“Revealing the Revelation”
Chapter 14
February 7, 2010
Revelation 14
1Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
6Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
8A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."
9A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, 10he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." 12This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
13Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."
"Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
14I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man" with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." 19The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
It is Super Bowl Sunday. The two best teams in professional football are going to meet on a field in New Orleans this afternoon to determine who the best football team in the world is. I love Patton Manning and the Colts – and I love Drew Brees and the Saints. So it doesn’t matter too much to me what the outcome of that game is. Since my Minnesota Vikings and my 49er’s didn’t make it – I won’t have too much of an emotional investment today.
But, Folks, let me tell you – a day is coming when good meets evil; right meets wrong; light meets darkness – and it’s going to be a horrific battle. We know the end of the story. God has revealed it to us - good will reign triumphantly for all eternity. Jesus said,
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”
Matthew 25:34
This is what it is all about. This is what life and ‘you’ are all about. Since the creation of the world, God has been planning this. Life is preparing you to rule and reign with Christ one day. And a day is coming when you will take possession of your inheritance, your kingdom, that has been prepared for you – if you are one of the righteous.
We are all familiar with the struggles we face day to day with temptation and trials. One day that will all be over. One day – the first day of eternity – there will be no more sorrow, no more trials, no more temptations, no more death, nothing evil or sinful or perverted will be there. What a relief it will be. But there is a whole lot going on before we get there. Let’s talk about that a little bit today.
Our chapter starts out with “Then I looked…” This indicates that this is a new part of John’s vision. But to get our Scripture in context, you have to remember how the last chapter ended. The Devil was winning. He was killing the Saints. The antichrist was in control of the world. People were made to take a mark on their hand or forehead that branded them as Satan’s group – or they couldn’t even buy or sell. It was an awful scene that John was seeing – but then he looked and saw Jesus.
I want to tell you that when things look darkest – hold on. John knew that. He saw Jesus beaten and mocked and humiliated and crucified on Friday. It looked so dark. It looked like it was the end. But three days later – Jesus rose triumphantly from the dead and won eternal life for His followers. It is always too soon to quit. Jesus said that they that endure to the end will be saved. Endure. Hang on. Never quit!
John looked and saw a Lamb with a group of followers who had something else written on their foreheads. It was the name of the Father and Son. In other words, these people belonged to God. They are the ones we studied in chapter 7. Most scholars view them as the Jewish young men who were selected from every tribe to remain on earth and preach the gospel during the tribulation. Others see the 144,000 as the Church – which we are a part of. Whoever they are, now we see them with, not the mark of the beast on their foreheads, but the mark of God on their foreheads.
Who has his mark on you? Whom do you belong to? Which camp do you belong in? You may think you are independent and you are your own man or women – but you aren’t. You were born into sin and born belonging to the devil. But you have been bought for a very high price. Jesus bought you back with His precious blood. That’s how much He loves you. Have you accepted that act of love and are you walking and living in the context of it?
These 144,000 are pure. They are obedient. They have been purchased from among men by the blood of Jesus – and they are greatly blessed. John hears a distant sound, like the rushing of water, then it becomes a little more clear, like a peal of thunder, then even more clear and more beautiful – like music. The angels were playing their guitars and singing a beautiful song. Well, John called it a harp, but they didn’t have guitars in those days.
As I read that, I thought of how that is when we read the Bible. I remember reading the Scripture every night and it seemed to go right over my head. Then it got a little clearer – then it began to make sense – and wasn’t just noise. I want to encourage you to not get discouraged when you first get into this supernatural book we call the Bible. It will become more and more clear as you read it. At first it may be indistinct and unclear. But keep at it.
I want to point out to you that these favored people of God are those who keep themselves pure, they didn’t defile themselves, and they were obedient. This same John, who wrote down his Revelation, wrote:
“1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3
If you have the expectation of seeing Jesus when He appears – you are to purify yourself. Notice it is an ongoing process. The Holy Spirit brings something that is not pure in our life to our attention – and we purify it. Then He brings something else to our attention – and we purify that. We are in a continue process of becoming more and more pure – if our heart is pure. Paul wrote Timothy, “Keep yourself pure”. (1 Timothy 5:22) We are to avoid evil and all that which would defile us – and we are to purify ourselves by surrendering that impure thing to the Lord.
The 144, 000 were pure. We need to strive for purity as well. They didn’t lie and they were blameless. If they represent the church, that is only possible through what Jesus did for us on the cross. His grace empowers us for life and service. We don’t have to live in rebellion. We can live a pure life –through Him.
Then John saw another messenger, or angel. His job was to see that every person heard the gospel of Christ.
“he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
What this says to me is that God is good. God is just – but He is also fair. God is righteous – but he is also merciful. Everyone gets a chance at repentance. Everyone hears the gospel in some way. Paul writes to the Roman Christians, who were familiar with all kinds of cultures and customs,
“So, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, instinctively do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their consciences testify in support of this, and their competing thoughts either accuse or excuse them on the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.” Romans 2:14-16
In other words, God has given every person a knowledge of right and wrong. Even if they never heard of the law of God – they have God’s will written in their consciences. And their consciences will either accuse them or excuse them on judgment day. God could not coldly, throw some people into hell without a chance of salvation. God is too loving to allow anyone to perish without hearing the Gospel. Some people have made up things like purgatory or some way to have a second chance, but it is in this life that each person receives and opportunity to repent or rebel. It is appointed that man dies once – then is judged. (Hebrews 9:27) But I want you to see how good and how loving God is. He gives all a chance. He doesn’t want anyone to die eternally. You can almost hear this angel, this messenger, pleading, “Worship God, the Creator. He is the maker of the heavens and the earth and the sea. Worship Him!”
Let me throw in a thought I didn’t read in any of the commentaries I read preparing for this sermon. Jesus said, when asked when He would return,
“But the one who endures to the end will be delivered. This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations. And then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:13-14
I want you to notice that Jesus says that they that endure to the ‘midpoint’ will be saved. That’s not what it says? They that endure to the’ beginning of the tribulation’ will be saved? No. They that endure to the END – will be saved. Not only that – but the good news, the gospel, has to be proclaimed in all the world to all nations – before the end will come. I think these angels may be the fulfillment of that prophecy.
Then another angel announces to the universe, “God wins! Babylon is fallen!” Theologians argue endlessly on what is meant by Babylon. Is it Satan’s kingdom of rebellion; is it a literal place; is it symbolic? All I know is that the Devil is a loser. All I know is that God will ultimately triumph – and I want to be on HIS side.
Another angel, a third angel comes into the picture. The Scripture reads,
“9A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, 10he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." 12This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
13Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."
"Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
So we have an angel preaching the gospel, a second angel announcing the enemies defeat – which must have been encouraging to the Christians left, and now we have a warning by a third angel. Most scholars put this right at the end of the seven years of tribulation. The tribulation is almost over. That is often when we are weakest. The battle is almost won and we are so weary of fighting. So God sends us an angel to encourage us and warn us. “Don’t take the mark!”
Imagine what things are like on earth. The antichrist is in control with his kingdom. There is little love on heart and people are hardhearted. They can easily kill those who don’t have the mark of the beast on them. The Christians are taken to a desert place – or a wilderness place. Many scholars think that Christians will be living off the land because they can’t buy or sell. We may be living in caves and holes in the ground – which is a crude shelter. For three and a half years we have been on the run, eating wild game and things we can forage for. Maybe the dandelion salad is getting a little old. Maybe stew has lost its appeal for us. Maybe we are a little tired of running and want to give up. This angel reminds us that it is not worth it. Those who take the mark of the beast will feel the wrath of God full strength. They will be suffer torment like burning sulfur forever and ever. They will never rest – never!
So the angel says – “Be patient” “Endure to the end” “It’s almost over”. He says it’s a blessing to die for the Lord from now on. You will find rest and your reward will follow you. In other words, it will be worth it. Keep fighting to the end!
And the end has come!
“ 14I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man" with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." 19The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.”
There is a couple of things I want to point out to you in this Scripture. Someone who looks like Jesus is sitting on a cloud. I don’t think it is Jesus, but it is someone who is in His image, as you are to be. We are to become more and more Christlike. This angel is very Christlike and he has a crown of gold on his head, which represent authority, and a sharp sickle in his hand. He seems to be waiting. Then another angle says, “It’s time! Go ahead!” Jesus wouldn’t need permission from an angel. So it probably isn’t Jesus that is waiting on this cloud with a sharp sickle.
Then another angel gets into the act. He has a sharp sickle, too. Still another angel gives instruction. And the angel or angels harvests the earth.
Who is getting harvested? Is it the righteous? No. Whoever is getting harvested is thrown into the winepress of God’s wrath. And there was a lot of them. Blood flowed for 180 miles. Is it symbolic or real? I think it is symbolic. I don’t think God would have someone thrown into a winepress and squeezed until the blood flowed out. But the symbolism means something. Maybe it means that all the meanness is squeezed out of sinners. I don’t know – but I get the point. It isn’t a good ending for the unrepentant.
Jesus said about the end of time,
"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Matthew 24:36-42
Notice whom is taken out. Notice whom the angels reap with their sickles. It will be like in Noah’s day. The wicked are taken and the righteous are left. This Scripture does not support a rapture of the church. The righteous are not taken – but the wicked. The righteous will remain, those who have made it through the tribulation, and they are the ones who will repopulate the earth in the thousand year reign of Christ. At least that is how I see it.
I think we are right on the very brink of the tribulation period. We will know for sure when the temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem. But we need to be prepared intellectually and spiritually for what is to come. I do not believe Jesus will come and rapture the church out – sparing us from tribulation. Some people who believe you can never lose your salvation have to believe that. They are locked into that because of their theology. It is clear that whoever takes the mark of the beast will be lost eternity. There is a theological issue there. I think the Scripture supports the idea that we will go through the tribulation and we better be prepared to endure – endure to the end. A lot of good Christians do not agree with that – and I have no problem if you don’t agree with my point of view. This is just how I add up the facts. But this we know; this we can agree on – we better be ready. We better be ready for rapture or tribulation.
I want to tell you how to get ready. First of all, accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. Secondly, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, if you have invited Him into you heart, make Him the Lord of your life.
A lot of Christians haven’t make Jesus the Lord of their lives. They believe. They have confessed their sins. But they are still in control of their lives. They are what Paul called “Carnal Christians”. They are still following their own fleshly desires. These are the ones the Bible talks about who will fall away in the end time. Jesus, talking about the end times, said:
“At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.”
Matthew 24:10
It is only those who have the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives that will be able to endure to the end. We need to not only make Jesus our Savior, but we also need to make Him our Lord. That takes a second work of grace. The old timers called it “entire sanctification”. Some have called it "Christian perfection," "perfect love," "heart purity," "the baptism with the Holy Spirit," "the fullness of the blessing," and "Christian holiness." There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Christians who testify to this deeper second work of grace.
What it is, is when you come to a place in your life where you realize you can’t live the victorious life on your own. You are a Christian – but a carnal Christian. You realize you need more power – the power of the Holy Spirit. It is only for those who deeply desire to walk as Jesus walked; to walk as the Bible teaches. It is only for those who are willing to do anything for Jesus – anything He asks. It is only for those who love Jesus more than themselves.
If that’s you – Jesus said all you have to do is ask. If your heart and spirit is right – Just ask. Pray a prayer like this:
Jesus,
I am so sorry I have sinned against you. I have failed you. Please forgive me. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Give me the power and grace I need to walk in obedience and holiness. Help me to live and die for you. Even if the whole world turns against you – give me the power and the will to remain forever faithful to you. Give me the power to rise above every trial and temptation and tribulation and live in holiness.
In Jesus Name.
