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Studies in the Book of the Revelation.
#43.
The Everlasting Gospel (14: 6, 7).
pp. 13 - 16
"And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the aiġnion gospel to
preach unto those sitting upon the earth, and upon every nation, and tribe, and
language and people, saying with a loud voice, `Fear God, and give glory to Him,
because the hour of His judgment is come, and worship Him that made the
heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and the fountain of waters'."
Before considering the "everlasting gospel" we ask the reader's attention to the people
to whom that gospel is preached. "Them that dwell on the earth" appear to be one
section, and "every nation, and tribe, and language and people", appear to be the other. It
will be noticed, however, in our rendering above that we have the words "those sitting
upon the earth". Our endeavour must always be first to realize what God says, and then
to seek to understand the meaning of His words.
The expression "them that dwell upon the earth" is frequent in the Revelation, and the
ordinary reader would most probably take it for granted that 14: 6 was but another
occurrence of the familiar phrase. This is not so however. The usual expression is found
in 13: 8, hoi katoikountes epi tēs gēs. Katoikeō means "to dwell", and is a cognate of
oikos, "a house". The best texts do not read this word in 14: 6, but kathēmai. This
word is of frequent occurrence in the Apocalypse, and in many cases it has a special
connection with the idea of authority.
In Rev. 4: 2, 3, 4, 9; 5: 13; 7: 10, 15; 11: 16; 19: 4; 20: 11; 21: 5 the references
are to "sitting upon a throne". In Rev. 6: 2, 4, 5, 8; 9: 17; 19: 11, 18, 19, 21 the
references are to "sitting upon a horse". Rev. 14: 14, 15, 16, refers to "one sitting upon
a cloud". None of these passages convey the idea of merely resting but of sitting in
authority, as King, as Elder, as Soldier. There are but five more occurrences of the word
in Revelation, and they will identify the people to whom the aionion gospel is preached,
and illuminate the true meaning of the clause that follows their mention:--
"The great whore that SITTETH upon many waters" (17: 1)
"A woman SITTING upon a scarlet coloured beast" (17: 3).
"The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman SITTETH, and they are
seven kings" (17: 9).
"The waters . . . . . where the whore SITTETH, are peoples, and multitudes, and
nations, and tongues" (17: 15).
"I SIT a queen" (18: 7).
There is no passage in the Revelation where the verb "to sit" is used in any other way.
Every occurrence has to do with rule. The one that "sitteth" on the many waters, and
upon the beast, is Babylon. We can now view 14: 6 in clearer light. "They that SIT
upon the earth" are the leaders of the great Babylonian Apostasy.