The Last Sermon

The Lamb and the 144,000

Revelation 14:1-5

Revelation 14:1–5 ESV

Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

144,000 are worshiping God

They are described as blameless virgins

They are singing a new song to God that only they know.

The First Angelic Sermon

Revelation 14:6-7

Revelation 14:6–7 ESV

Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Proclaims the glory of God and demands all to worship the creator

The Second Angelic Sermon

Revelation 14:8

Revelation 14:8 ESV

Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”

Proclaims Judgement on Sin

The Third Angelic Sermon

Revelation 14:9-13

Revelation 14:9–13 ESV

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “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, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur 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, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Proclaims the outpouring of the wrath of God

anger

torment fire and sulfur

no rest day or night

for any who receive the mark of the beast

Encourages the saints to endure faithfully to the end

Proclaims a blessing on the saints who die after this

God will remember their deeds

The First Harvest

Revelation 14:14-16

Revelation 14:14–16 ESV

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat 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.” So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Rapture

Clouds

son of man - Jesus favorite way to refer to himself

golden crown

sickle tool used for harvest

fields are white with harvest

The Second Harvest

Revelation 14:17-20

Revelation 14:17–20 ESV

Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.

grapes of wrath - those destined for destruction

winepress - the method of destruction

blood flowed from winepress for 1600 stadia - 607 feet so a total length of 183 miles and it is as high as horse’s bridle

probably not literal but hyperbole to describe the great bloodshed that occurs here.

It is also likely that this is not a description of one event with others to follow but a description of the coming outpouring of judgment in the plagues and bowl judgement.