Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Mat 24:3)
So joyous is the prospect of Christ’s return, that Jesus knew His followers would become almost eagerly impatient for it to happen. In such a state of mind, because of their humanity, and shortsightedness,Jesus knew that His disciples could at times fall prey to the false signs of His second coming; and to the many false teachers that were to arise, and who could entirely spoil all of their hard work in preparation. And so Jesus started out His Olivett Discourse with a warning to us against being deceived:
Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.”
Jesus certainly would know the Proverb that tells us “hope deferred makes the heart sick;” (Proverbs 13:12 ). Without the assurances in God’s Word that the delay has been anticipated, and that Jesus has made provision for us to deal with any eventuality, we would feel lost and hopeless in the tirades of all of the self appointed prophets of doom.
Jesus cautioned us clearly but tactfully, that there would be a delay. He would not in fact, be coming again; at least not right away, as some were hoping for. Nor would Jesus be coming in the manner that many, including His own disciples of the day were expecting Him to.
Jesus told a story about two supervisors (masters) and one of them said the following:
“My master is delayed,” (Mat 24:48), and then in the famous parable of the talents, Jesus described the master as returning “after a long time.” (Mat 25:19). In the similarly famous parable of the ten (sleeping) virgins, Jesus likened Himself to a Bridegroom and said quite clearly:
“As the Bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.” (Mat 25:5).
Hints of this delay in the second coming are implied in other texts as well:
“you will hear of wars and rumors of wars…but the end is not yet.” (Mat 24:6).
And “Many will fall away…” (Mat 24:10).
“They that endure to the end shall be saved.” (Mat 24:13).
“This gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world; as a testimony to all nations; and then the end shall come.” (Mat 24:14).
In scripture, the delay is clear enough. BUT the “testimony to all nations is sadly lacking almost everywhere. Friends, the church is not converting the world anymore. The world has in a large part, converted the church. Its hard to tell the difference anymore because “everyone is doing whats right in their own eyes and Jesus is largely lost sight of. It would also follow that because of this, the preparation for the second coming is made even clearer. And many who profess the name of Christ show anything but His character of love, mercy and grace.
Its very important to note that the cookie-cutter evangelism that is out there has no idea what it means to say “the gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world.” They just don’t have a clue what that means. Many tritely say
“Oh the modern technology has connected everyone and there is hardly a corner anywhere in the world now where they have not heard about Jesus.”
But does hearing the doctrine professed in a worldly frenzy or the one-sided teaching of sheep in wolves clothing really mean that “the gospel has been preached?”
Sadly, we have people who say they are “preaching the third angel’s message,” yet the whole world has seen how badly so many misrepresent God’s character. The everlasting gospel is NOT preached by a profession alone. The everlasting gospel is only “fully preached” “to all the world” when the world can see that we His Church, that God’s people, have been with Jesus and are His adopted sons and daughters. (John 1:12) Something in the character of the Christian that reveals Christ and Him crucified IS THE message. (2 Cor 5:17)
The change that must come to the natural, inherited, and cultivated tendencies of the human heart is that change of which Jesus spoke when He said to Nicodemus, “Except a person be born again, they cannot see the kingdom of God.” He virtually said to Nicodemus, It is not controversy that will help your case. Arguments will not bring light to your soul. You must have a new heart, or you cannot discern the kingdom of heaven. It is not greater evidence that will bring you into a right position, but new purposes, new springs of action. You must be born again. Until this change takes place, until all things are made new, the strongest evidence that could be presented would be useless.{CTr 233.2}
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34,35)
The badge of Christianity is not an outward sign, not the wearing of a cross or a crown, but it is that which reveals the union of man with God. By the power of His grace manifested in the transformation of character the world is to be convinced that God has sent His Son as its Redeemer. No other influence that can surround the human soul has such power as the influence of an unselfish life. The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian. {HDL 8.1}
Some pride themselves in their shiny crusades gleaming away just like our secular “social media.” Constantly creating the well-known FEAR factor that our “news” is adored for. The mark of the beast, what the Pope is up to, and all manner of evil are yapped about as if thats all there is. Presumptuously adding fuel to the frenzy of current-day events as depicted by the secular world. In the entire Bible, the mark of the beast is only mentioned 7 times. It would be safe to say that Bible writers sometimes seem to mentioned it parenthetically. It was never the main focus of a single Bible writer anywhere. That third angel’s message from Rev 14: 8-12 is really not a message, without the other two messages from the first and second angels of the same passage. (Rev 14:6-7)It is far more accurate and in proper context, when we call those three angels messages, together “the everlasting gospel,” or “the three angels MESSAGE. (Rev 14:6) All three are one, unified message. Just like all 66 books of the Bible are ONE MESSAGE. The Three Angels MESSAGE. Three angels. ONE message.
What happens if we separate one of those messages from the other two? Then it becomes less of Jesus and more of fear because we are over-emphasizing one over the other two and presenting a very unbalanced message to the world. Just like the news! It’s not that it is wrong to preach all three angels and their parts in the message. But there is a proper time and place as is often reflected upon in scripture for such things: (Eph 3:1,Prov 15:23)
A change must come to you through the moving, melting love of God, a change that will enable you to carry the credentials that you are one who loves souls. I think I have spoken so plainly that you will seek to learn of Christ His ways and methods, and seek to bring more of the sunshine and joy of the truth, the brightness of the Sun of Righteousness, into your own individual experience. Let your own heart break; let the routine and precision be broken down. Look unto Jesus, and not to men, to be told what to do…The simplicity of Christ, the melting love of Jesus, will speak to hearts when the mere reiteration of the truth will accomplish nothing. Self must not be brought in as a specialty; it must be hid with Christ in God.(2 Cor 5:17)
I have done a lot of palliative care during my nursing years. I am sure we could all picture what would happen if any nurse approached a dying patient at the bedside and tried to preach to them about “the mark of the beast.” I have seen such things happen. I have asked myself, if this “everlasting gospel” is in fact THE end time message for today, then HOW does it relate to what is happening here and now to the dying or the lost souls who do not know Jesus? Friends, the love mercy and grace of Jesus Christ in the face of our darkest hour is the three angel’s message. Rev 14:6 in the Murdock translation and a couple of others says it like this:
“And I saw another angel WITH BLOOD having the everlasting gospel to preach to dwellers on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people” Every message, every doctrine must have as its central pillar “Christ and Him crucified.” The cross is to be central to every doctrine and if its not then the doctrine is not Christian no matter how many Bible verses you holler into your message.
There is one great central truth to be kept ever before the mind in the searching of the Scriptures–Christ and Him crucified. Every other truth is invested with influence and power corresponding to its relation to this theme. The soul palsied by sin can be endowed with life only through the work wrought out upon the cross by the Author of our salvation. {FLB 50.2}
Love is more than simply warm feelings. It is an attitude that reveals itself in action. How can we love others as Jesus loves us? By helping when it’s not convenient, by giving when it hurts, by devoting energy to others’ welfare rather than our own, by absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back. This kind of loving can be hard to do. That is one reason why people notice when you do it and know you are empowered by a supernatural source.
Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not brag, it is not puffed up, it does not behave inappropriately, it does not seek its own way, it is not provoked, it keeps no account of wrong, it does not rejoice over injustice but rejoices in the truth; it bears all things, it believes all things, it hopes all things, it endures all things. (1 Cor 13:4-7, TLV)
It is not the ready speaker, the sharp intellect, that counts with God. It is the earnest purpose, the deep piety, the love of truth, the fear of God, that has a telling influence. A testimony from the heart, coming from lips in which is no guile, full of faith and humble trust, though given by a stammering tongue, is accounted of God as precious as gold; while the smart speech, the eloquent oratory, of the one to whom is entrusted large talents, but who is wanting in truthfulness, in steadfast purpose, in purity, in unselfishness, are as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. He may say witty things, he may relate amusing anecdotes, he may play upon the feelings; but the spirit of Jesus is not in it. All these things may please unsanctified hearts, but God holds in His hands the balances that weigh the words, the spirit, the sincerity, the devotion, and He pronounces it altogether lighter than vanity {6BC 1091.4}
I would just sum it all up by saying that if I cannot see Jesus, and experience His light in the darkness, (John 1:5, Micah 7:8, etc),then I don’t really know Him very well and I need to get moving on that right away. As we can read in Rev 12:11, God’s end time people,which we may very well be, shall
“overcome the devil by the blood of The Lamb, and by the Word of their testimony,” [about that blood, applied to their life today].
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Eph 2:13)
While we can know something of God, and “whom He has sent,” (John 17:3) by just reading the Bible, and learning doctrines, we can only learn a very small fraction of the everlasting gospel in that way, compared to another method that is mentioned often in scripture. Consider carefully, the following verse:
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Pet 1:2-4)
The Bible is clear. Grace and peace are “multiplied” as we learn more of Jesus in whatever situation we are in today by “proving His promises.” The knowledge of Jesus gives “to us all things pertaining to life and godliness, and this is all done by His “precious promises,” to the end that we are “partakers of the divine nature.” Now the Pantheist would say: “we are little Gods” because of this verse, but it has nothing to do with physical nature of divine Substance. Nothing at all. The divine nature is the character of Christ, and as we realize fully His promises, in response to our prayers and our needs; then we really do get to experience a personal friendship with God and we will see our future as friendly, because we have taken Jesus at His express word, in divine response to our felt, living needs.
Mat 24:30 of the Olivett Discourse tells us that everyone in the world “will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” But how many of us see Jesus in the clouds of our personal experience? This message is trying to reflect on how there is light in every cloud and as God’s people, we must know Him so well that we just expect it; much like we do the sun or the rain.
I recall, sometime ago now,visiting someone on their death bed. They were dying of cancer. On the bedside table there was a shoe box. I was really curious and kept wondering what was in it. So of course, I eventually asked, and they said it like this:
“This is my promise box. When people visit me,I get them to either write one out on a scrap of paper, and put it in the box, or they can just take one from the box and read it to me. Then I asked “can I take one out and read it?”
The piece of paper I took out of that box had the following quote from The Great Controversy written on it:
“We should acquaint ourselves NOW with God, by proving His promises!” (pg 622).
My friend died just a few hours later. But what a seed was planted in my heart there in “the valley of death.” (Psalms 23:4) Even the clouds of death, do not hold any Christian in the prison of sin. I wonder, how many of us are willing to make that ultimate sacrifice, to really know God, and to make Him known? (see 1 John 1:1-3).
Oh friend. How many of us see “Light In The Clouds?” How many of us see Light in our clouds? Do I, personally, see Jesus in my clouds? (Rev 1:7)
Christ submitted to crucifixion, although the heavenly host could have delivered Him. The angels suffered with Christ. God Himself was crucified with Christ; for Christ was one with the Father. Those who reject Christ, those who will not have this man to rule over them, choose to place themselves under the rule of Satan, to do his work as his bondslaves. Yet for them Christ yielded up His life on Calvary.
He who died for the sins of the world was to remain in the tomb the allotted time. He was in that stony prison house as a prisoner of divine justice. He was responsible to the Judge of the universe. He was bearing the sins of the world, and His Father only could release Him.
He identified Himself with our interests, bared His breast for the stroke of death, took man’s guilt and its penalty, and offered in man’s behalf a complete sacrifice to God. By virtue of this atonement, He has power to offer to man perfect righteousness and full salvation. Whosoever shall believe on Him as a personal Savior shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
The price of our redemption has been paid, and all we have and are should be sprinkled with the blood of Christ, dedicated to God; for it all belongs to Him. {FLB 50.4-7}
This is why the first angel says:
And I saw another angel flying in heaven: and with blood, he had the everlasting gospel, to proclaim to dwellers on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; saying with a loud voice, Worship God, and give glory to him; because the hour of his judgment is come; and adore ye Him, who made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water. (Rev 14:6-7, Murdock)