Let no one
suppose, that because the angel has begun the fulfillment of John's vision,
that he has fully accomplished all things in relation to it. Hear what new
revelation says upon this subject. And now, verily saith the Lord, That these
things might be known among you, O inhabitants of the earth, I have sent forth
mine angel, flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Go pel,
who hath appeared unto some, and hath committed it unto man, who shall appear
unto many that dwell on the earth; and this Gospel shall be preached unto every
nation, and kind- red, and tongue, and people, and the servants of God shall go
forth, 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, calling upon the name of the Lord day and
night saying, O that thou wouldst rend the heavens, that thou wouldst come
down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence. And it shall be
answered upon their heads, for the presence of the Lord shall be as the melting
fire that burneth, and as the fire which causeth the waters to boil,"
&c. (Doc & Cov. sec. 108 : par. 7. [RB: = our modern D&C
133:36-41])
This same angel is
yet to appear unto many: his mission, therefore, is not fully completed.
Another grand event connected with his mission is to be fulfilled, when the
seven angels sound their trumpets, in the morning of the seventh thousand years:
then all people both in heaven and on earth will hear. But we will quote the
word of the Lord: "And another trump shall sound, which is the fifth
trump, which is the fifth angel who committeth the everlasting Gospel,-flying
through the midst of heaven, unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people;
and this shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all people, both in heaven
and in earth, and that are under the earth; for every ear shall hear it, and
every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, while they hear the sound
of the trump, saying, Fear God, and give glory to him who sitteth upon the
throne forever and ever: for the hour of his judgment is come. And again,
another angel shall sound his trump, which is the sixth angel, saying, she is
fallen who made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication:
she is fallen! is fallen!" (Doc. & Cov. sec. 7: paragraphs 31, 32. [RB:
= our modern D&C 88:103-105])
Thus we have
traced the great mission of the angel, from the time that he flies with the
everlasting Gospel, and commits it to man, until the grand closing up scenery
of this wicked world, by the sounding of the seven trumpets. In this last drama
the angel of the Gospel will figure as the Fifth in the series. In that awful
day, our friend Mr. William Brook, of Bradford, who has written to us, asking
questions upon this sublime subject, will have no more supposed reason to
complain, because the angel has not complied with all his suppositions in
regard to his mission. Whether in heaven, on earth, under the earth, or among
the hosts of hell, every ear will hear the sound of the trump, and every knee
bow, and con- fess to the glory of God, and acknowledge the power, authority,
and majesty of him who sits upon the throne, and of his holy angels who go
forth at his bidding.
Because God has
given the keys of the everlasting Gospel to the fifth angel, let no one
suppose, that he alone will act in the great latter-day dispensation. Other angels
have their missions to perform, and will assist in the wonderful work. We again
quote from the revelations given to that great Prophet Joseph Smith, taken from
his inspired key to John’s vision on Patmos. The Prophet enquires as follows:--
“What we are to
understand by the four Angels spoken of in the 7th chap. and 1st verse of
Revelations ?" He answers-"We are to understand that they are four
Angels sent forth from God, to whom is given power over the four parts of the
earth, to save life and to destroy; these are they who have the everlasting
Gospel to commit to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people; having power to
shut up the heavens, to seal up unto life, or to cast down to the regions of
darkness." (Pearl of Great Price, p. 34.) (Orson Pratt, “The
Angel with the Gospel,” The Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star 28,
no. 40 [October 6, 1866]: 626-27, comments added in square brackets added for clarification)
Further Reading:
Defending the Latter-day Saint Interpretation of Revelation 14:6-7
