Then I saw another angel flying overhead, with the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.And 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,And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having eternal good tidings to proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people;
3 sermons cite this verse
… and I saw. I want you to notice the four announcements that John hears. First of all, he sees and hears an announcement of the gospel. Look at verses six and seven. 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. John says he saw an angel flying through mid-heaven, throughout the earth, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Aren't you glad that's the kind of faith you follow? Something that's open to everyone. That's what the angel announced in the last times. Secondly, there was an announcement of destruction. Look at verse 8. And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, fallen, fallen is Babylon the great. She has made all of the nation's drink of the wine of passion of her immorality. He's looking to that final climactic scene when Babylon is destroyed. Now, what is Babylon? In the Bible, especially in the book of Revelation, Babylon isn't so much a location as it is a representative of the world system that is opposed to God. It's the same way of Babylon. John says, as difficult as things are looking right now. There is a day coming when Babylon, the world system opposed to God, will be destroyed. And then notice thirdly, an announcement of doom. Verses 9 through 11. …
… the phrase, and I saw. I want you to notice the four announcements that John hears. First of all, he sees and hears an announcement of the gospel. Look at verses six and seven. 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. I don't understand it, but John says he saw an angel flying through mid heaven, throughout the earth, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ so that everyone could hear it. I want you to notice here the two descriptions of this gospel message, the message that Jesus Christ came and gave his life on the cross, died for our sins, that we could have eternal life. He said, first of all, the gospel is eternal. It's not just for one time period in history. It's for all time. And then secondly, he said, this message is for every nation and every tribe and every tongue and every people. Have you ever heard people say, well, we shouldn't try to impose our culture on other people by sharing the gospel with them. …
When I speak of the uniting of a faithful minister with Christ’s people in a due manner, I do not mean a due manner only with regard to external order; but its being truly done in a holy manner, with sincere upright aims and intentions, with a right disposition, and proper frames of mind in those that are concerned; and particularly in the minister that takes office, and God’s people to whom he is united, each exercising in this affair a proper regard to God and one another.—Such an uniting of a faithful minister with the people of God in the ministerial office, is in some respects like a young man marrying a virgin. 1. When a duly qualified person is properly invested with the ministerial character, and does in a due manner take upon him the sacred work and office of a minister of the gospel, he does, in some sense, espouse the church of Christ in general. For though he do not properly stand in a pastoral relation to the whole church of Christ through the earth, and is far from becoming an universal pastor; yet thenceforward he has a different concern with the church of Christ in general, and its interests and welfare, than other persons have that are laymen, and should be regarded otherwise by all the members of the Christian church. Wherever he is providentially called to preach the word of God, or minister in holy things, he ought to be received as a minister of Christ, and the messenger of the Lord of hosts to them. And every one that takes on him this office as he ought to do, espouses the church of Christ, as he espouses the interest of the church in a manner that is peculiar. He is under obligations, as a minister of the Christian church, beyond other men, to love the church, as Christ her true bridegroom hath loved her, and to prefer Jerusalem above his chief joy, and to imitate Christ, the great shepherd and bishop of souls and husband of the church, in his care and tender concern for her welfare, and earnest and constant labors to promote it, as he has opportunity. And as he, in taking office, devotes himself to the service of Christ in his church; so he gives himself to the church, to be hers, in that love, tender care, constant endeavor, and earnest labor for her provision, comfort, and welfare, that is proper to his office, as a minister of Providence, as long as he lives; as a young man gives himself to a virgin when he marries her. And the church of Christ in general, as constituted of true saints through the world (though they do not deliver up themselves to any one particular minister, as universal pastor, yet), cleave to and embrace the ministry of the church with endeared affection, high honor, and esteem, for Christ’s sake. They joyfully commit and subject themselves to them; they resolve to honor and help them, to be guided by them and obey them so long as in the world; as the bride doth in marriage deliver up herself to her husband. And the ministry in general, or the whole number of faithful ministers, being all united in the same work as fellow-laborers, and conspiring to the same design as fellow-helpers, to the grace of God, may be considered as one mystical person, that espouses the church as a young man espouses a virgin: as the many elders of the church of Ephesus are represented as one mystical person, Rev. 2:1, and all called the angel of the church of Ephesus: and as the faithful ministers of Christ in general, all over the world, seem to be represented as one mystical person, and called an angel, Rev. xiv. 6. “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.”—But, …