Three Angels' Messages Part 6

Welcome back, and thank you for joining us as we continue to examine the Three Angels’ Messages found in Revelation 14:6-12. These represent God’s last appeal to Planet Earth, and so nothing could be more important to know for our own benefit, and also to be equipped to share with others. Sad to say, so many people not only have no understanding of them, they have not even heard of them! That is why God wants to use us as His “angels,” or messengers, to spread these messages around the world.
“Having the everlasting gospel” is the way the first angel is initially introduced. Interestingly, the word “gospel” incorporates the same Greek word as the word “angel.” In the original language, it is evangelion, in which the prefix ev means “good”  (compare eucalyptus, “good covering,” eulogy, “good word,” etc.), and of course the word for “message.” The Gospel is the Good News that God loves us so much that He sent Jesus Christ to this world to give us an example and to die for our sins so we could live forever with Him. This free gift is offered to everyone. It’s the only means by which we can be saved.
God’s love is amazing! Sometimes we can see comparisons in life that illustrate His love, but we know that nothing can really match up to God’s limitless, eternal love. There are times, though, when things happen that remind us of what Divine love is like.
Sunday evening, March 23, 2009, Robert Lemire was talking on his cell phone outside a pizza parlor in Lawrence, Massachusetts, about 25 miles north of Boston, when he noticed a toddler dangling from a third story window 40 feet above the ground across the street. The 45-year old father of two dashed across the street, where he gained the attention of Alex Day, who had just come out from a home Bible study. Together they caught 18-month old Caliah Clark before she hit the ground, saving her from serious injury or death. A wonderful rescue!
         As incredible as that was, it’s nothing compared to what God did for us. The Holy Bible says, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8.
In this, and the next few times we meet, let’s take a careful look at His glorious good news, the Gospel. It’s vital to understand God’s great plan for our redemption. It makes no sense to know what the future holds, through an understanding of prophecy, if we’re not ready for what’s coming! What good would it do to know all the facets of Christ’s coming if we’re not prepared to meet Him in peace? That would only mean that we’re informed, but lost.
Jesus asked, “For what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Mark 8:36. Even though He was no doubt referring to possessions when He said this, we believe that it would not improper to modify the passage slightly so that it reads, “For what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world of biblical knowledge, and loses his own soul?” Is it possible that that could happen? Yes, sad to say, it is. The Jews of Jesus’ day knew much about prophecy, but they were unprepared for His first coming. The same could be true about His second coming. Keep in mind that these messages appear in the book of Revelation, which opens with the promise, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Revelation 1:3. To “read” and “hear” but not “keep” just means that you’re a smart sinner.
         Today we need some good news! It’s getting so bad that you don’t want to turn on the television, radio, computer or open a newspaper. What is being reported today? We hear about global violence and unrest, anarchy and lawlessness, the current pestilence of viral pandemics, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, economic instability, job insecurity, murders, kidnappings and shootings.
Thank God that our joy and peace are not dependent on these external circumstances! Our hope rests on the sure footing of God’s plan, Christ’s victorious mission in dying for our sins and the Holy Spirit’s leading in our lives. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but having everlasting life.” John 3:16. God has a plan for this planet, not only on the global scale, but on a personal one as well. He has a plan for your life, and that includes not only taking you to heaven, but also using you as His last-day messenger!
Next time we’ll continue looking at the Good News, and see how it can be seen as having three separate but related parts. God’s plan is all-inclusive! Plan to join us then, won’t you?