The First Angel's Message
Samuel Smith
23 Jan'19
5
LESSON 1
THE FIRST ANGEL'S MESSAGE
You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.In this edition, we continue with our series on The Three Angels' Messages. The topic for this study is: The First Angel's Message. The first angel's message is graphically chronicled in the heart of Revelation as follows:
14:7 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."
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1) ANOTHER ANGEL
This expression signifies the point that this angel is not the first angel that John sees in the book of Revelation. The apostle had come across several angels as he beheld various visions and compiled them into the scrolls of Revelation (see2) FLY IN THE MIDST OF HEAVEN
It is interesting to note that this angel is not walking or even running but flying in the open firmament of heaven. This symbolism may have several interpretations. Here are a few of them:A) The flight of the angels denote the swiftness with which they carry forward the task that has been given unto them (see
B) The flight of the angels in the open firmament of heaven also illustrates the public nature of their ministry. It has usually been argued in some quarters of the church that the three angels' messages must be taught privately in church as a sort of Bible study programme to people who have already joined the faith. However, the glaring picture that John portrays as he pens down this vision is very contrary to this assertion. You see friends, if an angel appeared in the open firmament of heaven today, he will draw a public crowd. And that is exactly the nature of the three angels' messages. They are to be given out in public to stir the heart of the people towards the approaching apocalypse of this world. For how could the final gospel message of Revelation 14 be a witness to the world if they never heard it in the first place (see
3) THEM THAT DWELL ON THE EARTH, AND TO EVERY NATION, AND KINDRED, AND TONGUE, AND PEOPLE
The phrase "them that dwell on the earth" may have a twofold application:First, the phrase does represent the entire human race. This is justified by the other key adjectives that follow this expression such as; and to "every nation", and "kindred", and "tongue" and "people". The phrases utilised in this verse clearly depict a worldwide scenario. What this means is that the messages of the three angels must go to the entire world (see
Second, the phrase "them that dwell on the earth" may also apply to the wicked inhabitants of the world. As we have already considered in the introduction of this series, the three angels in
The urgency, earnestness and power that accompany the messages of the three angels will divide the world into two main groups for the final harvest at the second coming of Christ (
4) THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL
The everlasting gospel is the keynote message of the first angel. The use of the adjective everlasting is of very key importance. This adjective helps us to understand that the apostle John is talking about nothing more than the gospel message that is found in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus for the human race. For the gospel of Jesus is everlasting in the sense that it stretches throughout the timeline of all mankind. It is sobering to learn that even before the first human was created, the Godhead had devised the way through which mankind was to be saved in case he sinned against the commandment of God (It is important for us to note that in the symbolism of the first animal sacrifice in Eden (see
3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
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A) FEAR GOD
The first spiritual concept that John mentions right after introducing the everlasting gospel is the concept of fearing God. Even though this concept does not mean we should be afraid of God (seeThe concept of fearing God also means to keep His commandments. We find this concept spread throughout both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. Particularly, in
12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
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B) GIVE GLORY TO HIM
The second spiritual concept that John captures in the everlasting gospel is giving glory to God. This concept can be understood in two similar ways:First, the concept of giving glory to God is to help us to understand that our salvation is fully paid for in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. In other words, there is nothing we can do to add up to what Jesus has done for us through the cross to merit salvation before the Father. All who come to God through the everlasting gospel of Jesus must understand that they are saved by grace through faith in Jesus. This understanding will call forth from the heart the deepest love and devotion, and thus give glory to the One who has made an infinite sacrifice for the salvation of mankind.
The second understanding of giving glory to God is based on how we are to humble ourselves before Him in all things. The Son of God gave us a clear example on this point when He (though equal with God) humbled Himself before the Father as a servant (review
As the people of God proclaims the everlasting gospel of Jesus, they are to draw the attention of their hearers to the fact that they should humble themselves in all things, and give every glory to God — for the Lord God will not share His glory with anyone (
C) THE HOUR OF HIS JUDGEMENT HAS COME
The third spiritual concept that John captures in view of the everlasting gospel is the fact that the hour of God's judgement has come. Even though many people have been led to view the judgement as a terribly bad news, in this message of the everlasting gospel in the heart of Revelation, God helps us to view things in a different perspective. We are forced to realise that the judgement will have to also carry good news as it is proclaimed in the light of the everlasting gospel of Jesus (reviewWe can understand this concept of good news that relates to the judgement when we consider the hour of God's judgement in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, the solemn day of God's judgement fell on the Day of Atonement (see
It is assuring to learn that God is doing the same thing for us today through Jesus Christ, who serves as our High Priest and Judge in heaven's sanctuary. We learn from the book of Daniel that from the end of the 2,300 days prophecy, mankind has been living in the antitypical Day of Atonement. What this means is that the hour of God's judgement began in the Most Holy Place of heaven's sanctuary way back in 1844. From that time to the present, Christ has been cleansing the sins of God's penitent people from the heavenly sanctuary in His own blood so they can stand in the presence of a holy God without blemish (
(For a comprehensive study on the subject of the sanctuary, request for our 9 - part series dubbed: His Way Is in the Sanctuary through any of our WhatsApp Numbers at the end of this lesson)
Friends, even though God offered the people of Israel a kind of salvation that was full and free in the atoning death of the Redeemer to come, this salvation was not forced on the people. Those who rejected this offer of God's salvation by clinging to their wicked works were cut off from the congregation of Israel after the ceremony of the temple cleansing on the Day of Atonement was over (review
22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."
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D) WORSHIP HIM THAT MADE ...
The last concept that the apostle John captures in the everlasting gospel is the issue of worship. He echoes the voice of the angel in the following words: "and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" (Thus, in the presentation of the everlasting gospel to the peoples of the world, the message is to strike at the heart of all false worship that has taken centre stage in various parts of the world. When the people that Satan has bound in secular humanism, occultism and new age spiritualism comprehend from the everlasting gospel that the Creator God is the same One who came to die for mankind to redeem us from the penalty of eternal death (
Friends, it is interesting to learn that inextricably linked with the worship of the Creator God is His Sabbath commandment. It is this that serves as the memorial of His creatorship. In fact, key phrases that are found in the message of the first angel such as: "and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" (
20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
20:11 FOR IN SIX DAYS THE LORD MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH, THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IN THEM IS, AND RESTED THE SEVENTH DAY: WHEREFORE THE LORD BLESSED THE SABBATH DAY, AND HALLOWED IT."
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5) The Lord arranged the three angels' messages in such a way that the first angel's message was to serve as an important preparatory message that must go forward before the second and third angel's messages could be proclaimed. The first angel's message is to convey the everlasting gospel to the people. It is to help the peoples of the world to surrender to Jesus as their Lord and personal Saviour. When Christ now lives in the hearts of the people through His Spirit, they can now be in a good position to choose to worship Him whom they have come to know and love, despite the pressures that will come in the future to succumb to false worship.
Exhortation: The beloved apostle captures the essence of man's salvation that has been worked out through Jesus Christ in the following divine greeting:
1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. UNTO HIM THAT LOVED US, AND WASHED US FROM OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BLOOD,
1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
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Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.
Maranatha!
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