Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 2
LECTURE II.
Vers. 6.
And I saw another Angel flie 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,
7.
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgement is come: and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea and the fountains of waters.
IN the preceeding part of the Chapter there is a little hint given of the estate of the Church, when Antichrist was at his height, she was in a defensive posture.
In the second part of the Chapter, (from vers. 6. and forward) the state of the Church is described after its beginning to be active and to come out of the secret wildernesse wherein she was hid, and it hath two parts, to the end of the Chapter. In the first, the Church is set out encountering with the attempts of Antichrist in lighter skirmishes by the word, labouring to discover his treachery and Idolatry, and so to bring men out of his snare: and this is done by three severall Angels, to the 13. vers. every one of them more clearly speaking to the ruine of Antichrist, and threatening judgement on him and his followers than the former. In the second part, from vers. 13. to the end, when advertisement by the Word doth not the business, the Lord cometh in by deeds, and falleth about the perfecting of what was threatened by the former three Angels: which is set down in two similitudes, whereby he finisheth the execution of his wrath.
These three Angels come out after the darknesse of Antichrist; to spread the everlasting Gospel, and to preach the righteousnesse of Christ: for, the sending of Ministers and the encreasing of the Church go together and are trysted together. The first, in the 6. and 7. verses, hath this mainly in commission, to allure souls from Antichrists flattery to the saith and obedience of Christ. The second, in the 8. vers. cometh and foretelleth the destruction of spirituall Babylon, or Rome; and because he would have them certainly believing it, he speaketh of it as a thing already done. The third, in the 9, 10, and 11. verses, cometh to denounce Gods fearfull judgement against Antichrist and all that should take his mark, that if they would not be allured by the Gospel, they might be scared by the plagues and judgements that were to come on him from following him. This is the sum of these three Angels preaching. If it be asked, to what time this relateth? though we will not be peremptor to determine, yet we think it looketh rather to the spreading of the Gospel about, or in the dayes of Luther, than to any time before.
Reason 1. Because the state of the Church, before the rise of the Gospel, is described before to be low, and this spreading of the Gospel succeeding to that low estate, it must look to her flourishing condition.
Reas. 2. Because the universall extent of this first Angels commission, is such that we cannot so well apply it to any other time before that; it is to all Tongues and Kindreds, which only was fulfilled then, and is in opposition to the former restraint.
Reas. 3. Because after the first Angels preaching the everlasting Gospel, there is an immediate succession of one after another, still without interruption carrying on this ruine: we take it therefore most probably to relate to the spreading of the Gospel after Antichrists begun ruine: for, till then, the Church was in the wildernesse, and the witnesses are few and in sackcloth.
In the first Angels preaching, we have these four, 1. The instrument, an Angel. 2. The posture he is in, flieing in the midst of heaven. 3. His businesse or work, to preach the everlasting Gospel to them that dwell on the earth. 4. His message or the sum of his preaching, vers. 7. fear God, &c.
For the first, That the instrument is called an Angel, it is not properly to be taken: for, the Angels are ministring Spirits, sent forth to minister for them that are heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1. ult. but they have not the everlasting Gospel to preach. This treasure is put in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, 2 Corinth. 4.7. and he hath given to us the ministery of reconciliation, saith the Apostle, 2 Corinth. 5.18. and it is common to all Ministers to be called Angels, as Chap. 2. and 3. and Chap. 1. vers. 20. of this same Book; so we take the word here to hold out the Lords making use of a Ministrie after the darknesse of Antichrist, to spread the Gospel: and the Ministers are called Angels, because they are Gods messengers, intrusted by Him with a high and heavenly imployment; and it is a title that should put Ministers in mind of their duty, to do Gods will on earth as the Angels do it in heaven, in a spiritual and heavenly way, cheerfully, willingly and readily; and it should put people in mind of their duty, to take this word off Ministers hands, as from Angels. 2. Angel here, in the singular number, is not one Minister; for, in the lowest condition, the Church was in, as Chap. 11. she had two witnesses, and she behoved to have moe now when the Gospel is rising and to be published abroad; but we are to take the word collectively: and it is no extraordinary thing, when the Lord would speak of moe Ministers nor one, to speak of them as one; and it implieth no singularity or superiority in one over the rest, See Chap. 1. vers. 20.
For the second, the posture he is in, It is flieing through the midst of heaven, as is spoken of another Angel, Chap. 8.13. The Lord is now to shew that He will not keep His Church and Gospel, as it were, hid in a corner, or in the Temple, as Chap. 11. vers. 1. nor on mount Zion, though that be more publick, but He will send out His Ministers conspicuously, as it were, in the open view of all, to preach His Gospel to all the world. And he is called another Angel, as contradistinguished from that number of the true Church, mentioned in the former part of the Chapter. The Lord having a new task and a new piece of work, He provideth Himself of new Ministers, and, it may be, some out from among Antichrists followers, and none of these who stood on mount Sion: of such did the Lord make use in the beginning of the Reformation, to preach and to be instrumentall for Him, who were not of the Waldenses or Albigenses, but drawn from the midst of Popery.
For the third, His errand or work, is, to preach the everlasting Gospel to them that dwell on the earth, and that to every Nation, and Kindred, and Tongue, and People: wherein we have, 1. His work. 2. The object or extent of it.
1. His work, is, the preaching of the everlasting Gospel: we need not tell you what the Gospel is, or what the word signifieth, it is that that the Angel hath to the shepheards, Luk. 2.10. good tidings of great joy; and it is called the glad tidings of salvation, because it is eminently and excellently, beyond all comparison, the gladest news that ever were made mention of to sinners: and the word Gospel, is drawn from an old Saxon word, that signifieth Gods-spell, such a word to man as is the best word that ever was heard of; there is none to it: And it is called everlasting, for these reasons, 1. From the rise of it, from everlasting in Gods eternall plot and purpose. 2. From the effect, it bringeth life and immortality to light, 2 Tim. 1.10. and 1 Pet. 1. ult. It is said the word of the Lord endureth for ever; the effect and efficacy of it never endeth. 3. It is here called the everlasting Gospel, in opposition to the Papists calumnie, who enquire, where was our Church and Gospel before such a time? and to charge the Gospel at its reviving, with novelty, because differing from their traditions, which for a time had obscured it, as if it had been buried: now what is preached, is the ancient everlasting Gospel, although it be of new revived; and the Angel is here said to have the everlasting Gospel, according to that word, 2 Cor. 5.18. He hath given, or committed, to us the word of reconciliation; He is made a steward of it, which designeth and denotateth an office, he hath not so given it to the community or multitude, but hath committed it to such and such Angels.
2. The object or extent of it, is generally, to all that dwell on the earth, and to every Nation, Kindred, and Tongue, and People, as if he said, the Gospel is not now to be sent to some few, as in the dayes of Antichrists prevailing, but to be manifested to all sorts of People of whatsoever Kindred, Tongue or Nation: And it is by vertue of this commission, that so many Nations and we at this day enjoy this Gospel.
The fourth or last thing, is his message, or sum of his preaching, more particularly set down, saying with a loud voice, implying great boldnesse to be in these Ministers, as was in our first Reformers. His meaning is, they should not by whispering do it, but with great authority and boldnesse should publish the Gospel.
The preaching it self, hath three heads, and a reason is annexed to perswade unto the first two. The first, is, Fear God. The second, is, Give Him glory: the reason annexed, for the hour of His judgement is come. And the third and last head, is, And worship Him that made Heaven and Earth, &c. These three look to the three great parts of Religion, opposit to the three faults that the followers of Antichrist are given to. The first looketh to the regulating of men in their inward frame; the second in their Faith; the third in their externall worship.
1. Fear God. This regulateth our fear as to its object, to wit, God; which supposeth now, that many things have been feared by the world more than He: also it sheweth, that outward service will not do it, there must be a right principle within; and so it is opposit to profanity and hypocrisie, fear of men and Antichrists cursings, which should from this forth be lesse feared.
2. Give Him glory. The giving of God glory is diverse wayes taken, according to His diverse Attributes; but we take it here to look mainly to the giving of Him the glory of His Grace, in resting by Faith on Christ alone, as the only Mediator and Saviour, so renouncing all others, as it is said of Abraham, Rom. 4.20. he was strong in Faith, giving glory to God; and Hos. 11.7. though they called then to the most high, none at all would exalt Him, none would give Him the glory of His Grace by believing: for, as the rejecting of the Gospel, is a despising of God; so the receiving of the Gospel is a giving Him glory. Reason 1. Because the glory of Grace, is especially the glory which the Gospel holdeth out. 2. Because this meeteth especially with Antichrists dishonouring of Him, by giving the glory due to Him to other things, Saints, Angels and mens own works, and in not resting on His Mediation, Intercession and Satisfaction alone; and this cometh nearest the scope.
The reason perswading to these two, for the hour of his judgement is come: which being compared with a word, Acts 17.30. The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to repent, the force of the argument is this, beware now of giving the glory of Gods Grace in a Mediator to other things; for though God hath spared men a while in the times of ignorance and darknesse, He will not do so now when the light is broken up, but will send suddain judgements on the despisers of the Gospel; and many Churches that have not made use of the Gospel, find this true this day. 2. It is called the hour of His judgement, to teach us, that as God hath a set time for all things, so hath He a peculiar time for judgement; and as for all sinners, so for these that follow Antichrists way; and also that often the hour of preaching the Gospel, hath the hour of judgement waiting on it, if it be abused.
The third head of his preaching, is, And worship Him that made heaven and earth. This looketh to their externall worship, as if he said, ye have been worshipping stocks, idols and images of gold and silver, vanities that cannot profit you, now beware of continuing any longer in that way, but worship the alone living and true God, who is thus described, that He made heaven and earth the sea and fountains of waters, even as the the Apostle speaketh, Acts 14.15. We preach to you, that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all things that are therein, almost in the same words: and this cleareth that these exhortations are set down in opposition to the way they look before, while they were following Antichrist.
God is thus described here, 1. That they may see the vanity of worshipping any other than God, and that they had just reason and cause of worshipping Him. 2. To point out the obligation that lieth on men to give Him the worship and glory due unto Him; He made the heaven and the earth, therefore He is a glorious and powerfull God. All this preaching is by way of application, and practicall, because this is the scope of preaching, to put on to holinesse and practice; and this is the right manner, when simply and plainly it is pressed on the conscience, without the curious conceity questions and uselesse cases used under Antichrist.