“I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.” Psalm 91:2. For genuine Christians who have been transformed through the Holy Spirit the Lord Jesus will be a fortress in time of need. As we near the close of time, we will need the Lord as our Refuge like never before.
In the book of Revelation there is a final warning to the last generation of Christians living on this earth before the return of Jesus Christ. “And I heard another voice 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.” Revelation 18:4
This final warning has to do with one of the most important events mankind will have to face before the return of Jesus, and that is the seven last plagues that God will send upon the world before the second coming of Jesus.
Due to the fact that this verse is of utmost importance, in this article I will break it down into four sections to make sure we completely understand what Jesus is telling us here.
The first part reads, “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying. . .” A voice from heaven would certainly be God. Throughout the Bible we find that our loving Father always warned His people when something important was about to happen. Before the flood, Noah pleased God and went and warned the antediluvians for 120 years of the coming flood. Sodom and Gomorrah were warned by Lot, Egypt by Moses, Nineveh by Jonah, Babylon by Isaiah and Jeremiah, and later on the great world empires by the prophecies of Daniel. Lastly, the final events of this world, as well as the warnings, were given to us by John, the beloved disciple of Jesus. The Old Testament prophets also left warnings of God’s final judgments. Evidence of the final events abound in the words of Christ and His disciples, especially in the book of Revelation.
The counsel is given, “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.” –The Review and Herald, October 12, 1905
End time prophecies demand attention. The servant of the Lord said, “I then saw the third angel [Revelation 14:9–11]. Said my accompanying angel, ‘Fearful is his work. Awful is his mission. He is the angel that is to select the wheat from the tares, and seal, or bind, the wheat for the heavenly garner. These things should engross the whole mind, the whole attention.” –Early Writings, p. 118
Reading Revelation 18:4 in its context with verses 1–3, it is understood that the Loud Cry of the Third Angel began in 1888 at the conference in Minneapolis with the message of “Christ Our Righteousness”. That was the beginning of the light of the angel of Revelation 18:1–4. Many did not accept the message of “Christ our Righteousness” and this had grave consequences, as was seen in the First World War in 1914–1918.
Revelation 18 points to the time when, as a result of rejecting the threefold warning of Revelation 14:6–12, the church will have fully reached the condition foretold by the second angel. The people of God who are still in Babylon will be called to separate from her communion. This message is the last that will ever be given to the world and it will accomplish its work.
The second part of Revelation 18:4 reads, “come out of her, My people”. To seek unity with the different churches and faiths of the world is a direct rejection of God’s call to come out. “Come out, My people”. This means that God has people within Babylon who are living up to the light they have received. They are living a true faith according to what they know. Once they see the truth of God’s Word, which the priests and leaders of the fallen churches have been hiding from them, they will come out and join with God’s true remnant people who “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
“But God still has a people in Babylon; and before the visitation of His judgments these faithful ones must be called out, that they partake not of her sins and receive not of her plagues. 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.” –The Great Controversy, p. 390, 604
The servants of God within the Church are faithfully standing apart from the world and proclaiming these final warnings to the world. They are the people who are “keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus”. It is interesting to think that the name “Protestant” was introduced because the reformers, who formed the Protestant churches, were “protesting” against the Roman Catholic Church, revealing the fact that the Papal Church was Antichrist, while today the majority of Protestant churches reject what the reformers did and are starting to join with Catholicism again. However, the true and genuine faithful Christian still boldly proclaims the truth about the Papal Church of Rome as being the Antichrist.
Are you a member of Babylon, the mother of harlots, or a member of one of her daughters? God is calling you out today! Do not settle only on the word of your pastor, study God’s Word for yourself and let the Lord light up your life with the whole truth. God is waiting to save you! The apostle Paul said , “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:14–15, 17
A few days before Christ was crucified He cried out, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” Luke 13:34–35. History is repeating itself. If you are in one of the churches that are part of “Babylon”, will you not obey God and “come out”? Those who remain in Babylon will receive the wrath of God and the plagues of God. God loves you and wants you to be safe. Soon there will be no safety in the churches that make up Babylon—False Protestant or Catholic. Because of their sins, they will receive the seven last plagues.
The third part of the verse reads, “that ye be not partakers of her sins”. The final part reads, “And that ye receive not of her plagues”. “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” Revelation 14:9–10
The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially disliked and debated in the Christian world today. When the final test will come to all people everywhere, the line of demarcation will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. Religious discrimination will gain control in the United States. Church and state will join hands in persecuting those who keep the commandments of God.
People everywhere will hear in amazement that Babylon is the church and it is fallen because of her errors and sins. God calls His people out of her because of her neglect and rejection of the truth that was sent to her from heaven. Everyone who will not listen to Christ’s last call of mercy will be extremely angry with those who obey God and keep His commandments. They will boycott God’s children, fining, imprisoning, bribing, and disinheriting them. They will drive them from home, exile them, and treat them as slaves. Then we will truly understand the words of the apostle Paul. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12
The defenders of truth refuse to honor the Sunday-Sabbath. Though threatened with destruction they will say, “We dare not change God’s word. We cannot say that one part of God’s Law is important but the other part is not important.” Peter and the other apostles said, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29. What will be your position in times like these? What will be your attitude when the Sunday law is enforced and any one who knows the truth will be brought before the court to deny, or to stand, for the truth? Can you and I say what Peter and the apostles said when they were asked to give an account of their faith? In our power we cannot. It is impossible. Only in Jesus, and by Jesus, and through Jesus, will we be conquers. We are winners because the Bible tells us so.
No matter how dark your past or how uncertain your future is, Christ can bring you into His victorious life. He can replace your weaknesses with His strengths. Do you want to be part of God’s remnant and faithful people who will proclaim the last message with power? Do you want to be under His wings, protected from the destruction that is coming upon the whole world?
My friend, there is no safe place except with Jesus. It is my prayer that each one of you will receive Jesus as your personal Saviour today, letting Him transform you completely from within so we can become faithful servants for Him.
I remember a message by Brother Henry Dering one night when he preached in the Bloor Church in Toronto. He simply entitled his message “Have you come to Jesus?” In my mind I said, “yes, I came to Jesus almost 20 years ago.” But, thinking more deeply, I thought, that is not enough—that was the day of my commitment when I accepted Jesus as my personal Saviour. Then as we walk with Him daily, studying His word and having a personal experience through witnessing we can truly and honestly say “yes”. Although I came to Jesus 20 years ago I still need Him daily as we approach the end of time. Imagine what it will be like to see heaven itself, Jesus Christ Himself, descend to this planet at His second coming! I want to be part of the great reunion. I want my life aimed toward that eternal glory that outweighs all my present difficulties. I want to put my life in the hands of Jesus Christ the Saviour today, so that I can see Him face to face tomorrow. Is that not the deepest desire in your heart also? Let us determine to be ready for that wonderful reunion now, because today is the day of our salvation. Amen