Revelation, Part 26
Revelation 14:6-11
Introduction
Last week, we were treated with a great vision. We were treated to an opportunity to get to see how the rewards of living for God paid off in the lives of 144,000 souls who were faithful to Jesus Christ DURING the Tribulation.
These souls were not only worshipping Jesus for eternity – but they were preparing in their hearts to go to war again for the Lord. You see, worship is not just a thing you do now – it is something that you do to prepare to go tomorrow. Yesterday’s worship got your through today, so how has your day been so far?
These souls are demonstrating that even though they were killed (martyred) for their faith – that at the Throne of Grace those events no longer matter, as evidenced in the second part of verse 4 “They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as first-fruits to God and the Lamb.”
So tonight, let’s delve a little farther into Chapter 14 (read verse 6-11)
Pray
Point 1 – Three ministering angels (v6-7)
In the 14th Chapter of Revelation there are 6 angels who are sent by God to warn His creation about the impending doom on the planet. They are sent as a wave of witnesses to tell of what is about to come, and again show God’s Grace and Mercy to those who would still not accept Him. Something of importance to note is that angels constantly work as the servants of the Lord, and they are often used by God to convey messages to this world in a physical manner that we can understand.
The Bible is loaded with examples of angels appearing to men and women (for example the angel that appeared to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus) – without this common belief, all of Christianity and the birth of Jesus falls apart.
These three angels that are appearing to men are for one purpose – to show mankind that they are being terribly deceived by Satan, and that they need to turn away immediately from this man they are calling “lord” and focus on the true and living God.
This first angel was proclaiming the everlasting gospel – which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that has no beginning and no end. This is the same Gospel that we proclaim today, and that those living in the Tribulation have seen as well.
I want you to see that before God pronounces judgment, again His love and concern for this world is displayed in a manner that He allows us to repent. (Expound on Grace …)
The message is that we need to repent from our sins and turn to the Lord – and it is the same message that Noah gave for 120 years; that the angels proclaimed to Sodom and Gomorrah; that Jonah preached to warn Nineveh; that Jeremiah preached to Jerusalem; that Moses declared to Egypt, that Daniel read before the fall of Babylon’s wall, and that Jesus preached regarding the destruction of Jerusalem. You see, this message is universal, and without end!
Point 2 – Declaring the Falling of Babylon (verse 8)
This second angel preaches in a manner that the whole Earth can hear it at once – and the message is very prophetic. You see Babylon is thought of to be several different cities; it is either Rome, the future capital of the anti-Christ, or it refers to all the sinful age of man.
Satan is often referred to as the King of Babylon, and so this city either being his center of activity or the reference to all of sin is pretty common among scholars. God’s angels are declaring that those mankind have put their trust in will fall – and will be destroyed and for those hearing the message to turn away and repent!
Notes from Truthnet.org: Zechariah looks forward to a future day when wickedness will be built a home in the land of Babylon. (Zechariah 5:5-11) This future city will be the economic capital of the world (Rev 18). The world-wide focus on the re-building of Iraq could very well be a precursor to the fulfillment of this prophecy.
The US, UN, Europe and the world are involved in the rebuilding of Iraq. Part of this rebuilding is to make Iraq secular, an outpost of the west in the midst of a Muslim world. The wealth of the world will flow into the region to create stable oil rich region.
Cyrus the Great of Persia defeated Babylon, in 539 BC, but Babylon as a great city slowly disintegrated from its greatness. Alexander the Great died in the city in 333 BC. This Babylon was a foreshadowing of the coming Babylon that will one day rise to be destroyed by the Lord.
This angel is warning of the destruction of this future world capital that Satan uses to deceive and force the earth to worship the Image of the Beast. This angel’s message is what sets up the remainder of the Tribulation that good will be victorious. But, let’s talk for a moment about a warning to those who have already turned from the Lord.
Point 3 – The Third Angel (v9-11)
What I want to stress here, and this ought to be an encouragement to the believer, is that we have to be willing to go this far TODAY, and stress the importance of these few verses so that others will understand what is coming. Sometimes, you just have to be honest and put it out there so people will know what is going on.
This third angel is crying out in a loud, audible voice warning those who are here that this “man” they have chosen as elect is to be avoided at all cost. This angel’s warning ought to not only be clear to them – but should be clear to us as well! We are a people who can be very easily deceived if we are not careful, and we need to be sure that we are on solid ground as well!
This angel is declaring that those who worship the beast, or take his mark, are guilty of breaking the first three commandments given to Moses by God! Go to Exodus 20:3-6 – those who worship the beast have in fact broken these commandments and there is no turning back.
This is why God was so intent on giving them this way – He is a jealous God and worthy of our love, service, and respect – and those of this time are simply walking on what God has said is sacred.
Those who are guilty of this will share in the same punishment as the beast and the false prophet and Satan himself – and it will be given to them in full strength! Let’s look at some of the specific word uses from this angel (taken directly from Truthnet.org):
He shall be tormented….(Gr. basanizoô … to torture:—pain, toil, torment, toss, vex.) The individual who chooses Satan will be in pain and toil. They will not cease to exist, but will live to suffer eternally.
fire and brimstone….
The method of their torment will involve fire (Gr. Pur) and brimstone (Gr. Theion) in the presence of the angels and Christ. The cost is vividly demonstrated for those weighing their choice.
The smoke of their torment….. Smoke is visible consequence of their torment. Burning in the lake of fire, yet not consumed, for the rest of eternity is what those who choose Satan will have to look forward too. The Greek word means “Ages and ages”.
The have no rest day or night….. 24 hours a day, there will be no break, no rest from torment to those who choose Satan. The three-fold description of their satanic choice is; they: Worship the beast; Worship the image; Receives the mark of his name
The “Lake of fire” will be the final place where these will dwell along with Satan, Antichrist and the false prophet. (Rev 20:10-15)
Tonight, we need to see the urgency and understand that without God’s mercy, love, and compassion in our lives – we are helpless. God is sending these angels to minister to those on the Earth just as He has sent His Spirit to minister to us … (challenge) – How many will you be willing to minister to so they will avoid this time?
Pray
Research provided by Truthnet.org
