The Sabbath And The Apocalyptic Vision-4

March 15  The Sabbath And The Apocalyptic Vision-4

 


Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and sprigns of water. Rev. 14:7, NASB.

We have been studying the past few days Bates' growing understanding of Revelation 12-14. He was particularly fascinated with the three angels' messages of chapter 14, pictured as the last ones that God would give to the world before the Second Advent.

He found verse 12 especially pertinent. It once again (see Rev. 12:17) highlights the fact that just before the end of time God will have a commandment keeping people. Of course, he did not miss the implications of verse 7, which indicates what commandment would be at issue in the end-time struggle. He correctly recognized the fact that the words "worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" allude to the Sabbath commandment of Exodus 20:8-11 (cf. Gen. 2:1-3). He also plainly saw from Revelation 14:7, 9 that worship would be the central issue at the end of the world's hisotry. According to Revelation 14, people before the Second Advent would either be worshipping the beast of Revelation 13 (see Rev. 14:9) or the Creator of heaven and earth (verse 7). That latter group, of course, would obey all of God's commandments as they patiently waited (verse 12) for Jesus to come in the clouds of heaven (verse 14-20).

Bates' reading of Revelation 12:17-14:20 led him to several conclusions. First, that since 1845 God had been raising up a people who would honor all His commandments, including the Sabbath. "Now," he penned in 1847, "that such a people can be found on the earth as described in the 12 v. and have been uniting in companies for the last two years, on the commandments of God and faith or testimony of Jesus, is indisputable and clear."

Second, "John further shows that this is a remnant (which of course means the last end) made war with (his meaning is clear,) for 'keeping the commandments of God. . .'(12:17)."

And third, Bates noted that Revelation portrays only two groups at the end of time, "One is keeping the commandments and faith of Jesus. The other has the mark of the beast."

His insights set the stage for the develpment of Seventh-day Adventist theology. He had in essence developed by 1847 what has become knwon in Adventist circles as great controversy theology.

Father, once again give us clear minds as we meditate upon Your last message to a sinful world.