The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

spiritual uncleanness; that is, heathen and superstitious rites and observances. The term is
often used in the Scriptures as applicable to idolatry and superstition."
Others interpret the expression as meaning that these false doctrines made the nations to
become infuriated, causing them to carry out the mother system's cruel decrees against
those who opposed her abominations. Mr. Russell comments on this expression:
"In horror and wonder we ask ourselves, Why did kings, and princes, and emperors, and
the people at large, permit such atrocities? Why did they not arise long ago and smite
down Antichrist? The answer is found in the Scriptures (Rev. 18:3): The nations were
drunk (stupefied), they lost their senses in drinking the mixed wine (doctrine, false and
true mixed) given them by the apostate Church. They were deceived by the claims of
Papacy."
Will the indirect enlightening influences of the Truth ever again become so obscured as to
cause another, although brief manifestation of this symbolical drunkenness to act against
the Truth?
The third angel's message
"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, 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, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of
His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the
holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up
for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his
image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints:
here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."--Rev. 14:9-12.
The vision of this third angel and the message of solemn warning proclaimed by him,
undoubtedly represents another phase of the special movement among the Lord's
consecrated ones in the harvest period or closing of the Age. The proclamation that the
saints are represented in the vision as giving implies that they have obtained the
knowledge that all the various phases of the anti-Christian systems embodied in the term
Babylon, have fallen--been rejected and cast off from God's favor, and that their
destruction is close at hand. In 1881 Mr. Russell explained this vision as at that time
beginning to meet its fulfillment:
"The third [angel's] message (ver. 9-11) concerning the worshipers of the beast and his
image--showing the nominal Church in the colors in which the Word of God paints it,
pointing out how all who remain in her either in spirit or name, in opposition to the Word
of God, saying, 'Come out of her,' will be subject to torment and vexation so long as they
are worshipping creeds and doctrines and organizations of men. The remembrance of
which distress (smoke of torment) will never be forgotten."