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We are too prone to take our own times as a standard for judging other periods. We
have no authority to preach as a gospel the fear and the worship of the Creator, but this
will be the "good news" for the time of Babylonian supremacy. Further light upon this
necessity will be found in Rom. 1: 18-32. There it will be seen that the apostasy of the
Gentile world in its beginnings foreshadows its final phase (Rev. 13:, 14:, 17:, 18:).
The Nations knew God, they were taught His relationship to creation, but they "glorified"
Him not as God; they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like
corruptible man, birds, beasts, and reptiles. They changed the truth of God into THE LIE
(see pages 161-163 of Volume IX for the close connection that this establishes between
the 144,000 and this aiōnion gospel) and "worshipped" and served the creature more than
the CREATOR. Babel, at the beginning (Gen. 11:), in the middle (Dan. 3:), and at the
end (Rev. 13:) remains the same. Deliverance however comes to the oppressed peoples,
when the image is broken, and the Son of man comes. Then will be given to Him
"dominion, and glory, and a Kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should
serve Him".
Turning back once more to Rev. 14:, let us note what immediately follows the
announcing of this gospel, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen", shewing by its sequence the true
nature of "those that SIT upon the earth".
#44.
"They have no rest." "They may rest." (14: 9-13).
pp. 41 - 45
The first angelic message in the days of the Beast and the False Prophet will be that of
the aionian gospel. The second which immediately follows will herald the fall of
Babylon. As this is dealt with in detail in chapters 17: and 18: we pass on to note
the message of the third angel:--
"And another, a third angel, followed them, saying with a loud voice, If anyone
worshippeth the Beast and his image, and receiveth his mark on his forehead or on his
hand, even he shall drink of the wine of God's fury, which is prepared undiluted in the
cup of His wrath; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the
holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth
for the ages of the ages, and they have no respite day or night who are worshipping the
Beast and his image, and if anyone receiveth the mark of his name" (14: 9-11).
Here is the solemn, the awful witness of the third angel. In Psa. 75: 8 we read:--
"For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture,
and He poureth out the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring
them out, and drink thereof."
There is in many prophecies of this period an indication that the punishments Israel
are made to suffer under the permission of God will be ultimately turned upon the great
oppressor. For instance, in Psa. 73: 10 it is "His people" to whom "the waters of a
full cup are wrung out". So in Isa. 51: 17:--