"Going Home": Good News from the Second Angel

Abstract

Historically, Seventh-day Adventists have seen their mandate and message as rooted in the urgent call of the three angels of Revelation 14:6-12, more familiarly known as the three angels’ messages. Sadly, the second angel’s message has not often been delivered as a relevant message for us but rather as one needing to be delivered to others. Our practice ignores our belief that the three angels’ messages should be a central platform in preparing all the people of God for the last days. The Elijah message of Malachi 4:5,6, the final appeal of the Old Testament and echoed in the New (Luke 1:17), warns the world and prepares a people for the great day of God and has been seen by Seventh-day Adventists to be fulfilled by both John the Baptist (Matt. 17:11-13) and the three angels’ messages. All three angels have a restoring, reforming message to ready God’s people for Jesus’ return (Rev 14:14-20). They are God’s response to the beasts of Revelation 13 – the “present truth” needed and delivered by those enduring these end-time events. As a preparatory message, how does the second angel’s message have relevance for all the people of God?