Untitled Sermon (3)
John looks and sees standing on Mount Zion, or in heaven (Heb. 12:22), the Lamb and the 144,000 who have his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads (14:1). These 144,000 seem to be the same group mentioned in 7:4–8. What are they doing (14:3a)?
Apparently, the name, or seal, on their foreheads protects them from God’s wrath but not from the wrath of the dragon, Satan, and the beasts (12:12, 17). They evidently die as martyrs during the latter half of the Great Tribulation (13:15). Since they are in heaven, their work on earth is finished. They are singing a song no one can learn, except the 144,000 redeemed from the earth (14:3b). These 144,000 are further described as not defiling themselves with women, for they are virgins (14:4a). This indicates they are sexually pure, obeying what command in 1 Corinthians 6:18a?
John sees an angel flying overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to everyone on earth (14:6). This appears to be the fulfillment of what Jesus said must happen before “the end will come” (Mt 24:14b). What must happen (24:14a)?
A third angel follows the second, shouting, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger” (14:9–10a–b). Therefore, what is the ultimate destiny of those who receive the mark of the beast (14:10c)?
Next, John hears a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on” (14:13a–b). Then, what does the Spirit say in the remainder of that verse?
A fourth angel comes out of the temple, shouting to Him on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe” (14:15). In the parable of the weeds, Jesus describes the harvest, or judgment, in the end times. At harvest, what will Jesus say to the reapers (Matthew 13:30c)?
Next, a fifth angel comes out of the temple in heaven with a sharp sickle (14:17), meaning he is a reaper. This scene also connects with Jesus’ parable of the weeds. How does He explain the parable in Matthew 13:39b–c?
Out of the altar comes a sixth angel, who has authority over the fire. He shouts to the angel with the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” The grapes represent unbelievers who are gathered and thrown into the great winepress of the wrath of God (14:18–19). The grapes are trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flows in a stream as high as a horse’s bridle [four feet], for 1,600 stadia, or about 180 miles (14:20, explanation added). This symbolically pictures the Battle of Armageddon (19:11–21), which will be a slaughter beyond anything the world has ever seen. Because of the horrible destiny of unbelievers, what words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:22c–d should be true in your life?