The Three Angels’ Messages

“Here are those who keep the commandments of God”

Attention called to the breach in the law—Just prior to the great day of God, a message is sent forth to warn the people to come back to their allegiance to the law of God which antichrist has broken down. By precept and example, attention must be called to the breach in the law. I was shown that the third angel, proclaiming the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, represents the people who receive this message and raise the voice of warning to the world, to keep the commandments of God as the apple of the eye, and that in response to this warning many would embrace the Sabbath of the Lord.—Testimonies for the Church 1:76, 77 (1885) 3AM 108.2

A message proclaimed just prior to Christ’s return—The angel of Revelation 14 is represented as flying in the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” This angel presents a message that is to be proclaimed to the world just before Christ comes in the clouds of heaven to take His elect to Himself. Just prior to this time, then, the attention of the people is to be called to the down-trodden law of God, which is contained in the ark of the testament.—The Signs of the Times, May 5, 1887 3AM 109.1

The time of fulfillment has come—John beheld an angel flying through the midst of heaven, warning men of the final judgments of God. He proclaimed the position of those who heeded His warning, and who would escape the seven last plagues. He announced them as God’s people, and called attention to their peculiar character: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” The time for the fulfillment of this prophecy has come. We hear the sound of this very message calling the attention of men and women to the broken law of God, and demanding repentance and reform.—The Review and Herald, January 31, 1888 3AM 109.2

Two distinct parties presented—John’s prophetic eye sees a company who have not the mark of the beast. As he beholds them, he exclaims, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” [Revelation 14:12.] Two parties are brought into view: one keeping the commandments of God, in distinction from the one breaking His commandments, enforcing the Sunday sabbath, and compelling the people to conform to the Sunday law. Through union with opposers of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment—the seventh day Sabbath—men will receive the mark of the beast. And all who have that mark will perish with the man of sin, who makes void the law of God.—Letter 118, 1900 (August 2) 3AM 109.3

Lift up the standard—Lift up the standard—the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Make this everything, and then by your strong arguments wall it in, and make it of still greater force. We are, as a people, in danger of giving the third angel’s message in such an indefinite manner that it does not impress the people. It is our privilege to expect large things, even the demonstration of the Spirit of God. This is a power which will convict and convert the soul. Our message is a life and death message, and we must let this message appear as it is—the great power of God. Then the Lord will make it effectual. We are to present it in all its telling force.—Letter 209, 1899 (December 19) 3AM 110.1

Raise the banner—The third angel’s message, embracing the messages of the first and second angels, is the message for this time. We are to raise aloft the banner on which is inscribed: “The commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” The world is soon to meet the great Lawgiver over His broken law. This is not the time to put out of sight the great issues before us. God calls upon His people to magnify the law and make it honorable.—Testimonies for the Church 8:197 (1904) 3AM 110.2

The Sabbath to be proclaimed with a loud voice—Some have thought it best to gradually prepare the way for the presentation of the Sabbath question. The Sabbath truth is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, as represented in the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah. There has been too much beating about the bush in the proclamation of the third angel’s message. The message has not been given as clearly and distinctly as it should have been. The third angel’s message is to be proclaimed at our camp-meetings, and in a most earnest, decided manner. The trumpet is to give a certain sound.—Manuscript 16, 1900 (February 20) 3AM 110.3

We should be alarmed when we see the least disposition to hush the voices that proclaim the message of the third angel. That angel represents the people of God who give the last warning to the world. No greater contempt could be shown to the Creator than the contempt manifested for the day which He has sanctified. And as Satan with his human agencies pushes the warfare against God by leading men to trample on the Sabbath, the few who do honor God should be aroused to greater zeal and earnestness in its defense; the Calebs must press to the front. The greater the contempt heaped upon the law, the stronger will be their love for it, and the more earnest their efforts to exalt it.—Manuscript 16, 1890 3AM 111.1

God’s faithful ones shine amid the darkness—The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The observance of the false sabbath will be urged upon us. The contest will be between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. Those who have yielded step by step to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will then yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. At that time the gold will be separated from the dross. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliance will then go out in darkness. Those who have assumed the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will then appear in the shame of their own nakedness. 3AM 111.2

Among earth’s inhabitants, scattered in every land, there are those who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Like the stars of heaven, which appear only at night, these faithful ones will shine forth when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people.... God has in reserve a firmament of chosen ones that will yet shine forth amidst the darkness, revealing clearly to an apostate world the transforming power of obedience to His law. Even now they are appearing in every nation, among every tongue and people; and in the hour of deepest apostasy, when Satan’s supreme effort is made to cause “all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,” to receive, under penalty of death, the sign of allegiance to a false rest day, these faithful ones, “blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke,” will “shine as lights in the world.” Revelation 13:16; Philippians 2:15. The darker the night, the more brilliantly will they shine.—Prophets and Kings, 188, 189 (1917) 3AM 112.1