REV. XIV. 6.
THE Apostle John saw in prophetic vision an “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.” Interpreters understand this vision to be an inspired and symbolic view of a certain historical period of the world’s history—the centuries immediately prior to the glorious Reformation. For the Apostle next tells us that he saw “another angel” who followed, “saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” The proclamation of the everlasting Gospel by the Waldenses, Huss, Luther, and others, under God’s blessing, effected the overthrow of Babylon, the apostate Church of Rome. And it is the same agency, and that alone that will overthrow this Babylon again in its partially restored greatness, and all the other Babylons of iniquity which rear their heads so defiantly in these latter days. Let us consider, then, some of the features of the vision in their general significance for our own age.
First, the Apostle saw an “angel fly in the midst of heaven.”
What are we to understand by the “angel?” Is he one of those exalted spirits with whom the name “angel” is usually associated?” No; but simply a messenger, as the word literally signifies, a messenger of God, in this case, in trust with the Gospel. True, the Lord does employ the bright angelic hosts, who are before His throne, in the service of His people and cause upon earth. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews i. 14). They perform a largely invisible, yet most precious service, of which we have but a dim apprehension. But it is fallen men, sinners saved by grace, earthen vessels—not angels in the ordinary sense—whom the Lord uses to carry the Gospel treasure to those who know it not. However humble and weak they often are, these are God’s angels who are called and qualified “to preach the everlasting gospel.”
The Apostle saw the “angel fly,” like a bird on wings in the physical atmosphere. The Gospel messenger is called to fly on the wings of faith and love in the atmosphere of the Spirit’s influences. If he has not these wings, it matters not how strong and sustaining the wind of the Spirit may be, he will not rise from the earth, or make any spiritual progress. So also, even when the messenger possesses the wings of faith and love, if the wind of the Spirit is withdrawn he will be at a standstill in his work of Gospel service. Both the wings and the wind are required: neither can be dispensed with; and all true messengers of Christ are deeply convinced of the truth of this.
Further, the Apostle saw the “angel fly in the midst of heaven.” This description of the sphere in which the angel is moving appears to suggest that the Gospel messenger is sent by the God of heaven, rises above the earth, moves in a heavenly atmosphere, and pursues his work midway between the Lord and sinful men. “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Cor. v. 20). Christ is the Angel of the everlasting covenant, the Lord and leader of all the subordinate messengers of the glorious Gospel. He moved in this heavenly atmosphere during the days of His flesh, and all His true Gospel servants seek to be anointed in measure with the same Spirit as dwelt in perfect fulness in their exalted Head.
Secondly, the Apostle observed that the angel carried “the everlasting gospel to preach.”
The Gospel is the good news, or glad tidings, by way of eminence. It embodies the best news that ever greeted the ears of sinful, mortal man—the news that the infinite Jehovah, who is glorious in holiness, has, in the exercise of rich, free, and sovereign love, sent His only-begotten Son into the world, to give His life a ransom for many, to redeem the Church with His own blood, and to save a countless multitude of sinners “from going down into the pit”—the news that this divine and all-sufficient Saviour is freely offered to the chief of sinners, without money and without price—and the news that the Heavenly Father gives the Holy Spirit unto them that ask Him, to convince of sin and misery, to enlighten the mind in the knowledge of Christ, and to unite the seeking sinner to Him in a bond that shall never be broken through eternity. Such are some of the principal parts of the good news of the Gospel.
Then, the Apostle describes the message as “the everlasting gospel.” We desire to call very special attention to the word “everlasting,” here employed, as it has a particular message for the times in which we live.
The true Gospel of God’s dear Son is everlasting as to its nature.
It does not change or wax old, but continues the same throughout all generations—perennially fresh and new. It bears the impress of God Himself, its everlasting Author, who is unchangeable in His character from age to age, and whose infinite resources in wisdom and grace, embodied in His Gospel, are adequate to meet the wants of sinful men in every successive generation. One would suppose, from the kind of talk that is popular with many at the present time, that some new gospel is needed owing to the changes that the War has wrought, but this is a mistake and a delusion. The changes that have taken place are but external at best. The soul of man, in its essential faculties, continues the same; the law of God, in its purity and justice, abides the same; sin, in its loathomeness and guilt, is the same; Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, and to-day, and forever; heaven is the same, and hell is the same. No other than the everlasting Gospel will meet the case of sinners in the twentieth century, as in the first. Ruin by the Fall, Redemption by the blood of Christ, and Regeneration by the Holy Ghost, are saving truths that require to be preached and received to-day as much as ever in the past. If the War has made any change at all, it is to show, in a more vivid and awful light, the necessity for the widespread proclamation of these truths, with “the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.” Sin is so rampant, at home and abroad, that they are twice blind who do not recognise the fact of the Fall and its dreadful extent, on the one hand, and the necessity of the New Birth, on the other.
The true Gospel is everlasting as to the period of its proclamation.
That is to say, it is to be preached to the end of time. Though Satan and wicked men have combined, and will continue to combine, to destroy this Gospel, it will survive all their assaults. “According to the commandment of the everlasting God,” it will be “made known to all nations for the obedience of faith”; “the Word of the Lord endureth for ever.” He has promised never to leave Himself without witnesses, while sun and moon endure, and He is the faithful, covenant-keeping Jehovah, whose counsel and purposes cannot be frustrated, but will be accomplished without fail to the end of the world.
The true Gospel is also everlasting as to its results for weal or woe.
It embodies the message of everlasting life through Jesus Christ, to perishing sinners of mankind, and all who receive the message in the exercise of faith and love are put in possession of the inestimable blessing it proclaims. The Gospel of Christ is “the bread of life,” and “he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.” Not merely “shall exist,” but “shall live” with a divine, heavenly life, in the knowledge, favour and fellowship of the Triune God, for ever and ever. The Gospel is everlasting in its blessed and saving results upon those who believe. But it is also everlasting in its woeful results in regard to those who believe not, who “stumble at the word, being disobedient” (1 Peter ii. 8). It is “the saviour of death unto death” to some, as it is “the saviour of life unto life” to others. This is a very solemn thought, to which those without Christ would do well to take heed, lest they harden more and more through the deceitfulness of sin. The defect is not in the Gospel, but in the depravity, unbelief, and opposition of the human heart. Jesus said, “Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life,” so that unbelievers will have to give a most solemn and terrible account at the judgment seat.
Thirdly, the Apostle informs us of the persons to whom the everlasting Gospel is to be preached, namely, unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.
The “angel” was to proclaim the Gospel unto the children of men on the earth (not to those in the world of spirits), and to the people of all tongues and nations. The word of salvation was to be preached to all universally, according to the command of the Redeemer: “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned.” As the true Gospel is everlasting as to its nature, period, and results, so it is universal in its suitability, call and diffusion. We do not need one Gospel for Great Britain and Ireland, another for Canada and the United States, another for Germany, France, and Russia, and still another for Egypt, India, China, and South Africa. “The everlasting gospel” is perfectly suitable for all nations without exception, and is to be preached among all by the Lord’s own command. He has a chosen people in every country under the sun, and His Gospel is the power of God unto salvation unto all who truly believe, no matter of what class or colour. The great thing that is needed for the saving benefit of all nations, civilised and heathen, is not education merely, or any new Gospel, but the old, everlasting Gospel of God which is ever new, preached by messengers, called and qualified by Himself, and made powerful by His own blessing, to bring multitudes out of darkness into marvellous light.