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The Three Angels’
Messages
“Here
is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments
of God and the faith of Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12).
There is a parallel between the
three temptations of Christ in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-10), the three
angels’ messages (Revelation 14:6-12) and the three frog-like spirits that John
saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, beast and false prophet (Revelation
16:13,14).
Here’s
the Parallel
J ust as Jesus countered Satan’s
three temptations in the wilderness, the three angels’ messages (Revelation
14:6-12) oppose the three relentless spirits that are urging conformity to
the sentiments of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet.
“And
I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the
beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits
like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out
to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of
the great day of God, the Almighty.” Revelation 16:13,14.
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The First Demon’s
Message
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The First Angel’s Message
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Dragon
The first demon’s message is that there
is no judgment. There are no restraints. We are to serve ourselves and put
ourselves first (Isaiah 14:12-14 cf. Ezekiel 28:1-19). It’s like what
the serpent said to Eve in the garden. “You surely shall not die!”
Look at the great reward for disobedience! (Genesis 3:4-6).
Note: The dragon’s greatest
evangelist for the ‘live
as you please, live for yourself, heaven is your home’ message today is
television. It’s a good idea to be alert to the
extent of Satan’s control. The first demon’s message
is scripted by Hollywood and the media and is broadcast
worldwide. The first demon’s message is also taught in
apostate Christian churches.
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Then
I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel to preach
to those who live on the earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue and
people. And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory,
because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made heaven and
earth, the sea and the springs of water.” (Revelation 14:6-7).
“Let
all the earth fear the LORD; let all the
inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.”
Psalm 33:8.
“Now all has been heard; here is
the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this
is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes
12:13,14.
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Matthew
4:1-4
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he
was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of
God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It
is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
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We are to absolutely put God first in
everything.
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The Second Demon’s
Message
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The Second Angel’s Message
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Beast
The second demon’s message is that
presumption is justifiable, permissible and holy.
pre·sump·tion
n.
1.
Behavior or attitude that is boldly arrogant, audacious or offensive;
effrontery.
2.
The act of venturing beyond due bounds; an overstepping of the bounds of
reverence, respect, or courtesy; forward, overconfident, or arrogant
opinion or conduct; presumptuousness; arrogance; effrontery.
3.
The act of presuming, or taking for granted; belief upon incomplete proof.
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A
second angel followed and said, “Fallen, Fallen is Babylon the Great,
which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”
(Revelation 14:8).
Note: Babylon is a kingdom of
presumption. See Revelation chapter 18. Much of
Babylon’s presumptuous confidence is vividly portrayed there.
The beast
represents Babylon as its visible ruler (Revelation 16:10).
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Matthew
4:5-7
Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of
the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself
down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot
against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You
shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
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The Third Demon’s
Message
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The Third Angel’s Message
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False Prophet
The third demon’s message is that this
world is wonderful and that to be successful you must compromise integrity
and strict obedience.
To receive the world’s
glory you must receive the beast’s mark. You must possess
his character.
Note: The false prophet
power wants you to think like, idolize and worship the beast. To worship the beast is to worship the dragon (Revelation 13:4).
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Then
another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If
anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his
forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath,
poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented
with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the
presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and
ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast
and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” (Revelation
14:9-11).
Note: The
third angel is directly opposed to the false prophet’s
command that we worship the beast and explicitly says that worshiping the
beast is a bad idea.
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Matthew
4:8-10
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the
kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I
will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to
him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord
your God and him only shall you serve.’ ”
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Come
To Christ |
Daniel
and Revelation
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Christian
Court
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