The Last Chance

THE LAST CHANCE

Revelation 14:6-11

It was graduation day, and everybody was going to get their diploma but Josh. At the assembly, the entire senior class stood up and shouted “Let Josh graduate, let Josh graduate!” The principal agrees to give Josh one last chance. “If I have five apples in my right hand and five in my left hand, Josh, how many apples do I have?” he asked. Josh thought long and hard and then said: “Ten.” And the entire senior class stood up and shouted, “Give Josh another chance. Give Josh another chance!”

I am grateful that God has often given all of us another chance. Whether it was in His offer to be saved or the grace He has shown when we failed Him. He is the God of the second chance. However, there will come a day when God will give men their last chance.

As we continue our studies of Revelation we come to a scene that depicts when men are given their last chance. John sees six angels who go forth with an urgent message. Each message is a warning of what is about to happen. The Tribulation Period is almost over and with each message God is extending His last invitation for men to turn to Him.

In verse 6 we see an angel flying throughout the world proclaiming the gospel. The word gospel is found some 100 times in the New Testament, but this is the last occurrence of the word. The scene before us describes the last chance the world is given to be saved.

There are 6 angels that are seen and heard in the next 6 visions. In this study we will look at the first three and the messages they deliver to the inhabitants of the earth.

In the first we see:

1. A FINAL REVELATION OF THE GOSPEL

We read in verses 6-7, “And I saw another angel fly 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 judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

In this angel we see:

A) The Offer That Is Extended To The World

We read that this angel is sent on a heavenly mission “having the everlasting gospel to preach.” This first angel has a gospel message. The word “gospel” means “good news.” Paul defined the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-3:

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; ^[2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. ^[3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ^[4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” The gospel is the message that Jesus died for our sins on Calvary’s cross, was buried, and three days later rose again from the dead.

In verse 6 the gospel is defined as “the everlasting gospel.” As an everlasting gospel, its message is timeless, constantly relevant and never changing. The angel was not preaching a new message, but the old, old story that we love so well and have heard so often. He preached the message that Jesus had died for the sins of the whole world, was buried, and rose again. It was the message that, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

The angel not only had a gospel message but also a global mission. He was sent to preach the everlasting gospel “unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” The angel was to preach the gospel to the whole world.

God’s plan has always been that the whole world hears the gospel. He gave the Great Commission to His disciples in Mark 16:15 saying, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” The gospel message has always had a global mission. However, there remains people and places that have not heard, but during the final days of the Tribulation Period the whole world will hear the gospel by the preaching of this angel. There will not be one soul on the face of the earth that will not hear.

There is a reason for this universal preaching of the gospel by this angel. There is not only the offer that is extended to the world, but also:

B) The Opportunity That Is Ending For The World

The statement in verse 7, “for the hour of His judgment is come,” indicates that the Tribulation Period is about to end. With the closing of the Tribulation Period the door will be shut. There will be no other chances for men to be saved. This is the last chance.

What an indication of God’s grace and mercy as revealed in the angel preaching the gospel to the whole world! God is seeing to it that every person on the face of the earth has one more chance to come to him.

The invitation of the angel was, “Fear God, and give glory unto Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountain of waters.” It was an invitation to turn to the Lord. Even in the hour of judgment God is showing His mercy and grace.

I find it interesting that when the angel receives his commission, he flies. There is no tarrying or slothfulness. He quickly and speedily sets forth on his mission. The need is urgent. The moment is arriving when men will not longer have an opportunity to be saved, thus with speed he uses a cloud as a platform and a star as a pulpit and preaches the gospel to every man, woman, and child.

May I say that we should treat our commission with the same urgency! John Phillips says that the angel haste is a “rebuke to our tardy, dawdling way of doing the King’s business.” The whole world needs to hear the good news and we must jump at every opportunity to share the gospel with others.

Let’s move on and notice the second angel and his message. In the second angel we see:

2. A FALSE REPRESENTATION OF THE GOSPEL

We read in verse 8, “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

This is the first mention of Babylon in Revelation, but certainly not the last. We will see Babylon in more detail in chapters 17-18. Revelation 14:8 gathers up in one brief statement all that is unfolded in chapters 17-18. It anticipates the collapse of the economic and ecumenical systems of the beast or antichrist.

Babylon represents a religious and political system that is anti-God. In Genesis 10 we read of Nimrod building the tower of Babel which was for the purpose of creating a one-world government and religion. From there came Babylonian empire from which all religious cults find their roots. It became the fountainhead of all false religion.

In the Tribulation Period it represents a religious and political system that seeks to turn men from God. It is a system in which and by which the antichrist will declare himself to be God. He will be a false representation of the true God and his message will be a false representation of the true gospel. However, the beast and his economic and ecumenical systems are destined for destruction. They are destined to fall.

Notice first:

A) The Prediction of Babylon’s Fall

Another angel came with the message, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city.” The twice fallen no doubt refers to the fall of both the economic and ecumenical system of the antichrist.

Although the actual event of Babylon’s fall does not occur until chapters 17-18, it is anticipated in 14:8. It is so certain that it is proclaimed as having occurred. The God who knows the future and determines the future issues the warning that Babylon is destined to fall.

Furthermore, you see:

B) The Purpose Of Babylon’s Fall

Babylon will fall “because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Babylon is pictured as a prostitute who seduced the world to drink and become intoxicated by what she had to offer. Babylon turned men from the true God unto a false God, thus is marked and doomed for divine judgment.

Jeremiah spoke of Babylon’s fall in Jeremiah 51:7-8, “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. ^[8]Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so she may be healed.”

Isaiah the prophet also spoke of Babylon’s fall in Isaiah 21:9, “And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.”

The system that will seduce and turn much of the world from God and cause them to worship the beast will fall. All that has been a false representation of God and the gospel is marked for destruction.

Lastly, notice the message of the third angel. In the message of the third angel we see:

3. A FATAL REUNICIATION OF THE GOSPEL

In verse 8 we see those who drink from the cup of the great whore. Now we find another cup from which they will drink. They that drank from the cup of intoxication will also drink of the cup of indignation.

Notice the message of the third angel. In it we see:

A) A Tragic Decision

We read in verse 9, “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand.” Many will take the mark of the beast to survive and save their life, but in doing so, will loose their soul. If a person takes the mark of the beast it is a spiritual death warrant. It seals their doom and eternal destiny.

The acceptance of the mark of the beast is more about God than anything else. Oh, yes, one will not be able to buy or sell without it, but it really boils down to who they choose to worship. The antichrist says, “Worship me.” God says, “Worship Me.” The decision to take the mark is a decision to worship the beast rather than the true God.

It is a tragic decision that eternally seals their destiny. What is they destiny. Notice:

B) A Terrible Destiny

We read in verses 10-11, “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: ^[11] And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

These verses give us one of the clearest descriptions of hell in the Bible. It describes hell as a place of God’s judgment. There are two words that are used to describe God’s judgment. It is the words “wrath” and “indignation.”

The word “wrath” in verse 10 describes a violent explosive kind of wrath. The word “indignation” describes a slow rising, a wrath that builds over time. God’s wrath has building through the ages and there will come a day when His wrath will suddenly explode and be poured out without restraint. For those who die and go to hell, it will be the ultimate experience of His wrath.

In the description of hell these verses give us, we see that hell is a place of judgment without restraint. Verse 10 describes how God’s wrath will be “poured out without mixture.” The words “without mixture” mean undiluted. God has always tempered his wrath with grace and mercy, but in hell there is restraint of His wrath. The occupants of hell experience God’s wrath without restraint.

We also see that hell is a place of judgment without relief. Verse ten describes how those in hell “shall be tormented with fire and brimstone.” This is not figurative language as much of Revelation. This is an actual description of hell. The brimstone reminds us of lava that flows from a volcano. On an average, molten lava is about 1,200 Celsius which is about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The very thought to being in such a place makes me shudder.

We also see that hell is a place of judgment without release. In verse 11 we read, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” Hell is an eternal home for those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark. As well, it the eternal home for those who reject Jesus Christ in all ages.

I think of William Elbert Munsey’s description: “O Eternity! Let thy ages tramp, thy cycles roll, but thou canst not crumble for scar the walls of hell, or rust and break its lock or silver the hair of God, who has sworn by His eternal self that the sinner shall die. The pendulum of thy horologe over the gates of woe vibrates through all eons, and says ‘forever, and ever” – ‘forever, and ever’ – ‘forever and ever’ – its sounding bell striking off the centuries, the ages – the cycles. The appalling monotony of its pendulum – going – going – going – repeating still, ‘forever and ever’ – ‘forever and ever’ – ‘forever and ever” – O Eternity! God has wound up thy clock and it will never run down – and its tickings and beatings are heard by all the lost – ‘forever and ever’ – ‘forever, and ever’ – ‘forever and ever.”

I take note that the angel proclaimed this message with a loud voice. How could this message be delivered in any other way? It is an urgent message. It is one that every man needs to hear so it is proclaimed loudly to get the attention of every man.

In closing let me say that all those in hell and will end up in hell are there for one reason and one reason only. They did not receive Christ as their Saviour. A person does not go to hell because they cussed or committed murder. They are there because they rejected Christ as their Saviour. Hell reflects a fatal renunciation or rejection of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.