Revelation 14:6

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;

I saw another angel flying in mid heaven ... It is of passing interest that some try to bolster a late first century date of Revelation through the notion that, "Angels begin to fly in the Jewish heaven about the beginning of the first century."[31] A parallel between Revelation 14:13 and Clement of Rome (xlvii) is also cited for the same purpose;[32] but it never seems to occur to such scholars that the Jews probably got their ideas from Revelation; and, as for Clement, the best of modern scholarship now accepts the premise that he finished his work before 70 A.D.[33]

The eternal good tidings to proclaim ... Another good translation of this renders it "the everlasting gospel" instead of "eternal good tidings," that is, the one and only "gospel" this world ever had. This angel is about to announce the eternal judgment of the last day; and it was most appropriate, therefore, that he should have spoken of the prior condition of that event having been fulfilled, as Jesus prophesied (Matthew 24:14).

Some try to distinguish three different gospels in the New Testament: (1) the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 24:14); (2) the gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1); and (3) the everlasting gospel to be preached at the end of the age. This is a false trichotomy. There is only one gospel, the good news of Salvation through Jesus Christ.[34]

Mounce, and some others, do not believe that this is the Christian gospel here, because of the emphasis on judgment;[35] but, as Hendriksen observed, "For God's people, the announcement of the approaching judgment is eternal good tidings, for it means their deliverance."[36] "The announcement of the end is itself a piece of good news."[37]

Caird speaks of some "who assure us that the gospel mentioned cannot be the gospel, because there is no gospel (good news) in the grim sequel."[38] But aside from the fact of the end itself being "good news" for persecuted saints who have waited and prayed for it, there is also the overriding fact that John did not here give a summary of the blessed gospel. What is mentioned is the judgment, an essential and eternal part of that gospel, standing here as a synecdoche for all of it. John certainly did not need to explain what he meant by the gospel. His own gospel of John was already known all over the world of that period. What seems to plague some of the commentators is that they do not seem to believe that there is going to be any such thing as a final judgment.

This angel's proclamation does not mean that only at that time would the everlasting gospel begin to be preached. "The gospel of Christ began to be preached on Pentecost ... and is to be preached until the end of the world."[39] The very next verse will indicate that this mission now, in the point of time in the vision, has been accomplished.

Others insist on finding here some great historical preacher such as Martin Luther, John Knox, Alexander Campbell, or others who in some special sense aroused the attention of mankind to the truth of the gospel. However,

If we ask when this great gospel angel appeared, our answer must be that the whole cycle of the gospel preaching is included in the vision; although, doubtless there have been ages when the light of the good tidings of God has gone forth with revived luster.[40]

We agree with Lenski that the vision beginning with Revelation 14:6 extends to Revelation 14:14; "All that the three angels proclaim belongs together."[41] See outline of the chapter, above.

[31] James Moffatt, op. cit., p. 437.

[32] Ibid.

[33] John A. T. Robinson, Redating the New Testament (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1976), p. 352.

[34] Ralph Earle, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 10 (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1967), p. 380.

[35] Robert H. Mounce, op. cit., p. 273.

[36] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 186.

[37] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 193.

[38] G. B. Caird, op. cit., p. 182.

[39] John T. Hinds, op. cit., p. 211.

[40] Boyd W. Carpenter, Ellicott's Bible Commentary, Vol. VIII (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 602.

[41] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 426.