Cecil A. Fayard
Elliott Baptist Church
August 15, 2004
The Everlasting Gospel Heralded
Revelation 14:6-13
INTRO: Angels play a very important role in the book of Revelation– from Revelation 14:6-20, six angels appear. Each angel has a very urgent message to give. These messages are aimed at those folks still living on earth in the middle of the tribulation period.
Henry Morris says: “One after another proclaims a vital testimony which should be of great interest to any who still have the slightest fear of God and concern for salvation” (263).
Three angels are heralds and three are harvesters. The heralds are found in verses 6-13, and the harvesters are found in verses14-20. We will concern ourselves first of all with the first three angels, the heralds.
I. VSS 6-7, THE FIRST ANGEL AND THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL
A. Vs 6, In our present age, it is the church that is commissioned to preach the Gospel (I Cor 15:1-4). We have been commanded to preach the Gospel to every creature (Mk 16:15, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
1. While we still have time, while we are still on earth, we (church) are to preach the Gospel.
a) Paul said, “woe is me if I preach not the gospel”(I Cor 9:16).
b) The Great Commission commands us to preach the Gospel: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you....” (Mt 28:19-20).
2. The Gospel, the good news of the death, burial, and resurrection, is everlasting. There is but one true Gospel, and it is an everlasting Gospel. The Bible describes the Gospel as:
a) The Gospel of the kingdom– Mk 1:14 “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom.”
b) The glorious Gospel – II Cor 4:4, “...the glorious gospel of Christ.”
c) The Gospel of peace– Ephesians 6:15, “...the gospel of peace.”
d) The Gospel of Christ– Rom 15:19, Paul says, “...I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”
e) The Gospel of the grace of God– Acts 20:24, “...to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”
f) The Gospel of salvation– Eph 1:13,”In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.”
3. The last time that the word Gospel is used in the Bible is right here, and it is called the everlasting Gospel.
a) There is nothing new or different about it. If there had been, John would have said so for he witnessed the resurrected Christ.
b) The Gospel that Paul preached is the Gospel I preach and it is the Gospel that the 144,000 will preach. And it will be the Gospel the angel proclaims (Gal 1:8).
4. At this point in the tribulation, the church will have been gone for 3 ˝ years. It is at this time that the angel preaches the Gospel. Not to the church for she is gone, but to “them that dwell on the earth.”
5. The ministry of this angel is universal, “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people...”
a) By this time, Gospel preachers will not have access to radio and television.
b) Folks will fear public worship.
c) “There is no evidence that this angel will be any more successful in preaching the eternal gospel than was Noah, the preacher of righteousness before the Flood” (Lahaye 237). Successful or not, he is to preach the Gospel. Successful or not, we are to preach the Gospel.
B. Vs 7, Each time he speaks, the angel is heard over a large region of the earth. His message is urgent; time is running out!
1. He says, “Fear God, and give glory to Him.”
a) Fear God, not the wicked anti-Christ.
b) Give glory to God instead of the anti-Christ.
2. “The hour of judgment is come.” This angel’s message is a final call, a final proclamation of the Gospel. The message is clear,”turn or burn; repent or die.”
a) Judgment is coming to these who do not believe the Gospel (II Thes 1:8; 2:12).
b) It just may be that some who have not responded to the love of God will hear the message of judgment, and God’s remedy for it. Jude 23: “and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire.”
3. “Worship Him that made heaven, and earth.....”
a) It will be important to preach creationism because so many will have believed the lie of evolution.
b) “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” Gen 1:1. Creationism is foundational.
II. VS 8, THE SECOND ANGEL AND THE FALL OF BABYLON
A. What is proclaimed here looks to the events in Revelation 17-18.
1. “Babylon” is the name that God gives to the world system of the beast.
2. Some describe what we have here in verse 8 as two Babylons. Modern Babylon is ancient Babylon resurrected.
a) The economic and political organization by which the beast controls commerce. People cannot buy or sell without his consent.
b) False religion, the harlot of Revelation 17 is the religious system used by the beast to promote idol worship and worship of the beast himself.
c) Both of these systems go back to Nimrod and the tower of Babel.
B. Both world systems, the commercial and the religious will be destroyed at the end of the tribulation (Jer 51:7).
III. VSS 9-13, THE THIRD ANGEL AND DOOM
A. Vs 9-11, The third angel announces the doom of those who fall for the lies and deceit of the beast.
1. They have received the mark 666 in their forehead. Their doom is sealed (vs 9).
2. Vs 10, the lost will “drink of the wine of the wrath of God.”
a) Christ drank of this cup for the lost sheep.
b) Those who do not know Him must drink of the wrath of God (Psa 75:8).
c) “Without mixture” means without dilution or weakening.”
d) “Tormented with fire and brimstone.” There will be real fire and real brimstone.
e) These will be humiliated as they burn in “the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.”
3. Vs 11, Here we are plainly told of the duration of their torment.
a) “For ever and ever”– this judgment is endless; it goes on and on.
b) “Day and night”– there will be no rest, no sleep, no death. There will be no end to the suffering. Isaiah 66:24, “For their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched” (note Mt 25:46).
c) Those who reject the “man of sorrows” will sorrow forever.
B. Vs 12-13, The welfare of God’s elect.
1. Vs 12, Note the two “here’s” in this verse.
a) “Here is the patience of the saints.” What is revealed is the object of the patience of the saints through the ages.
(1) The promises of the Gospel accomplished.
(2) The judgment is come.
(3) The humanistic world system is destroyed.
(4) The ungodly are in hell.
(5) Their patience is justified.
b) “Here are they that keep the commandments....”
(1) These are godly.
(2) There are saved and love the commandments (I Jn 5:3-5).
2. Vs 13, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord....”
a) For tribulation saints, death will mean an end to earthly torment by the beast and anti-Christ.
b) They rest from the heartbreaks of this life.
c) They exchange pain for rewards.
CONCLUSION: Think what it means to be lost forever,
No one to guide you across that cold river,
Darkness, crying, none to deliver,
Think what it means to be lost.
For additional copies of the sermon CD's, please contact the church office:
Elliott
Baptist Church
566 Nat G. Troutt Road
Elliott, Mississippi 38901
Phone: 662-226-4425
Pastors Email: cecilafayard@msn.com