroyed by Satan, based on
Romans 1:24, 26, and 28.
In the great controversy, Satan has worked to misrepresent God’s

character, and he has used human agents very effectively. These
arguments are well-articulated in the following statement:
While there are some variations, the general idea is that, yes,
sin exists and it will receive justice, but God doesn’t punish evil
directly, for doing so would be contrary to His character of love
—He just “isn’t that kind of person.” In essence, according to
this view, sin punishes itself, or Satan does the punishing just as
soon as God removes His protective hand. 399
While it is true that God gives the wicked up to face the consequences of
their evil course and that Satan brings destruction when God allows him,
it is not true that God takes no role in the punishment of the wicked. In
this chapter, the vivid scenes of the seven last plagues make it
unmistakably clear that God does indeed pour forth justice on the
wicked. Isaiah 26:21 says,
For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the
inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall
disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
The prophet Isaiah also referred to God’s judgments on the wicked as
“His strange work” in Isaiah 28:21:
For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth

as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange
work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
Ellen White also provided helpful insight on this topic. She remarks on
the three heavenly visitors to Abraham who were on their way to destroy
Sodom and Gomorrah:
Abraham had seen in his guests only three tired wayfarers, little
thinking that among them was One whom he might worship
without sin. But the true character of the heavenly messengers
was now revealed. Though they were on their way as ministers
of wrath, yet to Abraham, the man of faith, they spoke first of
blessings. Though God is strict to mark iniquity and to punish
transgression, He takes no delight in vengeance. The work of
destruction is a “strange work” to Him who is infinite in love.
400
Furthermore, the wrath of God is not an arbitrary action in which God

lashes out in anger. Notice this statement from Ellen White:
The wrath of God is not declared against unrepentant sinners

merely because of the sins they have committed, but because,
when called to repent, they choose to continue in resistance,
repeating the sins of the past in defiance of the light given
them. If the Jewish leaders had submitted to the convicting
power of the Holy Spirit, they would have been pardoned; but
they were determined not to yield. In the same way, the sinner,
by continued resistance, places himself where the Holy Spirit
cannot influence him. 401
Here is another clear statement on this topic from Ellen G. White:
It is Satan’s constant effort to misrepresent the character of

God, the nature of sin, and the real issues at stake in the great
controversy. His sophistry lessens the obligation of the divine
law and gives men license to sin. 402
When God is portrayed in such a way that He will not truly punish the
wicked, in a myriad of ways it becomes easier to undermine the claims of
God’s law. The culmination of the undermining of God’s law is through
the passing of the Sunday law.403 If God will not punish, what is the harm
in changing the fourth commandment? However, when enforced, Sunday
worship leads to the mark of the beast, and those who receive the mark of
the beast will receive the wrath of God.
It is extremely dangerous to disregard the justice aspect of God’s

character. Notice this statement from Ellen White:
Then I saw that the seven last plagues were soon to be poured
out upon those who have no shelter; yet the world regarded
them no more than they would so many drops of water that
were about to fall. I was then made capable of enduring the
awful sight of the seven last plagues, the wrath of God. I saw
that His anger was dreadful and terrible, and if He should
stretch forth His hand, or lift it in anger, the inhabitants of the
world would be as though they had never been, or would suffer
from incurable sores and withering plagues that would come
upon them, and they would find no deliverance, but be
destroyed by them. Terror seized me, and I fell upon my face
before the angel and begged of him to cause the sight to be
removed, to hide it from me, for it was too dreadful. Then I
realized, as never before, the importance of searching the Word
of God carefully, to know how to escape the plagues which that
Word declares shall come on all the ungodly who shall worship
the beast and his image and receive his mark in their foreheads
or in their hands. It was a great wonder for me that any could
transgress the law of God and tread down His holy Sabbath,
when such awful threatenings and denunciations were against
them. 404
It is very important to rightly understand the nature of God’s character.
He is a God of love. But He is also a God of justice, and the picture of His
righteous judgments in Revelation 16 is a necessary part of
understanding God’s complete character. As Exodus 34:7 says,
Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and

transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty;
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon
the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth
generation.
Another deception that has been promoted within the Seventh-day

Adventist Church is the idea that the seven last plagues are a repeat of the
seven trumpets. It is argued that the seven trumpets have a historical
fulfillment, but they are repeated in the seven last plagues of Revelation
16. 405
While there are similar features within the seven trumpets and the seven
last plagues, the fifth and sixth trumpets, for example, have time
prophecies of 150 years and 391 years and 15 days, respectively. The seven
trumpets have a historical fulfillment. The seventh trumpet began on
October 22, 1844, and culminates with the outpouring of the seven last
plagues. The seven last plagues are actually contained within the seventh
trumpet and are the completion and fulfillment of the seventh trumpet.
There are no time prophecies within the seven last plagues.
The first four trumpets were judgments on the Western Roman Empire,
and the fifth and sixth trumpets were judgments on the Eastern Roman
Empire. The seventh trumpet is a judgment on spiritual Rome as seen in
the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. In the seventh trumpet, the
final judgment against Rome is seen in the seven last plagues.
The ten plagues of Egypt have similar features to the seven last plagues,
and the seven trumpets are similar to the seven last plagues. Thus we see
that God uses similar methods when judging the wicked. He used the
judgments in Egypt and in the seven trumpets as warnings of what will
come with the seven last plagues. While there are overlapping features,
the seven trumpets and the seven last plagues are distinct from each
other. The seven trumpets largely have already been fulfilled, with the
exception of the end of the seventh trumpet. The seven last plagues
remain in the future. Thus, the first six trumpets are not repeated in the
seven last plagues. Rather, as the third woe of Revelation 11:15–19
reaches its conclusion, the seventh trumpet culminates with the
With that understanding, let us study the seven plagues to understand the
judgments that God will pour upon the wicked after probation closes.
REVELATION 16:1
OBSERVATION: Revelation 15 is the prelude to the outpouring of the seven
last plagues. God is now justified to pour out the plagues because,
through His grace and power, the 144,000 have been faithful and have
overcome the beast power. Probation is closed. The temple of God is filled
with smoke from the glory of God.
As probation closes, Daniel 12:1 says,
one that shall be found written in the book.
Michael, or Christ, stands up at the close of probation. At this time, God

speaks,
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let
him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous
still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. (Revelation 22:11)
As probation closes, the first plagues then begin to fall on the wicked.
Simultaneously, the great time of trouble (the time of Jacob’s trouble)
begins for the righteous, especially escalating in the sixth and seven
plagues.
In Revelation 16:1, John heard a great voice from heaven telling the seven
angels to pour out the seven vials that are filled with the wrath of God. It
is the time for God’s judgments to be poured out on the wicked.
APPLICATION: There is a limit to the mercy of God. When probation

closes, the limit to His mercy has been reached. We think of Sodom and
Gomorrah in the Old Testament. We think of the long-suffering that God
exhibited toward Israel and Judah. He even gave the Jews three and one-
half more years after Jesus died before their probation closed. He gives us
ample time to prepare for His coming and to repent of our sins.
The most significant Old Testament comparison to the seven last plagues
is that of the ten plagues of Egypt. There are several plagues of Egypt that
are similar to the seven last plagues. These comparisons will be made as
we progress through the seven last plagues. The plagues on Egypt were a
judgment of Egypt for their enslavement of God’s people. The enrichment
that Egypt gained through the labor of the Hebrew slaves was severely
damaged during the plagues, and it ended with the loss of life of the
firstborn of the Egyptians who had not placed blood from a lamb on their
doorposts.
God does not delight in the death of the wicked. This thought is conveyed
in Ezekiel 33:11:
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure
in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way
and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die,
O house of Israel?
There is a similar thought in 1 Thessalonians 5:9–10:

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation
by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake
or sleep, we should live together with him.
Jesus died for everyone that has ever lived. Each person is given a choice.
If one chooses not to follow God, it is their choice to be destroyed. But
God takes no delight in this outcome.
Today is the day of salvation. Choose to follow God completely. Do not

wait a moment longer.
THE FIRST PLAGUE

REVELATION 16:2
OBSERVATION: Verse 2 describes the outpouring of the first plague on
those who received the mark of the beast and worshiped the image of the
beast.
There Fell a Noisome and Grievous Sore: The plagues are largely
described in literal language. The first plague comes as a great shock to
those who have received the mark of the beast. The effect of each plague
is such that those throughout the world who have received the mark of
the beast will be afflicted with great consternation.
The first plague is that of a “grievous sore.” The Greek word for “sore” is
helkos. It means “ulcer,” “sore,” “suppurating wound.” In the Greek
Septuagint (LXX), helkos is used to describe the boils of the sixth
Egyptian plague (Exodus 9:9–10) and the boils that came upon Job (Job
2:7). 406 Like Job, those afflicted by the boils will suffer utter misery.
When there is an outbreak of these grievous boils throughout the world,

it will be the indication that probation has closed. Those who have these
sores are among those who have received the mark of the beast. The sores
are an outward manifestation of the condition of the heart.
These plagues affect the entire world, but not everyone will be affected at
the same time. Notice what Ellen White said:
These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth

would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful
scourges that have ever been known to mortals. All the
judgments upon men, prior to the close of probation, have been
mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded
the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in
the final judgment, wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy.
407
There are similarities in the ten plagues of Egypt in Exodus with the
seven last plagues here in Revelation 16. It was in the sixth of ten plagues
(see Exodus 9:8–12) that boils covered the inhabitants of Egypt.
THE SECOND PLAGUE

REVELATION 16:3
OBSERVATION: The second angel pours his vial into the sea, and the sea
becomes as blood.
The Sea Became as the Blood of a Dead Man: The horrors of the plagues
continue. From terrible sores, now the sea becomes as blood, and all
living creatures in the sea die. While the terrible boils were an inkling
that probation has closed, when the sea becomes blood, it is
unmistakably clear. In this statement, Ellen White made it clear that once
the first and second plagues are seen, probation has closed for the world:
When Christ ceases His intercession in the sanctuary, the

unmingled wrath threatened against those who worship the
beast and his image and receive his mark (Revelation 14:9, 10),
will be poured out. The plagues upon Egypt when God was
about to deliver Israel were similar in character to those more
terrible and extensive judgments which are to fall upon the
world just before the final deliverance of God’s people. Says the
revelator, in describing those terrific scourges: “There fell a
noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark
of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image.” The
sea “became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul
died in the sea.” And “the rivers and fountains of waters …
became blood.” Terrible as these inflictions are, God’s justice
stands fully vindicated. 408
By going along with the mark of the beast, those who thought that they
were dodging punishment, or were trying to avoid conflict, or even trying
to preserve their lives, now realize the awful mistake that they have made.
APPLICATION: We are reminded of the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:25:
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will
lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Those who choose to receive the mark of the beast in the forehead or in
the hand do so thinking they are saving their temporal lives and
prosperity. But they do not value that which is eternal, and thus they lose
eternal life. Today, we must learn to value that which is eternal, so that we
will be found on the Lord’s side now and when it truly matters at the end
of the world.
THE THIRD PLAGUE

REVELATION 16:4–7
OBSERVATION: The second angel poured out his vial upon the sea. In the
third plague, the angel pours out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of
waters.
The Rivers and Fountains of Waters Become Blood: Not only does the
sea become blood, the rivers and fountains of waters turn into blood as
well. This is similar to the first plague in Egypt in which the Nile River
turned into blood (see Exodus 7:14–24). Water is a source of life for
humanity. In the third plague, that source of life becomes unusable. The
magnitude of the crisis for the wicked truly escalates with this plague.
The third angel, who pours out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of
waters, makes a pronouncement declaring that God is righteous for
judging thus. He is, He was, and He shall be. He has seen what the beast
power has done in the past and the present. The judgment poured out is a
punishment that fits their sins.
Verse 6 makes it clear why the punishment of rivers and fountains of

waters turning to blood is just. The fresh water from the rivers and
fountains of waters serves as the source of drinking water for humanity. It
has now been turned to blood. God is giving blood to the wicked to
drink. Why? Because the beast power has shed the blood of saints and
prophets. The murder of innocent saints and prophets is so heinous that
the angel says that the wicked are worthy to drink blood.
From the altar in heaven another voice is heard affirming the true and
righteous judgments of God (v. 7). This is similar to the language of
Psalm 19:9 which says, “the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous
altogether.”
A righteous God can only inflict righteous judgments.
To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no

unrighteousness in him (Psalm 92:15).
The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works
(Psalm 145:17).
During the fifth seal, the souls under the altar cried and asked how long it
would be until God would judge and avenge their blood (Revelation 6:9–
11). That time has come. Vengeance belongs to God, and now He repays
the wicked for their evil.
Millions upon millions of the righteous died during the 1,260 years of
papal persecution. Many more will be martyred during the early time of
trouble before probation closes.409 The Lord God Almighty pours out
judgments that are true and righteous.
Ellen White applied the guilt incurred from the death decree to this
plague as well:
The angel of God declares: “Thou art righteous, O Lord, …

because Thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of
saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink;
for they are worthy.” Revelation 16:2–6. By condemning the
people of God to death, they have as truly incurred the guilt of
their blood as if it had been shed by their hands. In like manner
Christ declared the Jews of His time guilty of all the blood of
holy men which had been shed since the days of Abel; for they
possessed the same spirit and were seeking to do the same work
with these murderers of the prophets. 410
The death decree has ushered in the close of probation, and God
responds with judgments worthy of the guilt of the wicked.
APPLICATION: We have already seen the principle of God’s just judgments

at the end of the 1,260 years. Revelation 13:10 says, “He that leadeth into
captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be
killed with the sword.” All of the persecution that the papacy inflicted
upon the righteous is being turned against it during the seven last
plagues.
We may feel that there are those who have mistreated us and have gotten
away with it. Someday, God will set things right by judging and avenging
all unrighteousness. In the meantime, as Jesus did on the cross, we must
have a spirit of forgiveness toward our persecutors with the hope and
prayer that they will be saved before it is too late.
THE FOURTH PLAGUE

REVELATION 16:8–9
OBSERVATION: When the fourth angel pours out his vial, the sun scorches
the wicked with great heat. Historically, in an attempt to gain influence
with pagans who worshiped the sun, the papacy changed the day of
worship from Sabbath to Sunday. Now those who receive the mark of the
beast honor Sunday, the venerable day of the sun, the day that the papacy
exalted above the Sabbath for many centuries.
During the time of Elijah, the Israelites worshiped Baal, believing that he
sent the rain. As the sun beat down and no rain came, the drought forced
them to realize the futility of worshiping a false god. With the fourth
plague, those who worship on the venerable day of the sun are scorched
by its heat. They also suffer from famine as the relentless heat destroys
vegetation.
God uses the sun, which He created, as an instrument of punishment

toward those who worshiped it, despite the teachings of Scripture saying
we should only honor the seventh-day Sabbath as the true day.
As the wicked suffer under this heat, they blaspheme the name of God.
Verse 9 says, “and they repented not to give Him glory.” The recalcitrance
of the wicked is plain to see here. Probation has closed, and even the
judgments of God do not lead them to repentance. Rather, the judgments
reveal the totality of their wickedness.
The wicked did not heed the call of the first angel’s message to “Fear God
and give glory to Him.” After probation closes, they still refuse to give
God glory.
The refusal of the wicked to repent is very similar to the end of the sixth
trumpet in Revelation 9:20, 21:
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet
repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not
worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone,
and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: neither
repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their
fornication, nor of their thefts.
The righteous are spared from experiencing the scorching heat from the
sun. Revelation 7:16 says, “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any
more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.”
While that verse applies as a promise to the 144,000 in heaven, it also

serves as a reminder of the scorching heat the wicked suffer during the
fourth plague and of how the righteous are spared from the plagues.
THE FIFTH PLAGUE

OBSERVATION: When the fifth angel pours out his vial, the fifth plague is
specifically poured out on the seat of the beast. As a result of the plague
being poured on the seat of the beast, the kingdom of the beast becomes
full of darkness.
The beast is the power to which the dragon gave his power, seat, and
authority (Revelation 13:2). From our study of Revelation 13, we know
that this beast power is the Roman Catholic church-state power. When
the fifth plague is poured out on the seat of the beast, the Vatican—
located in the midst of Rome, Italy—will feel the effect of this plague.
However, it will not just be the Vatican and Rome, Italy that feel this
effect. The plague of darkness affects the kingdom of the beast. The
papacy is a worldwide kingdom. All the world wonders after the beast
and receives the mark of the beast. As Austin Cooke says,
The world has rejected the spiritual light of the Lamb and has
chosen instead the spiritual darkness of the beast, and now God
grants them literal darkness. 411
The darkness is very intense. We are reminded of the ninth plague of

Egypt in which darkness enshrouded Egypt for three days (Exodus
10:21–29). There is a description of this darkness in Zephaniah 1:15:
That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of

wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a
day of clouds and thick darkness.
The kingdom of the papacy represents all the world that has wondered
after the beast and received the mark of the beast. While Ellen White
mentioned that these plagues are not universal, clearly much of the world
is enshrouded in a literal, thick darkness during the fifth plague.
Not only is the kingdom of the papacy covered in literal darkness,

Scripture also says that the people of the kingdom “gnawed their tongues
for pain.”
The fourth and fifth plagues are opposite in nature, but both have
devastating effects. The sun brings light and heat and in the fourth plague
it scorches the earth with heat. Then, in the fifth plague, the sun is kept
from giving light to the earth. Great darkness covers the earth. With this
total darkness comes intense cold. Now those affected by the darkness
face extremely cold temperatures. Thus, they “gnawed their tongues for
pain” due to the severe cold.
By the time the fifth plague comes, the seat of the beast and its entire
kingdom are completely covered with intense darkness and severely cold
temperatures. What appeared to be a united front when all the world
wondered after the beast is rapidly disintegrating.
APPLICATION: The irony of the fifth plague on the papacy is that the
papacy exalts the venerable day of the sun as the day of worship. The sun
brings life, light, and warmth to this earth. However, the papacy
incorporated into their worship and dogma the idolatrous pagan rites of
sun worship when they changed the day of worship from the seventh-day
Sabbath to Sunday. Instead of remembering God’s fourth commandment,
and by venerating that which was a pagan rite and setting up the papal
authority so willing to dispute God’s Word, spiritual darkness enveloped
the earth during the Dark Ages of AD 538–1798.
At the end of the world, this spiritual darkness deepens when Sunday
worship is enforced and a death decree is sentenced on those who
disobey this false worship. God intervenes by sending scorching heat
from the sun, and then plunges the world into deep darkness and
extremely cold temperatures.
Especially in our time, we must be careful to avoid the mistakes of the

papacy. By exalting that which was created by God over God Himself, we
make idols in our lives that can come back to destroy us. We can make
idols of our children or spouse when we allow them to turn our hearts
from following God. These idols turn into a curse of destruction the way
the sun turns into scorching heat. Afterward, that which was designed as
a blessing is taken away completely, and we lose everything. May we
worship God only and follow His Word.
THE SIXTH PLAGUE

REVELATION 16:12
OBSERVATION: When the sixth plague is poured out, things become even
worse for the beast and its kingdom. Its seat and kingdom have been
severely weakened from the darkness and extreme cold of the fifth
plague.
While the first five plagues are described in literal language, there is a
transition to symbolic language in the sixth plague. The River Euphrates,
the kings of the east, the three unclean spirits like frogs, the dragon, the
beast, the false prophet, and the battle of Armageddon are all symbols
used to portray literal powers and events. Jesus also pronounces a
blessing to those who watch and keep their garments. The garment is also
a symbol. We will sequentially decode these symbols as we go through
the sixth plague.
Sixth Vial Poured Upon the Great River Euphrates; Water Dries Up:
When the sixth vial is poured on the River Euphrates, and its water dries
up, there is a further escalation of the losses to the beast power.
The great River Euphrates flowed through ancient Babylon. It was the
source of life, power, and beauty for Babylon. Cyrus of Persia worked to
divert the flow of the River Euphrates away from Babylon. As Herodotus
said,
He [Cyrus] turned the Euphrates by a canal into the basin,

which was then a marsh, on which the river sank to such an
extent that the natural bed of the stream became fordable. 412
Once the diversion was accomplished, the Medes and Persians stormed
the city of Babylon. Belshazzar, the king of Babylon, was slain, and Darius
the Median was installed as king of the new kingdom (see Daniel 5:28–
31). Shortly after, Cyrus the Persian became king.
The drying up of the great River Euphrates in 539 BC led to the

destruction of ancient Babylon. Here in Revelation 16:12, the great River
Euphrates dries up again. But this passage is not referring to the literal
river that now flows through modern-day Iraq in the land of ancient
Babylon. Rather, the great River Euphrates in Revelation 16:12 represents
the source of life and support for modern Babylon, and Babylon is a
threefold union of spiritualism, the papacy, and apostate Protestant
America. (This threefold union is discussed further in Revelation 16:13,
19.)
In the fifth plague, the seat of the beast power and its kingdom comes
under intense darkness. Now, in the sixth plague, the beast power loses its
source of life and power. So what does the great River Euphrates of
Revelation 16:12 represent? Revelation 17:15 says that the waters where
the harlot of Babylon sits represent “peoples, and multitudes, and nations,
and tongues.”
Thus, the great River Euphrates represents the vast multitudes of the
world who have supported modern Babylon and have received the mark
of the beast. By wondering after and worshiping the beast, the multitudes
of people are the source of life, support, and power for the papacy. As a
result of receiving the mark of the beast, these multitudes are subjected to
the outpouring of the seven last plagues. As plague after plague unfolds,
the support of the people of the world who have wondered after the beast
dries up. This support especially dries up when the territory of the
Vatican and its kingdom is affected by intense darkness and cold. It is
clear that God is judging the beast power. Thus, the support of the people
dries up.
That the Way of the Kings of the East Might Be Prepared: After the
destruction of ancient Babylon, Darius and Cyrus, the kings to the east of
Babylon in Media and Persia respectively, established their kingdom of
Medo-Persia by diverting the water of the Euphrates River. In conquering
Babylon and by allowing God’s people, the Jews, to return to their native
land, Cyrus fulfilled the mission for which God raised him up (see Isaiah
44:24–45:4). In this way, Cyrus became a type of Christ because he
redeemed and set free God’s people when they were in captivity.
In the sixth plague, the kings of the east (v. 12) are not from east of
ancient Babylon, like Darius and Cyrus of Media and Persia. Rather, the
kings of the east represent both Christ, the KING OF KINGS, AND
LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:16), and the Father who is one with
Christ and who reigns from the throne of God in heaven.
In addition to Revelation 19:16, Jesus is referred to as King in many

places in Scripture. Note Isaiah 44:6:
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD
of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is
no God.
Just as He is the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end” (see
Revelation 22:13), He is the first and the last, and the King of Israel.
Jesus indirectly refers to the Father as King in Revelation 3:21:

throne.
Christ sits with His Father in the Father’s throne. The fact that the Father
has a throne shows that He is King (see also Daniel 7:9–10). Like Christ,
those who overcome will sit with Christ in the throne of Christ, and reign
with Him as kings and priests (Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 20:6), thereby
demonstrating that Christ is King. Thus, we can see that Christ and the
Father are the kings of the east.
The way of the kings of the east represents the Second Coming of Christ
when He comes with the host of angels. The direction of the east is
significant as this indicates the direction from which Jesus comes. See
what Matthew 24:27 says about the direction of Christ’s coming:
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto
the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Toward the end of the plagues, as the Second Coming draws near, the
support for Babylon dries up. Just as Cyrus conquered ancient Babylon
and allowed the Jews to return to their native land, Christ, as KING OF
KINGS, is coming to destroy Babylon with the brightness of His coming
(2 Thessalonians 2:8) so that He can deliver spiritual Israel from the grasp
of Satan and spiritual Babylon. He will then take His people to the
heavenly Canaan.
The seven last plagues dry up the support of spiritual Babylon just before
it is destroyed at the Second Coming of Jesus.
OBSERVATION: In response to the drying up of the great River Euphrates,
the threefold union of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet
mounts a desperate last response. These three powers are united at the
end of the world, but to have power, they must have the people of the
world in support of their false system of worship. As the people turn
against this threefold union (symbolized by the drying up of the great
River Euphrates), due to the calamities of the plagues, this false system
employs its final frenzied strategy to keep its subjects in the fold.
And I Saw Three Unclean Spirits Like Frogs: Three unclean spirits like
frogs are released by the demonic threefold union. In the second plague
in Egypt, frogs covered the land. This was also the last of the ten plagues
that the Egyptian magicians could reproduce. The satanic Egyptian
magicians had no power to replicate any semblance of the remaining
eight plagues.
Here, in the sixth plague, the use of frogs shows that this is the last time
that Satan will be able to use supernatural manifestations to deceive the
world prior to the Second Coming.
He is rapidly losing the support of his subjects who received the mark of
the beast. Thus, he resorts to his last and most powerful deception. This is
his final opportunity to keep his subjects under his control. His last
supernatural deception will be his greatest; it will be an almost
overmastering delusion.
Out of the Mouth of the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet: The
unholy trinity of this passage can be unmistakably identified. The dragon
is Satan (Revelation 12:9), who uses supernatural miracles, better known
as spiritualism, in this setting. The beast is spiritual Babylon, or the
Roman Catholic church-state power as defined in Revelation 13:1–10.
The false prophet is apostate Protestant America as seen in Revelation
13:11–17 and Revelation 19:20. Notice the language regarding the false
prophet:
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that
wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that
had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his
image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with
brimstone. (Revelation 19:20)
This is very similar language to Revelation 13:13–14 regarding the second

beast:
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down

from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them
that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he
had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that
dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast,
which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
From these passages, we discern that apostate Protestant America, as the

false prophet, performs supernatural miracles before the close of
probation and prior to the beginning of the plagues. In the sixth plague,
the false prophet works in concert with the dragon and the beast power
to deceive the world after the close of probation. These three powers
worked together to cause the world to receive the mark of the beast.
During the plagues, they will not allow this support to dry up without
using the same manifestations that they used prior to the close of
probation to deceive the world into receiving the mark of the beast.
This statement by Ellen White equates the work of the three unclean
spirits with that of spiritualism:
Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the
world. The foundation of his work was laid by the assurance
given to Eve in Eden: “Ye shall not surely die.” “In the day ye eat
thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods,
knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4, 5. Little by little he has
prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the
development of spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full
accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last
remnant of time. Says the prophet: “I saw three unclean spirits
like frogs; … they are the spirits of devils, working miracles,
which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole
world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God
Almighty.” Revelation 16:13, 14. Except those who are kept by
the power of God, through faith in His word, the whole world
will be swept into the ranks of this delusion. The people are fast
being lulled to a fatal security, to be awakened only by the
outpouring of the wrath of God.413
The dragon, or Satan, is represented by spiritualism in this unholy trinity.

While the Roman Catholic church-state power and the false prophet of
the apostate Protestant churches advocate spiritualism through the
teaching that the souls of the dead do not really die, there is a broader
sweep to spiritualism.
We learned in Revelation 9:2 that the religion of Islam comes up from the
bottomless pit. In Revelation 11:7, the power of atheism ascends from the
bottomless pit. The bottomless pit represents the arsenal of Satan. Islam
and atheism are satanic powers. Atheism is a godless religion.
Furthermore, Revelation 13:2 says that the dragon gave his “power, seat,
and great authority” to the beast. And Revelation 13:11 says that the
second beast, the false prophet, speaks as a dragon when the Sunday law
is passed. The common theme with Islam, atheism, Roman Catholicism,
and apostate Protestantism is that they are all under the influence of the
dragon.
Spiritualism is represented by the dragon. Thus, spiritualism is

represented by all false religions. Any religion or ideology that is
influenced by Satan is subject to be under the influence of spiritualistic
philosophy.
Here are some statements from Ellen White about spiritualism:

None are in greater danger from the influence of evil spirits
than those who, notwithstanding the direct and ample
testimony of the Scriptures, deny the existence and agency of
the devil and his angels. So long as we are ignorant of their
wiles, they have almost inconceivable advantage; many give
heed to their suggestions while they suppose themselves to be
following the dictates of their own wisdom. This is why, as we
approach the close of time, when Satan is to work with greatest
power to deceive and destroy, he spreads everywhere the belief
that he does not exist. It is his policy to conceal himself and his
manner of working.414
Those who deny the existence and agency of the devil and his angels
include atheists and secularists. Secular philosophy and science are under
the influence of spiritualism:
The very name of witchcraft is now held in contempt. The claim

that men can hold intercourse with evil spirits is regarded as a
fable of the Dark Ages. But spiritualism, which numbers its
converts by hundreds of thousands, yea, by millions, which has
made its way into scientific circles, which has invaded
churches, and has found favor in legislative bodies, and even in
the courts of kings—this mammoth deception is but a revival,
in a new disguise, of the witchcraft condemned and prohibited
of old. 415
Ellen White also equated “worldlings” with those under the influence of
spiritualism in the following statement:

trampling on the rights of conscience. …
Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of

godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a
grand movement for the conversion of the world and the
ushering in of the long-expected millennium. 416
In our day, secularism is just as dangerous as apostate Protestantism.

Those in the church who advocate for secular progressives are just as
surely working for the dragon as those who side with right-wing apostate
Protestants. All will be part of the threefold union at the end who make
war against the Lamb. That is why Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this
world” (John 18:36).
For They Are the Spirits of Devils, Working Miracles, Which Go Forth
Unto the Kings of the Earth and of the Whole World: Just when the
plagues seem to have dried up the support of those who have received the
mark of the beast, spirits of devils work miracles to influence the kings of
the earth and the whole world. There is a remarkable passage in The Great
Controversy that delineates exactly what happens when the spirits of
devils go forth to the kings of the earth and the whole world:
The spirits of devils will go forth to the kings of the earth and to
the whole world, to fasten them in deception, and urge them on
to unite with Satan in his last struggle against the government
of heaven. By these agencies, rulers and subjects will be alike
deceived. Persons will arise pretending to be Christ Himself,
and claiming the title and worship which belong to the world’s
Redeemer. They will perform wonderful miracles of healing
and will profess to have revelations from heaven contradicting
the testimony of the Scriptures.
As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan

himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to
look to the Saviour’s advent as the consummation of her hopes.
Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has
come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself
among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness,
resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in
the Revelation. Revelation 1:13–15. The glory that surrounds
him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet
beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air: “Christ
has come! Christ has come!” The people prostrate themselves
in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands and
pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His
disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and
subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he
presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the
Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in
his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the
Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which
he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping
holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to
listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. This is the
strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans
who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from the
least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying: This is
“the great power of God.” Acts 8:10.
But the people of God will not be misled. The teachings of this
false Christ are not in accordance with the Scriptures. His
blessing is pronounced upon the worshipers of the beast and
his image, the very class upon whom the Bible declares that
God’s unmingled wrath shall be poured out. 417
From this passage, we see that as the spirits of devils go forth, the three
unclean spirits deceive the rulers and subjects of this earth. Then, false
Christs arise (Matthew 24:24) claiming the title and worship that only
belongs to Christ. They perform miracles and profess to have revelations
that are contrary to Scripture.
The moment in prophecy when Satan personates Christ is the “almost

overmastering delusion.” At the beginning of the sixth plague, as the great
River Euphrates dries up, Satan is about to lose his grip on his subjects.
This last act secures them in his deception for the last great struggle
against the government of heaven.
Satan especially targets God’s people in this “almost overmastering
delusion.” As we recall from our study of Revelation 15, Satan is being led
away by the hand of the fit man, the 144,000, while the plagues are falling.
As we saw from the statement in Spaulding and Magan Collection, p. 2,
Satan makes a mighty struggle to escape from the hand of the fit man. He
does so by personating Christ; this is his last hope to deceive God’s people
before the Second Coming.
Notice this statement from Ellen G. White:
Satan sees that he is about to lose his case. He cannot sweep in

the whole world. He makes one more, last, desperate effort to
overcome the faithful by deception. He does this in personating
Christ. He clothes himself with the garments of royalty which
have been accurately described in the vision of John. He has
power to do this. He will appear to his deluded followers, the
Christian world who received not the love of the truth but had
pleasure in unrighteousness (transgression of the law), as
Christ coming the second time.
He proclaims himself Christ, and he is believed to be Christ, a

beautiful, majestic being clothed with majesty and, with soft
voice with pleasant words, with glory unsurpassed by anything
their mortal eyes had yet beheld. These, his deceived, deluded
followers, set up a shout of victory, “Christ has come the second
time! Christ has come! He has lifted up His hands just as He
did when He was upon the earth, and blessed us.”
Here it was [that] the masterly effort of Satan would have

deceived the very elect. But who were the ones blessed by him?
Whom did he make glad? Whom did he honor? The combined
powers of earth, the churches fallen by rejecting light and the
messages of mercy Heaven had sent to heal Babylon but she
refused. …
One effort more, and then Satan’s last device is employed. He

hears the unceasing cry for Christ to come, for Christ to deliver
them. This last strategy is to personate Christ and make them
think their prayers are answered. But this answers to the last
closing work, the abomination of desolation standing in the
holy place. 418
In an attempt to deceive God’s people, Satan personates Christ, making it

appear that he is Christ and that he has come in answer to their prayers
for deliverance.
It should be noted that God’s people are going through the time of Jacob’s
trouble, as the sixth plague escalates to the battle of Armageddon, which
occurs during the seventh plague. This is a time of intense mental and
spiritual anguish for God’s people. Satan strikes while God’s people are
seemingly at their weakest, and he makes it look as if he is the answer to
their prayers.
But as the statements from Ellen White show, God’s people will stand
firmly against these deceptions, and they will not be deceived. At the
same time, with this deception, those who receive the mark of the beast
will be secured for the battle of Armageddon by Satan.
Some have taught that Satan personates Christ before the close of
probation. They say that the purpose of this delusion is to deceive as
many as possible onto the side of Satan before probation closes. This is a
reasonable argument, but we should remember that prior to the close of
probation, the false prophet performs many miracles to bring nearly the
whole world under the control of the beast power.
However, from the sequence of events in the plagues, and from the Ellen
White statements, it is clear that Satan personates Christ during the sixth
plague, as his last desperate attempt to secure his subjects who are
deserting his cause because of the plagues. And by this masterful effort he
is making one last attempt to escape the clutches of the fit man prior to
the Second Coming. If he can deceive the 144,000 into accepting him as
Christ, and if he can get them to accept Sunday as the day of worship, he
believes he can still win the great controversy.
But God’s people will prove true. Revelation 14:12 will continue to be a
faithful statement. There will be a group of saints who “keep the
commandments of God” even against all the powers of evil.
To Gather Them to the Battle of That Great Day of God Almighty:

Satan secures his subjects for “the Battle of that Great Day of God
Almighty.” This is the battle of Armageddon which is mentioned again at
the end of the sixth plague, just before the Second Coming. This battle
takes place during the seventh plague. This great battle will be discussed
in much more detail when we come to the discussion of verse 16.
REVELATION 16:15
OBSERVATION: Jesus comments directly regarding the nature of His return.
The Second Coming takes place in the seventh plague. Here in the sixth
plague, Satan has sent forth the spirits of demons to deceive regarding the
manner of Christ’s coming. Then he personates Christ’s coming. Due to
these massive deceptions to come, Christ reminds His followers to be
ready.
Behold, I Come as a Thief: There are multiple places in the New

Testament in which the coming of Jesus is likened to a thief:
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth
come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had
known in what watch the thief would come, he would have
watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the
Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:42–44)
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh
as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety;
then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a
woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren,
are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
(1 Thessalonians 5:2–4)
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the
which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the
works that are therein shall be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10)
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold
fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on
thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come
upon thee. (Revelation 3:3)
A thief comes at a time when not expected. Jesus comes at a moment

when He is not expected. During the sixth plague, Jesus reminds us of the
nature of His coming as a thief, for He comes twice as a thief—first when
probation closes and also at the Second Coming. As followers of Christ
and students of Scripture, God gives us ample evidence ahead of time so
that we are not overtaken by surprise when He comes.
Blessed Is He That Watcheth, and Keepeth His Garments, Lest He

Walk Naked, and They See His Shame: This is the third of seven times
that “blessed” is used in Revelation (see also Revelation 1:3; 14:13; 19:9;
20:6; 22:7, 14). There is a special blessing for those who watch and keep
their garments.
Christ gave the solution for being ready for His coming, which is to watch
and keep your garments.
As seen in Matthew 24:42, Jesus gave encouragement to watch in

connection with His coming. He also said something very similar about
watching in Matthew 25:13:
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour
wherein the Son of man cometh.
This command to watch is given to God’s people after five of the virgins
in the parable are found to be foolish, or lacking the oil of the Holy Spirit.
By failing to watch, the foolish virgins lacked a life of conversion. In this
parable, when He comes and the door is shut (Matthew 25:10), it
represents the close of probation. His coming as a thief in 2 Peter 3:10 is
the Second Coming.
How do we watch so that the close of probation and the Second Coming
do not come upon us as a thief? Matthew 26:40–41 gives us a crucial
point of understanding of what it means to watch:
And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and
saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
At Christ’s greatest moment of need in Gethsemane, His disciples fell

asleep. Jesus rebuked them for failing to watch. Jesus then told them how
to watch. He said, “Watch and pray.” The way to watch and to be ready is
to maintain close self-examination and to have an active prayer life with
God. This is where many in the church fail. It is not enough to know
about the signs of Christ’s soon return. We need to know the signs, but
we must also have a living and dynamic connection with God through a
life of prayer. Jesus’ disciples failed in Gethsemane. The foolish virgins in
the church fail at the final crisis of Earth’s history.
Mark 13:33 also emphasizes this point:
Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
God will have a people at the end of the world who watch and pray. The
wise virgins go in with the Bridegroom to the marriage when the door is
shut and probation closes. They have been watching and praying. They
are filled with the Holy Spirit and are found ready when many in the
church, and the great majority of the world, are found unprepared by the
overwhelming surprise of Christ’s return.
Jesus not only pronounced a blessing for watching, He also proclaimed a
blessing for those that keep their garments. Here we see a direct
connection to the Laodicean message. Those who fail to keep their
garments will walk in nakedness and their shame will be seen. Notice the
similar language that Jesus used to the Laodicean church in Revelation
3:17–18:
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and

have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched,
and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to
buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame
of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with
eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
The Laodicean condition is discussed in detail in the discussion of

Revelation 3:14–22 of this book. Note that their garments here represent
the white raiment of Christ’s righteousness. Those who watch and pray
will keep their walk with God strong during the plagues and by faith will
experience the righteousness of Christ.
It is those who are alive in the Laodicean church who will face the final
crisis of Earth’s history. Those who do not repent of their Laodicean
condition will be spiritually naked and destitute of the righteousness of
Christ. Here in the sixth plague, the implication from Christ is that those
who remain spiritually naked Laodiceans, lacking the garment of Christ’s
righteousness, will receive the mark of the beast, and they will suffer the
effects of the seven last plagues.
What a dreadful realization it will be for many Seventh-day Adventists

when they discover, during the seven last plagues, that they have the
mark of the beast! The righteous will not suffer the effects of the plagues.
Those who make a profession but have not watched, prayed, and kept the
garment of Christ’s righteousness by faith will find out too late that their
experience has not been genuine. It will be a tragic moment of shame as
their spiritual nakedness becomes apparent. That is why Christ offers this
warning right in the middle of the description of the sixth plague. He
does not want any of His dear children to be lost. Let us watch and pray
and keep our garments.
It is also important to remember that as the wicked experience the seven

last plagues, God’s people are going through the time of Jacob’s trouble.
This is a time of intense mental anguish. Thus, we see again the
importance of watching and keeping our garments. Jacob’s example of
importunate prayer, outlined by Ellen White, is the experience that we
will need:
As Satan influenced Esau to march against Jacob, so he will stir

up the wicked to destroy God’s people in the time of trouble.
And as he accused Jacob, he will urge his accusations against
the people of God. He numbers the world as his subjects; but
the little company who keep the commandments of God are
resisting his supremacy. If he could blot them from the earth,
his triumph would be complete. He sees that holy angels are
guarding them, and he infers that their sins have been
pardoned; but he does not know that their cases have been
decided in the sanctuary above. …
Jacob prevailed because he was persevering and determined.

His victory is an evidence of the power of importunate prayer.
All who will lay hold of God’s promises, as he did, and be as
earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed as he
succeeded. Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize
before God, to pray long and earnestly for His blessing, will not
obtain it. Wrestling with God—how few know what it is! How
few have ever had their souls drawn out after God with
intensity of desire until every power is on the stretch. When
waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the
suppliant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises
of God. 419
Now is the time to strengthen our prayer lives and our walks with God.
There is nothing better than to walk with God in prayerful communion
with Him every day all day. We are to pray without ceasing (1
Thessalonians 5:17). This will strengthen us to have the faith that we need
for the last great crisis.
REVELATION 16:16
OBSERVATION: The sixth plague concludes with the inhabitants of the
earth being gathered for the battle of Armageddon. The Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary provides helpful clarity on who gathers the
people of the world for this great battle:
He gathered. Or, “they gathered.” The Greek may be translated

either way. The pronoun “they” would refer to the three
unclean spirits of vs. 13, 14, and “he” to the angel of v. 12. The
context favors the translation “they.” …
Proponents of both views agree that the gathering takes place

under the sixth plague, but that the battle itself is fought under
the seventh plague. 420
It seems most likely that it is the trio of the dragon, the beast, and the
false prophet that gathers the world together for the battle of
Armageddon.
A Place Called in the Hebrew Tongue Armageddon: The word

“Armageddon” is a transliteration in Greek (Harmageddon) from the
Hebrew language. Its meaning is derived from its two parts in the
Hebrew. Har is mountain, and mageddon is likely from the ancient city in
Israel named Megiddo. 421
Megiddo itself is in a plain, but the mountain next to it is Mount Carmel.

Thus, Armageddon means mountain of Megiddo, very likely identifying
with ancient Mount Carmel. The language here favors an apocalyptic
end-time spiritual struggle that far exceeds that which took place
between the forces of good and evil on Mount Carmel when the prophet
Elijah faced the 450 prophets of Baal.
It is very apparent that the battle of Armageddon is a global, spiritual

struggle and not a literal battle in the Middle East. It is a gathering of
Satan’s followers under the influence of the threefold union versus God’s
people.
Ellen White gave a fascinating statement about the nature of this spiritual
battle:
We need to study the pouring out of the seventh vial. The

powers of evil will not yield up the conflict without a struggle.
But Providence has a part to act in the battle of Armageddon.
When the earth is lighted with the glory of the angel of
Revelation eighteen, the religious elements, good and evil, will
awake from slumber, and the armies of the living God will take
the field. 422
There are a couple of key takeaways from this statement. First, the battle
of Armageddon itself will take place when the seventh vial is poured out
under the seventh plague. Secondly, God begins to gather His people on
the battlefield during the outpouring of the latter rain and the giving of
the loud cry of Revelation 18. We will study the message of the loud cry
in detail when we come to that chapter. But here, God calls for His people
to come out of Babylon so that they will join His forces. Those who heed
the call to come out of her will be on the Lord’s side during the battle of
Armageddon.
Once probation closes with a death decree, after the loud cry has been
given, the field is set between the forces of good and evil for the battle of
Armageddon. Then the plagues begin to unfold. Not surprisingly, the
forces of evil see a loss of support by the beginning of the sixth plague as
the great River Euphrates dries up and the people see that they are on the
losing side. Satan then uses the three unclean spirits to shore up his
support for the great battle that will take place in the seventh plague.
When Satan personates Christ in the sixth plague, those who receive the
mark of the beast are strengthened to fight on the side of the satanic
threefold union in the battle of Armageddon. The dragon, the beast, and
the false prophet summon all under their influence. God has gathered
His side as well, through the outpouring of the latter rain and by placing
His seal in the foreheads of His people.
The stage is set for the climactic battle between the forces of Christ and
Satan in Armageddon.
APPLICATION: When studying the sixth plague, the most important

personal application that can be made comes from Christ Himself. He
said that there is a special blessing for those that watch and keep their
garments. We want to be found with the garments of Christ’s
righteousness when the plagues begin to fall. This will be especially
important when the sixth plague is poured out and the three unclean
spirits from the dragon, beast, and false prophet appear. We must be
rooted and grounded in Christ and His Word when Satan personates
Christ. The preparation time for that moment is now. We must learn to
watch and pray now so that we can keep our garments. Here is a poignant
statement from Ellen White regarding our need to watch and pray:
The love of the world has a terrible hold upon the people whom
the Lord has commanded to watch and pray always, lest
coming suddenly He find them sleeping. “Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the
world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the
world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the
will of God abideth forever.”
I have been shown that God’s people who profess to believe
present truth are not in a waiting, watching position. They are
increasing in riches and are laying up their treasures upon the
earth. They are becoming rich in worldly things, but not rich
toward God. They do not believe in the shortness of time; they
do not believe that the end of all things is at hand, that Christ is
at the door. They may profess much faith; but they deceive their
own souls, for they will act out all the faith that they really
possess. Their works show the character of their faith and
testify to those around them that the coming of Christ is not to
be in this generation. According to their faith will be their
works. Their preparations are being made to remain in this
world. They are adding house to house, and land to land, and
are citizens of this world. 423
Rather than watching and praying, too many Seventh-day Adventists

have been absorbed by the love of this world. Many have increased their
riches and have lost sight of the nearness of the return of Jesus. We are
facing the most momentous crisis in Earth’s history. Soon probation will
close, and the battle of Armageddon will commence.
Listen to the exhortation of the apostle Paul about what is needed for this
spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:10–19:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of

his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able
to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole
armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,
and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins
girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of
righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the
gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye
shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take
the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in
the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and
supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be
given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known
the mystery of the gospel.
In order to stand through this battle, we need the whole armor of God
which includes truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation,
the Word of God, and prayer. Those who fail to put on the whole armor
of God will receive the mark of the beast.
Now is the time to be found on the Lord’s side and to arm ourselves for
battle.
THE SEVENTH PLAGUE

REVELATION 16:17
OBSERVATION: The seventh angel pours out his vial to commence the final
plague. When the seventh plague begins, there is a “great voice out of the
temple of heaven.” This voice comes from the throne.
It Is Done: This is the voice of God. As we recall from Revelation 15, no

man can enter the temple of God until the plagues are finished. We are
now at the beginning of the last plague. God is speaking at the outset of
the seventh plague. When He says, “It is done,” this does not represent the
close of probation, since that already happened at the beginning of the
plagues. Rather, this refers to the final destruction of the wicked and the
satanic threefold union that has assembled itself to make war against
God’s people in the battle of Armageddon.
Satan’s purpose at the battle of Armageddon is for the wicked to destroy

the righteous. With the close of probation and the seven last plagues,
there has been a death decree against the righteous. A date is set for the
destruction of the righteous, but just when it seems that the righteous will
be destroyed, God steps in and says, “It is done!”
When the protection of human laws shall be withdrawn from
those who honor the law of God, there will be, in different
lands, a simultaneous movement for their destruction. As the
time appointed in the decree draws near, the people will
conspire to root out the hated sect. It will be determined to
strike in one night a decisive blow, which shall utterly silence
the voice of dissent and reproof. …
It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the

deliverance of His people. The sun appears, shining in its
strength. Signs and wonders follow in quick succession. The
wicked look with terror and amazement upon the scene, while
the righteous behold with solemn joy the tokens of their
deliverance. Everything in nature seems turned out of its
course. The streams cease to flow. Dark, heavy clouds come up
and clash against each other. In the midst of the angry heavens
is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the
voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying: “It is done.”
Revelation 16:17 424
From Revelation 16:17 and the statement from Ellen White, we see that
the battle of Armageddon begins with the wicked moving to destroy the
righteous with a death decree. This is analogous to Revelation 17:14 in
which the beast power and the kings of the earth make war against the
Lamb by issuing a death decree against those who are called, chosen, and
faithful. As Revelation 17:14 says, “the Lamb shall overcome them.”
It is during the time of Jacob’s trouble, when the battle of Armageddon

reaches its climax, that God’s people are delivered. God says, “It is done!”
REVELATION 16:18
OBSERVATION: Once God says, “It is done,” the wicked very quickly come
face-to-face with their destruction.
And There Were Voices, and Thunders, and Lightnings; And There
Was a Great Earthquake: The language seen here in Revelation 16:18 is
nearly identical to that seen in several other verses:
And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and
voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the
throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. (Revelation 4:5)
From this verse, we see that voices, thunderings, and lightnings come
from the throne of God. Revelation 16:17 has already shown that there
was a great voice that came from the throne of God saying, “It is done!”
That voice now amplifies greatly.
Revelation 8:5 describes the close of probation when the censer is cast
into the earth:
And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar,
and cast it upon the earth: and there were voices, and
thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
Revelation 11:19 makes this understanding even clearer:
And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen
in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings,
and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
As the seventh trumpet sounds, the final judgment begins in heaven on

October 22, 1844. On that date, the throne of God moves to the Most
Holy Place (see Daniel 7:9–10).
When the work of judgment is completed at the end of the world from
the Most Holy Place, lightnings, voices, and thunderings are again seen
and heard from the throne of God, indicating that probation has closed.
This is the voice of God. When the final judgment is finished, He speaks
with voices and thunderings from His throne. As portrayed in these
verses, lightnings, voices, thunderings, and a great earthquake are the
signal that probation has closed.
Probation has already closed when the first plague is poured out, but God
makes it very clear in the seventh plague that probation is closed. In this
plague, he pours out great hail. This hail is seen at the end of the seventh
plague in Revelation 16:21. Thus, the seventh trumpet culminates with
the seventh plague. As we learned before, the seventh trumpet is a
judgment on spiritual Rome as seen in the dragon, the beast, and the false
prophet.
As God speaks with voices and thunders and lightnings, a great

earthquake is felt on this earth like never before:
That voice shakes the heavens and the earth. There is a mighty
earthquake, “such as was not since men were upon the earth, so
mighty an earthquake, and so great.” Verses 17, 18. The
firmament appears to open and shut. The glory from the throne
of God seems flashing through. The mountains shake like a
reed in the wind, and ragged rocks are scattered on every side.
There is a roar as of a coming tempest. The sea is lashed into
fury. There is heard the shriek of a hurricane like the voice of
demons upon a mission of destruction. The whole earth heaves
and swells like the waves of the sea. Its surface is breaking up.
Its very foundations seem to be giving way. Mountain chains
are sinking. Inhabited islands disappear. The seaports that have
become like Sodom for wickedness are swallowed up by the
angry waters. 425
Any thoughts the wicked have that they can conquer the righteous in the
battle of Armageddon are vanquished as God brings His final judgments
of destruction upon the entire world.
REVELATION 16:19
OBSERVATION: Babylon receives special mention in this work of judgment
that is poured out.
And the Great City Was Divided Into Three Parts: According to
Revelation 17:18, the great city is Babylon:
And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which
reigneth over the kings of the earth.
The woman, who is the great city, has been named in Revelation 17:5:
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY,

BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Thus, the great city is a woman, Babylon, the great harlot. As a harlot,
Babylon is the apostate church, and she has daughters. She is divided into
three parts. The three parts that sustain Babylon at the end of the world
represent the threefold union of the dragon, the beast, and the false
prophet. These three entities, respectively, are spiritualism, the Roman
Catholic church-state power, and apostate Protestant America. During
the seventh plague, this threefold unholy union is broken up in the final
judgment on Babylon.
And the Cities of the Nations Fell: The great population centers of the
world who have given their allegiance to Babylon are destroyed during
this final judgment. Ellen White made it clear that every city will be
affected:
The end is near, and every city is to be turned upside down

every way. There will be confusion in every city. Everything
that can be shaken is to be shaken, and we do not know what
will come next. The judgments will be according to the
wickedness of the people and the light of truth that they have
had. 426
And Great Babylon Came in Remembrance Before God: A similar

expression is found in Revelation 18:5:
For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath
remembered her iniquities.
It should be noted that Revelation 18:1–5 is part of the loud cry message
that warns God’s people to come out of Babylon before the plagues are
poured out.
Here in Revelation 16:19, the seventh plague is poured out. Babylon’s sins
reach heaven, and God remembers her iniquities prior to the outpouring
of the plagues (Revelation 18:1–5). It is in the seventh plague that
Babylon receives the final and full measure of its punishments for its sins.
While Babylon committed many sins, including the persecution and
slaughter of the saints and prophets through the centuries, there is a final
sin that causes Babylon’s sins to reach heaven and for which God
remembers her iniquities. Ellen White made that clear in the following
statement:
When do her sins reach unto heaven [Revelation 18:2–5]?

When the law of God is finally made void by legislation.427
As Babylon is destroyed at the end of the seventh plague, God offers a

reminder again here in Revelation 16:19 for why it is destroyed. The
Sunday law that was passed in homage to the beast power and ultimately
to the dragon, first by the false prophet of America and then extended to
the rest of the world, is the final sin that causes God’s wrath to be poured
out upon Babylon. This man-made law makes void the law of God. This
law is a direct attack against God and the government of heaven.
Babylon’s sins have come up in remembrance before God (Revelation
16:19). Her sins have reached unto heaven (Revelation 18:5).
To Give Unto Her the Cup of the Wine of the Fierceness of His Wrath:
Isaiah used similar language to that of Revelation 16:19 to describe God’s
punishment on Jerusalem:
Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the

hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs
of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. (Isaiah 51:17)
Similar language is also used in Jeremiah 25:15–17 to describe His

judgment on the nations:
For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup
of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I
send thee, to drink it. And they shall drink, and be moved, and be
mad, because of the sword that I will send among them. Then
took I the cup at the LORD’s hand, and made all the nations to
drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me.
The cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath has already been
described in Revelation 14:9–10:
And 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, 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.
All those who receive the mark of the beast and reject the warning in the
third angel’s message of Revelation 14, will receive the full measure of the
wrath of God through the seven last plagues. In the seventh plague,
during the battle of Armageddon, that wrath reaches its complete and full
level of fury.
REVELATION 16:20
OBSERVATION: As the seventh plague progresses, we now see that it
culminates with the Second Coming of Jesus.
And Every Island Fled Away, and the Mountains Were Not Found:
These words are a description of the Second Coming of Jesus. Revelation
6:14–17 (the sixth seal) paints a nearly identical scene:
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together;

and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men,
and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman,
and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of
the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us,
and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and
from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is
come; and who shall be able to stand?
When the islands disappear and the mountains are not found, the wicked
of the earth, who have received the mark of the beast, hide and call for
the rocks and the mountains to fall on them. This is the great day of the
wrath of the Lamb. His wrath has been poured out throughout the seven
last plagues, but His wrath against the wicked culminates as He appears at
the Second Coming.
REVELATION 16:21
OBSERVATION: Just as the seventh of the ten plagues in Egypt had hail (see
Exodus 9:22–25), so the seventh of seven last plagues concludes with hail.
And There Fell Upon Men a Great Hail Out of Heaven, Every Stone
About the Weight of a Talent: In a sense, the wicked receive an answer
to their prayers as they call for the rocks and the mountains to fall upon
them. They desire to be hidden from the face of the Lamb. They have the
mark of the beast, and they cannot stand in His holy presence.
The hail that falls upon the wicked weighs a talent. In Scripture, a talent
weighs about 66 pounds. 428 This leads to the instant destruction of all
those who are hit by the hail.
And Men Blasphemed God Because of the Plague of Hail: As in

previous plagues, the wicked blaspheme God in response to the
punishment. Even as Jesus comes in all of His glory, the wicked remain
wicked, blaspheming the God of heaven.
For the Plague Thereof Was Exceeding Great: The hail is the final act of
judgment of God against Babylon, occurring at the Second Coming of
Jesus. We have seen how the hail of the seventh plague connects with the
culmination of the seventh trumpet that began in 1844 and climaxes at
the Second Coming (see Revelation 11:19). This plague of hail is designed
to exterminate Babylon and all of the wicked who have received the mark
of the beast.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:7–8, Scripture says that the man of sin, who is the
leader of Babylon, will be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming:
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now
letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall
that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the
spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming.
While the plague is exceeding terrible for the wicked and leads to their
destruction, it is a day of deliverance for the righteous.
In one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture we read the

following in Isaiah 25:9:
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have
waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have
waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
The wicked have made war with the Lamb (Revelation 17:14), but the
Lamb has overcome the wicked in the battle of Armageddon. Those who
are called, chosen, and faithful are delivered.
Then the greatest moment in all of history takes place, as described in 1

Thessalonians 4:16–17:
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and
the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to
meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
What a moment that will be, to be caught up in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air! Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
APPLICATION: As we reflect upon the fierceness of the seven last plagues

that the wicked receive, we are reminded of the justice of God. These
plagues are a response of God to the attempts of the wicked to destroy
God’s righteous saints. The plagues are also a response to the sins of
Babylon throughout the ages.
We should be so grateful that we serve a God who loves us and who will
defend us from the attacks of Satan and the earthly powers through
whom He works.
As Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold
your peace.”
We serve a God who fights for us. He will make all things right in His
time, and when the wicked try to destroy us at the end of the world, God
will be there to deliver us.
Psalm 91 offers a beautiful description of the protection that the

righteous will experience during the seven last plagues:
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide
under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God;

in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from
the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt
thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow
that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness;
nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right
hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the
wicked.
Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the
most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither
shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy
ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot
against a stone.
As we go through the plagues, we can claim the promises specifically of

Psalm 91:10 which says, “No evil [shall] befall thee, neither shall any
plague come nigh thy dwelling.” While the plagues will be terrible, the
righteous will not suffer from the plagues during this awful moment in
the future.
In the time when God’s judgments are falling without mercy,

oh, how enviable to the wicked will be the position of those
who abide “in the secret place of the Most High”—the pavilion
in which the Lord hides all who have loved Him and have
obeyed His commandments! The lot of the righteous is indeed
an enviable one at such a time to those who are suffering
because of their sins. But the door of mercy is closed to the
wicked. No more prayers are offered in their behalf after
probation ends. 429
How many times has God already worked on our behalf? We can look
back and reflect on all of the times that God has delivered us. As we do
so, our faith will be strengthened for the crisis that is soon to break as an
overwhelming surprise upon the world.
REVELATION 17
REVELATION 17:1–2
OBSERVATION: In Revelation 16, the judgment on the great city of Babylon
through the seven last plagues is astonishing. Now, in Revelation 17, one
of the angels who participated in pouring out the seven last plagues
explains why Babylon is judged in such a manner.
Come Hither: This command to “come here” has the force of an

imperative. 430 God wants us to understand why He judges Babylon
through the outpouring of the seven last plagues.
I Will Show Thee the Judgment of the Great Whore That Sitteth Upon
Many Waters: The angel directed John to come see the great whore
sitting on many waters. She is the harlot of Revelation 17:5, and the
woman and great city of Revelation 17:18. She is Babylon, and in chapter
17 she is being judged. In the Greek, the word for “judgment” used here is
krima which can be translated as sentence, decision, verdict, or decree. 431
The great whore is being judged. The verdict of her judgment is being
given in this chapter.
She sits upon many waters. Waters represent “peoples, and multitudes,
and nations, and tongues” (Revelation 17:15). So, Babylon sits upon the
waters, indicating the rule and power that she has over seemingly the
whole world.
With Whom the Kings of the Earth Have Committed Fornication, and
the Inhabitants of the Earth Have Been Made Drunk With the Wine of
Her Fornication: Nearly identical language is used when the loud cry is
given in Revelation 18:3:
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed
fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed
rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
The kings of the earth are the political leaders of the nations of this world.
They have committed fornication with Babylon by uniting the state with
the church. As discussed in Revelation 14:8, Babylon’s wine of fornication
represents her false teachings. These false teachings are especially Sunday
sacredness and the immortality of the soul, but they also include papal
succession from Peter, the deification of Mary, the mass, inerrancy, and
dominance of its worldly kingdom upon this earth.
It is by the false teaching of Sunday sacredness that the kings of the earth
pass a law that exalts Sunday and causes the earth to worship Babylon.
The inhabitants of the earth are drunk with the wine of Babylon’s false
teachings and go along with the law that exalts Sunday. When this law is
passed, the loud cry is given announcing that Babylon’s sins have reached
heaven (Revelation 18:1–8).
In Revelation 17:2 we are reminded of the fornication between the kings

of the earth and Babylon, as well as all others who imbibed its false
teachings. The fornication with the political rulers of the world, and the
wine of Babylon leading to the Sunday law, are key reasons for the
judgment on the great whore.
APPLICATION: Wine and fornication go together. Those under the

influence of wine are more easily influenced into illicit relationships. The
consequences of these illicit unions are devastating in a variety of ways.
While one may not be tempted to fornicate, there are certainly other ways
to be impure. It is absolutely imperative to guard the avenues of the mind
and the soul. Jesus set a higher standard when He said,
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not
commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on
a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her
already in his heart. (Matthew 5:27–28)
That which comes into the mind can defile us imperceptibly, until we are
making decisions and choices that align us with Babylon. How many will
be lost because of impure words or images: pornography, reading of
infidel authors, watching filthy and immoral programs in the theater,
television, or internet sources? Scripture sets before us the standard of
purity:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things

are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are
pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on
these things. (Philippians 4:8)
And Jesus’ simple words:
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (Matthew
5:8)
REVELATION 17:3–4
OBSERVATION: When John is told, “Come hither,” in verse 1, he is then
taken into vision in verses 3–6. There are two main sections of Revelation
17 delineated nicely by The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary:
Chapter 17 consists of two distinct parts: (1) the symbolic

vision of vs. 3–6, which John saw, and (2) what he was told (v.
7) in explanation of it as recorded in vs. 8–18. Part one sets
forth the crimes of Babylon, and thus constitutes Heaven’s bill
of indictment, a declaration of why the divine sentence is to be
pronounced upon her. … Part two sets forth the sentence itself
and the means by which it is to be executed .432
So, what follows in verses 3–6 is what John was shown in vision by the
angel. The explanation of what he was shown is given in verses 8–18.
Broadly speaking, what these sections reveal is why and how Babylon is
judged.
So He Carried Me Away in the Spirit Into the Wilderness: When John

was carried away in the spirit, he was taken off into vision and was taken
into the wilderness. The Greek word for “wilderness” is eremos and
means deserted or desolate place. This is the same word for wilderness
seen in Revelation 12:6, 14. In those verses, God’s true church fled into
the wilderness to escape the persecution of the dragon carried out by the
Roman Catholic church-state power during the 1,260 years.
In Revelation 17:3, John was not being taken back in time to the 1,260
years when the church fled into the wilderness. Rather, he was being
taken to the wilderness itself that provided an escape for God’s true
church. As seen in Revelation 13:11, it is the Protestant United States of
America that came up out of the earth, or the largely uninhabited
wilderness, providing civil and religious liberty for God’s true church.
However, the Protestant United States of America repudiates its

principles when it passes a Sunday law and speaks as a dragon. It
becomes the false prophet and causes the earth and those who dwell in it
to worship the papacy. As the false prophet, it unites in an unholy
threefold union with spiritualism and the papacy during the sixth plague
and marshals the forces of the wicked against God for the battle of
Armageddon that will take place in the seventh plague.
The wilderness has represented the land of freedom to escape from the
papacy of the Dark Ages, but when Protestant America unites with the
papacy and the dragon at the end of the world, it becomes the land of
tyranny. It is from the wilderness of apostate Protestant America that the
key final movements are initiated to make war with the Lamb. Apostate
Protestant America, as seen in Revelation 16:19, is one of the three parts
of the city of Babylon that is judged.
When John was carried away in the spirit into the wilderness to see the
judgment of the great whore of Babylon, he was taken to the territory
where the image to the beast is formed and where the mark of the beast is
first enforced. John was taken in vision to the United States of America
where the final movements begin and all the world wonders after the
beast. As a result, Babylon will be judged. The papacy (mother) and
apostate Protestant America (harlot daughters) are part of Babylon. As
Revelation 19:20 says, the beast and the false prophet are “cast alive into a
lake of fire burning with brimstone.” As entities, they are destroyed at the
Second Coming.
And I Saw a Woman Sit Upon a Scarlet Coloured Beast, Full of Names
of Blasphemy, Having Seven Heads and Ten Horns: The woman is
described as “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF
HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (v. 5). She is also
described as the great city (v. 18). The woman is the apostate Roman
Catholic Church, or the papacy.
The scarlet-coloured beast describes a kingdom that the woman is sitting

upon (see Daniel 7:17, 23 about how a beast represents a kingdom). There
are similarities between the scarlet beast and the first beast of Revelation
13. Both have seven heads and ten horns. Both have the names of
blasphemy. But one key difference is that the scarlet beast does not have
ten crowns on its horns like the first beast of Revelation 13.
In verse 7, a more detailed explanation is given of the scarlet beast. The

significance of this beast having no crowns is that it is without the
political support of the kings of the earth for the present time.
However, this beast did have the political support of the kings of the earth
during the 1,260 years as seen in Revelation 13:1–10. Thus, the first beast
of Revelation 13 has ten crowns on the ten horns.
The scarlet beast is “full of names of blasphemy” (v. 3). We learned in the
discussion of Revelation 13:1, 5 that blasphemy is when one claims to be
God, thinks to have power to forgive sins, and claims power to change the
law of God. All of these characteristics are fulfilled by the papacy during
the 1,260 years of its supremacy from AD 538–1798.
The parallels between the first beast of Revelation 13 and the scarlet beast
become even more obvious when we come to verse 8. The seven heads
will be discussed in detail in verses 9–11, and the ten horns will be
discussed in verses 12–14 and 16–17.
And the Woman Was Arrayed in Purple and Scarlet Colour, and
Decked With Gold and Precious Stones and Pearls: The woman of
Revelation 17 is in stark contrast to the woman of Revelation 12. Here,
the harlot is clothed with purple and red garments and is decked with
gold, stones, and pearls in the manner of a licentious woman. The pure
woman of Revelation 12 is simply clothed in white with no costly
ornaments.
With respect to the purple and red garments, Kenneth Mathews says,
“Purple garments were worn in antiquity to symbolize status and
particularly, royalty. The Roman emperors wore ‘imperial purple.’ ” 433 In
Daniel 5:7, 16, and 29, Belshazzar clothes Daniel with a scarlet robe and a
golden chain as he is elevated to the third position in the kingdom of
Babylon for interpreting the handwriting on the wall. Thus, the red and
purple with gold represent the colors of royalty assumed by the apostate
church.
A woman clothed in scarlet and decked with gold is also used to describe
Israel when playing the harlot toward God:
And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou
clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with
ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in
vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they
will seek thy life. (Jeremiah 4:30)
The pure woman is clad with the white garment of Christ’s righteousness
and does not need to adorn herself like the woman of Revelation 17. She
is part of God’s eternal kingdom. The harlot commits fornication with the
kings of the earth and receives her power, seat, and authority from the
dragon (Revelation 13:2). She presents herself as royalty and sets up a
kingdom on this earth. She is lacking in Christ’s righteousness, so she
covers up for her lack of righteousness by wearing the colors of royalty
and by decking herself with jewels.
The color of her red garment also corresponds with the great red dragon
of Revelation 12:3 and the scarlet beast here in Revelation 17:3. This
woman is aligned with Satan and the beast power. Red is a symbol of sin
(Isaiah 1:18). The work of Satan, the harlot, and the beast is sinful.
Having a Golden Cup in Her Hand: The harlot raises the golden cup,
which is reminiscent of the golden cup of Babylon found in Jeremiah
51:7–9:
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, that made
all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine;
therefore the nations are mad. Babylon is suddenly fallen and
destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may
be healed. We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed:
forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her
judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
Jeremiah 51:7 shows that “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord’s
hand.” Ancient Babylon is the instrument God used to punish Israel for
its unfaithfulness, and the surrounding nations for their wickedness. 434
The cup here in the harlot’s hand is the vessel that contains the wine. Just
as ancient Babylon was the cup in God’s hand, it is end-time Babylon that
is represented by the cup in the harlot’s hand. Babylon is the cup that
contains the wine of her false doctrine.
The golden cup is full of the wine of Babylon, which leads to her fall and
to her judgment. This is seen in the following verses:
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. (Revelation 14:8)
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,

and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the
wine of her fornication. (Revelation 17:2)
rich through the abundance of her delicacies. (Revelation 18:3)
Her wine (v. 2) includes Sunday sacredness and the immortality of the
soul, papal succession from Peter, the deification of Mary, the mass,
inerrancy, and dominance of its worldly kingdom upon this earth.
Full of Abominations and Filthiness of Her Fornication: In this

passage, we see that this cup is not only full of “the wine of the wrath of
her fornication,” but it is “full of abominations and filthiness of her
fornication.” The wine represents the false doctrines of the woman. These
false doctrines lead to filthiness and fornication. Kenneth Mathews
comments,
End-time Babylon has engaged in every possible form of

sacrilege and spiritual adultery, changing the truths of God into
lies, claiming to be God, and claiming to forgive sins. 435
False doctrines are not just bad ideas. The Greek word for “abominations”
is bdelugma and means “that which is detestable” or “idolatry.” The false
teachings of Sunday sacredness and the immortality of the soul have led
much of the Christian world to imperceptibly believe that the wages of
sin are not really death. After a life of sin, one can still go straight to
heaven at death. If the law of God can be changed, then the violation of
God’s law must not be serious, and sin must not be so bad.
This philosophy has led to unimaginable abominations within the papacy

such as the abuse of children by the priests 436 along with the horrible
atrocities of persecution during the Dark Ages. Idolatry is common in the
Christian world because it is thought that sin is not really that bad. The
false doctrines from Babylon have paved the way for filthy abominations
and idols in the Christian world.
The church has united with the world and commits spiritual fornication
through this unlawful union. When the Sunday law is passed, this
fornication will be complete.
APPLICATION: Since its inception, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has

held to the teaching of abstaining from wearing jewelry. Scripture is clear
on this point:
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting

the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But
let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not
corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which
is in the sight of God of great price. (1 Peter 3:3–4)
There is a similar passage in 1 Timothy 2:9–10:
In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest

apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair,
or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women
professing godliness) with good works.
Ellen White offered a clear statement on this topic as well:
Christians are not to decorate the person with costly array of

expensive ornaments. All this display imparts no value to the
character. The Lord desires every converted person to put away
the idea that dressing as worldlings dress will give value to our
influence. The ornamentation of the person with jewels and
luxurious things is a species of idolatry. This needless display
reveals a love for those things which are supposed to place a
value upon the person. It gives evidence to the world of a heart
destitute of the inward adornment. Expensive dress and
adornments of jewelry give an incorrect representation of the
truth that should always be represented as of the highest value.
An overdressed, outwardly adorned person bears the sign of
inward poverty. A lack of spirituality is revealed. 437
Those who are arrayed in the garment of Christ’s righteousness do not

need to add jewelry or extravagant dress to their outward appearance.
That which is of far higher value is a humble spirit and character that
represents a heart that is converted. Those who wear jewelry create an
appearance of outward show that covers up that which is missing within.
Many Christians, especially in Babylon, ignore this teaching. The contrast

between the true and false churches makes this distinction very clear. The
apostate church is decked out in jewels and commits fornication with the
kings of the earth. The true church of Revelation 12 is clothed in white.
Sadly, even some in the remnant church are moving toward Babylon with
the wearing of adornment. Let us hold fast to the simplicity and purity
portrayed by the pure church.
REVELATION 17:5–6
OBSERVATION: The identity of this corrupt woman is clearly delineated in
the following verses:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS

AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH: The name of the harlot is
written in all capital letters so that the meaning of her name will not be
misunderstood. Her name is written upon her forehead. The 144,000 of
the pure church have the seal of God and His name written in their
foreheads to denote that they have a holy character. Likewise, the apostate
church has a name written upon her forehead showing she is unholy and
full of abominations. She is wicked and filthy. What a disgrace this fallen
church has become!
MYSTERY is the first part of the harlot’s name. There are two mysteries in
Scripture: the mystery of iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2:7) and the mystery
of God (Revelation 10:7; Colossians 1:27). Sin originated in heaven
through Lucifer who became Satan and the great red dragon. He gave his
power, seat, and authority to Babylon. How a perfect being like Lucifer
could fall to such depths is a mystery. This mystery is perpetuated
through Babylon, and the mystery of iniquity reaches its climax when the
sins of Babylon reach unto heaven (Revelation 16:19; 18:5).
The mystery of iniquity through Babylon clashes with the mystery of God
as exemplified in the Second Advent movement (Revelation 10:7). When
the mystery of God is finished through God’s people, the mystery of
iniquity in Babylon and its lawlessness will be found to be without
excuse.
BABYLON THE GREAT is the second part of the harlot’s name. Babylon
goes all the way back to the tower of Babel but becomes more fully
developed under the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar. The spirit and
principles of ancient Babylon guide the thinking of this harlot. The false
religion of ancient Babylon inspires all false religions and each associated
kingdom.
At Babel, the people defied God by building a tower that would reach to
heaven. In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar utilizes magicians, astrologers, and
sorcerers. In Daniel 3, the king unites the political leaders and the people
of his kingdom in worshiping an image that he set up. In Daniel 5,
Belshazzar worships the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone.
The religion of Babylon utilizes spiritualism to unite church and state.
Babylon worships that which is common and defiles that which is sacred.
Babylon worships in defiance of the true God.
The next portion of the corrupt woman’s name is “MOTHER OF

HARLOTS.” She is the mother, and she is a harlot. She has daughters who
are harlots like her. We have established in Revelation 12, and again in
this chapter, that a woman represents a church. The mother church is the
Roman Catholic Church. The daughter harlots represent the apostate
churches who have followed in the steps of the apostate Roman Catholic
Church.
As discussed in our study of Revelation 14:8, the apostate Protestant

churches became part of Babylon in 1844 when they rejected the message
of the Second Coming. The two falls of Babylon described in both
Revelation 14:8 and Revelation 18:2 (is fallen, is fallen) refer to the falls of
the Roman Catholic Church and the apostate Protestant churches many
centuries apart. The Catholic Church fell in the early centuries as it began
advocating Sunday worship (AD 321), the mass, and many other specious
errors. Apostate Protestantism fell in the summer of 1844 when it
rejected the second angel’s message.
Harlots are filthy. They sell themselves for a price for what should be
sacred between a husband and wife. The “MOTHER OF HARLOTS” and
her daughters commit fornication with the kings of the earth (Revelation
18:3) for a price.
These apostate churches commit fornication with the political leaders of

the world by overtly forming a political alliance in the name of religion.
They pass a Sunday law uniting church and state. This law divorces these
churches from God and His law. An unlawful union of fornication is
formed with the kings of the earth for a price. That price is the final
separation of these churches from God.
The harlot’s name concludes with the title, “AND ABOMINATIONS OF
THE EARTH.” The abominations of Babylon are great. These
abominations are done in the name of religion. Notice what Kenneth
Mathews says:
The abominations refer to the sacrileges committed in the

name of religion by the prostitute. The great apostate Christian
church promulgates its sacrilege in the voice of its offspring.
Babylon is the mother of apostate offspring and of earthly
sacrilege. Or, Babylon the Great is the mother of spiritual
adultery and religious sacrilege. 438
In summary, the harlot has an awful name which represents so many

terrible characteristics of the corrupt church at the end of the world. All
who receive the mark of the beast assimilate with a false church, which is
a harlot in the eyes of God.
And I Saw the Woman Drunken With Blood of Saints and Martyrs of
Jesus: John was told in verses 1 and 2 of this chapter that he would be
shown the judgment of the great harlot. Here in verse 6, we are reminded
that this apostate church is drunken with the blood of saints and martyrs.
The persecution of the saints is mentioned repeatedly in Daniel and
Revelation (Daniel 7:25; 11:33–35; Revelation 6:9–11). This reminds us as
well of the third plague in Revelation 16:4–7. Revelation 16:6 specifically
says,
For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou
hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
In the plagues, all those receiving the mark of the beast are punished
when the rivers turn into blood. They come under the influence of the
beast (Roman Catholic church-state power) and participate in receiving
the punishment of the beast power. It is the apostate Roman Catholic
Church that is guilty of shedding the blood of saints and prophets, and it
is judged during the seven last plagues.
Revelation 17:6 is a reminder of why the great harlot is judged. She has
not only slain the saints and the martyrs of Jesus, but she is also drunk
with their blood. Through bloodshed she has annihilated the faithful
during the Dark Ages and again during the time of persecution before the
close of probation. The harlot is a persecuting power who has had more
than her fill of bloodshed of innocent saints. Tens of millions died at her
hands during the 1,260 years. More are added to this count during the
final persecution of God’s people before the close of probation. Thus,
there should be no question as to the justice of God’s judgments that are
poured out in the seven last plagues. Truly, the harlot is worthy to drink
blood during the plagues. God’s judgments are true and righteous
(Revelation 16:7).
When I Saw Her, I Wondered With Great Admiration: When John saw
the harlot and her persecution of the true saints, he marveled with great
amazement, or astonishment. The woman is supposed to be God’s
church, but she is guilty of great persecution of God’s people. This is
similar to Daniel’s reaction to the vision of Daniel 7 with respect to the
little horn. He likewise saw a power that is supposed to be God’s church
but rather is a persecutor of the saints. Both Daniel and John were
astonished and troubled that a power that is supposed to represent God
actually makes war against God and His people in His name.
APPLICATION: The persecuting nature of the papacy during the 1,260 years
and at the end of the world is a reminder of the need to remain faithful to
Christ. The trials and persecutions that we face now are training ground
for the persecution that we will face in the final crisis.
REVELATION 17:7–8
OBSERVATION: The visual representation of the great harlot sitting on the
scarlet beast that has seven heads and ten horns ends in verse six. The
angel then begins to explain to John the meaning of what he has seen in
the first six verses. Further explanation is given as to why the harlot is
judged by the outpouring of the seven last plagues.
The angel asked John why he marveled about the woman. He then
explained in detail (vs. 8–17) the mystery regarding the woman and the
beast: the mystery of the beast is outlined in fascinating detail in the
following verses, and the mystery of the woman is explained in the final
verse of the chapter.
Verse 8 begins with a more detailed explanation of the scarlet beast upon
which the harlot rides.
The Beast Was, Is Not: and Shall Ascend Out of the Bottomless Pit:
Who is this scarlet beast? One of the defining points for interpreting the
scarlet beast with the seven heads is found here, and it regards time. The
beast is defined with respect to the past, the present, and the future. Once
we understand the identity of the beast, we can place a timeframe for its
past, present, and future in this chapter.
The bottomless pit indicates that the scarlet beast is a satanic power—just
as the powers described in Revelation 9:2 (Islam) and Revelation 11:7
(atheism) also come out of the bottomless pit and are satanic. The beast
represents the successive political kingdoms that the woman sits upon.
The beast has seven heads, and these heads represent each of the ruling
political kingdoms that have supported false religion (the great harlot)
from the time of Babylon until the end of the world. These kingdoms
from beginning to end become apparent as the timeline in this chapter
takes shape.
Go Into Perdition: In the future, when the scarlet beast re-emerges out of
the bottomless pit as a satanic power, it goes into perdition. In the Greek,
“perdition” is apoleia and means “loss” or “destruction.” Thus, the beast
goes into destruction upon its resurrection.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 the man of sin, who represents the head of the
Roman Catholic church-state power (i.e., the pope), is called the son of
perdition:
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not
come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin
be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth
himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that
he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is
God.
The man of sin, and the system he leads, meet destruction at the Second
Coming of Jesus.
In Hebrews 10:36–39, Paul admonished the followers of Christ who are

waiting for the Second Coming that they are not to be among those who
turn back to perdition:
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of
God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he
that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall
live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no
pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto
perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
The contrast at the end of the world will be between those who worship
the beast and his image and go into perdition with the scarlet beast,
versus those who experience the third angel’s message of justification by
faith and who have the patience of the saints. The temptation is always
there to draw back to perdition, or destruction. The way of Babylon is
broad but ultimately leads to loss of eternal salvation. The way to heaven
is narrow but leads to eternal life.
They That Dwell on the Earth Shall Wonder: This phrase (v. 8) makes
very clear the identity of the scarlet beast. In the future, “they that dwell
on the earth shall wonder.” Notice how this parallels Revelation 13:3:
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his
deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the
beast.
As discussed in Revelation 13, the first beast (v. 3) is the Roman Catholic
church-state power. One of the seven heads of the first beast received a
deadly wound at the end of the 1,260 years in 1798. We are not told
which of the seven heads received the deadly wound in Revelation 13.
That becomes very clear, however, here in Revelation 17.
The first beast of Revelation 13 is similar to the scarlet beast of Revelation

17. In Revelation 13, we learned that all the world wonders after the beast
when the deadly wound is healed. We also learned that the deadly wound
is fully healed at the passing of the Sunday law. In Revelation 17, this
same power will ascend, in the future, out of the bottomless pit, and they
that dwell on the earth shall wonder after this beast. In both Revelation
13:3 and Revelation 17:8, the world wonders after this beast when church
and state unite with the passing of the Sunday law at the very end of the
world.
Thus, it is yet future from the present time when the scarlet beast will
ascend from the bottomless pit. When the Sunday law is passed, this
beast will ascend in its resurrected state and the deadly wound will be
fully healed. The fact that it ascends from the bottomless pit shows that
the passing of the Sunday law is the work of Satan. At that time, nearly all
the world wonders after the beast.
With respect to the timeline of this beast in Revelation 17, we can now
identify more clearly the past, present, and future. The passing of the
Sunday law, yet future, is when the world wonders after the beast that
ascends out of the bottomless pit.
We also have a picture of when the beast went from being “was” to “is
not.” As depicted in Revelation 13:3, the beast received a deadly wound in
one of its heads. Historically, we understand that this occurred when the
papacy lost control over the state at the time that Pope Pius VI was taken
captive by Napoleon’s general, Berthier, in 1798. Therefore, 1798 is the
dividing line for past and present for the first beast of Revelation 13:3 and
the scarlet beast of Revelation 17.
This table identifies the dividing line for past and present in Revelation
17:8:
The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out
of the bottomless pit.
Once we define past and present in Revelation 17, it becomes clear with
respect to the identity of the seven heads in verse 10, which we will
discuss in detail.
Whose Names Were Not Written in the Book of Life From the
Foundation of the World: Those who wonder after the beast are those
whose names are not written in the book of life. The book of life is a
record since the foundation of the world and contains the names of the
righteous. This book is described in Revelation 3:5:
Those who wonder after the beast are wicked, so they receive the mark of
the beast. Their names are blotted out of the book of life, meaning they
will not be saved.
When They Behold the Beast That Was, and Is Not, and Yet Is: Those
who wonder after the beast worship it in response to its resurrection. It
received the deadly wound in 1798 and “was not,” but it ascends again,
and they marvel at this beast and go into perdition with it.
We see here again the language of past, present, and future with respect to
the scarlet beast. Textual evidence in the Greek favors the language of
“was, and is not, and yet is to be, or is to come.” 439
While the beast is still present in a sense, it is only present in its wounded
state. The ten crowns on the ten horns (Revelation 13:1) are not present
on the ten horns in Revelation 17. In its wounded condition, the scarlet
beast no longer has control over the kings of the earth. That will change
when it ascends out of the bottomless pit and the deadly wound is healed.
That is yet in the future. Presently it is wounded.
OBSERVATION: The description of the beast with seven heads and ten
horns is about to become more complicated.
And Here Is the Mind That Hath Wisdom: Very similar language is used
to describe the understanding that is needed to count the number of the
beast (Revelation 13:18). In this verse, the mystery of the beast is being
unfolded. On the surface, the details of the seven heads and ten horns are
not easily understood. It requires wisdom. Thus, we pray to God for
wisdom as we approach this section of Scripture, that He will grant us
discernment from the Holy Spirit to understand what He has revealed in
this passage.
The Seven Heads Are Seven Mountains, on Which the Woman Sitteth:
The harlot sits on the seven heads, or seven mountains. As Babylon, she
represents false religions from the time of Babylon to the end of the
world, and she is sustained by these seven heads, or mountains. The
heads of this beast are the same as mountains.
What is a mountain in prophecy? In Daniel 2:35, a stone strikes the

image, and it becomes “a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” In
Daniel 2:44–45, it is clear that the stone that becomes a mountain
represents God’s kingdom:
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a
kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall
not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the
mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the
brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made
known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the
dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Here in Revelation 17:9, the seven mountains are seven kingdoms that
support the false religion of Babylon throughout history.
There are some who have taught that the seven mountains are the seven
hills of Rome.440 While the seven hills of Rome may represent an aspect
of the seven mountains, the clearer interpretation is that the seven
mountains are seven kingdoms upon whom the harlot sits. These seven
kingdoms throughout history become clear as we come to the next verse.
And There Are Seven Kings: In prophecy, kings and kingdoms are used
interchangeably. Notice this again in Daniel 7:17; 7:23:
These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall
arise out of the earth. …
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon
earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour
the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
The seven kings are seven kingdoms and are identical to the seven heads
and the seven mountains. They are not seven popes.441
Identifying these seven kingdoms becomes easier now that we have

identified what is past, present, and future from verse 8 of this chapter.
Five Are Fallen, and One Is, and the Other Is Not Yet Come: This
phrase regarding the seven kings, or kingdoms, gives us an
understanding of past, present, and future with respect to the seven
kingdoms.
It is helpful to remember that the seven heads, the seven mountains, and
the seven kings are the seven kingdoms. In Revelation 13:3, one of the
seven heads received a deadly wound in 1798. When the deadly wound
occurred, with the capture and captivity of Pope Pius VI by Napoleon’s
general Berthier, the beast lost its political power over the nations of the
earth and that which it had dominion over. A heavy blow was levied
upon the church. The crowns upon the ten horns of the beast of
Revelation 13 were removed and are not seen on the ten horns of the
beast in Revelation 17. The loss of the crowns indicates the loss of power
over political kingdoms of the earth.
After 1798, the beast transitioned from “was” to “is not.” With respect to
the seven heads in Revelation 17:10, “five are fallen.” When the deadly
wound occurred to one of the heads in Revelation 13:3, this is
synonymous with five of the heads being fallen. It was the fifth of the
seven heads that received the deadly wound. When the fifth head
received the deadly wound in 1798, it could then be said that “five are
fallen,” and that the beast “was” and “is not.”
It is the papacy that received the deadly wound in 1798. When looking at
the major prophetic kingdoms of Daniel and Revelation, Babylon is the
first of the major kingdoms, and Babylon is the name of the harlot that
sits upon this beast. 442
Thus, we have a timeline that we can follow for the first five kingdoms
and how they relate to the kingdoms of Daniel as well:
Starting in Daniel 2, and repeated with enlargement in Daniel 7, 8, 11, 443

and here in Revelation 17, we see kingdoms that successively rise and fall.
In 1798, the fifth kingdom, the papacy, falls when the deadly wound is
delivered to the fifth head.
All of the kingdoms of the seven heads have been a support to the false
religion of the harlot as she sits upon them. We had an extensive
discussion concerning Revelation 13:2, of how each kingdom from
Babylon through pagan Rome is a synthesis of false religion that forms
the papacy. This false religion is that of end-time Babylon. We also saw in
our discussion of Revelation 12:3 that each of these heads is a persecuting
power of God’s people.
While five of the heads are fallen by 1798, there is another head, or
kingdom, that currently exists, and Scripture says, “and one is.” This is the
prophetic kingdom that exists between the deadly wound of 1798 and the
complete healing of the deadly wound when the Sunday law is passed in
the future.
It must be remembered that each of the seven heads supports the harlot
as she sits upon these heads. The beast is in its wounded condition
between the deadly wound of 1798 and the complete healing of the
deadly wound at the Sunday law. 444 Thus, as we figure out which
kingdom presently fits as the sixth head of this beast, we must remember
that it supports the false religion of Babylon in some way, even in its
wounded condition.
From a historical and historicist standpoint, there are two possible views
for the sixth head. The papacy received its deadly wound in 1798. It was
atheistic France that delivered the deadly wound, and this power is
described as “the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit”
(Revelation 11). As we studied in that chapter, this beast arose in 1793
with the French Revolution, just before the deadly wound, and has been
responsible for secularism and a godless worldview ever since. Atheism is
also described as the king of the south (Daniel 11:40) and as the power
that pushes against the papacy “at the time of the end” in 1798. 445
Atheism has been at war with the papacy since 1798, and it would not be
accurate to say that the harlot has sat upon atheism as a kingdom for
support. This makes atheism less plausible as the sixth head.
Another option for this prophetic kingdom that may be considered is
Protestant United States of America (as in Revelation 13:11). It is also
described as a beast. Historically, Protestant United States of America also
became autonomous after the War of Independence in the late 1700s,
around the time that the papacy received a deadly wound.
Both atheism throughout the world (particularly in the Marxist

countries, but increasingly in godless intellectualism that has bred
evolution even here in America), and Protestantism in America have
flourished while the papacy has been in its wounded condition. But only
one power can represent the sixth head. Of the two, only Protestant
America has served as a head, or kingdom, for which the harlot can sit
upon. It is Protestant America that became part of Babylon, as seen in
Revelation 14:8, when the Protestant churches rejected the message of the
Second Coming.
Furthermore, we recall from the beginning of the chapter that John was
carried away in the spirit into the wilderness (v. 3), which we saw
represents the territory of the United States of America. In this territory,
the way is paved for the resurrection of the scarlet beast that received the
deadly wound in 1798.
Even though Protestant United States of America has the two horns of
civil and religious liberty, the Protestant churches in America have largely
accepted the Babylonian theology of Sunday sacredness and the
immortality of the soul, and this is paving the way for the comeback of
the wounded head in the future, in which church and state will unite.
Therefore, the sixth head which “now is” represents the Protestant United
States of America—the second beast of Revelation 13. It is the head that
“is” while the beast “is not.” This sixth head exists from 1798 to the
passing of the Sunday law. During this era between 1798 and the passing
of the Sunday law, the papacy does not have power over the nations of the
earth as it did from AD 538–1798.
The seventh head is yet in the future, and this verse says of this head, “and
the other is not yet come.” The identity of the seventh head, or kingdom,
is given in verse 12 and will be discussed in greater detail when we come
to that verse. At this point, we can say the seventh head is the kingdom
that succeeds the Protestant United States of America after the Sunday
law is passed. When the second beast of Revelation 13 (United States of
America) speaks as a dragon, we will transition to the seventh head.
When He Cometh, He Must Continue a Short Space: The seventh head,

or kingdom, arises in the future when the beast that receives the deadly
wound comes out of the bottomless pit. This seventh kingdom has power
that is necessary, for a “short space.” The word “short” in the Greek is
oligos and can mean “little” or “short.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible
Commentary says the following about this phrase:
The clause may be translated either, “It is necessary that he

remain little,” or, “It is necessary that he continue briefly,”
possibly in the sense of a “limited time” in contrast with an
unlimited time. 446
The final kingdom will not last very long, which is very good news for
God’s people.
The Beast That Was, and Is Not, Even He Is the Eighth, and Is of the
Seven: Here again we find the language of past, present, and future. Just
as importantly, we see how the beast is connected to the seven heads. He
is of the seven, meaning that he is one of the seven heads. When there are
seven heads, he can come back again as the eighth. But there must be
seven heads first, in order for the beast to come back from its deadly
wound in the future. When the seventh head arises at the passing of the
Sunday law, then the beast can arise out of the bottomless pit, and he will
be the eighth.
He is already of the seven because the beast is the political aspect of the
papacy, and he received a deadly wound when the fifth head was mortally
wounded in 1798. He is of the seven because he is the fifth head. When
all the world wonders after the beast at the healing of the deadly wound,
he comes back as the eighth.
Goeth Into Perdition: We saw in our study of Revelation 17:8 that

perdition means destruction. The papacy goes into perdition, or
destruction, after its resurrection. When the seventh head has emerged, a
Sunday law is passed, all the world wonders after the beast, and the beast
will go into destruction at the Second Coming of Jesus.
And the Ten Horns Which Thou Sawest Are Ten Kings, Which Have
Received No Kingdom as Yet: Here in verse 12, the ten horns on the
beast are explained so that we can understand how they fit with the beast
and the seven heads. In this passage, we learn that they are ten kings.
Kings can represent kingdoms. However, in this verse, the word kingdom
is used singularly, so the ten kings have one kingdom. Furthermore, this
kingdom is in the future because they have received no kingdom “as yet.”
We saw that the seventh head is a kingdom that is in the future. Here, we
see that the ten horns represent ten kings whose kingdom is future.
The ten kings represent the kings of the earth who universally unite with
the papacy and the false prophet of Protestant America, when the image
to the beast is formed, and the kings of the earth commit fornication with
the beast. These are not ten specific nations but represent all the
kingdoms of the earth. The ten horns are the kingdom of the seventh
head. This is a one-world coalition that is formed in the future when the
Sunday law is passed. The United States, when it ceases to be truly
Protestant and speaks as a dragon, becomes part of the seventh head and
is part of the kings of earth who commit fornication with Babylon.
But Receive Power as Kings One Hour With the Beast: The kings of the
earth, who commit fornication with the beast, receive power as kings for
“one hour” with the beast. The word “hour” in Greek is hora, and it can
be translated as “season,” “daytime,” “a day,” an “hour,” and a definite point
in “time.”
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary has helpful insight on this

phrase “one hour”:
Some have taken the “one hour” of ch. 17:12 as prophetic time,
according to which it would represent a period of about two
weeks of literal time. However, the context seems to imply
otherwise. It is generally recognized that ch. 18 gives a more
detailed explanation of events described in ch. 17:12–17. But
the period of time designated as “one day” in ch. 18:8 is also
called “one hour” in vs. 10, 17, 19, the obvious intent of
Inspiration being to indicate a brief period of time without
specifying its exact length. Accordingly, it seems preferable to
take the expression “one hour” in ch. 17:12 in the same sense,
as indicating a brief but unspecified period of “time.” 447
This union takes place in the future between the ten horns, or ten kings,
when apostate Protestant United States of America forms an image to the
beast and causes all the earth to worship the first beast when the deadly
wound is healed (see Revelation 13:12). This will be when the kings of the
earth, as the seventh head, reign for a short period of time with the
papacy which has been resurrected from its deadly wound. When the
papacy is resurrected, he is the eighth, and is of the seven.
This is why John was told that wisdom was required. The papacy is the
fifth head from 538–1798, and it is also the eighth head, in its resurrected
state, after the passing of the Sunday law.
At this point, the following tables should help to explain more clearly the
identities of the kingdoms in the past, the present, and the future.
1798
Past Present Future

Beast Was Beast Is Not Beast Shall Ascend;
Those Who Dwell on
the Earth Shall
Wonder; Deadly
Wound Healed;
Sunday Law
Other King Is Not Yet

Come; When He
Five Kings Are Fallen One King Is
Comes, It Is a Short
Time or Space
Beast Is the Eighth;

Beast Was Beast Is Not
Goes Into Perdition
Ten Horns Are Ten

Kings; Received No
Kingdom as Yet;
Power One Hour With
Beast
These Shall Make War

With the Lamb; Battle
of Armageddon at End
of Seven Last Plagues
IDENTITY AND ORDER OF THE SEVEN HEADS
First Head Babylon 605–539 BC
Second Head Medo-Persia 539–331 BC
Third Head Greece 331–168 BC

Fourth Head Pagan Rome 168 BC–AD 476
Fifth Head Papal Rome AD 538–1798
Protestant United
Sixth Head 1798–Sunday Law
States of America
Ten Horns or Ten

Kings Who Represent Sunday Law–Second
Seventh Head
a One-World Coming
Coalition
Sunday Law–Second
Eighth Papal Rome
Coming
It takes Revelation 17 to understand the seven heads and ten horns.

Following the principle of repeat and enlarge with Daniel 2, 7, 8, and 11,
we learn the key ingredients to the major kingdoms of prophecy. When
we come to Revelation, we gain further insights about these kingdoms in
Revelation 12, 13, and 17. The key is the understanding that 1798 is the
dividing line between the past and the present with respect to the scarlet
beast that the harlot is sitting upon. Then, we understand that it must be
the fifth head of the first beast of Revelation 13 that receives the deadly
wound—because five of the heads are fallen by 1798. That makes the
Protestant United States of America the perfect fit for the sixth head,
which is the present, prior to the Sunday law in the future. Then, the
kings of the earth form a one-world coalition, as the ten horns, and unite
with the papacy for a short time just before Jesus returns.
OBSERVATION: In these two verses, we see what happens when the kings,
or political powers of the earth, unite with the papacy for a brief period of
time at the end of the world.
These Have One Mind, and Give Their Power and Strength to the
Beast: When all the world wonders after the beast at the passing of the
Sunday law, there is remarkable unity. The kings of the earth, as the ten
horns, have one mind. The power and strength that they have is given to
the papacy. The Greek word for “power” is dunamis, and the Greek word
for “strength” is exousia which means authority.
This unity takes place when the three unclean spirits come together as the
dragon, the beast, and the false prophet (Revelation 16:13). With great
power and authority, the kings of the earth unite with these unclean
spirits, during the sixth plague, to enforce the dogmas of the beast. There
is one mind between the kings of the earth and the beast.
These Shall Make War With the Lamb: The unity of mind between the
kings of the earth and the three unclean spirits causes them to make war
with the Lamb. This war is the battle of Armageddon (seen in Revelation
16:16–21). This war against the Lamb is directed toward God’s people,
and it is the enforcement of the death decree against those who have
refused to receive the mark of the beast.
And the Lamb Shall Overcome Them: The battle of Armageddon

culminates in the seventh plague with the coming of the Lamb. It is the
great day of His wrath (Revelation 6:17). Those who were ready to
destroy God’s people are defeated when a great voice from heaven says,
“It is done” (see Revelation 16:17). Then the wicked receive the
outpouring of hail that weighs a talent, or sixty-six pounds, as was
discussed in Revelation 16:21.
This war with the Lamb is the final reason for the judgment against the
great harlot and the beast. The papacy and the coalition of the world
leaders comes to its end and is destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s
coming. The Lamb overcomes the papacy and all the world that has
wondered after it.
For He Is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings: The title used here for
Christ is the same as Revelation 19:16 when He returns as KING OF
KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS at the Second Coming. The Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary rightly points out that this title is used in
Scripture to describe “Christ as He returns to earth to vanquish the hosts
of evil and to deliver His loyal people.” 448
Clearly then, the Lamb overcomes the kings of the earth, the three
unclean spirits, and the beast at the Second Coming.
And They That Are With Him Are Called, and Chosen, and Faithful:
When the Lamb overcomes the kings of the earth and the three unclean
spirits at His Second Coming, He delivers those who are called, chosen,
and faithful.
The language used to describe those whom God delivers seems to be

directly referencing the parable of the marriage feast in Matthew 22:1–14.
In this parable, many are invited to the wedding, but most ignore the
invitation. People are then called from the highways and byways. One
person comes to the marriage feast without a wedding garment and is
cast out.
Being called represents the gospel invitation. The wedding garment

represents Christ’s righteousness by faith. Jesus ended the parable by
saying, “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).
The Greek words for “called” and “chosen” are the same in Revelation
17:14 and Matthew 22:14. The word for “called” in Greek is kletos, and it
also means “invited.” The Greek word for “chosen” is eklektos and can also
mean “selected.” 449
The whole world is called to receive the gospel invitation. Fewer are
chosen, as so many turn away from this invitation.
Fewer still are faithful, even when selected, or chosen. “Faithful” is pistos
in the Greek and can also mean “steady,” “reliable,” or “worthy of trust.”
450
Those who remain faithful after being called and chosen are described in
the last part of Revelation 2:10: “… be thou faithful unto death, and I will
give thee a crown of life.”
The Lamb comes to deliver those willing to die for their faith. They are
worthy of trust. When faced with death, these faithful saints remain true
to God. They are empowered by the Lamb, through His blood and the
word of their testimony, to be faithful and to love not their lives unto
death (Revelation 12:11). When war is declared against Him, the Lamb
overcomes the beast and the kings of the earth in the battle of
Armageddon because of the faithfulness of His saints.
APPLICATION: All of us receive the gospel invitation. The first angel’s

message contains the everlasting gospel to be preached to the entire
world. How many of us, even as Seventh-day Adventists, are moving past
the gospel invitation of being called so that we are selected or chosen?
When looking at the excuses that people make for not attending the
wedding feast (Matthew 22), the love of this world and cares of this life
keep so many from accepting the gospel call. We can be lost in church,
while doing good things, if we are not careful. If the gospel of Jesus Christ
does not touch our hearts, we are in great danger of missing out on being
delivered by the Lamb at the Second Coming.
Even more, how many of us move past being selected, or chosen, to being
faithful? Are we ready to die for Jesus right now? Are we ready to
surrender our careers, lifestyles, choices for a spouse (if still single), the
direction for our families, our diets, our attitudes—our entire heart to
Jesus Christ? The faithful are those worthy of trust and willing to die for
Jesus right now. May each one of us not only accept the gospel invitation,
but also overcome by the blood of the Lamb so that He will find us
faithful today.
OBSERVATION: At the beginning of the chapter (v. 1), John saw the great
whore sitting upon many waters. Now, as the angel speaks to him directly,
he is given the interpretation.
The Waters Which Thou Sawest, Where the Whore Sitteth, Are
Peoples, and Multitudes, and Nations, and Tongues: This passage is
used to explain the meaning of water in prophecy for both Daniel 7:2–3
and Revelation 13:1. The four beasts of Daniel 7 and the first beast of
Revelation 13 are all described as coming up from the sea; thus they come
from populated areas of the earth.
Revelation 17:15 points out that waters represent not just people, but
multitudes, or populated areas of the earth. In addition, the waters also
represent nations and languages.
The great whore, as the apostate church, sits among the populated areas
of the world. She has influence over the masses at the end of time. All the
world wonders after the beast.
And the Ten Horns Which Thou Sawest Upon the Beast, These Shall
Hate the Whore: There is a sudden change in the relationship between
the ten horns and Babylon. Note specifically that the ten horns come to
hate the whore. The ten horns are part of the scarlet beast of Revelation
17, which represents all of the political kingdoms or empires from
Babylon (the first head) down to the ten horns (the one-world coalition)
and seventh head (see discussion above on verse 12). The ten horns
represent all of the political leaders and kings of the earth at the end of
the world.
When it becomes clear that they are fighting a losing cause, the kings of
the earth turn against the whore, or apostate church. This occurs during
the seventh plague, when the death decree is halted.
Ellen White, to some extent, described this scene during the seventh
plague in the following statement:
The people see that they have been deluded. They accuse one
another of having led them to destruction; but all unite in
heaping their bitterest condemnation upon the ministers.
Unfaithful pastors have prophesied smooth things; they have
led their hearers to make void the law of God and to persecute
those who would keep it holy. Now, in their despair, these
teachers confess before the world their work of deception. The
multitudes are filled with fury. “We are lost!” they cry, “and you
are the cause of our ruin;” and they turn upon the false
shepherds. The very ones that once admired them most will
pronounce the most dreadful curses upon them. The very
hands that once crowned them with laurels will be raised for
their destruction. The swords which were to slay God’s people
are now employed to destroy their enemies. Everywhere there
is strife and bloodshed. 451
The great whore, or apostate church, has sat upon the seven heads and
received support from the political kingdoms. When the multitudes of
people realize that her false teachings (wine of Babylon) have led to
receiving the horrific plagues and loss of eternal life of all who worship
her, the hatred that is poured upon her will be beyond measure.
Shall Make Her Desolate, and Naked, and Shall Eat Her Flesh, and
Shall Burn Her With Fire: The language of the harlot’s destruction is
symbolic, as she represents the Roman Catholic church-state power at the
end of the world. She is made desolate, or laid to waste. This is a
permanent desolation as she loses the support of the nations. At the
beginning of the chapter, she is clothed in costly attire. Here at its end,
she is fully exposed, naked, and, symbolically speaking, this is the worst
shame that she can experience.
With respect to eating her flesh, it literally means to eat her “flesh pieces.”
Notice the interpretation of this passage from The Seventh-day Adventist
Bible Commentary:
As a beast of prey rends and tears its victim in the process of

devouring it, so “the whore” is to be violently, pitilessly
destroyed by the very powers that had so recently supported
her. 452
She is figuratively burned up to complete her utter destruction by those

who supported her. She is then fully destroyed by the brightness of
Christ’s coming (see 2 Thessalonians 2:8).
For God Hath Put in Their Hearts to Fulfill His Will, and to Agree,
and Give Their Kingdom Unto the Beast, Until the Words of God Be
Fulfilled: In fulfillment of God’s will, the ten horns work on behalf of the
beast until the very end. Kenneth Mathews has helpful insight on this
passage:
The phrase to put in their hearts is a Semitic idiom that occurs

one time in Revelation. This phrase occurs several times in the
Old Testament, in Exodus 35:34; Nehemiah 2:12; 7:5; and
Ezra 7:27. In each of these cases, it appears to refer to the
divine guidance given to Bezaleel and Aholiab, Nehemiah, and
the king, to carry out their plans for building the sanctuary,
raising the walls of Jerusalem, and beautifying the house of the
Lord. God puts it in their hearts to do something but respects
their sovereign will to do it. …
In believing that they are working out the purposes of the

beast, the united governing political powers are, in fact,
unconsciously carrying out God’s purposes to bring judgment
upon Babylon. …
God is in full control, and the wicked can do no more than He
allows. They exercise only the power that God allows them to
exercise. In the final analysis, the powers of evil serve the
purposes of God. The coalition between the beast and his allies
will continue until the words of the prophecies leading up to
the overthrow of antichrist are fulfilled. The sovereignty of God
over this world is complete. Nothing happens that He does not
know about, foresee, or allow, until His covenant with His
people is complete. 453
Just when it seems that the ten horns and the beast will unite with the
harlot to destroy God’s people, the ten horns turn against the harlot and
destroy her.
REVELATION 17:18
OBSERVATION: Verses 7–17 of this chapter are a verbal description of the
mystery of the beast John saw in verses 3–6. In the final verse of the
chapter, the mystery of the great whore that sits upon the beast is
described to John. She is the great city, which has already been named in
verse 5. She is Babylon the Great. Just two verses later, in Revelation 18:2,
her fall is announced in the loud cry message.
She sits upon the scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns until the
very end of the world. She reigns over the kings of the earth. As a corrupt
woman, she represents false religion from the time of ancient Babylon
through to the time that the world governments unite in the seventh
head.
At the end of the world, all of the false religions since the time of Babylon
are synthesized in the Roman Catholic church-state system. We
previously discussed this when studying Revelation 13:2. When the
deadly wound is healed, all of the elements of false religion that have
existed since the time of Babylon are incorporated to persecute God’s
people. This false religious system rules over all the world, and all the
world wonders after the beast.
Ultimately, this false system leads to the destruction of those who follow
it.
Babylon is judged because she is an apostate church, and she represents

the false religion. She has influenced the kings of the earth to follow her
throughout history and to the end of the world. At the very end, the great
harlot influences the kings of the earth to make war on the Lamb by
issuing a death decree on anyone who dares to stand against her.
As we come to the end of the chapter, we see that there is no question as

to why Babylon, the great whore, is judged.
As we transition to the next chapter, we find that the earth is illuminated

with the glory of God’s character, and a message is given, with a loud cry,
that provides ample opportunity for all within Babylon to come out of her
before the plagues are poured out. There is no excuse for those who
remain part of Babylon and make war on the Lamb. The judgment of
Babylon is just.
APPLICATION: As we read of Babylon’s destiny, we are reminded that God

has given us the three angels’ messages to warn the world that Babylon is
fallen. There are countless millions, if not billions, under her influence.
We should not be content to sit idly by while many in Babylon remain
deceived. God has revealed all of these truths, not only for our salvation,
but also for His people who are still in Babylon. He promises to empower
us to do the work He commissions us to do. We are to take this message
to every nation, people and language group, and every territory
throughout this world. The condition of the present world should
motivate us, more than ever, to participate in God’s closing work.
REVELATION 18
INTRODUCTION
After the judgment of Babylon, the great harlot, in the previous two
chapters, Revelation 18 starts off with the final warning message to
Babylon just before probation closes. It is a dramatic moment in the
history of the world as every inhabitant on the globe is made aware of this
message. The worldwide nature of the message shows that God gives
everyone in Babylon a chance to come out before Babylon receives
judgment. Those who suffered the judgments poured out upon Babylon
in Revelation 16 and Revelation 17 were given a clear opportunity to
come out before those judgments came, as seen here in Revelation 18.
The fall of Babylon is announced in the loud cry message of Revelation

18:1–8. The fall of ancient Babylon (Daniel 5) prefigures the fall of end-
time Babylon. Belshazzar made a feast and worshiped false gods while
mocking the God of heaven. Living in luxury and profligacy, King
Belshazzar was unaware that his end had come. He did not realize that
the River Euphrates had been diverted by the Medo-Persian army.
Likewise, end-time Babylon worships on a false day and speaks “great

words against the most high” (Daniel 7:25). The River Euphrates again
dries up (see Revelation 16:12), and her fall comes as certainly as did
ancient Babylon’s fall.
Revelation 18 describes a vivid scene of judgment and destruction for

end-time Babylon. Just as Daniel the prophet pronounced judgment
upon ancient Babylon by interpreting the three-part judgment message
seen in the handwriting on the wall, God’s people proclaim the loud cry
message that declares, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen.” This message
unites with the three-part judgment message from the three angels’
messages of Revelation 14:6–12. 454
The most solemn and important messages ever entrusted to human

beings are contained within the three angels’ messages of Revelation
14:6–12. These messages gain significant strength and power when the
latter rain is poured out upon God’s people. Revelation 18 describes this
prophetic moment that is yet future. It will be a moment of power and
glory when God’s character is not simply described by the messages but is
also seen in a manner that illuminates the entire world.
We must all pray and desire to be among those who proclaim and
demonstrate this message to the world just before Jesus returns.
REVELATION 18:1
OBSERVATION: There are three sections to Revelation 18. The first section
(vs. 1–8) represents the loud cry message given by God’s people
announcing the fall of Babylon and her judgment. In the second section
(vs. 9–19), we see the lamentations of the political and financial leaders of
the earth as they behold the effects of the seven last plagues. In the final
section (vs. 20–24), we find that heaven and the righteous rejoice over
Babylon’s destruction, as all of her industry and entertainment are
destroyed forever.
And After These Things: The seven last plagues of Revelation 16 and the
judgment of the great whore in Revelation 17 are fully justified by God. It
is “after these things” of Revelation 16 and 17 that God gives even further
evidence as to why His judgment on Babylon is fair and just.
I Saw Another Angel Come Down From Heaven: John saw a heavenly
messenger. As with the three angels of Revelation 14, the Greek word for
“angel” is aggelos and means “messenger.” This angel comes down from
heaven with a message that is for the whole world. It unites with the
messages of the three angels of Revelation 14:6–12 and repeats key
elements from all of the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14.
Having Great Power: The messenger has great power. The word for
“power” in the Greek is exousia which means “authority.” This message is
invested with all of the authority of Heaven. Thus, the message with great
power and authority coming from heaven to the earth has enough power
to reach all of this world’s inhabitants.
And the Earth Was Lightened With His Glory: The word for
“lightened” in the Greek is photizo and can also be translated as
“illuminated.”
The entire world is illuminated with the brightness of the glory of the
message that comes from heaven. It is the glory of God that fills the earth.
The experience of the mystery of God which is “Christ in you, the hope of
glory” (see Revelation 10:7) is completed in the Second Advent
movement. Now the glory of Christ and His character is seen throughout
the world.
The Greek word for “glory” is doxa. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible
Commentary says the following:
The “glory” may be thought of as representing the character of

God (cf. Exodus 33:18, 19; 34:6, 7), here particularly as revealed
in the plan of salvation. 455
Moses asked God to show him His glory:
And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will
make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the
name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will
be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
(Exodus 33:18–19)
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD,
The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and
abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no
means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to
the fourth generation. (Exodus 34:6–7)
God’s glory is His character. He is gracious, merciful, and forgiving. But

He will not clear the guilty. When His glory fills the earth in Revelation
18:1, His character is demonstrated to the world through the lives of His
people.
In the first angel’s message of Revelation 14:7, there is a call to give

“glory” (also doxa in the Greek) to Him. Those who experience the first
angel’s message will demonstrate God’s glory to the world when the latter
rain is poured out. Thus, we see a repetition of this aspect of giving glory
to God by the powerful angel here in Revelation 18:1.
There are other passages of Scripture that replicate Revelation 18:1. Isaiah
60:1–3 is one such passage:
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is
risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee,
and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come
to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Notice also Ezekiel 43:2:
And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of
the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the
earth shined with his glory.
In a time of gross darkness that covers the earth through the violation of
God’s law, there will be a people who keep the commandments of God
and demonstrate the glory of God’s character. They will be empowered to
give a message that shows the world exactly what it means to completely
follow Jesus.
Not only is the message proclaimed with a mighty voice that “Babylon the
great is fallen, is fallen,” but there is a demonstration of the power of God
and of His character. While the message has great power and authority,
what especially gives the message power is the full glory of God as seen in
the messengers.
Revelation 10 describes God raising up the Second Advent movement so

that they would experience in its completeness the mystery of God,
“which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Jesus stands
at the door of Laodicea and says, “Let me come in!” The earth, being
illuminated with the glory of God’s character, indicates decisively that
Laodicea has let Christ in and that the mystery of God (Revelation 10:7)
is finished. Those Laodiceans, who receive Christ fully and completely,
receive the seal of God and become part of the 144,000.
When Christ is fully formed within, the 144,000 are empowered to

receive the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit, known as the latter rain.
Those who have the outpouring of the Holy Spirit can then, with great
power, give the message that identifies Babylon as fallen.
When Christ’s character is fully experienced by God’s people, then

Babylon can be called out completely with a message that identifies her
sins. While the second angel’s message that announces the fall of Babylon
has been in effect since 1844, the message will have its full effect when
God’s people have the character of Jesus developed within.
The experience of having the character of Christ was well-described by

Ellen White in this statement:
All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work
with Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with
our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into
conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but
carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified,
will find its highest delight in doing His service. When we
know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a
life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the
character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will
become hateful to us. 456
Ellen White had some very enlightening comments on Revelation 18:1.

In the following statement, she connected the experience of justification
by faith and the third angel’s message with Revelation 18:1:
Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of

justification by faith is the third angel’s message, and I have
answered, “It is the third angel’s message in verity.” The prophet
declares, “And after these things I saw another angel come
down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was
lightened with his glory.” Brightness, glory, and power are to be
connected with the third angel’s message, and conviction will
follow wherever it is preached in demonstration of the Spirit.
How will any of our brethren know when this light shall come
to the people of God? As yet, we certainly have not seen the
light that answers to this description. God has light for his
people, and all who will accept it will see the sinfulness of
remaining in a lukewarm condition; they will heed the counsel
of the True Witness when he says, “Be zealous therefore, and
repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear
my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will
sup with him, and he with me.” 457
Justification by faith is believing in the full forgiveness and grace of God.

It is also living through God’s power and strength every moment.
Learning to live by faith in this way, within the experience of the third
angel’s message, is the very ingredient that leads to the outpouring of the
latter rain. But it is also the lukewarm condition of the Laodicean church
that has prevented this prophetic fulfillment of the outpouring of the
latter rain from taking place.
The following statement from Ellen White shows the connection between
the mystery of God being finished (Revelation 10:7) and the earth being
illuminated with God’s glory (Revelation 18:1):
The latter rain is to fall upon the people of God. A mighty angel
is to come down from heaven, and the whole earth is to be
lighted with his glory. Are we ready to take part in the
glorious work of the third angel? Are our vessels ready to
receive the heavenly dew? Have we defilement and sin in the
heart? If so, let us cleanse the soul temple, and prepare for the
showers of the latter rain. The refreshing from the presence of
the Lord will never come to hearts filled with impurity. May
God help us to die to self, that Christ, the hope of glory, may
be formed within! 458
The book of Revelation is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Revelation 18:1

is the revelation of Jesus through His people as His glory and character
are revealed to the world.
APPLICATION: We should pray that we are part of the outpouring of the

latter rain at the end of the world. While the opposition to this final
message will be stiff, the power of God in His people will be unrivaled. In
this statement, Ellen White tells how the work will go forward with power
at the end:
The great work of the gospel is not to close with less

manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening.
The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the
former rain at the opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled
in the latter rain at its close. Here are “the times of refreshing”
to which the apostle Peter looked forward when he said:
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the
presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus.” Acts 3:19, 20.
Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with
holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to proclaim
the message from heaven. By thousands of voices, all over the
earth, the warning will be given. Miracles will be wrought, the
sick will be healed, and signs and wonders will follow the
believers. 459
When the Holy Spirit is fully poured out, we will see the work go forward
through individuals who take the message very quickly—to the ends of
the earth and to as many as will hear it. We may not fill large arenas or
stadiums, but when God has a people filled with the Holy Spirit, the
message will extend rapidly, especially through the personal labor of
those who are filled with the latter rain.
In Acts 5:32, we are told that God gives the Holy Spirit “to them that obey
Him.” Those who are part of the experience of the latter rain are a
fulfillment of the prophecy of people referred to in Revelation 12:17 and
Revelation 14:12.
Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit can be compared to the wise
virgins in the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13). If we have the
experience of the early rain, in which the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians
5:22–23) are part of our life, we will be prepared to receive the
outpouring of the latter rain. If we think that an unconverted, Laodicean
experience is sufficient, we will be passed over when the latter rain is
poured out. We will be like the five foolish virgins who are left out of
God’s kingdom.
Now is the time to receive the early rain of the Holy Spirit and to receive
God’s grace that will empower us to live totally consecrated and obedient
lives. Very soon, God will have a people who will be a demonstration to
the world of the glory of His character. May we not be left out!
REVELATION 18:2–5
OBSERVATION: Many of the key elements of the loud cry message are
found in the first five verses, although the entirety of the message
continues through to verse 8. While the demonstration of God’s character
is revealed through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain,
there is also a crucial message proclaimed in the outpouring of the Spirit.
And He Cried Mightily With a Strong Voice: The adjectives describing

the strength of this message make it very clear that this message is given
with great power. This message is known as the loud cry message. Ellen
White repeatedly referred to this as “the loud cry of the third angel.” 460 In
fact, she said that the loud cry is given once God’s people have advanced
beyond their Laodicean condition:
I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth with
great power. It had effect. Many had been bound; some wives
by their husbands, and some children by their parents. The
honest who had been prevented from hearing the truth now
eagerly laid hold upon it. All fear of their relatives was gone,
and the truth alone was exalted to them. They had been
hungering and thirsting for truth; it was dearer and more
precious than life. I asked what had made this great change. An
angel answered, “It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the
presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.” 461
In the lives of God’s people there will be a demonstration of God’s

character not experienced since apostolic times. There will also be a
proclamation of truth, given with power, which has also not been seen
since that time. It is proclaimed by those who are filled with the latter
rain.
The testimony that was given of Jesus’ message in John 7:46 was, “Never
man spake like this man.” Of this moment, Ellen White said:
The officers who were sent to take Jesus reported that never
man spake like this man. But the reason of this was that never
man lived like this man; for if he had not so lived, he could not
so have spoken. His words bore with them a convincing power,
because they came from a heart pure and holy, full of love and
sympathy, beneficence and truth. There is eloquence beyond
that of words, in the quiet, consistent life of a pure, true
Christian. 462
God’s people will be able to give the loud cry message because of the
righteous lives that they experience. They can speak the truth with great
power because they live like Jesus.
Babylon the Great Is Fallen, Is Fallen: Here is a repetition of the second

angel’s message. While the second angel’s message is not given with a loud
voice (in contrast to the first and third angel’s messages), the message
here in Revelation 18 is “given mightily with a strong voice.”
The message that is proclaimed with a loud cry is, “Babylon the great, is
fallen, is fallen.” We have seen in Revelation 13, 14, 16, and 17 that
Babylon is the Roman Catholic church-state power, and the apostate
Protestant churches, and spiritualism. The Roman Catholic church-state
power fell many centuries ago. The apostate Protestant churches fell in
the summer of 1844.463
The final fall of Babylon is so significant that this message is announced

in a manner that all the world will see and hear it.
Revelation 13:3 and 17:8 tell us that all the world will “wonder after”
Babylon. Thus, God sends a final warning message, empowered with the
fullness of the Holy Spirit, that lets all of the world know that “Babylon is
fallen, is fallen” at the very time that the world wonders after Babylon.
And Is Become the Habitation of Devils, and the Hold of Every Foul
Spirit, and a Cage of Every Unclean and Hateful Bird: At her final fall,
Babylon becomes the dwelling place of demons. Revelation 16:13–14
shows the threefold union in which three unclean spirits like frogs come
out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. These
unclean spirits are “the spirits of devils” (16:14).
Furthermore, Revelation 16:19 shows that the great city of Babylon is

divided into three parts: the dragon (spiritualism), the beast (Roman
Catholic church-state power), and the false prophet (apostate
Protestantism).
These three entities use demonic power to deceive the whole world, such
as calling fire down from heaven on the earth (Revelation 13:13) and
performing miracles for “the kings of the earth and of the whole world”
(Revelation 16:14). The loud cry exposes the fraud of the whole system of
Babylon and reveals that it is empowered by the forces of Satan and his
demons.
Babylon becomes the dwelling place of demons and every foul spirit. The
Greek word for “foul” is akathartos, and it literally means “unclean.”
There was an “unclean spirit” in a man when Jesus spoke in the
synagogue (Mark 1:23–26). This unclean spirit was a demon.
At the end of time, all the demons of the universe dwell in Babylon. It is
an utterly evil place.
Not only is Babylon the dwelling place and hold of every demon, but it is
also “a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Of this passage, Austin
Cooke says,
John draws on the Old Testament descriptions of ancient

Babylon, Nineveh, and Edom in their desolate, ruinous state, in
which they were the abode of “unclean birds.” This represents
the spiritual desolation that modern Babylon will ultimately
reach. 464
Passages that describe this illustration in the Old Testament include

Isaiah 13:19–22; 34:11, 13–14; Jeremiah 50:39; 51:37; and Zephaniah
2:14–15.
Notice specifically what Isaiah 13:19–22 says:
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’

excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and
Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in
from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch
tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. But
wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be
full of doleful creatures; and owls [ostriches] shall dwell there,
and satyrs [wild goats] shall dance there. And the wild beasts of
the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their
pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall
not be prolonged.
For All Nations Have Drunk of the Wine of the Wrath of Her
Fornication: This is very similar language to Revelation 14:8. Again,
there is repetition of the second angel’s message as part of the loud cry.
The wine of Babylon is her false doctrine, especially as seen in her
teachings of Sunday sacredness and the immortality of the soul. These
false teachings also include the doctrine of the pope, obscuring the
Scriptures, adoration of images and relics, use of force and persecution,
works and penance, image worship, inerrancy of the church, immortality
of the soul which leads to the worship of saints and Mary, purgatory,
indulgences, the mass, and the inquisition.465
When the second angel’s message was first given in 1844, it could not be
yet said that “all nations have drunk” of her wine. However, when the
loud cry is given, all nations have accepted Babylon’s teachings on Sunday
sacredness and the immortality of the soul. Thus, a Sunday law has been
passed that has been accepted by all nations. This is a reminder of why
the three angels’ messages are to be given to every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people. God works through these messages to limit the
damage of the wine of Babylon.
There is a complete contrast between God’s church and Babylon. God’s
people fully represent His character, they keep His law, and the earth is
illuminated with God’s glory. Babylon fully represents the principles of
Satan’s government and character. The entire world has wondered after
the beast. The nations of the earth have imbibed the Babylonian doctrine
of Sunday sacredness and have thus trampled upon the law of God. The
nations also have accepted the belief of the immortality of the soul and
are therefore ripe for deception by all of Satan’s demons.
While the loud cry is being given, the false doctrine of the immortality of
the soul leads to a manifestation of spiritualism that supports the false
doctrine of Sunday worship.
And the Kings of the Earth Have Committed Fornication With Her:
Not only have the people of all nations drunk the wine of Babylon, but
the kings of the earth, or the political leaders, have committed spiritual
fornication with the great harlot of Babylon. When Babylon received the
deadly wound in 1798, she lost her power over the political state. When
the loud cry is given, it announces that the deadly wound has been healed
because the kings of the earth have united with Babylon, the great harlot,
in a spiritually illicit union. The healing of the deadly wound and the
spiritually illicit union between Babylon and the kings of the earth are
confirmed by the passing of the Sunday law. The second beast of
Revelation 13 now speaks as a dragon.
The drinking of the wine by the nations of the earth has brought the
populations under the influence of the false teachings of Sunday
sacredness and the immortality of the soul. Being under this influence
then brings the political leaders to commit spiritual fornication with
Babylon through a Sunday law.
Now God’s people are empowered to announce this great fall of Babylon
in a manner in which all of the world will be warned of her fall.
And the Merchants of the Earth Are Waxed Rich Through the
Abundance of Her Delicacies: Not only does the loud cry condemn the
religious and political leaders, it also speaks out against the “merchants of
the earth.” Revelation 18:23 identifies the merchants of the earth as “the
great men of the earth.” These are the financial leaders who control the
economic systems of this world.
There is a progression in the effect that Babylon has upon the world. All
nations and the kings of the earth drink her wine. Then, the kings of the
earth commit fornication with her. Finally, because of the benefits
associated with Babylon, the merchants of the earth “are waxed rich.”
When all nations are drunk with the wine of Babylon, the result is a
union of church and state. Babylon also takes control of the governments
and financial systems of the world.
There are some who teach that the merchants of the earth are spiritual
merchants.466 However, the kings of the earth are literally the political
leaders of the earth. It does not make sense that the merchants would not
then literally be the financial leaders of the earth.
The financial leaders of the earth align with Babylon to give her financial
control to create a system in which no man can buy or sell unless they
receive the mark of the beast (Revelation 13:17).
In Revelation 13, we saw the deceptions of the wine of Babylon (v. 14).
This progresses to authoritative power in the union of church and state
(vs. 15–16), and concludes with total financial control in verse 17. The
financial control over the whole world is certainly to benefit the
merchants of the earth who have formed an alliance with the leaders of
Babylon.
“The abundance of her delicacies” can also be translated “the abundance

of her luxury.” There is no lack of luxury or wealth in Babylon. The
Roman Catholic church-state power is one of the wealthiest organizations
in the entire world. The personalities, teachings, and encyclicals of
Babylon lead to an enthusiastic popularity along with growing control
over the people of the earth. Considerable wealth and prosperity are the
advantages to this close alliance between Babylon and the merchants of
the earth.
God’s people, under the power of the loud cry, condemn these merchants
and their economic system that is connected to the theology and teaching
of Babylon.
And I Heard Another Voice From Heaven, Saying: After the initial
thrust of the loud cry that repeats the first and second angel’s messages,
another key aspect of the loud cry message is added in verses 4 and 5.
Come Out of Her, My People: God does not simply announce the fall of
Babylon through His messengers. The primary purpose is to call out His
people who are still in Babylon. By sending a message that illuminates the
world with the brightness of His character, and by giving the message
with full strength, God does everything that He possibly can to save His
people who are still in Babylon at the end of the world. The message is
clear and unmistakable: “Come out of her, My people!”
There are many Christians who sincerely believe that Sunday is the true
day of worship. However, when the wine of Babylon’s fornication is drunk
by all nations through the passing of a national Sunday law, which
becomes universal, it will no longer be acceptable to continue to claim
that day as God’s true day of worship. Ellen White made it very clear that
God’s people in the churches of Babylon will need to come out of her
after the Sunday law is passed:
But Christians of past generations observed the Sunday,

supposing that in so doing they were keeping the Bible Sabbath;
and there are now true Christians in every church, not
excepting the Roman Catholic communion, who honestly
believe that Sunday is the Sabbath of divine appointment. God
accepts their sincerity of purpose and their integrity before
Him. But when Sunday observance shall be enforced by law,
and the world shall be enlightened concerning the obligation of
the true Sabbath, then whoever shall transgress the command
of God, to obey a precept which has no higher authority than
that of Rome, will thereby honor popery above God. He is
paying homage to Rome and to the power which enforces the
institution ordained by Rome. He is worshiping the beast and
his image. As men then reject the institution which God has
declared to be the sign of His authority, and honor in its stead
that which Rome has chosen as the token of her supremacy,
they will thereby accept the sign of allegiance to Rome—“the
mark of the beast.” And it is not until the issue is thus plainly
set before the people, and they are brought to choose between
the commandments of God and the commandments of men,
that those who continue in transgression will receive “the mark
of the beast.” 467
When the Sunday law is passed, God’s people must come out of the
churches that continue to honor Sunday or they themselves will receive
the mark of the beast.
That Ye Be Not Partakers of Her Sins, and That Ye Receive Not of Her
Plagues: Here we see a repetition of the third angel’s message which
warns those in Babylon to avoid receiving the mark of the beast or they
will drink of the wine of the wrath of God—which is the seven last
plagues (Revelation 14:9–11; 15:1). The loud cry announces that those
who stay in Babylon will partake of her sins and receive the seven last
plagues. Thus, the angel of Revelation 18 has elements from all of the
three angels’ messages of Revelation 14:6–12.
The sins of Babylon include the false doctrines from her wine, promoting
Sunday sacredness and the immortality of the soul. Her sins also include
spiritual fornication and that she is the dwelling place of devils. The
plagues of Babylon were detailed in our study of Revelation 16.
God does not want His sincere followers to remain in Babylon, where
they will be lost. He does not want them to receive the seven last plagues.
Thus, He sends the most powerful message possible to call out as many as
possible.
The message will have its effect. Many will heed the call and join God’s
people during the final crisis of the earth’s history. They will replace many
unfaithful Seventh-day Adventists who will go out at that time.
The message will have its effect. Many will heed the call and
join God’s people during the final crisis of the earth’s history.
They will replace many unfaithful Seventh-day Adventists who
will go out at that time.
Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company

after company from the Lord’s army joined the foe and tribe
after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the
commandment-keeping people of God. 468
For Her Sins Have Reached Unto Heaven, and God Hath Remembered
Her Iniquities: Babylon’s sins, many and terrible through the centuries,
caused countless millions of deaths during the Dark Ages. She is guilty of
the blood of saints and prophets (Revelation 16:6). Finally, during the
loud cry, the announcement is made that Babylon’s “sins have reached
unto heaven.”
How do Babylon’s sins reach heaven? The first five verses of chapter 18
have indicated that all nations have drunk of Babylon’s wine, which
especially mandates Sunday sacredness. We also recall that historically in
the Dark Ages the little horn, as the papacy, magnified himself to heaven
in the following passages in Daniel:
Yea, he magnified himself even to the Prince of the host, and by

him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his
sanctuary was cast down. (Daniel 8:11).
And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall
wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times
and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and
times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:25)
By professing to change Sabbath to Sunday, the papacy claims the

authority to change the law of God. This caused Babylon’s sins to reach all
the way to the Prince of the host in heaven during the 1,260 years.
When the deadly wound is healed and the Sunday law is passed,
Babylon’s sins reach heaven again. Her cup of abominations is full
(Revelation 17:4).
Ellen White affirmed that Babylon’s sins reach heaven with the passing of
the Sunday law:
When do her sins reach unto heaven? When the law of God is
finally made void by legislation. Then the extremity of God’s
people is his opportunity to show who is the governor of
heaven and earth. As a satanic power is stirring up the elements
from beneath, God will send light and power to his people, that
the message of truth may be proclaimed to all the world. 469
When the Sunday law is passed and Babylon’s sins reach heaven, the
announcement is made that “God hath remembered her iniquities.” The
violation of His law is the final sin that causes her sins to be brought into
remembrance before God (Revelation 16:19).
The remembrance of Babylon’s sins is in marked contrast to the new-

covenant promise that God made with His people in Jeremiah 31:31–34:
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in
the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the
land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an
husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those
days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and
write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be
my people. And they shall teach no more every man his
neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD:
for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the
greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity,
and I will remember their sin no more.
This promise is repeated in the New Testament in Hebrews 8:10–13 and

10:16–17. The contrast between God’s new-covenant people and Babylon
cannot be more stark. Babylon institutes the Sunday law which violates
the law of God. Nearly all the world receives the mark of the beast. As a
result, their sins are remembered by God.
By contrast, God writes His law in the hearts and minds of His people, so
they delight to keep His law through loving obedience empowered by the
Holy Spirit. They are cleansed of sin, and God remembers their sins no
more.
The people of Babylon receive the mark of the beast. The people of God
receive the seal of God.
APPLICATION: The parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 describes the

Second Advent movement. The midnight cry of Matthew 25:6 is a parallel
to the loud cry of Revelation 18:1. The midnight cry announced, “Behold
the bridegroom cometh; go yet out to meet him.” There is a historical
fulfillment to the midnight cry in the Millerite movement leading up to
October 22, 1844. There is also an end-time fulfillment of this parable for
God’s people alive at the Second Coming. Notice this statement from
Ellen White:
When the third angel’s message is preached as it should be,

power attends its proclamation, and it becomes an abiding
influence. It must be attended with divine power, or it will
accomplish nothing. I am often referred to the parable of the
ten virgins, five of whom were wise, and five foolish. This
parable has been and will be fulfilled to the very letter, for it has
a special application to this time, and, like the third angel’s
message, has been fulfilled and will continue to be present truth
till the close of time. 470
In the historical fulfillment of this parable, the midnight cry occurred

when the date was set for the coming of Jesus on October 22, 1844, after a
delay in the expectation for the fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel 8:14.
471 In the end-time application and fulfillment, the midnight cry
correlates with the loud cry of Revelation 18:1, after a delay in Christ’s
Second Coming.
All of the virgins are awakened by the midnight cry. The reason they are
aroused from their sleep is that the midnight cry commences when the
Sunday law is passed. The loud cry announces that Babylon’s sins have
reached unto heaven. We learned that Babylon’s sins reach heaven when
the Sunday law is passed.
Every Seventh-day Adventist knows the significance of the passing of the

Sunday law. We will know that the end of the world has truly come. The
words on the lips of all Seventh-day Adventists will be “Behold, the
Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him!”
When the Sunday law is passed, the wise virgins, who have the oil in their
vessels with their lamps, will receive the outpouring of the latter rain and
give the loud cry message. After the loud cry is given over a period of
time, a death decree will be declared, probation will close as the
Bridegroom finishes His work in the Most Holy Place, and those who are
ready will go in with Him to the marriage, and the door will be shut
(Matthew 25:10).
The judgment of the living takes place between the initial passing of the
Sunday law and the death decree. Probation closes at the death decree.
The fruit of character is seen in the lives of the wise and foolish virgins
during the time between the initial passing of the Sunday law and the
death decree. The judgment of the living is like taking a closed-book
examination. The opportunity for preparation closes when you walk into
the room to take the examination. Probation for the examination closes
when the examination is actually completed.
The Sunday law crisis is the examination for God’s people. When the
national Sunday law is passed, there is no further opportunity for
preparation. However, probation does not close until the fruit of the life is
seen through that crisis. When the death decree is passed at the end of
the crisis, probation closes, and the door is shut (Matthew 25:10). Those
who are prepared for the close of probation have participated in giving
the loud cry message. They are the wise virgins.
The wise virgins have the fruit of the Holy Spirit as seen in Galatians
5:22–23:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,

gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such
there is no law.
Those who give the loud cry message under the power of the latter rain
will have this fruit. One of the reasons the latter rain has not been poured
out is because this fruit is missing in the lives of Seventh-day Adventists.
Some today would claim credit for the work of the Holy Spirit. Others
give the message that Babylon is fallen, but they do so with the spirit of
Babylon. God waits until He has a sealed people (Revelation 7:1–4) who
will announce the fall of Babylon with His glory and character.
REVELATION 18:6–8
OBSERVATION: The final portion of the loud cry message is found in verses
6–8. Then, the next portion of the chapter transitions to the reaction of
the people on the earth to the plagues that fall upon Babylon.
Reward Her Even as She Rewarded You: “Reward her” means literally
“give her to the limit.”472 “As she rewarded you” literally means
“according to her deeds.”473 Thus, Babylon will receive a just punishment
for all the abominations that she has committed.
And Double Unto Her Double According to Her Works: in the Cup
Which She Hath Filled Fill to Her Double: Babylon will receive a double
measure of justice for the atrocities that she has committed against God’s
people through the centuries. Her works bring these judgments upon
herself. In the cup full of her abominations (Revelation 17:4), she will
receive a double measure of judgment. The symbolic prayer of the saints
has finally been answered:
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 6:10)
The atrocities of Babylon are paid back in double measure, “according to

her works.”
How Much She Hath Glorified Herself, and Lived Deliciously: Rather
than giving glory to God, Babylon has glorified herself. She has lived
deliciously, or luxuriously. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
has good insight on this phrase:
Arrogant self-confidence has made her confident of the

ultimate success of her plot to obliterate God’s remnant people
and to reign supreme over the earth. She is proud of her wealth,
popularity, and power. 474
Babylon glorifies herself to the point that she claims she can change the
law of God and kill those who honor His law. She is in for a rude
awakening.
So Much Torment and Sorrow Give Her: The torment and sorrow
experienced by Babylon comes through the outpouring of the seven last
plagues. Revelation 17:16 even states that the kings of the earth will turn
against her and “shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.”
For She Saith in Her Heart, I Sit a Queen, and Am No Widow, and
Shall See No Sorrow: Babylon says in her heart and mind that she is too
powerful to fall and see any sorrow. She denies the loud cry message that
she has fallen. Despite the glory of the message that illuminates the world
with God’s character and identifies her sins, she is so intoxicated with
false doctrine and her illicit relationships with the leaders of the earth,
that she believes she will conquer all the world. She does not believe that
she will receive the judgments of God through the seven last plagues, and
thus she denies that she will see any sorrow.
As a queen, she is a counterfeit church to Christ’s bride. She is the great

harlot that presents herself to the rest of the world as the bride of Christ.
However, she is really the great harlot that has committed fornication
with the kings of the earth. She cannot be the bride of Christ, as His
church is a chaste virgin (2 Corinthians 11:2), and Christ’s church is
without spot or wrinkle, and is holy and without blemish (Ephesians
5:27).
This passage of Revelation 18 refers back to Isaiah 47:8–11 to make its

point about Babylon at the end of the world:
Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that
dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else
beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss
of children: but these two things shall come to thee in a moment
in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come
upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries,
and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.
For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None
seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee;
and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.
Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from
whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not
be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee
suddenly, which thou shalt not know.
Just as ancient Babylon thought it could never fall, end-time Babylon has
the same pride and experiences the same result. Babylon does not think
that she is a widow, but she is not married to Christ. Thus, she loses
support of the people of the world and experiences that which she never
thought would happen to her: total destruction.
Therefore Shall Her Plagues Come in One Day: The first word of this
phrase, “therefore,” summarizes why the plagues fall upon Babylon. She is
judged because of her pride, lust for power, persecution of the saints, and
for her brazen actions of passing a Sunday law against the law of God.
Her plagues come in “one day.” This is not prophetic time. Just two verses
later it says that her judgments come “in one hour.” These phrases, one
day, and one hour indicate that the judgments are for a brief period of
time, just as the ten horns reigned for “one hour” with the beast of
Revelation 17:12.
Notice this explanation from The Seventh-day Adventist Bible

Commentary:
Some take this (one day) to be prophetic time, and thus to

represent one literal year. Others consider that the angel here
either stresses the suddenness and unexpectedness of the
“plagues” upon mystical Babylon, particularly in view of her
false sense of security (v. 7), or speaks to an indefinite period of
time. In view of the fact that the same event is also said to take
place in “one hour” (vs. 10, 17, 19), the second explanation
appears preferable (see on Rev. 17:12; cf. Jer. 50:29, 31).
Furthermore, the Greek form of the words here translated “day”
and “hour” (Rev. 18:10) suggest a point—rather than a period
—of time, and thus appear to stress suddenness and
unexpectedness rather than duration. 475
The judgments come quickly and do their work thoroughly. The effect is
devastating upon such a haughty harlot.
Death, and Mourning, and Famine: Babylon experiences her death at

the end of the seven last plagues when it is destroyed by the brightness of
Christ’s Second Coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Those under Babylon’s
grasp weep and mourn for her as they see the plagues fall upon her
(Revelation 18:9–19). Famine is experienced literally in the fourth plague
due to the extreme heat that destroys all vegetation. But the larger point is
that figuratively Babylon experiences spiritual famine. 476
Amos 8:11–12 describes this famine:
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a
famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the LORD: and they shall wander from
sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to
and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
Babylon was foremost in suppressing the Scriptures through the

centuries. When it is judged, the spiritual famine it created through the
suppression of the Scriptures comes back upon her, as now there is no
word from the Lord except through His judgments.
And She Shall Be Utterly Burned With Fire: Revelation 17:16 says that
the kings of the earth “shall burn her with fire,” and 2 Thessalonians 2:8
says that she will be “destroyed by the brightness of His coming.” She
meets her end in the seventh plague at the Second Coming.
For Strong Is the Lord God Who Judgeth Her: Babylon thinks she has
the power to change God’s law. But the law that she violates brings
condemnation upon her. She has gone up against the God of the universe,
and He is strong and will bring certain judgment upon her. As Hebrews
10:30 says,
For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I
will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge
his people.
Babylon does not escape the judgment of God. The seven last plagues are
poured out upon it.
Thus, the message of the loud cry concludes, calling God’s people out of
Babylon before the plagues come. Next, we see the response of the wicked
to the seven last plagues that fall upon Babylon.
APPLICATION: Many of us have the attitude of Babylon. The judgments of

God have not been felt in our lives, and so we continue in our lifestyle of
sin. But Ecclesiastes 8:11–13 has a message for all of us:
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily,

therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do
evil. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be
prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that
fear God, which fear before him: but it shall not be well with the
wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow;
because he feareth not before God.
As we see the end approaching, we should understand in the delayed

judgments of God that His mercy is seeking to win our hearts fully to
Him. God has done so much for us. Any elements of our lives that excuse
ongoing sin reflect the attitude of Babylon. It is time for the spirit of
Babylon to come out of our hearts, “Come out of her my people!” Jesus is
coming soon. We must be just like Him in character so that we can share
this last message of warning to the world.
OBSERVATION: Verse 9 is the transition from the loud cry announcing the
judgment of Babylon to the second section of Revelation 18, in which we
see the reactions of the kings of the earth, the merchants of the earth, and
the shipmasters to the plagues that fall upon Babylon.
And the Kings of the Earth, Who Have Committed Fornication and
Lived Deliciously With Her, Shall Bewail Her, and Lament for Her:
Here is the unmistakable language of the lamentations of the political
leaders of the earth who are watching Babylon’s judgment. These are the
leaders who committed fornication with her, the great harlot, by uniting
church and state through the passing of the Sunday law. Their union has
allowed them to live luxuriously. They have cast their lot with Babylon,
and this is a great loss for them as they face the same destruction. Their
choice of committing fornication and living luxuriously with Babylon
over uniting with the Lamb has eternal consequences that are
devastating.
To bewail means to “mourn for her” or “sob on account of her.” To lament

means to “beat one’s breast” or “to cut one’s body” in grief. 477
When They Shall See the Smoke of Her Burning: God foretells the
manner of Babylon’s destruction in Jeremiah 50:31–32:
Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord

God of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.
And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise
him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all
round about him.
A similar message is found in Isaiah 13:19:
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’

excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and
Gomorrah.
The “smoke of her burning” is symbolic language here and describes
Babylon’s final judgment of destruction through the plagues. Kenneth
Mathews has excellent insight on this phrase:
Just as Sodom and Gomorrah were burned with eternal fire, as

an example of physical fornication and sodomy, so too the end-
time great apostate Christian Church (Babylon the Great)
suffers a punishment whose consequences shall last forever. No
eternally burning hell and literal smoke ascending forever and
ever will occur—just a final result. The judgment will be carried
out, the results of which will last forever.478
Standing Afar Off for the Fear of Her Torment: The kings of the earth
commit fornication with Babylon and receive the mark of the beast. They
are inextricably linked to her. However, when the plagues fall, they are
found “standing afar off.” They see her torment and realize that their fate
is the same. When the loud cry is given, they do not come out of her, and
now they receive her plagues as well.
They have reigned for one hour with the beast (Revelation 17:12) and
united with the harlot. Now, they try to distance themselves.
It is interesting that the same language is used to describe the disciples in

their response to Christ’s death on the cross. Notice the account here in
Luke 23:48–49:
And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the
things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And
all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from
Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
Just as the kings of the earth lament, or beat their breasts, and stand afar
off, so the followers of Christ smote their breasts and stood afar off when
He died.
The kings are the first of the three groups to stand afar off and lament the
destruction of Babylon, which is the antichrist power.
The wicked know that their hopes in Babylon are forever dashed. The
followers of Christ mistakenly thought that their hope in Christ as the
Messiah was crushed. They were devastated and smote their breasts. They
were also afraid of the same execution and “stood afar off.” Yet Christ rose
again! However, Babylon, the antichrist power, will rise no more after her
destruction.
Saying, Alas, Alas, That Great City Babylon, That Mighty City! “Alas”
comes from the Greek word ouai and is a primary exclamation of grief.
Babylon is the great and mighty city (see Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 17:5;
18:2). How could such a great city fall? The sentiments of the kings of the
earth are explained well in The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary:
They had expected to “receive power” (see on ch. 17:12)

permanently with their paramour, mystical Babylon. She had
assured them that she was enthroned a “queen” forever and
that, should they cast their lot with her, they too would enjoy
endless dominion (see on ch. 17:2). Realizing, too late, the
futility of such a scheme, they now give way to utter remorse.
479
For in One Hour Is Thy Judgment Come: Just as Revelation 17:12 says
that the ten horns, or ten kings, shall reign for “one hour” with the beast,
we see here in Revelation 18:10 that Babylon’s judgment comes in “one
hour.” Yet verse 8 says that her plagues come in one day. Babylon’s
judgment comes through the seven last plagues. One hour in prophetic
time is fifteen literal days and one day in prophetic time is one year. The
plagues will not come in fifteen literal days or one literal year. This is not
prophetic time but is using a figure of speech to show that the judgment
of Babylon through the plagues will happen very quickly.
The phrase “one hour” is also seen in Revelation 17:12 in which the ten
horns reign as kings for “one hour” with the beast. Of this hour, Austin
Cooke says,
This one hour does not specify a set period of time, but
according to the Greek, it can mean “in the same aera [era].” 480
Kenneth Mathews says this about the phrase “one hour”:
This “one hour” … is a short period of time. The destruction of

Babylon occurs outside of the prophetic time period, or AFTER
the 2300 days ending in October 22, 1844. 481
The kings of the earth will be in utter shock at the rapid demise of
Babylon that occurs in a very short period of time.
APPLICATION: The kings of the earth and all the world who wonder after
the beast think that they are on a path that leads to power, luxury, and
salvation. Yet they are lost. Proverbs 14:12 states well the plight of the
wicked at the end of the world and throughout time:
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end
thereof are the ways of death.
This should serve as a reminder that this warning is not to those only in
Babylon, but to those who are foolish virgins and Laodicean. Many
Seventh-day Adventists think they are on a path to salvation, not
realizing that the unconverted heart will lead to death. But Christ has
given us time. The fact that you are reading this appeal right now shows
that you have time to respond to the goodness of God and repent
(Romans 2:4).
OBSERVATION: Not only the political leaders mourn over the judgment on
Babylon, but the merchants of the earth do also.
And the Merchants of the Earth Shall Weep and Mourn Over Her:
Who are the merchants of the earth? Revelation 18:23 says that the
“merchants were the great men of the earth.” All nations, the kings of the
earth, and the merchants of the earth are linked together in the fall of
Babylon and in her condemnation (v. 3). The nations represent all the
people of the world who have drunk Babylon’s wine and who wonder
after the beast. The kings of the earth are the political leaders who unite
with Babylon in a church-state union. These first two entities are
described literally.
Therefore, the merchants of the earth must also represent, in a literal

sense, the financial leaders of the earth who wax rich through their
alliance with Babylon and help to enforce financial control over the world
(Revelation 13:17). This fulfillment is future, so the identity of these
financial leaders cannot specifically be stated, but these are the leaders
who will control the flow of money in alliance with the papacy at the end
of the world.
Isaiah 23:8 gives further evidence to the identity of these merchants:
Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city,
whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the
honourable of the earth?
The merchants are princes in Tyre. Notice the reaction of the princes to
the destruction of Tyre in Ezekiel 26:15–17:
Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at the
sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is
made in the midst of thee? Then all the princes of the sea shall
come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put
off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with
trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at
every moment, and be astonished at thee. And they shall take up
a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed,
that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which
wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their
terror to be on all that haunt it!
This reaction of the princes of Tyre to its destruction is remarkably

similar to the reaction of the merchants of the earth and traders of the sea
to the judgments of Babylon in Revelation 18:11–19.
The princes in Tyre are like the merchants in Babylon. Thus, the
merchants are princes in Babylon. These princes are the financial
merchants who control the flow of money on the earth.
Daniel 11 has further insight into the relationship between the papacy
and its control over the economy of the world. The papacy is represented
by the king of the north in Daniel 11:30b to the end of the chapter. The
king of the north makes a comeback at the time of the end, after its
deadly wound in 1798 (Daniel 11:40).
When the deadly wound is healed, he enters the glorious land (God’s
church) in Daniel 11:41 through the passing of a Sunday law. Daniel
11:43 then shows the financial control that the king of the north has over
the world:
But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver,
and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the
Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
This mirrors Revelation 13:17 in which no man can buy or sell unless he
has the mark of the beast. Babylon, as the king of the north, works
through the financial leaders of the earth to control the flow of money.
When the Sunday law is passed, Babylon works through the financial
leaders to control who can buy and sell.
These financial leaders of Babylon “shall weep and mourn over her.” They
are devastated and lament her fall, since they have lost all of their wealth.
With the fall of Babylon and her judgments comes the loss of wealth for
the merchants of the earth.
Ellen White affirmed that the merchants of the earth are the rich and
wealthy:
“The merchants of the earth,” that have “waxed rich through

the abundance of her delicacies,” “shall stand afar off for the
fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, Alas, alas
that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and
scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
For in one hour so great riches is come to nought.” Revelation
18:11, 3, 15–17.
Such are the judgments that fall upon Babylon in the day of the
visitation of God’s wrath. She has filled up the measure of her
iniquity; her time has come; she is ripe for destruction.
When the voice of God turns the captivity of His people, there
is a terrible awakening of those who have lost all in the great
conflict of life. While probation continued they were blinded by
Satan’s deceptions, and they justified their course of sin. The
rich prided themselves upon their superiority to those who
were less favored; but they had obtained their riches by
violation of the law of God. They had neglected to feed the
hungry, to clothe the naked, to deal justly, and to love mercy.
They had sought to exalt themselves and to obtain the homage
of their fellow creatures. Now they are stripped of all that made
them great and are left destitute and defenseless. They look
with terror upon the destruction of the idols which they
preferred before their Maker. They have sold their souls for
earthly riches and enjoyments, and have not sought to become
rich toward God. The result is, their lives are a failure; their
pleasures are now turned to gall, their treasures to corruption.
The gain of a lifetime is swept away in a moment. The rich
bemoan the destruction of their grand houses, the scattering of
their gold and silver. But their lamentations are silenced by the
fear that they themselves are to perish with their idols. 482
In fulfillment of this statement, we see that there are huge conglomerates
and billionaires who are focused on enriching themselves while giving
little to no attention to helping the poor. This is similar to the time
leading up to the French Revolution in which the wealthy enriched
themselves at the expense of the poor. 483 During that time, the papacy
was in alliance with the wealthy of France just as it will be in alliance with
the wealthy of the earth at the end of the world. The losses that come to
the wealthy and the papacy during these judgments at the end of the
world will far exceed the losses sustained by the papacy and the wealthy
during the French Revolution.
For No Man Buyeth Their Merchandise Any More: Once the seven last
plagues fall upon Babylon, those who received the mark of the beast and
could still buy and sell, stop buying the merchandise of the merchants.
The halt of purchasing of merchandise fits prophetically with the total
economic collapse of Babylon that occurs as part of her judgment. This
scene is described well in James 5:1–6:
Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that
shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your
garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and
the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your
flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last
days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down
your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the
cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the
Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been
wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist
you.
The merchants of Babylon have enriched themselves fraudulently at the

expense of hired labor and the poor. Their riches are corrupted. They
waxed rich, and now their wealth goes up in flames. God’s judgments
upon Babylon and her merchants are just.
The Merchandise of Babylon: In verses 12 and 13 we find seven
categories of the merchandise that is sold by the merchants. Here, as
outlined by Kenneth Mathews:484
a) metals: gold and silver

b) precious stones: pearls
c) cloth: linen and rich materials
d) costly articles: wood, ivory, metal, and marble
e) food products: spices and aromatic perfumes
f) chattels: animal horses and chariots
g) humanity: slaves and souls of men
From these categories, we see that anything that involves money is

controlled by the merchants of the earth and is used for the purposes of
enrichment and for control. Even human beings have been trafficked and
enslaved by these merchants either through literal slavery (i.e., early
history in the United States of America) or through the loss of their souls
through the love of money.
And the Fruits That Thy Soul Lusted After Are Departed From Thee:
The harlot lusted after “fruits.” This word “fruits” comes from the Greek
word apora and can be translated “fruits” or “the season of ripe fruits” in
late summer or early autumn. It can also be translated as “autumnal
fruits.” 485
Just when it seems that the harlot will be able to enjoy the ripe harvest of
fruits that she has longed for, God’s judgments from the seven last
plagues take these fruits away from her.
These late summer or autumnal fruits imply the ripened harvest of

Babylon, which is the harvest of the wicked as seen in Revelation 14:17–
20. Babylon is not allowed to enjoy the fruit of her harvest. Her harvest
departs from her as the plagues fall.
And All Things Which Were Dainty and Goodly Are Departed From
Thee: “Dainty” and “goodly” are also translated as “rich” and “splendid.”
All of the rich and splendid things which contributed to the luxury and
extravagance of Babylon are departed from her when the plagues are
poured out upon her.
And Thou Shalt Find Them No More at All: The language “shall find
them no more at all” is also found six times in verses 21–23 of this
chapter. The perdition of Babylon is seen here with the word perdition
meaning “utter destruction.” She is utterly destroyed. Her fruits are gone
forever. 486
OBSERVATION: In these verses, the merchants continue to lament the fall
of Babylon. The shipmasters also join in with their cries and sorrow.
The Merchants of These Things Which Were Made Rich by Her: “These
things” refers to the merchandise that the merchants sold (vs. 12–13). The
merchants sold merchandise in which Babylon helped the financial
leaders of the earth to be enriched. Babylon was also enriched. It was a
mutually beneficial relationship prior to the seven last plagues.
Shall Stand Afar Off for the Fear of Her Torment, Weeping and
Wailing: This is similar language to that of verses 9 and 10 when the
kings of the earth “bewail her, and lament for her” and are seen “standing
afar off.” Now the merchants of the earth “stand afar off ” and are
“weeping and wailing.”
As shared earlier when studying Revelation 18:10, Christ’s followers also

“stood afar off ” at His death (Luke 23:48–49).
The merchants are the second of three groups in Revelation 18 to “stand

afar off ” and weep and wail over the fall of Babylon, the antichrist power.
And Saying, Alas, Alas, That Great City, That Was Clothed in Fine
Linen, and Purple, and Scarlet, and Decked With Gold, and Precious
Stones, and Pearls! As seen in verse 10, “alas” is a primary exclamation of
grief. Just as the kings of the earth are devastated by the destruction of
Babylon, the merchants of the earth are likewise devastated by her
destruction.
The kings of the earth refer to Babylon in verse 10 as “that great city
Babylon, that mighty city!”
The merchants refer to her as “that great city, that was clothed in fine
linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones,
and pearls!” The kings of the earth are focused on the loss of the great city
from which their political power resided. The merchants of the earth are
focused on the loss of material wealth that Babylon gave them access to in
their trafficking of merchandise.
For in One Hour So Great Riches Is Come to Nought: The pattern of

lamentation continues with the merchants of the earth as it did with the
kings of the earth. In verse 10, the kings of the earth say, “For in one hour
is thy judgment come.” Here in verse 17, the merchants of the earth say,
“For in one hour so great riches is come to nought.”
The focus of the merchants is on the loss of the great riches, which comes
swiftly. The loss is great and almost unimaginable for the sudden
destruction and loss of wealth. In verse 8, the judgments come in “one
day,” and in verses 10 and 17 the judgments and loss of riches come in
“one hour.” This is not prophetic time, but it is a very short space of time
(see again discussion of Revelation 18:10).
And Every Shipmaster, and All the Company in Ships, and Sailors, and
as Many as Trade by Sea, Stood Afar Off: The kings of the earth
represent the political leaders of the earth. The merchants of the earth are
the financial leaders affiliated with Babylon and enriched by her. The
shipmasters, along with all the company in the ships, the sailors, and
tradesmen are the merchants of the sea who have also been enriched by
their association with Babylon. They are an extension of the merchants of
the earth. They likewise suffer complete financial devastation with the
collapse of Babylon. The merchants of the earth and the sea, who have
been enriched by Babylon, show that Babylon has total control over the
world economy at the very end.
The shipmasters, and all in her company, are the third group to “stand
afar off ” and lament the destruction of the antichrist power. Their
lamentations continue in the next two verses.
And Cried When They Saw the Smoke of Her Burning: This is the same
language as is used in verse 9, when the kings “see the smoke of her
burning.” The smoke does not ascend forever, but the effects of Babylon’s
destruction are eternal.
Saying, What City Is Like Unto This Great City! The merchants of the
sea use similar language to what the kings used in verse 10. Like the kings
of the earth, they cannot believe that such a great city, the leader of the
world, could fall and be destroyed.
And They Cast Dust on Their Heads, and Cried, Weeping and Wailing:
This phrase is a direct reference from Ezekiel 27:29–30:
And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the
sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the
land;
And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry
bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall
wallow themselves in the ashes.
In language that prefigures the destruction of end-time Babylon, the

mariners of the sea lament the destruction of Tyrus in Ezekiel 27 by
casting dust upon their heads.
Casting dust upon the head is “a sign of extreme shame or grief.” 487 It is
the action that Joshua and the elders of Israel took in response to the
defeat at Ai (Joshua 7:6). This is also the response of Job’s three friends
when they see the great calamities that have befallen him (Job 2:12). Here
in Revelation 18:19, the action of casting dust upon the heads by the
merchants of the sea is that of extreme grief. They have lost all of their
riches,
Saying, Alas, Alas, That Great City: Just like the kings of the earth and
the merchants of the earth who cry, “Alas, alas,” so do the merchants of
the sea. “Alas” is a primary expression of grief. The kings of the earth, the
merchants of the earth, and the merchants of the sea are overcome with
grief at the great loss of all that Babylon has given them.
Wherein Were Made Rich All That Had Ships in the Sea by Reason of
Her Costliness! Just as the merchants of the earth “waxed rich through
the abundance of her delicacies” (v. 3), the merchants of the sea were also
enriched by Babylon. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary says
the following:
Babylon’s extravagant requirements brought wealth to those

who traded in the goods to which she was interested. 488
For in One Hour Is She Made Desolate: This is the third and final time
in Revelation 18 that the phrase “one hour” is used to describe Babylon’s
destruction (see also vs. 10, 17). These three times together show that her
judgment comes in one hour, her riches come to nothing in one hour,
and finally she is made desolate in one hour. This one hour is a very short
period of time.
In Revelation 17:12, 16, the ten kings, who reigned for one hour with the
beast, turn against the whore “and shall make her desolate.” The rapidity
with which Babylon falls is repeated three times in this chapter to
emphasize how quickly everything turns upside down against the power
that seemingly has control over the whole world.
APPLICATION: Babylon is very wealthy, and it makes wealth attractive to

its followers. One of the ways that Babylon gathers souls into her snare is
through the love of money, as seen in 1 Timothy 6:10:
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some
coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced
themselves through with many sorrows.
While it is not a sin to have wealth, it is wrong to desire it above God’s

call for service to Him, and it is wrong to gain it at the expense of other
human beings, especially those who are destitute. Mammon is the biblical
term for riches. Matthew 6:24 shows that we cannot serve God and
riches:
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one,
and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the
other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
We are called to serve God, not riches. Those who serve riches are under
the influence of the thinking of Babylon. Our treasure is in heaven, not
on this earth. Now is the time to learn to store treasure in heaven rather
than on this earth. The words of Jesus in Matthew 6:19–21 say it well:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But
lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor
steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
OBSERVATION: The final five verses of the chapter, the third and final
section of Revelation 18, transition from the reaction of the wicked to
Babylon’s destruction to that of the reaction of heaven and the righteous
saints.
Rejoice Over Her, Thou Heaven, and Ye Holy Apostles and Prophets:
Babylon and the kings of the earth made war against the Lamb, and the
Lamb overcomes them (Revelation 17:14). Revelation 16 and Revelation
18 describe how the Lamb overcomes Babylon and her allies. The utter
destruction of Babylon causes heaven, the holy apostles, and the prophets
to rejoice greatly. No longer will antichrist make war against the Lamb
and His people. All of heaven and the righteous saints have been
delivered forever from her attacks.
For God Hath Avenged You on Her: When translated, this phrase
means, “God has executed your sentence upon her.” It is Babylon who
declared a death decree upon God’s people. Now the tables are turned.
The death sentence that Babylon placed upon God’s people is given by
God to her instead.
We also see the fulfillment of the figurative prayer of the martyrs in the
fifth seal in Revelation 6:9–11:
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the
souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the
testimony which they held: 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? And white
robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto
them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their
fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as
they were, should be fulfilled.
No longer will there be martyrs for the faith. The blood of the saints shed
by Babylon throughout the centuries has been avenged by God.
And a Mighty Angel Took Up a Stone Like a Great Millstone, and Cast
It Into the Sea: The destruction of Babylon with a millstone draws its
reference from Jeremiah 51:60–64:
So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon
Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon.
And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon,
and shalt see, and shalt read all these words; then shalt thou say,
O LORD, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that
none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be
desolate for ever. And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of
reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it
into the midst of Euphrates: And thou shalt say, Thus shall
Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring
upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of
Jeremiah.
Just as ancient Babylon was destroyed to rise no more, so end-time

Babylon faces the same fate. The millstone being cast into the sea
symbolizes the permanent destruction of end-time Babylon. It will never
rise again after it is cast into the depths of the sea.
Jesus also used the language of the millstone in Matthew 18:6:
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in
me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his
neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Babylon is destroyed for her persecution and warfare against the saints
who believe in God. It is also destroyed for her false doctrines that led to
the loss of eternal life for countless millions who otherwise might have
believed in God.
The mighty angel destroys Babylon. The destroying angel is a motif seen
throughout Scripture. The destroying angel of the Lord put to death the
firstborn of Egypt in the tenth plague (see Exodus 12:23, 29). The
destroying angel of the Lord smote 70,000 Israelites after David
numbered Israel (see 2 Samuel 24:15–16 and 1 Chronicles 21:15). The
destroying angel of God also killed 185,000 Assyrians from Sennacherib’s
army (see 2 Kings 19:35). In the seven last plagues, the seven angels who
pour out the seven last plagues do the work of destroying Babylon.
Collectively, they are as a mighty angel, like the destroying angel, and the
seven vials combined are like a millstone that casts Babylon into the
depths of the sea.
Saying, Thus With Violence Shall That Great City Babylon Be Thrown
Down, and Shall Be Found No More at All: Babylon is cast into the sea
“with violence,” which can also mean “with a rush” or “with a shock.”
This word is used by classical Greek writers of the shock of a battle and of
a surging flood. In Acts 14:5 a cognate word is rendered “assault.” With
one tremendous throw the millstone is hurled into the depths of the sea.
Thus, with finality (see v. 14), will Babylon sink into oblivion, or
“perdition” (17:8).489
Babylon is not gently cast with a millstone about her neck into the depths
of the sea. She is violently destroyed. She is worthy of this violent
destruction for all that she has done to God and His righteous saints.
The phrase in verse 21, “she shall be found no more at all” is the first of
six similar phrases in verses 21–23 that describe the utter destruction or
perdition of Babylon. Her deadly wound has been healed, she has been
resurrected, and all the world has wondered after her (Revelation 13:3;
17:8), but now she goes into perdition, or utter destruction, with the
outpouring of the seven last plagues. Various forms of the phrase “found
no more at all” are said six times at the end of this chapter, and this
reveals the certainty of the coming destruction of Babylon.
And the Voice of Harpers, and Musicians, and of Pipers, and

Trumpeters, Shall Be Heard No More at All in Thee: We see similar
language with respect to the destruction of Tyre in Ezekiel 26:13:
And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of
thy harps shall be no more heard.
The musicians and entertainers ceased to sing when the ancient city of
Tyre was destroyed. The entertainment system of Babylon will be
meaningless as she goes up in smoke. Here, the second phrase of utter
destruction is found when it says, “shall be heard no more at all in thee.”
Babylonian entertainment will cease forever.
And No Craftsman, or Whatsoever Craft He Be, Shall Be Found Any

More in Thee: Here the third phrase of utter destruction is found. In this
instance, the craftsmen are found no more. The craftsmen are artisans,
mechanics, and skilled workmen. They represent the art and
manufacturing industry.490 All artistry and manufacturing work ceases at
the destruction of Babylon.
And the Sound of a Millstone Shall Be Heard No More at All in Thee:

This is the fourth phrase of utter destruction for Babylon. Millstones are
used in grist mills to grind wheat and other grains in the production of
flour and bread. The industries used to make bread and other food cease.
As Babylon is destroyed, it also endures great famine with the loss of food
production.
Kenneth Mathews gives a good summary of this verse in the following

statement:
One sees here in these verses a description of the marketplace

and the center of the ancient town. The stores, the shops, the
tradesmen, and craftsman (sic), the entertainment by the
musicians—all are reminiscent of the activities of the cities and
the villages of ancient times. All this activity is going to cease.
The people at the local level, who make the machinery of
Babylon the Great turn, will all be silenced. The foundation of
the system will collapse. The kings of the earth, the merchants
and the ship-owners will all cease to be important, when the
base of their worldly power and energy collapses.491
And the Light of a Candle Shall Shine No More at All in Thee; and the
Voice of the Bridegroom and the Bride Shall Be Heard No More at All
in Thee: These are the fifth and sixth phrases of utter destruction for
Babylon. Revelation 18:23 is quoting Jeremiah 25:9–11 which describes
the desolation of Judah and Jerusalem for seventy years:
Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the
LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and
will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants
thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will
utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an
hissing, and perpetual desolations.
Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice
of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the
bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. And
this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and
these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
When Babylon took Judah captive, joy and gladness ceased. Also, the
normal times with scenes of happiness in which marriages took place
were scarce. The light of the candle that was seen in homes at nighttime
was no longer seen in Judah during its 70 years of captivity in Babylon.
Instead, the homes and cities were heaps of ruins where jackals roamed
(Jeremiah 9:11; 51:37).
Notice what The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary says:
The picture presented in Jer. 25:10 is one depicting the

complete dissolution of family life, both as to its seasons of
rejoicing and as to its daily routine (see Rev. 18:22, 23).492
When the seven last plagues are poured out upon Babylon, the routine
activities of joy within the family unit are disrupted. There will be no
more marriages. The routine daily life at home will cease to exist. Those
who have received the mark of the beast face utter annihilation. There is
no place anymore for the simple joys of life such as a pleasant evening at
home.
The six phrases of utter destruction have concluded, and with it, we see
the loss of all that Babylon possesses. It is total and utter annihilation,
destruction, and devastation. From the wealthy kings and merchants to
the poorest family, all who have received the mark of the beast lose
everything.
For Thy Merchants Were the Great Men of the Earth: The merchants of
verses 3 and 11–19 control the financial and trade systems of the earth.
They were “made rich” by the luxuries of Babylon. They were the great
men of the earth, as they helped to institute total financial control over
the world so that no one could buy or sell unless they had the mark of the
beast (Revelation 13:17).
The total control that Babylon had over the world, in conjunction with
her financiers, makes her judgments and destruction that much more
shocking to all who received the mark of the beast and wondered after
Babylon. With the support of the “great men of the earth,” it was felt that
she had too much power to fail.
For by Thy Sorceries Were All Nations Deceived: The deceptions that
made it possible for all nations to be deceived were accomplished by the
“sorceries” of Babylon. It should be remembered that “all nations” have
drunk of her wine. The Greek word for “sorceries” is pharmakeia, which
literally means “enchantment with drugs.” 493 This is obviously not
referring to medication, but rather to the intoxicating “drugs” or agents
(i.e. philosophy/teachings) used by Babylon to bring the minds of the
world under her influence.
Therefore, the sorceries, or wine, used by Babylon refer to her teachings
that have deceived the nations. The fact that the word “sorceries” is used
here shows that the teachings of Babylon are demonic, and the people of
the world are under a bewitching, satanic deception.
And in Her Was Found the Blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of
All That Were Slain Upon the Earth: In these last two verses, we find
three key reasons for why Babylon is judged. First, the great men of the
earth were involved in a financial system in which nobody could buy or
sell unless they received the mark of the beast. Secondly, Babylon used
sorceries to deceive all nations. Finally, she was guilty of the blood of the
prophets, the saints, and all that were slain on the earth.
The third reason is mentioned specifically as a reason for Babylon

receiving God’s wrath in the third plague:
For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou
hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. (Revelation
16:6)
We are reminded of Revelation 6:9–11. God avenges the souls of those

under the altar as well. As Revelation 16:7 says,
And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God
Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
Revelation 19:2 shares a similar sentiment:
For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the
great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication,
and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
Babylon, the great whore, is truly worthy of the judgments that she
receives.
APPLICATION: When we look at the final destruction of Babylon, we
notice that she enjoyed the routine pleasures of life like all of humanity.
Marriage, art, music, entertainment, and pleasant evenings at home with
the family were part of the routine within the Babylonian system. The
reality is that within those categories, God’s people can enjoy wholesome
fulfillment. The problem is that many among God’s people are living for
the routine enjoyment of life rather than for the heavenly kingdom. This
is one of the key ways that Babylon can capture many of God’s people at
the end of the world. She will promise ongoing enjoyment and
enrichment. Those who are living for the present enjoyment of this world
will be more inclined to fall into Babylon’s sorceries and snares.
The warning of Jesus in Matthew 24:37–39 applies well:
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of
man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were
eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the
day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood
came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son
of man be.
Likewise, we see the sin of Sodom in Ezekiel 16:49:
Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of
bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her
daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and
needy.
Many Seventh-day Adventists in their Laodicean state, as well as

Christians at large, are guilty of the same sins. This is preparing many to
receive the mark of the beast. The love of God has been replaced by love
for this world.
We should remember the promise in 1 Corinthians 2:9:

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither
have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him.
When love for God reigns in our hearts, we do the work He has called us
to do. We have life more abundantly now (John 10:10), and we will have
joys beyond our comprehension in eternity to come.
REVELATION 19
REVELATION 19:1–6
OBSERVATION: The first seven verses of Revelation 19 are a direct
continuation of thought from the end of Revelation 18. The rejoicing in
heaven over Babylon’s destruction continues. The call is given in
Revelation 18:20 to rejoice over Babylon’s destruction. The response is
found here in Revelation 19 in the song that is sung in the first seven
verses.
The timing and nature of this song was described clearly by Ellen White:
The words will soon be spoken, “Go your ways, and pour out
the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.” One of the
ministers of vengeance declares. “And I heard the angel of the
waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and
shalt be, because Thou hast judged thus.” These heavenly
beings, in executing the mandate of God, ask no questions, but
do as they are bid. Jehovah of hosts, the Lord God Almighty,
the just, the true, and the holy, has given them their work to do.
With unswerving fidelity they go forth panoplied in pure white
linen, having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And
when their task is done, when the last vial of God’s wrath is
poured out, they return and lay their emptied vials at the feet of
the Lord.
And the next scene is recorded, “After these things … I heard as

it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many
waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia:
for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.” They sing the song of
Moses and the song of the Lamb.494
The 144,000 sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb, found in
Revelation 14:2–3 and Revelation 15:2–4. They are those who have gained
the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and
over the number of his name. They live through the outpouring of the
seven last plagues. They stand on the sea of the glass as they sing this
song.
Revelation 19:1–7 is a different picture of the same song with greater

detail of this majestic chorus. Now that the seven last plagues have been
poured out (Revelation 16), and the judgment of the great whore,
Babylon, has been described (Revelation 17 and 18), we see the great
context for the palpable joy that is expressed as this song is sung by the
144,000.
Furthermore, we see in the first three verses, an antiphonal response in

heaven between the 144,000 and the twenty-four elders and the four
beasts replying (verses 4–7). The chorus swells until verse 5, when a voice
is heard from the very throne of God. Finally, the climax comes with the
words “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” by the voice of a
great multitude sounding like many waters with mighty thunderings just
as it did in Revelation 14:2–3. The joy of the 144,000 and the majesty of
their chorus is beyond the comprehension of our finite minds. Let us pray
that we will be privileged to join that chorus someday very soon.
And After These Things I Heard a Great Voice of Much People in

Heaven: The call is given for heaven to rejoice over Babylon’s destruction
(Revelation 18:20). The response begins in Revelation 19:1 where we see
“a great voice of much people in heaven.” This can also be translated as “a
great voice of a great multitude in heaven.” This is not the “great
multitude” of Revelation 7, but rather the 144,000 who, through a united
voice, create the sound of “much people.” The 144,000 unite in their
rejoicing of the destruction of Babylon.
There is a parallel between the beginning of Revelation 18 and Revelation
19. Both chapters begin with the phrase, “And after these things.”
Revelation 18 begins with the loud cry in which the fall of Babylon is
proclaimed, “mightily with a strong voice.” Revelation 19 begins with a
“great voice of much people” rejoicing over the destruction of Babylon.
The 144,000 participate in the loud cry of Revelation 18 and the “great
voice of much people” in Revelation 19.
Saying, Alleluia; Salvation and Glory, and Honour, and Power, Unto
the Lord Our God: The language of the song is clear. “Alleluia” means
“praise ye Jehovah.” Praise is given to Jehovah because salvation has
finally come. The word “salvation” was also seen in Revelation 12:10 in
which heaven rejoiced at being delivered from Satan, the accuser of the
brethren, by Christ’s death on the cross during His first advent. Here, in
Revelation 19:1, the salvation that is sung about is deliverance from
mystical Babylon, which has been destroyed at the time of Christ’s second
advent.495 Now, glory, and honor, and power belong to Him without any
interference from Babylon forever.
For True and Righteous Are His Judgments: This song of victory in
heaven includes a refrain of what was said about God’s righteous
judgments during the third plague of Revelation 16:7:
And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God
Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
The language is the same as Psalm 19:9:
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of
the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
This also parallels aspects of the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb
in Revelation 15:3–4:
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.
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou
only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee;
for thy judgments are made manifest.
God’s judgments on Babylon have been manifested. His ways are just and
true.
For He Hath Judged the Great Whore, Which Did Corrupt the Earth
With Her Fornication: The great whore, judged through the outpouring
of the seven last plagues, is the apostate church (Revelation 17). She
corrupted the earth with her fornication. As Revelation 18:3 says,
rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Her wine, or false doctrine, made all nations and the kings of the earth
accept the illicit union of church and state through the enactment of the
Sunday law. This corrupted the earth, as all nations and the people of the
earth received the mark of the beast. The great whore is worthy to be
judged for corrupting the earth.
And Hath Avenged the Blood of His Servants at Her Hand: One of the
key reasons for the seven last plagues is God’s vengeance on the wicked
for their persecution of the righteous. This thought was seen in
Revelation 18:20 also:
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets;
for God hath avenged you on her.
It is the opening reason for the rejoicing in heaven regarding Babylon’s
destruction in Revelation 18:20. It is repeated here in Revelation 19:2. The
prayer of the souls under the altar (Revelation 6:9–11) is finally and truly
answered.
And Again They Said, Alleluia: This is the second of four times that
“alleluia” is used in Revelation 19. The four times it is used in this chapter
(vs. 1, 3, 4, and 6) are the only times it is found in the New Testament.496
In this moment of triumph, the praise to Jehovah is why all are singing.
And Her Smoke Rose Up For Ever and Ever: In Revelation 18:9 we saw
the smoke of Babylon while she burned in judgment. In this verse, the
smoke of Babylon “rose up for ever and ever.” This language about
Babylon was also used in Revelation 14:11:
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:
and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and
his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
We also see this language with respect to the destruction of Edom in

Isaiah 34:10:
It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go
up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none
shall pass through it for ever and ever.
There is no literal smoke that continues to “go up forever” from Edom,

but the effect of its destruction has been permanent.
The smoke ascending “forever and ever” in Revelation 14:11 and in

Revelation 19:3 is not a literal, eternally burning hell, but rather
represents the eternal testimony to Babylon’s destruction.
The 144,000 proclaimed these same thoughts in the three angels’

messages and in the loud cry. Now they sing of the fulfillment of that
which they had foretold.
And the Four and Twenty Elders and the Four Beasts Fell Down and
Worshipped God That Sat on the Throne: At some of the most
significant moments in the book of Revelation, the twenty-four elders
and the four beasts appear. As a special order of angels, 497 they are found
by the throne of God and remind the audience in heaven and on the
earth that God is worthy of worship. They were present for the opening of
the seals in Revelation chapters 6–8. The twenty-four elders were seen at
the sounding of the seventh trumpet in Revelation 11:15–19, when the
temple of God was opened in heaven as the final judgment in heaven
began. The four beasts and the elders are also seen when the 144,000 are
found standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion, singing the song of Moses
and the song of the Lamb (Revelation 14:1–5).
Now, as the same song of victory is sung over the destruction of Babylon,
the four beasts and the twenty-four elders are again seen by the throne of
God, and they fall down to worship God who sits on the throne. God is
present, seated on His throne, during this song of victory.
Saying, Amen; Alleluia: The four beasts and twenty-four elders begin the
antiphonal response by saying, “Amen, alleluia.” “Amen” is a word
universally used as an expression of affirmation at the conclusion of a
message or prayer. These angels of a special order start the response with
an affirmation of what has been sung by the 144,000 in the first three
verses. Then they say, “Alleluia,” or “Praise ye the Lord!” This is the third
time “alleluia” is said in this chorus. All of heaven praises God at the
destruction of Babylon.
And a Voice Came Out of the Throne: God is sitting upon the throne.
Now a voice comes out of the throne. Most logically this is the voice of
God. 498 God’s voice joins in the chorus of the song that rejoices over the
destruction of Babylon. This is not the only time that God sings in
Scripture. We have a beautiful picture of Him singing in Zephaniah 3:17:
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he
will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy
over thee with singing.
Saying, Praise Our God, All Ye His Servants, and Ye That Fear Him,
Both Small and Great: The tense of the word “praise” here means “keep
on praising.” 499 God is calling for the praise of His name to continue as
He joins the antiphonal response. He calls for His servants and those
“that fear Him, both small and great” to keep on praising God.
There has been mention of “servants” since the beginning of the book in
Revelation 1:1. These are God’s faithful people throughout the history of
the seven churches who serve God faithfully. We saw the “servants of our
God” in Revelation 7, and they are the 144,000. In Revelation 11:18 a very
similar phrase is used to describe servants and those that fear God’s
name, in which the “servants” are God’s prophets.
The servants in Revelation 19:5 are those who have served God even in
the face of a death decree, when all the world received the mark of the
beast. These servants, like those in Revelation 7:3, are the 144,000.
Certainly, they have a song of praise to sing after such a glorious
deliverance.
The call is also given for those “that fear him, both small and great.” This
is very similar to the language of Revelation 11:18. The word “fear” is the
same word in Greek (phobeo) as Revelation 14:7 which says, “Fear God,
and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.” “Fear” can
mean to give reverential awe. The 144,000 are those who learned to “fear
God” in the hour of His judgment. In Revelation 15:4, the 144,000 say,
“Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name?” The 144,000 are
who God is referring to as He calls upon them to keep on praising Him.
“Both small and great” refers to the understanding that status does not
matter when standing in the presence of God. Those who fear God and
have served Him will be called by God to continue praising His name
when the song of victory over Babylon’s destruction is sung in heaven.
The Voice of a Great Multitude, Many Waters, and Mighty

Thunderings: The antiphonal response concludes with a great chorus
from “the voice of a great multitude” that sounds like “the voice of many
waters,” and like “the voice of mighty thunderings.” This is the same
description of the new song that only the 144,000 could sing, as given in
Revelation 14:2–3:
And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters,

and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of
harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new
song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders:
and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and
four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
As the parallels continue between the song of Moses and the song of the
Lamb (Revelation 14:2–3 and Revelation 15:2–4), it becomes clear that
the song of Revelation 19:1–7 is indeed the song of Moses and the song of
the Lamb. It is a song that can only be sung by the 144,000 because, of all
the righteous saints in heaven, only they have had the experience of living
through the last days of this earth’s history.
The closing response is sung by the same group that began the initial
chorus with “a great voice” (v. 1). This majestic sound comes in response
to the voice from the throne of God that exhorts God’s servants and those
that fear Him to keep on praising Him. They are the 144,000. Their
response to this call is overwhelming and will be one of the moments at
the beginning of eternity that none will want to miss.
Saying, Alleluia: For the Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth: The chorus
began with “Alleluia.” Likewise, the majestic chorus concludes with the
same message in which “alleluia” is said for the fourth and final time.
“Praise ye the Lord” is the recurring theme in this song. The joy is almost
inexpressible because “the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” Babylon
claimed to “sit [as] a queen” (Revelation 18:7), but she has been
destroyed. God is omnipotent and “he shall reign forever and ever”
(Revelation 11:15).
Babylon made war with the Lamb by declaring a death decree against
those who constitute the 144,000. Through His power, the faithfulness of
the 144,000 allows God to destroy Babylon. It is only fitting then that they
sing this song of deliverance.
APPLICATION: Praising God through reverential song and worship is one

of the joys in the experience of a genuine Christian. Songs of praise mean
so much more after coming through a time of trial that is followed by the
providential deliverance of God. God does so much for us. It should not
be difficult to sing praises to His name. We can learn to praise Him now
so that we will be part of this great song of praise in heaven.
REVELATION 19:7–9
OBSERVATION: The great choral response continues through verse 7. At the
end of the chorus there is an introduction to the marriage supper of the
Lamb, which is the first of two suppers depicted in Revelation 19.
Let Us Be Glad and Rejoice, and Give Honour to Him: The 144,000
sing, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor” to God. True
worshipers are glad. The gladness and rejoicing are palpable among the
144,000 and from God as well.
The theme of gladness among God’s people is seen throughout Scripture:
And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the
feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the
Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with
loud instruments unto the LORD. (2 Chronicles 30:21)
I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in
my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble
shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and
let us exalt his name together. (Psalm 34:1–3)
Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad,

because of thy judgments. (Psalm 48:11)
Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with
singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head:
they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning
shall flee away. (Isaiah 51:11)
As the greatest moment ever unfolds for God’s people, they will break
forth with a song of gladness and joy.
For the Marriage of the Lamb Is Come: The announcement of the

marriage of the Lamb is a very significant prophetic aspect of Revelation
19. The marriage of the Lamb means that the wedding has been
completed. The wedding began on October 22, 1844, when Christ went
into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary to receive the
kingdom. Notice this statement from Ellen White:
The proclamation, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh,” in the

summer of 1844, led thousands to expect the immediate advent
of the Lord. At the appointed time the Bridegroom came, not to
the earth, as the people expected, but to the Ancient of Days in
heaven, to the marriage, the reception of His kingdom. “They
that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door
was shut.” They were not to be present in person at the
marriage; for it takes place in heaven, while they are upon the
earth. The followers of Christ are to “wait for their Lord, when
He will return from the wedding.” Luke 12:36. But they are to
understand His work, and to follow Him by faith as He goes in
before God. It is in this sense that they are said to go in to the
marriage. 500
God’s people have been waiting for the wedding to be completed since
1844 so that it can be said “the marriage of the Lamb is come.” By faith,
those who enter into the marriage are not just those who did so in 1844.
The parable applies as well to all who continue to do so afterward:
In the parable it was those that had oil in their vessels with
their lamps that went in to the marriage. Those who, with a
knowledge of the truth from the Scriptures, had also the Spirit
and grace of God, and who, in the night of their bitter trial, had
patiently waited, searching the Bible for clearer light—these
saw the truth concerning the sanctuary in heaven and the
Saviour’s change in ministration, and by faith they followed
Him in His work in the sanctuary above. And all who through
the testimony of the Scriptures accept the same truths,
following Christ by faith as He enters in before God to perform
the last work of mediation, and at its close to receive His
kingdom—all these are represented as going in to the marriage.
501
In order for the marriage of the Lamb to be completed, the wife must be
ready.
And His Wife Hath Made Herself Ready: Who is the bride of Christ at
the marriage of the Lamb? Scripture provides an answer in Revelation
21:2:
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from
God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Ellen White added clarity to this understanding in the following

statement:
The marriage represents the reception by Christ of His

kingdom. The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which is the
capital and representative of the kingdom, is called “the bride,
the Lamb’s wife.” Said the angel to John: “Come hither, I will
show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” “He carried me away in
the spirit,” says the prophet, “and showed me that great city, the
holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.”
Revelation 21:9, 10. 502
Clearly then, the bride represents the Holy City, and the virgins that go
out to meet the bridegroom are a symbol of the church.
How is it that “His wife,” the New Jerusalem, makes herself ready? It is by
having a spotless wedding garment. What is this wedding garment? We
find the answer in the next verse.
And to Her Was Granted That She Should Be Arrayed in Fine Linen,
Clean and White: The bride of Christ is “arrayed in fine linen, clean and
white.” The words “clean” and “white” can be translated “splendid” and
“pure” respectively.503 The fine linen is splendid and pure, and it is a
perfect and spotless white wedding garment. This fine linen is defined
more poignantly in the next phrase of this verse.
For the Fine Linen Is the Righteousness of Saints: The wedding

garment that is pure and white represents the righteousness of the saints.
The word for “righteousness” in the Greek is dikaiomata which means
“righteous deeds,” as opposed to dikaiosune which means “righteous
character.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary has a nice
explanation of this passage:
Righteous deeds are the natural and inevitable result of a

righteous character. Dikaiomata applies particularly to the
sanctified deeds of the Christian, his victorious life developed
by the grace of the indwelling Christ (see on Gal. 2:20; James
2:17, 18, 20). 504
The wife of Christ, the New Jerusalem, is made ready when she is arrayed
in her wedding garment that represents the righteous deeds of the saints.
This garment is the spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness as seen in the
lives of His saints.
The Laodicean church finally heeded the call of Christ. Laodicea was
spiritually naked, but those who heeded Christ’s counsel to buy the white
raiment that He is selling are now clothed in the pure and spotless
garment of His righteousness. Christ’s bride, the New Jerusalem, is
clothed with the splendid and pure wedding garment.
This also means that Laodicea allows Christ, who has been standing at
the door knocking, to come in so that they can receive His spotless
garment of righteousness. When Christ lives within, His righteous deeds
are seen in the lives of His people. They then have the promise of
overcoming as He overcame (Revelation 3:21). This also fits with the
promise of Revelation 3:5:

The parable of Matthew 22:1–14 is a description given by Jesus of those

who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. One of the
requirements for attendance was having a wedding garment. Many were
called but few came. Those who came with the wedding garment are the
chosen and faithful. This fits with those described in Revelation 17:14
who are with the Lamb. They are “called, and chosen, and faithful,” and
they attend the marriage supper of the Lamb. Ellen White remarked on
this parable and its connection to the wedding garment:
In the parable of Matthew 22 the same figure of the marriage is

introduced, and the investigative judgment is clearly
represented as taking place before the marriage. Previous to the
wedding the king comes in to see the guests, to see if all are
attired in the wedding garment, the spotless robe of character
washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. Matthew
22:11; Revelation 7:14. He who is found wanting is cast out, but
all who upon examination are seen to have the wedding
garment on are accepted of God and accounted worthy of a
share in His kingdom and a seat upon His throne. This work of
examination of character, of determining who are prepared for
the kingdom of God, is that of the investigative judgment, the
closing work in the sanctuary above.
When the work of investigation shall be ended, when the cases

of those who in all ages have professed to be followers of Christ
have been examined and decided, then, and not till then,
probation will close, and the door of mercy will be shut. Thus
in the one short sentence, “They that were ready went in with
Him to the marriage: and the door was shut,” we are carried
down through the Saviour’s final ministration, to the time
when the great work for man’s salvation shall be completed. 505
There are three groups of saints that go in with Christ to the marriage,
symbolized in the parable of the bridegroom and the ten virgins. The first
group are those who went in with Christ in 1844, when He went into the
Most Holy Place at the beginning of the wedding. The second group are
all those after 1844 who follow Christ by faith into the Most Holy Place.
They also go in with Him to the marriage. Finally, the third group
constitutes those who, when probation closes at the end of the world,
when the door is shut, are alive and faithful and enter in with Him by
faith to the marriage.
Each group in these three phases constitute the five wise virgins between
1844 and the Second Coming. Those who are alive at the end of the world
are the wise virgins who receive the latter rain, pass through the
judgment of the living, and are sealed. They are the 144,000 who are
singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb at the beginning of
this chapter. They do not taste death, and they have the privilege of being
part of the marriage supper of the Lamb.
It is the sealing of God’s people, in harmony with the cleansing of the

sanctuary, that allows Christ to receive His kingdom. His people are
purified of sin, and their garments are spotless. Now, the bride of Christ,
the New Jerusalem, is arrayed in a spotless wedding garment.
And He Saith Unto Me, Write, Blessed Are They Which Are Called
Unto the Marriage Supper of the Lamb: The one who spoke to John at
the beginning of verse 9 is the same angel that speaks to him in verse 10.
The same figure of speech is used here in verse 9 as is used in Revelation
14:13 when describing the special resurrection. This is the fourth of seven
blessings in the book of Revelation (see also Revelation 1:3; 14:13; 16:15;
20:6; 22:7, 14). This time, the angel describes the special blessing of those
who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Those who are called to this supper are, by definition, guests. Ellen White
gave further helpful commentary on this passage:
In the Revelation the people of God are said to be the guests at

the marriage supper. Revelation 19:9. If guests, they cannot be
represented also as the bride. Christ, as stated by the prophet
Daniel, will receive from the Ancient of Days in heaven,
“dominion, and glory, and a kingdom;” He will receive the New
Jerusalem, the capital of His kingdom, “prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband.” Daniel 7:14; Revelation 21:2. Having
received the kingdom, He will come in His glory, as King of
kings and Lord of lords, for the redemption of His people, who
are to “sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob,” at His
table in His kingdom (Matthew 8:11; Luke 22:30), to partake of
the marriage supper of the Lamb. 506
The marriage of Christ to His bride, the New Jerusalem, takes place in
heaven when His people are sealed. He then comes in all of His glory at
the Second Coming, after probation closes and at the end of the seven last
plagues, to bring the redeemed saints to heaven. It is upon the return to
heaven that the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place. All of the
righteous saints from throughout time are guests at the marriage supper.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are present (Matthew 8:11). Moses and Elijah
are there. David, Samuel, the apostles, the prophets, and the faithful
throughout all of the ages are seated at the table.
After the destruction of Babylon, the deliverance at Christ’s Second
Coming, and the 144,000 singing the song of Moses and the Lamb, there
is no question that the marriage supper of the Lamb will be the most
special meal ever eaten for all who are present. The food served at this
meal will be from the tree of life (Revelation 22:2). Those who partake of
its fruit will live forever!
There are some who believe that the bride of Christ is the church. There
are passages of Scripture that describe Christ as married to His people, or
to the church (see Hosea 2:19; Romans 7:1–4; Ephesians 5:31–32).
However, the bride of Christ at the marriage of the Lamb is the New
Jerusalem, and the people of God are guests at the marriage supper. But it
is the righteous deeds of the saints that constitute the wedding garment of
the bride. Without a sealed people who have perfect righteousness, there
can be no marriage with the Lamb. It is through the blood of the Lamb
that the saints have developed the righteousness of the Lamb (Revelation
12:11), and then the wedding garment is placed upon the bride of Christ,
the New Jerusalem.
The glory of this supper is further described by Ellen G. White:
Soon we heard His lovely voice again, saying, “Come, My

people, you have come out of great tribulation, and done My
will; suffered for Me; come in to supper, for I will gird Myself,
and serve you.” We shouted, “Alleluia! glory!” and entered into
the city. And I saw a table of pure silver; it was many miles in
length, yet our eyes could extend over it. I saw the fruit of the
tree of life, the manna, almonds, figs, pomegranates, grapes,
and many other kinds of fruit. I asked Jesus to let me eat of the
fruit. He said, “Not now. Those who eat of the fruit of this land
go back to earth no more. But in a little while, if faithful, you
shall both eat of the fruit of the tree of life and drink of the
water of the fountain.” And He said, “You must go back to the
earth again and relate to others what I have revealed to you.”
Then an angel bore me gently down to this dark world.
Sometimes I think I can stay here no longer; all things of earth
look so dreary. I feel very lonely here, for I have seen a better
land. Oh, that I had wings like a dove, then would I fly away
and be at rest! 507
And He Saith Unto Me, These Are the True Sayings of God: The
invitation of those called to the marriage supper of the Lamb is based on
“the true sayings of God.” After Babylon is destroyed, there will be the
song of Moses and the song of the Lamb, and there will be the marriage
supper of the Lamb. We can have absolute confidence that this marriage
supper will take place, and that we will be there. We can have the
righteousness of Christ by faith that allows us to have the wedding
garment necessary to come to this marriage supper. God’s sayings are
faithful and true.
APPLICATION: God has invited us to be at the marriage supper of the

Lamb. The condition for being accepted as a guest at the wedding is to
have the wedding garment. Many in Laodicea believe that they have this
garment already, yet Christ says that we do not know that we are
spiritually naked. This is why Christ sends the warning to watch and keep
our garments (Revelation 16:15), because the shame of the nakedness of
Laodicea will become apparent during the seven last plagues, and it will
prevent us from being seated at the table of the marriage supper of the
Lamb.
God has given us abundant evidence of what is needed to have the

wedding garment. The following statement from Ellen White is very
clear:
This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one

thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out
a perfect character, and this character He offers to impart to us.
“All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6.
Everything that we of ourselves can do is defiled by sin. But the
Son of God “was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him
is no sin.” Sin is defined to be “the transgression of the law.” 1
John 3:5, 4. But Christ was obedient to every requirement of
the law. He said of Himself, “I delight to do Thy will, O My
God; yea, Thy law is within My heart.” Psalm 40:8. When on
earth, He said to His disciples, “I have kept My Father’s
commandments.” John 15:10. By His perfect obedience He has
made it possible for every human being to obey God’s
commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the
heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the
mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought
into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to
be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then as the
Lord looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the
nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of
righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah.
The guests at the marriage feast were inspected by the king.

Only those were accepted who had obeyed his requirements
and put on the wedding garment. So it is with the guests at the
gospel feast. All must pass the scrutiny of the great King, and
only those are received who have put on the robe of Christ’s
righteousness.
Righteousness is right doing, and it is by their deeds that all will

be judged. Our characters are revealed by what we do. The
works show whether the faith is genuine.
It is not enough for us to believe that Jesus is not an impostor,

and that the religion of the Bible is no cunningly devised fable.
We may believe that the name of Jesus is the only name under
heaven whereby man may be saved, and yet we may not
through faith make Him our personal Saviour. It is not enough
to believe the theory of truth. It is not enough to make a
profession of faith in Christ and have our names registered on
the church roll. “He that keepeth His commandments dwelleth
in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth
in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.” “Hereby we do
know that we know Him if we keep His commandments.” 1
John 3:24; 1 John 2:3. This is the genuine evidence of
conversion. Whatever our profession, it amounts to nothing
unless Christ is revealed in works of righteousness. 508
REVELATION 19:10
OBSERVATION: John continues his dialogue with the angel before the
chapter transitions to scenes of the Second Coming.
And I Fell at His Feet to Worship Him: John fell down at the feet of the
angel to worship him. This is considered “a typical Oriental gesture of
reverence and worship.” 509
Here it is an expression of profound joy and gratitude, for the marriage

supper is a celebration of triumph over the forces of evil, who have sought
to prevent this very event. This is the first occasion on which John
responded thus to the message of the angel and represents the depth of
feeling it stirred in him.510
John was clearly moved by the marriage supper of the Lamb. Babylon is
destroyed. God’s people will live throughout eternity. This scene caused
him to fall down and worship the angel.
And He Said Unto Me, See Thou Do It Not: Angels are not worthy of
worship. The angel quickly told John not to worship him. Only God is to
be worshiped. The call to worship God is found in Revelation 14:7:
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the
hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made
heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
I Am Thy Fellowservant, and of Thy Brethren That Have the Testimony

of Jesus: The angel identified as a “fellow servant” with John. The book of
Revelation is written to show God’s “servants things which must shortly
come to pass” (Revelation 1:1). The 144,000 are the servants of God who
are sealed (Revelation 7:3). Moses is the servant of God (Revelation 15:3).
John the Revelator is “a servant of God,” because the angel identified with
John as “thy fellow servant.” All servants of God are engaged in the work
and service of God. Angels and humans co-operate in advancing God’s
work for His purposes.
The angel also identified as being part of “thy brethren that have the
testimony of Jesus.” The Greek word for “brethren” is adelphoi. The
concept of brethren is defined in Hebrews 2:11–12:
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of
one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of
the church will I sing praise unto thee.
The brethren are men and women who are sanctified and holy. Servants
of God are sanctified and submitted to the will of God. Jesus defined
those who do His will as His brethren:
And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and
said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do
the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and
mother. (ark 3:34–35)
1 Thessalonians 4:3 also says,
“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye

should abstain from fornication.”
Thus, angels and sanctified humans are brethren and fellow servants who
are engaged in the service of God.
Specifically, this angel identified himself with fellow humans that are
“fellow servants” and “thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus.” The
testimony of Jesus has already been seen in Revelation 12:17 and is
defined more clearly in the next part of this verse.
Worship God: For the Testimony of Jesus Is the Spirit of Prophecy:
Here, the angel explicitly commanded John to worship God, not him.
Then he defined the testimony of Jesus: it is the spirit of prophecy. The
spirit of prophecy is the gift of prophecy as seen in human prophets and
angels who share prophetic messages from God.
A parallel passage explaining this further is found in Revelation 22:8–9:
And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had
heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel
which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou
do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the
prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book:
worship God.
Again, the angel was “thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren.” But this
time in Revelation 22:9, the brethren are “the prophets.”
The brethren are prophets who are sanctified and holy. As 2 Peter 1:21
says,
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but
holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
In Daniel 10, Gabriel came to explain the vision to Daniel. Notice what he
said of himself in Daniel 10:21:
But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth:
and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but
Michael your prince.
We also see that Gabriel was commanded to help Daniel understand the
vision of Daniel 8 in Daniel 8:16:
And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which

called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the
vision.
Thus, God speaks through human prophets and angels to give us the
spirit of prophecy.
Revelation 12:17 tells us that God’s last-day remnant church has the gift
of prophecy:
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make
war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the
commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Only the Seventh-day Adventist Church, raised up in the 1840s as the

Second Advent movement, fits these identifying characteristics for the
last days before Jesus returns. This church makes a profession of keeping
all ten commandments, including the fourth commandment. Within this
church is the ministry of Ellen G. White, who had her first vision in
December of 1844 and ministered to the church until her death on July
16, 1915. Her writings continue to speak, and will until Jesus returns, and
they hold up the Bible as the standard and practice of the Christian faith.
One may wonder why the angel reminded John of the testimony of Jesus
and the spirit of prophecy at this juncture of Revelation 19. We have read
of the 144,000 singing the song of Moses and the Lamb (verses 1–6).
Then, we learned of the marriage supper of the Lamb (verses 7–9). The
next section of the chapter (vs. 11–21) describes the Second Coming of
Jesus.
What the angel is doing here is reminding John and the student of
Revelation of the connection that exists in the events of Revelation 19
with that of the testimony of Jesus and the spirit of prophecy. In the
1840s, God raised up the remnant church, which keeps the
commandments of God and has the testimony of Jesus Christ. Those who
are faithful to God and maintain these identifying characteristics within
the remnant church will be raised up to be the 144,000.
Through the messages of the spirit of prophecy, as manifested by Ellen G.
White, the remnant will be protected from the many deceptions and
delusions that Satan brings into the church. By loving obedience through
the grace of God, they are a standing rebuke to those who receive the
mark of the beast, and thus the remnant people gain the victory over the
beast, his image, his mark, and over the number of his name.
Therefore, those who worship God and keep the commandments of God
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ, as manifested by the spirit of
prophecy, and live through the final crisis of the earth’s history, will sing
the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. They will live to see Jesus
coming on the white horse (v. 11) as KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF
LORDS (v. 16), and they will partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb
(vs. 7–9). That is why the angel reminded John of the testimony of Jesus
and the spirit of prophecy at this important juncture in verse 10.
APPLICATION: We are living at a time when we see prophecy rapidly

unfolding as has long been foretold. Now is not the time to throw out the
very writings that serve as an anchor and protection for us. Notice the
Men may get up scheme after scheme, and the enemy will seek
to seduce souls from the truth, but all who believe that the Lord
has spoken through Sister White, and has given her a message,
will be safe from the many delusions that will come in these last
days. 511
We all want to sit at the table of the marriage supper of the Lamb and to
sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. Following Christ
through loving obedience and heeding the counsel of His prophets,
especially the prophet for our day, prepares us to be among the group that
will be on the sea of glass.
Too often, plain counsel about lifestyle, entertainment, relationships,

stewardship, family life, and many other issues is ignored because of the
Laodicean culture of modern Adventism. Those who sit at the table of the
marriage supper of the Lamb not only believe that obedience is possible,
and they not only believe in the writings of Ellen G. White, but by God’s
grace they obey and faithfully apply the testimony of Jesus Christ to their
lives.
OBSERVATION: The last section of Revelation 19 is the most detailed
description of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ in the book of
Revelation. In the battle of Armageddon, He comes to make war against
the enemies of God who have made war with the Lamb (Revelation
17:14).
While it is a day of destruction for the enemies of God, it is the long-

awaited blessed hope (Titus 2:13) for believers in Jesus who have looked
for it since He ascended to heaven. It is also the moment of deliverance
for the righteous saints who have lived through the seven last plagues and
the time of Jacob’s trouble. Certainly, this section deserves careful
attention and study.
And I Saw Heaven Opened: This is the fourth time that heaven is opened
in the book of Revelation. Revelation 4:1 is the opening to the Holy Place
of the heavenly sanctuary. Revelation 11:15–19 is the opening of the Most
Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. Revelation 15:5–8 is the opening of
the heavenly sanctuary when probation has closed. Here in Revelation
19:11, heaven is opened when Jesus comes to this earth. His work in the
sanctuary is completed, and now He comes to bring the righteous saints
back to heaven with Him.
And Behold a White Horse: There was a white horse in the first seal
(Revelation 6:2). The rider on that horse was the Christian church that
“went forth conquering, and to conquer.” Horses are used in battles
throughout Scripture. White is a symbol of holiness of character. 512 The
early Christian church of the first seal was a pure church that conquered
the world through the preaching of the gospel in the first century
(Colossians 1:5–6).
White horses are also used by kings and military leaders in battle. 513
Thus, it is fitting that Christ, who is KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF
LORDS, would come to battle seated on a white horse.
And He That Sat Upon Him Was Called Faithful and True: This is not
the first time that Jesus is called “Faithful and True” in the book of
Revelation. He is the “faithful witness” in Revelation 1:5, and He is the
“faithful and true witness” to the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:14.
Here, His name is “Faithful and True.” As seen in Revelation 14:1, the
144,000 have the Father’s name in their foreheads, indicating that they
have the character of the Father. Here, Jesus’ name is “Faithful and True.”
This is His character. He is “the faithful and true witness.”
Those who have heeded the counsel of “the faithful and true witness” will
either be resurrected or live to see the Second Coming when Jesus, who is
Faithful and True, comes to redeem them.
And in Righteousness He Doth Judge and Make War: Everything that

Christ does is done “in righteousness.” His righteous judgments are seen
in the third plague (Revelation 16:5–7). Now, He is coming to execute
righteous judgment and to make war in the battle of Armageddon of the
seventh plague. The wicked have declared war against the Lamb
(Revelation 17:14), and He is here to make war and overcome the wicked.
We see in verses 20–21 of this chapter that He makes war with the beast
and the false prophet and those who have received the mark of the beast.
These are the wicked who have declared war against Him. Now, He comes
on a white horse as KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS to
execute judgment against these wicked powers. This war is the battle of
Armageddon.
His Eyes Were a Flame of Fire, and On His Head Were Many Crowns:
Jesus’ eyes like a flame of fire are also seen in Revelation 1:14. His eyes
penetrate the thoughts of men, and He comes as an avenger to the wicked
and a Savior to the righteous.
The Greek word for “crowns” here is diadema. This is the word for crown
when applied to royalty and not to the crown that is the reward of the
saints, which is stephanos. Christ has on His head many crowns. He is
KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
And He Had a Name Written, That No Man Knew, But He Himself: He

is called Faithful and True, but He also has a name that is known only by
Him.
The “name written, that no man knew, but he himself ” …

represents the heretofore unknown role in which He now
appears, as the avenger of His people (see on ch. 16:1). In the
performance of this “strange” work (Isa. 28:21) He acts in a role
new to both men and angels. 514
And He Was Clothed in a Vesture Dipped in Blood: The vesture is likely

“a rider’s coat, or the cloak of a military commander.”515 It is easy to think
that the blood that the vesture is dipped in is from the blood Jesus shed
on the cross. However, the language here is that of a military king
engaged in war and in the midst of bloodshed. This thought is remarkably
similar to Isaiah 63:1–6:
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from
Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the
greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to
save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments
like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the
winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I
will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and
their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain
all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and
the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was
none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold:
therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury,
it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger,
and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their
strength to the earth.
The blood on the cloak of Christ is that which is shed by the death of the
wicked when He makes war against them in the battle of Armageddon. It
is Christ’s strange act, but it is necessary to deliver His saints from the
destruction of the wicked and to repay the wicked for all their evil deeds.
And His Name Is Called The Word of God: His name is “Faithful and
True.” He has a name that no man knows but Himself, and He is also
“called The Word of God.” He is the Word in John 1:1. In this setting,
Christ is coming as the deliverer of His people and as the avenging judge
to the wicked. Hebrews 4:12–13 perfectly describes Jesus as The Word of
God:
any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul
thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature
that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and
opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
With eyes as a flame of fire, and as The Word of God, every thought and
intent of the heart of humankind is opened to Christ. With one look from
Christ, the righteous cry out, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for
him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will
be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:9). But the wicked call for
the rocks and mountains to fall upon them (Revelation 6:16).
Notice also how the Word of God is described in Jeremiah 23:29:

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer
that breaketh the rock in pieces?
Jesus, as The Word of God, brings destruction to the wicked at the

Second Coming. His word is like a fire, “and like a hammer that breaketh
the rock in pieces.”
And the Armies Which Were in Heaven Followed Him Upon White
Horses: The armies that accompany Christ at His Second Coming are
clearly the angels. Here is a vivid description in Matthew 25:31–33:
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall
separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep
from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but
the goats on the left.
In this battle of Armageddon, the sheep and the goats, or the righteous
and the wicked, are separated from each other. The angels, as the armies
of heaven, accompany Christ at His Second Coming to destroy the
wicked (see also Revelation 14:18–20).
Just as Christ is seated upon a white horse, so the angels are upon white
horses as well. The cause they are fighting for is a holy and righteous
cause.
Clothed in Fine Linen, White and Clean: The attire of the angels is
identical to that of the wedding garment worn by the bride of Christ in
verse 8. This garment represents the righteousness of Christ. Clearly, the
angels are righteous beings, and in verse 11 we have seen that “in
righteousness” does Christ “judge and make war.” Pure and righteous
heavenly beings are making war against the wicked.
And Out of His Mouth Goeth a Sharp Sword: A sword is an instrument

of warfare. This sword comes out of the mouth of Christ. Hebrews 4:12
says that the Word of God “is a sharp, two-edged sword.” Here in verse
21, the sword out of the mouth of Christ is used to slay the wicked at the
Second Coming.
Notice what Austin Cooke says about this passage:
By His Word, which is quick and powerful and sharper than

any two-edged sword (Heb. 4:12), Christ “strikes” (destroys)
the unsaved “whom the Lord will consume with the breath of
His mouth” (2 Thess. 2:8). “With the breath of His lips He shall
slay the wicked” (Isa. 11:4).
The Word of God can create or destroy. This is true not only in
a literal sense, but also spiritually, as is evident in the life of the
believer. The Word of God gives life to the believer (1 Peter
1:23), and the Word of God destroys sin in the believer (Ps.
119:11). 516
Thus, God speaks salvation to the righteous and destruction to the

wicked by His Word.
That With It He Should Smite the Nations: Again we see that the sword
is an instrument of destruction to the wicked. The Word of God will
smite the nations who are drunk with the wine of Babylon.
And He Shall Rule Them With a Rod of Iron: Revelation 12:5 also
discusses Christ ruling all nations with a rod of iron:
And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations
with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to
his throne.
This is quoting also from Psalm 2:9:
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in
pieces like a potter’s vessel.
The Seventh-day Adventist Commentary provides good insight on the rod
of iron:
The ancient shepherd’s rod had a double function. The crook

on one end served to help and guide the sheep, while the heavy
ferrule on the other end, a metal cap or ring to strengthen the
rod, made it also a weapon of assault. This was used for the
protection of the flock, to repel and kill wild animals that
would scatter and destroy it. It is now time for the Good
Shepherd to use the “rod of iron” against the nations for the
deliverance of His beleaguered flock on earth. His ruling, or
smiting the nations, with a rod of iron results in their
extermination, not their government during the millennium, as
some hold. 517
The rod of iron protects the righteous and destroys the wicked at the
Second Coming. He will rule the righteous throughout eternity with the
rod of iron.
And He Treadeth the Winepress of the Fierceness and Wrath of

Almighty God: The winepress is seen in Revelation 14:19–20:
And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the
vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath
of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and
blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by
the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
The winepress represents the “fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” on

those despising Him and His law. God’s mercy has lasted down through
the ages, despite insolence and rebellion and a studied determination to
disdain His love and long-suffering. The wrath of God is poured out in
the seven last plagues (Revelation 15:1) and culminates in the seventh
plague with the Second Coming.
The language is explicit, describing the destruction of the wicked at the
Second Coming, declaring that the blood of the wicked comes up to the
bridles of the horses that Christ and His angels are riding upon are riding
upon (see Revelation 14:20; 19:11, 14). The language of blood coming to
the horses’ bridles is symbolic. It speaks to the horrific destruction of all
the world because of those who wonder after the beast. The wrath of God
is fierce.
And He Hath On His Vesture and On His Thigh a Name Written,

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS: This is the fourth name of
Jesus, related to the Second Coming, given in Revelation 19. He is
Faithful and True, He is The Word of God, He has a name that only He
knows, and He is KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
This name is also seen in Revelation 17:14:
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall
overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and
they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
This is the name and title that Christ uses at the Second Coming when He
makes war against His enemies and the enemies of His people at the
battle of Armageddon.
At the Second Coming, Jesus sets up His kingdom that will never be
destroyed. This is parallel to Daniel 2:44:
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a
kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall
not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
He is KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. His kingdom will last

forever. At the same time, Babylon is destroyed forever.
APPLICATION: As Seventh-day Adventists, we have long looked for the
blessed hope of the return of Jesus. Early pioneers of the church were
known to sign off on their letters with the salutation, “Yours in the
Blessed Hope.” The conditions for being ready for this blessed hope are
found in Titus 2:11–14:
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all
men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we
should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us,
that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
The conditions in this verse are clear. By the grace of God, we are to deny
“ungodliness and worldly lusts,” and we are to “live soberly, righteously,
and godly, in this present world.” Furthermore, we are to allow him to
“redeem us from all iniquity,” and we must let Him “purify” us as “a
peculiar people, zealous of good works.” As Titus 2:11 says, all of this is
possible by the grace of God. Grace not only gives us forgiveness, but it
also empowers us to be like Christ so that we will be ready to meet Him
when He comes.
OBSERVATION: Revelation 19 concludes with a vivid picture of the battle of
Armageddon. This is the destruction that the wicked meet at the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ.
And I Saw an Angel Standing in the Sun; and He Cried With a Loud
Voice: The angels form the armies of God (v. 14) and carry out the work
of the harvest of the wicked (Revelation 14:18–20). This angel that cries
with a loud voice is announcing the harvest of the wicked in the battle of
Armageddon, using similar language to Revelation 14:18:
And another angel came out from the altar, which had power
over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp
sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of
the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
The angel is standing in the sun and evokes imagery of 2 Thessalonians

2:8, when the man of sin will be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s
coming. 518 He cries with a loud voice like the angel of Revelation 14:18.
Thus, the harvest of the wicked at the Second Coming in Revelation
14:18–20 is a description of the destruction of the wicked in the battle of
Armageddon.
Saying to All the Fowls That Fly in the Midst of Heaven, Come and
Gather Yourselves Unto the Supper of the Great God: Here we find the
second supper mentioned in Revelation 19. While the righteous partake
of the marriage supper of the Lamb, the birds consume the dead flesh of
the wicked at the supper of the great God.
Moses warned Israel that their flesh would be consumed by the fowls of
the air as part of the curses that would come upon them if they broke the
covenant in Deuteronomy 28:25–26:
The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies:

thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways
before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the
earth. And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and
unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.
Revelation 19 draws upon this language to show the fulfillment of the

curse coming upon the disobedient of the earth who have broken God’s
covenant and who have violated His commandments.
In the story of David and Goliath, they both claim that the other’s flesh
will be served up to “the fowls of the air”:
And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy
flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then
said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword,
and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the
name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom
thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine
hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I
will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto
the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the
earth may know that there is a God in Israel. (1 Samuel 17:44–
46)
The language here from both sides is a challenge to engage in combat. 519
The story illustrates the struggle between the wicked and the righteous.
Goliath is far superior to David in strength. In the battle of Armageddon,
the wicked far outnumber the righteous. But Goliath in his battle with
David, and the wicked in their conflict with the righteous, lack the power
of God. Both David, with his strong faith, and the righteous, during the
battle of Armageddon, overcome the wicked because God is on their side.
We find similar language of the flesh of the wicked being eaten by the
fowls of the air in Ezekiel 39:17–22:
And, thou son of man, thus saith the LORD God; Speak unto every
feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, assemble
yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my
sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the
mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood. Ye
shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes
of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of
them fatlings of Bashan. And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and
drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have
sacrificed for you. Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses
and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith
the LORD God. And I will set my glory among the heathen, and
all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and
my hand that I have laid upon them. So the house of Israel shall
know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
As Ezekiel 39:22 clearly portrays, when the wicked are destroyed, the
house of Israel will know that God is “the LORD their God from that day
forward.”
That Ye May Eat the Flesh of Kings, and the Flesh of Captains, and the
Flesh of Mighty Men, and the Flesh of Horses, and of Them That Sit on
Them: The flesh of the kings of the earth who have committed
fornication with Babylon will be eaten. The military leaders and the
mighty men will suffer the same fate. Also, the vast army of the wicked
who sit on horses will have their flesh eaten. The flesh of the horses is
eaten as well. Just as God comes with His armies of angels on horses, the
wicked are portrayed as an army seated upon horses for the battle of
Armageddon. The wicked and their horses are utterly destroyed.
And the Flesh of All Men, Both Free and Bond, Both Small and Great:
We previously saw the language of “free and bond” and “small and great”
in Revelation 13:16–17:
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and
bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or
the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
The imagery is unmistakable here in Revelation 19:18. The “small and

great,” the “free and bond,” and the “rich and poor” of Revelation 13:16–
17 who have received the mark of the beast will have their flesh eaten by
the fowls of the air after their destruction in the battle of Armageddon.
And I Saw the Beast, and the Kings of the Earth, and Their Armies
Gathered Together to Make War Against Him That Sat on the Horse,
and Against His Army: Revelation 19:19 is a clear portrayal of the battle
of Armageddon. The beast is the first beast of Revelation 13 and is the
Roman Catholic church-state power, or Babylon. United with the beast
are the kings of the earth who have committed fornication with her.
“Their armies” are the multitudes of people of the earth who have drunk
of “the wine of the wrath of her fornication” and received the mark of the
beast.
The beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies “make war against him
that sat on the horse, and against his army.” It is Christ, who is “Faithful
and True,” and “The Word of God,” and “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD
OF LORDS” who sits on the white horse. Christ’s army is His angels.
This is parallel to Revelation 17:14:
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall
overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and
they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
We also find the same story in Revelation 16:16:
And he (they) 520 gathered them together into a place called in

the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
In Revelation 16:16, “they” who gather are the dragon, the beast, and the
false prophet. “Them” are the people of the earth who have received the
mark of the beast. They are gathered to make war against the Lamb, who
is Christ, sitting upon the white horse.
War has been declared upon the Lamb by making a death decree against
His saints. The beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies plan to
execute the death decree at the commencement of the battle of
Armageddon, which takes place just before the Second Coming in the
seventh plague. As Revelation 17:14 says, though, “the Lamb shall
overcome them.”
And the Beast Was Taken, and With Him the False Prophet That
Wrought Miracles Before Him: The beast was “taken,” or “captured.” The
Roman Catholic church-state power comes to its end in the battle of
Armageddon at the time of the Second Coming. The false prophet is also
captured. The false prophet is described in Revelation 16:13 and is the
same power as the second beast of Revelation 13. He “wrought miracles
before” the beast. This fits the description of Revelation 13:11–13:
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he

had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he
exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth
the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast,
whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so
that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the
sight of men.
It is Protestant America, with two horns like a lamb, that changes from
being a professed Christian nation to a satanic power when it speaks as a
dragon. It exercises the same power as the first beast and “maketh fire
come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.” It works in
harmony with the Roman Catholic church-state power at the end of the
world and is captured together with the first beast of Revelation 13.
With Which He Deceived Them That Had Received the Mark of the
Beast, and Them That Had Worshipped His Image: Through miracles,
Protestant America works as a false prophet to deceive the whole world
into receiving the mark of the beast and to worshiping the image of the
beast. There are further connections that make it clear that the second
beast of Revelation 13 is the false prophet (Revelation 16:13; 19:20) in
Revelation 13:14–17:
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those
miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast;
saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an
image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did
live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast,
that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as
many as would not worship the image of the beast should be
killed.
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and
bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or
the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
In these verses, as studied in Revelation 13, the mark of the beast is

enforced Sunday worship. The image of the beast represents the likeness,
or image, of what the first beast of Revelation 13 represents, which is the
union of church and state. Worship of the image of the beast happens
when all the world unites in worshiping on Sunday—legislated through a
unified church and state. This is the false prophet of Protestant America
that “had power to give life unto the image of the beast.”

The beast and the false prophet are guilty of leading the world into ruin.
Thus, they are punished together.
These Both Were Cast Alive Into a Lake of Fire Burning With
Brimstone: The Roman Catholic church-state power and apostate
Protestantism in the United States of America are cast into the lake of fire
here in verse 20. We see the lake of fire also mentioned in Revelation
20:10:
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire
and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and
shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
The lake of fire in Revelation 20:10 is at the end of the millennium. The
beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire at the beginning of
the millennium, in the battle of Armageddon at the Second Coming of
Jesus. There is a lake of fire at the beginning of the millennium and at the
end of the millennium. James White commented on this topic:
So, if you please, there are two lakes of fire, one at each end of
the one thousand years. 522
The lake of fire at the beginning of the millennium brings to an end the
battle of Armageddon. The lake of fire at the end of the millennium
brings to an end what is known as the battle of Gog and Magog (see
Revelation 20:8).
It is in the battle of Armageddon that the beast and the false prophet are
destroyed. The beast and the false prophet constitute two of the three
parts of the great city of Babylon. The third part of the city of Babylon is
the dragon, which represents spiritualism but also represents the devil, or
Satan (see Revelation 12:9). The dragon, or the devil, is cast into the lake
of fire at the end of the millennium:
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire
and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and
shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation
20:10)
And the Remnant Were Slain With the Sword of Him That Sat Upon
the Horse, Which Sword Proceeded Out of His Mouth: “The remnant”
means “the rest” of the wicked. At the Second Coming, the wicked who
survive the first six plagues are slain with the sword that comes out of the
mouth of Jesus. By His Word, the sharp two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12),
God destroys those who have received the mark of the beast. This is the
harvest of the wicked. The destruction is so great that Revelation 14:20
says that the blood of the wicked comes to the bridles of the horses of
Christ and His army of angels.
And All the Fowls Were Filled With Their Flesh: Symbolic language is
used here. Dead flesh being eaten by birds or animals has been shown to
represent the curse of God (see Deuteronomy 28:26). The wicked receive
the curse of God at the Second Coming and are destroyed. Thus, their
flesh is said to be eaten by “all the fowls.” Rather than being taken to
heaven to partake in the marriage supper of the Lamb, the wicked come
under the curse of God and are supper to the fowls of the air.
APPLICATION: There is no question that we want to be guests at the

marriage supper of the Lamb as opposed to being the supper for the fowls
of the air. In this section of Scripture, Hebrews 4:12–13 holds the key for
us:
any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul
thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature
that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and
opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
God uses His Word to bring conviction. His Word is a two-edged sword
that cuts to the innermost part of the heart and mind. It brings conviction
to the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Are you allowing God’s Word to remove sin from your life so that your
character is filled with righteous and holy thoughts? God’s Word has the
power to change you. May you let His Word pierce your heart so that the
thoughts and intents of your heart become like Christ’s. If the Word of
God does not consume the sin within you, His Word will slay you at the
Second Coming. His Word is a two-edged sword.
As your faith is strengthened by the Word of God, you become a partaker

of the righteousness of Christ by faith, and God gives you, as a free gift,
the wedding garment. Someday soon, all who are arrayed in this garment
will be inspected and then seated at the great supper table of the marriage
supper of the Lamb. The invitation has been sent to you personally. Jesus
wants to see you there!
REVELATION 20
REVELATION 20:1–3
OBSERVATION: After the destruction of the wicked, the beast, and the false
prophet at the Second Coming (Revelation 19), we see a direct
continuation of chronology at the beginning of Revelation 20. After the
Second Coming, the earth lays desolate for 1,000 literal years during the
period known as the millennium.
And I Saw an Angel Come Down From Heaven: We have seen an

“angel” come down from heaven in Revelation 18:1, and we learned of the
three angels of Revelation 14:6–12 who had messages from heaven. The
word for “angel” means “messenger.” In Revelation 14 and in Revelation
18, the angels convey messages that are then given by God’s people. The
messages come from angels in heaven and are given by God’s people on
the earth. Likewise, the work of the angel in Revelation 20:1–3 comes
from heaven, and it is a work that will be accomplished by God’s people.
Having the Key of the Bottomless Pit: There are similarities of language
between Revelation 9:1–2 and Revelation 20:1–3 with the “star fallen” in
Revelation 9 and the angel in Revelation 20:1. Both have the key of the
bottomless pit. As seen in Revelation 9, Mohammed, the false prophet of
Islam, is the fallen star. The striking difference between Revelation 9 and
Revelation 20 is that the fallen star of Revelation 9 opens the bottomless
pit. Here in Revelation 20, the bottomless pit is locked up by the angel.
The “bottomless pit” comes from the Greek word abussos and represents
the arsenal of Satan. In addition to being seen in Revelation 9:1–2 and
here in Revelation 20:1, 3, the bottomless pit is also described in
Revelation 11:7 when atheism appears with force in the French
Revolution of 1793–1797. Islam and atheism are major ideologies that
Satan has worked through to deceive many in this world. The beast that
ascends from the bottomless pit in Revelation 17:8 is the Roman Catholic
church-state power after the deadly wound is healed with the passing of
the Sunday law. Then, all the world wonders after the beast. The
resurrection of the beast power (Revelation 17:8) at the end represents
the final work of Satan from the bottomless pit before the millennium.
We studied in Revelation 9 that Mohammed is the fallen star, and the key
in that chapter is the Koran. Mohammed held the key that unlocked the
bottomless pit. When the pit was unlocked through the teachings of the
Koran, smoke came out of the pit which obscured the sun, showing that
Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, was obscured by the teachings of Islam
and Mohammed as described in the Koran.
Here, in Revelation 20, the angel that has the key of the bottomless pit is
locking up the arsenal of Satan. Thus, the angel and the key are opposite
in nature to Revelation 9. Whereas Mohammed is a “star fallen” that
unlocks the arsenal of Satan, this angel is a heavenly messenger that locks
up the bottomless pit.
The following passages offer insight on the “key” of the bottomless pit:
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for

evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
(Revelation 1:18)
As we see in that text, Jesus has the keys of hell and death.
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things

saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David,
he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man
openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open
door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and
hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (Revelation
3:7–8)
Jesus gave to the church of Philadelphia the key of David. Philadelphia is

the church of the Millerite movement. The key given to them was the
message from Scripture of the Second Advent, which opened the door to
the Most Holy Place in 1844. Specifically, for the Millerite movement, the
key that unlocked the door to the Most Holy Place is the message of
Daniel 8:14.
The key of Mohammed and Islam is the Koran. The key of David for the
church of Philadelphia, given to them by Christ, is the message of Daniel
8:14 that specifically points to the movement of Christ into the Most Holy
Place.
In Revelation 20, the key of the bottomless pit is that which locks up the
bottomless pit for 1,000 years. This key must represent the teachings of
Scripture that God’s people have followed, which allows them to
experience the millennium in heaven while Satan is bound to this earth.
It is through the teachings of the three angels’ messages of Revelation
14:6–12 that God prepares the 144,000 for the Second Coming and the
great harvest at the end of time. The key has been given to the 144,000 by
Christ Himself.
While the Bible is ultimately the key, it is the teachings of the three angels’
messages within Scripture, at the end of the world, that puts an end to the
work of Satan. The 144,000 are produced by the three angels’ messages
through the power of God. When the 144,000 are produced, the harvest
can take place and Jesus can return. Thus, the 144,000 accomplish the
work of the angel that comes down from heaven with the key of the
bottomless pit.
Therefore, in verse 1 we see a powerful picture of the 144,000 completing

the work of the angel from heaven, who has the key of the three angels’
messages of Revelation 14:6–12. The angel locks the bottomless pit when
the 144,000 are produced by the three angels’ messages. Then, Jesus
comes again, and the millennium begins.
And a Great Chain in His Hand: The angel has the key of the bottomless
pit and also has “a great chain in his hand.” The chain is used in Scripture
to represent restraint or binding, especially in the context of prisoners
(see Acts 21:30–33). While the language is symbolic, Satan is being
bound by the chain within the bottomless pit, which will be his prison for
1,000 years. He is limited to the desolate earth by this chain for the
millennium.
And He Laid Hold on the Dragon, That Old Serpent, Which Is the
Devil, and Satan: The angel from heaven carries out a work that is
accomplished by the 144,000 and lays hold on the dragon. The
description of the dragon is nearly identical to that of Revelation 12:9:
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the
Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast
out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Satan, as the dragon, the old serpent, and the devil, was cast into the
earth after he was cast out of heaven and deceived most of the world
(Revelation 12). Now, in Revelation 20, Jesus has returned the second
time to the earth, and Satan is bound to the earth that he deceived. He
must see the fruit of his destructive work in this earth.
We discussed in Revelation 15 the fit man and the scape goat. In His role
as the High Priest at the end of the investigative judgment, on the
antitypical day of atonement, Jesus places the sins of the righteous, that
have been blotted out, onto the head of the scapegoat, Satan. Then, the fit
man, representing the 144,000, leads Satan to the land of forgetfulness
(see Leviticus 16:20–22). Satan is led away during the seven last plagues.
The angel, through the faithfulness of the 144,000, “lays hold” on the
dragon during the seven last plagues, as the 144,000 faithfully represent
Christ’s character during the most awful time of this earth’s history. This
idea is made clear in the following statement:
Then I saw that Jesus’ work in the sanctuary will soon be

finished. And after His work there is finished, He will come to
the door of the first apartment, and confess the sins of Israel
upon the head of the Scape Goat. Then He will put on the
garments of vengeance. Then the plagues will come upon the
wicked, and they do not come till Jesus puts on that garment,
and takes His place upon the great white cloud. Then while the
plagues are falling, the Scape Goat is being led away. He makes
a mighty struggle to escape, but he is held fast by the hand that
leads him. If he should effect his escape, Israel would lose their
lives. I saw that it would take time to lead away the Scape Goat
into the land of forgetfulness after the sins were put on his
head. 523
The Greek word for “laid hold” is krateo which means “to seize,” or “to
hold fast.” 524 During the seven last plagues, Satan is held fast by the fit
man.
It takes time to lead Satan to the land of forgetfulness. The angel lays hold
of Satan after the sins of the 144,000 and all of God’s people have been
blotted out—when probation closes. Then, the seven last plagues are
poured out, leading up to the Second Coming. Satan makes a mighty
effort to escape while the plagues are falling, but the 144,000, through the
power of Christ, hold him fast in preparation to cast him into the
bottomless pit. The “key” of the teachings of the three angels’ messages
with the power of the everlasting gospel has transformed the 144,000 into
the likeness of Jesus, and Satan has no power over them during the
plagues. Now, they have power over him through the blood of the Lamb
and the word of their testimony (Revelation 12:11), and through their
faithfulness, the angel lays hold of Satan.
And Bound Him a Thousand Years: Satan is bound for 1,000 years. He is
not destroyed at the Second Coming like the beast, the false prophet, and
the wicked who are alive when Jesus comes. He is bound with a symbolic
chain to this earth where he has done his work of deception and
destruction. After six thousand years of deception, Satan is bound with
nothing to do other than to reflect upon what he has done in his rebellion
against God.
Here is to be the home of Satan with his evil angels for a

thousand years. Limited to the earth, he will not have access to
other worlds to tempt and annoy those who have never fallen.
It is in this sense that he is bound: there are none remaining,
upon whom he can exercise his power. He is wholly cut off
from the work of deception and ruin which for so many
centuries has been his sole delight. …
For six thousand years, Satan’s work of rebellion has “made the
earth to tremble.” He has “made the world as a wilderness, and
destroyed the cities thereof.” And he “opened not the house of
his prisoners.” For six thousand years his prison house has
received God’s people, and he would have held them captive
forever; but Christ has broken his bonds and set the prisoners
free.
Even the wicked are now placed beyond the power of Satan,
and alone with his evil angels he remains to realize the effect of
the curse which sin has brought. “The kings of the nations,
even all of them, lie in glory, everyone in his own house [the
grave]. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable
branch. … Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial,
because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people.”
Isaiah 14:18–20.
For a thousand years, Satan will wander to and fro in the

desolate earth to behold the results of his rebellion against the
law of God. During this time his sufferings are intense. Since
his fall his life of unceasing activity has banished reflection; but
he is now deprived of his power and left to contemplate the part
which he has acted since first he rebelled against the
government of heaven, and to look forward with trembling and
terror to the dreadful future when he must suffer for all the evil
that he has done and be punished for the sins that he has
caused to be committed. 525
1,000 literal years is a long time for Satan to reflect upon his work.
Arguably, it is a punishment that is worse than death. But it is a
punishment that Satan fully deserves. After the terrible havoc that he has
wrought, the earth gets 1,000 years of rest from the work of Satan. It is as
if the earth gets a Sabbath rest during the millennium, after six thousand
years of sin.
And Cast Him Into the Bottomless Pit: The bottomless pit represents
this earth in its state of destruction after the seven last plagues and the
Second Coming. Ellen White provided a clear statement about the
bottomless pit here:
That the expression “bottomless pit” represents the earth in a

state of confusion and darkness is evident from other
scriptures. Concerning the condition of the earth “in the
beginning,” the Bible record says that it “was without form, and
void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” [The Hebrew
word here translated “deep” is rendered in the Septuagint
(Greek) translation of the Hebrew Old Testament by the same
word rendered “bottomless pit” in Revelation 20:1–3.] Genesis
1:2. Prophecy teaches that it will be brought back, partially at
least, to this condition. Looking forward to the great day of
God, the prophet Jeremiah declares: “I beheld the earth, and, lo,
it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had
no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all
the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and
all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the
fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were
broken down.” Jeremiah 4:23–26. 526
As a result of the faithfulness of the 144,000, Satan is cast into this
bottomless pit by the angel from heaven. Through the power of God,
their faithfulness during the final crisis when they refused to receive the
mark of the beast, and their fidelity during the seven last plagues, have
proven the charges of Satan against the government and law of God to be
false. It is through the power of God that the faithfulness of the 144,000
allows the great deceiver to be cast into the bottomless pit by the angel
from heaven. The key of the teachings of the three angels’ messages
prepares the 144,000 to stand faithfully, and thus Satan is cast into the
bottomless pit of this earth where he can deceive no one for 1,000 years.
And Shut Him Up, and Set a Seal Upon Him, That He Should Deceive
the Nations No More: In Leviticus 16, the fit man leads the scapegoat to
a land where he cannot come back and harm God’s people any further.
Likewise, the spiritual fit man, the 144,000, through the power of Christ,
leads Satan to the bottomless pit for 1,000 years. The righteous are in
heaven and beyond the grasp of Satan forever. He will no longer be able
to deceive the righteous. He has no access to the wicked, for they lie in an
unconscious state of death in their graves for the 1,000 years. He is shut
up. A seal has been placed upon him. This seal is similar in function to
the seal placed on the tomb of Jesus in Matthew 27:66. While Jesus was
only in the tomb from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning of the
weekend of His death, Satan will be restrained for 1,000 years on this
earth.
Till the Thousand Years Should Be Fulfilled: Satan is bound during the
millennium with no opportunity to do his work of deception. Once the
1,000 years are fulfilled, his circumstances will briefly change.
And After That He Must Be Loosed a Little Season: After the 1,000
years, Satan is loosed for a little season, but there first comes a description
of the first resurrection in verses 4–6. Satan is loosed when the wicked are
raised at the second resurrection. We will see the resurrection of the
wicked described in verses 7–10 of this chapter.
APPLICATION: Satan is the great deceiver through all ages of this earth. It is
through a steadfast faith in Christ and faith in Scripture that we are
protected from his deceptions. Ellen White laid out plainly the necessity
of confidence in the Bible in this statement:
The people of God are directed to the Scriptures as their

safeguard against the influence of false teachers and the
delusive power of spirits of darkness. Satan employs every
possible device to prevent men from obtaining a knowledge of
the Bible; for its plain utterances reveal his deceptions. At every
revival of God’s work the prince of evil is aroused to more
intense activity; he is now putting forth his utmost efforts for a
final struggle against Christ and His followers. The last great
delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his
marvelous works in our sight. So closely will the counterfeit
resemble the true that it will be impossible to distinguish
between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their testimony
every statement and every miracle must be tested.
Those who endeavor to obey all the commandments of God

will be opposed and derided. They can stand only in God. In
order to endure the trial before them, they must understand the
will of God as revealed in His word; they can honor Him only
as they have a right conception of His character, government,
and purposes, and act in accordance with them. None but those
who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will
stand through the last great conflict. To every soul will come
the searching test: Shall I obey God rather than men? The
decisive hour is even now at hand. Are our feet planted on the
rock of God’s immutable word? Are we prepared to stand firm
in defense of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus?
527
Fidelity and obedience to Scripture is the key for God’s people for this
time. While avoiding the deceptions of Satan, it also leads us to a saving
walk with Jesus so that we can live empowered by His grace. It matters
what we believe because that influences how we live. Satan would have us
doubt the Bible much like Eve doubted the veracity of God’s word when
Satan insinuated that she would not really die.
Satan is held fast and cast into the bottomless pit for the millennium
because God will have a people, the 144,000, who live by every word that
proceeds out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). You have been brought
into existence to have the opportunity to be among those who live by
faith in the promises of God. He really and truly will have a faithful
generation that lays hold upon Satan and leads him into the land of
forgetfulness for the 1,000 years. Will you be part of that number?
REVELATION 20:4–6
OBSERVATION: These three verses show what happens in heaven during
the millennium, in contrast to Satan being bound upon the earth. While
Satan is forced to reflect in misery upon his awful work of evil, the saints
reign with Christ in heaven for the 1,000 years. It is a time of great joy for
those who have been delivered from the power of the great deceiver.
And I Saw Thrones, and They Sat Upon Them, and Judgment Was
Given Unto Them: The Greek word for “thrones” is thronos and is the
same word for “seat” in Revelation 13:2 where it says, “and the dragon
gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” In this context, the
seat, or throne, represents exercising the rulership of a king or a ruler. We
see another context for thrones in Matthew 19:28:
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which
have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall
sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
In the above verse, thrones represent exercising rule as a judge. Thus,

thrones represent rulership as king and judge. Judgment “was given unto
them.” This judgment is given to the saints as seen in the following verses
from Daniel 7:
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the
saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints
possessed the kingdom. (Daniel 7:22)
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the

kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of
the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel
7:27)
During the millennium, the saints rule as kings and judges from their
thrones. This is in fulfillment of the promise to the Laodicean church of
Revelation 3:21:

throne.
Those who sit upon the thrones include those from the Laodicean church
who have overcome by the blood of Jesus and have overcome as Jesus did,
through the faith of Jesus. Now they reign with Him. This is not limited
to those only from Laodicea but includes all the righteous who have
overcome throughout the history of this earth.
And I Saw the Souls of Them That Were Beheaded for the Witness of
Jesus, and For the Word of God: Among those sitting upon the throne
are those who have been martyrs because of their faithfulness for the
witness of Jesus and for the Word of God. These martyrs were described
in the fifth seal in Revelation 6:9–11:
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the
souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the
testimony which they held: 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? And white
robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto
them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their
fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as
they were, should be fulfilled.
The martyrs who metaphorically cry from under the altar are those who
died under the persecution of the beast power (Roman Catholic church-
state power) during the Dark Ages. Yet Revelation 6:11 says that there
will be martyrs sometime after the persecution occurring in the fifth seal.
While further martyrdoms occurred after the start of the fifth seal during
the Protestant Reformation until the end of the Dark Ages in 1798,
undoubtedly there are also martyrs for Jesus before probation closes at
the end of the world. These martyrs are all faithful “for the witness of
Jesus, and for the Word of God.”
When this grand work is to take place in the battle, prior to the
last closing conflict, many will be imprisoned, many will flee
for their lives from cities and towns, and many will be martyrs
for Christ’s sake in standing in defense of the truth. 528
And Which Had Not Worshipped the Beast, Neither His Image,
Neither Had Received His Mark Upon Their Foreheads, or in Their
Hands: In addition to the martyrs, a second class is mentioned in this
verse. A surface reading could suggest that the martyrs were killed
because they did not worship the beast. It is certain that there will be
martyrs for Jesus because of refusing to worship the beast and his image.
However, this is not limited to martyrs, but also includes those who live
through the final crisis. Uriah Smith provided a nice discussion on this
section:
From that general assembly John then selects two classes as

worthy of especial attention: the martyrs who had been
beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and those who had not
worshiped the beast and his image. The latter class, those who
refuse the mark of the beast and his image, are of course the
ones that hear and obey the third angel’s message of Revelation
14. But these are not the ones beheaded for the witness of Jesus,
as some who claim that the last generation of saints are all to be
slain, would have us to believe. The word rendered “which,” in
the expression, “which had not worshiped the beast,” shows
that there is another class introduced. The word is the
compound relative … hostis, “whoever,” not merely the simple
relative … hos, “who,” and is defined … “Whosoever,
whichsoever, any one who, anything which.” As one class, John
saw the martyrs, and as another he saw those who had not
worshiped the beast and his image. 529
And They Lived and Reigned With Christ a Thousand Years: The
martyrs died for Jesus, but now they live and reign with Christ for a
thousand years. Those who overcome the beast power and have faithfully
faced the death decree, also live and reign with Christ for a thousand
years. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, offers a good
reflection on why these two classes are mentioned in this section:
Only two classes of saints are mentioned in this verse, martyrs

and victors over the beast. This does not mean that they are the
only ones to share in the millennial reign, for it has already
been shown that all the righteous dead (not only the martyrs)
come forth in the first resurrection. … Perhaps the martyrs and
the victors over the beast are singled out because they represent
those who have suffered most. 530
But the Rest of the Dead Lived Not Again Until the Thousand Years
Were Finished: A clear distinction is made with the “rest of the dead.”
The righteous dead are resurrected and taken to heaven for the
millennium, along with those who are alive at the Second Coming. 1
Thessalonians 4:16–18 is clear about those who are taken to heaven when
Jesus comes:
the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to
meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
However, the wicked remain in their graves during the millennium. They
are not part of the resurrection of the righteous, but they are resurrected
at the end of the 1,000 years.
This Is the First Resurrection: The first resurrection has already been
described in verse 4 when those beheaded “lived and reigned with Christ
a thousand years.” The first resurrection is only for the righteous and
takes place at the Second Coming of Jesus at the beginning of the
millennium. We see that 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 perfectly describes the
first resurrection.
Most of the Christian world teaches that the souls of the dead go straight
to heaven at death. The Bible makes it clear that the righteous dead are
resurrected at the Second Coming. It also makes it clear that the wicked
are not resurrected until the end of the millennium.
The following verses remind us of the unconscious state of the dead prior
to the resurrection:
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not
any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory
of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their
envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for
ever in any thing that is done under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 9:5–6)
The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into
silence. (Psalm 115:17)
Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch
David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with
us unto this day. (Acts 2:29)
the dead in Christ shall rise first. (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
The righteous and the wicked dead rest in an unconscious state of death
until the resurrection. The righteous are resurrected in the first
resurrection at the Second Coming. The wicked are resurrected in the
second resurrection at the end of the millennium.
Blessed and Holy Is He That Hath Part in the First Resurrection: The
righteous who are resurrected in the first resurrection are said to be
“blessed and holy.” This is the fifth time in the book of Revelation that the
word “blessed” is used (see also Revelation 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 22:7,
14). In the second instance (Revelation 14:13), those who are “blessed”
are part of the special resurrection for those who die in the faith of the
third angel’s message, which began to be proclaimed in 1844. The first
resurrection is much broader and encompasses all of the righteous who
have ever died.
Those who are part of the first resurrection are blessed! They will live and
reign with Christ during the millennium, and they have eternal life. They
will never die again.
The saints who are part of the first resurrection are also called “holy.” The
Greek word for “holy” is hagios. 1 Peter 1:15–16 describes what it means
to be holy:
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all

manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am
holy.
The word “conversation” means “conduct” and represents all aspects of

our lives. We are to be holy as God is holy. Those who have been
transformed by the power of God into holy men and women throughout
the ages rest in their graves, but they will be resurrected at the Second
Coming. They have died in faith, but they will have part in the first
resurrection. They are “blessed and holy.”
On Such the Second Death Hath No Power: Those who are part of the
first resurrection will not experience the second death. Only the 144,000,
Enoch, and Elijah never experience the first death. All other human
beings have experienced or will experience the first death. The first death
is not an evidence of loss of eternal life. But those who are resurrected
after the millennium will be subject to the second death, which is eternal
death.
Jesus drank of the cup of God’s wrath from Gethsemane to Calvary.

Matthew 26:39 says,
And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed,
saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:
nevertheless not as I will, but as you will.
What cup did Jesus not want to drink? It was the cup that is full of God’s
wrath and is poured out upon those who receive eternal death. This cup
is described in the third angel’s message in Revelation 14:9–10:
And 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, 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.
Hebrews 2:9 says,
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for
the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by
the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Jesus experienced the second death. He made it possible that no other
human being should experience that death.
Truly, it can be said that those who have part in the first resurrection are
blessed. The second death has no power over them. They have the
blessing of eternal life in heaven and in the new earth.
But They Shall Be Priests of God and of Christ, and Shall Reign With
Him a Thousand Years: During the millennium, the righteous are
“priests of God and of Christ,” and they “shall reign with Him a thousand
years.” To reign with Christ is the language of being a king. Thus, the
righteous are kings and priests. This is the fulfillment of the promise in
Revelation 1:6:
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to
him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
It is also similar to the song of the redeemed in Revelation 5:9–10:
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the
book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast
redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and
tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God
kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
It was God’s purpose for the nation of Israel to be a kingdom of priests to

Him as seen in Exodus 19:5–6:
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my

covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all
people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a
kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words
which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
This promise was then reapplied to the Christian church in 1 Peter 2:9–
10:
light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the
people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have
obtained mercy.
During the millennium, all of the righteous saints who have lived on this
earth, including the righteous of ancient Israel (Exodus 19:5–6) and the
Christian church (1 Peter 2:9–10), reign with Christ and the Father as
kings and priests.
During the thousand years between the first and the second
resurrection the judgment of the wicked takes place. The
apostle Paul points to this judgment as an event that follows the
second advent. “Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord
come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of
darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.” 1
Corinthians 4:5. Daniel declares that when the Ancient of Days
came, “judgment was given to the saints of the Most High.”
Daniel 7:22. At this time the righteous reign as kings and
priests unto God. John in the Revelation says: “I saw thrones,
and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.”
“They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with
Him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4, 6. It is at this time that,
as foretold by Paul, “the saints shall judge the world.” 1
Corinthians 6:2. In union with Christ they judge the wicked,
comparing their acts with the statute book, the Bible, and
deciding every case according to the deeds done in the body.
Then the portion which the wicked must suffer is meted out,
according to their works; and it is recorded against their names
in the book of death.
Satan also and evil angels are judged by Christ and His people.
Says Paul: “Know ye not that we shall judge angels?” Verse 3.
And Jude declares that “the angels which kept not their first
estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in
everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the
great day.” Jude 6. 531
It is during this time that the righteous saints are able to examine God’s
decisions in the judgment. God reveals why the righteous are in heaven
and why the wicked are in the graves waiting for the second resurrection.
God’s character and justice is vindicated as the righteous saints examine
the records. All of God’s decisions are found to be true and righteous.
There will be surprises regarding those who are present and those who
are missing. There will be some missing who many thought would be
present. There will be others who are in the kingdom who many thought
were unrighteous. God uses the millennium to explain why this is so. All
will be satisfied with His explanations and declare that “the judgments of
the Lord are true and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:9).
APPLICATION: The hope of the first resurrection is such a blessing to all

who have parted with loved ones. The resurrection of Jesus is the
guarantee that all who die in the Lord will be raised again at His coming.
Notice this beautiful statement from Ellen White:
The resurrection of Jesus was a type of the final resurrection of

all who sleep in Him. The countenance of the risen Saviour, His
manner, His speech, were all familiar to His disciples. As Jesus
arose from the dead, so those who sleep in Him are to rise
again. We shall know our friends, even as the disciples knew
Jesus. They may have been deformed, diseased, or disfigured, in
this mortal life, and they rise in perfect health and symmetry;
yet in the glorified body their identity will be perfectly
preserved. Then shall we know even as also we are known. 1
Corinthians 13:12. In the face radiant with the light shining
from the face of Jesus, we shall recognize the lineaments of
those we love.532
The apostle Paul also articulated this truth in a wonderful manner in 1

Corinthians 15:20–26:
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits
of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came
also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so
in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order:
Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his
coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up
the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put
down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till
he hath put all enemies under his feet.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Praise God that Jesus is the resurrection and the life for all who believe in
Him. May that resurrection day come soon!
OBSERVATION: After we see what the righteous saints do in heaven during
the millennium, verses 7–10 continue the story about Satan, who has
been bound by a chain to the prison of this earth for 1,000 years, as
described in verses 1–3.
And When the Thousand Years Are Expired, Satan Shall Be Loosed
Out of His Prison: Satan has been limited to the earth in its sin-marred
state for the millennium. After being bound on this earth by a symbolic
chain, with no one to deceive, he is released from being a prisoner. This
release coincides with the resurrection of the wicked. When the wicked
are resurrected, he resumes his work of deception. The last half of
Revelation 20:3 explains this well: “… that he should deceive the nations
no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must
be loosed for a little season.”
When the wicked from the nations of the earth are resurrected, he has
subjects to deceive again, and he will be “loosed for a little season.”
And Shall Go Out to Deceive the Nations Which Are in the Four
Quarters of the Earth, Gog and Magog: Satan is the great deceiver. As
soon as the wicked are resurrected, he goes out to deceive them. The
numbers of the resurrected wicked are massive. They cover the four
quarters of the earth.
At the close of the thousand years, Christ again returns to the

earth. He is accompanied by the host of the redeemed and
attended by a retinue of angels. As He descends in terrific
majesty He bids the wicked dead arise to receive their doom.
They come forth, a mighty host, numberless as the sands of the
sea. What a contrast to those who were raised at the first
resurrection! The righteous were clothed with immortal youth
and beauty. The wicked bear the traces of disease and death. 533
Despite the obvious loss of eternal life that is set before Satan and the
wicked, he tries one last work of deception:
Now Satan prepares for a last mighty struggle for the

supremacy. While deprived of his power and cut off from his
work of deception, the prince of evil was miserable and
dejected; but as the wicked dead are raised and he sees the vast
multitudes upon his side, his hopes revive, and he determines
not to yield the great controversy. He will marshal all the
armies of the lost under his banner and through them endeavor
to execute his plans. The wicked are Satan’s captives. In
rejecting Christ they have accepted the rule of the rebel leader.
They are ready to receive his suggestions and to do his bidding.
Yet, true to his early cunning, he does not acknowledge himself
to be Satan. He claims to be the prince who is the rightful
owner of the world and whose inheritance has been unlawfully
wrested from him. He represents himself to his deluded
subjects as a redeemer, assuring them that his power has
brought them forth from their graves and that he is about to
rescue them from the most cruel tyranny. The presence of
Christ having been removed, Satan works wonders to support
his claims. He makes the weak strong and inspires all with his
own spirit and energy. He proposes to lead them against the
camp of the saints and to take possession of the City of God.
With fiendish exultation he points to the unnumbered millions
who have been raised from the dead and declares that as their
leader he is well able to overthrow the city and regain his
throne and his kingdom. 534
As the great deceiver, he does not acknowledge himself as Satan but as a

redeemer. His final work of deception is only for a little season.
Satan proposes that he and the great multitude are able to overthrow the
New Jerusalem. This is the battle of Gog and Magog, which takes place at
the end of the millennium. This is in contrast to the battle of
Armageddon that occurred in the seventh plague at the Second Coming
of Jesus.
The battle of Gog and Magog is described in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39.
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 702–705 provides a
good discussion on Gog and Magog. This is an unfulfilled prophecy
against the returned exiles of Israel after its Babylonian captivity. Gog
represents the leader of the land of Magog who would declare war against
Israel with an innumerable army, to lay siege against Jerusalem. God
promised to destroy Gog and his army in Ezekiel 38:18–23:
And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come
against the land of Israel, saith the LORD God, that my fury shall
come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my
wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great
shaking in the land of Israel; so that the fishes of the sea, and the
fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping
things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon
the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the
mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall,
and every wall shall fall to the ground. And I will call for a sword
against him throughout all my mountains, saith the LORD God:
every man’s sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead
against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon
him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are
with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and
brimstone. Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I
will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know
that I am the LORD.
Not all of the details from the battle of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38 and
39 will be fulfilled in Revelation 20:8 at the end of the millennium, but
there are striking similarities. Had ancient post-exilic Israel been faithful,
they would have seen this prophecy fulfilled, and God would have
delivered them in a mighty fashion from a vast conglomeration of armies.
To Gather Them to Battle: The Number of Whom Is as the Sand of the

Sea: God uses the prophecy of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38 and 39 to
describe the battle against the vast conglomerate of wicked that are led by
Satan. Gog represents Satan and Magog represents the desolate earth.
Those who are gathered to this battle are “as the sand of the sea.”
Numerically, Satan and the wicked outnumber those in the New
Jerusalem, and he uses this as an argument for their ability to conquer the
city:
Satan consults with his angels, and then with these kings and
conquerors and mighty men. They look upon the strength and
numbers on their side, and declare that the army within the city
is small in comparison with theirs, and that it can be overcome.
They lay their plans to take possession of the riches and glory of
the New Jerusalem. All immediately begin to prepare for battle.
Skillful artisans construct implements of war. Military leaders,
famed for their success, marshal the throngs of warlike men
into companies and divisions. 535
Despite their strength in numbers, Satan and the wicked have no chance
to overcome the power of God.
And They Went Up on the Breadth of the Earth, and Compassed the
Camp of the Saints About, and the Beloved City: Satan commands the
wicked to move against the city. They surround the saints and the New
Jerusalem.
At last the order to advance is given, and the countless host

moves on—an army such as was never summoned by earthly
conquerors, such as the combined forces of all ages since war
began on earth could never equal. Satan, the mightiest of
warriors, leads the van, and his angels unite their forces for this
final struggle. Kings and warriors are in his train, and the
multitudes follow in vast companies, each under its appointed
leader. With military precision the serried ranks advance over
the earth’s broken and uneven surface to the City of God. By
command of Jesus, the gates of the New Jerusalem are closed,
and the armies of Satan surround the city and make ready for
the onset. 536
Satan has performed his final deception. The character of Satan and the
wicked whom he has deceived has not changed. He and his vast army still
aim to destroy God and the saints. This is his final, yet useless, attack
against God.
And Fire Came Down From God Out of Heaven, and Devoured Them:
Scripture makes it very clear that God sends fire down from heaven to
destroy the wicked. Ellen White added to this thought:
Fire comes down from God out of heaven. The earth is broken
up. The weapons concealed in its depths are drawn forth.
Devouring flames burst from every yawning chasm. The very
rocks are on fire. The day has come that shall burn as an oven.
The elements melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the
works that are therein are burned up. Malachi 4:1; 2 Peter 3:10.
The earth’s surface seems one molten mass—a vast, seething
lake of fire. It is the time of the judgment and perdition of
ungodly men—“the day of the LORD’s vengeance, and the year
of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.” Isaiah 34:8.
The wicked receive their recompense in the earth. Proverbs

11:31. They “shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall
burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 4:1. Some are
destroyed as in a moment, while others suffer many days. All
are punished “according to their deeds.” 537
The wicked are devoured. All receive punishment according to the degree
of their wickedness. Each one has made their choice to rebel against God,
and they receive punishment according to their deeds.
And the Devil That Deceived Them Was Cast Into the Lake of Fire and
Brimstone: Satan receives the greatest punishment. He deceived the
whole world into following him. He burns the longest in the lake of fire.
The sins of the righteous having been transferred to Satan, he is

made to suffer not only for his own rebellion, but for all the sins
which he has caused God’s people to commit. His punishment
is to be far greater than that of those whom he has deceived.
After all have perished who fell by his deceptions, he is still to
live and suffer on. In the cleansing flames the wicked are at last
destroyed, root and branch—Satan the root, his followers the
branches. The full penalty of the law has been visited; the
demands of justice have been met; and heaven and earth,
beholding, declare the righteousness of Jehovah.
Satan’s work of ruin is forever ended. For six thousand years he

has wrought his will, filling the earth with woe and causing
grief throughout the universe. The whole creation has groaned
and travailed together in pain. Now God’s creatures are forever
delivered from his presence and temptations. 538
God is love, and His love and justice are fully seen in His destruction of
the wicked. In His mercy, He removes Satan and the wicked forever so
that sin will no longer be experienced. What a glorious moment in
eternity that will be!
Where the Beast and the False Prophet Are: The beast and the false
prophet were cast into the lake of fire in Revelation 19:20, at the
beginning of the millennium. The word “are” is supplied in the King
James Version. The The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7,
882 says, “The context suggests supplying the words, ‘were cast.’ ” Thus, a
better reading would be “where the beast and the false prophet were cast.”
The beast and the false prophet are destroyed quickly at the Second
Coming in the first lake of fire. Now, Satan is destroyed as he joins the
beast and the false prophet in the second lake of fire at the end of the
millennium.
And Shall Be Tormented Day and Night For Ever and Ever: The word
“tormented” is plural in the Greek, and it indicates that the beast and the
false prophet are included with Satan in this torment.539 Satan is the
dragon. Here we see the reunion of the threefold union of the dragon, the
beast, and the false prophet (Revelation 16:13–14). He has waited 1,000
years to join the beast and the false prophet in the lake of fire.
The beast and the false prophet are symbolic of the Roman Catholic
church-state power and apostate Protestantism in the United States of
America respectively. These entities were destroyed at the Second
Coming. Satan, as the dragon, is a literal, supernatural fallen angel. He is
literally burned in the lake of fire and suffers literal torment.
The followers of the beast and the false prophet are burned in the lake of
fire at the end of the millennium and suffer literal torment, but the
entities for the beast and false prophet have already been destroyed at the
Second Coming.
The torment of Satan, as the dragon, and the torment of the beast and the
false prophet represent their eternal destruction. The language is similar
to Revelation 14:11:
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:
and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and
his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Satan and the wicked do not literally burn forever. However, Satan’s death
does bring an end to sin forever. Likewise, the destruction of Edom in
Isaiah 34:10 does not last forever, but the effects are eternal:
It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go
up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none
shall pass through it for ever and ever.
Ellen White made it clear that Satan is fully destroyed forever by the
flames:
In the cleansing flames the wicked are at last destroyed, root

and branch—Satan the root, his followers the branches. The full
penalty of the law has been visited; the demands of justice have
been met; and heaven and earth, beholding, declare the
righteousness of Jehovah. 540
The utter ruin brought by sin, in contrast with the perfect love of God,
convinces the righteous universe to never rebel again against the law and
government of God. As Nahum 1:9 says,
What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end:

affliction shall not rise up the second time.
Satan will be no more, and sin will be no more. We can praise God for
this beautiful future!
APPLICATION: The only way that Satan can be destroyed is through the
direct intervention of God. Those who teach that God does not destroy
are unwittingly perpetuating the satanic deception from the Garden of
Eden that “Ye shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4). The only way that Satan and
the wicked will die at the end of the millennium is for God to send fire
out of heaven to devour them.
Sin will be utterly destroyed once and for all by the hand of God. We
must remember that as long as we live, God works in every way possible
to convince us of His character of love. He has not prepared the lake of
fire for us. It is prepared for the devil and his angels, as Matthew 25:41
says:
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from
me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his
angels.
When the wicked resist His wooing love and join with the great rebel,
God is left with no choice but to destroy those who have aligned with the
devil.
Often, we fail to understand the malignity of sin. It is sin that put Jesus on
the cross. One sin cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden.
The following statement from Ellen White elucidates this concept further:
Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire, persistently

cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel.
Every sinful indulgence strengthens the soul’s aversion to God.
The man who manifests an infidel hardihood, or a stolid
indifference to divine truth, is but reaping the harvest of that
which he has himself sown. In all the Bible there is not a more
fearful warning against trifling with evil than the words of the
wise man that the sinner “shall be holden with the cords of his
sins.” Proverbs 5:22.
Christ is ready to set us free from sin, but He does not force the
will; and if by persistent transgression the will itself is wholly
bent on evil, and we do not desire to be set free, if we will not
accept His grace, what more can He do? We have destroyed
ourselves by our determined rejection of His love. “Behold,
now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
“Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” 2
Corinthians 6:2; Hebrews 3:7, 8. 541
One sin persistently cherished causes us to destroy ourselves for eternal
salvation. As the final punishment for sin, God ultimately devours the
wicked with the lake of fire.
OBSERVATION: Verses 11–15 are a repetition of the destruction of the
wicked in the lake of fire. In these verses, the second resurrection is
explicitly described. All of the wicked stand before God and are judged
according to their works. Prior to their destruction in the lake of fire, the
wicked are shown why they are unfit for heaven. This is known as “The
Great White Throne Judgment” at the end of the millennium.
And I Saw a Great White Throne: The throne of God appears as “a great
white throne.” The throne here is “a symbol of authority, in this case
authority to carry out a judgment. The throne is ‘white,’ suggesting
probably the purity and justness of the decisions arrived at. It is also
referenced as ‘great,’ perhaps with relevance to the momentous decisions
arrived at.”542
God has used purity and holiness to arrive at His verdict. His judgment is
just (John 5:30). This is a great and momentous verdict from the great
white throne of God.
And Him That Sat on It: From the great white throne, judgment will be
executed. It is Christ who is doing this work of judgment. As John 5:22
says, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment
unto the Son.”
Ellen White affirmed that it is Christ seated upon the great white throne:
Far above the city, upon a foundation of burnished gold, is a

throne, high and lifted up. Upon this throne sits the Son of
God, and around Him are the subjects of His kingdom. The
power and majesty of Christ no language can describe, no pen
portray. The glory of the Eternal Father is enshrouding His Son.
The brightness of His presence fills the City of God, and flows
out beyond the gates, flooding the whole earth with its radiance
. 543
The Father is present with the Son. It is a majestic scene. Time on this
earth is about to pass into eternity.
From Whose Face the Earth and the Heaven Fled Away; and There
Was Found No Place for Them: Revelation 6:14–17 shows the wicked
fleeing from Christ at the Second Coming. At the end of the millennium
even the earth and the heavens flee from God’s presence. The earth and
the heavens, marred by sin, will be destroyed and recreated at the end of
the millennium. This understanding is seen in the following verses:
Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens
are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt
endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture
shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art
the same, and thy years shall have no end. (Psalm 102:25–27)
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth
beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the
earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein
shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and
my righteousness shall not be abolished. (Isaiah 51:6)
Christ is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. In His presence, He
has the power to make the elements that He has created vanish away.
There will be no place for that which has been defiled by sin when
eternity without sin begins.
And I Saw the Dead, Small and Great, Stand Before God; and the
Books Were Opened: The wicked dead come forth in the second
resurrection, no matter their rank in history, and they stand before God.
This is the final fulfillment of 2 Corinthians 5:10:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that
every one may receive the things done in his body, according to
that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
The righteous stand before the judgment bar of Christ in the investigative
judgment that began in 1844, and they are found worthy to be with
Christ at the Second Coming. It is the life record of the righteous that
stands before God in the investigative judgment. The wicked stand before
the judgment seat of Christ at the end of the millennium. They appear in
person at this judgment scene.
More than one book is opened. This is discussed in Commentary on the

Book of Daniel: Practical Living in the Judgment Hour:
“I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the
books were opened: and another book was opened, which is
the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their works”
(Revelation 20:12). One of the books opened is the book of life.
The judgment is based upon the works of those whose names
are in the book. E.G. White described that the names of all who
have accepted the service of God are recorded in the book of
life. 544
Malachi 3:16 mentions the book of remembrance. It says, “Then

they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the
LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was
written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that
thought upon his name.” This is connected to the first angel’s
message, calling us to fear God in the time of the judgment (see
Revelation 14:7). E. G. White described this book as a record of
the good deeds of the saints. 545
E.G. White also described a book which keeps a record of the

sins of humanity, which is described as the book of death. 546
Furthermore, she describes the statute book—the Bible,
according to whose standard people are judged. 547, 548
All of the books are opened here. Clearly, the book of death is opened as
it contains a record of the sins of humanity. All of the sins that the wicked
have committed are contained within the book of death.
And Another Book Was Opened, Which Is the Book of Life: The book
of life contains the names of all who have accepted the service of God at
some point. Sadly, not all who join themselves to Jesus remain faithful.
The book of life is opened to review those who made a profession of
following God and either proved to be unfaithful or turned away from
Him after initial faithfulness.
And the Dead Were Judged Out of Those Things Which Were Written
in the Books, According to Their Works: The book of death is full of the
deeds of the wicked. Meanwhile, the book of life reveals that the wicked
are blotted out of the book of life:

(Revelation 3:5)
The names of the righteous are found written in the book of life as
described in Daniel 12:1:
Those who wake up in the second resurrection do not find their names
written in the book of life. They did not overcome sin, and thus their
names are not confessed before the Father and the angels.
What a terrible moment it will be for the wicked to wake up in the wrong
resurrection and to be judged according to unconfessed sins that are
contained in the book of death! The record is unmistakable, and it is
unforgivable at this point. The opportunity for redemption has passed.
It should be noted that overtly evil people are not the only ones who will
come up in the second resurrection. Christians who have made a
profession of following Jesus but never made the full commitment to
overcome in His name are among this number. Also among this number
are kind and nice people who never became Christians and rejected the
sacrifice of Jesus. In the end, all those who put off full salvation will miss
out on eternal life.
Everyone is judged according to their works. The righteous have already

been judged according to their works prior to the Second Coming. The
works of the righteous have been found to be that of Christ and His
righteousness. As Galatians 2:20 says,
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ

liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
The righteous life and works of Christ are seen in the righteous. This is
not so with the wicked. They have not yielded to Christ. Therefore, the
filthy works of their own wickedness (Isaiah 64:6) are fully displayed in
the record books of heaven in this post-millennial judgment scene.
Ellen White described this panoramic scene in heaven when the wicked
stand before the judgment bar of God:
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the
books were opened: and another book was opened, which is
the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their works.”
Revelation 20:11, 12.
As soon as the books of record are opened, and the eye of Jesus
looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which
they have ever committed. They see just where their feet
diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far
pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation of the
law of God. The seductive temptations which they encouraged
by indulgence in sin, the blessings perverted, the messengers of
God despised, the warnings rejected, the waves of mercy beaten
back by the stubborn, unrepentant heart—all appear as if
written in letters of fire. …
The whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of God on

the charge of high treason against the government of heaven.
They have none to plead their cause; they are without excuse;
and the sentence of eternal death is pronounced against them.
It is now evident to all that the wages of sin is not noble

independence and eternal life, but slavery, ruin, and death. The
wicked see what they have forfeited by their life of rebellion.
The far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory was
despised when offered them; but how desirable it now appears.
“All this,” cries the lost soul, “I might have had; but I chose to
put these things far from me. Oh, strange infatuation! I have
exchanged peace, happiness, and honor for wretchedness,
infamy, and despair.” All see that their exclusion from heaven is
just. By their lives they have declared: “We will not have this
Man [Jesus] to reign over us.” 549
And the Sea Gave Up the Dead Which Were in It; And Death and Hell
Delivered Up the Dead: The second resurrection is implied in verse 12 as
all the dead stand before God. Here in verse 13, the second resurrection is
explicitly described. Whether the dead are in the sea or in their graves on
the earth, they are brought forth to appear before the judgment seat of
God.
Revelation 1:18 says that Jesus has “the keys of hell and of death.” These
are the same words in the Greek used here in Revelation 20:13. The Greek
word for “hell” is Hades, which means “the grave.” Jesus has power over
death and the grave, and He calls the wicked to come forth to stand
before Him at the end of the millennium.
Jesus told us about His ability to call the dead from the graves in John
5:28–29:
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that
are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they
that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that
have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
The righteous come forth at the sound of the voice of Christ at the
Second Coming (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). A thousand years later,
the wicked hear the same voice and come forth “unto the resurrection of
damnation.”
And They Were Judged Every Man According to Their Works: This is a
repetition of the thought at the end of verse 12. Every human being is
saved by grace but ultimately judged according to their works. As just
stated, the wicked “have done evil,” and thus they come up in the second
resurrection to face eternal death (John 5:29).
And Death and Hell Were Cast Into the Lake of Fire: Death and the
grave are cast into the lake of fire. Death is described in Scripture as the
last enemy to be destroyed:
Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the

kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down
all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he
hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be
destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:24–26)
After the wicked are cast into the lake of fire, there will be no more death
and no more resurrections. There will be no more need for graves. This is
the end of death forever. Death is the last enemy of God, and it is
completely destroyed at the end of the millennium.
This Is the Second Death: The second death is eternal death. There will
be no further life for the wicked who experience the second death. Jesus
tasted the second death so that we do not have to experience it (Hebrews
2:9). Up to this time, death on the earth has been temporary. It has been
like a holding place until all can be judged together, either for life or for
death. But God promised at the beginning, “Thou shalt surely die”
(Genesis 2:17). And later Paul reiterated, “The wages of sin is death”
(Romans 6:23). The second death is the fulfillment of that promise. It is
not an everlasting dying, but an everlasting death. The second death is the
total end of life to the wicked.
Sadly, the wicked have rejected God’s love and mercy and are rebels
against the government of heaven. They would not enjoy the purity of
heaven. For them, the second death is a merciful and just end to their
existence.
And Whosoever Was Not Found Written in the Book of Life Was Cast
Into the Lake of Fire: Those who have not overcome sin (see Revelation
3:5) and have done wickedly have their names blotted out of the book of
life and are cast into the lake of fire. This destruction has already been
described in this chapter (vs. 9–10), but it is repeated here, showing that
the wicked are destroyed after they have had a chance to see why God has
sentenced them to eternal condemnation and destruction.
After the panoramic scene in which the wicked stand before the throne of
God and behold the record of their lives, Satan makes one last attempt to
inspire the wicked to attack the New Jerusalem:
Notwithstanding that Satan has been constrained to

acknowledge God’s justice and to bow to the supremacy of
Christ, his character remains unchanged. The spirit of
rebellion, like a mighty torrent, again bursts forth. Filled with
frenzy, he determines not to yield the great controversy. The
time has come for a last desperate struggle against the King of
heaven. He rushes into the midst of his subjects and endeavors
to inspire them with his own fury and arouse them to instant
battle. But of all the countless millions whom he has allured
into rebellion, there are none now to acknowledge his
supremacy. His power is at an end. The wicked are filled with
the same hatred of God that inspires Satan; but they see that
their case is hopeless, that they cannot prevail against Jehovah.
Their rage is kindled against Satan and those who have been his
agents in deception, and with the fury of demons they turn
upon them. 550
Satan is not successful, and he and the wicked are destroyed forever by
the fire that is sent “from God out of heaven” (Revelation 20:9).
All whose names have been blotted out of the book of life, along with the
devil and his angels, are destroyed forever.
When the wicked are all dead, there is a transition from time as has been
measured on this earth, to a timeless eternity.
APPLICATION: In this passage of Scripture, we see that the dead are judged
according to their works. Scripture is clear that we are saved by grace
through faith and that we are not saved by works. This understanding of
salvation is clearly stated in Ephesians 2:8–10:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of

yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should
boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto
good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk
in them.
However, Ephesians 2:10 is often overlooked. We have been “created in

Christ Jesus unto good works.” It is taught that because good works do
not save us (this is true), then bad works cannot cause us to be lost. That
mentality has caused many to view Jesus as a Savior who covers known
sin with His grace, while they continue to live in sin. Too many want
Jesus as Savior but not as Lord and say, “We will not have this man to
reign over us” (Luke 19:14).
Those who have fully surrendered to Jesus produce fruit that is evidence
that Christ has their heart. His works are seen in the lives of the
righteous. The wicked refuse to surrender, and thus their own evil works
are seen.
All will stand before God with the record of their lives open to review.
The false gospels pervading Christendom today, which preach grace
without victory, are preparing many to wake up in the second
resurrection. Now, more than ever, we as Seventh-day Adventists must be
proclaiming the true, everlasting gospel to a lost world that is on the
brink of receiving the mark of the beast. With the knowledge of truth that
we have, it is our loving duty to share this message with the world.
REVELATION 21
REVELATION 21:1–4
OBSERVATION: A glorious scene is presented at the beginning of
Revelation 21. Time has passed into eternity. The old earth, marred by
sin, is gone. The ravages of the seven last plagues and the destruction of
Babylon have moved into eternity past. The destruction of the wicked at
the Second Coming and the desolation of the earth during the
millennium is in the past. The battle of Gog and Magog, the Great White
Throne Judgment, and the destruction of the wicked by fire at the end of
the millennium is forever over. Now, the scenes of the new heaven and
the new earth are portrayed.
And I Saw a New Heaven and a New Earth: The desolate earth is no
more. Heaven and the earth are made new as the effects of sin are forever
destroyed. It is hard to imagine how glorious the new earth will be. Paul
encapsulated this thought in 1 Corinthians 2:9:
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither
have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him.
For the First Heaven and the First Earth Were Passed Away; and There
Was No More Sea: After the millennium, when time passes into eternity,
the earth as it is now will be gone. The sky, the terrain, and the oceans of
this current sin-marred earth will be re-created. The taint of sin will be
gone completely. The new earth will be perfect.
When the tide of iniquity overspread the world, and the

wickedness of men determined their destruction by a flood of
waters, the hand that had planted Eden withdrew it from the
earth. But in the final restitution, when there shall be “a new
heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1), it is to be restored
more gloriously adorned than at the beginning.
Then they that have kept God’s commandments shall breathe in

immortal vigor beneath the tree of life; and through unending
ages the inhabitants of sinless worlds shall behold, in that
garden of delight, a sample of the perfect work of God’s
creation, untouched by the curse of sin—a sample of what the
whole earth would have become, had man but fulfilled the
Creator’s glorious plan. 551
And I John Saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, Coming Down From
God Out of Heaven: The New Jerusalem is the centerpiece of the new
earth. It is the Holy City. It is from God, and He transfers it from its
location of origin in heaven to the new earth. The capital of the universe
will reside where the work of redemption is completed.
Prepared as a Bride Adorned for Her Husband: The New Jerusalem is

the bride of Christ. The saints are the guests at the wedding (see
discussion from Revelation 19:7–9). She is adorned for her husband. Her
adornment is described in verses 11–12 and 19–21 of this chapter. As
Christ’s bride, the city is pure gold, and there are twelve different precious
stones for each of the twelve foundations of the city.
And I Heard a Great Voice Out of Heaven Saying, Behold, the

Tabernacle of God Is With Men: We read of a voice from heaven in
Revelation 16:17 and Revelation 19:5. In both these cases, it is the voice of
God speaking. Likewise, in this verse God speaks with the significant
announcement that His tabernacle is with men.
And He Will Dwell With Them, and They Shall Be His People: The
purpose of the tabernacle is for God to dwell with His people. This
pattern goes all the way back to the children of Israel in the wilderness. In
Exodus 25:8–9, God said to Moses,
And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among
them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the
tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so
shall ye make it.
While God dwelt among His people in the wilderness, His glory was
veiled.
Then, Jesus came to this earth and dwelt (or tabernacled) among us as
John 1:14 says:
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we
beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)
full of grace and truth.
God’s glory was seen through the character of Jesus Christ in human
flesh, but the supernatural glory was veiled.
God commanded Moses for Israel, “Let them make Me a

sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8), and
He abode in the sanctuary, in the midst of His people. Through
all their weary wandering in the desert, the symbol of His
presence was with them. So Christ set up His tabernacle in the
midst of our human encampment. He pitched His tent by the
side of the tents of men, that He might dwell among us and
make us familiar with His divine character and life.
The Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us (and we

beheld His glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from the
Father), full of grace and truth. (John 1:14, R. V., margin)
Since Jesus came to dwell with us, we know that God is

acquainted with our trials, and sympathizes with our griefs.
Every son and daughter of Adam may understand that our
Creator is the friend of sinners. For in every doctrine of grace,
every promise of joy, every deed of love, every divine attraction
presented in the Saviour’s life on earth, we see “God with us.”
552
As seen in 1 Corinthians 3:16, God dwells with us through the presence
of the Holy Spirit:
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of
God dwelleth in you?
While God’s presence is with us through the Holy Spirit, His visible
presence in heaven is veiled from us at this time.
In the new earth, God will dwell with His people. His glory will not be
veiled. We will be in His presence throughout eternity. We will be His
people forever.
And God Himself Shall Be With Them, and Be Their God: No longer
will God work through representatives to His people. He will not speak
through prophets or messengers. Now sin is destroyed, so there is no
separation between God and His people. God Himself will be with His
people, and He will be our God forever. God is love. His character will
envelop His people throughout eternity.
And God Shall Wipe Away All Tears From Their Eyes: This promise is
also seen in Revelation 7:17. Every human being in the kingdom of
heaven had shed tears while living their life on the earth, and likely tears
have flowed during the millennium as well. The pain of sin and death has
touched everyone. Tragedies and sadness have been a constant reminder
of the presence of sin on this earth. Even in the millennium, there will be
sorrow over family and friends who chose to not follow God and who are
lost eternally. God will reveal the full truth of why those we loved chose
not to accept His love and grace.
God will be in the midst of His people, and He will wipe away every tear.
He takes personal initiative to bring comfort to every person who has had
sorrow.
And There Shall Be No More Death, Neither Sorrow, Nor Crying,
Neither Shall There Be Any More Pain: In the new earth, there is no
more death. Death has been swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians
15:54). There are no new occurrences of death or sin that can cause
sorrow or crying. There will be no more pain. God is with His people. Sin
has been destroyed, and sin and death have no further power.
For the Former Things Are Passed Away: God wipes away all tears
because the “former things” of this earth that were caused by sin and that
brought death, sorrow, and pain are “passed away.” All that has been
related to the sorrow of this earth is gone forever.
APPLICATION: God has made it possible for us to know Him, as far as

possible, on this earth. Through His life on the earth, Christ revealed the
character of God perfectly. In eternity, we will experience God’s love and
character without any veil.
As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:12,
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now
I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
When we get to heaven, we will no longer see through a glass darkly. We

will see God face-to-face. We will know Him for who He is, and we will
have all eternity to get to know Him better. There will be nothing better
than to dwell with God, who is love, forever.
We will not have to worry about a spouse cheating on us, a child or

family member walking away from God, or sudden and tragic loss
through illness and death. All of this will be no more in the new earth.
REVELATION 21:5–8
OBSERVATION: In these verses, God adds further promises and a warning
to the reader of Revelation.
And He That Sat Upon the Throne Said, Behold I Make All Things
New: He that is seated upon the throne is God Himself. He offers the
promise of assurance that He will “make all things new.” God will re-
create the heavens and the earth. Everything will be perfect and new. But
more than that, God will re-create our lives. Though we might have had a
horrible experience on this earth, God will make all things new. The new
earth will be all joy, all peace, and all glory.
And He Said Unto Me, Write: for These Words Are True and Faithful:
Lest there is any doubt about the promises of the perfect new earth, God
says to John, “write it down!” He says, “My words are true and faithful.”
We can have utmost confidence in God, in His promises of the new earth
where there will be no more sin or suffering, and where everything will
be beautiful. God wants to make sure that we will believe His promises so
that we will personally experience this joy.
And He Said Unto Me, It Is Done. I Am Alpha and Omega, the

Beginning and the End: In Revelation 16:17, God also says, “It is done”
at the commencement of the seventh plague. The circumstances are
different in this verse. In the seventh plague, the work of judgment on the
unholy threefold union has come to an end. Here, in Revelation 21:6, the
millennium has ended, and the first earth has passed away. It is done. The
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary says that “It is done” reads
literally “It has come to pass.” It then adds,
What God had promised through His holy prophets and to

which His righteous people have looked forward with eager
anticipation, will finally become an accomplished fact. The
preview given to John is a guarantee of the final
accomplishment yet to be carried out. 553
It will be a momentous occasion when God says, “It is done.” There will
be no end to perfection, joy, and happiness from that moment.
God is “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.” It is also the title
of Jesus in Revelation 1:8, 11; and 22:13. Jesus and the Father are one
(John 10:30), but it is the Father that is “Alpha and Omega” here in verse
6. He is the beginning and the ending. In this setting, His title indicates
the beginning of the new earth and the end of the first earth.
I Will Give Unto Him That Is Athirst of the Fountain of the Water of
Life Freely: Those who lack the knowledge and experience of Christ are
said to be spiritually thirsty. The pleasures of this life can never satisfy the
thirst of the soul.
Jesus said this directly to the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:13–
14:
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this

water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that
I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give
him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting
life.
The water of life from the fountain is immortal life which will never pass
away.
He That Overcometh Shall Inherit All Things: The message, “to him
that overcometh” is given to each of the seven churches. It is repeated
here as a reminder to everyone in the seven churches. Since it was first
given, the book of Revelation has been God’s revealed truth to each of the
seven churches. In each of the seven churches, those who heed the
message and overcome “shall inherit all things.”
The inheritance spoken of clearly relates to eternal life. But the next
phrase shows the inheritance that God is describing.
And I Will Be His God, and He Shall Be My Son: God is declaring that
the inheritance of the righteous is that we will be His children, and He
shall be our God and Father. God personalizes this promise by saying,
“he shall be My son.” God loves you as His child, as if there were not
another redeemed saint in all the universe. This promise is also given in
Romans 8:16–17:
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the
children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and
joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we
may be also glorified together.
What an amazing promise, that we are God’s children, “and joint-heirs

with Christ”! This inheritance is received in eternity.
The inheritance is given to those who overcome. It is a reminder of the

promise given throughout the book of Revelation to those who overcome
—as summarized in this table:
Promise to Those Who Overcome Reward
Ephesus–Revelation 2:7 Eat of the Tree of Life
Smyrna–Revelation 2:11 Not Hurt of Second Death
Hidden Manna; White Stone With

Pergamos–Revelation 2:17
a New Name
Power Over the Nations; Given

Thyatira–Revelation 2:26–28
the Morning Star
Clothed in White Raiment; Name

Sardis–Revelation 3:5
Not Blotted Out of Book of Life
Made Pillar in Temple of God;

Philadelphia–Revelation 3:12
New Name
Laodicea–Revelation 3:21 Sit with Christ on Throne
All Believers–Revelation 21:7 Inherit All Things
Christ is an overcomer, and His followers have overcome as He did. He is

the heir, and we are joint heirs with Him. Christ made it possible for us to
inherit all of the treasures of the heavenly kingdom and to be a child of
God forever.
But the Fearful, and Unbelieving, and the Abominable, and

Murderers, and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and All
Liars Shall Have Their Part in the Lake Which Burneth With Fire and
Brimstone: Which Is the Second Death: God offers a stark reminder of
those who will not be part of the heavenly kingdom and the new earth.
Only those who overcome like Jesus will be in heaven. There are some
who think that God will overlook known sin in the life and that He will
cover this sin with His grace. But God identifies specific sins in this list
that encompass those who are not overcomers and who violate the law of
God. Of the eight sinful attributes, four are specific violations of the ten
commandments.
Here is a deeper look at each of these attributes:
Fearful: This is the Greek word deiloi, and it means “cowardly” or

“fearful.” This word is used by Jesus to describe the disciples when he
calmed the sea in Matthew 8:26:
And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?

Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was
a great calm.
The disciples were cowardly, or fearful. They had Jesus with them, and
they still displayed little faith.
Unbelieving: To be unbelieving is to not have faith. As Romans 14:23
says, “Whatsover is not of faith is sin.” To doubt is to harbor seeds of
rebellion. There will be no unbelieving overcomers.
Satan has ability to suggest doubts and to devise objections to

the pointed testimony that God sends, and many think it a
virtue, a mark of intelligence in them, to be unbelieving and to
question and quibble. Those who desire to doubt will have
plenty of room. God does not propose to remove all occasion
for unbelief. He gives evidence, which must be carefully
investigated with a humble mind and a teachable spirit, and all
should decide from the weight of evidence. God gives sufficient
evidence for the candid mind to believe; but he who turns from
the weight of evidence because there are a few things which he
cannot make plain to his finite understanding will be left in the
cold, chilling atmosphere of unbelief and questioning doubts,
and will make shipwreck of faith. 554
Those who are cowardly and unbelieving do not overcome but

demonstrate sin instead. God has given ample promises in His Word for
us to live by faith. Cowards and the unbelieving will never pass through
the final crisis. Their refusal to trust in the promises of God makes them
unfit for the eternal kingdom.
Abominable: That which is abominable is detestable and disgusting. We

have seen in Revelation 17:4 that the harlot has “a golden cup in her hand
full of abominations.” Those under her influence have engaged in many
detestable and disgusting acts of sin. They are the abominable who have
participated in these abominations. There is no place for the abominable
in heaven and the new earth. Overcomers only want what Jesus wants
and love what Jesus loves.
Murderers: Those who murder are guilty of the sixth commandment.

These murderers include the persecutors of God’s people from the time of
Cain, the Jewish leaders who crucified Christ, the papacy who murdered
the faithful saints in the Dark Ages, and those who murder God’s people
before probation closes. All murderers, unforgiven, will have their place
in the lake of fire. But further, there will be no hatred. Haters despise and
murder in their hearts (Matthew 5:21–22). Everyone will be transparent,
with no hatred in their hearts whatsoever.
Whoremongers: This is the Greek word pornoi which means “to

fornicate” or to be “sexually immoral.” Those who are sexually immoral
are guilty of violating the seventh commandment. Those guilty of this
unconfessed sin will be in the lake of fire.
Again, in Jesus’ kingdom, the inward feelings totally match the outward
actions (Matthew 5:27–28). Sexual immorality begins in the mind. “Not
even by a thought” did Jesus sin. In the earth made new, no immorality
will exist in the heart, eye, or out in the open.
“The prince of this world cometh,” said Jesus, “and hath

nothing in Me.” John 14:30. There was in Him nothing that
responded to Satan’s sophistry. He did not consent to sin. Not
even by a thought did He yield to temptation. So it may be with
us. Christ’s humanity was united with divinity; He was fitted for
the conflict by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And He came
to make us partakers of the divine nature. So long as we are
united to Him by faith, sin has no more dominion over us. God
reaches for the hand of faith in us to direct it to lay fast hold
upon the divinity of Christ, that we may attain to perfection of
character. 555
Sorcerers: This comes from the Greek word pharmakeus which can mean
“a pharmacist” or “a magician.” The context clearly relates to witchcraft
and sorcery connected to spiritualism, especially used to deceive many at
the end of the world through the threefold union of Revelation 16:13. All
sorcerers throughout history, especially those who engage in spiritualism
from the occult at the end of the world, will be excluded from heaven.
Spiritualism and sorcery are directly from the devil.
Idolaters: Idolatry is a violation of the first and second commandments
(no other gods; no graven images). Idol worship has been seen
throughout history, and it is a cardinal feature of the heathen who
worship false gods. However, many of God’s professed people have been
enamored with the idol worship of the heathen, going back to the
children of Israel. Baal worship took over the northern kingdom of Israel
during the time of Elijah, and it was a big problem in the southern
kingdom of Judah as well.
While God’s professed people today may not pray to Baal or to images of
idols, idolatry is a problem in the church. Notice the following statements
about idolatry from Ellen White:
There should be no display of the apparel, for this encourages

irreverence. The attention of the people is often called to this or
that fine article of dress, and thus thoughts are intruded that
should have no place in the hearts of the worshipers. God is to
be the subject of thought, the object of worship; and anything
that attracts the mind from the solemn, sacred service is an
offense to Him. The parading of bows and ribbons, ruffles and
feathers, and gold and silver ornaments is a species of idolatry
and is wholly inappropriate for the sacred service of God. 556
In the night season I was a witness to the performance that was

carried on the school grounds. The students who engaged in
the grotesque mimicry that was seen, acted out the mind of the
enemy, some in a very unbecoming manner. A view of things
was presented before me in which the students were playing
games of tennis and cricket. Then I was given instruction
regarding the character of these amusements. They were
presented to me as a species of idolatry, like the idols of the
nations. 557
Women are especially tempted, upon points of fashion and jewelry, to

engage in this form of idolatry of the modern time (see Isaiah 3:16–17),
although men are not immune from excessive fashion as well. Men and
women are tempted to engage in modern idolatry in anything that
detracts from God and His kingdom. With idols such as sports and
competition (especially tempting for men), cars, electronics, politics—
idolatry is much broader than bowing down to an idol image like the
children of Israel did in ancient times. All idolaters will have their part in
the lake of fire.
Many who bear the name of Christians are serving other gods
besides the Lord. Our Creator demands our supreme devotion,
our first allegiance. Anything which tends to abate our love for
God, or to interfere with the service due Him, becomes thereby
an idol. With some their lands, their houses, their merchandise,
are the idols. Business enterprises are prosecuted with zeal and
energy, while the service of God is made a secondary
consideration. Family worship is neglected, secret prayer is
forgotten. Many claim to deal justly with their fellow men, and
seem to feel that in so doing they discharge their whole duty.
But it is not enough to keep the last six commandments of the
decalogue. We are to love the Lord our God with all the heart.
Nothing short of obedience to every precept—nothing less than
supreme love to God as well as equal love to our fellow man—
can satisfy the claims of the divine law. 558
Liars: All lying is a violation of the ninth commandment. Lying is

broader beyond speaking falsehood. It can include bearing false witness
through what is not said or through a deceptive look or glance. Ellen
White made this clear statement regarding the ninth commandment:
False speaking in any matter, every attempt or purpose to

deceive our neighbor, is here included. An intention to deceive
is what constitutes falsehood. By a glance of the eye, a motion
of the hand, an expression of the countenance, a falsehood may
be told as effectually as by words. All intentional overstatement,
every hint or insinuation calculated to convey an erroneous or
exaggerated impression, even the statement of facts in such a
manner as to mislead, is falsehood. This precept forbids every
effort to injure our neighbor’s reputation by misrepresentation
or evil surmising, by slander or tale bearing. Even the
intentional suppression of truth, by which injury may result to
others, is a violation of the ninth commandment. 559
There is no such thing as a little “white lie.” All dishonesty is a violation of

the law of God. All liars will be cast into the lake of fire.
We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23),
and there are many saints in the kingdom who will have a past record of
these acts. Moses murdered an Egyptian. David committed adultery with
Bathsheba and then murdered her husband, Uriah. Jacob lied to Isaac,
claiming that he was Esau so that he could receive the blessing. There will
be many other saints who can say the same. However, they all confessed
these sins and repented of them. God, in His mercy, forgives those who
claim the blood of Jesus, and their sins are blotted out.
Those in this list of Revelation 21:8 have not repented of their sins. Their
sins remain, and thus they are excluded from heaven and are cast into the
lake of fire. These sinners are the wicked who are resurrected in the
second resurrection. The lake of fire in which they are destroyed
constitutes the second death.
God has given one last warning to the wicked. He wants all of His
creation to receive eternal life. But He will not allow the wicked to defile
heaven and the new earth.
APPLICATION: One may wonder why jewelry, fashion, and competitive

sports are listed as a species of idolatry. The statements from Ellen White
are self-explanatory. Jewelry takes attention away from the worship of
God to the display of self. It is a display of pride and selfishness.
With respect to sports, how many hours have been wasted in watching
games that could have been devoted to more worthwhile endeavors such
as witnessing, study of the Word of God, and acts of service to the poor
and needy?
While there is certainly a place for wholesome recreation, competition is
against the character of God and fits in with the spirit of Satan.
Ultimately, there will be no inward sins or hypocrisy among God’s people.
All idols will be sacrificed to Jesus.
OBSERVATION: The New Jerusalem is the focus of the remaining part of
Revelation 21. The beauty and glory of the Holy City are hard to describe
in words, but God at least gives us a glimpse of what this glorious city will
be like.
And There Came Unto Me One of the Seven Angels Which Had the
Seven Vials Full of the Seven Last Plagues, and Talked With Me: Here
we see a similar, yet opposite scene, to the beginning of Revelation 17 and
the judgment of Babylon. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
has excellent insight on this passage:
One of the plague-bearing angels had already shown John the

judgment of the great harlot (see ch. 17:1). Now, one of them
(possibly the same angel, as some suggest) directs John’s
attention to the New Jerusalem, the center and seat of the
eternal kingdom. It is of interest to note that in the first
instance it was a plague-bearing angel that presented mystical
Babylon to the prophet, whereas now it is one of them who
shows him the New Jerusalem. Historically, ancient Babylon
and Jerusalem were traditional enemies, and figuratively they
represent the two sides of the great controversy between evil
and good. The one is represented as a fallen woman (ch. 17:5),
the other as an honorable woman (chs. 19:7; 21:2). 560
Jerusalem has conquered Babylon. Babylon is the city of the wicked.

Jerusalem is the city of the righteous. The kingdom of God has defeated
the kingdom of Satan. Babylon has been destroyed by the seven last
plagues. Now, the angel shows John the glories of the New Jerusalem.
Come Hither, I Will Shew Thee the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife: Just as the
angel gave John the imperative to “come here” to see the judgment of
Babylon, the great whore (Revelation 17:1), the angel in verse 9 repeated
that imperative to come and see “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
New Jerusalem has already been defined in Revelation 21:2 “as a bride
adorned for her husband.” She is the bride of Christ. Babylon, as enemy
to Christ, was mysteriously awful to behold when she was depicted as the
great whore sitting upon the beast with seven heads and ten horns. New
Jerusalem is splendid in her beauty.
And He Carried Me Away in the Spirit to a Great and High Mountain:

John was carried away in the spirit to the wilderness to behold Babylon’s
judgment in Revelation 17:3. Here in verse 10, he was carried away to a
great and high mountain.
There is also a connection between Ezekiel 40–48, in the vision given to

Ezekiel of a future temple. The vision in Ezekiel starts similarly to John
being carried away “to a great and high mountain”:
In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and

set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of
a city on the south. (Ezekiel 40:2)
The mountains of God are frequently described in Scripture as holy

places where God dwells (see for example Psalm 2:6; 48:1–2; 87:1–3; and
133:3).
Ethel R. Nelson has excellent insight on mountains in Scripture:
It seems that mountains were the sites for many spectacular

events in the Bible, to name a few: God’s descent on Mount
Sinai with the giving of the Ten Commandments; Elijah’s
victory over the priests of Baal on Mt. Carmel; Jesus’ sermon on
the “Mount of Blessings”; the glorious scene of Jesus with the
figures of Moses and Elijah on the “Mount of Transfiguration”;
the crucifixion of Jesus on Mount Calvary; and the ascension of
Jesus from the Mount of Olives.
One biblical mountain is especially noteworthy. In ancient

times, one night as he slept, the patriarch Abraham heard the
voice of God, telling him to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice on
Mount Moriah. …
Centuries later, this same mountaintop of Moriah became the

threshing floor of Ornan. David, who was then king of Israel,
purchased the land to erect an altar there (1 Chronicles 21:25,
26). This identical area was afterward occupied by the city of
Jerusalem. The very site where Isaac was to be offered became
the place where Solomon, King David’s son, built the first
beautiful temple (2 Chronicles 3:11). The whole Moriah
mountain was renamed “Zion” and became the earthly
dwelling place of the God of heaven. 561
John was carried away to the dwelling place of God. From this vantage
point in vision, John was able to see the New Jerusalem clearly, much like
Ezekiel was able to see the future temple of Israel from a high mountain.
There are some striking parallels between the temple in Ezekiel’s vision
and the New Jerusalem of John’s vision.
Ezekiel’s temple was to be built there in Zion, if Israel remained

faithful. They did not, and the temple was not built. But the
parallelism is unmistakable. Just as Ezekiel is shown the future
temple to be built in Jerusalem, so John is shown the future
city-temple. 562
While Ezekiel’s temple was never built, God has guaranteed that the New
Jerusalem will be established on the new earth as the center of the
universe.
And Shewed Me That Great City, the Holy Jerusalem, Descending Out
of Heaven From God: In the previous verse, John was told he would be
shown “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” Now, he sees the beautiful bride. She
is “that great city, the Holy Jerusalem.” This is a repetition of Revelation
21:2.
The New Jerusalem descends from its location of origin in heaven as it

relocates to the new earth. When the New Jerusalem settles on the new
earth, eternity beyond the millennium has truly arrived. Christ has
married His bride, and the saints, who are guests at the wedding, will
have the joy of living on the new earth throughout eternity.
Having the Glory of God: The glory of God is evidence of His presence.
See Exodus 40:34–35:
Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory
of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter
into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode
thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
We find a similar picture in 1 Kings 8:10–13:
place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the
priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the
glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. Then spake
Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick
darkness. I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled
place for thee to abide in for ever.
In both cases, the tabernacle and the temple were completed respectively,
and God demonstrated His approval with His presence, in which His
glory filled the tabernacle and the temple.
The New Jerusalem has the glory of God because He is present, and He
will be forever.
And Her Light Was Like Unto a Stone Most Precious, Even Like a
Jasper Stone, Clear as Crystal: The light of the New Jerusalem is like a
jasper stone that is clear as crystal. The jasper stone in combination with
the sardius stone is described in Revelation 4:3 as that which God looks
like while seated upon the throne. Of this stone, The Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary says it “describes a bright, flashing light,
more notable for its brilliance than its color.” 563
The scene of the New Jerusalem is similar to that of God on His throne as
seen in Revelation 4:3, and it far surpasses the imagination in its
brilliance and beauty. The best that can be said is that the Holy City is like
a flashing light that is clear as crystal.
And Had a Wall Great and High, and Had Twelve Gates, and at the
Gates Twelve Angels: The great and high wall of the New Jerusalem is
one reason why John is taken to a great and high mountain in vision. He
needs a high vantage point to look upon the city.
The wall that is great and high presents a picture of a well-fortified and
protected city. Here we see a clear parallel with the city and temple
described to Ezekiel in vision. Just as the city of Ezekiel’s vision has twelve
gates (Ezekiel 48:31–34), so does the New Jerusalem. In the New
Jerusalem, there are angels serving as gatekeepers at each of the gates.
And Names Written Thereon, Which Are the Names of the Twelve
Tribes of the Children of Israel: On each of the twelve gates of the New
Jerusalem is written a corresponding name of one of the twelve tribes of
Israel. While the names are not listed specifically here in verse 12, they
are listed in Revelation 7:5–8. The list is similar, but not identical, in
Ezekiel 48:31–34. Israel is the name of God’s people throughout
Scripture. The twelve tribes of Israel represent God’s people in the Old
Testament. In the New Testament, as discussed in Revelation 7:5–8, the
twelve tribes represent the different characters that comprise God’s
people until the end of the world. There is a gate of the New Jerusalem for
people of all backgrounds and personality types.
OBSERVATION: After the beauty of the New Jerusalem is shown, the
following verses provide a spectacular description including specific
geometric dimensions.
On the East Three Gates; on the North Three Gates; on the South
Three Gates; and on the West Three Gates: There are three gates on each
of the four sides of the city of Jerusalem. There is perfect symmetry to the
geometric structure of the city. There is a gate for each of the twelve tribes
of Israel. While the 144,000 come from the twelve tribes of spiritual Israel
(Revelation 7:5–8), the twelve tribes also represent the Old Testament
church. Interestingly, the camp of ancient Israel was in the shape of a
square with three tribes located in each of the four quadrants. The camp
of ancient Israel, even in its shape, is a type of the New Jerusalem.
Numbers 2 describes the arrangement of the camp of Israel in the

wilderness:
• The tabernacle of meeting was in the center of the camp.
• The camp of Judah, consisting of the tribes of Judah (74,600),

Issachar (54,400), and Zebulun (57,400), a total of 186,400 men,
camped to the east (Numbers 2:3–7).
• The camp of Reuben, consisting of the tribes of Reuben (46,500),

Simeon (59,300), and Gad (45,650), a total of 151,450 men,
camped to the south (Numbers 2:10–16).
• The camp of Ephraim, consisting of the tribes of Ephraim

(40,500), Manasseh (32,200), and Benjamin (35,400), a total of
108,100 men, camped to the west (Numbers 2:18–24).
The camp of Dan, consisting of the tribes of Dan (62,700), Asher
•
(41,500), and Naphtali (53,400), a total of 157,600 men, camped
to the north (Numbers 2:25–31).
• Each group was to “camp by his own standard, beside the

emblems of his father’s house” (Numbers 2:2).
• The tribe of Levi was unnumbered and camped around all sides
of the tabernacle (Numbers 2:17, 33; 3:21–38).
In ancient Israel, the Israelites made a sanctuary so that God could “dwell
among them” (Exodus 25:8). In the New Jerusalem, God will dwell in the
midst of His people without any barriers (see again Revelation 21:3).
And the Wall of the City Had Twelve Foundations, and in Them the
Names of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb: There are twelve gates, and
there are twelve foundations to the New Jerusalem. The names to the
twelve gates are from the twelve tribes of Israel representing the Old
Testament church. The twelve foundations have the names of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb, and this represents the New Testament church.
The twelve foundations of the Holy City are formed from the twelve
apostles of the Lamb. The sacrifice of the Lamb and the zeal of His twelve
apostles in raising up the Christian church form the solid twelve
foundations of the Holy City. The foundation of the apostles and Jesus
Christ is mentioned in Ephesians 2:19–22:
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but

fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and
are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the
building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the
Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of
God through the Spirit.
The twelve apostles named on the twelve foundations represent the New
Testament church while the twelve tribes of Israel on the twelve gates
represent God’s Old Testament people. The New Jerusalem is comprised
of God’s people throughout history. The types and shadows of the
sacrificial system of the earthly sanctuary pointed forward to the sacrifice
of the Lamb. When Jesus died on the cross as the Lamb of God, the
foundation was laid for the New Testament church, and the twelve
apostles went forth to proclaim this message.
The work accomplished in both the Old and New Testament churches
largely encompasses the eras of history from which humanity is saved.
The message is clear that salvation has been available no matter what era
of earth’s history in which one may have lived. God has worked through
His chosen church as the means to lead humanity to salvation.
And He That Talked With Me Had a Golden Reed to Measure the City,
and the Gates Thereof, and the Wall Thereof: The angel who had taken
John into vision had a golden measuring rod to measure the city, the
gates, and the wall. Revelation 11:1 also depicted a measuring rod in
which the temple of God on the earth was measured. Here, the heavenly
Jerusalem is being measured. There is a similar picture of the temple in
Ezekiel 40–48 which is measured with a measuring reed:
And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose

appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in
his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.
(Ezekiel 40:3)
What is the purpose for the Holy City, New Jerusalem to be measured?
Here the act of measuring and the stating of measurements are

doubtless to give assurance of the adequacy and sufficiency of
the heavenly home. 564
The dimensions of the city are spectacular and are designed to give us
confidence in God’s strength and protection.
And the City Lieth Foursquare: The marginal reading for this phrase is
“the city is laid out as a square.”
And the Length Is as Large as the Breadth: The city is as long as it is

wide, just like a square. It is perfectly symmetric. In Scripture, we also see
the following things are foursquare: the altar of incense (see Exodus 27:1,
30:2; Ezekiel 43:16); the breastplate on the high priest (see Exodus 28:16,
39:9); the most holy place of Solomon’s temple (2 Chronicles 3:8); and the
temple of Ezekiel’s vision of Ezekiel 40–48 (Ezekiel 45:2).
God’s work for the salvation of man is perfectly symmetrical, and the
dimensions of the New Jerusalem represent that work. The redeemed
who live in the city reap the blessings and free gift of God’s work of
salvation.
And He Measured the City With the Reed, Twelve Thousand Furlongs:
The measurement of the city is “twelve thousand furlongs.” The Greek
word for “furlong” is stadion, which is about 606 feet and 6 inches. 12,000
furlongs is about 1,378.4 miles. It is not clear if the measurement of
12,000 furlongs is the entire circumference of the four sides of the city or
if it is the length of one side. If this measurement represents the entire
circumference, then each side would be 3,000 furlongs or about 344.6
miles to each side of the city. 565
The Length and the Breadth and the Height of It Are Equal: The
perfect symmetry of the New Jerusalem not only relates to its width and
length, but it also relates to the height of the city. This geometric shape
that is equal in height, width, and length is that of a cube. A city that is, at
a minimum, 344.6 miles wide, long, and high in the shape of a cube is
nothing short of massive. There is plenty of room for all who accept the
free gift of salvation.
And He Measured the Wall Thereof, an Hundred and Forty and Four
Cubits, According to the Measure of a Man, That Is, of the Angel: The
city is said to be at least 344.6 miles high. Thus, this measurement in verse
17 likely represents the thickness of the wall. A cubit is based on the
length of a man’s arm from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow,
which is about 17 and 1/2 inches. 566 The angel takes this measurement.
Thus, 144 cubits is about 210 feet.
The number twelve, or a multiple of it, is found repeatedly in the New

Jerusalem as Kenneth Mathews notes:
All the figures given are 12s or multiples of 12s. There are 12
gates, 12 angels, 12 tribes of Israel written on the 12 gates, 12
apostles whose names are written on the 12 foundations, 12,000
stadia, 144 cubits, twelve (sic) pearls, and 12 kinds of fruit. This
grand number, signifying the inclusion of the Old Testament
believers, as symbolized by the twelve tribes—and the inclusion
of the entire body of New Testament believers, as symbolized
by the twelve apostles, does not spiritualize away the reality of
this city. All God’s people, both from Old Testament and New
Testament times, will be IN that city, have a home in that city,
and worship God in that city. 567
And the Building of the Wall of It Was of Jasper: As seen in verse 11,
jasper is like a flashing light. The wall has the brilliance of a flashing light
that can manifest in many different colors such as yellow, red, brown,
green, and rarely blue.
And the City Was Pure Gold, Like Unto Clear Glass: The city itself is
made of pure gold that is translucent like pure glass. The magnificent
beauty of this city is unlike anything we have seen on this earth.
And the Foundations of the Wall of the City Were Garnished With All
Manner of Precious Stones: The twelve foundations of the wall of the
New Jerusalem are each adorned with a precious stone. Each of the
twelve stones are listed as follows:
The First Foundation Was Jasper: Jasper is like a flashing light
with a variety of colors (vs. 11, 18). The entire city has the light
of the jasper stone, the construction of the wall is made of
jasper, and the first foundation is made of jasper. The city is full
of light, and its construction and foundation of jasper
illuminates this point.
The Second, Sapphire: Sapphire is a translucent sky-blue stone

of great hardness.
The Third, a Chalcedony: Chalcedony is a gem of greenish

color.
The Fourth, an Emerald: Emerald is a gem of bright-green

color.
The Fifth, Sardonyx: Sardonyx is a stone, or onyx, with red and

brown layers against a white background.
The Sixth, Sardius: Sardius is a reddish-colored gem, or a

reddish variety of chalcedony.
The Seventh, Chrysolite: Chrysolite is literally translated

“golden stone,” and is a yellow-colored stone.
The Eighth, Beryl: Beryl is a gem of sea-green color.
The Ninth, a Topaz: Topaz is a yellow-colored stone used in

the past for making both seals and gems.
The Tenth, a Chrysoprasus: The chrysoprasus is an apple-

green, transparent gem.
The Eleventh, a Jacinth: Jacinth is a deep blue-colored gem.
The Twelfth, an Amethyst: Amethyst is a purple-colored

gem.568
Even the foundation of the city is multi-colored and beautiful in

appearance.
And the Twelve Gates Were Twelve Pearls; Every Several Gate Was of
One Pearl: Each of the twelve gates is a pearl. The word “several” means
“individual.” There is a separate pearl that constitutes each of the twelve
gates.
And the Street of the City Was Pure Gold, as It Were Transparent
Glass: As if the magnificence of the New Jerusalem could not get any
better, we see that the pavement of the streets in the Holy City is of pure
gold that is as transparent as glass.
God has painted a picture of the New Jerusalem that makes it exceedingly
clear that the glory and beauty of this celestial city surpasses anything
that can be imagined.
APPLICATION: The children of Israel were told that the Promised Land of
Canaan was a land flowing with milk and honey. It was not without trial
and hardship that they obtained possession of the land. When the spies
came back with an evil report after a 40-day scouting trip, the response
from God’s people was one of unbelief. The fear of the giants that
inhabited the land caused them to believe that they could not overcome
the obstacles.
The heavenly Canaan is a land that far exceeds the glory of the earthly
Canaan. God promises that we can possess it. The greatest obstacle that
each of us faces is the power of sin in our lives. We also are tempted to
fear the coming time of trouble. Satan leads us to believe that we cannot
overcome sin and that the final crisis of this earth’s history is too difficult
to go through.
God promises that we can overcome as Jesus did (Revelation 3:21). Yet
there are those in the church who are giving an evil report saying that we
can never overcome. The picture painted of the glories of the heavenly
Jerusalem make it abundantly clear that it is a land worth possessing. Will
we go up and possess the land? Are there giants in our lives that we are
permitting to keep us from becoming citizens of the heavenly kingdom?
God’s grace is sufficient to give us whatever victory is necessary to receive
the inheritance that God has prepared for each of us.
OBSERVATION: In the final section of the chapter, the angel reveals to John
who will live in this city and who will be left out.
And I Saw No Temple Therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the
Lamb Are the Temple of It: John sees no temple in the New Jerusalem.
The Greek word here for “temple” is naos and describes the Holy Place
and Most Holy Place of the sanctuary. It does not include the outer
courtyard and other buildings of the sanctuary. 569
Why is there no temple in the New Jerusalem in the new earth? This may
seem confusing as Scripture tells us that Moses built the earthly sanctuary
after the pattern of the heavenly sanctuary (see Exodus 25:40; Hebrews
8:5).
Exodus 25:8 gives us a clear understanding of why there was a sanctuary:
And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among

them.
Sin brought separation, but God used the sanctuary service to dwell
among His people. In the new earth, sin is no more, so Christ’s
mediatorial work in the sanctuary will no longer be necessary. The
following quotes express this understanding well:
The earthly sanctuary was symbolic of the dwelling place of

God. Because of their sin Adam and Eve were driven from
Eden and the presence of God. When sin has been removed,
the church will again be able to dwell in His presence, and no
structure will be required to symbolize the dwelling of God. 570
No longer is there a need for the ministry and work of Jesus, as
portrayed in the Holy and Most Holy Place, because God and
Jesus are now united with their people. Jesus reminded His
hearers that “one greater than the temple” was there that day
(Matthew 12:6). The reality replaces the symbolism in the New
Jerusalem. He who was so clearly depicted in the temple and its
services is now in the New Jerusalem. 571
The Father, described as “the Lord God Almighty,” and Jesus Christ,
depicted as “the Lamb,” are present in the New Jerusalem. The almighty
power of God, seen especially through the selfless sacrifice of the Lamb,
has made it possible for the saints to dwell in the presence of God in the
New Jerusalem throughout eternity.
And the City Had No Need of the Sun, Neither of the Moon, to Shine
in It: For the Glory of God Did Lighten It, and the Lamb Is the Light
Thereof: In the new earth, the sun and the moon will not give light to the
New Jerusalem. The glory of God, and of the Lamb, is so powerful that it
illuminates the Holy City.
And the Nations of Them Which Are Saved Shall Walk in the Light of
It: Those who have been saved by the blood of the Lamb will walk in the
light of the Father and the Lamb. They have overcome by the blood of the
Lamb (Revelation 12:11). Now, they are bathed in His light throughout
eternity.
And the Kings of the Earth Do Bring Their Glory and Honour Into It:
We can expect to see great men of the earth, such as kings, in the
kingdom of God. This passage is a reference to Isaiah 60:3–5:
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the
brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see:
all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons
shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear,
and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be
converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto
thee.
In Isaiah 60:5, “the forces of the Gentiles” can also be translated as “the
wealth of the nations.” The power of the everlasting gospel (Revelation
14:6) has the power to convert the kings of the earth. We think of
Nebuchadnezzar who writes of his conversion in Daniel 4. There will be
other kings and great men, as well, who have given their lives to Christ.
Not every person of every nation, and not every king of the earth,
will succumb to the seductions of the beast and the dragon. Each
person who chooses to can overcome evil by the blood of the
Lamb and live in the New Jerusalem in the light of the Lamb.
Each who comes to the Holy City will bring themselves. As they
offer to God their worship, they will bring glory and honor to God
and the Lamb. 572
And the Gates of It Shall Not Be Shut at All by Day: For There Shall Be
No Night There: In ancient times, the gates of a city were closed at night
to prevent strangers and enemies from entering into the city. There will
be no need to close the gates in the New Jerusalem because it will never
be dark. There will be no night there, and there will be no enemies to
attack the city. The open gates are a direct reference to Isaiah 60:11:
Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be

shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the
Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.
The fact that there will be no night is referenced in Zechariah 14:6–8:
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be
clear, nor dark: but it shall be one day which shall be known to
the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at
evening time it shall be light. And it shall be in that day, that
living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the
former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer
and in winter shall it be.
There will be no night in the New Jerusalem, and there will be no threat
of any enemies. The gates will remain open forever, and the light of God
will never go away.
And They Shall Bring the Glory and Honour of the Nations Into It:
This is a repeat of the thought at the end of verse 24. Every saved person
who enters into the New Jerusalem brings honor and glory to God.
And There Shall in No Wise Enter Into It Any Thing That Defileth,
Neither Whatsoever Worketh Abomination, or Maketh a Lie: Here we
see a repetition of the warning to the wicked in verse 8. The thought is
also very similar to that of Isaiah 52:1:
Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful

garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no
more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
The wicked, who choose to remain in sin, will not enter into the New
Jerusalem. Those who work abominations and make lies will surround
the Holy City at the end of the millennium (Revelation 20:9), but they
will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8).
But They Which Are Written in the Lamb’s Book of Life: Those whose
names are written in the Lamb’s book of life are described in Revelation
3:5:

These are the overcomers who Michael delivers in Daniel 12:1:

After the clear description of the death of the wicked in Revelation 20,
God offers another reminder that the glorious, Holy City is only for the
righteous who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb (Revelation
12:11).
All of the righteous and the wicked desire to reside in such a beautiful
city. But it is reserved only for those who overcome and are made into the
likeness of the Lamb.
APPLICATION: In these verses, the promise is clear that we can dwell in the
glory of God’s presence in the New Jerusalem. It is beyond
comprehension for our finite human minds to realize that there will
never be an end to the unceasing joy that comes from being with God
forever. This world has nothing in it that can compare to the glory that is
to follow. As Paul said in Romans 8:18:
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Whatever struggles or sufferings you may have at this time, they cannot
compare to the eternal glory that is coming. Ellen White affirmed this in
We all went under the tree, and sat down to look at the glory of
the place, when Brethren Fitch and Stockman, who had
preached the gospel of the kingdom, and whom God had laid
in the grave to save them, came up to us and asked us what we
had passed through while they were sleeping. We tried to call
up our greatest trials, but they looked so small compared with
the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that
surrounded us, that we could not speak them out, and we all
cried out, “Alleluia! heaven is cheap enough!” and we touched
our glorious harps and made heaven’s arches ring. 573
Jesus is coming soon! Keep pressing forward, fighting the good fight of
faith through the grace of Jesus. As the ceaseless ages of eternity roll on,
the memories of the trials of this earth will fade away forever.
REVELATION 22
REVELATION 22:1–5
OBSERVATION: The final chapter of Revelation begins with a continuation
of the glorious scenes of the new earth and the New Jerusalem that are
depicted in Revelation 21. The view here in Revelation 22 takes John
inside the Holy City, in contrast to the exterior that has been described
thus far. It then transitions to John’s reaction to the vision. Then we are
given some key final thoughts from Christ to conclude the book.
And He Shewed Me a Pure River of Water of Life, Clear as Crystal,

Proceeding Out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb: The river of life
flows out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. The river is clean and
pure and is clear like transparent crystal. It is named “the river of water of
life.” Water is known for its life-giving power. Without water, humanity
cannot survive. The water flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
representing that they are the source of unending life in the new earth.
We see this picture described in Zechariah 14:8–9:
And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from
Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them
toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And
the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be
one LORD, and his name one.
In the Midst of the Street of It, and on Either Side of the River, Was
There the Tree of Life: On both sides of the river of life, is the tree of life.
This tree is so gargantuan that it crosses both sides of the river of life. It
will feed the great multitude of the redeemed that cannot be numbered,
and thus its size matches its output.
The tree of life was in the Garden of Eden, but after sin it was
transplanted to heaven as noted by Ellen White in this statement:
The fruit of the tree of life in the Garden of Eden possessed

supernatural virtue. To eat of it was to live forever. Its fruit was
the antidote of death. Its leaves were for the sustaining of life
and immortality. But through man’s disobedience death entered
the world. Adam ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil, the fruit of which he had been forbidden to touch. His
transgression opened the floodgates of woe upon our race.
After the entrance of sin the heavenly Husbandman

transplanted the tree of life to the Paradise above; but its
branches hang over the wall to the lower world. Through the
redemption purchased by the blood of Christ, we may still eat
of its life-giving fruit. 574
Just as the river of life has life-giving power from God, the tree of life
possesses supernatural virtue that sustains eternal life for those who
partake of its fruit.
Which Bare Twelve Manner of Fruits, and Yielded Her Fruit Every
Month: The tree of life has twelve different kinds of fruit with a unique
fruit for each month of the year. The redeemed will partake of each fruit
every month as eternal life is perpetuated through the fruit that is eaten.
The redeemed will come before God to worship Him each month and
every Sabbath:
And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another,
and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship
before me, saith the LORD. (Isaiah 66:23)
Undoubtedly, part of the monthly gathering will include partaking of the
new monthly fruit from the tree of life.
And the Leaves of the Tree Were for the Healing of the Nations: The
leaves of the tree of life bring “healing” to the nations. The Greek word for
“healing” is therapeia and is also found in Luke 9:11:
And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received
them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed
them that had need of healing.
The healing properties of the leaves are compared to the healing power of
the Word of God in this statement by Ellen White:
Even as the bodily necessities must be supplied daily, so the

word of God must be daily studied—eaten, and digested, and
practiced. This sustains the nourishment, to keep the soul in
health. The neglect of the word means starvation to the soul.
The word describes the blessed man as one meditating day and
night upon the truths of God’s word. We all are to feast upon
the word of God. The relation of the word to the believer is a
vital matter. Appropriating the word to our spiritual necessities
is the eating of the leaves of the tree of life that are for the
healing of the nations. Study the word, and practice the word,
for it is your life. 575
Just as feasting on the Word of God brings health and healing to our
spiritual souls now, the multitudes of the redeemed from the nations of
the earth who partake of the fruit from the leaves of the tree of life will
sustain health, healing, and immortality throughout eternity.
And There Shall Be No More Curse: With the healing of the nations,
there is also no more curse. The curse of sin and death, present ever since
Adam and Eve sinned, will be removed forever in the new earth.
This curse is spoken of in Galatians 3:10–13:

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse:
for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all
things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But
that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is
evident: for, the just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith:
but, the man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath
redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us:
for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.
As this passage clearly delineates, all who have broken the law are under
the curse of the law, and all have sinned and come short of God’s glory
(Romans 3:23). Thankfully, Christ became the curse for us by dying on
the cross in fulfillment of Deuteronomy 21:22–23:
And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to

be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: his body shall not
remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury
him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy
land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an
inheritance.
By becoming the curse for us through His death, we can receive the gift of
everlasting life when we are justified by faith. In heaven and the new
earth, eternal life becomes a reality in which there is no presence of the
curse.
The effects of the curse of sin will also be gone forever. Kenneth Mathews
has excellent insight on this point:
I believe this is the primary curse that will be removed at the

Second Coming of Jesus—the sting of death and deliverance
from this curse. Death and hell will be thrown into the lake of
fire, never to rise again.
Second, in Genesis 3:14, the serpent was cursed and degraded

to the lowest of the beasts, for its part in the deception of Adam
and Eve. Next, in Genesis 3:17, the ground was cursed,
bringing forth thorns and thistles and requiring Adam and Eve
to till the ground, kill the weeds, and grow food to eat. Later, in
Genesis 4:14, Cain was cursed for the death of his brother. And
in Deuteronomy 27, there is a whole list of things that a man
can do to break the law of God and come under a curse. In
Genesis 8:21, 22, the destruction of the earth and the change in
the whole of creation after the Flood was some kind of curse.
God says, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s
sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth;
neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have
done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime, and harvest, and
cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall
not cease.”
In this understanding of the curse, we begin to see what is

taken away, when God says there shall be no more curse. …
Neither the New Jerusalem or its inhabitants will ever be
threatened by the curse of sin and death again. The removal of
this curse includes the elimination of both physical and
spiritual evils. 576
What a wonderful moment it will be when it can be said, “and there shall
be no more curse”!
But the Throne of God and of the Lamb Shall Be in It: Here we see a
distinct contrast between the curse of sin and the presence of God. There
will be no more curse, as sin and death have been destroyed. Without the
presence of sin, there is no more separation between God and His people,
and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the midst of His people.
And His Servants Shall Serve Him: The 144,000 are described as the
servants of God in Revelation 7:2–4. However, the servants who serve
God in heaven are not limited to the 144,000. Moses is described as “the
servant of God” (Revelation 15:3). Furthermore, Paul identified who can
be God’s servants in Romans 6:16, 22:
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,
his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death,
or of obedience unto righteousness? … But now being made free
from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto
holiness, and the end everlasting life.
God’s servants include the 144,000 and all the righteous throughout
history who have lived obediently by faith. They have lived holy lives and
have served Him on this earth. Now the righteous serve Him throughout
eternity.
And They Shall See His Face; and His Name Shall Be in Their
Foreheads: At last God’s servants shall see His face. His glory will no
longer be veiled. 1 John 3:2 speaks of this reality:
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear
what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we
shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
God’s servants can then see His face because they are righteous and holy
as God is holy. God has changed the righteous into His likeness. As John
says, “we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” The righteous
will be in His presence and will not be consumed.
In addition, His name will be in the foreheads of the righteous. There is a

parallel to this reality in Revelation 14:1, where the 144,000 have the
“Father’s name written in their foreheads.” Also in Isaiah 57:15, God’s
name is holy and represents His character. The holy name of God in the
foreheads of His servants represents their holy characters.
Among this group of God’s servants are the 144,000 who received the seal
of God in their foreheads. They lived through the time of the earth’s
history in which the four winds were released (Revelation 7:1–3),
manifested by the seven last plagues being poured out (Revelation 16). In
Revelation 7:13–17, we see the 144,000 before the throne of God:
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these
which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I
said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are
they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore
are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in
his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among
them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither
shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is
in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them
unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes.
Revelation 22 paints the picture of reality for God’s servants, including

the 144,000, who are faithful to God. They will dwell with God and the
Lamb in the new earth forever.
And There Shall Be No Night There; and They Need No Candle,

Neither Light of the Sun; for the Lord God Giveth Them Light: This
thought is a repetition of what has been seen in Revelation 21:23, 25.
There will be no darkness in heaven. The light from God illuminates the
New Jerusalem so much that there is no need for smaller lights such as
candlelight, nor is there need for the greater light (Genesis 1:16) of the
sun.
And They Shall Reign For Ever and Ever: God’s servants reign with Him
“for ever and ever.” We see the fulfillment of Revelation 5:10:
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall
reign on the earth.
This reign takes place on the new earth, and it is also a fulfillment of
Christ’s promise to the overcomers in the Laodicean church in Revelation
3:21:
throne.
As can be seen, there is a general application to God’s servants who serve

Him that applies to all of the redeemed in heaven. There is also a special
application of God’s servants, the 144,000, who come from God’s last-day
church.
APPLICATION: Not only is the interior of the New Jerusalem spectacular,

but the redeemed who dwell there are like Jesus in character. What makes
heaven and the new earth so beautiful is that we will be in the presence of
God and the Lamb, and we will be surrounded by the multitudes of the
redeemed saints who are like Jesus. Words fail to describe how joyous it
will be to forever live in God’s presence and to live among the redeemed
who are like Him.
We will partake of pure water from the river of life and new fruits on a
monthly basis from the tree of life. There will only be love, joy, and peace
throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Happiness will never end. There
will be no night. Truly the joys of heaven and the new earth are worth
whatever trials and challenges we may pass through in this life. What will
make eternity the greatest will be forever living in the presence of God
and of the Lamb.
REVELATION 22:6–10:
OBSERVATION: This section of Revelation 22 transitions to the conclusion
of the book. The vision of the New Jerusalem has ended. Now, the angel
and Christ give important closing messages.
And He Said Unto Me, These Sayings Are Faithful and True: After
describing the glory of the New Jerusalem, in which the servants of God
will serve God and the Lamb and reign with God forever, the angel told
John, “These sayings are faithful and true.” This is very similar to the
message of Revelation 21:5:
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things
new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and
faithful.
God knows that it can be hard to imagine how perfect the new earth will
be. Thus, He repeatedly tells us that the words describing eternity are
“faithful and true.”
And the Lord God of the Holy Prophets Sent His Angel to Shew Unto
His Servants the Things Which Must Be Shortly Done: The same God
who spoke through the other holy prophets of Scripture, sent His angel to
the apostle John, who became the prophet John after the vision received
and recorded in Revelation.
God spoke to the holy prophet John to show His servants what will “be
shortly done.” All of God’s people who have lived since the time of John
have received the blessing of this vision. In fact, based on each era of
history for the prophetic churches, the prophecies of the seven churches,
the seven seals, and the seven trumpets have been relevant from the time
of John to the end of the world. Thus, it has always been true that there
are aspects of the book of Revelation that will “be shortly done.”
However, the book of Revelation is especially written to warn the church

about what transpires at the end of the world leading up to the Second
Coming. The remnant church of Revelation 12:17 is the last church of the
book, and servants from this church will be alive to see the fulfillment of
the final prophecies of this book. The servants alive at the end of the
world are the 144,000. The message of Revelation shows the 144,000
especially what will take place when Jesus returns.
Behold, I Come Quickly: Jesus announces the manner of His return.

“Behold, I come quickly.” The Greek word for “quickly” is the adverb
tachy, and it literally means “quickly” or “speedily.” It can also mean
“without delay,” “soon,” “suddenly,” or “readily.” This is the first of three
times in Revelation 22 in which Jesus says, “I come quickly.” We also see
this promise in verses 12 and 20. This is the final promise of the message
in the book of Revelation.
It has been nearly 2,000 years since this promise was given. However, the
promise is given in the last chapter of the book. The prophecies of the
book must be fulfilled in order for Jesus to return. The promise of His
soon return is contingent on all of the prophecies of the first 21 chapters
meeting their fulfillment.
The three angels’ messages of the judgment hour that began in 1844 must
do their work in producing the 144,000 of the last days. When God has
produced this special people for the last days, He can truly say, “Behold, I
come quickly.”
We are living now in the time of the proclamation of the three angels’
messages and of the development of the 144,000. This promise of the
soon return of Jesus is more imminent and certain than it has ever been.
This saying of Christ is faithful and true. He really is coming soon.
Blessed Is He That Keepeth the Sayings of the Prophecy of This Book:

The sixth of seven blessings in the book of Revelation is given here (see
also Revelation 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:14). Truly, there is a
blessing for those who keep “the sayings of the prophecy of this book.”
This promised blessing is very similar to the first blessing of Revelation
1:3:
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this
prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the
time is at hand.
The context of the blessing of Revelation 22:7 is related to the soon return
of Jesus because He is coming quickly. Those who will be ready for the
Second Coming are those who study the prophetic messages in the books
of Revelation and Daniel. Only those who study and are prepared for the
Second Coming will be ready. The messages that lead to being ready for
the Second Coming are found in the prophecies of the book of Revelation
in harmony with the book of Daniel.
And I John Saw These Things, and Heard Them: John was given visions
throughout the book in which he saw the struggle between good and evil.
He saw the vision of future glory in heaven and the new earth. He was
also given verbal descriptions and instructions. The combination of visual
and verbal messages form the book of Revelation. In this instance, John
was likely referring to what was shown him in vision by the angel starting
in Revelation 21:9 through Revelation 22:5.
And When I Had Heard and Seen, I Fell Down to Worship Before the
Feet of the Angel Which Shewed Me These Things: The glories of the
New Jerusalem and the new earth; seeing God and the Lamb on the
throne; the river of life, the tree of life, and the redeemed who will serve
God forever—all these evoke a response of worship from John. He casts
himself down at the feet of the angel who has shown him all of these
glories. He cannot contain his joy and reverence after seeing the
indescribable glory of the new earth.
Then Saith He Unto Me, See Thou Do It Not: Immediately, the angel
told John not to worship him because he is not God.
For I Am Thy Fellowservant, and of Thy Brethren the Prophets, and of

Them Which Keep the Sayings of the Prophecy of This Book: The angel
told John why he, as an angel, should not be worshiped. He is a “fellow
servant” of John. Like John, who is a prophet, and the faithful, who keep
the sayings of the prophecy of Revelation, the angel is a created being.
Angels are created by God and worship God. They are ordained to
minister to humanity as seen in Hebrews 1:6–7:
And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world,
he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the
angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers
a flame of fire.
Created beings are not worthy of worship. Thus, the angel forbade the
worship of John. This interaction, recorded by John under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, is so that we can know that even angels are not worthy
of worship, and by extension, no human is ever worthy of worship,
including the earthly mother of Jesus. The veneration of earthly humans
into saints to be worshiped is blasphemous. Even angels are not worthy of
worship.
Worship God: God alone is worthy of worship. Jesus, in the third

temptation, reminded the devil of this truth when the devil tried to entice
Jesus to worship him, a fallen angel:
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written,
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve. (Matthew 4:10)
Here in Revelation 22:9, the angel reminded John to worship God only.
As seen in Revelation 19:10, angels are created beings who are fellow
servants with prophets and with those who have the testimony of Jesus:
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See
thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that
have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of
Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
In Revelation 12:17, it is the remnant church that has the testimony of

Jesus Christ:
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make
war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the
commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
God’s last-day church has been given the gift of the testimony of Jesus
Christ, which, as seen in Revelation 19:10, is the spirit of prophecy. When
connected with Revelation 22:9, we understand that the testimony of
Jesus Christ is the prophetic gift. We have seen the prophetic gift through
the ministry of Ellen White, beginning in 1844 until her death in 1915.
God’s last-day church has been blessed to have such a gift. It is a
measureless blessing to have the testimony of Jesus in the remnant
church.
Though angels and prophets are not worthy of worship, God works
through both to minister to His people. Angels and prophets are bearers
of special messages or testimonies from Jesus to His people, called the
spirit of prophecy. Through the ministry of angels and prophets we are
led to worship God.
And He Saith Unto Me, Seal Not the Sayings of the Prophecy of This
Book: The angel tells John to not seal the prophetic messages of the book
of Revelation. This is in distinct contrast to the message at the end of the
prophetic book of Daniel:
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to
the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge
shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4)
It was especially the vision of the 2,300 evenings and mornings (days) of
Daniel 8:14 that was sealed to the time of the end (1798):
And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is
true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many
days. (Daniel 8:26)
Many of the prophecies of Daniel were open to understanding prior to

the beginning of the time of the end in 1798. However, the vision of the
2,300 days was sealed until then.
This book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The very name, “Revelation,”
from the Greek word apokalupsis means “disclosure,” “manifestation,” or
“revelation.” It is a book for all to understand. It has been a revelation
from the time it was written near the end of the first century. Therefore,
its prophecies have been open for God’s people to study. The prophecies
that relate to the end of the world, and the identities of the beasts, have
become better understood with the understanding of the companion
book of Daniel and as prophetic history has been fulfilled.
For the Time Is at Hand: Why is the book not sealed? Because each
generation that has lived since this prophecy was given has believed that
the time is at hand and has received vital truths to help them to stay on
the path to the kingdom of heaven. But especially now is the time at hand.
As we have studied the prophecies of this book from the first chapter to
the last chapter, we have seen the clarity and power of these prophetic
messages. Christ has revealed Himself throughout the book. From the
time of the first century and each succeeding generation, there has been
enough light to understand the prophecies of this book relevant to each
generation.
For those of us alive at the end of the world, the prophecies become even
more relevant with each passing moment in time. The climax of the world
is upon us. What a blessing to understand what lies ahead based on the
prophetic foresight God has given in this book! Jesus is coming soon.
Now is the time to understand the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
APPLICATION: Three times in verses 6–10, the phrase, “the sayings of the
prophecy of this book” is included. The prophecies in the book of
Revelation are not idle tales. The prophetic messages in Revelation are
given to us for our understanding to prepare us for the soon return of
Jesus. Ellen White affirmed the importance of understanding the
messages of this book:
When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better
understood, believers will have an entirely different religious
experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates
of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the
character that all must develop in order to realize the
blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart.
The Lord will bless all who will seek humbly and meekly to
understand that which is revealed in the Revelation. This book
contains so much that is large with immortality and full of
glory that all who read and search it earnestly receive the
blessing to those “that hear the words of this prophecy, and
keep those things which are written therein.” 577
We are truly blessed to live at a time when the prophecies of Revelation

have mostly unfolded so that we can understand the messages God has
given us through this book. Now is the time for us to have an entirely
different spiritual experience as we prepare to meet Jesus in the clouds of
heaven.
OBSERVATION: As the book of Revelation comes to a conclusion, the
following verses contain significant admonition and warning from Jesus.
He That Is Unjust, Let Him Be Unjust Still: and He Which Is Filthy, Let
Him Be Filthy Still: Here we see a final pronouncement against the
wicked. The Greek word for “unjust” is adikeo and means “to be unjust”
or “to do wrong.” Thus, there are wrong actions connected to being
unjust. The Greek word for “filthy” is rhupoo which means “to become
dirty” or “to be filthy.” It is reminiscent of the description of the
unrighteous in Isaiah 64:6:
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses

are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities,
like the wind, have taken us away.
When probation closes, those who are unrighteous and filthy remain so.
Their character is set.
And He That Is Righteous, Let Him Be Righteous Still: and He That Is

Holy, Let Him Be Holy Still: The declaration by Christ “and he that is
righteous, let him be righteous still,” has some nuance. The word
“righteous” is slightly different in the Greek in its successive readings
here. The Greek word for “righteous” in the first phrase “and he that is
righteous” is dikaios and means “right,” “righteous,” or “just.” It is the
same Greek word found in Romans 1:17 when it says, “the just shall live
by faith.”
In the second phrase, “let him be righteous still,” the Greek word for
“righteous” is dikaiosune, meaning “to make right” or “to make just.”
The words are similar in meaning, but the meaning for dikaiosune fits the
understanding of God making His people righteous permanently, with
the blotting out of sin at the close of probation. God makes a final
declaration of what His people have become through His power. He seals
His people forever with His character. They have lived righteous, or just,
lives by faith through the experience of justification by faith. At the
blotting out of sin during the final atonement, He makes permanent what
His people have become.
The Greek word for “holy” is hagiazo, which means “to make holy,”
“purify,” “consecrate,” or to “be holy.”
To be righteous is to be holy. Many believe that they can be unrighteous

and still pronounced holy. This is unrighteousness by presumption.
The just, or righteous, who live by faith (Romans 1:17) will be made
permanently righteous and holy when probation closes. Lest there be any
doubt as to the timing of this declaration by Christ, notice this statement
from Ellen White:
When Christ shall cease His work as mediator in man’s behalf,
then this time of trouble will begin. Then the case of every soul
will have been decided, and there will be no atoning blood to
cleanse from sin. When Jesus leaves His position as man’s
intercessor before God, the solemn announcement is made,
“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy,
let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be
righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”
Revelation 22:11. Then the restraining Spirit of God is
withdrawn from the earth. As Jacob was threatened with death
by his angry brother, so the people of God will be in peril from
the wicked who are seeking to destroy them. And as the
patriarch wrestled all night for deliverance from the hand of
Esau, so the righteous will cry to God day and night for
deliverance from the enemies that surround them. 578
It is the voice of Jesus who utters these decisive words, as is made clear in
Then Jesus ceases His intercession in the sanctuary above. He

lifts His hands and with a loud voice says, “It is done;” and all
the angelic host lay off their crowns as He makes the solemn
announcement: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and
he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous,
let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy
still.” Revelation 22:11. Every case has been decided for life or
death. Christ has made the atonement for His people and
blotted out their sins. The number of His subjects is made up;
“the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom
under the whole heaven,” is about to be given to the heirs of
salvation, and Jesus is to reign as King of kings and Lord of
lords. 579
This declaration by Christ of the close of probation is made in the final

chapter of the book of Revelation. Verse 10 has just said, “the time is at
hand.”
Here at the end of the book of Revelation, Christ announces the close of
probation. This is His guarantee that the prophecies that have been
foretold thus far will come to pass.
At the end of the seven churches, the Laodicean church listens to the
knock on the door of their hearts to let Christ come in. Then they will
overcome as He did, and they will be sealed and fitted for translation.
At the end of the seven seals, the 144,000 receive the seal of the living
God, and then the four winds are released as probation closes.
At the end of the seven trumpets, the mystery of God, which is Christ in
you the hope of glory, is finished, and God’s people are sealed.
The three angels’ messages will have been proclaimed and will have done
their work in conjunction with the loud cry of Revelation 18.
Now Christ can make this momentous proclamation. Probation has

closed. He is coming quickly. This coincides with Daniel 12:1:
As the message of the book comes to an end, Christ reveals who will be
ready and who will be found unready when His ministry in the sanctuary
ceases.
And, Behold, I Come Quickly: For the second time in Revelation 22,
Jesus says, “Behold, I come quickly.” Now that probation has closed,
Christ can truly say, “Behold, I come quickly.” The seven last plagues will
come in quick succession after probation closes, and then Christ will
appear in the clouds of heaven.
And My Reward Is With Me, To Give Every Man According as His
Work Shall Be: When Jesus comes, He brings His “reward” with Him.
The Greek word for “reward” is misthos and means “hire,” “wages,” or
“that which is due.” This same word is used in Matthew 5:12, 46; 20:8; and
2 Peter 2:13. 580 The verse here in Revelation 22:12 is quoting Isaiah 40:9–
11:
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high
mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy
voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of
Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come with
strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is
with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a
shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them
in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Isaiah 40:10 is the specific reference for this passage in Revelation 22:12,
but the greater context from verses 9–11 of Isaiah 40 makes it clear that
the “reward” that Christ brings with Him for the righteous is that of
eternal life in heaven and the new earth. He is the Lamb of God who
leads us as the Great Shepherd throughout eternity.
The “reward” Christ gives to the wicked is annihilation and eternal death,
as seen in Revelation 20.
Every human being receives “that which is due” based on the life that they
have lived. Those who have been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20)
have the works of Christ produced within them. Those who remain
carnal have the sinful works of the flesh as their life record.
The illustration of Matthew 25:31–46 about the contrast between the

sheep and the goats fits this passage very clearly. The sheep do the works
of Christ by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and visiting those
who are sick and in prison. The goats fail to do such actions.
To the righteous, God says in Matthew 25:34,
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world.
He defines the destiny of both the wicked and righteous in Matthew

25:46:
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the

righteous into life eternal.
The reward for the righteous and the wicked is clear, and the contrast
between their works is very distinct. The righteous do the works of Christ
while the wicked are selfish and live for themselves.
I Am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the
Last: God the Father is “Alpha and Omega” in Revelation 21:6. Jesus is
“Alpha and Omega” in Revelation 1:8 and 1:11, and He is here as well in
Revelation 22:13. As seen in the prior passages, “Alpha and Omega” are
the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. They are “descriptive of the
Lord as the Creator of all things and as the beginning and final revelation
of God to men.” 581
As Creator and “Alpha,” in Genesis 1:1, He is present in the beginning. As

“Omega,” He reveals Himself at the end of the Bible in Revelation 22. He
is present from the beginning to the end of Scripture. He is “the First and
the Last.”
The working out of the plan of salvation from first to last is

bound up in Christ Jesus. The three titles of this verse gather up
the activities of Christ in relation to man’s salvation. 582
Christ is found throughout the Bible from beginning to end, and He has
made eternal life possible for all who accept Him as Savior and Lord.
Blessed Are They That Do His Commandments: This is the seventh and
final blessing in the book of Revelation. The seven blessings lined up in
order create a beautiful message:
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this
prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the
time is at hand. (Revelation 1:3)
And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed
are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the
Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do
follow them. (Revelation 14:13)
Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth

his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
(Revelation 16:15)
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called
unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me,
These are the true sayings of God. (Revelation 19:9)
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on

such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of
God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
(Revelation 20:6)
Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of

the prophecy of this book. (Revelation 22:7)
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have
right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into
the city. (Revelation 22:14)
There is some debate as to whether this passage should say, “Blessed are
they that wash their robes” as opposed to “Blessed are that do His
commandments.” While the KJV and NKJV translate the passage as “do
His commandments,” the NASB and other translations translate it as
“wash their robes.”
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary has this to say on the topic:
The two clauses are very similar in the Greek, and it is easy to
see how a scribe may have mistaken the one clause for the
other. …
The following transliteration will show the similarity: hoi

poiountes tas entolas autou, “that keep his commandments”; hoi
plunontes tas stolas auton, “that wash their robes.” 583
The phrase “wash their robes” comes from the Byzantine family of
manuscripts whereas the phrase “do their commandments” comes from
the Textus Receptus of Erasmus upon which the KJV is based.584
While Revelation 7:14 describes the righteous who “have washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” we also have
Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 14:12 that describe God’s last-day people
who “keep the commandments of God.”
Loren M. K. Nelson has good insight on this debate:
Instead of “do His commandments,” some manuscripts read

“blessed are they that wash their robes.” Smith demurs: “There
seems to be good evidence that the first is the original, from
which the latter is a variation through transcription errors.
Thus the Syriac New Testament, one of the very earliest
translations from the original Greek, reads according to the
Authorized Version. And Cyprian, whose writings antedate any
extant Greek manuscript, quotes the text as reading, ‘Blessed
are they that do His commandments.’ We may therefore safely
consider this as the genuine reading.”
Contextually, the message from Jesus in verse 12 fits

commandment keeping better than robe washing. In harmony
with verse 15, the lawless are contrasted with the obedient.
Those who love to break God’s commandments are excluded
from heaven. On the other hand, those who love Jesus and keep
His commandments have right to the tree of life because His
grace and power have saved them from sin. 585
Nelson’s point on the context is very strong as the next verse describes
commandment-breakers. Specifically, we see in Revelation 22:15 the
sexually immoral (seventh commandment), murderers (sixth
commandment), idolaters (first commandment), and liars (ninth
commandment). These lawbreakers, in contrast to the righteous who “do
his commandments,” are left outside the New Jerusalem.
When Jesus says, “Blessed are they that do his commandments,” He refers
to all of the righteous who enter into the New Jerusalem. All in the
kingdom of God are obedient to the light to the degree that it was given
them. As the Christian church fell into the great apostasy, the Sabbath
was discarded for worship on the pagan day of Sunday.
During the Dark Ages, when light broke through that led to the
Protestant Reformation, the faithful reformers continued to observe
Sunday as the Sabbath rather than the seventh-day Sabbath. God judges
all of these people according to the light and opportunity for knowledge
that they had.
However, those living at the end of the world have complete light. God
raised up the Second Advent movement, known as the Seventh-day
Adventist Church, for the purpose of rediscovering the light on all ten
commandments. The faithfulness of those alive at the end of the world to
all ten commandments represents what all the other righteous would
have done if they had been given the same light and opportunities.
Jesus can say “Blessed are they that do his commandments” because He
has a faithful people at the end of the world who are the fulfillment of
Revelation 14:12:
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the
commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
At the end of the world, God can decisively say that it is truly possible to
keep all ten commandments. He has a people who have fully kept them.
They are a demonstration of what all the other righteous would have
done if given the same opportunity. As the book of Revelation is the
Revelation of Jesus Christ, those who “do his commandments” are a
revelation of Him.
This faithfulness is possible because Christ has finished His work as our
High Priest, in which He writes His law into our hearts and minds:
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their
mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a
God, and they shall be to me a people. (Hebrews 8:10)
Truly, there is a blessing in allowing God to write His law into our hearts
and minds, so that it can be said of us, “Blessed are they that do his
commandments.”
That They May Have Right to the Tree of Life, and May Enter in
Through the Gates Into the City: The context of this blessing is
immediately obvious in the next section of the verse. Those who “do His
commandments” will “have right to the tree of life, and may enter in
through the gates into the city.”
Obedience is not optional. While it does not give us merit in our standing
before God, it is the evidence that we have given our hearts to God.
Obedience is like a passport that is required to partake of the tree of life
and to enter through the gates of the New Jerusalem. It is evidence that
we have given consent to Christ to be the Lord of our lives so that He can
live out His life within us.
The law is holy, just, and good (Romans 7:12). Jesus is holy (Acts 3:14),
just (Acts 7:52), and good (Luke 18:19). Those “who do His
commandments” and partake of the tree of life and enter into the New
Jerusalem are also holy, just, and good by the grace and power of God.
God ensures that there will be no further challenges to the authority and
rightness of His law. Those who keep the law, by God’s grace, are a
demonstration that Lucifer’s charges against the law of God are false.
What a blessing it will be to have “right to the tree of life,” ensuring

immortality, and to “enter in through the gates into the city”!
For Without Are Dogs, and Sorcerers, and Whoremongers, and

Murderers, and Idolaters, and Whosover Loveth and Maketh a Lie:
Outside of the city are the unrighteous who break the commandments of
God. This list is very similar to Revelation 21:8:
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and

murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire
and brimstone: which is the second death.
In Revelation 21:8, these lawbreakers burn in the lake of fire and

experience the second death. In Revelation 22:15, they are outside the
city. The lake of fire is poured out upon those who are outside of the New
Jerusalem, as seen in Revelation 20:9:
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the
camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came
down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
An additional group of people in this list are “dogs.” This title for the
ungodly is also found in Philippians 3:2.
The term succinctly describes those who are shameless,

impudent, malignant, snarling, dissatisfied, and contentious. 586
The term “dog” is also used in Deuteronomy 23:17–18 to describe
homosexuality:
There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite

of the sons of Israel. Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or
the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any
vow; for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary gives helpful understanding

regarding “dog” in Deuteronomy 23:17–18:
The word “dog” is here used to designate the person mentioned

in v. 17 as a “sodomite.” It is a contemptuous term in Hebrew (1
Sam. 17:43; 2 Sam. 16:9; Isa. 56:10). Compare the apostle John’s
description of those who may not enter the eternal kingdom
(Rev 22:15).587
In the modern culture at the end of the world, homosexuality has been
accepted within the secular worldview, and even within the Christian
church some are embracing it. However, those who participate in this sin
are given special mention for those who will be outside the New
Jerusalem.
All of these wicked people in verse 15, who have not kept God’s
commandments, partake of the second death and are burned up in the
lake of fire. They are kept outside of the city and are not allowed to enter
through the gates. They will never partake of the tree of life.
I Jesus Have Sent Mine Angel to Testify Unto You These Things in the
Churches: As the book of Revelation comes to a conclusion, Christ
repeats at the end of the book what He said at the very beginning:
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew
unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he
sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.
(Revelation 1:1)
Jesus verified and authenticated the entire message of Revelation. Notice
what Uriah Smith said about this:
Jesus testifies these things in the churches, showing that the

entire book of Revelation is given to the seven churches, which
is another incidental proof that the seven churches are
representatives of the church through the entire gospel age. 588
Jesus said he had “sent mine angel.” This is the same angel of Revelation
1:1. Uriah Smith also provided good commentary regarding the identity
of this angel:
Christ sent and made known the Revelation to John by “His

angel.” A particular angel seems to be brought to view here.
What angel could appropriately be called Christ’s angel? We
found an answer to this question in our study, as will be seen in
the comments on Daniel 10:21. From that study we concluded
that the truths to be revealed to Daniel were committed
exclusively to Christ, and to an angel whose name was Gabriel.
Similar to the work of communicating important truth to the
“beloved prophet” is the work of Christ in the book of
Revelation—transmitting important truth to the “beloved
disciple.” Who in this work can be His angel but the one who
was engaged with Daniel in the former work of prophecy, that
is, the angel Gabriel? It would also seem most appropriate that
the same angel who was employed to carry messages to the
“beloved” prophet of ancient times, should perform the same
office for the prophet John in the gospel age. 589
Gabriel is second only to Michael, or Christ, in the knowledge of

Scripture and prophecy:
But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth:
and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but
Michael your prince. (Daniel 10:21)
Thus, it is perfectly logical that Gabriel is the angel who explained to John
the Revelator the truths of the prophecy of this book.
I Am the Root and the Offspring of David: Jesus is also identified as the
root of David in Revelation 5:5:
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion
of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the
book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
This title of Jesus as “the Root and the Offspring of David” identifies Him
as a Son of humanity. Furthermore, it identifies Him as the King of
mankind and as conqueror over their enemy.
This title is drawn from Isa. 11:1, 10, which speaks, literally, of
the “shoot of the stock [LXX, “root”] of Jesse” and the “root of
Jesse,” David’s father. In Rom. 15:12 Paul applies the latter
figure to Christ, implying that Christ is a second David. David
was also Israel’s greatest king and military hero. The Davidic
concept of the Messiah was essentially that of a conqueror who
would restore the king to Israel. … Although Christ did not
restore a literal kingdom to the Jews, His victory in the greater
controversy with Satan does restore the kingdom in an
infinitely greater and more important sense. Therefore … this
title is most fitting. 590
As the book of Revelation concludes, Christ announces that He is King

and Conqueror and is establishing His kingdom which will have no end.
Finally, the fulfillment of Luke 1:32–33 is seen:
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and
the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there shall be no end.
The Bright and Morning Star: Jesus is first prophesied as a “Star” by

Balaam in Numbers 24:17:
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh:
there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of
Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the
children of Sheth.
Jesus is the “Star” that came out of Jacob. His light shines upon all who
receive Him as seen in John 1:9:
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world.
As the “Star,” Jesus is connected to the light that comes through prophecy:
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)
Jesus, as “the Day Star,” arises in our hearts, and we study the prophecies
that shine the light of Him into the darkness of this world. Revelation is
the most comprehensive book of prophecy, revealing the light of Jesus in
the darkness of this world.
Jesus was also described as the “morning star” during the Dark Ages of
the church of Thyatira:
And I will give him the morning star. (Revelation 2:28)
Even in the darkness of the Dark Ages of papal supremacy, the light of
Jesus shone through the darkness of that time.
The peak illumination of Jesus as the “bright and morning star” prior to
the Second Coming has yet to be seen, but it will be fulfilled when the
loud cry of Revelation 18:1 commences:
And after these things I saw another angel come down from
heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his
glory.
However, this light in Revelation 18 is simply a foreshadowing of the
brightness of Christ’s glory that we will see in heaven:
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine
in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light
thereof. (Revelation 21:23)
Jesus sent His angel Gabriel to communicate to all of the seven churches
that He is of “the Root and Offspring of David.” He truly is one of us, but
He is also our King. He is the “bright and morning star” who has given us
the light of prophecy through the book of Revelation. He makes it very
clear that all of the prophecies within the book of Revelation are from
Him. As The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary says, “The
messages to the churches of all ages can have no greater authentication
than that here given.”591
APPLICATION: As the time for the return of Jesus draws near, we are also
coming upon the time when probation will close. We want to be among
those of whom Jesus says, “and he that is righteous, let him be righteous
still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Those who are righteous
and holy are the obedient who “do his commandments.” They have come
from the remnant church (Revelation 12:17), and they have proclaimed
the three angels’ messages. They are part of the special group described in
Revelation 14:12.
It is sadly ironic that many in the Christian world, and even in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church, deny the possibility of perfect obedience
to God’s law. However, this is the time in which God is raising up a
people who will be a demonstration of perfect obedience to the law of
God.
As we come to love and trust God completely, we learn to obey Him

(John 14:15). There are many things that distract us from perfect
obedience to the law of God. Yet a time is coming when Michael will
stand up and probation will close.
This moment will come as a thief to many, as Ellen White so eloquently

stated here:
Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive

hour which marks the fixing of every man’s destiny, the final
withdrawal of mercy’s offer to guilty men.
“Watch ye therefore: … lest coming suddenly He find you

sleeping.” Mark 13:35, 36. Perilous is the condition of those
who, growing weary of their watch, turn to the attractions of
the world. While the man of business is absorbed in the pursuit
of gain, while the pleasure lover is seeking indulgence, while
the daughter of fashion is arranging her adornments—it may
be in that hour the Judge of all the earth will pronounce the
sentence: “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found
wanting.” Daniel 5:27. 592
May we watch and pray and allow Christ to live out His obedient life
through us so that our names will be found written in the book of life
when probation closes.
OBSERVATION: The book of Revelation closes with a final invitation and a
final warning from Christ.
And the Spirit and the Bride Say, Come: The Third Person of the
Godhead adds His voice here at the close of the book of the Revelation.
His invitation is united with the bride, the Lamb’s wife, which we saw in
Revelation 19:7; 21:9–10. She is the New Jerusalem. We have seen the
glories of the New Jerusalem, especially in Revelation 21. The Holy Spirit
and the New Jerusalem beckon us to come and receive the invitation to
be present at the marriage supper of the Lamb as guests at the wedding
(Revelation 19:7–9) and throughout eternity.
And Let Him that Heareth Say, Come: Not only is the gospel invitation
given from heaven, it is also given by each individual who receives the gift
of salvation. God implores each of us to extend the invitation to the world
to be ready for the Second Coming. This is why the proclamation of the
three angels’ messages of Revelation 14 and the loud cry of Revelation 18
are given by God’s people. It is a unique privilege to join with heaven in
proclaiming the message of invitation to the entire world.
And Let Him That Is Athirst, Come. And Whosever Will, Let Him
Take the Water of Life Freely: Those who are thirsty for the things of
God are commanded to come. The water of life is offered freely. This
spiritual truth is seen in Isaiah 55:1:
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that
hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and
milk without money and without price.
We also find this truth in Matthew 5:6:
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:

for they shall be filled.
The promise is given that if we are thirsty for the righteousness of God,
we will receive it as a free gift through faith.
For I Testify Unto Every Man That Heareth the Words of the Prophecy
of This Book, If Any Man Shall Add Unto These Things, God Shall Add
Unto Him the Plagues That Are Written in This Book: Jesus is the One
who testifies here. This is made clear in verse 20, which says, “He which
testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly.”
This final warning from Jesus Himself is highly significant. He addresses

all who hear “the words of this prophecy.” If anyone adds to the words of
Scripture as found in the prophecies of Revelation, they will receive the
And If Any Man Shall Take Away From the Words of the Book of This
Prophecy, God Shall Take Away His Part Out of the Book of Life, and
Out of the Holy City, and From the Things Which Are Written in This
Book: Christ does not want anything to be added to the words of the
prophecies of Revelation. Nor does He want anything to be taken away
from these prophecies.
Moses gave similar commands to the children of Israel in Deuteronomy

4:2 and 12:32 respectively:
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither
shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the
commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. …
What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt

not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Those who take away from the prophetic messages in Revelation have
their names removed from the book of life, their place in the Holy City
taken away (Christ has mansions prepared for all), and they will lose out
on all of the blessings that are promised to the righteous in the book of
Revelation. There is nothing in this life that remotely comes close to
compensating for the loss of eternal life.
Despite these warnings in verses 18 and 19, there are false teachers who
have added and taken away from these prophetic messages.
Considering that the plagues are poured out upon the beast, these false
teachings must originate from the first beast of Revelation 13 and are in
contrast to the clear historicist prophetic messages of Revelation. In
response to the Protestant Reformation, the Jesuits started a Counter
Reformation introducing the teachings of preterism593 and futurism.594
Preterism teaches that all of the prophecies have already been fulfilled.
Futurism places the fulfillment of the prophecies in the future. Both
perspectives take the focus off of the papacy as the antichrist power of
Daniel and Revelation. Those who promote these false prophecies will
receive the punishment of the seven last plagues as has been foretold by
Christ.
While Catholicism has embraced the false teachings of preterism and

futurism, Evangelical Protestant Christianity has also largely accepted
these doctrines. As part of fallen Babylon, they have lost their historical
understanding of prophecy, and they no longer see the dangers of the
Roman Catholic church-state power as the antichrist power. This has
prepared the way for many within the Protestant churches to receive the
mark of the beast and to receive the seven last plagues.
There is another significant false teaching that takes away from the
prophecies of Revelation. We see clearly in Revelation 12:17; 14:12; and
22:14 that God will have a people that keep the commandments of God.
Much of the Christian world teaches that followers of Christ will continue
to break the commandments until the Second Coming. They deny the
prophecies that God will have a people who really do keep the
commandments. Obedience is denounced as legalism. Those who engage
in these false teachings will have their names removed from the book of
life, they will lose their inheritance in the New Jerusalem, and they will
miss out on the eternal blessings that are promised.
These two verses (vs. 18–19) at the end of the book of Revelation make it
clear why it is so important to accept the Bible as it reads and to claim by
faith the promises of God. We would do well to remember the promise of
Ephesians 3:20:
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all

that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
Rather than adapting the messages of Scripture and of the prophecies of

Revelation to our human experience, by faith we must accept God’s
promises and learn to live by every word that He has given us.
He Which Testifieth These Things Saith, Surely I Come Quickly: “He
which testifieth these things” is Jesus, who testified with a warning to not
add or take away from the prophecies of the book of Revelation (vs. 18–
19). Now, He testifies for the third time in Revelation 22 with the
message, “Surely I come quickly.”
Jesus is truly coming soon! When the prophecies reach their fulfillment,
He will come quickly. This is His final promise in the book of Revelation.
These are His final words. The remaining words of the book are John’s
final comments. It is very faith-affirming to know that the last words of
Jesus in the book of Revelation are, “Surely I come quickly.” It reminds us
of the promise in Acts 1:9–11:
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was
taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while
they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two
men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of
Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus,
which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
The promise of the Second Coming is the blessed hope that all true
believers and followers of Christ look forward to, as stated in Titus 2:11–
14:
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all
men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we
should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us,
that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Jesus is coming quickly for those who are looking for the blessed hope.
Those that He comes for will be redeemed from all iniquity and will be
purified. They will be a holy people “zealous of good works.” The time is
now for us to become that people. Jesus has made all the provisions
necessary for us to be that people. His final promise is that He surely is
coming quickly. What a promise to have from Christ Himself!
Amen. Even So, Come, Lord Jesus: John responded to Christ’s final
promise that He is coming quickly with a heartfelt response, saying,
“Amen.” May it be so. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” His response is the
desire of all true followers of Jesus.
John had heard this promise when he was in the upper room just before
Jesus died:
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in

me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I
would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you
unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:1–3)
John had utmost confidence in the promise of Christ’s return, and we can
believe this promise as well. As Christ’s followers, it should be the cry of
our hearts to say, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ Be With You All. Amen: John gives
a fitting benediction to the glorious prophetic book of Revelation. May
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ truly be with each one of us as we
prepare ourselves for His soon return. His grace will sustain us through
the trials that lie ahead, and truly, His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians
12:9). Amen.
APPLICATION: The promise of the Second Coming is real. The signs of

Christ’s soon return are all around us. Many of the prophecies of
Revelation have already been fulfilled. The first beast of Revelation 13 has
reigned for 1,260 years and received its deadly wound in 1798. It is
waiting for its resurrection. The second beast of Revelation 13, as the
Protestant United States of America, is on the cusp of speaking as a
dragon when the national Sunday law is passed.
God is waiting for the fulfillment of Revelation 14:12:
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the
commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
He is coming quickly, and He will have a people that “keep the

commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” They will be His people
who have “right to the tree of life,” and they will enter in through the
gates of the Holy City.
May we be that faithful generation who lives to see these promises

fulfilled. God brought us onto this earth at this time to be the generation
who demonstrates, through the power of God, that God’s promises are
true and that His law can truly be kept.
Those who are faithful at the end of the world are a demonstration of the
faithfulness of God’s power. God flips the great controversy around
against the devil. Satan was a perfect being in a perfect environment and
claimed that God’s law was arbitrary and could not be kept by him or the
angels who were cast out of heaven.
The warfare against God’s law, which was begun in heaven, will
be continued until the end of time. Every man will be tested.
Obedience or disobedience is the question to be decided by the
whole world. All will be called to choose between the law of
God and the laws of men. Here the dividing line will be drawn.
There will be but two classes. Every character will be fully
developed; and all will show whether they have chosen the side
of loyalty or that of rebellion.
Then the end will come. God will vindicate His law and deliver
His people. Satan and all who have joined him in rebellion will
be cut off. Sin and sinners will perish, root and branch,
(Malachi 4:1),—Satan the root, and his followers the branches.
595
At the end of the world, Christ produces a faithful generation of people

from those who are as weak as any humans that have ever lived. They
have all of the liabilities and inherited weaknesses of humanity from six
thousand years of sin. Despite these weaknesses, this last generation
believes in the promises of God, that He can produce an obedient people
like Him in character. Their faithfulness forever silences the charges of
Satan. By the grace and power of Christ, if a weak, sinful people living in
the most wicked era of the history of the world can be perfectly obedient,
then Satan’s charges against God and His government are completely
without merit.
Christ will be victorious in this great controversy against Satan. He will

produce a people who “keep the commandments of God and the faith of
Jesus.” He is giving you and me the opportunity to be among that
number. It is my hope and prayer that we will be among the 144,000 who
stand on Mount Zion with the Lamb.
Well may we claim the promise of Jude 24–25:
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to
present you faultless before the presence of his glory with
exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and
majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
1 Ellen G. White, The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol.
7 (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association
1957), 971
2 The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7 (Washington,
D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1957), 731
3 Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons (Washington, D.C.: Review
and Herald Publishing Association, 1941), 133
4 Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers
(Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1962),
114
5 Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 1 (Washington, D.C.: Review
7 Ibid.
8 Norman McNulty, Commentary on the Book of Daniel: Practical
Living in the Judgment Hour (Coldwater, MI: Remnant
Publications, 2019), 265–266
9 Uriah Smith, Daniel and the Revelation (Nashville, TN: Southern
Publishing Association, 1944), 350–351
10 Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6 (Nampa, ID:
Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1948), 128
11 Taylor G. Bunch, The Seven Epistles of Christ (Washington, D.C.:
Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1947), 97
13 Ibid., 745
14 Ellen G. White, “Losing our First Love,” The Review and Herald,
June 7, 1887
15 Ellen G. White, “The Law and the Gospel,” The Bible Echo, February
8, 1897
16 Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing
Association, 1993), 63
17 Ellen G. White, Early Writings (Hagerstown, MD: Review & Herald
19 Ibid., 749. There is an excellent discussion here on the development
of the seat of Satan.
22 C. Mervyn Maxwell, God Cares, vol. 2 (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press
Publishing Association, 1985), 99
26 See B. G. Wilkinson, Truth Triumphant; J. A. Wylie, The History of
Protestantism; J. H. Merle D’ Aubigne, The History of the
Reformation; and Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy
27 Norman McNulty, Daniel: Practical Living in the Judgment Hour
(Coldwater, MI: Remnant Publications, 2019), 257–265
30 Ibid., 125–126
32 Ibid., 752
33 Ibid., 752
34 Ibid.
35 Ibid., 755
36 C. Mervyn Maxwell. God Cares, vol. 2 (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press
38 Ellen G. White, Early Writings (Hagerstown, MD: Review and
Herald Publishing Association, 1882), 54–56
Publications, 2019), 222, 267, 270
D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1957), 757–758
41 Ibid., 758
and Herald Publishing Association, 1958), 74. See also Early
Writings (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing
Association, 1882), 54–56
43 Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press
45 Ellen G. White, A Word to the Little Flock (Washington, D.C.:
46 Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2 (Washington, D.C.: Review and
Herald Publishing Association, 1945), 32
Publishing Association, 1911), 636. See also p. 619 and the chapter
“The Time of Trouble.”
48 Ibid.
49 Ibid., 621
53 Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2 (Washington, D.C.: Review and
54 Ellen G. White, “The Righteousness of Christ,” The Review and
Herald, August 19, 1890
57 See Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers
130; and Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2 (Washington, D.C.: Review and
7 (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association,
1957), 963
59 Ellen G. White, Letters and Manuscripts, vol. 5 (Ellen G. White
Estate, 1888), Manuscript 15
60 Ellen G. White, The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials (Ellen G. White
Estate, 1987), 1052
and Herald Publishing Association, 1941), 311–312
Pacific Press Publishing Association 1948), 88–89
65 Ibid.
67 Ellen G. White, “The Truth as It Is in Jesus,” The Review and Herald,
June 17, 1890
68 Ellen G. White, “Camp-Meeting at Ottawa, Kansas,” The Review and
Herald, July 23, 1889
69 Ellen G. White, Faith and Works (Nashville, TN: Southern
71 Ellen G. White, “The Obedient Approved of God,” The Review and
Herald, August 28, 1894
73 Ellen G. White, Education (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing
74 Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 20 (Silver Spring, MD:
Ellen G. White Estate, 1993), 197
77 Ibid., 576–577
79 Ibid.
80 Ibid.
81 Norman McNulty. Commentary on the Book of Daniel: Practical
84 Ibid., 268
86 Ibid.
87 Ibid.
88 Ibid., 771–772
89 Ibid., 772
90 Ibid., 772, see also Norman McNulty, Commentary on the Book of
Daniel: Practical Living in the Judgment Hour (Coldwater, MI:
Remnant Publications, 2019), 94. Daniel 7:8 shows the eyes of man
referring to the intelligence of man.
Estate, 1897), MS15.
433
95 Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press
96 Ibid., 835
98 Alberto R. Treiyer, Apocalypse: Seals and Trumpets (Adventist
Distinctive Messages, 2005), 41
100 Ibid., 425–426
101 Ibid., 426
102 Ibid., 405
104 Ibid.
Publishing Association, 1944), 429–430; Quoting William Miller,
Evidence From Scripture and History of the Second Coming of
Christ, 176
108 Kenneth Mathews, Jr., Revelation Reveals Jesus, vol. 1 (Greeneville,
TN: Second Coming Publishing, 2012), 344
Publications, 2019), 88
114 Austin Cooke, An Enduring Vision: Revelation Revealed (Ringgold,
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 225
115 Kenneth Mathews, Jr., Revelation Reveals Jesus (Greeneville, TN:
Second Coming Publishing, 2012), 372–373
116 Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press
117 Ellen G. White, Maranatha (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald
120 Levi was one of the twelve sons and was a tribe of Israel but was
given six cities of refuge rather than a territory in Israel. Joseph’s
family was divided into two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.
123 Ibid., 214
124 Ellen G. White, The Adventist Home (Hagerstown, MD: Review and
125 See Austin Cooke, An Enduring Vision: Revelation Revealed
(Ringgold, GA: Teach Services, 2014), 225 and Kenneth Mathews,
Jr., Revelation Reveals Jesus (Greenville, TN: Second Coming
Publishing, 2012), 396–402
126 Ranko Stefanovic, Revelation of Jesus Christ: Commentary on the
Book of Revelation (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press,
2002), 265
127 Ellen G. White, Christian Service (Washington, D.C.: General
Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1947), 41
131 Ellen G. White, “Hearing and Doing,” The Signs of the Times,
September 24, 1896.
Second Coming Publishing, 2012), 399
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 242–243
134 Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1 (Mountain View,
CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1948), 78
138 Eugene Prewitt, http://bibledoc.org/revelation-class/revelation-8-to-
11-and-the-seven-trumpets
141 Ibid.
TN: Second Coming Publishing, 2012), 444–445
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 262; Direct quote at end from Edward
Walford, trans., The Ecclesiastical History of Solomon, Comprising a
History of the Church from AD 324 to AD 440, book IX (London:
Henry G. Bohn, 1855), 413
147 Ibid.
149 Thomas Hodgkin, The Dynasty of Theodosius (Oxford: Clarendon
Press, 1889), 219–220
152 S.N. Haskell, Story of the Seer of Patmos (Nashville, TN: Southern
Publishing Association, 1944), 485. Quoting Alexander Keith, The
Signs of the Times. vol. 1, 267–269
157 Ibid., 389. Quoting from Edward B. Elliott, Hora Apocalyptica, vol.
I, 354–356, 484
158 The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Washington, D.C.:
160 Ibid., 163
GA: Teach Services), 275; Quoting Jean-Francois Peyron, quoted in
Chevalier de Bourgoanne, Travels in Spain, vol. III (London: G.G.J.
and J. Robinson, 1789). Also quoting E.B. Elliott, Horae
Apocalypticae; or A Commentary on the Apocalypse, Critical and
Historical, 1:44–46
162 Ibid., 273
163 The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Washington, D.C.:
165 C. Mervyn Maxwell, God Cares, vol. 2 (Boise, ID: Pacific Press
Publishing Association, 1985), 243; emphasis and parenthetical
statement in the original
GA: Teach Services) 282–283; Quoting B.G. Wilkinson. Truth
Triumphant: The Church in the Wilderness (Rapidan, VA: Hartland
Publications, 1995), 261–291 and 277
173 Ibid., 281–282. Quoting Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall
of the Roman Empire, vol. 5, 489–490
174 Ibid., 282
175 See Ibid., 289; Loren M. K. Nelson, Understanding the Mysteries of
Daniel and Revelation (Coldwater, MI: Remnant Publications,
2010), 243–244; Kenneth Mathews, Jr., Revelation Reveals Jesus
(Greeneville, TN: Second Coming Publishing, 2012), 476
176 Alberto Treiyer, The Seals and the Trumpets (Adventist Distinctive
Messages, 2005), 319
179 Austin Cooke, An Enduring Vision: Revelation Revealed. (Ringgold,
TN: Second Coming Publishing), 478; Quoting Job 39:19–20 from
New Living Translation
181 Ibid., 479
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 278; Quoting M. Niebuhr, quoted in
Philip Atwood, A Key to the Revelation of St. John, the Divine
(London: C.J.G. and F. Rivington, 1829), 1:340
(Ringgold, GA: Teach Services, 2014), 279
188 Ibid., 479
190 Ibid., 280
191 Ibid., 283–284
192 J.N. Loughborough, The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise
and Progress (Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing Association,
1905), 128
Publishing Association, 1944), 502–503; Quoting Edward Gibbon,
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. VI, 226
195 Ibid., 503
196 Ibid., 505; Quoting Josiah Litch, Prophetic Expositions, vol. II, 180
199 Ibid., 294
200 Ibid., 295
201 See Kenneth Mathews, Jr., Revelation Reveals Jesus, vol. 1
(Greeneville, TN: Second Coming Publishing), 483
202 Ranko Stefanovic, Revelation of Jesus Christ (Berrien Springs, MI:
Andrews University Press, 2002), 311. See also Hans LaRondelle,
How to Understand the End-Time Prophecies of the Bible (Sarasota,
FL: First Impressions, 1997)
203 Alberto Treiyer, The Seals and the Trumpets (Adventist Distinctive
Messages, 2005), 331
205 Ibid., 506
206 Ibid., 507; Quoting Josiah Litch, Prophetic Expositions, vol. II, 182–
183
207 Ibid., 507
209 Ibid., 300
210 Ibid., 300
211 Josiah Litch, Prophetic Expositions, vol. II, 182–183
213 Ibid., Quoting Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall
of the Roman Empire, 9:203, 211, 217–220
214 Ibid., 307
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 304. Quoting E.B. Elliott, Horae
Apocalypticae, or a Commentary on the Apocalypse, Critical and
Historica, 514
217 Ibid., 305
Publishing Association, 1944), 512–513. Quoting Josiah Litch,
Prophetic Expositions, vol. II, 189 and The Probability of the Second
Coming of Christ about AD 1843, 157
Publishing Association, 1944), 517 (emphasis in original)
223 Ibid.
1957), 971
1957), 971
227 Ibid.
228 Ibid.
229 Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press
1957), 971
233 Ibid.
234 Ellen G. White, “What Shall We Do That We Might Work the Works
of God?” The Review and Herald, April 21, 1891
235 Hiram Edson, Fragment of manuscript on his life and experience, 8–
9. Quoted in Francis D. Nichol, The Midnight Cry (Brushton, NY:
Teach Services, 2000), 247–248
237 P. Gerard Damsteegt, “Blessings of the
Disappointment,”http://www.andrews.edu/~damsteeg/Dis.html
242 Ibid., 273
Publishing Association, 1911), 269. For more information read the
entire chapter, “The Bible and the French Revolution,” 265–288
244 Ibid., 269–270. Quoting Sir Walter Scott, Life of Napoleon, vol. 1, ch.
17
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 346. See also J.A. Wylie, The History of
Protestantism, 2:140–145, 557–562; 3:329–347; 1:37–46, 50
247 Ibid., 608
248 For a complete discussion on the war between these powers, see
Norman McNulty, Commentary on the Book of Daniel: Practical
250 Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, The German Constitution, 1802.
Translated by H. B. Nisbet for Cambridge University Press.
251 Marxism is a method of socioeconomi analysis that uses a
materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as
historical materialism, to understand class relations and social
conflict as well as a dialectical perspective to view social
transformation. See Richard Wolff and Stephen Resnick, Economics:
Marxian versus Neoclassical (The Johns Hopkins University Press,
1987), 130
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 346. Quoting Leroy Froom, Prophetic
Faith of Our Fathers, 2:741, and William Holden Hutton, Age of
Revolution (London: The Macmillan Company, 1908), 256 and
referencing William Milligan Sloane, The French Revolution and
Religious Reform (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1901), 229
and E. De Pressense, The Church and the French Revolution
(London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1869), 394–396
Publishing Association, 1911), 274–275. Quoting Lacretelle, History,
11:309; in Sir Archibald Alison, History of Europe, vol. 1, ch. 10
254 https://www.nationalreview.com/2016/04/eric-walsh-georgia-
public-health-doctor-fired-christian-beliefs/
255 Ellen G. White, Last Day Events (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press
257 Ibid., 286
261 Decree of June 19, 1790, quoted in Jean Brissaud, A History of
French Public Law (Boston, MA: Little, Brown, and Company,
1915), 296
Publishing Association, 1944), 542. Quoting George Storrs,
Midnight Cry, May 4, 1843, vol. IV, Nos. 5–6, p. 48
263 For a more in-depth discussion of the deadly wound, see
observation of Revelation 13:3 in this book.
264 Ellen G. White, Education (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing
266 Ellen G. White, Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students
(Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1943), 414–415
268 See again discussion from Revelation 5:3–5 in this book and Ellen G.
White’s statement from Manuscript Releases, vol. 20 (Silver Spring,
MD: Ellen G. White Estate, 1993), 197, in which one of the elders is
referred to as a strong angel.
270 Ibid., 85–86
271 Ellen G. White, “A Message to Our Churches,” Review and Herald,
January 28, 1909
273 Ellen G. White, My Life Today (Hagerstown, MD: Review and
278 See also Norman McNulty, Commentary on the Book of Daniel:
Practical Living in the Judgment Hour (Coldwater, MI: Remnant
Publications, 2019), 250–251, for a discussion of Mt. Zion
representing God’s people.
280 Ibid., 379
282 Scholars who affirm that the great red dragon is Satan include C.
Mervyn Maxwell, God Cares, vol 2 (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press
Publishing Association, 1985), 309, 320. See also Kenneth Mathews,
Jr., Revelation Reveals Jesus (Greeneville, TN: Second Coming
Publishing, 2012), 633. There are some reputable historicist scholars
who believe that the great red dragon represents pagan Rome. It is
true that pagan Rome was the persecutor of God’s people at the time
of Christ’s birth. However, this fails to take into account that
Revelation 12:9 specifically identifies the dragon. Further, one of the
great red dragon’s seven heads is pagan Rome, and the dragon
continues as a persecutor of the woman beyond the time of pagan
Rome when the church flees into the wilderness, and at the end of
the world when the dragon persecutes the remnant church. See
Austin Cooke, An Enduring Vision: Revelation Revealed (Ringgold,
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 381–382. See also Uriah Smith, Daniel
and the Revelation (Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing Association,
1944), 551–553
283 A very detailed exposition of the seven heads and the kingdoms
represented will be discussed in Revelation 17.
284 There are some scholars who believe that the ten horns represent the
division of the Western Roman Empire into the divided ten tribes of
Europe that worked in harmony with the papacy to persecute God’s
people. See for example Kenneth Mathews, Jr., Revelation Reveals
Jesus, vol. 2, 635–636. The main challenge with this interpretation is
that three of the ten horns from the fourth beast of Daniel were
“plucked up by the roots” or annihilated by the little horn power and
were lost to history by AD 538. The Ostrogoths, Vandals, and Heruli
ceased to exist, and there were only seven horns remaining. Thus, it
makes better sense that the ten horns describe the universal kings of
the earth that are in support of the beast power.
285 Kenneth Mathews, Jr., Revelation Reveals Jesus, vol 2 (Greeneville,
286 Ellen G. White, The Story of Redemption (Hagerstown, MD: Review
287 Herod the Great was a Roman client king of Judea. See Stewart
Perowne (2003), Herod the Great, 92–93.
288 The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the woman of Revelation
12 is the virgin Mary. However, this cannot explain the woman
fleeing into the wilderness for 1,260 years, in addition to the other
clear symbolic descriptions of the woman (e.g., crown with twelve
stars).
289 Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, CA: Pacific
Press Publishing Association, 1940), 756
291 The 1,260 years of papal persecution are mentioned explicitly in
Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 11:2–3; here in Revelation 12:6;
Revelation 12:14; and 13:5. There is also an implicit referral in
Daniel 11:33 to “many days” of persecution.
292 The historical details of the end of the 1,260 years in 1798 will be
discussed in Revelation 13:3.
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 389–390. Quoting Procopius, The Secret
History of the Court of Justinian (Teddington, Middlesex: The Echo
Library, 2006), 46, 51.
296 Ellen G. White, The Story of Redemption (Hagerstown, MD: Review
298 See Norman McNulty, Commentary on the Book of Daniel:
Practical Living in the Judgment Hour, 257–262, for a more
complete discussion on Michael standing up and God’s vindication
over Satan in the great controversy.
300 Ibid., 500
301 Ibid., 489
Press Publishing Association, 1940), 760–761
304 Ibid.
305 For an excellent discussion and summary of the charges that Satan
has made against God’s government see Dave Fiedler, Tactics
(Coldwater, MI: Remnant Publications, 2019), 41–46
306 See also Deuteronomy 1:31; 32:11–13; and Isaiah 40:31 for other
passages that describe God’s deliverance to His people through the
imagery of eagles.
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 391–392. For another excellent resource
on this era, see Benjamin George Wilkinson, PhD, Truth
Triumphant: The Church in the Wilderness (Brushton, NY: Teach
Services, 2005)
309 For excellent commentary and research on the Sabbath-keeping and
fidelity to God’s Word of the Waldenses see P. Gerard Damsteegt in
these three articles: “Decoding Ancient Waldensian Names: New
Discoveries,” in Andrews University Seminary Studies, vol. 54,
Autumn 2016, no. 2, 237–258; “Were Walsensians Sabbathkeepers?”
Adventist World, September 2017; “The Ancient Waldenses: Did the
Reformation Predate Luther?” Ministry, October 2017
Publishing Association, 1911), 68.
312 In Revelation 13, we will also see the blasphemies of the Roman
Catholic Church that have been used by Satan to make war with
God and Scripture.
314 Ranko Stefanovic, “What Is the ‘Spirit of Prophecy’?” Interpreting
Scriptures: Bible Questions and Answers, Gerhard Pfandl, editor
(Silver Spring, MD: Biblical Research Institute, 2010), 447–449
315 Ellen G. White, Colporteur Ministry (Mountain View, CA: Pacific
316 Excellent resources on Ellen G. White’s life and ministry include:
Herbert E. Douglass, Messenger of the Lord: The Prophetic Ministry
of Ellen G. White (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association,
1998); T. Housel Jemison, A Prophet Among You (Nampa, ID:
Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1955); Francis D. Nichol, Ellen
G. White and Her Critics (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald
Publishing Association, 1951)
317 Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, Book 3 (Washington, D.C.:
Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980), 83–84
318 Ibid., 84
319 There are 30 days in a biblical month. 42 x 30 = 1,260 days. One day
for one year = 1,260 years.
320 See a similar thought about the image in Daniel 2 in Norman
McNulty, Commentary on the Book of Daniel: Practical Living in
the Judgment Hour (Coldwater, MI: Remnant Publications, 2019),
35
(Ringgold, GA: Teach Services, 2014), 415; and Uriah Smith, Daniel
and the Revelation (Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing Association,
1944), 563–564
322 Kenneth Mathews Jr., Revelation Reveals Jesus, vol. 2 (Greeneville,
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 429. Quoting Francois-Alphonse Aulard,
Christianity and the French Revolution, trans. Lady Frazer (Boston,
NY: Little, Brown, and Company, 1927), 151; Joseph Rickaby, “The
Modern Papacy,” Lecture 24 in Lectures on the History of Religion,
vol. 3 (London: The Catholic Truth Society, 1910), 1; Jean Leflon,
Historian of the Catholic Institute of Paris 1798, quoted in Heidi
Heiks, 1798–1843 Source Book (Ringgold, GA: Teach Services Inc.,
2010), xxi; Joseph Schmidlin, Histoire Des Paps De l’epoque
Contemporaine (Paris: L. Marchal, 1938), quoted in Heiks, 1798–
1843 Source Book, xxi; John Adolphus, The History of France from
the year 1790 to the peace concluded at Amiens in 1802 (London:
George Kearsley, 1803), 2:365
324 See Norman McNulty, Commentary on the Book of Daniel:
Practical Living in the Judgment Hour (Coldwater, MI: Remnant
325 For a discussion on the daily being taken away, see Norman
McNulty, Commentary on the Book of Daniel: Practical Living in
the Judgment Hour (Coldwater, MI: Remnant Publications, 2019),
122–127
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 420–421. Quoting John Dowling, The
History of Romanism: From the Earliest Corruptions of Christianity
to the Present Time, Book 2 (New York: Edward Walker, 1853), 541–
542, emphasis supplied by Cooke.
328 For example: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/14/us/catholic-
church-sex-abuse-pennsylvania.html
330 Ibid., 83
334 Babylon and Medo-Persia were also in populated areas of what is
now considered the Middle East. Greece was the first prophetic
kingdom to arise from the European continent.
335 The United States did go through the Revolutionary War, the War of
1812, and the French and Indian Wars, but these wars pale in
comparison to the conquests of the biblical empires seen in Daniel
chapters 2, 7, 8, and 11, and the first beast of Revelation 13.
336 Not to be confused with the modern Republican Party in the United
States of America.
340 Ibid., 442
342 O’Reggio, Trevor and Zivadinovic, Dojcin, “The Connection
Between Slavery and Prophecy as it Related to the American Nation
in the Writings of the Adventist Pioneers during the Antebellum
Period,” (Faculty Publications, 2012), 2.
http://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/church-history-pubs/2
343 While there is a gap between the United States of America having
two horns like a lamb and speaking as a dragon, there is also a gap in
verse 3 of this chapter between the deadly wound being given to the
papacy in 1798 and the deadly wound being healed. Between Daniel
7 and Revelation 13, speaking as a dragon clearly relates to the
attempt to change God’s law by changing Sabbath from the seventh
day to the first day of the week.
346 Ellen G. White, “Hold Fast the Beginning of Your Confidence,” The
Review and Herald, August 9, 1906
347 Ellen G. White, “David’s Prayer,” The Review and Herald, December
18, 1888
348 Peter Geiermann, The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrines
(St. Louis, MO: B. Herder Book Co., 1947), 50
349 For a similar discussion on how the four stages of the Sunday law
occur in Daniel 11:41–45, see Norman McNulty, Commentary on
the Book of Daniel: Practical Living in the Judgment Hour
(Coldwater, MI: Remnant Publications, 2019), 240
351 Edwin de Kock, The Truth About 666 and the Story of the Great
Apostasy (Edinburg, TX, 2011), 661. Note: This entire book by
Edwin de Kock establishes the historicist validity of 666 and
debunks some of the false interpretations that have come into the
church.
Book of Revelation (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press,
2002), 428
Book of Revelation, 2nd ed. (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews
University Press, 2009), 426 (emphasis in original)
354 Edwin de Kock, The Truth About 666 and the Story of the Great
Apostasy (Edinburg, TX, 2011), 681
355 See Norman McNulty, Commentary on the Book of Daniel
(Coldwater, MI: Remnant Publications, 2019), 245–265, for a
discussion on Mount Zion and the deliverance of God’s people in
Daniel 11:44–Daniel 12:1.
358 Robert Young, Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible
(Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1984), 337
362 Ellen G. White, Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing (Mountain
View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1896), 114
366 Ibid., 389
367 The Seventh-day Adventist Commentary, vol. 2 (Washington, D.C.:
369 Ibid., 389
373 See Kenneth Mathews, Jr., Revelation Reveals Jesus, vol. 2
(Greeneville, TN: Second Coming Publishing, 2012), 798–799
378 Ibid., 756
382 Ellen G. White, “Repentance the Gift of God,” The Review and
Herald, April 1, 1890
456
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 314, 509; and Kenneth Mathews, Jr.,
Revelation Reveals Jesus (Greeneville, TN: Second Coming
Publishing, 2012), 816
386 Mark 4:28–29, New International Version
388 Kenneth Mathews, Jr., Revelation Reveals Jesus, vol 2 (Greeneville,
389 Ellen G. White, “Build the Old Waste Places,” The Signs of the
Times, June 12, 1893
TN: Second Coming Publishing, 2012), 823; The Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7 (Washington, D.C.: Review and
392 Kenneth Mathews, Jr. Revelation Reveals Jesus, vol. 2 (Greeneville,
393 Ibid., 848
395 Ellen G. White, Spaulding and Magan Collection (Payson, AZ:
Leaves-Of-Autumn Books, 1985), 2
herald Publishing Association, 1882), 294
399 Steve Wohlberg and Chris Lewis, The Character of God Controversy
(Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2008), 16–17. This
book is excellent in exposing the errors of those who claim that God
does not destroy, and it offers a beautiful and biblical portrait of
God’s character.
400 Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets (Washington, DC: Review
401 Ellen G. White, Acts of the Apostles (Mountain View, CA: Pacific
403 God’s law has been undermined by multiple ideologies and
teachings since Adam and Eve first ate of the fruit in the garden of
Eden. Satan directly challenged the idea that they would die for
sinning. Thus, the idea that God does not destroy goes all the way
back to the lie of Satan in the Garden of Eden and is connected to
spiritualism.
405 Adam Fenner, https://www.nadadventist.org/news/im-adventist-
not-conspiracy-theorist, August 25, 2020
408 Ibid., 627
409 See Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 13 (Silver Spring, MD:
Ellen G. White Estate, 1990), 394. She said that much of the history
of the Dark Ages papacy in Daniel 11:31–36 will be repeated with
similar scenes in the future.
412 The History of Herodotus, vol. 1. Translated from the Ancient Greek
by George Rawlinson (New York, NY: The Tandy Thomas Company,
1909), 191
414 Ibid., 516
415 Ibid., 556
416 Ibid., 588
417 Ibid., 624–625
publishing Association, 1911), 618, 621
421 Ibid., 846
CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1868), 196–197
Publishing Association, 1940), 635–636. The entire chapter from
which these quotes are derived is entitled “God’s People Delivered”
and has excellent commentary on key aspects of the seventh plague
and the deliverance of the righteous.
425 Ibid., 636
426 Ellen G. White, Last Day Events (Boise, ID: Pacific Press Publishing
427 Ibid., 198
D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1957), 164; ibid.,
vol. 7, 848
429 Ellen G. White, Last Day Events (Boise, ID: Pacific Press Publishing
431 Ibid.
432 Ibid.
434 Ibid., 920
435 Ibid., 919–920
436 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_jury_investigation_of_Catholi
c_Church_sexual_abuse_in_Pennsylvania#:~:text=On%20August%
2026%2C%202020%2C%20a,Pennsylvania%20Attorney%20General
%20Josh%20Shapiro.
440 Ibid., 855
441 There are some who try to identify seven popes from the time of
1929 when Mussolini made a treaty with the Vatican. This is a
sensational interpretation that violates all of the principles of
historicism and ignores the context of the remaining portion of the
chapter. See for example:
https://www.slideshare.net/Emergingtruth/is-pope-francis-the-last-
pope-find-out
442 Some interpreters include Egypt and Assyria with the seven
kingdoms in addition to Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and pagan
and papal Rome. They see the present time of Revelation 17 as
applying to the first century while John was alive. While this is a
historicist interpretation, it does not align with five kingdoms being
fallen in 1798. See for example Austin Cooke, An Enduring Vision:
Revelation Revealed, pp. 611–619, and Kenneth Mathews, Jr.
Revelation Reveals Jesus, vol. 2, p. 932. See also Ekkehardt Mueller,
“The Beast of Revelation 17: A Suggestion (Part I),” Journal of Asia
Adventist Seminary 10, no. 1 (2007), 38–40
443 For a chart on the sequence of kings and kingdoms in Daniel 11, see
Norman McNulty, Commentary on the Book of Daniel: Practical
444 While the deadly wound does not completely heal until the Sunday
law is passed, the healing process began in 1929 with the treaty
between Mussolini and the Vatican, which began the process of
restoring the papacy’s political power. Since that time, the popes
have become major players in the political scenes of this world. The
deadly wound is healing nicely and will heal completely with the
passing of the Sunday law.
445 For a more complete discussion on atheism as the king of the south,
see Norman McNulty, Commentary on the Book of Daniel: Practical
Living in the Judgment Hour, 226–229
447 Ibid., 856–857
448 Ibid., 858
449 Ibid., 858
(Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1984), 325; The Seventh-
day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7 (Washington, D.C.: Review
454 For further discussion on the connection between Daniel 5 and
Revelation 18 see Norman McNulty, Commentary on the Book of
Daniel: Practical Living in the Judgment Hour (Coldwater, MI:
Remnant Publications, 2019), 70–72
457 Ellen G. White, “Repentance the Gift of God,” The Review and
Herald, April 1, 1890
458 Ellen G. White, “What Shall We Do That We Might Work the Works
of God?” The Review and Herald, April 21, 1891
460 See for example Ellen G. White, Early Writings (Hagerstown, MD:
Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1882), 261, 271
461 Ibid., 271
462 Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers, 1892 ed. (Battle Creek, MI: Review
and Herald Publishing Co., 1892), 244
463 See again the discussion for Revelation 14:8
465 For a complete discussion on the heresies of the Roman Catholic
Church see Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, 54–60, in the
chapter entitled “An Era of Spiritual Darkness.”
466 Kenneth Mathews, Jr., Revelation Reveals Jesus, 969–979; and Ranko
Stefanovic, Revelation of Jesus Christ, 533 (1st. ed.); 545 (2nd ed.)
468 Ellen G. White, Testimonies For the Church, vol. 8 (Nampa, ID:
469 Ellen G. White, “Build the Old Waste Places,” Signs of the Times,
June 12, 1893
470 Ellen G. White, “The Righteousness of Christ,” Review and Herald,
August 19, 1890
471 See Samuel S. Snow, “The True Midnight Cry,”
https://maranathamedia.com/download/view/the-true-midnight-
cry-samuel-snow-1844
473 Ibid.
474 Ibid.
475 Ibid., 863
476 Ibid.
477 Ibid.
GA: Teach Services, 2014), 621; Quoting George Croly, The
Apocalypse of St. John (Philadelphia, PA: E. Littell, 1897), 179
TN: Second Coming Publishing, 2012), 969. Mathews says the
following in his footnote of this topic: “The relationship of Daniel
4:17a, in the LXX (Greek Septuagint of Old Testament Scripture), to
this ‘one hour’ idea … appears to show the suddenness of the
judgment that befell Nebuchadnezzar because of his arrogance. No
notion of prophetic time is found in this context either. The phrase
one hour means a short period of time.”
483 See Ellen G. White’s statement about the French Revolution and
conditions at the end of the world in Education, 228.
D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1957), 865; Uriah
Smith, Daniel and the Revelation (Nashville, TN: Southern
487 Ibid., 865
488 Ibid.
490 Ibid., 866
(Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1984), 916
432
496 Ibid.
497 See again discussion in Revelation 4:4; 5:2, 6 on the twenty-four
elders being strong angels, or a special order of angels based on Ellen
G. White’s statement in Manuscript Releases, vol. 20, 197
499 Ibid., 872
501 Ibid., 427–428
502 Ibid., 426
504 Ibid., 872
507 Ellen G. White, Early Writings (Washington, D.C.: Review and
510 Ibid., 873
513 Ibid., 873
514 Ibid., 873–874
515 Ibid., 874
518 Ibid., 875
519 Ibid., 875
520 “They” is a preferred reading to “he” and represents the threefold
union of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.
522 James White, “Thoughts on the Great Battle,” Advent Review and
Sabbath Herald, January 21, 1862
523 Ellen G. White, Spaulding and Magan Collection (Payson, AZ:
leaves-Of-Autumn Books, 1985), 2
526 Ibid, 658–659
527 Ibid., 593
534 Ibid., 663
535 Ibid., 664
536 Ibid., 664
537 Ibid., 672–673
538 Ibid., 673
541 Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing
544 See Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Nampa, ID: Pacific
545 Ibid.
546 See Ellen G. White, Early Writings (Hagerstown, MD: Review and
547 See The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 829, for a
discussion on the books
Publishing Association, 1911), 666, 668
550 Ibid., 671–672
551 Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets (Washington, D.C.: Review
554 Ellen G. White, Counsels for the Church (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press
556 Ellen G. White, Child Guidance (Washington, D.C.: Review and
557 Ellen G. White, Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students
350
1957), 1011
561 Ethel R. Nelson, Quest for the Holy Mountain (Dunlap, TN: Read
Books Publisher, 2007), 20–21
Second Coming Publishing, 2012), 1105. For an excellent summary
of the comparison between the New Jerusalem and the temple of
Ezekiel’s vision, see p. 1106 which is citing Roberto Badenas, “New
Jerusalem—The Holy City,” Symposium on Revelation—Book II,
Daniel and Revelation Committee Series, vol. 7 (Silver Spring,
Maryland: Biblical Research Institute, 1992), 253
564 Ibid., 892
565 Ibid., 892
566 Ibid., 892
568 References to the 12 stones come from The Seventh-day Adventist
Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 893, with the exception of the jacinth of
Revelation 21:20, which comes from James Strong, The New Strong’s
Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.
569 Ibid., 893
570 Ibid., 893
572 Ibid., 1123
573 Ellen G. White, Christian Experience and Teachings of Ellen G.
White (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association,
1922), 61
575 Ellen G. White, Counsels on Sabbath School Work (Washington,
114
581 Ibid., 896
582 Ibid., 897
583 Ibid., 897
584 Kenneth Mathews Jr., Revelation Reveals Jesus, vol. 2 (Greeneville,
585 Loren M. K. Nelson, Understanding the Mysteries of Daniel &
Revelation (Coldwater, MI: Remnant Publications, 2012), 392.
Quoting Uriah Smith, Daniel and the Revelation, 776
587 Ibid., vol. 1, 1035
589 Ibid., 340–341
Publishing Association 1911), 491
593 Jesuit Luis de Alcasar (1554–1613) wrote the first systematic
preterist exposition of prophecy Vestigatio arcani sensus in
Apocalypsi (published in 1614) during the Counter-Reformation.
594 Francisco Ribera (1537–1591) was a Spanish Jesuit theologian,
identified with the Futurist Christian eschatological view.

Revelation Practical Living in The Judgment Hour (Norman McNulty)

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Revelation Practical Living in The Judgment Hour (Norman McNulty)

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By Norman McNulty

Copyright © 2022 by Remnant Publications, Inc.

All emphasis in quotations supplied by the author unless otherwise noted.

Cover artwork by Leandro Tonelli

Also, thank you to Harvey Steck, and to my mother-in-law, Laurel

Truly, the book of Revelation is an important and amazing book to study!

The books of Daniel and the Revelation are one. One is a

In my book, Daniel: Practical Living in the Judgment Hour, we began a

Norman McNulty, M.D.

The servants of God are also mentioned in Revelation 7, where we find

The testimony of Jesus is the same as the spirit of prophecy. By

APPLICATION: We are living in a time when the study of Revelation is

As we near the close of this world’s history, the prophecies

When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better

A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most

A study of Revelation will help guide us to an entirely different religious

Another fascinating point of consideration is that Revelation is a walk

Finally, He is High Priest at the beginning of the seven trumpets, but He

Notice that the process of becoming a kingdom of priests is on the

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy

APPLICATION: The Laodicean church of Revelation 3:14–22 is the church

In verse 8, we read, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the

APPLICATION: At the outset of the book, the Second Coming of Christ is

I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation,

Ellen White confirms this in the following statement:

The Lord’s day is the seventh day, the Sabbath of creation. On

Verse 10 closes with John saying that he heard a great voice as of a

Christ is the Alpha and Omega. Thus, Christ is speaking.

Verse 11 describes the inaugural words of Christ in the vision, and He

The description of Christ continues in verses 14–16:

The appearance of Christ is always related to utmost prophetic

APPLICATION: It is reassuring that Christ is in the midst of His church,

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right

APPLICATION: John’s reaction to the presence of Christ reminds us of the

Each of these seven letters is divided into seven parts,

In this verse, the recipient is the church of Ephesus. Ephesus means

Jesus Christ is the divine Author to each of the seven churches. To

Verses 2 and 3 describe the condition of the church and the

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves

The church of Ephesus was on guard against heretics of the Christian

APPLICATION: The traits that were commendable in the church of Ephesus

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou has left

It should be noted that the word “somewhat” is supplied in the King

Adherents of this sect appear to have taught that deeds of the

Ellen G. White adds clarity on this false doctrine as well:

Is it [our sin] the sin of the Nicolaitans, turning the grace of

Here is one more quote from Ellen G. White:

In essence, the doctrine of the Nicolaitans separates sanctification from

Our only ground of hope is in the righteousness of Christ

The attempt to separate sanctification from salvation and make it a fruit

APPLICATION: Seventh-day Adventists today need to rightly understand

The message is addressed to a specific church, Smyrna, and again, the

Smyrna receives a commendation for their good works without any

In the message to the church of Philadelphia (see Revelation 3:9), Christ

It was in the summer of 1844 that the professed Christian churches

With respect to the synagogue of Satan in the church of Smyrna, papal

In Smyrna, there were professed Christians committing blasphemy by

APPLICATION: The church of Smyrna is an example of Christians who

We have no business as Seventh-day Adventists trying to emulate or

The believers of the church of Smyrna were exhorted to not be afraid of

Christianity was banned throughout the Roman empire in AD 303 in a