The Three Angels Messages, Third Angel
11. The Plagues
By John Thiel
Audio: The Plagues
In our previous study ‘The Time of Jacob’s Trouble’ we saw what happens to the people of God and how they go through the terrible time of trouble. This study is to behold the picture of those who God denounces.
Revelation 14:9 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,
14:10 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:
We now identify in the third angel’s message the subject of God’s wrath. Here is the drinking of the wine of the wrath of God. This is written in Revelation 15-16 where the preamble in chapter 15 talks of the angels with the seven plagues and then the actual outpouring of that;
Revelation 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
The third angel has been sealing the people of God, the 144,000. Once they have been sealed the judgments come. Ezekiel chapter 9 speaks of the angel with the writer’s inkhorn by his side sealing God’s people. This is a picture of the third angel. While the third angel was working, what was being held back?
Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
He is trying to seal the people of God and the wrath of God is being held back. These four angels are holding back the winds. In Bible prophecy winds mean strife and destruction. You can see here as the three angel’s work is going on and the sealing is taking place the angels are bidden to hold back the winds of strife. Naturally follows that when they have finished the sealing then the angels are permitted to let go.
Ezekiel 9:11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which [had] the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.
He has finished his work of sealing. Having said that Daniel 12:1 is what happens next;
Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
This time of trouble that has been held back and the angel reports, I have sealed them. Now Jesus can stand up and complete His work and says he that is holy, let him be holy still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still and the unleashing of this terrible time of trouble takes place.
Ezekiel 9:5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
9:6 Slay utterly old [and] young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom [is] the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which [were] before the house.
9:7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.
When he is finished the other angels that hold the winds of strife come forth. These depictions here are directly the outpouring of God’s wrath when the finishing of God’s people being sealed takes place. As these angels are to go forth and to slay utterly old and young we see the detail;
Revelation 15:5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
Here is the New Testament revelation of these angels. Here is the heavenly sanctuary described. It opened and Jesus went into the most holy place and then He comes back out of the most holy place. What happens when He finishes His work in the most holy place?
I was pointed down to the time when the third angel’s message was closing. The power of God had rested upon His people; they had accomplished their work and were prepared for the trying hour before them. They had received the latter rain, or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and the living testimony had been revived. The last great warning had sounded everywhere, and it had stirred up and enraged the inhabitants of the earth who would not receive the message. {EW 279.1}
I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with a writer’s inkhorn by his side returned from the earth and reported to Jesus that his work was done, and the saints were numbered and sealed. Then I saw Jesus, who had been ministering before the ark containing the ten commandments, throw down the censer. He raised His hands, and with a loud voice said, “It is done.” And all the angelic host laid off their crowns as Jesus made the solemn declaration, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” {EW 279.2}
Every case had been decided for life or death. While Jesus had been ministering in the sanctuary, the judgment had been going on for the righteous dead, and then for the righteous living. Christ had received His kingdom, having made the atonement for His people and blotted out their sins. The subjects of the kingdom were made up. The marriage of the Lamb was consummated. And the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, was given to Jesus and the heirs of salvation, and Jesus was to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. {EW 280.1}
While Jesus had been standing between God and guilty man, a restraint was upon the people; but when He stepped out from between man and the Father, the restraint was removed and Satan had entire control of the finally impenitent. It was impossible for the plagues to be poured out while Jesus officiated in the sanctuary; but as His work there is finished, and His intercession closes, there is nothing to stay the wrath of God, and it breaks with fury upon the shelterless head of the guilty sinner, who has slighted salvation and hated reproof. In that fearful time, after the close of Jesus’ mediation, the saints were living in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor. Every case was decided, every jewel numbered. {EW 280.2}
The plagues of God’s wrath are unleashed. Let’s explore God’s wrath to get a correct appreciation of this. As we were reading in Revelation 15:8 these angels come out from the sanctuary after Jesus had finished. As they came out with their vials the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.” {ST, March 12, 1896 par. 3}
Here is an important study to explore – the wrath of God is of such a nature that the temple of heaven was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power. We have studied what the glory of God is, the character of God.
Exodus 34:6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek [after them].
34:7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
This is what God did for Moses when Moses had said;
Exodus 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory.
33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
This is Gods glory and his character. Not only His mercy, but also His wrath. What actually is his wrath?
2 Chronicles 5:13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers [were] as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up [their] voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever: that [then] the house was filled with a cloud, [even] the house of the LORD;
5:14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
Here we have an example of God’s glory in the earthly temple when Solomon was praying for the glory of God to come upon that temple. The priest could not enter in because of God’s glory pouring into that temple.
Nahum 1:3 The LORD [is] slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit [the wicked]: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds [are] the dust of his feet.
1:5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
This is His glory and power. It is a glory which as it comes into the presence of this planet it melts. Here is the introduction of God’s character in wrath. Here is another challenge that God’s people who are preaching the three angel’s messages are called upon to display;
Revelation 14:7 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.
In this time of the three angel’s messages the people of God are to display His glory and His wonderful character which includes His wrath because that’s part of His character. Just as we are to give glory to God in the judgment by Him in the gospel we are also to make known His glory in reference to His wrath.
Revelation 14:9 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,
This is the third angel’s message. The content of this glory is wrath. Is wrath something to glory in? Is that a good characteristic? God’s wrath is something different to what the people imagine that we are to display God’s character and God’s wrath is something to glory. It is not something to regard as a despicable thing. We are reminded by God not to put Him on the same footing as ourselves.
Psalm 50:18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
50:19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
50:20 Thou sittest [and] speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.
50:21 These [things] hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether [such an one] as thyself: [but] I will reprove thee, and set [them] in order before thine eyes.
You thought I was just like you in your anger with your relatives and in your thoughts towards the thief. Don’t think I am like you. The fire and brimstone preachers convey a wrath of God which people would not regard as glorious. This is God’s glory. He says I will reprove you in case you thought that way. When God is wrath He reveals His noble character. Jesus came to demonstrate what God’s character is like in wrath. To understand what God’s wrath is we must look at Jesus. Here is an occasion when He was very angry.
Mark 3:5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched [it] out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
Here Jesus was angry. But what was the actual emotion of anger? It was grief. We are to examine God’s wrath from that frame of mind. It is not a vindictive temper that we associate wrath with. In the outpouring of God’s wrath His true character is going to be displayed.
Psalm 9:16 The LORD is known [by] the judgment [which] he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.
The iniquity of the wicked will be paid upon him. The wicked is so bent on his wickedness he does not want God’s love so God in grief just has to let him follow the consequences of his own choice.
Ezekiel 14:4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
14:5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
14:6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn [yourselves] from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
He yearns that they be not destroyed by their idols but they will not turn so He says stick to your idol and your own iniquity will then be visited upon you. He clears those that repent by the glory of His grace but by no means clears the guilty. The language is very plain. Repent from your idols so you can be cleared from the destruction. That is the glory of His grace. The guilty must meet their actions when God deals with them.
Jeremiah 2:19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that [it is] an evil [thing] and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear [is] not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
Thy own wickedness shall reprove thee. The people are so distraught with the shocking results of God’s wrath which is their own actions that catch up with them. It’s a bitter thing when the vials of God’s wrath are poured out.
Ezekiel 9:10 For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through [them]; neither can [men] hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone
That’s what God is like. It’s their own way that He will just let them have the consequence of and He will take no more pity. There comes a point in time when Jesus leaves the sanctuary and says;
Revelation 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
God lets Satan have what he wants and He lets the people have what they want and then what happens? The vials of God’s wrath, the destruction and the plagues.
Jeremiah 25:14 For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands.
25:15 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
25:16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.
He is talking of warfare amongst the nations here. He recompenses them according to the works of their own hands. The sword that He sends among them is what? Many kings and great nations shall serve themselves of them. The sword is the kings that will do their wickedness to other nations as these events take place.
Psalm 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry [with the wicked] every day.
7:12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
7:13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.
7:14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
7:15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch [which] he made.
7:16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
7:17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
Here is the description of the travail which is their iniquity. The reason why God’s people can praise Him is because what a just wrath it is. His grieving because the people haven’t taken hold of His wonderful gift of salvation. He says go forward and I am right with you. You do exactly what you like and your iniquity shall be your destruction. When you look into warfare that is exactly what it is. One nation getting wilder and wilder with the other nation and they do all sorts of terrible war crimes. This is God’s wrath.
Psalm 5:10 Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
The rebellion against God is recompensed by their rebellious nature upon their own head. Their rebellious behaviour is their own destruction. A person who is rebellious will destroy other people who are resisting them. It’s a natural condition of being so God says go ahead this is my grief and my wrath.
Isaiah 26:11 LORD, [when] thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: [but] they shall see, and be ashamed for [their] envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.
26:14 [They are] dead, they shall not live; [they are] deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
The very fire that the enemies use and want to use even against God will devour them. When the Bible reads he has destroyed them and when it reads His wrath has been poured upon them, what is meant is that He who gives life and gives people their freedom, will therefore orchestrate their own iniquity upon their own pate.
Revelation 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong [is] the Lord God who judgeth her.
There is the destruction of the papacy and all its attachments. When we read these things from the other Scriptures we know that that is what is meant that as the plagues destroy and burn it is their own action.
Revelation 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
From the Dark Ages through to the close of probation, the nations of Europe will continue to support the papacy. However the time will come when they will burn her with fire. This is the plague of Chapter 18. God has put it into the hearts of these nations to give power to the papacy until they will see long enough what a ghastly beast it is and they will destroy it.
Isaiah 24:1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
24:4 The earth mourneth [and] fadeth away, the world languisheth [and] fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
People read verse 1 to see that God is vindictive but when we read verses 4 to 6 we see the wicked have defiled their planet because they have transgressed the laws therefore has the curse devoured the earth and the inhabitants of the earth are burned. We can see with global warming and how the earth is being destroyed by man’s own behaviour and now they’re trying to back-paddle to try to save the planet and it’s all too late. The only reason why God has been holding back so long is because God’s people have not been sealed. As they are trying to back-paddle it is too late. The North Pole is melting so fast now that the islands will sink. It’s been foretold in EG White’s writings. They can’t stop it any more. Therefore in God’s dealings ever since 1844 under the three angel’s messages His personality is being totally revealed including the judgments of the plagues.
Daniel 8:17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end [shall be] the vision.
8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end [shall be].
This was the description that the angel gave in reference to the 2300 day prophecy. Here is a identification of what we’ve been studying. It is the end of the indignation from 1844 onwards. Everything that you see happening on the planet since 1844 is the judgments of God where Jesus goes into the Most Holy place and the angels are holding the winds of strife and God’s people are being sealed and the judgment of God’s people is taking place. That is the entire study of the three angel’s messages from 1844 to this end. In our study of the first and second angel’s message we have seen that we are in the time of the harvest. The time of the earth being harvested now. The tares and the wheat are being sorted out and dealt with all in living reality.
Daniel 7:26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy [it] unto the end.
This is talking about the papacy, that the papacy from 1844 onwards would go through the activities and the nations go through the activities where it will be totally consumed in the end. As you can see in the events that have taken place, the corruptions are already being unveiled. There are many priests that are being taken before the court and the Catholic church has had to pay out huge amounts of money to alleviate the judgment. It will get worse until finally the nations will burn her. The vials of the wrath of God is something that the nations will drink, they will drink of their own corruption.
Jeremiah 25:16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.
25:17 Then took I the cup at the LORD’S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:
Who is the one that is mad? It is not God. Although this takes place after the close of probation where they will be fully unleashed. However, because we are looking at this from 1844 onwards, there is something written here that you can see why certain things have been happening as you study the history of war in America, the civil war, the wars in Europe, the first and second World Wars, these are all precursors to the close of probation.
We are coming right upon the time when Satan is to work with all manner of bewitching influences, and those who are charmed with them now, or give them the least countenance now, will be all ready to be swept right in to act a part with the devil then. 2SM 51:2
To enjoy the bewitching things of Satan it will sweep everyone in with them.
Evil angels are working all the time upon the hearts of men. Satan is working with everyone who is not under the control of the Spirit of God. It is the lying wonders of the devil that will take the world captive, and he will cause fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men. He is to work miracles; and this wonderful, miracle-working power is to sweep in the whole world. It is now just beginning. 2SM 51:2
That was at the turn of the century.
I want to tell you another thing. The vials of God’s wrath and the sprinkling of them are already coming. What is the matter that we do not discern it? It is because the light of truth does not affect the heart. The Spirit of God is being withdrawn from the world. 2SM 51:2
This is referring to the close of probation but many don’t realise what it says here. They are actually giving in and being charmed by all these miracles of Satan and they are participating with them and it will suck them right in because he is preparing the world for that self-destructive process. What is the matter that we do not discern it? Why are people who are Christians and even Adventists not seeing it? It is because the light of truth does not affect the heart. The Spirit of God is being withdrawn from the world.
Four mighty angels hold back the powers of this earth till the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads. The nations of the world are eager for conflict; but they are held in check by the angels. When this restraining power is removed, there will come a time of trouble and anguish. Deadly instruments of warfare will be invented. Vessels, with their living cargo, will be entombed in the great deep. All who have not the spirit of truth will unite under the leadership of satanic agencies. But they are to be kept under control till the time shall come for the great battle of Armageddon. Angels are belting the world, refusing Satan his claims to supremacy, made because of the vast multitude of his adherents. We hear not the voices, we see not with the natural sight the work of these angels, but their hands are linked about the world, and with sleepless vigilance they are keeping the armies of Satan at bay till the sealing of God’s people shall be accomplished. 7BC 967.5
How much we are surrounded by danger all the time. It is only because the angels are holding back the winds of strife that we are protected from that. We have to keep on seeing that. The most important thing is that it is man’s own wickedness and their own idols that will bring their destruction upon themselves. We must not be drawn in by Satan and his sophisticated ways. People are being drawn in and we are regarded as strange while they are being bewitched by Satan.
Isaiah 24:3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
24:4 The earth mourneth [and] fadeth away, the world languisheth [and] fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
It is man’s own behaviour that will make this planet desolate.
Revelation 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and [upon] them which worshipped his image.
As you study the sores and diseases, these are developing because of man’s corrupt way of dealing with medicine. As a result those people that worship the beast and his image and submit to his government they are going to have all these sores.
Revelation 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead [man]; and every living soul died in the sea.
The oceans are so polluted that the fish in the sea are dying and it’s like a murky ugly dead man’s blood which isn’t red as it’s a murky coagulated brown mess.
Revelation 16:4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
Have you heard of the algae bloom? Its red.
Revelation 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
The global warming that the sun will burn hotter than ever before.
Revelation 16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, [and] so great.
16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, [every stone] about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
Who was responsible for all this? God? No, Satan.
Isaiah 14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, [and] consider thee, [saying, Is] this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
14:17 [That] made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; [that] opened not the house of his prisoners?
Satan has full control and he is the one that has destroyed the planet.
Amen.
