“…having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.” (Revelation 14:6-13, NASB)

The gospel of Jesus Christ is eternal. It is not just for Christians, but for all people, for all time. It is not just a message of hope for this age, but for all time from creation to the end of time. It means the gospel has been preached from the beginning of time and will continue until the end. John writes,

“And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.’ And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.’ And another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.’ And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, ‘Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.’”

The first angel held what John described as “eternal gospel” for every people on earth. The word “gospel” means “good news,” and it is the eternal message of God that we are called to preach. It is eternal because God prepared this gospel and predestined those who would believe in Him even before He created the world (Eph.1:4-5). It is eternal because even before the birth of Christ, God spoke in many ways that one day a Messiah would come to die on behalf of sinful mankind and that through faith in him they would receive the forgiveness of sin. In the Garden of Eden, God sacrificed an animal, not only to clothe Adam and Eve physically, but to clothe them spiritually with the innocent blood pointing to what Christ would ultimately do (Gen.3:21). Then throughout the human history, God sent His prophets to prophesy about what the Messiah would be like, where he would be born, how he would die, how he would rise from the dead, and how he would return to establish his eternal kingdom. Then at the proper time, Jesus, the Son of God, came as a son of man to live a perfect and sinless life to offer himself as a propitiation for our sins. Paul writes, “When the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive adoption as sons” (Gal.4:4-5). It is eternal because God will forever punish those who reject His gospel and bless those who trust in Him.

God commanded John to write about how the eternal gospel would be fulfilled by showing him how He would judge those who reject it and deliver those who persevere in their faith. It says in verses 9-11 that God would judge everyone who “worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand.” They will “drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger.” They will be “tormented with fire and brimstone” and “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever.” The gospel of Jesus Christ is truly eternal, and those who respond to it, even to those who respond negatively, will reap eternal consequences. Paul writes, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom.1:16). This is the gospel that saves us, and there is no other way. This is the gospel that we have been commissioned to preach, and we must obey it. This is the gospel that our world desperately needs to hear, and there is no excuse for rejecting it. Finally, this is the gospel that the redeemed will forever sing, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”

• What do you think the angel meant when he said that the gospel is “eternal gospel” for those who live on the earth?
• If the gospel is eternal, how did the Old Testament people hear the gospel of salvation?
• In what ways are we responsible for preaching the gospel to “every nation and tribe and tongue and people” today?