Revelation 14:6-7
6 And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; 7 and he said with a loud voice, “ Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”
The word gospel in its noun form appears many times in our Bibles and can properly be understood as “good news” or “good tidings.” However, in the verb form of the word, it is difficult to speak in English the way it is written in the scriptures. Often it is translated “preach” or “preaching” or “to preach.” In Galatians 1:11,
11 For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
Paul uses both the noun and verb form of “gospel” in one sentence, but it would read “the gospel (noun) which was gospeled (verb) by me.” So we can see some of the difficulty presented not in meaning but in translating from Greek to English.
My point in all this is that the gospel in its basic meaning can be easily given as good news, yet it is vital for all of us to understand that the good news in not a teaching, truth, doctrine or blessing bestowed on us. The gospel given is nothing less than Jesus Christ Himself! The Father has given us the Son (Isaiah 9:6) and in this Son is bound up all which the Godhead is, has been, and will give to humanity.
Isaiah 9:6
6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Yet the gospel has come to mean much less than the fullness of the Person. Much of its present modern meaning has come to simply express salvation from our former lives, deliverance from hell, our ticket to heaven, or one of many ways in which we are benefiting or are blessed by Christ. It can be easy to lose sight of the person and fix our thoughts and gaze upon the things He has done or is doing for us or through us.
We could read the four gospels of the New Testament this way and conclude that the gospel is simply the ministry and works of Jesus during His last three and one half years on earth. But the four gospels are not simply declaring all that Jesus did or taught, they are declaring the One doing and teaching. Their focus is Christ, the Son of God, the Good News given. I’m so thankful for all that the Lord does for me, in me, and through me, but He alone is the gospel, the living and eternal gospel, and He alone should be loved, worshiped, and praised.
Now let us look at the scriptures in Revelation 14:6-7. The book of Revelation is seen in many different ways by many different people, and I’m sure all of us believe we are mostly correct in our thoughts. I would like to express a few of my personal thoughts concerning this important book called Revelation. Firstly, I believe the book to be a spiritual one, but in saying that I don’t mean that it is allegorical. I mean that this book is of the Spirit of God who inspired its writing just as certainly as He inspired the rest of the books in the Bible. I consider all the sixty-six books to be “God breathed” by the Holy Spirit. In saying this, I believe that the Holy Spirit inspired this book, like all the rest, as a testimony of Jesus. I also believe that the book is therefore not simply historical, or just future. By the book of Revelation’s own declaration, it is “the Revelation of Jesus Christ.” I believe also that this book, more than all others reveals, Jesus Christ as the eternal Lamb of God. I strongly feel that if we miss this revelation of Christ the Lamb and His universal eternal government, we then miss the premier revelation of this book. I believe this book is unique and has spoken to all men in every generation since the time it was given by the Spirit. Yes, it spoke to the early church, and it speaks today because the revelation of Jesus Christ as Lamb is eternal.
Now, I further believe that there are events and people spoken of in this book that spoke both then and now. Was there an Anti-Christ type figure in the first century? If we have studied church history we know there was, but I believe those persons or person are not the all and all of this book.
I believe there will be the greatest ultimate realization of both the events and people at the consummation of this age. Yes, I believe the best and worst are saved for last, so to speak. Though this book is NOT primarily just about events and people, it is clear that unparalleled worldwide events and the most evil of persons are coming in the end, including the Anti-Christ or Beast! However, this is only seeing the negative or evil, and though that is real, so is the Lamb even more real and eternal! The Lamb’s universal eternal reign is foretold in this beautiful book, and this should do more than simply comfort us, it is meant to electrify our inner man where He lives. It is not just that we know the ending or the outcome, but that we know Him inwardly and that we be His chosen vessels in this world and universe.
Well, we could say more, but back to the eternal gospel. Yes, the gospel is eternal with eternal implications on all God’s creation. Again in saying “the gospel” we pull away the small boundaries which have been placed upon it and bring it forth into the light, life, and largeness that He, the gospel, has been, is, and, forever will be. In Revelation 14:6 we have the double use of the gospel word. The noun form and verb form are together in this verse. The verse could read “having an eternal good news to good news to those who live on earth.” That makes perfect sense in Greek, but is awkward in English. Let us notice that this gospel is good news to all who live on earth! I simply cannot overemphasize the importance of this, the verse and the many other verses which declare this truth in Jesus. The gospel is not and must never become segregated. If it becomes such, it is another gospel! The gospel is a person, it is one, and there simply is no division on any level within it. Those who believe in Him as their good news come out of all that is former, of the flesh, in Adam and are an entirely new race, humanity, and creation.
I’m amazed that these biblically and eternally true declarations are so under fire and that within the body of Christ. To say that in Jesus Christ there is no Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female is to declare a New creation which is completely other than this present Adamic creation (Galatians 3:28).
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
It is to take the old foundations away, and declare that in Christ there is No distinction, but that division is only in Adam, not Christ. Paul speaks this reality in Ephesians 2:11-22 and many other places.
11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “ Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near;18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
Yet I am finding that in declaring this eternal gospel, accusations abound toward me. That I’m speaking replacement theology or that I’m against Jews. Friends, some of my best friends are Jews, but what does that prove? The gospel is NOT Jewish or Gentile; it is spiritual and it is eternal. The gospel preceded the creation of this world and man. Christ the gospel is timeless and, had Adam not fallen, the division in mankind would have never entered. I repeat, had Adam not fallen, there would never have been Jew or Gentile. Do we believe the Christ has reconciled us all into One Body, or are we judging one another after fleshy things? This is the absolute eternal gospel not some replacement theology, this is the Person of Christ preached, and Him crucified, a stumbling block to Jews, foolishness to Gentiles, but to us who believe, Christ the power of God. Jews and Gentiles are all shut up in sin and need Christ the Gospel. If we stumble over Christ’s finished work, then what does that say about our doctrines and beliefs? I personally do not see race, gender, color or any other form of distinction when it comes to Christ. I see Him, and if we are in Him then we are absolutely, eternally one spiritual people diversely housed in temporal earthly bodies. Let us turn and see the Lord, the Lamb, the gospel, and turn away from that which divides and conquers us. The one true God shows no such favoritism toward one against another. All those who are not born again into this New humanity must be, and Christ, the gospel, is the only way, truth, and life, and there is no other name under heaven where men can be saved.
We must stop mixing the gospel! We must stop preaching a different gospel and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal and establish the one true eternal gospel in our hearts again. We will be under God’s curse if we resist or refuse this eternal gospel (Galatians 1:8-9).
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
If this sounds serious, read it for yourself. If you don’t know this gospel of the kingdom, this gospel of Christ, the eternal gospel, then ask the Holy Spirit to take the scriptures and declare this gospel to your inward spirit man.
We must remember that this gospel was a mystery and unrevealed in the former times to other generations of men. It however was revealed to and through the apostles and prophets of the New Covenant (Ephesians 3:5).
4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
So this was not preached by Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David or any of the other great men and women of God in the Old Testament. The Spirit of Christ revealed it to the people of the New Covenant after the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lamb of God.
Now, let me turn to a final important point. I believe that Revelation 14 speaks of a full recovery of this absolute eternal gospel of the Lamb revealed and preached in this earth. I challenge all of our hearts in this, to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the gospel to each of us in fullness and truth, to not preach mixture but Christ and Him crucified, the gospel of the Kingdom. If we are ever to participate in the coming apostolic recovery of the gospel of the Kingdom, we must allow the Spirit to break up all our hard ground and turn all our hearts back to the person. May we fix our eyes on Jesus and Him alone. My heart loves all peoples, Jews and Gentiles, male and female, etc.. I’m not against the Jews and for the Arabs or for the Jews and against the Arabs. I do not and never will see the gospel in such a way. Christ loves all and desires that all should come to Him, and when they do there will be only one new humanity forever.
This is the gospel I preach. Not pro-Jews or pro-gentiles or pro-church. I preach Christ and Him crucified, Christ the gospel, the eternal absolute good news of the Lamb. Thank you for reading this. I have attempted to take this time to make clear who I am preaching and be as clear as possible concerning some of the accusations now circulating. Again I preach Christ, the gospel, and I refuse to preach other things at all or forever. May peace be upon all of us who look unto Him, and may God grant us the understanding to recognize the gospel when it is presented.