The Last Call To Repent - The Everlasting Gospel By An Angel

Dear Saints,

We will see for the first time an angel preaching the gospel to people on earth at the very end of time in fulfillment of Jesus’ words, ”And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14.

Why an angel and not people? In this chapter 14 of Revelation, Apostle John also gives us a preview to the final harvest of the saints and the unrighteous in the end (see Revelation 19). Jesus gave a parable of the wheat and tares about the last harvest in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). Don’t worry. God will separate the real from the unreal (those who are playing the church game presently if they don’t repent before the end).

We had seen the two beasts (the Antichrist and the False Prophet) and the mark of the beast (666) in Revelation 13. In Revelation 14, God’s judgment of eternal damnation is decreed on those who worshipped the beast and received his mark of 666 on their hands or foreheads (verses 9-11). 

We first encountered the 1444,000 in Revelation 7. Now, more is revealed about the 144K in this chapter (verses 1-5). The 144K were saved by grace, sealed by the Holy Spirit and follow Christ "wherever He goes" just like us. They are blameless (virgins) just as we are in Christ. We thank God for the blood of Christ that has cleansed us from all unrighteousness when we trust and believe in Christ.

For you who may be on the fence and have not trusted Christ as Lord and Savior, now is the time to do so. Even as of this morning 12/11/21, over 70 people in Kentucky were killed by tornados overnight. We are not guaranteed tomorrow which may be too late to believe. I bet you some of them already bought their Christmas gifts and thinking of what they will receive from Santa. May God comfort their families. Just do it now for the glory of God. Amen!

Let’s read Revelation 14:

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. ² And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. ³ They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 

⁴ These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. ⁵ And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

The Proclamations of Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— ⁷ saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

⁸ And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

⁹ Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

¹² Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. ¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

Reaping the Earth’s Harvest

¹⁴ Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. ¹⁵ And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” ¹⁶ So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Reaping the Grapes of Wrath

¹⁷ Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

¹⁸ And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” ¹⁹ So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. ²⁰ And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

We will focus on the angel preaching the gospel (verses 6-7). ”Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— ⁷ saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” Revelation 14:6-7

Note it said an angel and not angels. The angel is flying around in the sky all over the earth.  It is called “the everlasting gospel” or the “eternal gospel.” Also, note the message, fear God for the hour of judgment has come. Worship God. He is the Creator. It is a simple message that says, look around you, and there is plenty of evidence from His creation for you to worship God. It aligns with what Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:19:

”What may be known of God is manifest in them [the ungodly], for God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans1:19-21.

Why an angel instead of human believers who had been entrusted with preaching the gospel on earth? It is possible most of the saints who came to faith in the Tribulation period would have been killed by the Antichrist. The message is to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people dwelling on the earth. Some believe that because of the content of the message, it may be that the angel is addressing saints to encourage them to hang in there because God will win and vindicate them. They say the Gospel of Christ (death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and His soon return) is different from the “everlasting gospel.”

I am led to believe the contrary because the message is for all “those who dwell on the earth” and to every nation, tribe, and tongue. I believe this is the final call to the whole world as Jesus promised that the gospel would be preached to all before He returns (see Matthew 24:14). No one on earth will have any excuse not to put their faith in the true God, the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit who made them and all things.

What is the message to you and me? If we don’t preach the gospel now, God will still get the job done, and we will miss the reward of proclaiming the gospel. This is the time to live and tell people of the Gospel of Christ. Who will you pray for and tell about the good news of Jesus who took our penalty and punishment for our sins? Jesus died so that when and if we believe and trust in Him, we will escape the wrath of God we have read in the book of Revelation. More importantly, we are reconciled to our loving Father, and we will be with God forever and ever. Amen.

May God empower you and me to live with the end-time in view. May we go all in for Jesus and make His disciples as He commanded us (see Matthew 28:16-20). It is a command, not a suggestion. Will you especially this Christmas season when people are most receptive? Amen!

Are you playing the church game - one leg inside and the other outside?  Keep in mind,  time is too short.