Friday

Related Verses
Matt. 24:14
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Rev. 6:2
2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he who sits on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.

2 Tim. 4:2
2 Proclaim the word; be ready in season and out of season; convict, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching.

1 Cor. 9:16
16 For if I preach the gospel, I have no boast, for necessity is laid upon me; for woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.

Acts 28:31
31 Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, unhindered.

Eph. 3:8-11
8 To me, less than the least of all saints, was this grace given to announce to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ as the gospel
9 And to enlighten all that they may see what the economy of the mystery is, which throughout the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things,
10 In order that now to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenlies the multifarious wisdom of God might be made known through the church,
11 According to the eternal purpose which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Related Reading
The gospel of the kingdom [Matt. 24:14], which includes the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24), brings people not only into God’s salvation but also into the kingdom of the heavens (Rev. 1:9). The gospel of grace emphasizes forgiveness of sin, God’s redemption, and eternal life, whereas the gospel of the kingdom emphasizes the heavenly ruling of God and the authority of the Lord. This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age…This testimony must spread to the whole earth before the end of this age, the time of the great tribulation.

In Matthew 24:4-14 we see the actual history concerning the Jews from Christ’s ascension until the end of this age, the three and a half years of the great tribulation. Before the great tribulation comes, everything in these verses will transpire. The last item will be the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom. I believe that the churches in the Lord’s recovery will bear the burden to bring this gospel to all the inhabited earth. The gospel of grace has been preached in every continent but not the gospel of the kingdom…This higher gospel will be brought to every continent through the churches in the Lord’s recovery. This, the strongest sign of the consummation of the age, will take place before the great tribulation. Thus, the most important sign of the consummation of the age is the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom to all the inhabited earth. (Life-study of Matthew, pp. 685-686)

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The first [of the seven seals in Revelation 6:1—8:2] is a white horse and its rider, signifying the spreading of the gospel (6:1-2). Verse 2 says, “I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he who sits on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.”

A bow with an arrow is for fighting. But here there is a bow without an arrow. This indicates that the arrow has already been shot to destroy the enemy and that Christ’s fighting for the constitution of the gospel of peace is finished and the victory is won.

A crown signifies that the gospel has been crowned with the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4). The gospel that we preach today has a crown, and this crown is the glory of Christ. We should not feel shameful when we preach the gospel. Rather, we should feel glorious. To preach the gospel is a glorious thing. Those who preach the gospel become the riders of the white horse.

Went forth conquering in Revelation 6:2 signifies that the gospel has been going forth with Christ to conquer all kinds of opposition and attack…Throughout all the generations the gospel has been going on with Christ as the Victor.

According to the Bible, we have to preach the gospel to get sinners saved. We all have to bear fruit. Although we may admit that this is scriptural, we may not be bearing any fruit. This means that we are not on the white horse. If we are preaching the gospel, our interest is in God’s kingdom. What is our interest today on this earth? We should be those who are laboring to get people saved to build up the Body of Christ for the kingdom of God. Most of us have to work to make a living. But all of us can separate a certain amount of time to the Lord for His interest. The unbelievers can always spare time for their amusement and entertainment. But we believers have God as our amusement and entertainment. We have no excuse for not preaching the gospel. We must be on the white horse for the spreading of the gospel. (CWWL, 1990, vol. 3, “The Prophecy of the Four ‘Sevens’ in the Bible,” pp. 22-23)

Further Reading: Life-study of Matthew, msg. 61; CWWL, 1990, vol. 3, “The Prophecy of the Four ‘Sevens’ in the Bible,” ch. 2