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souls, and shielding them from the shafts of Satan.
Chapter 15—The Second Angel’s Message
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The churches that refused to receive the first angel’s message, re-
jected light from Heaven. That message was sent in mercy to arouse
them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding, and
to seek a preparation to meet their Lord. God has ever required his
people to remain separate from the world, that they might not be
allured from their allegiance to him. He delivered the Israelites from
bondage in Egypt because he would not have them corrupted by the
idolatry with which they were there surrounded. The children of this
world are the children of darkness. Their attention is not directed to
the Sun of Righteousness, but is centered upon themselves and the
treasures of earth. Blinded by the god of this world, they have no
just perception of the glory and majesty of the true God. While they
enjoy his gifts, they forget the claims of the Giver. Such have chosen
to walk in darkness, and they are led by the prince of the powers of
darkness. They do not love and enjoy divine things, because they do
not discern their value or loveliness. They have alienated themselves
from the light of God, and their understanding becomes so confused
in regard to that which is right, true, and holy, that the things of the
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Spirit of God are foolishness to them.
It was to separate the church of Christ from the corrupting influ-
ence of the world that the first angel’s message was given. But with
the multitude, even of professed Christians, the ties which bound
them to earth were stronger than the attractions heavenward. They
chose to listen to the voice of worldly wisdom, and turned away
from the heart-searching message of truth.
Peter, writing as he was inspired by the Holy Spirit, described the
ma
received: “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after
their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for
since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the
begi
by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing
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out of the water and in the water; whereby the world that then was,
being overflowed with water, perished; but the heavens and the earth
which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto
fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” [2
Peter 3:3-7.]
Those who perished in the waters of the flood had an opportunity
to escape. All were urged to find refuge in the ark; but the multitudes
refused to heed the warning. So when the first angel’s message was
given, all who heard were invited to receive it, and share the blessing
to follow its acceptance; but many scorned and rejected the call. One
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turned to his farm, another to his merchandise, and they cared for
none of these things. Inspiration declares that when the antediluvians
rejected Noah’s words, the Spirit of God ceased to strive with them.
So when men now despise the warnings which God in mercy sends
them, his Spirit after a time ceases to arouse conviction in their hearts.
God gives light to be cherished and obeyed, not to be despised and
rejected. The light which he sends becomes darkness to those who
disregard it. When the Spirit of God ceases to impress the truth upon
the hearts of men, all hearing is vain, and all preaching also is vain.
When the churches spurned the counsel of God by rejecting
the Advent message, the Lord rejected them. The first angel was
followed by a second, proclaiming, “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] This message was understood by Adventists to be an a
the churches in consequence of their rejection of the first message.
The proclamation, “Babylon is fallen,” was given in the summer of
1844, and as the result, about fifty thousand withdrew from these
churches.
The term Babylon, derived from Babel, and signifying confusion,
is applied in Scripture to the various forms of false or apostate
religion. But the message a
apply to some religious body that was once pure, and has become
corrupt. It ca
that church has been in a fallen condition for many centuries. But
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how appropriate the figure as applied to the Protestant churches,
all professing to derive their doctrines from the Bible, yet divided
into almost i
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does not exist. Instead of one Lord, one faith, one baptism, there are
numberless conflicting creeds and theories. Religious faith appears
so confused and discordant that the world know not what to believe
as truth. God is not in all this; it is the work of man,—the work of
Satan.
In Revelation 17, Babylon is represented as a woman, a figure which is used in the Scriptures as the symbol of a church. A virtuous
woman represents a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church.
Babylon is said to be a harlot; and the prophet beheld her drunken
with the blood of saints and martyrs. The Babylon thus described
represents Rome, that apostate church which has so cruelly perse-
cuted the followers of Christ. But Babylon the harlot is the mother
of daughters who follow her example of corruption. Thus are rep-
resented those churches that cling to the doctrines and traditions of
Rome and follow her worldly practices, and whose fall is a
in the second angel’s message.
The close relation of the church to Christ is represented under
the figure of marriage. The Lord had joined his people to himself by
a solemn covenant, he promising to be their God, and they pledg-
ing themselves to be his, and his alone. Said Paul, addressing the
church, “I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present
you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” [2 Corinthians 11:2.] But when her confidence and affection were turned away from him, and she sought
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after vanity, and allowed the love of worldly things to separate her
from God, she forfeited the privileges included in this peculiar and
sacred relation. By the apostle James those who assimilate to the
world are addressed as “adulterers and adulteresses.” [James 4:4.]
A profession of religion has become popular with the world.
Rulers, politicians, lawyers, doctors, merchants, join the church
as a means of securing the respect and confidence of society, and