“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. “(Mat 24:14)
Mat 24:14
Prophecy and world events tell us these days that we are at a shameful place in our history and in our Church mission. So many of us are so preoccupied with news, events, persecutions, predictions, and various aspects of spiritualism, that we do not recognize what is happening to us. One quick example of how to know what is going on is to just ask someone in Church, “So what did Jesus do for you today?” A few people will give a trite answer, but most will just say some dry theory that has nothing about their personal testimony in it. Preaching the gospel, and preaching the gospel AS A WITNESS, are two completely different things. Many people don’t even have a personal testimony. No personal experience with Jesus!
Matthew 24:14 is one of the central prophetic verses for understanding how God’s people are to prepare for the closing events of earth’s history. The Bible presents the preaching of the gospel not merely as a religious activity, but as the final global work that directly precedes the end. Christ does not say that the end comes after political collapse, natural disasters, or even persecution. Those things are signs. But He specifically connects the coming of the end with the completion of a worldwide “witness.” This makes the mission of the church inseparable from end-time preparation.
This verse is deeply connected to the Three Angels’ Messages of Revelation 14. The Great Controversy explains that the final warning message is to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, “AS A WITNESS” before probation closes. The gospel of the kingdom is not simply the message that Jesus saves individuals from sin. It is the announcement that Christ is about to establish His kingdom, that judgment is now in session, and that humanity must now choose between allegiance to Christ or allegiance to Babylon and the beast powers. In this sense, the gospel becomes an opportunity in a crisis message. It calls people not only to conversion, but to loyalty, and personal experience with Jesus during the final conflict.
There is an important difference between preaching the gospel and preaching the gospel as a witness. Preaching the gospel can simply mean sharing truth, teaching doctrine, or inviting people to salvation. It may produce acceptance, rejection, “decisions,” or indifference. But preaching the gospel as a witness carries judicial and prophetic significance. The preaching of the gospel functions during end times, in Scripture like a testimony given in a court before a verdict is executed. The language of “witness” in Matthew 24:14 carries legal overtones. In the Bible, God is frequently portrayed as Judge, humanity is on trial, truth is presented as evidence, and witnesses testify before judgment is carried out.
When Jesus says the gospel will be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, He is saying more than merely information will spread globally. Much more than just a list of correct doctrines. He is saying the world will receive testimony from God before the final judgment and destruction occur. Humanity will not be able to say it was left without warning, light, or opportunity.
This pattern appears repeatedly throughout Scripture. Before the flood, Noah was called a preacher of righteousness. His preaching was not merely an invitation; it was testimony against the unbelief of his generation. Before Sodom’s destruction, Abraham interceded and Lot gave warning. Before Jerusalem fell, prophets repeatedly testified to the nation. In each case, God sent witnesses before executing judgment. The same framework appears in the Three Angels’ Messages in Revelation 14:6-12. The first angel announces that the hour of God’s judgment is come. That means the message goes out during a judicial phase of history. Under the first angel, the gospel is proclaimed while heaven’s judgment is in session. This is what connects directly with the investigative judgment. The world is not merely hearing a religious message; it is hearing heaven’s final testimony before probation closes.
Among other things, a witness gives personal testimony, personal experience, that establishes accountability. Look at what John says in 1 John 1:1-3, “what we have seen and heard and handled of the word of life, that’s what we are telling you now.” In Scripture, a witness confirms that people have been given opportunity, light, and evidence before judgment falls. Thus Matthew 24:14 teaches that the world must first receive a clear testimony concerning God’s kingdom before the end comes. The issue is not merely how many people hear sermons, but whether humanity has received a final witness concerning truth and error. This is the final witness that will move the world:
“Our confession of His faithfulness is Heaven’s chosen agency for revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through the holy men of old; but that which will be most effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine. Every individual has a life distinct from all others, and an experience differing essentially from theirs. God desires that our praise shall ascend to Him, marked by our own individuality. These precious acknowledgments to the praise of the glory of His grace, when supported by a Christ-like life, have an irresistible power that works for the salvation of souls.” (DA 347)
This concept appears throughout Scripture. Noah preached before the flood as a witness to his generation. Jonah’s warning stood as a witness to Nineveh. The apostles testified before rulers and nations. Likewise, the remnant church is called to give a final witness to the entire world. This is why Adventists have historically emphasized worldwide evangelism, publishing, medical missionary work, education, and media ministries. The objective should not simply be church growth. It is the completion of God’s testimony to humanity. So, think about it. Why do most of our churches now baptize people, if they even do that anymore, only to see most of them leave the church in a few months?
Ellen White wrote that the final proclamation would lighten the earth with God’s glory and that every person will have sufficient light to decide. She describes a time when the loud cry of the third angel will swell into a worldwide witness empowered by the Holy Spirit. This latter rain experience is THE essential preparation for end-time events because only a Spirit-filled church can give a Spirit-filled witness. The preparation, therefore, is not primarily an obsessive, survivalist type preparation or even a correct doctrinal preparation alone. It is spiritual/Biblical preparation through surrender to Christ, reception of the Holy Spirit, and participation in God’s final mission AS A WITNESS.
Matthew 24:14 also reveals that believers prepare for the end by becoming involved in the work of God rather than retreating from the world in fear, as they see end time events unfolding. The delusion of somehow escaping the worst of it by “country living” is festering in our ranks to the point where there are no resources left with many such to carry out the work in the capacity that Creator calls us to. Hiding, or “protecting” our correct behaviors in the country, or even in the church, and damning anyone who does not conform, or saying that our special truth is for Adventists only is the spirit of antichrist. All the gospel is for everyone all the time.
The church must stop waiting passively for prophecy to happen. Stop focusing so much on “the Beast,” to the point where Christ and Him crucified are lost sight of! God’s people must be actively participating in the fulfillment of prophecy. Every act of witnessing, every Bible study, every translated tract, every sermon, and every Christlike interaction become part of the final testimony to the nations. People then get to see what a child of God is really like. All the trenchant preachers we so adore for their self-important pronouncing will soon be dust in the wind. In Jer 3:15, God promises us “Pastors after mine own heart.”
Mat 24:14, therefore transforms end-time preparation from speculation about events into participation in mission. The people most prepared for Christ’s return are those cooperating with Him in giving the true last warning message to the world. Rev 14:4 tells us clearly that the ones who make it to Heaven “are they that followed The Lamb wherever he went.”
The Three Angel’s Message (Rev 14:6-12) should place utmost importance on the Biblical clarity of the final message. The issue is not simply numerical evangelism as in how many “decisions” were made for Christ, (meaning in many cases number of baptisms). Evangelism is far more than the spreading of a vague, denominated, self-justifying Christianity. The true witness of the worldwide three angel’s messages must clearly reveal:
1/ the character of God: “but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Pet 1:15-16)
2/ the everlasting gospel (Rev 14:6)
3/ Christ’s priestly ministry (Heb 7:25, Heb 2:17, Heb 4:14)
4/ the call out of Babylon (Rev 18:4)
5/ the commandments of God (Rev 14:12, Rev 22:14)
6/ the faith of Jesus (Rev 14:12)
7/ the warning against worshiping the beast (Rev 14:9)
Look and Live Is the Message for these times!
The true “warning message” for these end times is “Christ on the cross!
“Hanging upon the cross Christ was the gospel. Now we have a message, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.” Will not our church members keep their eyes fixed on a crucified and risen Saviour, in whom their hopes of eternal life are centered? This is our message, our argument, our doctrine, our warning to the impenitent, our encouragement for the sorrowing, the hope for every believer. If we can awaken an interest in [people’s] minds that will cause them to fix their eyes on Christ, we may step aside and ask them only to continue to fix their eyes upon the Lamb of God. They thus receive their lesson. Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. He whose eyes are fixed on Jesus will leave all. [They] will die to selfishness. [They] will believe in all the Word of God, which is so gloriously and wonderfully exalted in Christ”. {6BC 1113.1}
“As the sinner sees Jesus as He is, an all-compassionate Savior, hope and assurance take possession of [their] soul. The helpless soul is cast without any reservation upon Jesus. None can bear away from the vision of Christ Jesus crucified a lingering doubt. Unbelief is gone.” {6BC 1113.2}
Only when people look and live will the world truly receive a witness. The Witness that Jesus spoke about in Mat 24:14. It is in this sense that the preaching of the gospel in the last days resembles personal testimony (1 John 1:1-3) that is entered into the record before the Judge renders the final sentence for each person.
“And they overcame him [meaning the devil] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Rev 12:11)
“All who will can be over comers. Let us strive earnestly to reach the standard set before us. Christ knows our weakness, and to Him we can go daily for help. It is not necessary for us to gain strength a month ahead. We are to conquer from day to day.” {7BC 974.3}
“The time of God’s destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who have no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched; His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time.” {7BC 979.3}
