Chapter 13
The Glorious Light of the Fourth Angel
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).
Of all the subjects in the Bible, the fourth angel’s message is arguably one of the most awesome. The message of the fourth angel is the very last teaching to be proclaimed upon the earth. Revelation is basically a chronological book. Thus, the fourth angel’s message will be given just prior to the outpouring of the plagues.
Thus far, the importance of the Law of Elohim has been the theme of study. From the outset, we have magnified the Law, discussed the message of the Law, and have examined its fuller implications in the lives of Elohim’s last-day people. However, the connection between the fourth angel’s message and the Law of Elohim has not been fully established. As will now be explained, the message of the fourth angel is the Law of Elohim in its fullest magnification. It is also the testimony of the moon, the foundation upon which Christ’s Bride stands, in Revelation chapter twelve.
In the light of the fourth angel, the Law of Elohim and our responsibility in keeping it stands out with greater illumination. This special and added light; which is to shine upon the entire Law, the fourth commandment, receiving the mark of the Beast, and the call to come out of falling Babylon; was to be proclaimed at the end of the world.
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. And He said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 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 (Daniel 12:3-10).
As we are now, Biblically able to unlock the mystery of the fourth angel’s dazzling truth, we are faced with a powerful conclusion: our old world is quickly coming to an end. The day the people of Elohim have waited for these past centuries is coming with wondrous speed. The three angels are already speaking and the cry of the fourth is now beginning to break over the whole Earth.
Adding even greater significance to this subject of study is the fact that the acceptance of the fourth angel’s message lays the necessary doctrinal foundation, for receiving the final outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Conversely, rejection of it leaves one in line to receive the outpouring of the plagues.
How stands your soul, dear Reader? Will you receive the message of the fourth angel and thereby prepare to join those who proclaim this last message with great power and receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Latter Rain? Or, will you be among those who reject this enlightened message and thereby become a partaker in the judgments of Elohim?
As you consider this most vital of all questions, we will now prayerfully delve into the beautiful added light, which shines in the message of the fourth angel.
And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, 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. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies… 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 Elohim hath remembered her iniquities (Revelation 18:1-5).
As has been established in the previous chapter, the fourth angel’s message encompasses the first three angels’ proclamations. Yet the fourth angel presents these same messages with added light. So great is this added light that it sends the dazzling truth everywhere, lightening the whole sin-darkened world with heavenly glory. Thus, to begin to delve more deeply into the fourth angel’s cry, we must first review the former three angels’ messages.
Angel #1:Keep the Law of Elohim and honor Elohim as our Creator by resting upon His holy Sabbath.
Angel #2: Babylon is fallen. (This concept will be fully addressed later.)
Angel #3:There are two groups of people upon the earth. The first group is part of Babylon. These receive the mark of the Beast and will partake of the plagues. The second group is the people of Elohim. These are people who keep the commandments of Elohim and have the faith of Y’shua to be overcomers.
Now let us consider what added information the fourth angels’ message will contain about each of these angelic announcements. We will begin with the message of the first angel.
The first angel announced that we are to “Fear Elohim and give glory to Him.” This, as we have already discussed in the previous chapter, is a command to obey Elohim’s holy Law. But there is another dimension of Law-keeping truth, which is added in the fourth angel’s message. The Law of Elohim is much more than most Christians believe it to be. While many think the Law only refers to the Ten Commandments, the Bible teaches that the Law is the entire Torah – or the first five books of the Bible.
Thus, while during the period of time when the first angel’s message was initially understood, the Law was seen to be the Ten Commandments. The light of the fourth angel shines additional light upon the statutes and judgments, encompassing them within the holy Law as well.
Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which YHWH your Elohim commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear YHWH thy Elohim, to keep all His statutes and His commandments… (Deuteronomy 6:1-2).
One may wonder how this can be a specific end-time teaching when it was clearly present in the ancient Torah (as Deuteronomy is part of the Torah). Our spiritual forefathers such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, understood the Law to be the entire Torah. The reason the Biblical definition of the Law is a vital end-time truth is that, while it once was common knowledge, the definition of the Law and our duty to keep it has fallen under Satan’s frenzied attacks against the holy government of YHWH.
The Bible teaches us that Elohim’s people will be directing men’s minds back to the teachings of our spiritual forefathers at the end of time. Light, which had once shone upon the earth, will shine even more brightly in the latter days.
This message of turning back to the old ways that were established by Elohim is the message of Elijah. Elijah’s message was first given by the prophet Elijah himself, at a time when Israel had sunk deeply into idolatry. They were no longer worshipping the Elohim of their fathers. Israel had backslidden into worshipping Baal. (See 1 Kings chapter 18.)
To get their attention and to display the truth that Elohim is the only One who provides for the children of men, Elohim caused the rain and dew to stop. For three years not a drop of water fell. The parched ground ceased to yield her fruit. The idolatrous Israelites suffered. Elijah stood before king Ahab, the wicked leader of Israel, and commanded that all the people be gathered on Mount Carmel for a supernatural showdown of the gods.
There were nine hundred and fifty priests representing the false god, Baal (See 1 Kings 18:19). Standing loyally upon mount Carmel, Elijah alone represented the will and ways of YHWH. But Elijah was undaunted by being in the minority. Instead, he threw a strong challenge to the people.
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If YHWH be Elohim, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him (1 Kings 18:21).
Even in the face of such an opportunity to demonstrate loyalty to Elohim, the people were abominably silent. Some were no doubt convinced that Baal was the true god. Others were likely quiet because they weren’t sure who was god anymore. Still more were paralyzed, fearing to go against the popular majority.
Elijah responded to the silence of Israel with a spectacular demonstration. He gave the prophets of Baal the opportunity to be first. They were told to set up an altar and place a bullock upon it. Everything was to be present for the sacrifice except fire. Then, these false prophets were to call upon their vacuous Baal, beseeching him to send fire to consume the sacrifice. It was determined that whichever god responded, by raining fire from heaven, would be henceforth worshipped as the true Elohim.
The people all agreed that it was a good test. Fire falling from heaven, after all, was an undeniable demonstration of deity. Hence, the prophets of Baal began their dances. They shouted. They cut themselves. They howled. They bled. All morning long they cried to Baal. But no fire came. By the afternoon, Elijah began to taunt the false prophets for their lack of spiritual perception, clearly demonstrating that Baal was a fake.
And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked (1 Kings 18:27).
With renewed vigor the false priests continued to shout and cut themselves until their blood gushed out, spilling upon the parched ground. (See 1 Kings 18:28.) Elijah continued to taunt them and stand close watch upon them. No tricks of fire lighting were to be allowed.
Finally, the day drew to a close. It was the time when Elohim’s loyal people offered the evening sacrifice. Elijah raised his hand and called a halt to the futile dances and shouts. Now, he would irrefutably reveal the true Elohim to the people.
What happened next was as powerful as its preceding events had been pitiful. Elijah had the broken-down altar of YHWH reconstructed. Scattered stones were replaced until the altar stood, as it once had when the people sacrificed to Elohim upon it. The wood was placed on top of the altar, and upon that, the bullock. The altar seemed finished, the sacrifice was finished; but Elijah wasn’t finished. There was to be no doubt that this fire would come from heaven. Elijah ordered several young men to dig a trench around the altar. Next bucket after bucket of precious water was poured upon the wood, bullock and rocks until it flooded down and overran the trench.
Soaked, and beyond any suspicion of human sleight-of-hand, the altar of YHWH stood a spectacle upon the mountain, as Elijah prayed.
And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, YHWH Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that Thou art Elohim in Israel, and that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at Thy word. Hear me, O YHWH, hear me, that this people may know that Thou art YHWH Elohim, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again (1 Kings 18:36-37).
Heaven’s response was instant. The air sizzled at the flash of flame that fell from the sky. The supernatural fire licked up the water-soaked sacrifice. It burned the wet wood. But it didn’t stop there. The fire incinerated the stones of the altar and licked up every drop of water in the surrounding trough. The people fell back, stunned. Then they cried with complete conviction, “YHWH, He is Elohim; YHWH, He is Elohim!” (1 Kings 18:39).
Elijah had stood powerfully for Elohim. In the face of idolatry and great wickedness, he had been a true witness pointing out the false religion and directing men’s hearts to the true Elohim again. This is the Elijah message. Elijah, however, was not the sole preacher of this special message of repentance and loyalty. Preparing the way for Christ’s ministry, John the Baptist gave the Elijah message.
And many of the children of Israel shall he(John the Baptist)turn to YHWH their Elohim. And he shall go before Him (Christ) in the spirit and power of Elias (Elijah), to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for Adonai (Luke 1:16-17).
The fourth angel’s message re-establishing statute keeping as part of Law keeping, while an ancient message, is still a vital end-time truth. The connection to this message being proclaimed specifically at the end of time is firmly established in the Elijah message, Not only was it given by John to prepare the people to receive Christ the first time, the Elijah message will be proclaimed to prepare people for Christ’s Second coming.
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of YHWH (Malachi 4:5).
What will be the Elijah Message at the end of the world? It is the first part of the fourth angel’s message. The end-time Elijah Message is that the true saints of YHWH will keep the commandments and statutes. Through it, we are to be brought to remember the “Law of Moses,” the knowledge of which has been hidden for centuries.
Remember ye the Law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments (Malachi 4:4).
The Bible teaches that the Torah, including the commandments and statutes was the Law that Abraham kept. “…Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” (Genesis 26:5) We demonstrate that we are Abraham’s spiritual seed (see Galatians 3:29) by doing the “works of Abraham” with the same faith that activated this father of the faithful.
In proclaiming the holy Law in its entirety, those who give the fourth angel’s message to the world will; as did Elijah of old: expose idolatry; return human hearts to the pure faith that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob embraced; and restore us in obedient loyalty to Elohim.
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of YHWH: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse (Malachi 4:5-6).
As the first angel proclaimed the necessity of obedience and loyalty to Elohim’s holy Law, so the fourth angel will uplift the Divine Standard. Just as the Bible foretold, this additional light that is new to us will turn our hearts back to the knowledge of truth held by our spiritual forefathers.
What is the fourth angel’s added light regarding the message of obedience to the Law of Elohim? It is the message of the “old paths” being restored in our hearts. No longer teaching that the Law is only the Ten Commandments, the fourth angel will be proclaiming obedience to the entire Torah!
As we have studied, the message of the first angel contains more than a general reference to the keeping the Ten Commandments. By charging mankind to worship Elohim as our Creator, the Fourth Commandment is singled out and given a special highlight.
While the first angel generally highlights the Sabbath, the fourth angel sheds added light found in the statutes. The Fourth Commandment requires that the Seventh-day be kept holy, but the statutes enjoin Elohim’s people to keep the annual Sabbaths holy as well. Regarding the Sabbath issue, this is the brighter light, which shines in the fourth angel’s message.
Sabbath-keeping, as will be Biblically explained later, will be the heart of the issue in the final Battle of Armageddon. Thus, the highlight, which the first angel places around the Sabbath issue, is indeed heightened in the light flashing from the fourth angel. Elohim’s people will come to understand that honoring His holy days proves their loyalty to the true God.