March 14  The Sabbath And The Apocalyptic Vision-3

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commdandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. Rev. 14:12.

In our last reading we saw that by January 1847 Joseph Bates had concluded from Revelation 12:17 that God would not only have a people at the end of time who would honor the Ten Commandments contained in the ark of the covenant(Rev. 11:19), but that the dragon would make war with those commandment keepers. It didn't take too much more study to see that end-time conflict reflected in such passages as Revelation 13:7, 8, which describe those who "worship" the beast as making "war" with those who follow the Lamb.

From chapter 13 he went to Revelation 14, which describes the end-time worshippers of the Lamb as following "the Lamb wherever he goes"(verse 4, RSV).

At that juncture, Revelation 14 becaome the focal point of Bates' study in the second edition of The Seventh-day Sabbath, a Perpetual Sign. Before looking at his conclusions, we should note the outline of chapter 14 itself.

1. Verses 1-5 introduce the end-time 144,000, who follow the Lamb in all of His teachings and have "his Father's name written on their forehead"(verse 1, RSV).
2. Verses 6 and 7 present the first angel's message.
3. Verse 8 reflects on the second angel's message.
4. Verses 9-12 set forth the message of the third angel.
5. Verse 13 highlights the fate of those followers of the Lamb caught in the end-time persecution of Revelation 13.
6. And chapter 14 climaxes with the coming of Chirst in the clouds of heaven to reap the harvest of the earth(verses 14-20)

That progression did not escape Bates as he struggled to understand where God's people were in the flow of end-time events. Interestingly enough, certain Millerites had emphasized the first and second angels' messages. Miller himself had believed that the judgment hour message of the first angel was being preached in his day. To Miller the judgment of verse 7 was the Second Advent.

Charles Fitch began to proclaim the second angel's mesage on the fall of Babylon in 1843 when the denominations began to persecute the Second Advent believers. But it would be the content of the third angel's message that would capture Bates' attention.

Before you pray this mornig, it would be a good idea to read Revelation 14.

He who is the King, the Lord of hosts, sitteth between the cherubim, and amid the strife and tumult of nations He guards His children still. He who ruleth in the heavens is our Saviour. He measures every trial, He watches the furnace fire that must test every soul. When the strongholds of kings shall be overthrown, when the arrows of wrath shall strike through the hearts of His enemies, His people will be safe in His hands(TFMB, 121).