| 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 responsibilies to tell every person in the
world about God's love and His judgement 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.
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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
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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
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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?
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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 intrusting our
destiny to a system of beliefs not wholly founded on the Word of God.
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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? |
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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.
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