This post will look at verse 8, the 2nd angel.Rev. 14:8 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.
Who or what is Babylon? The churches that refused to receive the first angel's message.
"THE churches that refused to receive the first angel's message, rejected light from heaven. That message was sent in mercy to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding, and to seek a preparation to meet their Lord.
It was to separate the church of Christ from the corrupting influence of the world, that the first angel's message was given. But with the multitude, even of professed Christians, the ties which bound them to earth were stronger than the attractions heavenward. They chose to listen to the voice of worldly wisdom, and turned away from the heart-searching message of truth.
God gives light to be cherished and obeyed, not to be despised and rejected. The light which He sends becomes darkness to those who disregard it. When the Spirit of God ceases to impress the truth upon the hearts of men, all hearing is vain, and all preaching also is vain.
When the churches spurned the counsel of God by rejecting the advent message, the Lord rejected them. The first angel was followed by a second, proclaiming, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Rev. 14:8.
This message was understood by Adventists to be an announcement of the moral fall of the churches, in consequence of their rejection of the first message. The proclamation, "Babylon is fallen," was given in the summer of 1844, and as the result, about fifty thousand withdrew from these churches. {SR 364}
What does that mean for us today? Let's examine the above statement.
"THE churches that refused to receive the first angel's message rejected light from heaven. That message was sent in mercy to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding, and to seek a preparation to meet their Lord".
In, and after, 1844, the message was given to the churches of that era. "It was to separate the church of Christ from the corrupting influence of the world. that the first angel's message was given. But with the multitude, even of professed Christians, the ties which bound them to earth were stronger than the attractions heavenward. They chose to listen to the voice of worldly wisdom, and turned away from the heart-searching message of truth.
When the churches spurned the counsel of God by rejecting the advent message, the Lord rejected them. The first angel was followed by a second, proclaiming, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." {SR 364}
"The churches"
In todays language, it means people. The church building is a place for people to come together to worship God. The Sancuary in the wilderness, was where God dwelled with His people. The temple in Jerusalem was a place where God's people came together to worship. Since the destruction of Jerusalem, many churches has be erected for the purpose of gathering together.
The Word says:
1 Cor. 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
When the churches (the people of God) spurned the counsel of God by rejecting the advent message, the Lord rejected them. The first angel was followed by a second, proclaiming, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."
Let's rewrite that: When the people of God, reject, despise, look down on, the counsel of God, by rejecting the health message, the character building message, the second coming of Jesus, the Lord rejects them. That is when God sends another messenger saying, the worldly churches are corrupt, God has rejected them, so they want others to suffer the wrath of God, with them.
From the days of Adam and Eve, till the day when Jesus returns, God has always had a true church, a people, who will not reject the counsel of God. They have, and still others will not, be part of Babylon. They will be in the world, but not part of the world. Their standards of living will be elevated to the Highest level.
"This message was understood by Adventists to be an announcementof the moral fall of the churches in consequence of their rejection of the first message". SR365
Their will be some who will claim to have the garments of God on, but the actions will be contrary. Some will claim to speak the Words of God, yet, when the truth is spoken to them, they will reject the message, and seek to lay hands on them.
Luke 20: 1-20
20:1 And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,
20:2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
20:3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:
20:4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?
20:5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
20:6 But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
20:7 And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.
20:8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
20:9 Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.
20:10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.
20:11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
20:12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.
20:13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.
20:14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
20:15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
20:16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
20:17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?
20:18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
20:19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
20:20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
The question then is: What church am I a part of? God's church, or the world's church?
"Since the rejection of the first message, a sad change has taken place in the churches. As truth is spurned, error is received and cherished. Love for God, and faith in His Word, have grown cold. The churches have grieved the Spirit of the Lord, and it, the Spirit of the Lord, has been in a great measure, withdrawn." {SR 366.2}
Even in God's remnant church.
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