Week 34 The Great And Terrible Day Of The Lord Series

WEEK 34

“The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord”

Date: April 2, 2003

Place: Allendale Baptist Church

Text: Revelation 14: 14-20

Introduction

As we studied last week I said that chapter 14 is a preview of the 2nd coming of Christ. The actual event we will study in chapter 19.

We also noticed an angel preaching to every tribe, tongue and nation, the everlasting gospel.

 This reminds us that God’s grace reaches out to those who dwell on earth, even in these final terrible days.

In our study tonight we will see the coming judgment on a Christ rejecting world.

Let’s pick up where we left off last week at …

Verse 14

“Then I looked and behold,”

 This tells us that John is not just hearing but is a spectator.

“A white cloud, and on that cloud sat One like the Son of man”

 This is speaking definitely of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 In Acts 1: 9 the Bible tells us that Jesus was “taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.”

 He was taken up in a cloud and will return in the same.

 Matthew 24: 30 says; “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

“having on His head a golden crown.”

 This confirms this One as the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Dr. J Vernon McGee calls Him the hero of the book of Revelation.

 Here Jesus is seen as King not as Prophet or Priest.

 His office of King is always connected with His return.

 Remember Jesus was offered a worldly crown but did not accept it. He earned it by dying on the Cross.

 One of the commentators I read stated that if we are wearing a crown that belongs to Christ we had better take it off.

 The story is of Queen Victoria @ her coronation ceremony began to weep and took off her royal crown of England. She said she was unworthy to wear a crown and only her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was worthy of wearing such a crown.

 It is a fact that during the following years of her reign, the country was greatly blessed. England saw a great revival and awakening during this time.

 That is what needs to happen today in our world.

“And in His hand a sharp sickle”

 This is a harvesting tool with a razor sharp, curved steel or iron blade and wooden handle, commonly used by ancient farmers to cut grain.

 It represents swift and devastating judgment.

Verse 15 & 16

 An angel from the temple tells Him (Jesus) to thrust in his sickle because the harvest of the earth is ripe.

 While winning lost souls to Christ is sometimes seen or pictured in Scripture as a harvest, in John 4:34-38, this image is also used of God’s judgment as seen in Matthew 13:24-30 & 36-43; Luke 3:8-17.

 God permits the seeds of iniquity to grow until they are ripe, and then He judges.

 What John is describing to his readers here is a harvest of judgment upon again a Christ rejection world.

 We can look around us today and see that the seed of sin is fully ripe. But during the time of the tribulation sin will be much more evident.

Verse 17

 This temple refers to the heavenly temple, the dwelling place of God,

Verse 18

 This angel is associated with the fire on the altar, which represents the prayers of the saints we saw in chapter 6 and 8.

 Fire refers to the constantly burning fire on the brass altar of the Jerusalem temple.

 Twice a day the priest would burn incense with that fire and offer the burning incense in the Holy Place as a symbol of the people’s prayers.

 This angel is said to be coming from the heavenly altar to ensure that all the prayers of all the saints for judgment and the coming kingdom are now being answered.

 This angel calls for judgment to start.

Verse 19

 This is a vivid description of a horrendous slaughter or bloodbath.

 It refers to the slaughter of the enemies of God who are still alive.

 Many believe this is a description of the coming destruction of the wicked at the battle at Armageddon, the final battle against God’s enemies.

 God’s wrath is described as a winepress which is used in the process of making wine.

 Every part of the grape is crushed leaving only the juice to remain.