1. How does the fourth angel relate to the third angel?
The fourth angel follows the third and joins in the last part of the third angel’s message, swelling it into a loud cry.
Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to earth, and unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message…The work of this angel comes in at the right time, and joins in the last great work of the third angel’s message, as it swells into a loud cry… I saw a great light resting upon them, and they united in the message, and fearlessly proclaimed with great power the third angel’s message. {1SG 193.2}
2. What are the two parts to the Loud Cry?
There are two parts of the Loud Cry, proclaiming the fall of Babylon, and calling God’s people to come out of her to escape her doom. This message seemed to be an addition to the third message, and joined it, as the midnight cry joined the second angel’s message in 1844.
The glory of God rested upon the patient, waiting saints, and they fearlessly gave the last solemn warning, proclaiming the fall of Babylon, and calling upon God’s people to come out of her; that they might escape her fearful doom. {1SG 194.1}
3. What are the two parts to the final warning?
The final warning consisted of two parts, one was announcing the sins of Babylon, and the other calling God’s people to come out of Babylon.
Hence the movement symbolized by the angel coming down from heaven, lightening the earth with his glory and crying mightily with a strong voice, announcing the sins of Babylon. ” In connection with his message the call is heard: “Come out of her, My people. These announcements, uniting with the third angel’s message, constitute the final warning to be given to the inhabitants of the earth. {GC 604.1}
4. What is the difference between “Babylon is fallen” in the second angel’s message of Revelation 14, as given in the summer of 1844, and “Babylon is fallen” in the Loud Cry of Revelation 18? [hint: what caused the fall of Babylon in 1844?]
When the second angel’s message was given, announcing the fall of Babylon, it was because Babylon had rejected the first angel’s message. When the Loud Cry was given, it announced that Babylon was fallen because it had rejected all three of the messages.
This message (second angel’s message) was understood by Adventists to be an announcement of the moral fall of the churches in consequence of their rejection of the first message. The proclamation, “Babylon is fallen,” was given in the summer of 1844, and as the result, about fifty thousand withdrew from these churches. {4SP 232.1}
The whole chapter shows that Babylon that has fallen is the churches who will not receive the messages of warning the Lord has given in the first, second, and third angels’ messages. {2SM 68.1}
5. Babylon is become: “the habitation of devils,” “the hold of every foul spirit,” “and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Explain each of these elements.
The habitation of devils refers to our bodies which were made as a dwelling place for God that have been opened up to the evils of spiritualism. The hold of every foul spirit is talking about the way their minds have become controlled by demons. Birds are referred to in the Bible as representing people, and so the Bible is saying that the church of Babylon has become a place where people who do not love and want to serve God are found.
A belief in spiritual manifestations opens the door to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and thus the influence of evil angels will be felt in the churches. {GC 603.2}
The bodies of human beings, made for the dwelling place of God, had become the habitation of demons. {DA 36.3}
6. List and explain the sins of Babylon, as stated in Revelation 18.
There are three sins listed in Revelation 18:3 that Babylon has committed. She has: made all the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, committed fornication with the kings of the earth, and the “merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies”. First, she accepted the doctrines of the fallen apostolic churches by committing fornication with the kings of the earth. Then she gave these false doctrines to the nations by making all the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Lastly, she is living the opposite of a self-sacrificing Christ-centered life by living deliciously.
7. When do Babylon’s sins reach unto heaven?
Babylon’s sins reach heaven when the National Sunday Law is put into effect.
When do her sins reach unto heaven [Rev. 18:2-5]? When the law of God is finally made void by legislation.–ST June 12, 1893. {LDE 198.5}
…and when it shall have become a law that the transgression of the first day of the week shall be met with punishment, then their cup will be full.–7BC 910 (1886).
8. Why does Revelation 18 say that Babylon receives the plagues?
Because she was living deliciously and not living a life of sacrifice.
“How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.” (Revelation 18:7-8)
9. If you are honestly serving God, what difference does it make which church you belong to? [according to Revelation 18]
Babylon is the Protestant churches of the world. Revelation 18 gives a clear picture of what will happen to Babylon because of her sins. If we do not want to be included in the people who these plagues are going to fall upon, it would be very important for us to not be a part of these churches!
10. Why are there only two distinct calls made to the churches?
God gave His people light in 1844 at the time of the Midnight Cry when people were told of the fall of Babylon. The second distinct call came at the proclamation of the Loud Cry. Why was there no call to God’s people during the years that passed in between the two cries? It is because there was nothing new happening during that time; there was a call to come out of the churches with the Midnight Cry, but there is an urgent call to come out of Babylon in the Loud Cry.
In the last work for the warning of the world, two distinct calls are made to the churches. The second angel’s message is, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” And in the loud cry of the third angel’s message a voice is heard from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” {Mar 189.1}
11. When is the Loud Cry suppose to be given?
The Loud Cry is given after the third angel’s message is given, joining it and giving power to its message.
This message seemed to be an addition to the third message, and joined it, as the midnight cry joined the second angel’s message in 1844. {1SG 194.1} 12.
12.What is it that gives power to the Loud Voice [Cry]?
The latter rain gives power to the Loud Cry.
At that time the “latter rain,” or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, .–EW 86 (1854). {LDE 186.4}
