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If I Were Told the Future - Lesson 102

Conclusion to the Three Angels’ Message
 

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Here is already our last lesson! Let’s pray together:

Our Father,

We will never be able to thank You enough for Your prophetic Word, which gave us light about what the future holds for us, thus helping us to make the best decisions from now on.

May the last lesson of this study guide help us to remember what we need to know, in order to properly prepare ourselves for the imminent return of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

In His precious name we pray.

Amen.




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Revelation 14:6-9

And I saw another angel fly in the middle of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice (...).

And there followed another angel, saying (...).

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice (...).

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In our last lessons, we studied the three angels’ message, that is, God’s final warning to all the inhabitants of the earth during the last days.




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Let’s remember the content of the three angels’ message of Revelation 14




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Revelation 14:1,4,5

And I looked, and, see, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him a hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads. (...)

These are they which follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

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A few verses back, the Word of God introduces those who will proclaim the three angels’ message to the whole world: the 144,000, who symbolize the faithful believers working for God in the last days.




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Revelation 14:12

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

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The end of the three angels’ message gives more details about those who will proclaim God’s final message to the whole world before Jesus’ return:

- they show «patience», endurance;

- they keep the «commandments of God»;

- they have the «faith of Jesus».




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Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

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Let’s first look at the faith of Jesus.

In our lesson «The Faith of Jesus», we learned that faith is an absolute trust in God, which enables us to have a living communion with Him.

Faith says «Yes» to God and follows Him, whatever the doubts, obstacles, and resistances that may occur.

We also studied in this lesson that the best example of this faith was demonstrated by Jesus during His life here on earth: the «faith of Jesus».




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Matthew 26:39

[Jesus] went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying,

«O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as You will.»

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John 6:38

For I came down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.

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The faith of Jesus enabled Him to trust His Father entirely and to fulfill His will in all things.

This is the faith which the 144,000 have.




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Galatians 2:16

A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.

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The faith of Jesus allows us to confidently grasp God’s offer of salvation in Jesus Christ.

The sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins is the only way to inherit eternal life. No work, however good and charitable it may be, can contribute to saving us from our sins.

Salvation is God’s free gift to us, and the only work that has contributed to it is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.




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Titus 3:5

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.

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Ephesians 2:8,9

For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves.

It is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.

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Of course, each Christian is called to perform good works, not TO be saved, but rather BECAUSE he is saved.

Let’s never forget that very important point.




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James 2:17,26

Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. (...)

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

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Galatians 5:6

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love.

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So, the role of works is not to save us, but rather to show the presence of a living faith within us, a faith «which works by love».




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Romans 3:31 [NKJV]

Do we then make void the law through faith?

Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

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The faith of Jesus, working through love, leads us to the second characteristic of those who proclaim the three angels’ message to the whole world: their obedience to God’s commandments.

In fact, if we are really thankful for having obtained God’s grace and forgiveness, we will seek, day after day, to better obey His will as expressed in His Ten Commandments, through the power of His Spirit working within us.




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Matthew 22:36-40

«Master, which is the great commandment in the law?»

Jesus said to him,

«“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like to it, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.»

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Obedience to the first four commandments shows our love for God.

Obedience to the last six commandments shows our love for our neighbor.




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John 14:15

[Jesus said,] «If you love Me, keep My commandments.»

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1 John 5:3,4

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not grievous.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.

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God wants to give us the power we need to keep His commandments.

If we love Him, we will let Him work within us.

And soon, keeping God’s commandments will be for us a delight, and no longer a burden.




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Hebrews 5:9

[Christ] became the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey Him.

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John 15:5

[Jesus said,]

«He that stays in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing.»

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God expects us to obey Him.

Through His power in our hearts, we will be able to keep His law, not to be saved, but rather because we are saved, thus showing the sincerity of our repentance and conversion.




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Revelation 12:17

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

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Revelation 14:12

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

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Satan will harshly attack the faithful believers during the last days.

To pass through this great trial, they will need the third characteristic of the 144,000: patience and endurance.




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Matthew 10:22

And you shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake.

But he that endures to the end shall be saved.

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Matthew 24:13,14

But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations.

And then shall the end come.

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Jesus often emphasized the importance of persevering with patience, of «enduring to the end», especially for the faithful believers who will live in the very last days of this world.




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Faith and patience are closely linked:

«And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end: that you be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.» (Hebrews 6:11,12)

«We ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.» (2 Thessalonians 1:4)

«For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise. “For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him.” But we are not of them who draw back to perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.» (Hebrews 10:36-39)




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James 1:25

Whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

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Hebrews 10:36

For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.

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Likewise, patience, that is, «continuing in the perfect law of liberty», is closely linked with obedience to God’s will as expressed in His Ten Commandments.

But there’s even more...




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The saints’ three characteristics are linked with the pouring out of the Spirit!




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Acts 1:8

But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come on you.

And you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.

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Revelation 14:6,7

And I saw another angel fly in the middle of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice (...).

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To be able to proclaim the three angels’ message with force, we must have the saints’ three characteristics, in order to receive the power of the Holy Spirit.




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Revelation 18:1,2,4

And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, «Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen!» (...)

«Come out of her, My people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.»

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Indeed, we learned that, thanks to the latter rain filling the faithful believers with the power of the Holy Spirit, the three angels’ message will be proclaimed with authority throughout the whole world.




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Mark 13:13

[Jesus said,] «You shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake: but he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.»

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1 Peter 4:16

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

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2 Timothy 3:12

All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

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God doesn’t hide from us that following Him will often be difficult...




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Revelation 13:15

And he had power to give life to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

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Revelation 20:4

And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark on their foreheads, or in their hands.

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... and the book of Revelation clearly indicates that, in the last days, our faithfulness to God may even cost us our life.




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Revelation 14:12,13

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

And I heard a voice from heaven saying to me,

«Write, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from now on: Yes,” said the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.”»

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This is why God decided to conclude the three angels’ message with this hopeful promise, reminding us that even if our faithfulness costs us our life, He will remember us and the works we performed for Him.




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Ephesians 2:8-10

For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

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But let’s never forget that all the good works of the believer, which God will remember, cannot contribute in any way to his salvation.

However, these works show that the believer’s conversion is true and sincere, and they will justify his reward at the end of times.




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Revelation 19:7,8

The marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready.

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

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Revelation 22:12

And, behold, I come quickly.

And My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

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In fact, the reward to each believer, given at the return of Jesus, will reflect the good works performed for God during his life here on earth.




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The reward to each believer will depend on the quality of his works:

«For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.» (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)

«But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are worked in God.» (John 3:21)




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Revelation 14:13,14

And I heard a voice from heaven saying to me,

«Write, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from now on: Yes,” said the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.”»

And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and on the cloud One sat like to the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.

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Immediately after the promise to those who «die in the Lord», the book of Revelation presents the magnificent scene of Jesus’ return.




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Revelation 14:16,19

And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. (...)

And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great wine press of the wrath of God.

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In our lessons «The Harvest» and «The Vintage», we have seen that this scene describes the gathering of the righteous (the harvest), and the punishment of the wicked (the vintage).

This passage, placed immediately after the three angels’ message, emphasizes the importance of this final warning.




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These two passages describe the last days in the same way




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Matthew 12:30

[Jesus said,]

«He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathers not with Me scatters abroad.»

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Malachi 3:18

Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves Him not.

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So, the three angels’ message and the scenes of the harvest and the vintage reaffirm a crucial point. At the end of times, there will be only two groups:

- for God;
- against God.

It won’t be possible to remain neutral.




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Matthew 28:19,20

[Jesus said,]

«Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you.

And, see, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.»

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2 Corinthians 5:20

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ.

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While waiting for Jesus’ return, each one of us must work for Him, teaching the people around us the way to salvation in Jesus Christ.




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2 Chronicles 16:9

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.

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John 15:5

[Jesus said,]

«I am the vine, you are the branches. He that stays in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing.»

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Bringing each one of us to proclaim the three angels’ message to the whole world, and making our relationship with God grow: this was the goal of our Bible prophecy study guide.

We sincerely hope we have reached that goal.




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Very soon, Jesus will return to gather and reward all His faithful ones!




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Let’s close this set of lessons with thanksgiving to God:

Father,

By revealing to us the precious secrets of Your prophetic Word, You have entrusted us with a holy mission: to proclaim Your final call to salvation to all the inhabitants of the earth.

Please build Your character within us, and grant us the power of Your Holy Spirit, so that we may fulfill this work with strength and authority, before the return of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Lord.

In His name we pray.

Amen.


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