The Three Angels’ Messages

“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen”

The second angel’s message is repeated—This scripture [Revelation 18:1, 2, 4] points forward to a time when the announcement of the fall of Babylon, as made by the second angel of Revelation 14 (verse 8), is to be repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the various organizations that constitute Babylon, since that message was first given, in the summer of 1844. A terrible condition of the religious world is here described. With every rejection of truth the minds of the people will become darker, their hearts more stubborn, until they are entrenched in an infidel hardihood. In defiance of the warnings which God has given, they will continue to trample upon one of the precepts of the Decalogue, until they are led to persecute those who hold it sacred. Christ is set at nought in the contempt placed upon His word and His people. As the teachings of spiritualism are accepted by the churches, the restraint imposed upon the carnal heart is removed, and the profession of religion will become a cloak to conceal the basest iniquity. A belief in spiritual manifestations opens the door to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and thus the influence of evil angels will be felt in the churches.—The Great Controversy, 603, 604 (1888, 1911) 3AM 145.1

The same message—The Revelator says, “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.” [Revelation 18:1, 2.] This is the same message that was given by the second angel, Babylon is fallen, “because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” [Revelation 14:8.] What is that wine? Her false doctrines. She has given to the world a false sabbath instead of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment and has repeated the lie Satan first told to Eve in Eden—the natural immortality of the soul. Many kindred errors she has spread far and wide, “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” [Matthew 15:9.]—Letter 1f, 1890 (November) (Selected Messages 3:405) 3AM 145.2

The messages all blend together—[Revelation 18:1-5 quoted.] Thus the substance of the second angel’s message is again given to the world by that other angel who lightens the earth with his glory. These messages all blend in one, to come before the people in the closing days of this earth’s history. All the world will be tested, and all that have been in the darkness of error in regard to the Sabbath of the fourth commandment will understand the last message of mercy that is to be given to men.—Manuscript 32, 1896 (December 6) (Selected Messages 2:116) 3AM 146.1

The nations commit spiritual fornication—Babylon is represented as holding a wine cup in her hand, from which she makes all nations drink. The nations commit spiritual fornication by divorcing themselves from God and trampling on His commandments.—Letter 28, 1900 (February 17) 3AM 146.2

The churches of today are fulfilling the prophecy—God has a controversy with the churches of today. They are fulfilling the prophecy of John. “All nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” [Revelation 18:3.] They have divorced themselves from God by refusing to receive His sign. They have not the spirit of God’s true commandment-keeping people. And the people of the world, in giving their sanction to a false Sabbath, and in trampling under their feet the Sabbath of the Lord, have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.—Letter 98, 1900 (July 10) (Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Ellen White Comments 7:979) 3AM 146.3

No soft, smooth message—We have taught, we have expected, that an angel is to come down from heaven, that the earth will be lightened with his glory. Then we shall behold an ingathering of souls similar to that witnessed on the day of Pentecost. 3AM 147.1

But this mighty angel comes bearing no soft, smooth message, but words that are calculated to stir the hearts of men to their very depths. That an angel is represented as crying mightily with a strong voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” [Revelation 18:2, 4.] Are we, indeed, as the human agencies to cooperate with the divine instrumentalities in sounding the message of this mighty angel who is to lighten the earth with his glory?—Letter 25b, 1892 (August 30) 3AM 147.2

God’s church also to heed the warning—Will the churches heed the Laodicean message? Will they repent or will they, notwithstanding that the most solemn message of truth—the third angel’s message—is being proclaimed to the world, go on in sin? This is the last message of mercy, the last warning to a fallen world. If the church of God becomes lukewarm, it does not stand in favor with God any more than do the churches that are represented as having fallen and become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird.—Letter 35, 1898 (January 1) 3AM 147.3