These three angels announce the final act in the play. You will notice through the rest of John’s vision, the indefinite time symbolized by 3 ½ days or years, 1260 days, 42 months, are never used again. The time for partial judgments, limited suffering, etc., is done. References to a third of this or a fourth of that are also over.
The first angel has the eternal gospel, but instead of giving good news, he announces that the hour of judgment is come.
The second angel announces the fall of Babylon, that ancient capital that symbolizes not only Rome for John’s readers, but all man’s empires that are in enmity with God’s people. The angel speaks of this as if it has already been done. So certain is this collapse, that John’s readers can heave a huge sigh of relief, knowing that the Beast, Domitian, and Rome will finally be conquered. This brings to mind what Jesus said to his disciples – “whatever you bind on earth will have already been bound in heaven.” It originates with God, so the certainty of it is 100%, as if it already occurred.
The third angel announces the awful eternity reserved for those who reject the gospel and instead are marked by compliance to the Beast. Their punishment is not for 3 ½ days or even 3 ½ years, but forever and ever.
Lastly, a voice from heaven calls down blessings on those who have died while clinging with a death grip to the Lamb, marked by his name and singing a new song that no one with the Beast’s name could learn.
The first angel has the eternal gospel, but instead of giving good news, he announces that the hour of judgment is come.
The second angel announces the fall of Babylon, that ancient capital that symbolizes not only Rome for John’s readers, but all man’s empires that are in enmity with God’s people. The angel speaks of this as if it has already been done. So certain is this collapse, that John’s readers can heave a huge sigh of relief, knowing that the Beast, Domitian, and Rome will finally be conquered. This brings to mind what Jesus said to his disciples – “whatever you bind on earth will have already been bound in heaven.” It originates with God, so the certainty of it is 100%, as if it already occurred.
The third angel announces the awful eternity reserved for those who reject the gospel and instead are marked by compliance to the Beast. Their punishment is not for 3 ½ days or even 3 ½ years, but forever and ever.
Lastly, a voice from heaven calls down blessings on those who have died while clinging with a death grip to the Lamb, marked by his name and singing a new song that no one with the Beast’s name could learn.
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