Chapter 20—A Great Religious Awakening
A Great religious awakening under the proclamation of Christ’s
soon coming is foretold in the prophecy of the first angel’s message of
Revelation 14
. An angel is seen flying “in the midst of heaven, having
the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and
to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” “With a loud
voice” he proclaims the message: “Fear God, and give glory to Him;
for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made
heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”
Verses 6,
7
.
The fact that an angel is said to be the herald of this warning is
significant. By the purity, the glory, and the power of the heavenly
messenger, divine wisdom has been pleased to represent the exalted
character of the work to be accomplished by the message and the
power and glory that were to attend it. And the angel’s flight “in the
midst of heaven,” the “loud voice” with which the warning is uttered,
and its promulgation to all “that dwell on the earth,”—“to every nation,
and kindred, and tongue, and people,”—give evidence of the rapidity
and world-wide extent of the movement.
The message itself sheds light as to the time when this movement is
to take place. It is declared to be a part of the “everlasting gospel;” and
it announces the opening of the judgment. The message of salvation
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has been preached in all ages; but this message is a part of the gospel
which could be proclaimed only in the last days, for only then would it
be true that the hour of judgment had come. The prophecies present a
succession of events leading down to the opening of the judgment. This
is especially true of the book of Daniel. But that part of his prophecy
which related to the last days, Daniel was bidden to close up and seal
“to the time of the end.” Not till we reach this time could a message
concerning the judgment be proclaimed, based on the fulfillment of
these prophecies. But at the time of the end, says the prophet, “many
shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”
Daniel 12:4
.
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