Problem: Some interpreters believe that God sent the angel merely to preach judgment—not forgiveness. The angel screams, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters” (v.7).
Solution: The term used here is no doubt a message of forgiveness—not judgment. The term used in verse 6 is euaggelion in Greek (pronounced you-ong-GELL-ee-on). Osborne writes, “Everywhere that εὐαγγέλιον is found in the NT, it implies the gracious offer of salvation.”[1] In fact, he speculates that this could actually be a fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 (This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come). Most interpreters assume that the church will fulfill this calling from Jesus, but perhaps, an angel will. We assume that to “fear God, and give Him glory” is to repent of our sins and accept his forgiveness. This, no doubt, is why they are judged in Revelation 16:9 (“they did not repent so as to give Him glory”).
[1] Osborne, Grant. Revelation. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. 2002. 535.
“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, 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. (Rev 14:6-7)”
