Chapter 51 — THE SECOND ANGEL'S MESSAGE

The churches that refused to receive the first angel's message refused knowledge of Jesus from heaven. The first angel's message was sent in mercy to help people realize they were living worldly, careless lives. The first angel's message was sent in love to prepare people to meet their God.SRme 1.1602

The first angel's message was given to separate Christ's church from the corrupting influence of the world. Most people loved earthly things more than they loved heavenly things. These people chose to listen to the voice of worldly wisdom. They turned away from the heart-searching message of truth.SRme 1.1603

God gives knowledge from heaven to be treasured and obeyed, not to be scorned and rejected. The knowledge God sends becomes a curse to people who refuse to accept this knowledge. When the Holy Spirit stops impressing truth on the hearts of people, sermons have no effect on people.SRme 1.1604

When the churches refused to accept the advent message, the Lord rejected them. The first angel was followed by a second angel announcing, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication" (Rev. 14:8). Adventists at that time understood the second angel's message to mean that the churches that had rejected the first angel's message had fallen spiritually. They were not faithful in keeping God's commandments. The announcement, "Babylon is fallen," was given in the summer of 1844. As a result about 50,000 people left these churches.SRme 1.1605

The people who preached the first angel's message did not plan to cause trouble in the Protestant churches. They did not plan to leave their own churches and form a new church. "In all my preaching," said William Miller, "I never intended to establish a new church from the present churches. I had no plans to help one church and not another church.SRme 1.1606

"I hoped that the message would help everyone. I thought that all Christians would rejoice in the news of Jesus' coming. I thought people who could not accept Jesus' second coming would still love their friends who did accept the message. I did not have any idea that it would be necessary to have separate meetings.SRme 1.1607

"My goal was to warn the world of a coming judgment. I wanted to convert people to God and encourage them to be prepared to meet their God in peace. Most of the people who were converted from my preaching united with one of the churches. When anyone asked me what they should do, I always told them to go where they would feel at home. I never favored one church over another in my advice."SRme 1.1608

For a time many of the churches welcomed William Miller's preaching. But gradually church leaders decided against the advent truth, and wanted all discussion on the subject to stop. This made life difficult for people who believed Christ's coming was near. These people loved their churches and did not want to leave the churches. But they were scorned, silenced, and not allowed to speak of their hope. These people were not allowed to listen to any preaching about Jesus' soon coming. After a while some of the people decided to disobey the church leaders. They decided to speak openly about their belief in Christ's near advent.SRme 1.1609

Adventists saw the churches rejecting the testimony of God's Word. So Adventists decided that churches that rejected God's Word were no longer Christ's church. As the message, "Babylon is fallen," began to be preached, Adventists felt they should leave these churches.SRme 1.1610

A sad change has happened in some churches since the rejection of the first angel's message. When the churches rejected truth, they received and accepted error. The churches have less love for God and less faith in His Word. The churches have offended the Holy Spirit. Now the Holy Spirit is being withdrawn from the churches.SRme 1.1611