November 4, 2021 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Hello, friends. For some time now the word “unprecedented” has been used to describe recent events, and rightly so. Never have such earth-shaking events converged in such a short period of time, affecting nearly every aspect of life so quickly and dramatically. People sense we are on the verge of something stupendous, and fear and uncertainty are everywhere.
Now is the time, more than ever, for Seventh-day Adventists to proclaim with Holy Spirit inspired boldness the messages of the three angels found in Revelation 14. There is no work of such great importance, we are told, than proclaiming this “last warning for a perishing world.”
This coming week, November 6-13, is our worldwide Week of Prayer. During this special week, through readings found in the special November issue of the magazine, Adventist World, Seventh-day Adventists around the globe will dive deeply into these all-important messages. You can be a part of this worldwide event by downloading a free copy of this magazine at adventistworld.org and following along with the daily readings.
In every age God has given His people a special mission. And while the specifics of how to carry out that mission may vary, the ultimate goal is always the same—to bring people into a saving relationship with God that will last for eternity.
More than 2,500 years ago, God called a young man to an important mission lasting not only through his lifetime but would stretch down the ages into our time and beyond. Standing fearlessly in the courts of kings, Daniel was a bright light as he ministered to those at the highest levels, while standing in the presence of the King of kings who “reveals secrets” and “makes known what will be in the latter days” (see Daniel 2:29).
Those prophecies, especially the ones regarding the last days, are identified in Revelation 10 as a “little book,” sealed until the time of the end. John is told, “Go, take the little book which is open . . .take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth” (Rev. 10:8,9).
Here, John represents God’s people who experienced the great disappointment in 1844. The open book is the book of Daniel, containing the 2,300-year prophecy concerning the cleansing of the sanctuary and the coming investigative judgment.
Believing Jesus was about to come was sweet to the Advent believers, but when Christ did not appear as expected, it was a bitter disappointment. Having preached the message of Jesus’ return, their work was not yet complete. There was another message that, in God’s plans, must be given to the whole world. This message, divided into three parts, is outlined in Revelation 14:6-12, and is known as the Three Angels’ Messages.
The Spirit of Prophecy tells us the first and second messages were given by the early Advent believers. The third message would be added to the first two and would be given just before Jesus returns. The combination of these three messages would be the final appeal of God to this world.
Our mission as God’s remnant Church is made abundantly clear by Inspiration:
“In a special sense Seventh-day Adventists have been set in the world as watchmen and light bearers. To them has been entrusted the last warning for a perishing world. On them is shining wonderful light from the word of God. They have been given a work of the most solemn import—the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels’ messages. There is no other work of so great importance. They are to allow nothing else to absorb their attention. . . . The world is to be warned, and God’s people are to be true to the trust committed to them” (9T 19).
Since we are entrusted by God to proclaim these messages to the world, how important it is that we understand the messages, and the importance of sharing them. This is why I encourage you to meet in your home—or in our schools or churches—to participate in this special Week of Prayer, where we will focus on the three angels’ messages and pray for the revival and reformation in our hearts that only God’s Spirit can accomplish.
We are told that as the conflict between truth and error intensifies and the end draws near, a purging will take place in God’s Church. Those who hold fast to their Savior and refuse to abandon the truths found in the three angels’ messages realize they must, through God’s strength, carry on with His mission, leaving the results with Him. Their faces will be “lighted up hastening from place to place to proclaim the message from heaven. . . .The message will be carried not so much by argument as by the deep conviction of the Spirit of God. . . . the truth is seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God sever the bands which have held them. . . . Notwithstanding the agencies combined against the truth, a large number take their stand upon the Lord’s side” (GC 612).
Brothers and sisters, what we are experiencing today is a wake-up call, urging us to look to God’s Word and be ready for what’s coming. Only by relying completely on Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit will we be able to accomplish anything! God is preparing us for the outpouring of the latter rain, enabling us to proclaim with a loud voice the life-giving messages of the three angels.
Now is the time to study these messages, to pray with hearts open to God’s leading, and to commit ourselves fully into His hands, saying “I Will Go to Proclaim the Three Angels’ Messages!”
Friends, once again, I encourage you to participate in the coming global Week of Prayer and download your free copy of the special Week of Prayer readings at adventistworld.org.
May the Lord bless you in a special way as you spend time with Him during this worldwide Week of Prayer.
Let’s pray together. Father in heaven, thank you, for the word of God, thank you for the prophetic messages, given to help us to know how to approach the days in which we are living, we thank you, that the promise of Jesus soon return is accompanied by the promise that you will be with us to the end of time regardless of what we have to go through, so we lean upon you completely, now bless each brother, each sister, each family, as they study the week of prayer readings and understand more fully the three angels messages of revelation 14 six through 12 and how each one of our church members fits into this great plan of sharing this message, Lord, empower each of us to say to you through the Holy Spirit’s power: “Yes Lord, I will go and proclaim this wonderful message!”, please Lord, come quickly. Thank you for hearing us in this prayer, in Jesus name we ask it, amen.