Revelation 14:8 “And another, a second angel, followed, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, that hath made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
Comment: The angel announcing the fall of Babylon comes on the scene after completion of the first angel’s message. When this future event happens, we will have a better understanding where to fit the fall into the sequence of end-time events. Mankind will also realize exactly how the first angel’s was delivered to them.
Revelation 4:1 “After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter.”
Comment: John is told at this point these will be future events. However, he is not told when they will begin.
Revelation 22:10 “And he saith unto me, Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand.”
Comment: John is told at the end of the book of Revelation not to seal up the book. The reason given is that the time begins now. Therefore the fall of Babylon could happen anywhere in the book of Revelation before Christ’s return.
Daniel 12:4 “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.”
Comment: Daniel is told to seal up the book until the time of the end. In other words, Daniel’s message would not be understood until the end times. The sign that Daniel was given, of mankind running to and fro and knowledge being increased, is fitting for our time. The book of Daniel will be completely opened to our understanding soon.
Revelation 18:1-3 “After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird. For by the wine of the wrath of her fornication all the nations are fallen; and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earthy waxed rich by the power of her wantonness.”
Comment: The two characteristics of the announcing angel are authority and enlightenment. Just as humans did not see the first angel, I doubt that we will see this announcing angel. However, we do know God’s children will be involved in delivering the second angel’s message. The Christians involved in this announcement will speak with the authority of fulfilled prophecies and also enlightenment about how the end times are being fulfilled. The fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of the fall of Babylon and those in the New Testament of Babylon will be the key that opens the eyes of the 144,000 Jews during the tribulation. They will realize that the prophecies of the Old Testament are the same as those in the New Testament; thus Jesus is the Messiah.
This angel’s message causes us to reflect on the first angel’s message.
Revelation 14: 6-7 “And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having eternal good tidings to proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he saith with a great voice, Fear God, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters.”
Comment: This angel’s message began with Jesus, who began speaking it in John 12:31 “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” Jesus gave us the command to take the message into the entire world. As we look at history from the time of Christ, we realize God’s message is going to every tribe, nation, and tongue. We physically have not seen an angel flying around delivering this message; Christ’s followers are delivering the message today. With the fall of Babylon we will know exactly how this first message was delivered to mankind. As a child, God called me to serve Him full time in spreading His message. He used the story of the five missionaries killed by the Acura Indians in Ecuador to inspire me.
Revelation 14:1-5 “And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and the voice which I heard was as the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sing as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders: and no man could learn the song save the hundred and forty and four thousand, even they that had been purchased out of the earth. These are they that were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, to be the first fruits unto God and unto the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no lie: they are without blemish.”
Comment: Involved in the first angel’s message are the 144,000. This is a puzzling unit until you realize that they are standing with Jesus on Mount Zion and also that they were the first fruits among men purchased unto God. In the scriptures, the first fruits were sacrificed on the altar. I feel this is an announcement to us of those who are called to be martyrs for the cause of Christ during the Church Age. They are a unique group in that they share the experience of giving their lives rather then deny Christ. Also, I believe that these are the souls underneath the altar in Revelation 6:9-11. They are told to rest a little while until the next group like them should be killed. I feel the next group is the 144,000 Jews of Revelation 7:4 who are chosen to give out the message of the third angel in Revelation 14:9-11.
Summary: The Announcing Angel
With the fall of Babylon, we will have a key piece of the prophetic puzzle in place. It will reveal how the first angel’s message in Revelation, Chapter 14 was delivered to mankind. It will give great illumination to those seeking to understand God’s message about Babylon. It will give them great authority when sharing the message with fellow humans. This piece of the puzzle will connect the many verses of Babylon’s fall into the sequence of events revealed by the prophets about the end times.
