The Gospel’s Double Edge

The world has been, and will continue, to feel the burn of God’s wrath. For the saint, they will be warmed by the promise of His justice. But for the world in rebellion, all they will feel is the pain of judgment.

Truth be told, our study in the book of Revelation ought to be having an increasing effect of strengthening our fear and reverence for God.

While we can be thankful we will not face the burn of His wrath, it ought to compel us to warn those who will.

And at the same time, we ought to be compelled to live carefully before Him, seeking to honor Him and fear Him in every aspect of our lives.

Before we jump in, let me remind you that last week, we looked at the first 5 verses of Revelation 14 and saw the 144,000 with Christ, singing a song of worship and redemption.

It was a song that only they could learn—one specially designated to them.

But their song, blended and merged with the ongoing praise and worship of heaven that continues to escalate as we hear ever nearer to the end of these 7 years.

Today, as we move into the next section of Revelation, we are confronted with a trio of angels presenting us with a tri-fold message.

Let’s read the text together as we jump in.

Revelation 14:6–13 ESV

6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” 8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.” 9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” 12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Considering this text will take us two weeks as we unpack this idea: (Read Big Idea)

Body

Big Idea: The gospel’s double edge warns the unrepentant while blessing the suffering saints.

A look at Revelation 14:6-13 begins with us considering verse 13 and then cycling back to the top of the text in question. For the message of the three angels builds to verse 13.

It is in verse 13 that we find that the gospel promises rest and reward.

The Gospel Promises Rest and Reward - Revelation 14:13

Revelation 14:13 ESV

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

God’s Promise

The voice from heaven is most likely God the Father. He instructs John to write down this blessing…

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.

First…

In context, this blessing upon the dead speaks of those living through the dark days of “The Day of the Lord”.” Of the Tribulation.

But,

Any saint who dies in the Lord is blessed. (Ps 116:15; Phil 1:19-23)

Psalm 116:15 ESV

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

Why? Why would the death of His saints be precious?

Because their physical death means their entrance into His presence. Death of the saints means they go home with Him.

But Paul also says….

Philippians 1:19–23 ESV

19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Paul said, for him to die was gain…

So much so that he was torn between wanting to go and needing to remain for their sake.

Death, for Paul, was not something to fear or resist. When it came, it would be gain, not loss.

But until it came, He would remain and press on for that was needful for them.

Hebrews speaks long about entering God’s rest.

I don’t know about you, but that promised rest calls to me.

And that rest is one of the specific promises that is being offered to these tribulation saints.

Death, for saints means we find rest from our labors—the same as that which God entered into after he finished His creating.

Death is an enemy—but for the saint—it is a defeated enemy. For the saint, death ushers us into blessing.

BUT

In the context of Revelation and the tribulation, this is even more so.

The darkness of the days they are living through will make death an even greater blessing as it will give them rest from the suffering of that day.

THUS,

Because of darkness of God’s wrath and judgments…

Because of the hostility of the adversary…

Because the wicked and vile realities that will be true in that day…

The deaths of these saints comes with a specifically given promise (or reminder—since these things have been long true—but will feel truer still for them)

A blessing and a promise the Spirit heartily affirms.

The Spirit’s Affirmation

Revelation 14:13 ESV

Blessed indeed, says the Spirit

This is the same as a hearty, “YES!” from the Spirit.

Direct, in-the-vision statements from the Spirit are rare in Revelation’s main narrative—so when the Spirit says ‘Blessed indeed,’ it lands like a thunderous Amen.

Rest and Reward

Blessed are those die in the Lord from now now…

SO THAT they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.

In addition to their finding rest from suffering and labor, we are told their deeds follow them. (Heb 6:10; 2 Tim 4:7-8; 1 Cor 3:12-14)

This is a simple way of convey that God will reward their faithful obedience, service, and labor. God does not overlook the faithful obedience of His children.

Consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3.

1 Corinthians 3:12–14 ESV

12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.

God rewards faithfulness and obedience.

And for these saints who are martyred and who die in these days, they loved not even their lives. They willingly gave up their lives in their love for and devotion to God.

Unlike us, we can believe and follow Christ with little to no risk or consequence—they will pay for their devotion in blood and tears.

There is a promise of rest and reward for such faithfulness.

So, in other words….

Their death’s come with a promise.

A promise of rest.

A promise of reward.

This promise is the climax of this section, of these three angels message.

The message of the three angels really rests upon it.

Verse 13 is the landing pad. Verses 6-12 help us understand the landing pad exists.

For today, we will consider only the first angel’s message.

Beginning with the fact that the gospel, which is boldly being proclaimed in this text, by its very nature is both an invitation and a warning.

Same gospel—two outcomes: rest for those in the Lord, wrath for those who refuse Him.

The Gospel Invites and Warns - Revelation 14:6-7

Revelation 14:6–7 ESV

Throughout scripture, the gospel was always given to man to preach. No where, until here, do we see angels being given the gospel to proclaim.

It is, therefore, interesting that now we see it taking place here.

This alone ought to expose for us the uniqueness and the darkness of these terrible days.

The picture is, this is not hidden. This is exposed, open, and visible to the world.

This angel is given an eternal gospel to proclaim.

The same gospel.

This is not new.

This is the GOOD NEWS of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins - if man would be repent and believe.

This is the same gospel - not a new one. Gospel has never referred to anything else.

It has several variations in name, but always meaning the same thing.

This gospel has been called “The Gospel…

Of the Kingdom - Mt 4:23

of Jesus Christ - Mk 1:1

of God - Mk 1:14

of the Grace of God - Acts 20:24

of the the Glory of Christ - 2 Cor 4:4

of Salvation - Eph 1:13

of Peace - Eph 6:15

As well as “The Glorious Gospel” — 1 Tim 1:11

By its very nature, the gospel is an invitation. That much is abundantly clear.

What may not be so clear is the fact that to reject that invitation comes with dire consequences. Hence the warning.

The gospel—

The message that God created all that there is

That man sinned, rebelling against His authority and goodness to choose self rule

The fact that God pursued us in our rebellion because He wanted to restore us to right relationship

The reality that we neither wanted nor were able to do anything about our condition

That Jesus entered His own creation through the conception of the Spirit in a virgin young women, was born, living a sinless life to die a framed, guiltless death IN OUR PLACE, to serve as a substitute for our sin.

That tell us that all we must do to have that payment applied to our debt against God is to REPENT and BELIEVE, confessing with our mouth that He is Lord…and we will be forgiven, restored, having HIS wrath against our sin satisfied through the work of Jesus.

THIS GOSPEL - is the one and only…

The same that now this angel is being given to proclaim to a world in open and utter rebellion.

To reject this invitation is to reject forgiveness and salvation and as John 3:36 warns...

John 3:36 ESV

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Wrath remains on the unrepentant. Meaning, it is already there. It is only removed through acceptance of the gospel in repentance and faith.

Same gospel—two outcomes: rest for those in the Lord, wrath for those who refuse Him.

Truly, the gospel is great and beautiful beyond words!

Do You say, with me, in like fashion to the Spirit—

YES!

It is indeed a glorious gospel! An eternal gospel!

A message of hope, salvation, reconciliation, and redemption.

It is an eternal gospel because it provides eternal life for those who embrace it. John 17:3

John 17:3 ESV

3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

The gospel bring us TO HIM, WHO is life and life eternal.

THIS IS THE MESSAGE of the angel…

This is the message we are trusted with, changed by, and tasked with holding up before the world EVEN NOW.

Application

Friend, is the Spirit convicting your heart today with the gospel? Do you see your sin? Has He moved your heart to Godly sorrow and repentance? Come! Accept His invitation today for reconciliation, forgiveness, and salvation! I promise, you won’t regret it!

Church, are you madly in love with the gospel?

Does the gospel melt your heart every time you hear of it? Every time you hear of what God has done to secure a restored relationship with you?

Does the gospel center your life, priorities, values, opinions, convictions, and ideals?

Does the gospel wake you up and keep you going on your worst days?

Does the gospel keep your blessings and abundance in proper perspective, causing them to all pale before it’s brilliance?

Truth is, for many Christians, they could not even articulate or explain the gospel if asked. How is it that something that has so dramatically changed our lives, that something that the angels will declare from the heavens during the darkest days of history, we can barely put word to now?

The gospel IS glorious! The gospel is eternal. Do our lives reflect that we believe, embrace, and cherish it the same way God does?

It is an eternal gospel because it brings us to eternal life. It brings us to the eternal one who was, is and always will be.

The text tell us that the angel proclaims it to those who “dwell on the earth.”

As we have previously discovered in this study, that phrase refers exclusively in Revelation to unbelievers, unregenerate. (Rev 3:10)

It is important to remember, at this juncture, that these chapters are a parenthesis in the text. An interlude between judgments in which we pan out and get an eagle eye’s view.

This could be a taking place chronologically, at a specific point in the tribulation. In the context of the book as a whole, we believe we are about the midway point of the 7 years. This angel’s proclamation could physically be happening here.

It is also possible that because this parenthesis has also been understood to pan out giving us that birds eye view of the entire tribulation, that this proclamation is meant to describe realities that are spanning more than a single moment in time and meant to illustrate the entirety of the tribulation.

Truth is, between the 144,000, the 2 witnesses, this angel, and countless others repenting…the gospel WILL be available to all and will be proclaimed and preached throughout the duration of these 7 years. It will not cease to be so.

It could be both, frankly.

Proclaimed at this specific point in time, would make sense…

The war by the antichrist is making Israel flee into the wilderness fortress. If the two witnesses are concluding their ministry at the midway point, the gospel could well be temporarily muted (never silenced). Even if they are just beginning their ministry (if you hold a second half ministry), this angelic proclamation could be happening in the transition.

Either way, this proclamation is God’s continued extension of the gospel to all.

The point being—the gospel is ALWAYS and EVER available to the world.

AND with the coming of the seventh trumpet and the subsequent bowl judgments, it is easy to see why this reminder and extended invitation exists here…

The angels proclamation of the gospel is another opportunity to repent before wrath once more descends with fury hither before unseen.

The messages of the angels here (all three of them) is meant to warn and draw to repentance.

The messages of the angels is meant to encourage the enduring saints.

Their message is double edged.

The eternal gospel proclamation here is the continued fulfillment of God’s promise that the world would hear the gospel - Matthew 24:14.

Matthew 24:14 ESV

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

God, in His amazing and abundant grace, NEVER STOPS offering the gospel…Not even when it is continually rebuffed and rejected.

Church, do you realize how amazing the God is to continually offer Himself while actively being spit on?

God’s grace to keep offering the gospel ought to truly astound us.

It ought to humble us.

It ought to motivate and challenge us.

The angel proclaims this eternal gospel—the very gospel we know and cherish.

But notice: the gospel does not merely provide forgiveness. The angel’s message makes it clear that the gospel demands allegiance. It demands lordship.

Fear God

Revelation 14:7 ESV

7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Command number one —Fear God….

This word we translate FEAR (Terror) also means profound respect and awe. And with God, BOTH really should exist. Though, for us, who do not face God’s wrath and condemnation (Romans 8:1), we emphasize the respect and awe of God.

Proverbs 1:7 reminds us that the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom

Proverbs 1:7 ESV

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Only a fool rejects fear of the Lord.

Biblically speaking, a fool is not one who lacks intellectual ability. He is not dumb. Fools can be (and often are) very intelligent.

A fool biblically is one who rejects God’s authority and refuses to live according to wisdom and truth.

Here in Proverbs 1:7 we see that they reject wisdom and instruction, preferring their own way.

Prov 1:7 - Reject wisdom and Instruction

Prov 14:1 - Reject God

Proverbs 14:1 ESV

1 The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.

A fool is right ONLY in his own eyes - Prov 12:15

Prov 12:15 - Right in own eyes

Proverbs 12:15 ESV

15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

A fool is one who rejects God, who rejects truth and instruction, and prefers to heed his own counsel and will.

Charles Spurgeon:

“The fool is not the man who does not know, but the man who does not wish to know.”

Derek Kidner (on Proverbs):

“The fool is one who rejects the Lord’s rule and therefore lives without reference to Him.

A fool, would rather be right in his own eyes than righteous in God’s. They know enough to be accountable but reject it in favor of their own preferences.

That is a fool.

AND THOSE we have in abundance in our world.

Application

Friend, are you playing the fool today? Are you choosing self over Him? The gospel is both a warning and an invitation for you. Come today, in repentance and faith. Reject the foolishness of sin and embrace the wisdom of the cross.

Church, we are not free from foolish ways or tendencies in our lives.

Even we revert to FOOLISH ways at times, despite knowing better. We still choose our way over God’s.

Church, where does “the fool” show up in your life most?

Is it in choosing sin and pleasure over God?

Is it in minimizing the importance and value of time with God DAILY?

It is in integrity and truthfulness?

It is in your lack of obedience and service to God, to His church, and to the world?

Is it found in your lack of proclaiming the gospel doomed under the wrath of God for their sin and rebellion?

Where does the way of the fool display itself in your life and mine?

Because sin persists, we are never without it fully. As we grow in Christ, I do pray it becomes less and less but we may always have to fight and contend with our foolish ways, for the flesh is the greatest of fools in desperate need of daily redemption.

This command to FEAR God stands in stark contrast to the world’s sinful and depraved foolishness. Proverbs 23:17

Proverbs 23:17 ESV

17 Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.

Do not envy sinners BUT fear God.

Scripture is filled with admonishments to fear God (Proverbs 24:21; 1 Peter 2:17; Mt 10:28; among other places. :))

MacArthur defined The Fear of God as living: “…in the reality of His holiness, His sovereignty, and His judgment of sin.”

To fear God is to love Him—with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is to respect, adore, revere Him ABOVE ALL ELSE.

Application

Friend, You will never repent of your sin or honor God as God if you do not first see His beauty and glory and majesty. Until he is more beautiful to you than you are to you, you will not repent.

Nevertheless, the invitation is extended. He beckons you.

Listen, Church—we will never walk holy…we will never fight sin…we will never love humility (and hate pride)…we will never be patient and gracious towards others…until we come to FEAR GOD more than we desire self.

A fool does not deny God exists. He simply rejects His right to rule. Don’t be a fool. Submit to God’s rule in every area of your life.

The world is rejecting God, now and will continue to do so in this day, because they are fools. They choose self-rule. They choose rightness in their own eyes instead of righteousness in His.

GOD FORBID that we do the same, as His followers, as His children.

The world rejects the gospel because there is no fear of God before their eyes.

Do you remember the dark and somber refrain from our study through the book of Judges?

There was no fear of God. They did what was right in their own eyes.

That is THE VERY definition of a fool.

SO, the angel’s message is this…FEAR GOD - Live in light of His holiness, His sovereignty, and His righteous judgment.

Secondly,

Give Him Glory

Command number 2 - Give Him Glory

This is about worship.

This is a expression of devotion.

This is to bestow out of generosity.

In stark contrast to the world which is bestowing its devotion and worship to a false God, the angel’s message is about directing worship to the right, the one and only true source!

Listen, church, this strikes at the heart of man’s problem.

Man’s problem is ultimately a worship problem. Romans 1:21

Romans 1:21 ESV

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Failure to honor God, to worship God, to place Him above all else, where He belongs, is the problem.

When we fail to worship and honor God, it is because we have chosen to elevate what was right in our own eyes.

And when we do this, we act the fool.

BECAUSE He alone is truly worthy—when we cast it away in pursuit of something else, that is the very definition of fool.

Application

Friend—Church, what has claimed the worship of your heart today?

What sits enthroned in your heart of hearts?

What do you fear MOST to live without?

What do you fight most vehemently to protect?

The call to worship God as Creator is double edged. A warning and invitation for the unrepentant AND a invitation and promise of intimacy for the saint.

The answer to these questions, will expose what you truly worship, where you really stand—what has claim and hold over your affections.

Fear God.

Give Him glory.

BECAUSE, the angel says...

Judgment is Coming

Here in lies the warning

This really is both a warning and a promise. A warning to unrepentant and a promise to the saints under duress.

The hour of judgment has come.

The wrath of God has come. The judgment of God has come.

This is why this text likely has both immediate and broad applications.

We are in The Day of the Lord. The wrath of God has come.

BUT, as the seventh trumpet sounds, it will descend with even greater fervor than before.

This is a terror, for sure.

But because of Gods holiness and righteousness, this is also a promise AND reason for worship! His justice has come! Evil and sin will be punished and set right.

Consider, briefly, the song of Moses we will see in the next chapter - Revelation 15:3-4

Revelation 15:3–4 ESV

3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! 4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

This song comes on the heels of the seventh trumpet and the seven bowls being revealed.

His wrath…His judgment…is JUST. It is righteous.

AND THUS a reason for worship, praise, and thanksgiving.

But whoa to those who sit on the wrong side of it.

Your response to this judgement and wrath all depends on what side of it you sit on.

BUT, in context, this judgment serves as the foundation and root of fear and glory.

Judgment has come.

The warning and invitation is issued…

Fear Him and give Him glory.

REPENT and BELIEVE now…while time remains.

THAT is the call…that is the reason for the commands and the warning.

But there is one more command given to us by the angel’s message.

Worship Him as Creator

Revelation 14:7 ESV

7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Command number three brings God’s might and power as Creator in focus.

He is maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and the springs.

Preaching to pagans, Paul always began with God has Creator. (Acts 14:14-17; 17:22-31)

He always began here because they needed this foundation.

The 24 elders sang his Worth and glory citing His might and worth as creator (Rev 4:11)

The Psalms frequently praise Him as creator. Psalm 19:1-4

Psalm 19:1–4 ESV

1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,

Church, worship of God CANNOT be separated from His might and power as our Creator.

Because He is the source of our very existence, along with that of everything else we know, He is infinitely worthy of praise! He is mighty and powerful.

And as Creator, he holds rights over creation as its owner. He possess authority and ownership.

What’s more, as creator, he defines our purpose. Everything that is invented has a purpose. Nothing is created without an explicit intent or design. God created all things. He created each with a purpose. He gets to decide what that design and purpose is and how we ought to be living it out.

In addition, as Creator and designer, he is also the origin of beauty.

Listen, when you praise a work of art for its beauty, you do not praise the art for its beauty. You praise the ARTIST for envisioning and crafting that beauty! The beauty if our creation reveals the beauty of God, not the art.

As creator then, God has authority, right, purpose, and beauty and has the right to determine what ours is as Creator.

Rejecting of God in this role and right, is to reject everything we are.

Which is why in Romans 1, when man refuses to honor God, when they reject Him as Creator, that we see a litany of sins to follow…beginning with the rejection of God’s very design for man and woman. The first thing mentioned, men and women rejecting the desire for the opposite gender and being inflamed with lust for one another. When you reject God, you reject the very design and purpose He has created us with in favor of that which is “right in our own eyes.” It is the created saying to the creator, “I know better what my design and purpose is than you do.”

This is why the message of the angel, the message of scripture rounds back to worshipping God as Creator. It is that essential.

This is the FOUNDING point of all praise to God.

This is why scripture keeps circling the truth of God as Creator.

(Isaiah 40:21-26; Romans 1:18-20)

Application

Friend, have you repented and made God the object of your worship?

Have you confessed Him as Lord and Creator?

The invitation and warning stand for you if not.

Church, Do you worship God as Creator?

Do you honor Him as such?

Do you submit to His design and purpose for your life or do you keep insisting on living for your own?

Church (read big idea)

Conclusion

Big Idea: The gospel’s double edge warns the unrepentant while blessing the suffering saints.

In this angels proclamation, the unrepentant are warned and invited.

In this angels proclamation, the saint is encouraged and motivated.

Same gospel—two outcomes: rest for those in the Lord, wrath for those who refuse Him.

The gospel is the root and foundation of the promise rest and reward.

Are you resting upon that today?

Are you fearing God?

Are you giving Him glory?

Are you worshiping Him as Creator?

Judgment is coming.

We have been warned.

We have been promised.

As we continue growing together to become more like Jesus for the glory of God, may we heed the angel’s message even now…while time remains.

Pray

Application

How does the concept of God being a 'consuming fire' influence your understanding of His holiness?

In what ways can we revere God and recognize His absolute authority in our daily lives?

How does understanding God's promise of rest shape your view on suffering and trials?

What does it mean for you to endure in faith as a saint, especially when facing difficulties?

How can we encourage those who are suffering to find hope in God's promises?

What does 'fearing God' look like in your life as a young adult today?

How can you actively glorify God in your school or amongst your friends?

In what areas of your life do you find it challenging to trust in God's plans for you?

Why do people reject the gospel, reject spiritual truths even though plainly proclaimed?

What steps can you take to make the gospel central to your daily activities and decisions?

What would it look like for someone to ‘refuse allegiance’ to Christ while still wanting His benefits?

Where are you most tempted to fear man more than God—and what does that reveal about your worship?

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