Sep. 04, 2024
“REVELATION”
REVELATION 14:1-20
*God’s Terrible, Swift Sword: The 144,000
*The Victory For God’s People: The 144,000- Revelation 14:1-5
*John introduces his first vision:
Revelation 14:1-3 “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.”
In John’s vision, Jesus was surrounded by the 144,000 Jewish evangelist, who were saved at the beginning of the Tribulation and have the seal of God on them:
Revelation 14:1- John fast-forwarded to the end of the Tribulation, and he saw Jesus “and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand.”
“They sang as it were a new song before the throne…” vs.3
*The Song of God’s People
John described the song he heard. The songs description as “new” vs.3 doesn’t refer to the style or the time it was written.
*The Purity of God’s People- Revelation 14:4-5
Revelation 14:4-5 “These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.”
He specified three commendations for the 144,000 Jewish males.
First, they received commendation for their sexual purity.
Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”
Second, the 144,000 receive special commendation for their obedience. “These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.” vs.4
Third, the 144,000 evangelist receive honor for their unique service. They not only were “purchased” by God, but they were also “first fruits to God and the Lamb” vs.4.
*A Warning to God’s Enemies and Blessing for God’s People.
“Then I saw…” vs.6 signals a new vision.
*An Announcement of the Gospel- Judgment to come.
Revelation 14:6-7 “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— 7saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”
Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
*Judgment- the second announcement is that of destruction. As soon as the first angel proclaims the gospel, a second angel follows with:
Revelation 14:8 “And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
Babylon represents both a political system and a religious system that the Antichrist will control during the tribulation.
*The Announcement of Doom:
The third announcement is a message of doom directed against those who worship the Antichrist and take his mark:
Revelation 14:9-11 “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
Would you rather suffer the short-term wrath of the Antichrist or the eternal wrath of God the Father?
Those who take the mark of the beast will face pain that will be unbearable and unrelenting.
*The Announcement of Blessing:
Revelation 14:12-13 “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 13Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
vs.13 “…and their works follow them.”
If you are a Christian, what you do on earth reverberates in the halls of heaven forever. Did you know that? The good things you do make an eternal difference.
*The Calamity on God’s Enemies- Revelation 14:14-20
*The Wheat Harvest of Christ:
Christ is presented as a farmer harvesting wheat:
Revelation 14:14-16 “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.”
The vision open with a scene similar to one Daniel saw concerning the second coming of the Messiah:
*The Great Harvest of an Angel: Prelude to Armageddon
Revelation 14:17-20 “Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.”
Following the angel with the sickle, another angel, a sixth one, “who had power over fire…” vs.18 came forward.
This is the final judgment before the Second coming of Christ. The battle of Armageddon, which will be described more fully in Revelation 19:15-21.
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