The Bible’s final calls to humanity can be found in the book of Revelation. The meaning of the so-called first message of the angel is explained below. Just a single verse, but with a lot of information.
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The book of Revelation
The book of Revelation is treated today as a mysterious letter from John, full of many secrets. Classified in the ranks of the mystical writings of Nostradamus, but much less noticed. A popular title of the last book of the Bible, “The Secret Revelation of John,” could not be more contradictory. “Secret” and “revelation” go together like water and fire, like white and black.
Others claim that Revelation only contains stories about angels and their only homage to God. All kinds of poetry can be read about this book, but very little evidence that this book is filled to the brim with prophecies for the current time. Predictions written down around 2,000 years ago, some of which were fulfilled in the past and others which will only come into effect in the future. Only a minority of those who actually recognize the book of Revelation as a book of prophecies also understand the predictions as part of the present. The erroneous rule, however, is that the past and the future are excluded, but the here and now are excluded.
The angels’ messages in chapter 14
An extremely important message to the people of recent history, the present and the future that will probably not last long are the so-called three messages from the angels in chapter 14 (more Infos). One after the other, three angels appear to John in the vision of his prophecy with a specific message. Rather, these are urgent warnings.
The first angel appears
John saw an angel “flying in the midst of heaven, having an everlasting gospel to preach” (Revelation 14:6). This description already contains an important message: “eternal” gospel. The gospel has existed since the beginning of humanity. It describes the only (!) path of salvation for fallen humanity. A hint of the gospel can be read immediately after the Fall in the Garden of Eden, Genesis 3:15:
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.“
In the Garden of Eden, God already announced Jesus Christ, who will one day die on the cross for our freedom from sins. The victory over sin and the great adversary (Gospel = “good news [of victory]”). This message, the path to salvation, has not changed one iota over the millennia and nothing will change until everything is done. The “eternal” gospel and therefore also fully valid today and tomorrow.
The message of the first angel
The first angel of the three to appear has the following message, Revelation 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.
This message or warning is loud and, above all, clearly spoken. Humanity has created a multitude of its own “gods” and they worship them in some form (idolatry). But there is only one true, living Creator God. All other “deities” are human fantasy constructs. They are just a fiction and the worship of symbolic representations made of dead material (wood, stone, metal, clay, etc.) is just as pointless.
There is only one true Creator God
The angel identifies the only, true and living God through His creation. He created everything visible and invisible in this world. Worship is due only to Him, as the First Commandment clearly describes (Info). Idols, on the other hand, are pure fictions. They don’t think, don’t see, don’t speak, can’t do anything.
This invitation and at the same time warning from the angel is aimed at all people who have given themselves over to a fiction, but not to the true God and Creator. This is especially true for people who turn a creature of God into a (fictitious) creator. This includes the worship of nature with the sun at the center. These widespread religious groups place the sun as a “solar god” above the true creator.
This sun worship has been known since ancient times and is widespread. For the unmistakability and clear recognition of His authority, God already established a day of rest during His act of creation. The seventh day of the week, or the Sabbath. The recognition and sanctification of the Sabbath is therefore automatically the recognition of the true Creator God. Alternatives have never been introduced by God (“eternal gospel”). Rather, it was the people who chose an alternative day for sanctification and thereby also recognized a (fictitious) authority (Info).
The hour of His judgment has come
There is another extremely important detail in the first angel’s message. The angel speaks of a judgment from God that has already come. This sentence alone undermines any theory that says there will be no judgment. “God loves all people and therefore there will be universal reconciliation.” For others, it is an indication or reminder that judgment will take place at all. Additionally, this clear angelic message contradicts the claim that judgment will only come after the return of Jesus Christ.
However, this first message from the angel comes before Jesus Christ appears and yet the judgment has already begun. How else could it be possible to distinguish between redeemed and lost people when Jesus Christ returns? This will be determined before(!) Jesus Christ will appear in all His glory in the clouds of heaven.
A court is based on rules, i.e. laws. Without laws there would be no judgement. This alone indicates that the laws (commandments) of God were by no means abrogated by Jesus Christ (Info).
The teaching about the “heavenly sanctuary” described above all in the letter to the Hebrews, in conjunction with the prediction of the prophet Daniel (chapter 8:14), clearly indicate that the judgment announced in the first angel’s message is actually already underway (Info).
All people are addressed
Another aspect appears in the angel’s first message. Warnings and calls do not concern a small selection of a select people, but rather all of humanity. The unmistakable hint is already in Revelation 14:6:
“[…] and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,“.
By that time all people will have learned the message of the gospel. Each person makes the decision about rejection and acceptance individually for themselves.
Summary message of the first angel:
– Only the true Creator God deserves the honor of worship
– The call applies to all people without exception
– The court is already taking place
– God has His personal mark of authority (Sabbath)
The second and third angel’s messages
The message of the second angel – Info
The message of the third angel – Info
Further information about the Three Angels’ Message – Here
Bible verses from King James Version
