ACC ~ Revelation 14 v6 - 7

OVERVIEW:

The seer sees an angel flying in mid-heaven. This angel is a preacher, perhaps Elijah, whose preaching will precede the kingdom of the antichrist (VICTORINUS). Or perhaps this single angel represents the many preachers who in the church preach of eternal life (PRIMASIUS, BEDE). These preachers are said to be preaching an eternal gospel, for they look forward to the eternal salvation (PRIMASIUS), and they carry about the gospel of the eternal kingdom through which the earthly minds of the hearers are lifted up from their sluggishness (BEDE). It may be, however, that this angel possesses an especially loftly, exalted and sublime nature (OECUMENIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA) and in imitation to God is a mediator who leads the body of Christ to unity with its Head (ANDREW OF CAESAREA). He declares the eternal teaching that one should fear God who possesses the power of judgment rather than the antichrist, who has no power to kill the soul with the body (OECUMENIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA). The eternal rewards that the saints will enjoy in the glory of the Father were prefigured by the coming of the Savior in humility, even as his coming was the fulfillment of the law given through Moses (ORIGEN).

14:6 | An Angel Flying with an Eternal Gospel

THE LAW OF THE ETERNAL GOSPEL. ORIGEN: It is Moses who hears from God all that is written down in the law of Leviticus, whereas in Deuteronomy it is the people who are represented as listening to Moses and learning from him what they could not hear from God. This indeed is why it is called Deuteronomy, meaning the second law; a fact that some will think points to this, that when the first law given through Moses came to an end, a second legislation was apparently composed, and this was specially delivered by Moses to his successor Joshua; and Joshua is certainly believed to be a figure of our Savior, by whose second law, that is, by the precepts of the Gospels, all things are brought to perfection. We must also see, however, whether the Scriptures may not perhaps indicate this further truth, that just as the legislation is presented with greater clearness and distinctness in Deuteronomy than in those books that were written at the first, so also we may gather from that coming of the Savior that he fulfilled in humility, when he “took upon him the form of a servant,” an indication of the “more splendid and glorious second coming in the glory of the Father,” at which coming, when in the kingdom of heaven all the saints shall live by the laws of the “eternal gospel,” the figure of Deuteronomy will be fulfilled. And just as by his present coming he has fulfilled that law which was a “shadow of the good things to come,” so also by that glorious coming the shadow of his first coming will be fulfilled and brought to perfection. For the prophet has spoken of it thus: “The breath of our countenance is Christ the Lord, of whom we said that under his shadow we shall live among the nations,” that is, at the time when he shall duly transfer all the saints from the temporal to the eternal gospel, to use a phrase employed by John in the Apocalypse, where he speaks of the “eternal gospel.” ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 4.3.12-13.

THE ANGEL IS ELIJAH. VICTORINUS OF PETOVIUM: The “angel flying in mid-heaven” which he said that he saw we have interpreted above to be that very Elijah who precedes the kingdom of the antichrist. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 14.1.

THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM IS FEAR OF THE LORD. OECUMENIUS: “Mid-heaven” signifies the exalted and sublime nature of the holy angel. He had “an eternal gospel.” The saving teaching that one should fear the Lord is from eternity, since the “beginning of wisdom is the fear of God, and its end is love.” On the other hand, it says, the harsh beast who works spiritual death, the antichrist, is not to be feared, even though he may threaten and do the most amazing feats. For “the hour of his judgment has come,” and he who is fearful to those who live upon the earth will punish him in a way wholly unprecedented. Rather, [we should] “worship him who made” every creature rather than worship the wicked devil who is hated by God. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 14.6-7.

THE ANGEL LEADS PEOPLE TO HEAVEN. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: The phrase “in mid-heaven” indicates that the angel that here appears is exceedingly lofty and heavenly. It has been sent from above to people, who come from the ground, so that through this middle position it might be a mediator and lead them, in imitation of God, to heaven. And so the body of the Church will be united to Christ, our Head. The “eternal gospel,” which from eternity was foreordained by God, says, “Fear God, but have no fear of the antichrist who cannot kill the soul with the body; rather, fervently stand opposed to him who has power but for a short time, for the time of his judgment and the reward for what he has done is near.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 14.6-7.

PREACHERS PROCLAIM A SINGLE MESSAGE. PRIMASIUS: He refers to the messenger who runs throughout the church, which is spread far and wide and is to be extended even more. He uses the singular for the plural, or in the one [messenger] he is suggesting the unity of the single church; yet, at the same time, he is alluding to the [many] preachers of eternal life. It rightly says that he preaches an eternal gospel, by which the preacher is taught to look forward to eternal salvation. And so the one who preaches is indicated by that which is preached. Therefore the psalm says, “He who makes the winds his messengers and burning fire his ministers.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 14.6.

THROUGH PREACHING, EARTHLY MINDS ARE LIFTED UP. BEDE: Since he had described the anticipated and diverse battles that the church in the world wages against the dragon, it remains now to assign to either army the appropriate prize, showing what penalty will follow those who are evil and what reward will follow those who are good. For this reason, the preacher who runs about within the church carries the gospel of the eternal kingdom. … It is appropriate that those who are lifted up by celestial flight should also, through preaching, lift their earthly minds from the place of their [present] sluggishness. … “This gospel,” it says, “will be preached throughout the whole world, and then the end will come.” EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 14.6.

14:7 | Fear God and Worship Him

CHRISTIAN PREACHING BRINGS THE END NEAR TO THE HEARER. PRIMASIUS: Although from the beginning of the Christian faith we have learned that the kingdom of heaven is said to be approaching, here, however, he proclaims that the hour of his judgment will come very soon and is virtually here already. And therefore he maintains that preaching of this kind must necessarily be made known to all people, as also the Lord said, “This gospel will be preached throughout the world, and then the end will come.” And to show that that moment of time takes place, when the adversity of the last persecution will draw near, he has rather added that the temporal power of the beast should best be regarded as insignificant and that the Lord rather be feared, whom every one of his creatures, whom he mentions, acknowledges to be eternal. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 14.7.