Him

Lift STUDY 1 OF 13

Lift
UpLift Him Up The Everlasting Gospel
GOD’S LAST MESSAGE TO THE WORLD
Lift Him Up
Him Up Lift
Up Lift Him
Lift Him Up
I
In Revelation chapter 14 we find a
message called the “everlasting
gospel.” Under this heading a series
of announcements, given by three
angels, follows: fear God, give glory
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, Saying with a
to Him, the hour of His judgment is loud voice, Fear God, and give glory
come, worship Him, Babylon is to Him; for the hour of His judgment
fallen, do not worship the beast or is come: and worship Him that made
receive his mark in the forehead or in heaven, and earth, and the sea, and
the hand (see Revelation 14:7-9). The the fountains of waters” (Revelation
first angel is pictured as announcing 14:6, 7).
the everlasting gospel, while the
second and third angels offer further The Gospel: What is it?
developments of the first message. The word gospel in the Greek
The importance of the message is means “good news” or “glad tidings.”
evident by the fact that it is to be What is the good news or glad
given to every nation, kindred, tidings that God wants us to take to
tongue and people with a “loud” or every “nation and kindred and tongue
distinct voice. It is a testing message, and people”? The apostle Paul offers a
Lift Him Up
Him Up Lift
Up Lift Him
Lift Him Up

bringing every person in the world to concise, yet powerful, answer in one
a decision concerning the salvation of his letters to the church at Corinth:
wrought out for them by Jesus Christ. “Moreover, brethren, I declare
It produces a people who keep God’s unto you the gospel which I preached
commandments while they keep the unto you…. For I delivered unto you
faith of Jesus for salvation. It also first of all that which I also received,
brings to a final decision all who how that Christ died for our sins
would refuse to embrace the gift of …according to the scriptures” (1
salvation. Corinthians 15:1-3).
As the messages of the three The gospel is good news which
angels close, the apostle John sees brings to all people a message of hope:
Jesus returning to harvest the earth. “that Christ died for our sins….” This
John sees a distinction made between is the first truth of the gospel declared
those who have accepted salvation by Paul to the Corinthians. In Revela-
and those who have persistently tion 14 this gospel message is to be
chosen to reject it (see Revelation declared to the world. We must
14:14-20). What we are about to conclude, therefore, that while Paul is
consider, therefore, can truly be speaking to the church in Corinth, he
called, God’s last message to the world. is also declaring a fact that applies to
“And I saw another angel fly in all people. The good news or glad
tidings, the everlasting gospel, wants everything to do with you. The Emancipation
declares to the world that we have a His heart of love can be heard Proclamation
Savior in Jesus Christ. reaching out to the sinner, “You would An illustration of this can be seen
Paul declares that this gospel is not come, but I have come to you” in the history of slavery in the United
“according to the scriptures” (1 (see Genesis 3:8, 9). “You would not States. In 1863 Abraham Lincoln,
Corinthians 15:3). Since there was be gathered to Me, but how can I give then President of the United States,
no New Testament in Paul’s day, his you up!” (see Matthew 23:37; Hosea signed the Emancipation Proclamation,
most likely source for this good news 11:8). He has loved you with an freeing all slaves in those states which
is found in Isaiah 53. everlasting love, a love that is not were seceding from the Union:
“All we like sheep have gone based on how you feel or what you “Now, therefore, I, Abraham
astray; we have turned every one to think about Him. It is unmerited love. Lincoln, President of the United
his own way; and the Lord hath laid In what sense is it unmerited? In the States, by virtue of the power in me
on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah sense that “God so loved the world, vested as Commander-in-Chief of the
53:6). that He gave His only begotten Son,” Army and Navy of the United States
This truth became the central before we believed, in order that we in the time of actual armed rebellion
theme of Paul’s writings and teach- might believe (see John 3:16). There against the authority and government
ings and is seen in many of his are no ifs, no contracts. God did not of the United States…on this first day
epistles like the one he wrote to say, “If you repent and promise to of January, in the year of our Lord one
Timothy: accept, I will give My Son for your thousand eight hundred and sixty-
“For there is one God, and one sins.” God gave His Son for the sins of three, …do ordain and declare that all
mediator between God and men, the the world, period. He knew many persons held as slaves within said
man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself would not accept this love; but He designated States, and parts of States,
a ransom for all, to be testified in due poured it out upon us anyway. His are, and henceforward shall be free;
time” (1 Timothy 2:5, 6). foreknowledge of our ingratitude did and that the executive government of
This wonderful news was also not destroy His love for humanity. the United States, including the
John’s theme as seen in his earlier The Bible describes God’s love for military and naval authorities thereof,
letters: us in various ways: will recognize and maintain the
“And He Himself is the propitia- Matchless love (see Romans 5:6-8). freedom of said persons” (Abraham
tion for our sins, and not for ours Boundless love (see Ephesians 3:19). Lincoln).
only but also for the whole world” (1 Infinite love (see Luke 23:34). With the signing of this docu-
John 2:2, NKJV). Unmerited love (see Luke 15:20). ment, the slaves in these states were
It is no surprise, then, that we Everlasting love (see Jeremiah 31:3). legally free. No one had any legal right
find the everlasting gospel becoming Changeless love (see Malachi 3:6). to hold them. They had only to hear
the central theme of the final message the good news and believe it, that is,
to earth just before Jesus returns. The We could call this love The Divine to take hold of it and act upon it.
gospel is the message of God’s Initiative—an initiative being “the Then the legal fact of their freedom,
changeless love for the entire world. action of taking the first step or move” which was established by Lincoln’s
Jesus is the Savior of all (see 1 Timo- (Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary). God proclamation, would become their
thy 4:10). He is your Savior, as well has taken the first step toward us in actual experience. Yet without
as mine. giving His Son to die for our sins. Now Lincoln’s proclamation, without the
“But,” one may say, “I do not God asks us to believe the good news legal declaration that first made the
believe; I have no faith in Jesus.” of His love and benevolence. He asks slaves free, they had no way of break-
That may be so; but He believes in us to embrace this gift of freedom, ing the chains that bound them.
you. He has faith in you. “that whosoever believeth in Him In a similar way, the blood of the
And yet another will reason, “I should not perish, but have everlasting Son of God sealed the emancipation
want nothing to do with this Jesus.” life” (John 3:16). He has given Him- of the human race. Through Jesus
Nevertheless, His love remains. He self. He asks us to give ourselves. Christ all of humanity has been legally
set free from sin, its guilt, power and Revelation 14 calls this message the then given to Israel in the sanctuary
wages. The way has been opened for “everlasting gospel.” This means that service. Every sacrifice pointed to
the message of hope and mercy to be this good news of God’s unconditional Jesus, the Lamb of God who “taketh
carried to the ends of the earth. love is not just a New Testament away the sin of the world” (John
Deliverance is ours. We have been set theme. It is also the message of the 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7). But the
free. We are now called to believe it Old Testament. Christ was set apart to gospel message is also found in the
and act upon it. Christ came “to open be our Savior from Day One. In the very law of God. Right in the
the blind eyes, to bring out the Old Testament we look forward to the context of the Ten Commandments,
prisoners from the prison, and them cross by interpreting the symbolism of in the book of Exodus, is the gospel
that sit in darkness out of the prison the lamb and the sacrificial service. In of God’s deliverance from sin
house” (Isaiah 42:7). As Christ began the New Testament we look back to through the blood of the Lamb:
His ministry, He quoted this verse the cross by reflecting on Christ’s “And God spake all these words,
from the book of Isaiah: heavenly ministry of mediation (1 saying, I am the Lord thy God,
“The Spirit of the Lord God is John 1:7; 2:1, 2). which have brought thee out of the
upon Me, because the Lord has This is important because many land of Egypt, out of the house of
anointed Me to preach good tidings to people today think the Old Testament bondage” (Exodus 20:1, 2).

The good news or glad tidings,

the everlasting gospel, declares to the world
that we have a Savior in Jesus Christ.
the poor; He has sent Me to heal the offers salvation through the law. They How did God bring them out of
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to say, “In the New Testament we have Egyptian bondage?
the captives, and the opening of the God’s grace, His unmerited love, and “And the blood shall be to you
prison to those who are bound” the gospel; but the Old Testament is for a token upon the houses where
(Isaiah 61:1, NKJV). Accordingly, the all about God’s law.” But is this what ye are: and when I see the blood, I
gospel cries out to the captives, the Bible teaches? will pass over you, and the plague
“Liberty!” To those who are bound in “For unto us was the gospel shall not be upon you to destroy
sin, it proclaims that the prison doors preached, as well as unto them: but you, when I smite the land of Egypt”
are “open.” To all the prisoners, the the word preached did not profit (Exodus 12:13).
gospel says, “Go forth” (Isaiah 49:9). them, not being mixed with faith in God brought the Israelites out of
The Bible teaches that, through them that heard it” (Hebrews 4:2). bondage through the blood of the
the gospel, mankind has been: “And the scripture, foreseeing that Lamb. This is the same means by
Ransomed (see 1 Timothy 2:6). God would justify the heathen through which He brings us out of bondage
Redeemed (see Galatians 3:13). faith, preached before the gospel unto today.
Bought (see 1 Corinthians 6:20). Abraham, saying, In thee shall all Consider another question
Set Free (see John 8:32, 36). nations be blessed” (Galatians 3:8). relating to the gospel. Why did God
Released (see Isaiah 42:7). So where is the gospel in the Old bring them out of bondage? Did
Testament? First of all, it is in the God bring them out of Egypt
The Everlasting Gospel sacrificial system set up for Adam and because they were righteous? No,
You may have noticed that Eve from the very inception of sin and indeed. Just as our salvation from
sin-slavery is based on God’s mercy turn from it. Before God points us to true: by accepting salvation, we
and not our righteousness, so it was His law, He points us to His grace. lighten God’s burden and by reject-
in the Old Testament. Moses stated Before He shows us what He wants for ing salvation, we add to His burden.
the facts of their condition in these us, He shows us what He has done for In other words, to give Christ our
words: us, in spite of us. The gospel, there- load of sin and sorrow brings great
“Ye have been rebellious against fore, becomes the means by which joy to Him and all of heaven. Christ
the Lord from the day that I knew God establishes His Covenant promise has already taken to Himself the sin
you. Thus I fell down before the Lord to put His laws into our hearts. of the world. He has done so in
forty days and forty nights, as I fell “This is the covenant that I will faith, believing that when we see this
down at the first; because the Lord make with them after those days, saith great love, we will choose to accept
had said he would destroy you. I the Lord, I will put My laws into their it. This is the wonderful news of the
prayed therefore unto the Lord, and hearts, and in their minds will I write everlasting gospel message for the
said, O Lord God, destroy not Thy them; and their sins and iniquities will entire world to hear before Christ
people and Thine inheritance, which I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:16, returns. Don’t live another second
Thou hast redeemed through Thy 17; see also Jeremiah 31:33, 34). without personally embracing the
greatness, which Thou hast brought The gospel message is to be taken gift of Christ’s death for your sin.
forth out of Egypt with a mighty to every nation, kindred, tongue and Amen.
hand” (Deuteronomy 9:24-26). people because it embraces all of
Then Isaiah picks up the charac- humanity. Jesus Christ has paid the
ter of God and His dealing with price for the sins of the entire world.
sinners throughout the Old Testa- “The next day John seeth Jesus
ment with this wonderful statement coming unto him, and saith, ‘Behold
of gospel truth: the Lamb of God, which taketh away
“In all their affliction He was the sin of the world’” (John 1:29).
afflicted, and the angel of His The text does not say that Jesus
presence saved them: in His love and might take away the sin of the world.
in His pity He redeemed them; and Neither does it say that Jesus has taken
He bare them, and carried them all away the sin of Christians. Jesus has
the days of old” (Isaiah 63:9). taken away the sin of the world! That
It is through His love and pity is the gospel! Will you accept the gift
that God has ransomed the world and allow this love to win your heart
from sin. The blood of the Lamb to Him for all eternity?
represents the life of Jesus Christ
freely given for the world on Cal- Summary
vary. This is the message of the Old The “wages of sin is death”
as well as the New Testaments. This (Romans 6:23). We deserve nothing
is the message Jesus brought to the but death. But Jesus took that sen-
sinner. It is a message of God’s tence upon Himself. He died our
uncondemning love that empowers death. He died in our place, for us, as
sinners to be converted, to turn from us, that we might be free from the
their lives of sin and follow Jesus. slavery of sin and its wages of death. It
“Then neither do I condemn is a full and complete salvation that
you,” Jesus declared to a woman God has provided. It awaits us as we
caught in the very act of adultery. come into the world. And we do not
“Go now and leave your life of sin” relieve God of any burden by rejecting
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