The Closing Messages of the Gospel

THE number of the name of the beast is not mentioned in the message of the third angel; and for that reason it seems not to be so absolutely necessary that it should be so clearly understood as the subject of the mark. Still it is said of the victors on the sea of glass, that they had gotten the victory, not only over the beast and his image, but over the number of his name. Rev. 15:2. When the subject of the number is introduced in Chap. 13:17, 18, it is said, "Here is wisdom;" as though this was a subject somewhat intricate, demanding more wisdom to understand this than other points in the same connection. "Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast." Not professing superior understanding, I will simply tell my preference of the various suggestions made by others on this subject. A clue is given in the expression, "It is the number of a man." That man would more probably be the one who is the head and representative of the kingdom of the beast—the pope of Rome—than Napoleon Bonaparte or any other ruler or kingdom. The pope wears upon the front of his pontifical crown the assumed and blasphemous title: Vicarius Filii Dei: "Vicegerent of the Son of God." The sum of the letters in this title used by the Latins as numerals is just "six hundred three score and six." Omitting a, r, s, f, and e, which were not used as numerals, we have V, 5; I, 1; C, 100; I, 1; U, (formerly the same as V), 5; I, 1; L, 50; I, 1; I, 1; D, 500; I, 1. Adding these numbers together, we have 666. The reasons which sustain this view of the number are to my mind stronger than those for any other theory of which I have heard or read.

THE PENALTY. The penalty threatened in this last message is wrath without mixture. No mercy is mingled in the cup of the Lord's indignation— it is wrath, and nothing but wrath. The day of probation will have passed, and mercy will no longer plead, as it now does. Jesus, our High Priest, will have finished the work of the atonement, in which he is now engaged, and instead of his priestly attire, he will have "put on the garments of vengeance for clothing," and, "according to their deeds he will repay fury to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies." Isa. 59:17, 18. "For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion." Isa. 34:8.

In the close of Rev. 14, this wrath is represented in figure as the treading of grapes in a wine-press. See also Joel 3:13; Isa. 63:3, 4. But it is more particularly and literally described as the effects of the pouring out of judgments under the symbol of "seven golden vials full of the wrath of God." These vials of course are symbols; but their effects seem to be literal plagues upon men. And it is evident that in these last plagues is the wrath which is threatened in the last warning to men in the present state. Of the vials it is said, "In them is filled up the wrath of God." Rev. 15:1. "For by these the wrath of God is completed." Whiting. "Because in them the wrath of God was to be completed." Campbell.

Some have supposed that these vials have nearly all of them been poured out in the past, beginning hundreds of years ago. But the proof is clear that they are all in the future when the last message is proclaimed; for the very first vial takes effect upon those who have heard and disregarded this warning, that is, "upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image." Rev. 16:1, 2. Mercy is offered while the last message of the gospel is being proclaimed. But the message warns men of unmingled wrath which is to follow. With its close probation closes, and the threatened wrath comes upon those who disregard it, and worship the beast and his image.

If the first vial is in the past, then the third angel's message, which is most evidently the last message of mercy, is also in the past, then also the image of the beast was formed and the subject of the mark well understood in the past, the harvest of the earth ripened, probation closed, and wrath without mixture is all that is left to those who have not heeded the warning. But it is evident that the plagues are all in the future, and that the period of their pouring out will be brief. It is said of Babylon, "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day; death and mourning and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire." Rev. 18:8. This day is doubtless the day of vengeance, the year of recompenses, foretold by the ancient prophets; for famine would hardly come in a literal day of twenty-four hours.

"After that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in Heaven was opened; and the seven angels came out of the temple, having, the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles." Rev. 15:5, 6. The temple in Heaven is the tabernacle where our great High Priest ministers before God in behalf of repentant sinners. Heb. 8:2. The tabernacle of the testimony is the most holy place, that within the "second vail," Heb. 9:3, where the ark of the testimony was kept in the "holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true." Heb. 9:24. The testimony is the ten commandments, which were written on tables of stone by the finger of God, and placed in the most holy place. Ex. 25:16; 31:18; 32:15, 16; Deut 5:22. This testimony of God is also in the heavenly temple, and it holds good throughout the gospel dispensation, even till the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet; for at that time it is said, "The temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament." Rev. 11:19.

This inner temple was opened at the end of the 2300 days in 1844, when the sanctuary was to be cleansed. Dan. 8:14. Jesus our High Priest then entered upon the work of the atonement within the second vail, as set forth in type in Lev. 16. With the removing of the sins of all his people from the sanctuary, sending them away upon the head of the antitypical scape-goat, his priestly work closes, and with it closes probation also. Then, from the very place where he now ministers as a merciful High Priest, the messengers of unmingled wrath come forth to pour out the avenging vials. They come forth from the throne of God, which is in his temple, Rev. 16:17, and though they are the messengers of wrath, their clothing is of pure and white linen, a symbol of the righteousness of their mission. The great white throne is pure and spotless; for offered mercy has been rejected, the blood of the Lamb has been trodden under foot, his loving invitations have been unheeded, and, as a consequence, "the great day of his wrath is come." Rev. 6:16, 17.

In Rev. 16 the effects of the vials of wrath are separately described. And why not understand these plagues to be literal, the same as the plagues upon Egypt, to several of which they bear the closest resemblance? The first of the seven plagues is a noisome and grievous sore, like the boils upon the Egyptians. Ex. 9:9. The second and the third is turning the waters into blood. This was done in Egypt. Ex. 7:20. The fourth gives power to the sun to scorch men with great heat. See Joel's description of the day of the Lord. Joel 1:19, 20. The fifth plague is darkness. See Ex. 10:21. And here is evidence that the vials are poured out in quick succession and do not extend over a long period of years; for after the fifth is poured out men are still suffering from the first, and blaspheming God on account of their "pains and their sores"—the effect of the first vial. The sixth vial is poured out upon the great river Euphrates, a symbolical river, signifying the Turkish empire; but as waters are a symbol of the people, Rev. 17:15, the drying up of these waters is a literal plague upon men. Under this vial the armies of earth are gathered, by the agency of these unclean spirits which go forth by the authority of the three great antichristian powers, the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, to the battle of the great day. At this point says the testimony, "Behold, I come as a thief." Then the seventh vial is poured out into the all-pervading element, the air, and a voice comes "out of the temple of Heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done." Great hail stones are cast down from Heaven, as in Josh. 10:11, the beast and the false prophet are taken, and the remnant of men are slain, Rev. 19:20, 21, and the earth is desolated of its inhabitants.

The utter desolation of the earth is described in several of the ancient prophets. Jer. 25:30-38. Zeph. 1:14-18; 3:6, etc. In Isa. 24 it is foretold, and in verse 5 the reason is given, namely, "Because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, [singular number] broken the everlasting covenant."

The everlasting covenant is God's moral law, the basis or condition of every covenant with men. "And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone." Deut. 4:13. Abraham kept these commandments. "Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." Gen. 26:5. This is the reason why the covenant was renewed to Isaac with an oath. "Be ye mindful always of his covenant, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; even the covenant which he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac, and hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant." 1 Chron. 16:15-17. The commanded covenant, confirmed to Jacob for a law, at Sinai, is the "same" that Abraham had and kept, and is the everlasting covenant. That these laws are transgressed, the fourth changed, and the whole code broken, is the reason why the all-devouring curse follows the last message of the gospel, which warns all against this work of the apostasy.