By John Thiel, Fourth Angel’s Message, study 5, mp3

The call we are studying is the call of Revelation 18:4 which actually is an echo that has been the appeal of God throughout all the ages.

2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

God calls upon those who wish to be baptised to come out from among the world.

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

This has been the gospel message all through the ages and we had learnt the detail under the first angel how to engage with the Godhead. He will be a Father unto us. As the Godhead, there was the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To engage in the understanding of the one who we are to worship and give glory to was one of those elements. It has always been the work of Gods church on earth to call people away from the world to God.

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

This is the work of Gods church through all ages – the Spirit and the bride say come. Come out of her my people and I will be a Father unto you.

Come

This is the very message, the very call to the marriage supper. That is what is contained in Matthew after Jesus had called the Jews into the marriage but they would not come so the call was then extended to the gentiles.

Matthew 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and [my] fatlings [are] killed, and all things [are] ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of [it], and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated [them] spitefully, and slew [them]. 7 But when the king heard [thereof], he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

This is what the kingdom of God is like. God has prepared a wonderful and spiritual everlasting feast. He called the Jews but they didn’t want to come so he went and called the others both bad and good and the wedding was furnished. This has been the call throughout all the ages. Come, come to the wedding. Come away from the things of the world come to where God has prepared a place. There is a specific parable that belongs directly to our time. It is the same message but with greater intensity. Here is the parable that Jesus identified at the end of his sermon in reference to as in the days of Noah. Watch; for you know not what hour your Lord comes and also the parable of the faithful and unfaithful servant.

Matthew 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

They fell asleep.

Matthew 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Here is that call again but it is the coming of the bridegroom now. It’s his last appeal for people to come at such a time as in the days of Noah so shall the coming of the son of man be. We have explored the detail of this calling in the first and second angel’s messages. Babylon has fallen, the strong messages of coming out of Babylon and how we are to respond to it. The fourth angel of the Revelation 18 angel is what we are looking at now. The third angel was to warn the people that if they worship the beast and his image they would be destroyed.

All that was part of the three angel’s messages and soon there is to be a final appeal. As these messages of come were being given, there were always people that missed out because the church was not perfect. People would come along and say the church is not perfect. It was not abundantly clear to the hearers. This beautiful message of ‘come’ was muffled. This is what we saw with the third angel. It was given in a weak fashion and many people missed out because it was not powerful enough because of the frailty and Laodicean condition of the church. It is actually written that the people who miss out on the call by the church that didn’t receive the call from the bride because the church was imperfect that God took care of them. People who have never heard the message of the gospel at the hand of those servants of whom God sent out still had their opportunity to be part of Gods kingdom.

Romans 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

In the hour of the judgment that the first angel announces in it’s messages, there are many people who have never heard the message and never heard the law. They were without the law while others were with the law. Those people that were without the law, are they necessarily all lost? It says the gentiles who were without the law, do by nature the things in the law. The people who have never heard the message are called gentiles. They show they work of the law written in their hearts. Here are people who haven’t heard the gospel but who live in harmony with their thoughts which have been stirred by God himself.

John 1:9 [That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

That being the case then, there are people who respond to Jesus in their hearts. This is what is mentioned in Romans. They live according to their conscience.

Those whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known little of theology, but they have cherished His principles. Through the influence of the divine Spirit they have been a blessing to those about them. Even among the heathen are those who have cherished the spirit of kindness; before the words of life had fallen upon their ears, they have befriended the missionaries, even ministering to them at the peril of their own lives. Among the heathen are those who worship God ignorantly, those to whom the light is never brought by human instrumentality, yet they will not perish. Though ignorant of the written law of God, they have heard His voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God. {DA 638.2}

They are sons and daughters of God even though there has never been a message given to them through a human instrumentality. God is not totally dependent upon human instrumentality even though he wants human instrumentality to be cooperative with him, he can still work through the Holy Spirit to reach even with people who have never heard that message.

The three angel’s messages have been given since 1844 and the announcement the hour of Gods judgment is come. From that time onwards the ministry of people was to embrace those messages. The angels are people who are working in harmony with the universe. Although they have been giving these messages, there are many who have fallen through the gaps in this period of 1844 onwards. The question is often asked, are they going to be lost as they didn’t hear this message? Many have not heard these messages and if they have heard them they may have been so contorted by the failure of the church as we learnt the church became apostate, lukewarm or the message was tame and voiceless. The message did not come to them that would convince them. Are they lost?

Everywhere there are hearts crying out for the living God. The Lord has His representatives in all the churches. These persons have not had the special testing truths for the last days presented to them under circumstances that brought conviction to the heart and mind; therefore they have not, by rejecting light, severed their connection with God. There are those that have faithfully walked in all the light that has shone upon their pathway. They hunger to know more of the ways and works of God. All over the world men and women are looking wistfully to heaven. Prayers and tears and inquiries go up from souls longing for light, for grace, for the Holy Spirit. Many are on the very verge of the kingdom, waiting to be gathered in. These demand the service of those to whom God has entrusted His truth. {AUCR, August 1, 1902 par. 2}

These three angels’ messages have never come to them in circumstances that brought conviction to heart and mind. They have said no because the circumstances or the presentation was one of a church that was lukewarm. That being the case, they walk away from it. Therefore they have not by rejecting light severed their connection with God. These are the people who die without ever hearing the message who will be among the great multitude. They won’t make it among the 144,000 as they were never tested with the three angel’s messages. Although the messages might have just brushed past them, they couldn’t have accepted them as it didn’t come in a convicting manner. Therefore by rejecting it they didn’t lose their connection with God. Just like the heathen who have never heard the message, it’s the same thing.

No More Gaps

However, there is coming a point in time where there will not be anymore falling through the gaps. The closing work of the Three Angels Messages will come in the power of the Revelation 18 angel. We are coming to a point in time where there will be no one on the planet who has not been tested by these messages.

Notwithstanding the spiritual darkness and alienation from God that exist in the churches which constitute Babylon, the great body of Christ’s true followers are still to be found in their communion. There are many of these who have never seen the special truths for this time. Not a few are dissatisfied with their present condition and are longing for clearer light. They look in vain for the image of Christ in the churches with which they are connected. As these bodies depart further and further from the truth, and ally themselves more closely with the world, the difference between the two classes will widen, and it will finally result in separation. The time will come when those who love God supremely can no longer remain in connection with such as are “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof.” {GC 390.1}

Revelation 18 points to the time when, as the result of rejecting the threefold warning of Revelation 14:6-12, the church will have fully reached the condition foretold by the second angel, and the people of God still in Babylon will be called upon to separate from her communion. This message is the last that will ever be given to the world; and it will accomplish its work. When those that “believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:12), shall be left to receive strong delusion and to believe a lie, then the light of truth will shine upon all whose hearts are open to receive it, and all the children of the Lord that remain in Babylon will heed the call: “Come out of her, My people” (Revelation 18:4). {GC 390.2}

Those who have fallen through the gaps of the past will come to a time where they will see the condition of the churches they are in and see the difference between what Christianity should be and what the churches are. They are waiting and they say, ‘Where are you Lord? I can’t find you in my church’. As they cry like that they will be ready to identify the call. To proclaim the call successfully in a circumstance that will bring conviction to the heart the church that will give that call will be melted down to a little remnant.

They are the remnant of her seed that the dragon makes war with. The angel of the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:20-21 is spewed out but Jesus stands at the door and knocks and the faithful ones that open their heart to the Lord he will come in to and sup with them. They will be finally brought to a point of verse 21 which says those that overcome will sit with me. Those overcomers are identified as the church triumphant. They are overcomers that reflect the purity of Jesus Christ and have grown to the fullness of his stature. They are a little remnant and are able to successfully proclaim the last call because now the voice from heaven can be heard clearly through these faithful ones. It is the voice from heaven. There is a little remnant that is talked of in Song of Solomon. It speaks of the many churches that have gotten worse. We then come to the Revelation 18 angel.

Song of Solomon 6:8 There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.

Many Churches Claim To Be God’s People

Song of Solomon 6:9 My dove, my undefiled is [but] one; she [is] the [only] one of her mother, she [is] the choice [one] of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; [yea], the queens and the concubines, and they praised her. 10 Who [is] she [that] looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, [and] terrible as [an army] with banners?

Here is the pure church my undefiled. The same as the church of Revelation 12 or the woman that was dressed in the sun and the moon under her feet. They were the faithful people through whom Jesus and the early Christian church was born of. He had nothing against them for a while. Now here she stands again when all the churches have come to the final revelation of her Babylonish ways. The faithful ones wonder where she is.

Song of Solomon 6:9 My dove, my undefiled is [but] one; she [is] the [only] one of her mother, she [is] the choice [one] of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; [yea], the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

There are all these different churches and the birth of mother Babylon right down to this little company to the remnant of Gods people. Who are they?

Song of Solomon 6:10 Who [is] she [that] looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, [and] terrible as [an army] with banners?

The Pure Faithful People

My attention was then turned to the company I had seen, who were mightily shaken. I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping and praying with agony of spirit. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. They moved in exact order, firmly, like a company of soldiers. Their countenances expressed the severe conflict which they had endured, the agonizing struggle they had passed through. Yet their features, marked with severe internal anguish, now shone with the light and glory of heaven. They had obtained the victory, and it called forth from them the deepest gratitude, and holy, sacred joy. {1T 181.3}

Here is the message of come out of her my people. From whom? From the people who had been mightily shaken and all that will be left is those that have followed the Lord. They proclaim the message to the world and it brings out those faithful ones for the last urgent call to come out. As they are purged and cleansed by the shaking they have gone through they are imbued with the spirit of God. What makes these few people prominent? The movements that are afoot that will cause the Sunday laws to be put into effect. As those Sunday laws are put into effect, these faithful people will stand up and will end up in courts. The circumstances under the power of the spirit that is speaking through them – the voice of heaven, others will hear the clarity as this church now is no longer marred by lukewarmness. They are a people perfectly reflecting Jesus Christ so now the Holy Spirit from heaven can now speak through them. God’s faithful people in Babylon will recognise it as it comes to them in a convincing manner.  The people are ready as they have come to the point of being separated from their churches because they can’t stand it anymore. But where do they go? Here comes the message by those who are faithful that God has brought to that position.

These people then say, come out of her my people. That is the only time that the words come out of her my people, in the three angels messages are actually voiced.

The other ones are just announcements for people to see but now is an actual message where people will say come by their strong proclamation from the voice from heaven. The question is where do they come to? Here is a company of people that are so small they are like an army thoroughly marshalled but they are scattered all over the world. There are so many organisations around so where do they come to? This is the voice from heaven and the people will know exactly where to come to as it is a people that are proclaiming the message that are in tune with Hebrews;

Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

What did we read in Revelation 18:4? A voice from heaven. Where does the voice from heaven call people? Come out of her my people. Come where? Come to Zion.

Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn,

The voice from heaven gives every Christian the three angel’s messages and an opportunity to make a decision. That is the last final cry. Notice to whom he is calling them to. To these people who throughout the ages have been faithful – the church of the first born. Here we have that church they are called to;

Hebrews 11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and [of] Barak, and [of] Samson, and [of] Jephthae; [of] David also, and Samuel, and [of] the prophets: 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 And others had trial of [cruel] mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in] mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth. 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 

Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that [country] from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

When the cry comes out from heaven through the agencies of these faithful souls, remember how they were being treated and treated right through the end, they are all members of this church of Hebrews 11. They were persecuted. Others had trial of cruel mocking. These were the faithful people of all ages and that is Gods church.

From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the church on earth. {AA 11.2}

As these people come out of their organisations and they hear the cry come, they are being called to join the faithful ones which represent all the faithful ones form all ages which died. It won’t be big organisation to join but just a few people which are faithfully doing their work. They will recognise and come out and do that. It is the faithful remnant that has been mistreated throughout all the ages.

The opposition which Christ received came from his own nation, who would have been greatly blessed had they accepted him. In like manner the remnant church receive opposition from those who profess to be their brethren. {RH, August 28, 1883 par. 13}

For centuries their names were covered with infamy. All that the hosts of hell could do was done to heap reproach upon them as the vilest of men. But John in holy vision beholds the faithful souls that come up out of great tribulation, surrounding the throne of God, clad in white robes, and crowned with immortal glory. {RH, August 28, 1883 par. 15}

They are the church that stands in the last days small in number and the faithful ones in Babylon recognise them. That is what Hebrews 11 is all about, here they are! They are happy to join as they are Gods people in Babylon. It was what Jesus spoke about. The church of whom the gates of hell can’t prevail against. They are also called ‘other sheep’.

John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, [and] one shepherd.

That is the condition just before Jesus comes and they hear the voice from heaven. It is the voice of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. This is the company that in the last final urgent call come under the umbrella protection from the destruction that is to happen to Babylon. In the Old Testament it reads exactly the same as the Revelation 18 Angel;

Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

What are these chambers that they are called into?

“Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.” What are the chambers in which they are to hide?– They are the protection of Christ and holy angels. The people of God are not at this time all in one place. They are in different companies, and in all parts of the earth; and they will be tried singly, not in groups. Every one must stand the test for himself (RH Nov. 19, 1908). {4BC 1143.6}

They are not in great big companies in one part of the world. They are scattered all over the world because the voice of heaven called them out of the churches and they come out in little companies like in Hebrews 11.  As they come out, they come out to the protection of Christ and his holy angels. That is the chambers. One of the visions shown the prophet was that she saw the whole world on a train;

I saw a little company travelling a narrow pathway. All seemed to be firmly united, bound together by the truth, in bundles, or companies. Said the angel, “The third angel is binding, or sealing, them in bundles for the heavenly garner.” This little company looked careworn, as if they had passed through severe trials and conflicts. And it appeared as if the sun had just risen from behind a cloud and shone upon their countenances, causing them to look triumphant, as if their victories were nearly won. {EW 88.3}

They are the church triumphant. They look triumphant with the glory of God shining upon them. It was a little company in bundles and companies all over the world. They were bound together by the truth. Through them now that they are so equipped that the voice from heaven speaks through them and people are brought out to become part of the company. The voice from heaven is the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The power of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of men to this satanic captivity was amazing. Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power. It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world’s Redeemer. It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Christ has given His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress His own character upon His church. {DA 671.2}

They stand forth under the power of the Holy Spirit.

Of the Spirit Jesus said, “He shall glorify Me.” The Saviour came to glorify the Father by the demonstration of His love; so the Spirit was to glorify Christ by revealing His grace to the world. The very image of God is to be reproduced in humanity. The honor of God, the honor of Christ, is involved in the perfection of the character of His people. {DA 671.3}

It is the voice from heaven.

   “When He [the Spirit of truth] is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” The preaching of the word will be of no avail without the continual presence and aid of the Holy Spirit. This is the only effectual teacher of divine truth. Only when the truth is accompanied to the heart by the Spirit will it quicken the conscience or transform the life. {DA 671.4}

Many people hear sermons today and it’s all true but there is no spirit in it. It is the spirit of God that makes the truth come home to the heart. It is the voice from heaven that is going to make the different through these people in the last call given as it is the full power of the latter rain. This will be the final call under the Revelation 18 angel as it will come in the most effectual circumstances so that the people who are Gods people will not reject it as they will see it. All true believers will be touched and rushed out of the churches into the fold where there is safety. This is the scenario of the protection of Christ and his angels. They speak uprightly.

Isaiah 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence [shall be] the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters [shall be] sure. 17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.

They will again be persecuted and they will be running for the hills. Their place of defence will be the munitions of rocks and bread and water will be given them. They will not starve, God will look after them. That is the protection of Christ and his angels as while the world is rocking to and fro God will be protecting them. This is when the plagues are all being spread about and Gods people have just been called out not to be partakers of the plagues.

Psalm 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; [nor] for the arrow [that] flieth by day; 6 [Nor] for the pestilence [that] walketh in darkness; [nor] for the destruction [that] wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because thou hast made the LORD, [which is] my refuge, [even] the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

Come out of her my people that you receive not of her plagues. It all links together. All the words that have been quoted throughout the ages take full import when this time arises when the plagues are going to be poured out. This is the last final call. It is urgent because the breaker of destruction is about to crash and just before it’s about to crash, there is a last urgent call. This is a call that is imperative to be responded to as it comes to us at the hand of the movement of the Revelation 18 angel – those faithful people. May God help us to recognise this experience because it is present truth.

Amen.