Revelation 14:6 - The Everlasting Gospel

This is my first real blog post in quite some time. I apologize for that. I have no good excuse.

The Three Angels' Message is found in Revelation 14:6-12. I want to study a key term/phrase found in verse 6, that term being the Everlasting Gospel. Revelation 14:6 says this:

"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,"

The Everlasting Gospel. What is it? Let's go back a chapter and see what Revelation 13:8 says: "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

Obviously Jesus was not slain at the foundation (aka the creation) of this world. However, the plan was set in place before the world was even created that Jesus would become the ransom in case man would fall. Check out what Ellen G. White has to say in her book, The Desire of Ages, page 834, in the middle of paragraph two:

"Before the foundations of the earth were laid, the Father and the Son had united in a covenant to redeem man if he should be overcome by Satan. They had clasped Their hands in a solemn pledge that Christ should become the surety for the human race. This pledge Christ has fulfilled."

There's more.

Revelation 14:6 is an introductory verse to the Three Angels' Messages. This verse mentions that the first angel has the everlasting gospel to preach to the world. The actual message is found in the following verse, verse 7. If verse 6 says the first angel has the everlasting gospel to preach to the world, then by default verse 7 must be the definition, at least in part, of what the everlasting gospel is.

It says, "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."

We find in verse 7 a few key points. The everlasting gospel means to fear God and to give glory to Him. Why? "for the hour of his judgment is come..." It also means to worship God. Again, why? Because He "made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

We'll get into verse 7 in more detail in another post. (It includes the doctrine of the seventh day Sabbath as well as the judgment). So the everlasting gospel means that the plan of salvation was established before the world fell; it means to fear God, to give Him glory, and to worship Him.

The reasons for doing those three things is also part of the everlasting gospel. The judgment is part of it as well, as is the fact that God created the world and everything in it. Look once again at what Ellen G. White has to say about it in her book, Christ's Object Lessons p. 227:

"John in the Revelation foretells the proclamation of the gospel message just before Christ’s second coming. He beholds an angel flying “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, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.” Revelation 14:6, 7. In the prophecy this warning of the judgment, with its connected messages, is followed by the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven. The proclamation of the judgment is an announcement of Christ’s second coming as at hand. And this proclamation is called the everlasting gospel. Thus the preaching of Christ’s second coming, the announcement of its nearness, is shown to be an essential part of the gospel message."

The everlasting gospel is everlasting. It is eternal. The plan of salvation was made before man fell, and the gospel will never fade away. Even in heaven, people will learning more about Jesus and what He did for us. Many will ask Jesus, "What happened to your hands and feet?"

Until next time, keep studying my friends. Jesus loves us.