The Message of the First Angel
Revelation 14:6-7
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.” (Rev 14:6-7 NKJ)
Let’s begin by setting the scene
- Why an angel?
- Why is he flying?
- And who needs to hear his message?
Firstly, the proclamation of an “angel” indicates that the message that he is carrying is of divine origin, and thus of great importance. God, Himself has a message that needs to be taken to the ends of the world. Secondly, the fact that the angel is ‘flying’ tells us that the message is urgent and must be preached without delay. [1]
And finally, the message is to be shared with ‘those who dwell on the earth– to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.’ Although this message is to be proclaimed worldwide, it is primarily to be proclaimed to unbelievers by God’s people. The phrase ‘those who dwell on the earth’ refers to those who are not worshipping God, specifically the political-religious system that stands against God (Revelation 13:3,4). [2]
The Everlasting Gospel
The essence of the first angel’s message is the ‘everlasting gospel’. Or the good news about Jesus Christ and His character of love as revealed through His ministry, His death on the cross and His resurrection. This is the only time the word “gospel” or “good news” (evangelion or εὐαγγέλιον in Greek) appears in the book of Revelation. [3]
This term was well-known throughout the Greco-Roman world. Whenever the Roman Emperor won a new military victory, his heralds would go out across the empire and announce the evangelion. [4]
Therefore, the message of the first angel is a message about the great victory over death and sin which Jesus won on Calvary for you and me. This angel’s message is given “with a loud voice” (vs 7), as is the third angel’s (vs 9). This emphasises that this is a warning call for all people to “fear God and give Him glory” before it is too late.
Fear God and Give Him Glory
“To fear” doesn’t mean to be afraid of God as if He’s someone who is always looking for a reason to punish us. No, rather it means to show respect, reverence, and honour to God. To have a right relationship with Him and to positively respond to His appeal to become a part of your life. People are called to repent and to turn back to God who is waiting for them with open arms, offering His forgiveness and grace. “Giving glory to God” is the natural response following repentance. As is obeying God’s commandments and living according to His will as revealed in the Bible (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; 1 Corinthians 10:31). [5]
The last part of the message points out two things: “the judgement has come” and the only one who deserves to be worshipped is the One who created the whole world.
The Hour of His Judgment is Here
The concept of judgment here does not convey the idea of fear or punishment, but rather of the deliverance and vindication of those who are faithful. The judgment has already begun, and it will soon end when the destiny of every human being will be sealed in the heavenly courts. It is thus important to take God seriously and to make sure that we do not neglect His final appeal.
Worship the Creator
The final point of this part of the message is that the Creator God, Jesus Christ as King of kings and Ruler of nations, “who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water” is the only One worthy of worship. The only One who is to be worshipped. Not Roman Emperors, or any political or religious powers here on earth.
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12)
The first angel’s message also emphasizes that people are not a product of evolution but are created for a purpose with a wonderful future.
The phrase “the heaven and the earth and the sea and the fountains of waters” is a direct allusion to the fourth commandment of the Decalogue. This links God’s invitation for us all to keep the Sabbath as a memorial of the Creation.[6] God has given us the Sabbath day of rest for our own spiritual, mental, and physical benefit. Jesus says:
“The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28).
Imagine if the Sabbath had been observed more carefully throughout history. Man would not have forgotten his Creator God, and the influence of the theory of evolution would not have been such as it is today. Therefore, we are reminded to not forget the One who created us and gave us the Sabbath, the day of rest. When we remember, we can experience His special presence on that day and be blessed abundantly.
In Summary
The words of Ellen White, one of the most prolific Christian writers, perfectly summarize the message of the first angel: “Hanging upon the cross Christ was the gospel. Now we have a message, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.’… This is our message, our argument, our doctrine, our warning to the impenitent, our encouragement for the sorrowing, the hope for every believer”. [7]
The gospel is not a theory, a philosophy, or a concept. It is a Person. Therefore, who He is, what He has done, and what He is doing should be the central theme of the message that the world needs to hear.
Who is Jesus to you? Is He only a legend, a good moral teacher, or the living God who died for your and my sins? (If you would like to learn more about Jesus, we recommend the wonderful book called Desire of Ages. Click here for your free copy – Desire of Ages – Discover Truth)
Continue discovering… The Second Angel’s Message
[1] Mark Finley, Three Cosmic Messages: Earth’s Final Conflict (Hart Books: Fallbrook, CA, 2020), p. 38.
[2] See the description of ‘the first beast’ in Revelation 13. Ranko Stefanović, Revelation of Jesus Christ: Commentary on the Book of Revelation, 2nd ed (Berrien Springs, Michigan: Andrews University Press, 2009), pp. 463–64.
[3] Grant R. Osborne, Revelation, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2002), p. 516.
[4] https://theweek.com/articles/588455/real-meaning-war-christmas; https://www.britannica.com/topic/biblical-literature/New-Testament-literature
[5] Stefanović, Revelation of Jesus Christ, pp. 442–43.
[6] Stefanović, Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 445.
[7] The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary: Acts to Ephesians, Ellen G. White Comments, ed. by Francis D. Nichol, (Review and Herald Pub. Association, 1980), p. 1113.
This article was written by Ivan Petroski and edited by Diane Lewis and Omari Norman.
