Introduction
Amos 3:7 — “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets.”
Hos. 12:13 — “By a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.”
2 Chron. 20:20 — “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.”
As Seventh-day Adventists, the Lord has graciously given us markers on the prophetic timeline, guiding our understanding of the events that will shape the final moments of earth’s history, and should we not be exceedingly thankful that “we have found the chart and compass”?
What Is the Anger of the Nations?
“I saw that the anger of the nations, the wrath of God, and the time to judge the dead, were separate and distinct, one following the other, also that Michael had not stood up, and that the time of trouble, such as never was, had not yet commenced.” — “Early Writings,” p. 36.
In the above quotation there are four subjects brought to view; namely,
- “The judgment of the dead”,
- “The anger of the nations”;
- “The wrath of God”; and that
- “The time of trouble such as never was had not yet commenced.”
While the vision makes plain that the first three events follow one another in consecutive order, occupying three separate, distinct, and successive periods, it does not clear the time of the fourth event — Michael’s standing up — the time of trouble.
“the judgment of the dead” covers the period from 1844 to the commencement of the judgment of the living:
The judgment of the dead, as understood by at least all Adventists, covers two periods: the first in probationary time, immediately preceding the judgment of the living, and the second during the millennium:
The wrath of God, as commonly understood, is the seven last plagues (Rev. 15:1), and is visited during the period between the close of probation and the second coming of Christ.
Rev. 15:1 — And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
It is evident therefore evident that “the anger of the nations” must occupy the time between “the judgment of the dead” and “the wrath of God” — the time of the judgment of the living — during the Loud Cry of the Third Angel’s Message.
8. The Judgment Of The Living - What is the need of a judgment, and why should we be judged after we are saved? That the Bible teaches of a coming judgment no one can deny. We therefore need only to give the reason for it. The true people of God, we are told, are commingled with… The Nature of The Anger
Some have wondered whether the “anger of the nations” refers to the climactic battle of Armageddon. However, this cannot be, for the Armageddon takes place in the time of the sixth plague (Rev. 16: 12–16); in the wrath-of-God period. The anger of the nations and the wrath of God are, as we must ever keep in mind, two “separate and distinct” events, “one following the other.”
The “anger” is obviously directed against God’s people, not against the nations themselves. Obvious is this fact, because the nations among themselves have always been angry, and are angry even today, although we are still in the time of the judgment of the dead, period number 1 according to the vision.
But during the time of the judgment of the living, which occurs in period number 2 of the vision, the anger of the nations, the church will be purified.
Such a state of holiness will today, just as in the past, cause the dragon to be wroth with the woman, also now to make war with her remnant (Rev. 12:17), a conflict which is further described in the words:
The Impending Crisis
Rev. 7:1–3 –“I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth [at the time of the sealing of the 144,000], holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.”
Here are brought to view two hurtings about to take place: one by the winds, the other by the angels; and two commands to the angels: one that they restrain the winds, that the winds blow not “on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree” (Rev. 7:1); the other that the angels restrain themselves from hurting “the earth,… sea,” and “the trees,” till the servants of God are sealed. (Rev. 7:2, 3).
10. The First Fruits — The 144,000 - Now sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and prepare to stand with the Lamb on Mt. Zion! The mystery concerning the sealing of the 144,000 is probably peer to any vexed Bible subject. Theory has crowded theory, only the more to mystify and confuse the truth of it. No… Since, therefore, as soon as the servants of God are sealed both the winds and the angels will begin to hurt, the question arises as to what the work of the winds and the work of the angels represent — political strife or something else?
As the nations have always been at war, this two-fold work of hurting could not represent political strife. And as Jesus says that at the time of the end “nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matt. 24:7), it is clear that the hurting by the winds, also the hurting by the angels both of which are kept back until the 144,000 are sealed, must be figurative of holding back the “time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation.” Dan. 12:1.
Accordingly, God’s restraining of the four winds is His holding back the image of the beast’s activity (Rev. 13:15–17) against the saints, while His restraining the four angels that they hurt not is His holding back the executing of His vengeance (Isa. 63:1–4; Jer. 51:18) upon the sinners who trouble the church, until after the sealing of the 144,000 is completed. Being coupled, these two hurtings bring the time of trouble such as never was.
Revelation 7:1–3, therefore, reveals a two-fold conflict: wicked men against God (the blowing of the winds; the mark of the beast; the anger of the nations) and God against them (the angels hurting them).
But though the blowing of the winds and the hurting of the angels after the servants of God are sealed, will bring the “time of trouble,” yet “every one that shall be found written in the book” “shall be delivered.” Dan. 12:1.
From these facts we see that this time of trouble is held back in order to safeguard the sealing of the 144,000 servants, lest they, “the very elect,” be brought down to worship the image of the beast, or be killed for refusing.
Accordingly, the anger of the nations is the “time of trouble such as never was”.
“The anger of the nations” will follow upon the two-horned beast’s decree,
“that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed” (Rev. 13:15);
Church and State: A Prophetic Alliance
At the same time the notorious woman, Babylon the Great, will ride the scarlet-colored beast (Rev. 17) and rule the nations. This
“same crisis will come up on our people in all parts of the world.” — Testimonies, Vol. 6, p. 395.
“The time is coming when we cannot sell at any price. The decree will soon go forth prohibiting men to buy or sell of any man save him that hath the mark of the beast. We came near having this realized in California a short time since; but this was only the threatening of the blowing of the four winds. As yet they are held by the four angels. We are not just ready. There is a work yet to be done, and then the angels will be bidden to let go, that the four winds may blow upon the earth. That will be a decisive time for God’s children, — a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.” — Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 152.
The strife is neither purely political nor purely religious, but religious-political. It is the church and state allied in common action — to build up international religion in order to compel the world to worship the image of the beast.
13. The Final World Government, Communistic Or Capitalistic — Which? - Though Communism appears to be the next power to rule the world, this symbolical prophecy points out that the world will next be ruled by an international religious system, by Babylon the Great, a rival of the religion of Christ, and a counterfeit of the woman in Revelation chapter 12: Courage and Assurance
Concerning this anger of the nations, the world-wide confederacy against those who refuse to worship the beast and his image, the Lord predicted through the prophet Zechariah:
Zech. 12:3 — “And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”
Zech. 12:8 — “In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.”
9. The Premillennial Kingdom - The Jews had built up an erroneous conception of what the Kingdom was to be, and how and when it was to come, and so when the Lord exposed their misconceptions, they became indignant. They were very angry, not because the Kingdom which the Saviour disclosed was not much more… Then
“clad in the armor of Christ’s righteousness, the church is to enter upon her final conflict. ‘Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners,’ she is to go forth into all the world, conquering and to conquer.” — Prophets and Kings, p. 725.
“Those who have been timid and self-distrustful, will declare themselves openly for Christ and His truth. The most weak and hesitating in the church, will be as David — willing to do and dare.” — Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 81.
“Only those who have withstood temptation in the strength of the Mighty One will be permitted to act a part in proclaiming it [the Third Angel’s Message] when it shall have swelled into the loud cry.” — The Review and Herald, №19, 1908.
