Speaker: Jason Hernberg
00:00
The forgotten design of the first angels message. This is what I want to talk about. And why I say forgotten, is because I think the first angels message has been preached a lot with intellectual theory, and not with the practical application. And so I think there is something for us to gain, and to try to bring that heart and purpose back to the first angels message. So let’s begin.
00:46
First angels message. Revelation 14:6-7 says, and I saw another angel fly 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 saying with a loud voice, fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of his judgement is come and worship Him that made heaven and earth and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
01:21
So, notice how this message is given. We see to preach, saying with a loud voice, so this message is to go out with power, power. Who believes the first angels message is important in our day? Raise your hand, yes. Excellent. Who is interested in having the first angels message, go out with power? All in agreement. I appreciate that.
01:53
And I appreciate visuals. And so let’s visualize this. The first angels message, going out with power. We have a church. We have a church. We have a church in this world to preach the first angels message with power. And we know it’s a three fold message. So the three angels it’s together. But notice how who this message is for them that dwell on the earth and to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. The first angels message is a worldwide call. We have 195 countries. So that means India, China, Russia, you name it. Benton state of Tennessee. Let’s visualize the first angels message call upon every nation. This group of people represents every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
02:53
So what’s next? Verse seven, says saying with a loud voice, fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come and worship Him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters. Do you see the underlines? We see that this call is for all men to do something. It’s a call to fear God, give glory to Him, and worship Him. I’m not going to be talking about the true God. Because I think you guys know the true God. But these are action words, their calls to action. So the act of receiving these actions, fearing, giving glory, worshiping. The act of receiving these actions into their lives, would then place these persons in a new category, distinct from the world. They could now be called a professed Christian. Everyone still with me? Okay,
03:59
So let’s illustrate that the church giving the first angels message with power from the church, we see. The message goes out to all fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of his judgement is come and worship Him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters. Okay, does every nation Kindred tongue and people heed the call? No. So many of the nations, kindred, tongues and people do not accept a message. What happens? Well, we have some people leave. They start leaving. They don’t want to hear it anymore. But those people that do accept the call of the first Angel, they join the company of the professed people of God. These people now profess to be the people of God. They come into the church through the steps outlined in Scripture.
04:59
So where are we now? Well, we’re inside the church with the professed people of God. There are many people outside who have heard the call, but have rejected the message. They walked away from it. The world is to hear the message. But not all will come in and receives the message. These people inside the church have taken the step of professing to be the people of God. For the last 14 years of my Adventist experience, this is where I thought the first angels message to a great degree. And the people are in the church. They know the doctrines. They have heard the three angels messages. Now they just need to hold their position, wait for the return of Jesus. Right? No, it’s not the full picture. It does not end here, brothers and sisters, bringing people into the church is in many ways, only the start of the first angels message.
06:12
So I’m going to show you the quote that opened my eyes to this, of what the design of the first angels message is. This quote connected a lot of dots in my 14 years of being a Seventh Day Adventist. It’s found in the Great Controversy, page 379. I’ve read it a couple of times, but I’ve missed it until recently. Here it is. The first angels message of revelation 14, announcing the hour of God’s judgment, and calling upon men to fear and worship Him, was designed to separate the professed people of God from the corrupting influences of the world. And to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding. That wowed me. What does that look like?
07:09
Well, let’s give a little illustration of these corrupting influences. The professed people of God, they have corrupting influence clouds that affect their mind and their heart. A “CI” problem I call it. It stands for “corrupting influences”. Let’s take a look at these professed people of God and the corrupting influences that they need to be separated from. So in a sense, let’s zoom in to one of those clouds. What do we have there? We have selfishness, form of godliness, pride, puffed up, evil surmising, lust of the eyes, envy, unbelief, unthankful, unholy, backsliding, backbiting, without self control, worldliness, gossiping, secret advice. This is the partial list of the character traits found in 2 Timothy chapter three, where it talks about in the last days, perilous times shall come. The Bible paints the same picture in Matthew 7:21. We all know this one. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that do with the will of my Father, which is in heaven.
08:34
So some could say, I’m not that bad. Even here, I’m not that bad. I don’t see myself. Well, examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith. You know, are you here? Are you here right now examine yourselves whether you be in the faith. A professed person of God does not need all these characteristics in their heart. They only need one of them to cause a serious problem. I’ve heard that one sin cherished, little by little it debases the character?
09:12
How are the professed people of God to be helped from these corrupting influences? Well, in Great Controversy, page 315 talking about Christ first advent, we can find a lesson for a day it says the following: the watchmen upon the walls of Zion should have been the first to catch the tidings of the Savior’s Advent. The first to lift their voices to proclaim him near the first to warn the people to prepare for his coming. They were at ease dreaming of peace and safety while the people were asleep in their what? Sins. Is Jesus coming again? We can take this. Are we in need of watchmen upon the walls of Zion? The attentive watchman warns the people to prepare. And what is the problem? That people are asleep in their sins? The quote continues: Jesus saw his church like the barren fig tree covered with pretentious leaves, yet destitute of precious fruit, there was a boastful observance of the forms of religion, while the spirit of true humility, penitence, and faith, which alone could render the service acceptable to God was lacking. Do we want our service acceptable to God? Well, we see what we need from that verse or from that quote: The Spirit of true humility, penitent and faith. Instead of the graces, the quote, continuous instead of the graces of the Spirit, there were manifested pride formalism, vain glory, selfishness, oppression, a backsliding church closed their eyes to the signs of the times. So we have a little definition definition of a backsliding church. Some characteristic of them.
11:18
Let’s go back to the summary. What was the design of the first angels message? In the underlined it says was designed to separate the professed people of God from the corrupting influences of the world, and to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding. Corrupting influences. This is in the church. This is in the church. These people know the doctrines. They know it. These people may know the truth about the Father and the Son. The first angels message is heard and the professed people of God are to wake up and are roused by the first angels message to begin seeing their true condition of worldliness and backsliding.
12:08
So we zoom in again. And we remember these corrupting influences. They begin to see what’s in their hearts and minds that is of a corrupting influence. So one question to ask right now is this. Simple. How to separate the corrupting influences? Well, how is this done? How are the professed people of Gods separated from the corrupting influences of the world through the first angels message? The answer lies in what the first angels message has. Let’s go back to Revelation 14:6. What does it have? Any man, the professed people of God hear the gospel of Christ preached through the first angels message, and it changes them.
13:03
So we see it changes them, the gospel comes. And we have now gospel influences. The Gospel influences the professed people of God, and what happens? It changes them. It changes them. The first angels message with the everlasting gospel has power to separate the professed people of God, from the corrupting influences of the world.
13:36
What kind of power is this? It’s the same power talked about in Romans 1:16. I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. I’m not even able to get up here without the gospel of Christ. I am recognizing my need. And we all can recognize our need. Matthew 1:21 power of the gospel, and she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save His people from their sins. Jesus is able to save his people from the corrupting influences of the world, through the power of the gospel.
14:26
Titus 2:11-14, for the grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Is everyone on board so far? Does everyone want the first angels message to be preached with power? Do you see where I’m going? Do you see where we’re going? Let’s repeat it again. The first angels message of revelation 14, announcing the hour of God’s judgment, and calling upon men to fear and worship Him, was designed to separate the professed people of God from the corrupting influences of the world, and to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding. So when the first angels message begins to work on the hearts of the professed people of God. And remember, that’s you. That’s you. That’s you. When it begins to work on the hearts of the professed people of God, it wakes them up to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding.
15:55
Now, guess what happens? Well see those people in the church that are receiving the gospel of Christ, what happens now is those people bear fruit of conviction. People begin to wake up to see their true condition. I’m not ready to see the return of Jesus some may say. There is sin in my life. I wronged that brother. I said something I shouldn’t have. I did something that was wrong. I’m guilty. I see it. I need help. Their self examination and conviction takes place. Repentance. I’m sorry, Lord. My heart is touched, these corrupting influences of my life, I want to leave. I have sorrow for sins that I was trying to hide. Lord Jesus, my sins put you on the cross. Please help me. And what else? Confession. I’m sorry, brother and sister L. and sister J. I was unkind to you last. And I would like to apologize. I’m sorry, brother are? I was evil surmising. And I was wrong. Please forgive me. Sorry, brother. Yes, I was gossiping. And the Lord is convicted. Do you see some of the fruit of the everlasting gospel that takes place through the first angels message? Now is conviction. Now I want to be clear. Is conviction repentance and confession, a work that we can boast about? No.
17:42
Thank you. Absolutely not, it’s the gift of God. Don’t boast about it. Don’t boast about it. It’s a fruit of the gospel. It’s only by God’s grace that we can have these traits. In Volume One of the Testimonies for the Church. I’m praising the Lord for this. We have an example of the gospel doing a work on the professed people of God. Ellen White is talking and she says something. Do you want to hear it? upon recovering, I was very happy in bearing my testimony for Jesus. And in telling of his love for me. I confessed my lack of faith in the promises of God and my error in checking the promptings of his spirit from fear of men, and acknowledge that notwithstanding my distrust, he had bestowed upon me unlooked for evidence of His love, and sustaining grace. Ellen White, bore public testimony for Jesus, right here. And guess what, in public, she confessed her lack of faith in the promises of God. And now read what happens next, after she does that. The brother who would oppose me, then rose, and with tears confessed that his feelings in regard to me had been all wrong. He humbly asked for my forgiveness, and said, sister Ellen, I will never again lay a straw in your way. God has shown me the coldness and stubbornness of my heart, which he is broken by the evidence of his power. I have been very wrong. Wow. Praise the Lord. Do you see what happened? The brother who oppose Ellen White, confessed his wrongs and ask for forgiveness. This brother had corrupting influences. But the power of the gospel did something wonderful, powerful.
19:52
The quote continues even: then turning to the people, he said when sister Ellen seems so happy. I would think Why do I not feel like that? Why doesn’t brother R received what some such evidence for I was convinced that he was a devoted Christian, yet no such power had fallen upon him. I offered a silent prayer that if this was the holy influence of God, brother our might experience it this evening. Almost as the desire went up from my heart, brother are Val prostrated by the power of God crying, let the Lord work. My heart is convinced that I have been warring against the Holy Spirit. But I will grieve it no more by stubborn unbelief. Welcome, light, welcome, Jesus. I have been backslidden and hard, feeling offended if anyone praise God and manifested a fullness of joy in his love. But now my feelings are changed. My opposition is at an end, Jesus has opened my eyes, and I may yet shout His praises myself. I have said bitter and cutting things of sister Ellen that I sorrow over now. And I pray for her forgiveness, and that of all others, who are present. Public testimony. Powerful. Can you put yourself there? Can you see something different?
21:26
And it continues: brother R then bore his testimony. His face was lighted with the glory of heaven, as he praise the Lord for the wonders he had wrought that night, said he, this place is awfully solemn because of the presence of the most high. Sister Ellen, in future, you will have our help and sustaining sympathies instead of the cruel opposition that has been showing you. We have been blind to the manifestation of God’s Holy Spirit. So do you see what happened? Ellen White bore public testimony of Jesus, confessed her wrong and error, in checking her spirit, a brother became convicted right after and confessed. And that caused that confession, in turn, caused another brother to become softened. And he praised God and gave testimony. This softens my heart. This happened in a church. This happened in the church.
22:36
14 years in the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Haven’t seen it. Haven’t seen it. Haven’t, unfortunately. Do you see the value in a church that remembers the design of the first angels message? Do you see the spirit that could take place in a church that remembers the design? This is not something new. It’s not. It was the design all along? We forgotten. We need to return back to the platform of truth. Jeremiah 6:16 that says the Lord standing in the ways and see and ask for the old path. Whereas the good way and walk there on and you shall find rest for your souls. Do you see conviction repentance and confession is a good way. Unfortunately, the verse in Jeremiah doesn’t end there. It continues the last sentence look. But they said we will not walk there and we will not. Oh Lord, have mercy. We have a choice brothers and sisters, this church. I won’t be here this Sabbath. But this church can do something this church can remember.
24:12
I like for us to read some of the stories that have taken place when the first Angel was preached with power. Now these testimonies are from the book great controversy in the chapter specifically relating to the three angels messages. And before I share them, I need your attention. The condition of an ungodly church and a world line in wickedness, burden the souls of the true watchmen and they willingly endured toil, privation and suffering that they might What? What would they do? Call man’s repentance unto salvation. The watchman called men to repentance unto salvation. This is the first angels message brothers and sisters. Take heed what a true watchman proclaiming the three angels message looks like, let’s hear another testimony. Same book. Everywhere the searching testimony was heard warning sinners, both worldlings and church members to flee from the wrath to come. Like John the baptist, the forerunner of Christ, the preachers laid the axe at the root of the tree, and urged all to bring forth fruit meet for repentance. Again, we see the testimony going out warning sinners to bring forth fruit need for repentance. This is the work of the first angels message. Here’s another testimony, same page. And wherever the message was given, it moved the people. The simple direct testimony of the Scriptures set home by the power of the Holy Spirit brought a weight of conviction, which were able, which viewer able wholly to resist, professors of religion were roused from their false security. Lord, please help us. They saw their backslidings, their worldliness and unbelief, their pride and selfishness they saw it. They were convicted. Many sought the Lord with repentance and humiliation, the affections that had so long clung to earthly things, they now fixed upon the heaven.
26:26
Brothers and sisters, are you seeing the design of the first angels message? Do you see it’s all about seeing our true condition? Once we see we seek the Lord with repentance, and humiliation? Here’s something interesting. It’s been said of the three angels message, that there’s no other work of so great importance there to allow nothing else to absorb their attention. Do you now understand why? Why is the three angels message so important? Because it does the end time gospel work in our hearts, in our hearts. One more testimony, same page, the Spirit of God rested upon them. And with hearts softened and subdued, they joined to sound the cry, fear God and give glory to Him. For the hour of his judgement is come.
27:26
Do you desire to share a part in giving the three angels message messages to the world as it was designed to be given? Then I pray that you take hold of the first angels message and allow it to do the work that it was designed to do.
27:41
Now let’s go back to the summary of the first angels message. I’m going to read it one more time. The first angels message of revelation 14, announcing the power of God’s judgment and calling upon men to fear and worship him was designed to separate the professed people of God from the corrupting influences of the world, and to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding. This is what it’s all about. The first Angel has the everlasting gospel. This gospel goes out with power. The first angel is all about separating God’s people from the corrupting influences of the world, arousing God’s people to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding brings them to what those three things conviction, repentance, confession. Now, remember, the professed people of God can either allow the first angels message to work on their hearts or not. Do you see these people that have not only heard the call, but have received the everlasting gospel, the corrupting influences are being separated from them. They haven’t forgotten. They haven’t forgotten.
28:53
Main point. Remember the design of the first angels message? Remember it? And one caution. Don’t be deceived by having an intellectual knowledge of the three angels messages. They’re important. Prophecy is important. The timelines are important. But don’t forget the design. Many accepted intellectual religion and a form of godliness when the heart is not cleansed. Brothers, I am praying that we could examine ourselves and that God’s Spirit could help us from the pride that we want to hide it from. Pride can hide those corrupting influences. If the gospel is not doing hard work in your life, then you are in great danger. You’re missing the design of the first angels message. The design of the first angels message which is part of the threefold message is a very practical message. I can be up to date In prophecy, I can know the signs of the times. And yet my heart not be cleansed, I could be up here and my heart not be cleansed. I am well aware that we are to catch the steady trend of events ordained by God to take place. But woe is on the preacher. Woe is on the minister. Woe is on the church member who forgets the design of the three angels message and does not allow that message to separate the people from the corrupting influences of the world.
30:41
Now, the corrupting influence of pride could be spreading through someone’s heart and mind. Yet they belong to a false security because they got doctrine. And they have it just right here. And they can they can do circles around me in doctrine. Circles. But where’s the heart? Have they forgotten the first angels message? Though I have to gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing. Remember the design of the first angels message?
31:23
Now I’m going to share with you a sad fact. And I’m sorry for some sadness. But there is hope. It’s a sad fact that the reason why many dwell so much on theory, and so little on practical godliness is that Christ is not abiding in their own hearts. We just talked about that in Sabbath school. They do not have a living connection with God. Many souls decide in favor of the truth from weight of evidence without being converted. Practical discourses were not given in connection with the doctrinal that as the here should see the beautiful chain of truth. They might fall in love with its author. We need to go there. This church needs to remember. I want to come back here. I want to see, I want to see, I want to take this home to me, I need it.
32:25
Now, are you able to hold on for one more quote? I put it in this morning. If you could stay with me one more time. This is very interesting. Christ was manifested as the savior of men. The people were not to trust in their own works in their own righteousness, or in themselves in any way, but in the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. In Him the advocate with the Father was revealed through him the invitation was given. Come now and let us reason together. saith the LORD, though your sins be a scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. though they’d be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Now it gets interesting. This invitation comes sounding down along the lines to us today. Let not pride or self esteem or self righteousness, keep anyone from confessing his sins, that he may claim the promise he that covereth his sin shall not prosper. But whoso confesseth and forsake them shall have mercy. Keep nothing back from God and neglect not the confession of your faults to the brethren when they have a connection with them. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another that you may be healed. Many a sin is left unconfessed to be confronted in the day of final accounts. Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is calm. It’s no time to hold on to these sins. Better far to see your sins now to confess them and put them away while the atoning sacrifice pleads in your behalf. Do not dislike to learn the will of God on this subject. You might have a work to do to go home. You might dislike this subject, someone may be sleeping right now. Do not dislike to learn the will of God on this subject, the health of your soul, the unity of your brethren may depend upon the course you pursue in these things. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you. It is a lamentable fact that the airing heart is unwilling to be criticized or to subject itself to humiliation by confession of sin. Some see their faults. But. Now listen to this: thinking confession will detract from their dignity they excuse their wrong. They excuse they’re wrong, it said and shield themselves from the discipline that confession would give to the soul.
35:22
If you take, take this thought, and think about that, it could be any one of us here. It could be any pastor that you have heard. I am not immune. I am not immune. I need to remember the forgotten, I need to remember the design of the first angels message.
35:45
The thought of their manifest error will remain to embitter their enjoyments and embarrass their movements, for in passing out of the path of confession, they fail to be faithful examples to the people. The ministers are to be like this. The church members are to be like this. They fail to be faithful examples of the people they see the errors of others. Oh, their good at that. Their good at that. But how can they have courage to give the advice, confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. When they failed to follow this instruction in their own life. I think you’re catching on.
36:36
The last quote, how much will ministers or people learn of a truth which they thrust the side and forget if possible because it’s not agreeable. Because it does not flatter their pride but reproves and pains. Ministers, and people, if saved at all, must be saved day by day, hour by hour. Just what our brother in Sabbath School mentioned. They must hunger and thirst for the righteousness of Christ, the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Church members, those placed in positions of trust must be baptized with the Spirit of God, or they will not be qualified for the positions they accept.
37:19
Last quote, and you will not see more words, man may have a knowledge of the Scriptures, which will not make him wise unto salvation, although he may be able to master his opponents in public controversy. If he does not have a yearning of soul after God, if he does not search his own heart, as with a lighted candle, fearing that any wrong should look there, if he is not possessed with a desire to answer the prayer of Christ, that his disciples may be one as he is one with the Father, that the world may believe that Jesus is the Christ, he flatters himself in vain that he is a Christian.
38:00
So who desires to remember the design of the first angels message? Oh, I’m hoping that everyone here gets it. Takes it. Loves it. And shares it. YouTube, you have a disadvantage. You’re not a church. You don’t have a congregation that can help. A sister confesses and it helps the brother confess. We need to come together. Thank you. Yeah. So let’s pray.
38:42
Heavenly Father, I just asked for forgiveness for my sins, my shortcomings. Even in this presentation. I pray Father, that your spirit can continue in spite of me to work on the hearts of my brothers and sisters, continue to give them that day by day experience with your only begotten Son, and that we could go forward in faith and in power, truly giving the proper design of the first angels message. And I thank you Father for this time. I thank you for your mercy. And I thank you for the righteousness of Christ. We pray this in Christ Jesus name Amen.