The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

IV. Gives Systematic Exposition on Three Messages

Andrews’ main contribution on prophetic exposition was his 144-page book, The Three Angels of Revelation 14:6-12 (republished later as The Three Messages of Revelation 14:6-12. Particularly the Third Angel’s Message, and Two-Horned Beast). This was reprinted from his Review articles of January 23 to May 1, 1855. PFF4 1101.2

1. PAGAN ROME, PAPAL ROME, AND UNITED STATES

Andrews’ views on the Apocalypse are sketchy until he reaches Revelation 12. We have already noted his sequence-the pure woman of this chapter is the true church; the child, Christ; and the dragon, imperial Rome, with the seven heads as the seven forms of government. The first beast of Revelation 13 represents papal Rome, and its ten horns are the same ten divisions of Rome as appear in Daniel 7. The deadly wound is the crippling of the Papacy’s ruling power at the close of the 1260 years, which extended from 538 to 1798. The healing is obviously the regaining of its power PFF4 1101.3

Thus the second beast of Revelation 13, he held, coming into prominence just after the 1260 years end, is not Napoleon, Britain, or the Holy Alliance, but the United States of America, the two lamblike horns denoting civil and religious liberty. The “image to the beast” is not yet revealed, Andrews stated, and is therefore impossible to identify until it comes into existence. The “mark” is an institution of the Papacy enforced by Protestantism-Sunday enforcement-and the “666” is the numerical equivalent of Vicarius Filii Dei (Vicar of the Son of God), according to Andrews. PFF4 1102.1

2. THE THREEFOLD WARNING AGAINST APOSTASY

Like all his fellow Adventists, he held the three flying angels to symbolize the heralding of the judgment hour, the announcement of the apostasy of the churches, and the warning against the change made in the law of God—with the seven last plagues containing the wrath of God. PFF4 1102.2

The “three unclean spirits/’ he wrote, emerging from Roman Catholicism^ apostate Protestantism, and Spiritualism, join hands for their final exploits. The corrupted woman, or church, of Revelation 17, is the church unlawfully united to the nations of the world—Babylon being the corrupted church ruling over the nations of the world. The mother and daughters represent all religious systems having recourse to civil power. The judgment upon Babylon takes place under the last vial, just before the end. And the final overthrow of the Beast and false prophet comes at Armageddon. PFF4 1102.3

The millennial thousand years follow the advent and the first resurrection—the desolated earth becoming the prison house of Satan while the saints above judge the wicked. And the second resurrection (of the wicked), at the close of the thousand years, looses Satan. Then he and his evil warriors and the wicked are cast into the lake of fire. Thus the universe will be cleansed from the catastrophe of sin. So said Andrews. And now follow briefly four other early Sabbatarian expositors—Cornell, Waggoner, Loughborough, and Haskell. PFF4 1102.4