This morning we’re going to take a look at the second angel’s message of Revelation 14:8, and we’ll notice right away that we’re given the least amount of information when compared with the first and third angels’ messages. John simply writes, “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

In other words, and we covered this a couple months ago; in these last days, Babylon, which represents the papacy and her harlot daughters, or the papacy and apostate Protestantism, is charged with giving the whole world the intoxicating drink of her wine, or her false doctrine; she has made all the world drink from her cup of poison, the results of which constitute spiritual adultery, or fornication as the text says, and everyone that drinks this wine will experience God’s wrath. And so, it’s quite a serious warning.

You see, God never destroys without first giving a warning. In fact, each one of the three angels’ messages are a warning to all people about the consequences of worshiping something or someone other than the Creator of heaven and earth.

Now, even though there’s only one verse devoted to the second angel’s message, there’s really quite a lot of information we can glean from it. You’ll recall from last months’ study, that the churches during the 1840s, when the judgment hour message was being preached, along with the proclamation of Christ’s soon return, that they rejected that message, and as a result they fell from God’s favor. That’s what it means when it says, “Babylon is fallen.” It’s a moral fall, and when the church falls morally, God can no longer lavish His kindness upon them; He can no longer delight in them any more than a husband can delight in an unfaithful wife. And when we’re talking about falling morally, that has to do with violating the moral law of Ten Commandments. There can be no standard of morality unless there’s a law, and the Ten Commandments is that law. That’s why the third angel follows the second with a message that calls attention to those “that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” in contrast to those that violate those commandments. And remember, the apostle James is very clear, when he says, “if we break even one, we’re guilty of all.”

And here’s the thing; when the churches back then placed themselves in opposition to the first angel’s message, they couldn’t see the truth and importance of the second.

You see, that’s the way it works. God won’t give you more truth until you’re obeying the truth you already know! And so, it’s very crucial that we do what God says if we want Him to reveal more and more to us. That’s probably the biggest reason why there’s so much confusion in the religious world today; people aren’t obeying what they know. And so, if God is not revealing truth to the churches that are knowingly violating even one of the Ten Commandments, there’s only one other source from which their teachings can be derived, and I think you know where that source comes from; the father of lies.

I don’t think I mentioned last time that there were two disappointments suffered by those that gave the first angel’s message. The first one was in 1843 when Jesus didn’t come as predicted; and the second was in 1844 after they discovered their mistake in the reckoning of the time prophecy of Daniel 8:14 where it says, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”

The other mistake they made was that they understood the earth to be the sanctuary needing to be cleansed, and that it was to be cleansed by fire at the coming of Christ, when in reality, the sanctuary to be cleansed was the sanctuary in heaven, and the cleansing had nothing to do with fire, but had everything to do with cleansing it of all the confessed sins of God’s people that had been accumulating there. And this work of atonement, or reconciliation, began when Jesus moved from the holy to the most holy place on October 22, 1844. And if you want to know more about this atonement, you have to study how things were done in the earthly sanctuary, because it was patterned after the one in heaven.

Once they had the correct date figured out, and because of the rejection of the first angel’s message by all the churches, they began to preach the second angel’s message in the summer of 1844. And so now, according to their thinking at the time, they only had a few weeks until October 22 to warn the world of coming judgment and the necessity of coming out of Babylon or be burned up. And as a result, about fifty thousand people left the fallen churches they were members of.

Now, there was another message that was given during that time that gave power to the second angel’s message, and it was called the midnight cry. You’ll find that message in Matthew 25 dealing with the ten virgin parable. In verse 6 of that chapter it says, “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.”

The second angel’s message says “Babylon is fallen, is fallen”, and because of that, the midnight cry was a call to leave, or “go ye out” of the fallen Babylonian churches that rejected the first angel’s message so they could prepare themselves to meet the bridegroom, and of course they understood correctly that the bridegroom was Jesus.

An explanation of the ten virgin parable gets quite involved and we don’t have time to go into that today, but if you’re interested, ask for the DVD titled “The Parable Of The Ten Virgins” and I’ll send you a copy. Also, if you have Internet access, you can get on YouTube and watch it there. Just type in “the parable of the ten virgins” in quotations, along with my name and you’ll find it there. There are a couple sites that carry it full length, so chose one of those, or you’ll have to watch it in 10 minute segments.

And so, in every part of the land, the midnight cry and the second angel’s message were given, and that cry aroused thousands and thousands of people. It went from city to city, and from village to village like wild fire. But in spite of the power behind the message, most of the ministers would not permit the message to enter their churches. That’s why those who did accept it had to leave their various churches in order to prepare themselves to meet Jesus.

The purpose of this call out message was to separate the church of Christ from the corrupting influences that were found in the worldly churches. But sad to say, with the multitude, even of professed Christians, the ties that bound them to earth were stronger than attractions heavenward, and today we have to be careful that these same kind of earthly ties don’t become more important to us than preparing ourselves for the coming of Christ.

Those who preached the first angel’s message never had any thoughts of causing division in the churches, or of forming new and separate organizations. They had no desire or thought to establish any separate interest from the various churches that already existed, or to benefit one at the expense of another. They thought to benefit everyone. They figured that all Christians would rejoice to know Christ was soon to come. Their only desire was to convert souls to God; to notify the world and the fallen churches of coming judgment; and to encourage men and women to make that preparation of heart that would enable them to meet Jesus in peace when He came.

And hopefully that’s our motivation, as we must leave fallen and worldly churches today. I know that was my motivation some 20 years ago when I had to leave a fallen church, and it remains my motivation today. I just want people to be prepared for what’s soon to break upon this world as an overwhelming surprise. Remember how the apostles Paul and Peter, and even Jesus in Revelation, warned about His coming as a thief to those that aren’t watching? We don’t want to be like that, but like those who are awake and aware of the signs of the times.

For a short while, many of the churches did welcome the message of the first angel, but soon they decided against it, and tried to suppress it; and as a result, those that had accepted it and refused to renounce it were placed in a position of great perplexity, as you can imagine. They loved their churches, and were very reluctant to separate from them; can you identify? But as they were ridiculed and oppressed, and denied the privilege of speaking of their hope, or even of attending meetings that spoke of the Lord’s coming, many finally decided they just had to be free to believe and worship as they chose. And so, they cast off the yoke of bondage that had been forced upon them by fallible men, and asserted their liberty in Christ.

Adventists, as they were now called, seeing that the churches rejected the testimony of God’s Word, no longer considered them as constituting the church of Christ, and as the message, “Babylon is fallen,” began to be proclaimed, they felt justified, as difficult as it was, in separating from their former churches.

Now, I want you to notice something; the second angel’s message says, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen.” The fall is mentioned twice for a reason, because history is to be repeated once again in these last days. In fact, this repeating of the message has already begun.

How is it being repeated today? It’s being repeated as the angel of Revelation 18:1-5 joins the third angel’s message of Revelation 14:9-12. The first time the call out of Babylon message was given was when the midnight cry joined the second angel’s message after the first angel’s message had been rejected, and as the third angel’s message is rejected, that call out of Babylon message is given a second time as the fourth angel joins the third. The first call out of Babylon was called the midnight cry, and the second is called the loud cry.

Now, we don’t have time to deal with the third angel’s message today, we’ll have to do that next time, but the third is much like the first and the second is much like the fourth. As the second angel’s message joined the first, so the fourth joins the third.

And that’s not all; in The Review and Harold, August 19, 1890 it says this about the midnight cry of the ten virgin parable that was fulfilled in the 1840s. “This parable has been and will be fulfilled to the very letter, for it has a special application to this time, and, like the third angel’s message, has been fulfilled and will continue to be present truth till the close of time.”

And so, we get kind of a double whammy in these last days. Not only will there be a loud cry, but there will also be a repeating of the midnight cry. So the world is going to be well warned before the great controversy is all over, but even so, the majority will still be caught by surprise when the Lord comes.

Now notice what it says in Early Writings 277, 278; this is a bit lengthy, but well worth the reading. “Then I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message. Great power and glory were imparted to the angel, and as he descended, the earth was lightened with his glory. The light which attended this angel penetrated everywhere, as he cried mightily, with a strong voice, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.’ [That’s a quote from Revelation 18:2] The message of the fall of Babylon, as given by the second angel, is repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the churches since 1844. The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message as it swells to a loud cry. And the people of God are thus prepared to stand in the hour of temptation, which they are soon to meet. I saw a great light resting upon them, and they united to fearlessly proclaim the third angel’s message. [Notice, they united in giving the third angel’s message. This goes right back to what I was saying in a previous sermon about not getting caught up with various fanatical teachings that take the focus off the message for this time. We must not become absorbed with some other message, because it will invariably cause disunity. The quote continues]:

“Angels were sent to aid the mighty angel from heaven, and I heard voices which seemed to sound everywhere, ‘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.’ [Now listen carefully] This message seemed to be an addition to the third message, joining 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.

“The light that was shed upon the waiting ones penetrated everywhere, and those in the churches who had any light, who had not heard and rejected the three messages, obeyed the call and left the fallen churches. . . . Some chose life and took their stand with those who were looking for their Lord and keeping all His commandments. The third message was to do its work; all were to be tested upon it, and the precious ones were to be called out from the religious bodies. . . . God was in the work, and every saint, fearless of consequences, followed the convictions of his own conscience and united with those who were keeping all the commandments of God; and with power they sounded abroad the third message. I saw that this message will close with power and strength far exceeding the midnight cry. . . . [By the way, that’s a reference to the latter rain of the Holy Spirit, but that’s also another subject we don’t have time to deal with today. It goes on]:

“Souls that were scattered all through the religious bodies answered to the call, and the precious were hurried out of the doomed churches, as Lot was hurried out of Sodom before her destruction. God’s people were strengthened by the excellent glory which rested upon them in rich abundance and prepared them to endure the hour of temptation. I heard everywhere a multitude of voices saying, ‘Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.’ ”

Now, I want you to notice an important point here. It says, “Souls that were scattered all through the religious bodies answered to the call, and the precious were hurried out of the doomed churches, as Lot was hurried out of Sodom before her destruction.”

There’s a description of urgency in these words. If you are a member of a church that does not advocate keeping all ten of the Ten Commandments, or if you are a member of a church that professes to keep all the commandments but allows sin to exist in the church without correcting the offenders, then you better hurry out of that church, because “Babylon is fallen, is fallen”, and there’s not going to be a third call. The last call is going forward now, and it will continue to do so, but only for a short time.

Now let me read you one more quote from The Review and Herald, Dec. 6, 1892. “When Jesus began His public ministry, He cleansed the Temple from its sacrilegious profanation. Among the last acts of His ministry was the second cleansing of the Temple. So in the last work for the warning of the world, two distinct calls are made to the churches. [That’s All churches, regardless of the name on their church sign] 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” (Revelation 14:8). 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.”

By the way, when Revelation 14 and 18 refer to Babylon as “that great city”, it’s referring to apostate religion and not to a literal city. Originally, the city of ancient Babylon was founded by people that were idolaters that didn’t believe the Creator when He said He would never again destroy the earth with a flood. That was one of the reasons the Babylonians wanted to build a tower that reached to the heavens; they thought to place themselves beyond all possibility of danger from another flood.

In Revelation 17:18, this same city is called a woman, and in prophecy a woman is always a symbol of a church, the true church being represented by a virtuous woman, as in Revelation 12, and the false by a corrupt woman, as in Revelation 17.

Also, Babylon has to be something distinct from the civil powers of the earth, because Revelation 18:9 says the kings of the earth have formed an unlawful connection with her, and that unlawful connection is a union of church and state, rather than a separation of church and state. This shows that we’re not to look to any literal city for the Babylon of Revelation, or to any civil powers, but to some kind of apostate church, or religious organization that seeks to control the populous by the power of the state. Neither is it talking about one particular church, to the exclusion of all others, because that wouldn’t be consistent with how the term Babylon is designated.

As you know, the term Babylon comes from Babel, where God confounded, or mingled man’s language, and so it represents confusion by mixing things up. For us today it represents mixing truth and error together. Also the term can’t be applicable to any one religious denomination, as each one is more or less a single unit, and the people of God who are called out of Babylon, are not, as a body, connected with any single denomination. Therefore we have to  understand the term Babylon to mean all the false and corrupt systems of Christianity.

We don’t have time to study into this today, but the papacy is the only religion that fits the Bible profile of, “Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlot”, and since all mothers have children, the children would be any church or religious organization that’s been influenced in there teachings by the mother, and that would be the Protestant churches that have forgotten what they were protesting about.

In the first chapter of Isaiah, Jerusalem was to be a “faithful city”, and a “city of righteousness”, but because of her sin and rebellion Isaiah had to say, “How is the faithful city become an harlot.” You can read that in Isaiah 1:26.

Now, it’s interesting that Babylon, as the mother of harlots, is not only a harlot herself, but her daughters are also harlots. And so, if a church is a harlot, it’s also one of the harlot daughters of Babylon, does that make sense? And so, a harlot, in a spiritual sense, is a church that has become confused, because in their teachings they have a mixture of truth and error. And do you know which churches are the most deceptive at this? It’s the ones with the least amount of error! If the teachings of a church are really off the wall, it’s pretty easy to figure out that God’s not in it, but if the error is hard to detect because it’s surrounded mostly by truth, then it becomes more difficult, doesn’t it? In fact, the only way you can tell is to very carefully compare it with the word of God, but most people leave that up to their pastors, don’t they? And therein lies the problem. Hopefully that’s not what you are doing.

Now, so far everything I’ve said pretty much applies across the board. This call out of Babylon message applies to all churches; all denominations that are proclaiming a confusing message by mixing truth and error. Somewhere in their teaching they’ve all been influenced by the mother of harlots, and where most have been influenced is by thinking that Sunday is a holy day and that the seventh-day Sabbath was only for the Jews, even though the Sabbath was created long before the Jewish nation existed.

I’ve talked about the Sabbath/Sunday issue many times in the past, so I’m not going to take a lot of time this morning to do that again, but I would like to say this: when fallible men take it upon themselves to change any one of the Ten Commandments that God wrote with His own finger, without even one verse of Scriptural authority for doing so, you can know that they are paying homage to the papacy, because she’s the one that thought to change “times and laws”, as it says in Daniel 7:25. Actually a better translation would be to say “time and law”, singular; that’s the way the Hebrew reads, and there’s only one commandment of the ten that deals with time, and that’s the seventh-day Sabbath.

Most Christians, about the time the Protestant Reformation began, and for some 250 years afterward, understood Daniel 7:25 to point to the papacy, which it does, but we must not forget that there was and is a counter reformation also where the papacy has been doing all in her power to undo all that Protestantism has done, and it has greatly succeeded, especially over the past hundred years or so, because it’s very difficult to find a Protestant church that teaches the truth about the papacy today. Rather they’ve been kissing the popes ring as it were, and coming into line with Catholicism through the efforts of the ecumenical movement.

Now, I’ve been speaking in a general way about the second angel’s message and how it affects all the Protestant churches, but now I want to specifically address SDAs. With all the thoughts in mind that I’ve brought to your attention this morning, I want you to notice what it says in Volume 8 of the Testimonies, page 250. When speaking of the SDA church Sister White says, “How is the faithful city become an harlot!”And I believe you’re smart enough to figure out what this means. In Daniel 12:10 it says, “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand”, and I hope you’re one of the wise this morning.

To the SDA church the prophet writes, “The depth of our ruin is measured by the exalted light to which God has raised us in His great goodness and unspeakable mercy. Oh, what privileges are granted to us as a people! And if God spared not His people that He loved [speaking of Israel], because they refused to walk in the light, how can He spare the people whom He has blessed with the light of heaven in having opened to them the most exalted truth ever entrusted to mortal man to give to the world?” [and that “exalted truth” are the three angels’ messages]. This was taken from Manuscript Releases, volume 12, page 319, that’s the only place in all the Spirit of Prophecy where you can find this statement, and I find that interesting.

The statements that reflect badly on the church are obscure and seldom repeated, but the ones they think support the idea that God could never reject the church, are repeated over and over again in various compilations.

For instance, Ellen White wrote to a man named Stanton, and she told him not to call the church Babylon and call people out of her, and what she wrote to him has been repeated and repeated over and over again through the years in various publications and by word of mouth to try to prove that we should never say what he said. But when you read the context it becomes clear that he had, quote, “run before he was sent”, and that what he was saying was not true, quote, “at the present time.”

In other words, Sister White wasn’t saying that the SDA church could never become Babylon, but that it wasn’t at the time Stanton was saying it; it had not yet reached that point. When someone runs before they’re sent, it means that their message is premature; that they ran with a message without being sent by God to give it; that their timing was off; or that it wasn’t at the proper time. But no matter how you cut it, Ellen White never wrote anything that would suggest that the SDA church organization could never become Babylon no matter what.

God rejected the Jewish nation because they had their hand in crucifying Jesus, and in Early Writings 260 we’re told that the nominal Adventist churches would in effect do the same by crucifying the three angel’s messages.

Notice what she says, “I saw that God has honest children among the nominal Adventists and the fallen churches, and before the plagues shall be poured out, [notice, this is a future event, so she can’t be talking about nominal Adventists during the 1840s] (before the plagues shall be poured out), ministers and people will be called out from these churches [What churches? The nominal Adventist churches and the Sunday keeping churches] and will gladly receive the truth. Satan knows this; and before the loud cry of the third angel is given, he raises an excitement in these religious bodies, that those who have rejected the truth may think that God is with them. He hopes to deceive the honest and lead them to think that God is still working for the churches. But the light will shine, and all who are honest will leave the fallen churches, and take their stand with the remnant.”

Now we know that a call out message must be given to the fallen Sunday keeping churches, but it’s quite clear from this statement that “ministers and people will be called out” from the nominal Adventist churches as well. And if you are nominal, you are not of the remnant, no matter what you call yourself!

I find it interesting that the church that has trademarked the name and sued others so they can’t use the name, are the very ones who are themselves nominal; the very ones who have the legal right to call themselves SDAs, but aren’t following the council that has been given to SDAs. How ironic this whole situation has become.

I’m sure you’re aware of the court case a few years ago where General Conference leaders gave tithe money to Catholic lawyers to sue other SDAs because they wanted to call themselves SDAs.

Now notice this inspired council from Selected Messages book 3, page 299. For the sake of time I’ll just be reading excerpts. “When troubles arise in the church we should not go for help to lawyers not of our faith. God does not desire us to open church difficulties before those who do not fear Him. He would not have us depend for help on those who do not obey His requirements. Those who trust in such counselors show that they have not faith in God. . . .

“These men cast aside the counsel God has given, and do the very things He has bidden them not to do. They show that they have chosen the world as their judge, and in heaven their names are registered as one with unbelievers. Christ is crucified afresh, and put to open shame. Let these men know that God does not hear their prayers.”

Why would we want to support and attend a church that has such leaders? I know these are strong words, but friends, they’re not my words. These are the words that God has bidden me speak through his last day messenger.

Here’s another statement to consider from RH Aug. 1, 1893, “If those who boast of their light and yet fail to walk in it Christ says, ‘But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you. And thou, Capernaum [Seventh-day Adventists, who have had great light], which art exalted unto heaven [in point of privilege], shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.’ ”

This doesn’t sound like a ship that’s going to sail safely into the heavenly port, does it? It sounds more like one with worm eaten timbers that’s going to go to pieces on the rocks.

Last Day Events, page 49 says, “The church is in the Laodicean state. The presence of God is not in her midst.” And to my knowledge, this statement has never been rescinded.

With statements like these, don’t tell me that the SDA church can never become incorporated into Babylon and spewed out of God’s mouth.

Do the words “spiritual formation” ring a bell? Don’t tell me that the SDA church can never become incorporated into Babylon when they follow the first Jesuit, Ignatious Loyola, in practicing the teachings he formulated through his false ideas of contemplative prayer and meditation.

Don’t tell me that the SDA church can never become incorporated into Babylon when they teach their members they’re in a saved condition even while they have ongoing sin in their lives. This is called the new theology by the way, but it’s not very new; it was first taught in Eden when the serpent told Eve she could disobey God and not surely die. This is also alluded to in 2 Thessalonians 2:10, 11 to those “that receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. For this cause [it says] God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” Better translated “The lie”, which is salvation in sin.

Revelation 14:8 says, “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

“How is this done? By forcing men to accept a spurious sabbath.” You can read that in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8, page 94.

The question is, will the SDA church be one of the means that will help the papacy accomplish her goals?

Notice what it says in The Review and Harold, March 18, 1884, “The Lord has a controversy with his professed people [with who? With SDAs] in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to that pursued by Nehemiah. [Nehemiah, you’ll remember, was a true Sabbath reformer, but these church leaders will do the opposite it says] They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers [what kind of ministers? SDA ministers] will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week. There are calamities on sea and land: and these calamities will increase, one disaster following close upon another; and the little band [remember these two words, because in a minute the Lord’s going to tell you who they are] the little band of conscientious Sabbath-keepers will be pointed out [by these apostate church leaders] as the ones who are bringing the wrath of God upon the world by their disregard of Sunday.”

Seems incredible, doesn’t it, that the very church God raised up to specifically bring attention to the forth commandment would be the one that would end up promoting Sunday instead.

Now, who is this “little band” we just read about? Testimonies for the Church, volume 5, page 209, 210 gives us the answer, “At the time when the danger and depression of the church are greatest, the little company who are standing in the light will be sighing and crying for the abominations that are done in the land. But more especially will their prayers arise in behalf of the church because its members are doing after the manner of the world.”

In closing, let me read you a half dozen or so short inspired statements that define exactly what Babylon is, and how it becomes that way, and then you can make up your own mind if they sound like they fit the SDA corporation.

Great Controversy, 381, “The term ‘Babylon’ is derived from ‘Babel,’ and signifies confusion. It is employed in Scripture to designate the various forms of false or apostate religion.”

Great Controversy, 383, “The message of Revelation 14, announcing the fall of Babylon must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt.”

Testimonies 4, 512 “If most earnest vigilance is not manifested at the great heart of the work to protect the interests of the cause, the church will become as corrupt as the churches of other denominations.” 

Testimonies to Ministers, 117, “The churches, represented by Babylon, are represented as having fallen from their spiritual state to become a persecuting power against those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Selected Messages, Book 2, page 68, “The wine of Babylon is the exalting of the false and spurious sabbath above the Sabbath which the Lord Jehovah hath blessed and sanctified for the use of man, also [it is] the immortality of the soul. These kindred heresies, and the rejection of the truth, convert the church into Babylon.”

Patriarchs Prophets, 124, “The existing confusion of conflicting creeds and sects is fitly represented by the term ‘Babylon,’ which prophecy applies to the world-loving churches of the last days.”

Testimonies to Ministers, 265 “The world must not be introduced into the church, and married to the church, forming a bond of unity. Through this means the church will become indeed corrupt, and as stated in Revelation, ‘a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.’ ”

Manuscript Releases, volume 19, page 176 “If the church of God becomes lukewarm, it does not stand in favor with God any more than do the churches that are represented as having fallen and become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird.”

So, here are the questions you must ask yourself:

Is the SDA church in apostasy?

Has it corrupted the truth?

Has it persecuted other SDA’s?

Has it rejected truth?

Has the church become lukewarm?

And has it become a worldly church?

I don’t know about you, but I can answer a definite yes to all of these questions, but it only takes one to make the point. Read Upward Look, page 315 and Acts of The Apostles, pages 9-11 if you want to know who and what God’s church is, and I can tell you, it’s none of the above.

Now, do I find pleasure in telling you these things this morning? No, absolutely not, but neither am I willing to stick my head in the sand and tell you it’s still God’s church and that somehow it’s going to turn around and start following the inspired council it’s been given, when clearly it’s not going to do that.

Speaking of the alpha of apostasy that began within the SDA denomination over 100 years ago and has develop into the omega of apostasy in these last days, Sister White said the following in 1905; this is from Special Testimonies, Series B, page 57, “One thing it is certain is soon to be realized,—the great apostasy [again, within the church], which is developing and increasing and waxing stronger, and will continue to do so until the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout.” And then she admonishes the church to, “Hold fast the first principles of our denominated faith”, which the denomination clearly has not done in a number of area. If you want to know more about the “Alpha and Omega”, ask for it by name and I’ll send you the CD.

Even while Ellen White was alive, she herself had doubts about whether or not there would have to be a call out message given to the SDA church as was given to the fallen churches in 1844. Notice what she wrote following the 1888 Minneapolis Conference:

“I was confirmed in all I had stated in Minneapolis, that a reformation must go through the churches. Reforms must be made, for spiritual weakness and blindness were upon the people who had been blessed with great light and precious opportunities and privileges. As reformers they had come out of the denominational churches, but they now act a part similar to that which the churches acted. We hoped that there would not be the necessity for another coming out.” 1888 Materials, page 356

Friends, If you don’t know it already, this dreaded statement is now a reality, and some of you have a hard decision to make. What will it be? The second angel’s message is being repeated today by the fourth angel of Revelation 18: 1-5, and it’s time to take a stand upon the Lord’s side, because the consequences for procrastinating are very serious indeed. Whether you are an SDA, or whether you are a member of any one of the Sunday keeping churches, the message is the same, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, come out of her my people.”

 Sermon notes in PDF 2nd Angel’s Message