Revelation 14:6-7

DISCOURSE: 2516
THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO ALL NATIONS

Revelation 14:6. 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, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.

ON many occasions we find angels employed by God to execute his purposes respecting men. Sometimes they have been sent as executioners of his judgments; but most generally as dispensers of some special mercy; for their more appropriate office is, as “ministering spirits, to minister unto the heirs of salvation.”
In the passage before us an angel is sent, not to an individual, or a family, or a single nation, but to the whole world; having received a commission to “preach the everlasting Gospel to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people upon the face of the whole earth.” His mode of executing this commission also is made known to us; and the whole account will afford us very valuable instruction, whilst we consider,

I. His commission—

It is here manifestly intimated,

1. That the whole world need to have the Gospel preached to them—

[We are apt to imagine that every man may be saved by the religion which he professes: and to intimate the contrary is deemed a libel even upon the Deity himself. But on this subject we can know nothing except as we are informed by God himself: and we must not set up our opinions in opposition to his revealed will. We must receive with implicit faith the declarations of his word; and whether they accord with our preconceived views or not, we must rest satisfied, that the Judge of all the earth will do right. I am far from saying that God may not save some from amongst all nations, even though they have not a distinct knowledge of the Gospel: for God may do whatsoever seemeth him good; and we are no more at liberty to limit the exercise of his mercy, than we are the rights of his justice. But “secret things belong to him; and the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children:” and the uniform testimony of revelation is, that men are all in a lost and perishing condition; that they all need a Saviour; and that “there is no other name given under heaven whereby any man can be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ.” This then is the testimony which we must bear, without presuming to be “wise above that which is written.” Indeed the very circumstance of an angel being employed to preach the Gospel to the whole world, is itself a proof that the whole world needs to be instructed in it in order to their final salvation; for we cannot suppose that God would use such means for the information of the world, if the information itself were not greatly needed. We shall do well therefore to fix this as a settled principle in our minds, that as Christ has offered himself “a propitiation for the sins of the whole world,” the whole world needs to be directed to him as the only ground of a sinner’s hope.]

2. That the office of a preacher is one which even an angel from heaven may well affect—

[Think you that this angel counted his office an indignity? or that he regretted even his absence from the throne of God, whilst he was occupied in the discharge of it? No surely: a regard for God’s honour and for the welfare of mankind would carry him forward with exquisite delight, whilst flying through the vast expanse of heaven. And let me say, that the office, by whomsoever discharged, if executed with fidelity and zeal, is as honourable as any that can be sustained on earth. We justly account it a great honour to be an ambassador from an earthly monarch, and especially if for the purpose of effecting peace between contending nations. But how infinitely more honourable is it to be an ambassador from the court of heaven, and a representative of the King of kings, to proclaim to a rebellious world the terms on which they shall be restored to his favour, and receive all the benefits which Omnipotence itself can confer upon them! Let none then think lightly of this office; let none imagine that talents of the most distinguished kind can be employed in any service more worthy of them, or that in any line whatever the most strenuous exertions can be more richly recompensed: for if a preacher be made an instrument of saving only one single soul, he has already gained that which is of more value than the whole world.]
Let us now turn our attention to,

II.

His execution of it—

There are many who imagine that the Gospel consists merely in an exhibition of Christ as crucified for the sins of men. That this is the point to which all must lead, I readily acknowledge: but it is necessary that men should be awakened to a sense of their guilt and danger, in order to prepare their minds for a due reception of the Gospel salvation: “The whole need not a physician, but they that are sick:” and, unless people feel their malady, it is in vain to speak to them of a remedy suited to it. The true mode of preaching the Gospel may be learned from the angel, in our text, who first calls men to a state of humiliation on account of sin; then exhorts them to embrace the salvation offered them in the Gospel; and then enforces his exhortation with a consideration calculated to stimulate them to the utmost care and diligence.

1. He calls men to a state of humiliation, on account of sin—

[The whole world ate asleep, or rather “dead, in trespasses and sins.” All fear of God, yea, all thought of God, is cast off; and men are as unmindful of their accountableness to him as if there were no God in heaven. To awaken them from their slumber, he opens his commission, by saying, and “saying with a loud voice,” “Fear God.” And in like manner would I “lift up my voice like a trumpet,” yea, if I could speak, as the angel himself, like thunder, it would be no more than the occasion calls for, if peradventure I might awaken one single soul to a consideration of his lost estate. I say to you all then, “FEAR GOD;” whatever be your age, whatever your condition, whether ye be old or young, or rich or poor, I say to every one of you individually as well as collectively, “Fear God:” for he is “a great God, and of terrible majesty;” and ye have all greatly offended him, and are obnoxious to his everlasting displeasure. In the view of this, even a heathen monarch issued “a decree that every man in his wide-extended dominions should tremble and fear before the God of heaven [Note: Daniel 6:25.].” And well may this be inculcated on every human being: for “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” The inculcating of this too is a very essential part of the Gospel: for so was the Gospel ministered by the forerunner of our Lord, and by our Lord himself, and by all his holy Apostles: they all preached “repentance towards God” as preparatory to “faith in our Lord Jesus Christ [Note: Mark 1:4; Mark 1:14.Luke 24:47; Acts 20:21.]:” and he neglects a very essential part of his duty who does not make repentance a preliminary requisite to a due reception of the Gospel salvation.]

2. He exhorts them to embrace the salvation offered them in the Gospel—

[God has in his tender mercy sent his only dear Son to die for our redemption; and has told us, that through him he will be reconciled unto us, and that all who believe in him shall be justified from all things. This Gospel then we should receive with the profoundest reverence, and the most lively gratitude. In so doing we “give glory” to all his glorious perfections. We glorify his wisdom and goodness, which have devised such a plan for the salvation of a ruined world: we glorify his love and mercy, in accepting it: we glorify his truth and faithfulness, in expecting the accomplishment of his promises in the appointed way. It is said of Abraham, that when a child was promised to him in his old age, he “staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.” Believe ye then, brethren, that this way of salvation through a crucified Redeemer is both suited to your wants, and sufficient for your necessities. Believe that, if you “look unto Jesus, you shall be saved;” and that “those who come unto him he will in no wise cast out.” Do not dishonour him by any doubts either of his ability or willingness to save you. Do not for a moment assign limits to the mercy of your God, or to the power of Christ, who is “able to save you to the uttermost.” If I may use such an expression, take God at his word; embrace his promises; rely upon them; plead them in prayer expect the accomplishment of them to your souls: and know that sooner shall “heaven and earth pass away, than one jot or one tittle of his word shall fail.”]

3. He enforces his exhortation with a consideration calculated to stimulate them to the utmost care and diligence—

[It is probable that there is some reference here to the judgments which will be inflicted on the anti-Christian powers, to make way for the more rapid diffusion of the Gospel. But that will be only a prelude, as it were, to the general judgment, when all the enemies of the Lord and of his Christ shall be finally destroyed. Of that period the Apostles often speak, with a view to detach our minds from present things, and to quicken us in our spiritual course: and so strongly did the Apostle insist upon this thought, that he judged it necessary afterwards to remove from his Thessalonian converts the erroneous impression, which, by the strength of his own representations, he had made upon their minds. Eighteen centuries have elapsed since that time; and consequently the destined period must be so much nearer its arrival. But, whether it be in itself near at hand or not, it is as it respects us; because at the instant of our dissolution all opportunity for repentance or faith is for ever closed. Can you think of this then, brethren, and delay this necessary work? What would not millions, who are gone into the eternal world, give for one single day to work out their salvation, if by any means it might be obtained? I pray you, lose not the present hour; but “to-day, whilst it is called to-day,” humble yourselves before God in dust and ashes, and embrace with all earnestness the salvation he has given you in the Gospel of his Son.]

Let me now yet further improve the subject,
1.

In reference to yourselves—

[You generally acknowledge that the Gospel should be carried to heathen nations. But do not you yourselves need it as much as they? True, you are in some measure acquainted with the scheme of salvation: but to what purpose is it that you have a speculative knowledge of the Gospel, if you have not an experimental acquaintance with it in your souls? Let me then follow in the train of that divine messenger, and repeat to you his authoritative admonitions: “Fear God” — — — “Give glory to him” — — — Reflect how soon the hour of his judgment will have come, when all possibility of securing this salvation will be for ever terminated — — — Despise not his message, because it is delivered by a worm like unto yourselves; for the word, however weakly delivered, is God’s, and not mine: and therefore I beseech you to “receive it with meekness as an engrafted word, able to save your souls.”]

2. In reference to the general subject of missions—

[What can we need to recommend the office of a missionary, when we see it executed by an angel from heaven? Suppose he had been commissioned to inquire for an assistant, who amongst us would not have volunteered his services? Or, if he had felt the need of pecuniary aid, who would not gladly have contributed to the utmost of his power? Methinks, the society now established in our Church, in concurrence with other societies of a similar nature, is that angel from heaven: and the voice of that society, like that of Jehovah himself, is, “Who will go for us?” Are there not then many amongst you ready to say, “Here am I; send me?” Would to God I could see such a zeal in the midst of you! Would to God that you were all, like that blessed angel, ready to deny yourselves, and make every sacrifice for the honour of your God! In the early ages of Christianity such a zeal was common; insomuch that the knowledge of Christ was in the space of thirty or forty years diffused through all the Roman empire: but now for these seventeen hundred years how little has been done towards the evangelizing of the world! Alas! not one sixth of the world knows so much as even the name of Christ; and of them, a very, very small portion, it is to be feared, knows him to any good effect. I call upon you then to awake from the supineness in which you have lain, and, by redoubled exertions, to redeem the time that has been lost, and the character of the Church to which you belong. The time for us to work is surely come; and if we enter into the sacred cause with suitable affection, we shall at least have the happiness of sowing what, at a future period, we may expect to produce an abundant harvest.]