Revelation 14:6: 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,

John saw many angels during his visions in the Book of Revelation, and in Revelation 14:6 he saw yet another angel.¹ This other angel is the first angel in the latest series of seven angels in Revelation chapter 14.² He saw this first angel fly in the midst of heaven³ with the everlasting gospel.⁴ The definite article confirms there is only one everlasting gospel,⁵ although Greek manuscripts omit the article in this verse.⁶

This verse refers to a single angel with the everlasting gospel even though multiple angels restored the everlasting gospel from heaven to the earth⁷ after the Great Apostasy.⁸ For example, God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820 to announce the forthcoming restoration.⁹ The angel Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith 3½ years¹⁰ later on September 21, 1823 to commence the restorative process.¹¹ After Moroni, other angels like John the Baptist, Peter, James, and John, appeared to Joseph Smith and bestowed on him their power, authority, and priesthood keys.¹² John the Revelator symbolically described these four angels in Revelation 7:1 as four angels standing on the four corners of the earth.¹³

Some scholars imply that John's vision of the first angel in Revelation 14:6 repeats the symbolism of the restoration found in Revelation 7:1.¹⁴ However, Revelation 14 is focused on the future Second Coming,¹⁵ not the events of the restoration in the early 1800's.¹⁶ This is another example of how John remained true to his pattern of chronologically describing events without repetition.¹⁷ Therefore, in Revelation 14:6, he symbolically described how the first angel must preach (proclaim)¹⁸ the gospel to a universal audience in all the world¹⁹ before the judgments²⁰ of the Third Woe and Second Coming.²¹

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints frequently identify this first angel in Revelation 14:6-7 as the prophet Moroni, who appeared to Joseph Smith multiple times beginning in 1823.²² The connection is made because Moroni held the keys for the Book of Mormon,²³ which contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel.²⁴ Since 1830, this sacred record has been used to proclaim the gospel²⁵ unto them that dwell on the earth.²⁶ Connecting Moroni to the vision in Revelation 14:6-7 is appropriate. However, John's vision in these verses is more about preaching the everlasting gospel in all the world since the time of Moroni's angelic appearances in the 1820's.

John's prophecy about the everlasting gospel in Revelation 14:6 is two-fold. First, he saw and heard that the gospel must be preached before the Second Coming to them that dwell on the earth. Separately, John saw and heard that the gospel must also be preached to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. The two prophecies sound very much the same, but they are quite different.

In order to preach the everlasting gospel to the first group of them that dwell on the earth, angels committed the necessary priesthood keys to the Prophet Joseph Smith commencing in the 1820's.²⁷ Even though the necessary keys were committed on the earth for the benefit of them that dwell on the earth, it is a undeniable fact that millions of them that dwell on the earth in the latter days will never hear the gospel message before they die.²⁸ The same is true of billions of other people that have dwelt on the earth and died since the time of Adam without ever hearing the message of the everlasting gospel.²⁹ This is why there are two parts to the prophecy in Revelation 14:6.

John's second prophecy in Revelation 14:6 concerns those from every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people to whom the gospel must also be preached.³⁰ These words distinguish this second group from the first group of them that dwell on the earth. For the second group, John used the world number (four)³¹ to describe billions of spirits of the dead from every (1) nation, (2) kindred, (3) tongue and (4) people that will hear the gospel for the first time in the postmortal spirit world.³² The Savior told the Jews in his day that the gospel must be preached in all the world as a sign³³ of his Second Coming.³⁴ His words necessarily include disembodied spirits in the postmortal spirit world. Indeed, most nations, kindreds, tongues, and people will be taught the gospel in the postmortal spirit world before the Second Coming.³⁵ The word heaven is often used as a synonym for the postmortal spirit world.³⁶ This may partially explain why John saw the first angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel. His flight in the midst of heaven would include the postmortal spirit world.³⁷

John's two-fold prophecy in Revelation 14:6 also recognizes that the gospel will not be preached to all people that dwell on the earth before the Second Coming.³⁸ Missionaries will not personally preach the gospel to everyone in all earthly nations before that day.³⁹ However, modern technology is already in use throughout the world to preach the gospel to them that dwell on the earth.⁴⁰ On earth and in the spirit world, the everlasting gospel will be preached as a voice of warning to all people⁴¹ before the Second Coming.⁴²

Them that dwell on the earth will also receive the voice of warning in the form of physical calamities and natural disasters at the end of the sixth seal and beyond.⁴³ Justice requires⁴⁴ that everyone must have an opportunity to receive the gospel and repent.⁴⁵ Only then can they be left without excuse in the day of judgment at the Second Coming.⁴⁶ In that day, the gospel of grace will become the gospel of wrath for those that fail to heed the multiple warnings.⁴⁷

Revelation 14:7: 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.

The angel's loud voice of warning⁴⁸ is a latter-day proclamation to all the earth.⁴⁹ The angel calls on all people to fear God,⁵⁰ and give glory to him rather than the Second Beast.⁵¹

The message in this verse corresponds in time with the future gathering of saints at Adam-ondi-Ahman when Modern Babylon will fall spiritually.⁵² At that gathering Christ will proclaim that there will be no more delay until the Second Coming when the hour of his judgment is come⁵³ on the kingdom of Satan.⁵⁴ Moroni delivered the same message to Joseph Smith on the night of September 21, 1823.⁵⁵ To reinforce this message of warning, Moroni quoted the words of warning found in the books of Malachi,⁵⁶ Isaiah,⁵⁷ Joel,⁵⁸ and Acts.⁵⁹ The Book of Mormon also contains the same warnings about Christ's judgments at the Second Coming.⁶⁰ The prophets in that volume of scripture speak today like voices from the dust.⁶¹ The same warning is repeated almost verbatim in Doctrine and Covenants Section 133:37-39.⁶²

The first angel in Revelation 14:7 commands people in the latter days to worship the God of all creation⁶³ rather than the objects of his creation.⁶⁴ John again uses the world number (four) to describe the fulness of all God's creations as heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.⁶⁵