0:3, 4. Of
this gospel the Jewish nation and a few proselytes, were for ages the sole
recipients. "Unto them were committed the oracles of God." Rom. 3:2. To
them pertained "the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the
giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises," Rom. 9:4.
But the time had been foretold when the Gentiles should come to their
light, and kings to the brightness of their rising, Isa. 60:3.

With the coming of Christ, and his rejection of that nation, the gospel,
was no longer to be confined within its former narrow limits. The Savior
said to his disciples: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and
lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world," Matt. 28:19, 20.
"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall
be damned," Mark 16:15, 16. "Then opened he their understanding that they
might understand the Scriptures, and he said unto them, Thus it is
written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, to rise from the dead the
third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in
his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem," Luke 24:45-47.

The fulfilment of those predictions and commands could not be more
beautifully and appropriately symbolized, than by an angel flying "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." It could be no other gospel: for Paul testified: "Though we, or
an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we
have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I
now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have
received, let him be accursed," Gal. 1:8, 9.

In accordance with the divine command, to preach the gospel to all the
nations, beginning at Jerusalem, the apostles began their mission; and
when the Jews rejected their message, they turned to the Gentiles, and
went everywhere preaching the word "according to the revelation of the
mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made
manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the
commandment of the everlasting God, made