The Three Angels of Revelation Fourteen
Revelation
14:6-12 contains what Seventh-day Adventists refer to as "The Three
Angels Message". These texts depict events near the end of this
earth's history and remind us of our responsibilities to tell every
person in the world about God's love and His judgment process which
will eliminate sin from the world forever. The Three Angels
Sculpture shown above reminds us every Sabbath of these precious Bible
texts. The following closeup images and text explain the
importance of these messages.
Revelation, the last book of the Bible, introduces itself:
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show
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
Like
Daniel in the Old Testament, Revelation opens to the reader's view
God's perfect knowledge of the future. In a grand climactic sweep John
is shown the events which befall the Christian church from his day
down to the Second Coming of Christ in glory and power. He is shown
the judgment, the millennium, and the climax of the great controversy
between Christ and Satan ending in the final eradication of sin and
sinners from the universe. He sees the New Jerusalem, the new heaven
and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. Almost overawed by the
vision, John records what he sees in language rich in Biblical
symbolism. Revelation can be fully understood only when studied in the
context of the history, language, and message of the entire
bible.
Recognizing the importance and urgency of the Christian's need, John by inspiration records the beautiful promise of God for those who will carefully examine and respond to the message written here:
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
The First Angel
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 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. Revelation 14:6,7
The first angel (upper left) with one hand pointed heavenward proclaims with a loud voice "The hour has come in which God will judge the inhabitants of the world." Now, more than ever before, it is urgent that all people everywhere on earth hear the gospel, the Good News, that Jesus Christ the creator of the earth desires to recreate in each person the image of God, to reproduce in each the sinless perfection of our loving Heavenly Father (see Matthew 5:48). Who will respond and totally dedicate his life to the worship and service of the God of Life?
The Second Angel
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
The second angel (at right) looks down upon the earth and exclaims "Babylon is fallen!" Babylon is symbolic of the confusion which reigned when God intervened at the ancient city of Babel where men were seeking to work their own protection from God's judgments, and symbolic too of the captivating delusions of today's humanly devised false religions. Like the Hebrews of Daniel's time who were taken captive by Babylon's armies because they refused to obey God, Christians today may be captured by humanistic approaches substituted for the divine plan for man's salvation. In announcing the fall of Babylon the second angel implicitly warns against entrusting our destiny to a system of beliefs not wholly founded on the Word of God.
The Third Angel
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:
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. Here is the
patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of
God, and the faith of Jesus. Revelation 14:9-12
The third angel (lower left) warns that any person who gives his allegiance to the beast -- synonymous with Babylon -- will be completely and eternally destroyed by the wrath of God which He pours out in the final phase of the judgment. To receive the mark of the beast in the forehead or hand indicates an assent to the teaching of false religions, either in thought or action. In contrast to the mark of the beast is the seal of God, figuratively placed in the foreheads of God's servants (see Revelation 7:2-4). Those who are sealed are described in the final verse of the message as the ones who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. The faithful are those who, because they love god, keep His commandments. Their actions are based on more than a legalistic consent to the Law of God: They have the faith of Jesus. As Jesus lived the will of His Heavenly Father, so live the servants of God. The third angel, with finger raised to his forehead questions, "What will God find when your life is investigated -- a mark or the seal?
The Sculpture
The Three Angels Sculpture depicts in wood the message of the Three Angels recorded in Revelation 14:6-12. The circular motif of the sculpture is reminiscent of the circle of the earth, all the inhabitants of which are to be the recipients of the urgent warning from God here recorded. The Biblical symbolism of three angels bearing the message is indicative of its divine origin and flashing speed with which it is to be spread over the world.
The sculpture is based on a design by Alan Colins. It was carved in
high relief from laminated edge-grain fir by Weldon Card and Norman
Moll. It was presented to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Midland,
Michigan on June 17, 1977.