The Everlasting Gospel

The Angelic Herald

Lakeview Baptist Church

10/10/2021

Revelation 14:6-7 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Introduction

This might be a good time to review the “who, what, where, and why” of angels.

Both the Hebrew and Greek words translated into English for “angel” is defined as “heavenly messengers.” Angels, therefore, are any agent that the LORD sends to perform, accomplish, and fulfill His purpose.

Normal messenger (Job 1:14; 1 Sam 11:3; Luke 7:24; 9:52)

Prophets (Isaiah 42:19; Hag 1:13)

Priests (Mal 2:7)

Ministers of the New Testament ( Rev 1:20)

Heavenly, created beings that God uses to carry out His wishes to the world (Gen 18:2, 22; 32:24, 30; Josh 5:13, 15)

The heavenly messengers are divided by their ranks in power and are spirits. They can appear in human form (Gen 18:2; 19:1, 10; Luke 24:4; Acts 1:10).

Seraphim – OT Saraph or fiery serpents (Nu 21:6,8; De 8:15; Isa 6:2,6; Isa 14:29; Isa 30:6)

Cherubim, Cherub – OT and NT – God used the Cherubim to keep man out of the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:24). Cherubim were prominent in the Tabernacle where the were placed on the Mercy Seat (Ex 25:18-22; Ex 37:7-9), embroidered on the Vail that separates the Holy of Holies and the Holy place in the Tabernacle (Ex 26:1, 31; 36:8, 35)[1]

Archangels (1Th 4:16; Jude 9)

Angels.

The Apostle Paul divides “things that are in heaven…as:

Thrones – “a stately seat of power,” NT Paul assigns this class to angels to whom God places over and discharges His judgments through them (Col 1:16)

Dominions – “rulers having dominion (Eph 1:21; Col 1:16)

Principalities

Powers -

Announcements of Judgment from the Angels

The Everlasting Gospel

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven" - The last time we were introduced to an “angel flying through the midst of heaven,” was in chapter eight, when that angel announced to the inhabiters of the earth, "Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth" (Rev. 8: 13). Each of these angels (messengers) were give tasks to be completed by the Most High God…and they simply carried out their task.

There have been many angels introduced to the readers by John in the Book of the Revelation.[2]

Note: Some angels have sounded with great triumph.

For example in chapter eleven the seventh angel proclaims, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Rev 11:15).

Others, are given the opportunity to proclaim the “everlasting gospel.”

Still others announce judgment, “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” (Rev 14:9-10)

In this chapter, six angels are involved within the vision of the Apostle. Each one has a message to proclaim.

Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come - vv. 6-7

Babylon is fallen - v. 8

The wrath of God is upon those that worship the beast, his image and received his mark -v. 9

The time has come to reap - vv. 15-20 (three angels involved)

"… in the midst of heaven" - Heaven, in this instance, is in the sky above the earth. Like an airplane flying over the face of the earth, this angel delivers a message to those living on the earth. Since the Gospel is not needed to be preached in the throne room of heaven, this scene cannot be in heaven.

"… having the everlasting gospel" - Have you ever thought of the Gospel message being everlasting? The angel holds the everlasting gospel to preach it to the inhabitants of the world.

I am in awe of this angel. This angel will preach the everlasting Gospel of which he will have no part.

I am in awe of this angel. This angel will preach the everlasting Gospel of which he will have no part. The Gospel message is not intended for angels. The Gospel is only for man. From the very foundation of the earth, the Gospel was prepared for mankind (Eph. 1:4).

Ephesians 1:1-4 (KJV) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace [be] to you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

The gospel is everlasting for several reasons.

The message has existed since before the foundation of the creation.

The Gospel message is unchanged and will never be altered, modified, or amended. It is the same today as when it first appeared in the mind of God.

The truth of the Gospel message is that believers in Jesus Christ will have eternal life.

As Jesus is eternal, so is the Gospel message.

The word Gospel means to "proclaim, tell the good news, or preach the gospel." (Mt. 11:5; Lk. 2: 10; 3: 18; Acts 5:42; 10:36; Rom. 1: 15; 10: 15; Gal. 1 :8; Eph. 2: l7; 1 Thess. 3:6; Heb. 4:6; 1 Pet. 4:6; Rev. 10:7; 14:6).

Yet, in this case, the Gospel of salvation is not intended. This eternal message is the judgment from God. The "good news" for believers is that God is just and righteous and therefore his judgment will be swift and final for those who oppose God and His followers.

"… to preach unto them that dwell on the earth" - John defines the audience of the angel’s proclamation as "them that dwell on the earth."

" ... and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people" - The "good news" that salvation is available in the time of judgment is given to "every nation, kindred, tongue and people.” The message of the angel also contains the message that the Messiah will be victorious over the Dragon and the beasts, and they will be judged.

Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

"Saying with a loud voice" -- As the message is for all the inhabitants of the earth, the angel summons all to hear the message.

"Fear God and give glory to him" - That is, "to stand in awe" of the One True God. He is to be honored, reverenced, and obeyed. In sharp contrast to the worship of the beast and his image, reverence is only to be given to the Creator and Savior of mankind.

Albert Barnes writes:

This is the substance of the gospel - its end and design - to turn men from all forms of idol worship and superstition to the worship of the only true God.[3]

"…for the hour of his judgment is come" - The angel proclaims the message of judgment and turning to righteousness rather than salvation.

"… and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" - The call of the angel is for the earth's inhabitants to worship the Creator -- The One, True God.

Conclusion

The Gospel is not “Here today. Gone tomorrow.”

Amongst all the chaos and judgment on earth that we have seen so far and are going to be witnesses to the “Seven Bowl Judgments,” there is life eternal because of the eternal Gospel.

Salvation is multifaceted, meaning that when you accept Jesus as your Savior, you are instantly saved from everlasting punishment. However, salvation will not be completed until we have our new bodies in the New creation.

[1]Ge 3:24; Ex 25:18-20,22; Ex 26:1,31; Ex 36:8,35; Ex 37:7-9; Nu 7:89; 1Sa 4:4; 2Sa 6:2; 2Sa 22:11; 1Ki 6:23-29,32,35; 1Ki 7:29,36; 1Ki 8:6-7; 2Ki 19:15; 1Ch 13:6; 1Ch 28:18; 2Ch 3:7,10-14; 2Ch 5:7-8; Ps 18:10; Ps 80:1; Ps 99:1; Isa 37:16; Eze 9:3; Eze 10:1-9,14-16,18-20; Eze 11:22; Eze 28:14,16; Eze 41:18,20,25 [2] 76 times in 72 verses angels are mentioned in the Revelation (Revelation 1: 1, 20; 2: 1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1,5,7,14; 5:2,11; 7:1-2,11; 8:2-8,10,12-13; 9:1,11,13-15; 10:1,5,7-10; 11:1, 15; 12:7,9; 14:6, 8-10,15,17-19; 15:1,6-8; 16:1,3-5,8, 10, 12, 17; 17:1,7; 18:1,21; 19:17;20:1;21:9, 12, 17;22:6,8, 16) [3]Barnes, Albert, Notes on the New Testament: Explanatory and Practical, Grand Rapids, Baker Books, electronic edition