The Revelation Of Jesus Christ – Chapter 14
I. Things Which Thou Hast Seen – Rev 1
II. Things Which Are – The Church Age – Rev 2-3
III. Things Which Are To Come – Rev 4-22
A. The Throne Of God – Rev 4
B. The Seven Seals Book – Rev 5
C. The First Six Seals Are Opened – Rev 6
D. The Sealing Of The Saved – Rev 7
E. The Lamb Opens The Seventh Seal – The First Four Trumpets Sound – Rev 8
F. Sounding of the Fifth and Sixth Trumpets – Rev 9
G. The Little Book – Rev 10
H. The Measuring Rod – The Two Witnesses – The Seventh Trumpet Sounds – Rev 11
I. The Woman and the Dragon – Rev 12
J. The Beasts – Rev 13
K. The Lamb on Mount Zion – Rev 14
Rev 14:1 (NASB) “Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.”
(1) What John sees – 1st Vision – v. 1
(a) He sees the Lamb standing
-1 on Mount Zion
(b) He sees the 144,000 with him
-1 with writing on their foreheads
*Jesus name
*the Father’s name
Rev 14:2 (NASB) “And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.”
(2) What John hears – 1st Hearing – v. 2
(a) He hears a voice from heaven
-1 it was like many waters
-2 it was like loud thunder
-3 it was harpers playing their harps
Rev 14:3 (NASB) “And they *sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.”
(b) He hears a new song being sung – v. 3 – Ps. 40:3; Ps. 144:9
-1 before the throne
-2 before the four living creatures
-3 before the elders
-4 which no one can learn
*except the 144,000
Who have been purchased from the earth
Psalm 40:3 (NASB) “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD.”
Psalm 144:9 (NASB) “I will sing a new song to You, O God; Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You.”
I think sometime we sing songs we have no business singing. We sing songs about prayer and if the truth be known we are not praying. We sing songs about obedience but if the truth be known we are not obeying. We sing songs about faith but we don’t practice what we sing about. Take for example the words:
“All to Jesus I surrender, all to him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust him, in His presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all
All to thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all.”
Have we ever really surrender all to Him?
But notice this song – can only be learned by the 144,000.
I have learned many songs. Haven’t you? But when I read that no man could learn this song but the 144,000 – to me it implies that these 144,000 have gone through some things that no other person could sing about. This singing here pictures a harmony between the 144,000 and God.
Notice that the 144,000 were purchased from the earth. Some translations say redeemed. This means they got saved the same way we get saved. They were purchased and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God Jesus Christ. We see them standing with the Lamb in verse 1 – down here in verse 3 we see they had been redeemed by the lamb. The fact is you cannot stand with Christ until you are purchased – redeemed – saved by Christ first.
Rev 14:4-5 (NASB) “These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.”
(c) Purity of the 144,000 – v. 4-5
-1 ones not defiled with women
-2 ones who have kept themselves chaste
-3 ones who follow the Lamb
*wherever He goes
-4 ones purchased from among men
*first fruits
To God
To the Lamb
-5 ones who do not lie
-6 blameless
This speaks of ones who are sexually pure – ones who have a devotion to Christ – ones who have been redeemed – ones who do not lie – ones who are blameless.
Many Christians today talk about salvation but they don’t talk much about holiness. God has called us to be a holy people. To live holy lives.
Rev 14:6 (NASB) “And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people;”
(3) What John sees – 2nd Vision – v. 6
(a) another angel
-1 flying in midheaven
-2 having an eternal gospel to preach
*to those who live on earth
To every nation
To every tribe
To every tongue
To every people
It is not a gospel that spares of physical death. We have mortal flesh. Many who hear this gospel and obey it will be put to death by the Anti-Christ but while our mortal flesh might die our “life” continues.
Rev 14:7 (NASB) “and he said with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters."
-3 saying with a loud voice – v. 7
*fear God – Ps. 111:10
Psalm 111:10 (NASB) “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever.”
*give glory to God
For the hour of His judgment has come
*worship God
For He made heaven
For He made earth
For He made the sea
For He made springs of waters
This is the first time we see this word judgment used in the book of the Revelation. It will appears 4 more times. Throughout the book of Revelation the word wrath is used – but judgment is has now been pronounced and will continue.
Rev 14:8 (NASB) “And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality."
(b) another angel – a second one – v. 8
-1 following the first
-2 saying
*fallen, fallen is Babylon the great
Who made the nations drink the wine of passion – immorality
Babylon the great is a reference to the Anti-Christ’s mighty empire. Many believe he will head of his world empire from the rebuilt city of Babylon. Others think the city itself is not important – the name is. When we speak of Babylon historically we speak of a literal city.
This second angel tells the world something it does not yet know – Babylon is fallen. People were not believing in God they were putting their trust in the Anti-Christ – government—economy – religion.
The first angel sounded – fear God, give glory to Him, worship Him.
The second comes immediately sounds – Babylon is fallen
To repeat the words FALLEN FALLEN -- speaks of the certainty of its fall
Power is intoxicating. This is the why she has fallen. She made the nations drink the wine of her fornication. The nations were intoxicated with power.
Rev 14:9-11 (NASB) “Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."
(c) another angel – a third one – v. 9
-1 following the first two angels
-2 saying with a loud voice
*if anyone worships the beast
*if anyone worships the image of the beast
*if anyone receives the mark of the beast
He will drink of the wrath of God – v. 10
Which is full strength of God’s anger
He will be tormented with fire and brimstone – Ps. 11:6
In the presence of God’s angels
In the presence of the Lamb
The smoke of their torment goes up forever – v. 11
They will have no rest day or night
Because they worshiped the beast
Because they worshiped the image of the beast
Because they received the mark of the beast
Psalm 11:6 (NASB) “Upon the wicked He will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.”
The events of verses 9 thru 11 are very controversial. They are controversial because the theologians say God does not Judge. They say God is so full of love and that he could never punish them with his wrath. They go on to say that even if God did judge – his judgment would not be eternal. Well here it says this judgment is eternal.
Let me say up front – God does judge sin. This fact is very clear in the Bible. But the Bible also states that Hell was not created for humans. It was created to hold the devil and his angels. In Matthew chapter twenty five we find Jesus saying:
"Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.” Mat 25:41
The folks who have worshiped the beast – who have worshiped the image of the beast – who have received the mark of the beast – will receive eternal punishment.
Rev 14:12 (NASB) “Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
**Warning – Encouragement – v. 12
-Saints need to persevere
*keep the commandments
*keep their faith in Jesus – 1 John 5:4; 2 Tim. 4:7-8
1 John 5:4 (NASB) “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.”
2 Tim. 4:7-8 (NASB) “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Rev 14:13 (NASB) “And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them."
(4) What John hears – 2nd Hearing – v. 13
(a) a voice from heaven
-1 write
*Blessed are those who die in Lord from now on
**Testimony of the Spirit
-1 Yes – it is true
-2 Those who die will rest from their labors
*for their deeds will follow them – Heb. 6:10
Heb 6:10 (NASB) “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.”
Rev 14:14 (NASB) “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.”
(5) What John sees – 3rd Vision – v. 14
(a) a white cloud
-1 one like the son of man sitting on it
*with a golden crown on His head
*with a sharp sickle in His hand
I believe this is Jesus because:
1. The term “the Son of man” is used many times in the Bible when referring to Jesus.
2. We see him coming upon a cloud. The Bible says he will return in this way.
3. The “crown” mentioned here is a golden crown. Nowhere else the Bible do we ever read of an angel having a crown upon his head. It symbolizes Kingship.
4. The Sickle in his hand is important too. In Matthew chapter 13 Jesus tells this story:
Mat 13:24-30 (NASB) “Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' The slaves *said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?' But he *said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"
No one had the right to use the sickle but the owner of the field.
Rev 14:15 (NASB) “And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe."
(b) another angel – v. 15
-1 coming out of the temple
-2 crying with a voice
*to the one sitting on the cloud
Saying: Put in your sickle and reap
The hour to reap has come
The harvest is ripe
The word used for ripe means “dried up.” You can tell when the grain is ripe for harvest because the green goes and is replaced with the color of a dried up stalk. The field is done yielding anymore fruit.
Judgment now comes because none is no more sitting on the fence. Worshiping the beast – worshiping the image of the beast – receiving the mark of the beast was an unpardonable step for nonbelievers.
The earth is ripe … nothing more to be said – no more opportunity for salvation – judgment is come.
The angel says, “Put in the sickle. It is time.”
The sickle here reminds us of someone the World calls the GRIM REAPER. You probably have seen pictures of a dark shadowy figure, whose face is hidden from view, who holds in his hand a sickle, and whose fingers are crooked and pointy. For the world that is their perception of the notion of a God who judges.
For Christians we don’t see Jesus that way – we see him as King with a golden crown. We see him sitting on a glorious cloud – not hidden in darkness – but bringing the light. Jesus at the command of God now swings the sickle.
Rev 14:16 (NASB) “Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.”
(c) He who sat on the cloud – v. 16
-1 swung His sickle over the earth
-2 the earth was reaped
Jesus here reaps the earth.
Rev 14:17 (NASB) “And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle.”
(d) another angel – v. 17
-1 coming out of the temple
*in heaven
-2 carrying a sharp sickle
An angel comes from the temple of God to help Jesus in the reaping.
Rev 14:18 (NASB) “Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe."
(e) another angel – v. 18
-1 who has power over fire
*came from the altar
-2 called with a loud voice
*to him who has the sharp sickle
Saying: Put in your sickle
Gather the clusters from the vine
The grapes are ripe
Here is not the act of reaping but the act of gathering the fruit of the vine.
Rev 14:19 (NASB) “So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God.”
(f) the angel with the sickle – v. 19
-1 swings his sickle
-2 gathers the clusters of the vine from the earth
-3 throws them into the great wine press
*which is of the wrath of God
The angel swings – gathers – and throws the grapes into the wine press. Joel chapter three says:
Joel 3:13 (NASB) “Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the wine press is full; The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.”
Rev 14:20 (NASB) “And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses' bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles.”
(g) the wine press – v. 20
-1 is trodden
*outside the city
*blood came out
Up to horses’ bridles
For a distance of two hundred miles
Most wine is collected – but not this wine for the grapes are bad. The vintage will not be wine but the blood of the wicked. The blood will flow not into a vat to be saved – but out into a field.
