Revelation 14:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

We have already interpreted above that the angel flying in the midst of heaven, whom John says he saw, is Elijah himself, who anticipated the kingdom of Antichrist.

The midst of heaven indicates the angel's height, and then that the angel who appeared is heavenly. He was sent to raise men to heaven and to unite the body of the Church with Christ, her Head. The Gospel is called eternal because it was foreordained by God from the ages.

The words "in midheaven" hint that the divine angel is a being higher and heavenly by nature. "He had the eternal Gospel." From eternity there exists the saving teaching that one must fear God, since "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov 1:7), and its fulfillment is love (see Rom 13:10).

Nevertheless, one should not fear the cruel, death-bearing beast, the antichrist, although he threatens and carries out the hardest things. For "the hour of His judgment has come" (Rev 14:7), and He whom the inhabitants of the earth fear will bring a punishment that has not been.

And they will worship Him who created all that exists, not the corrupt and God-hated devil.

John mentions a messenger carrying the proclamation by the power of the Church, which spreads far and wide and must spread still further. He uses the singular instead of the plural. Or, by mentioning one, he hints at the unity of the one Church, as though pointing to the preachers of eternal life.

For it is rightly said that he preaches the eternal Gospel. By it the preacher is taught to care for eternal salvation. The one who preaches is characterized by what is preached. Therefore the Psalm says: "Who makest Thy angels spirits, and Thy ministers a flaming fire" (Ps. 103:4).

Since John has already described the various dangerous battles with the dragon, waged in this age by the pilgrim Church, it remains for him to tell what each side in the conflict will receive. The wicked will receive punishment, and the good a reward.

It is good for those who have flown up to heaven to raise by preaching even an earthly mind from its stupor. It is said: "And this Gospel will be preached throughout the whole world, and then the end will come" (Mt 24:14).

Does this Angel, who with a loud voice urges men to give glory to God and who has the eternal Gospel, not call to mind those preachers of Christianity? Despite threats, sufferings, privations, and persecutions, they firmly and openly preached faith in Christ.

They persuaded the pagans to renounce the worship of their many-faced and soulless idols. The words of such preachers are called the eternal Gospel because they contain the word of God, which, according to the Apostle, abides forever (cf. 1 Pet 1:23-25).

"Having the eternal Gospel." This is the same Gospel that the Apostles preached. Already in the first century the Gospel was preached to every tribe and tongue, and kindred and people.

At the wondrous sounds of the song of the "blameless," the Apostle saw three Angels soaring in heaven. One proclaimed to men the "eternal Gospel" and seemed to say: "Fear God, and do not fear the antichrist, who cannot destroy your souls together with your bodies.

Resist him with boldness, for judgment and recompense are near, while he has authority only for a short time" (St. Andrew).