The Second Angel’s Message part 2
God’s True Church
We will now study part 2 of the second angel’s message and identity which church and movement is God’s true end-time church.
Note: As we previously discovered, Revelation 17 brings to view Babylon, an impure church represented as a whorish woman. In contrast, Revelation 12:1 shows us a pure woman or pure church (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:23; Jeremiah 6:2). Here we will find the characteristics of God’s true church (Notice: This is not an exhaustive study on Revelation 12).
1. Read Revelation 12:1. Since we already know a woman represents a church in prophecy, what does it mean that she is clothed with the sun? Malachi 4:2 w/ 1 John 2:1; Psalm 84:11
Note: Jesus taught that there are two kingdoms that we must experience: the kingdom of grace and glory. The kingdom of grace points to the fact that because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, sinful humans can be made right with God, be born again, and experience victory over sin (Hebrews 4:16; Luke 17:20-21; John 3:3-13; Titus 2:11-14). The Bible teaches that once we experience the kingdom of grace here on earth, we can then be fitted to enter into God’s kingdom of glory: heaven (Matthew 25:31-34).
2. What does the moon under the woman’s feet represent? Revelation 12:1
a) Psalm 81:3; Jeremiah 31:35
b) Genesis 1:16; 2 Peter 1:19
3. What do the twelve stars represent that were upon the woman’s crown? Matthew 10:1-8; Acts 1:17, 26; Genesis 37:9-11; Acts 7:8
Note: To recap, this pure church is clothed with the character of Jesus, preaches about the kingdom of grace and glory, has its teachings based on the sanctuary services, preaches Bible prophecy, and was started by Jesus and the apostles.
4. Read Revelation 12:2-5. This woman was pregnant with a child.
a) Who is the child? Revelation 12:5; 19:15-16; 2:26-27
b) Who is the dragon primarily? Revelation 12:9
c) What man and what entity did the dragon work through to try and kill the child? Matthew 2:3, 7, 13
5. Where did the woman flee, and how long was she persecuted? Revelation 12:14, 6
6. Using the day for a year template in prophecy, how many years was the woman in the wilderness (obscurity/hiding) and being persecuted? Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34; Revelation 12:6
Note: Just as Jesus was persecuted by Pagan Rome at His birth, God’s people were persecuted by Papal Rome (The Papacy) during this 1260 year time period. In 538 A.D., Emperor Justinian gave supreme authority to the church to root out “heretics” of the Catholic faith. The Papacy retained this power over people, rulers, and nations until the year 1798 when French General Louis-Alexandre Berthier (under Napoleon Bonaparte’s command) took the Pope (Pope Pius VI) captive, thus ending this Papal supremacy.
7. Read Revelation 12:15, 16. It says, the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman. What does the “water as a flood” represent, and what helped the woman from being swallowed up by the flood? Revelation 17:15
Note: Since waters represents many people and nations, the earth would represent the opposite: a place that is scarcely populated. The woman/church fled to a place that was largely uninhabited and there she found rest from the persecution of the Papacy. Based on the Bible, the true church could not be revealed until AFTER 1798. History records that the pilgrims/ puritans came from the Old World (Europe) to the New World (America) seeking civil and religious liberty in the year 1620. Just a few years before 1798, the United States of America was officially declared a nation in the year 1776. Based on Revelation 12:16, God’s true church would arise out of the United States of America and after the year 1798.
Let us now look at a few identifying markers of God’s true church. Read Revelation 12:17. The Bible says the dragon went to make war with the “remnant” of the woman’s seed. Remnant means “the last of something or that which remains.” This means that those who are a part of this church will be those who still maintain the pure faith of Jesus and the apostles. These faithful people will be seen until the very end of time.
8. Besides being the remnant of the apostolic faith, what is another characteristic of the true church? Revelation 12:17; 14:12; James 2:24, 26
9. What is said of the remnant church in addition to keeping the commandments of God? Revelation 12:17; 19:10
10. What messages does this church teach, and how many people will hear it? Revelation 14:6-11
As we close: Based on this study from the Bible, God’s true church is none other than Seventh-day Adventism (officially founded in 1863). Only the Seventh-day Adventist movement fits these characteristics, and God will have a people who will withstand all tests and overcome Satan, the dragon. However, it is important to note that just having the name Seventh-day Adventist does not automatically merit salvation. Each person must have a personal, saving relationship with Jesus and by this He can declare “I know you.” See Matthew 7:20-23; Revelation 14:12; Genesis 18:19; 2 Timothy 2:19
Medical Ministry 49: Christ was a Seventh-day Adventist, to all intents and purposes. It was He who called Moses into the mount and gave him instruction for His people…. In awful grandeur Christ made known the law of Jehovah, giving, among other charges, this charge: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” My brother, you have not placed upon the Sabbath the sanctity that is required by God. Irreverence has come in, and an example has been set that the Lord does not approve. He is not honored and glorified. {MM 49.4}