Glimpse Of Glory 11

Victory, Grace, & Justice

Text: Revelation 14

Introduction

Recap:

Chapter 1 was John’s vision of Jesus

2 and 3 instructions to the churches and even us today

4 and 5 John was caught up into Heaven and church is now in Heaven. Jesus steps forward and take the title deed to earth with seven seals.

6 through 18 the seven year tribulation.

two halves.

First half would become a period of 3.5 years of false peace brought about by the Antichrist who is powered by the Devil.

He forms this coalition of 10 European nations and becomes a one world president (new world order; globalism) and it seems like it all works.

The last 3.5 years in all falls apart beginning with the Antichrist claiming himself to be God and demanding the whole world worship him.

Serious cataclysmic judgement begin to be poured out on planet earth.

The place where we are in our study tonight is in the last part of the 3.5 year period (prior to Jesus returns).

The seal and trumpet judgements.

God is doing two things at once:

The gospel is being preached on earth.

God is taking his hands from restraining the evil on earth, allowing Satan to do his worst and God’s wrath is unleashed.

We are making our way through the seventh trumpet and within it there are seven vial or bowl judgement which are the very end of God’s judgements.

Prior to these happening, God pulls the vision back and shows John some panoramic views of things that have already happened and some things that are happening at the very same time.

Most of this book we can conclude is chronological, but as you have seen God pauses, backs up, goes forward, etc.

In our study tonight, we will get some further detail prior to seeing the last of God’s judgements poured out on the earth.

What we are witnessing in the news today is what God revealed in chapter 12 of the dragon waging war with the woman and her child; Israel and Jesus.

Chapter 13 we learn how with whom the Devil has planned to carry out this war against Israel and the entire globe. Two character are introduced called the “Beast” and the “False prophet.”

The Beast is the antichrist (more of a political figure/declares to be God).

Unites a 10 nation coalition to bring about a one world order, peace, and governance.

He demands worship.

He will restrict all commerce, medical treatment, etc, to be available to those who receive his seal.

Those who take His seal are damned and those who refuse (believers) will be killed.

The False Prophet is a guy who has a more religious role to lead the world to worship the Beast.

He will bring all religions together for one spiritual authority.

You get this picture of Satan’s attempt to mimic the eternal Trinity; Father, Son, Spirit.

How many of you notice the pieces heading in that direction???

1) Jesus Provides A Celebration Of Victory (v1-5)

A. The Lamb, Jesus Christ

158 time “Mt. Zion” is mentioned in scripture regarding a physical mountain; Jerusalem.

Hebrews tells us there is a Heavenly “Zion” that the earthly represented.

It could be both.

B. 144,000 thousand with the name of God written on their foreheads

A group of people that was introduced back in chapter 7 is reintroduced in the heavenly scene.

144,000 are a group of 12,000 men from every tribe of Israel.

(ch7)They have the seal of God on the foreheads (signifying God’s ownership/they are under Christ’s protection)

They are born-again men who remained pure through the now global paganism that had been established by the antichrist and false prophet.

They lived through the worst years of human history.

The world system they will have went through has it’s origin all the way back to Nero’s Babylon.

Anytime Paganism is introduced (religion who defies God as creator and His designs), what always follows is an involvement of sexual sin.

Hebrews 13:4 “4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”

LISTEN…are we not seeing this grow in our day? More of this kind of perverting has continued to step out into the open with pride.

They have a particular function during the tribulation period.

God had particularly chosen them for a particular task. Remember God’s ownership of them.

What John is seeing is a blurred vision of this group of believers.

In one sense they are carrying out God’s mission of declaring the gospel, yet in the same scene they are singing their new song before God’s throne.

The song being sung could only be sung by this group.

At the same time John hears an overwhelming concert of celebratory music that he describes as the sound of rushing water or thunder and hears the sound of one or two harps playing. You have both sounds contrasting to show significance to twin messages: 1) God’s justice & God’s judgement are overwhelming; 2) God’s providence and justice are very soothing and comforting.

(v4)This group of believers are described as being the “firstfruits to God and the Lamb.”

Some of the first to turn to God during the tribulation period and therefore will bring about the positive response from many toward Jesus during the millennial reign of Christ.

(v4)“They follow the Lamb wherever he goes”

What better thing could be said of someone than this!

This speaks to their character as disciples.

This reminds us that “following Christ” is part of the commitment when you place your trust in Him as Savior.

(v5) “without fault before the throne of God”

Q — Where they without sin? NO.

Them and everyone who has received Jesus as Savior will stand before Him faultless.

They will rejoice rejoice happily following their life of faithfulness.

2) Jesus Continues To Extend Grace (v6-7)

A. The invitation of grace is extended globally

Imagine an angle from Heaven hovering over the earth as it rotates under him as he proclaims this message.

Once again you witness the universal grace of God.

The “eternal gospel” describes God himself.

The book of revelation should not be summed up as a book of extreme apocalyptic events, but a book describing a God who is beautifully gracious in the midst of being purely just.

You and I are heading to eternal victory.

I reject a theology that says, “This message is only for those God preselects to receive it.”

To present a theology that says, “All the extreme measures of God to present the gospel to those who “cannot believe” is simply God furthering the glory He gets from magnifying their future damnation.

The angel is shouting, “For many of you this is your last opportunity to turn to Christ.”

Quote: While there will come a day when no one else will be able to respond to the gospel even in the eternal state, the good news of salvation in Christ will be a perpetual reminder of the love of God in the hearts of those who live with him in the eternal city. Paige Patterson, Revelation, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 39, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2012), 290.

Listen, there are only two choices: Satan and eternal damnation (or) Jesus and eternal celebration (vs 8-13 reveal this)

(v7) Genesis 1:1 “1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” — This verse is brought back to light in one sense as the most important verse in scripture.

If this is not true, then the rest in everything else is pointless.

If true, the only appropriate response of humanity is to worship God, fear Him, and give Him glory.

3) Jesus Conducts Righteous Justice (v8-13)

A. The future pagan Babylon will fall! (v8)

John witnesses another angel who makes the announcement of Babylon’s fall. BEWARE OF BABYLON!

There are several opinions as to what is being referenced when Babylon is mentioned.

In my estimation, it seems to be referencing a world empire that roughly approximates the ancient Roman Empire. More so to do with the capital of this world empire.

Sudom Husane tried to rebuild a new Babylon but that didn’t work out to well for him.

This future Babylonian system will be everything anti-God.

To the first century reader, it would have meant Rome.

This view would easily correspond with Daniel’s vision in both chapters 2 and 7.

That being said, the character of this future Babylon is the focus here.

This dates back to Genesis 11 when king Nemrod led the building of a great tower.

This was a time when a world power influenced by Satan used it’s power to create a religious center that apposed allegiance to God.

This world power is described to have brought the world to drink the wine of unfaithfulness to God.

B. The fate of those who take the mark of the Beast

(v9) John describes a third angel.

This angel gives the sobering and sad announcement regarding the eternal fate of those who worship the Beast and have taken His seal.

This would have been an announcement prior to people taking the mark of the Beast.

Those who first appeared to have been granted safety by taking on the mark of the Antichrist in reality receives the complete opposite.

(v10) The angel describes God’s wrath as a cup of wine of full strength being poured out on them.

In the Eastern world they would take wine and dilute it with water to serve two purposes: the wine would purify their contaminated water and the water would prevent them from become drunk.

The wrath of God will have no ounce of dilution when poured out on those who worship the Beast.

Ezekiel 38:22 “22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.”

They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of Jesus and His angels.

“Tormented” is the same word used to describe what the rich man experienced in Hades following his death.

(v11) The word “forever” is indicating that those who will experience God’s wrath at this time will have no means of escaping it.

C. Blessing and rest for those who die in the Lord

(v12) During all of these circumstances, there is a call of for patient endurance for the saints.

It is no different for you and I today. We all wait patiently in the midst of the sinful circumstances surrounding us every day.

If there is a promise for them, there is one for us.

(v13) John hears a voice from Heaven.

This sounds like the beatitudes of the apocalypse.

Only those who “die in the Lord” from this point are “blessed.”

God’s Spirit promises they will “rest from their labor” and “their deed will follow them.”

“labor” = referring to diligent and difficult work.

If you are an unbeliever, death leaves in your heart a terrifying feeling. However, for the believer, there is no fear in death!

Death is the final enemy defeated!

The believer is about to look beyond death by faith and accept the revelation of God.

Everyone who dies in the Lord are objects of incredible blessing!

4) Jesus Will Cast Out The Evil (v14-20)

A. The first reaping of judgement

Who is the “Son of Man” described here?

While there is debate over this, I certainly believe this is none other than Jesus Christ.

First Reaping — An angel comes out from the Heavenly temple and announces the reaping work of victorious Jesus.

“crown” = is the victor’s crown.

The day of harvest has come.

“ripe” = almost over ripe; overripe

It’s almost like God is saying, “I almost waited too long to bring judgement to give further opportunities for people to come to me.”

What is the timing of this judgement?

The context around this reaping is “judgement.”

This would indicate this reaping would happened at the end of the tribulation.

It will be a judgement when those who have survived the tribulation period and continuing to follow the beast will be cast into judgement.

B. The second reaping of judgement

(v17-20) Give the precise results of that harvest.

Another angel comes out of the temple of God who has a sharp sickle.

Now we are talking about grape clusters.

“ripe” = perfect time of harvest

The “winepress” and “grapes” are a picture of human blood.

Here is the picture — The angel swings his sickle into the vine and throws grapes into the winepress which squeezes the juice out. It then overflows into a river.

Here is the meaning — The angel will swing down with judgement that will kill enough people who are pagan enemies of God that the blood is described to flow as a river through the land of Israel.

Giving us a picture of a river spanning roughly 200 miles

“unto the horse bridles”

This bloodbath appears to reference Armageddon.

Megiddo is about 50 miles north of Jerusalem (center of conflict)

The blood will be deep enough to (at the least) splatter up to the horses bridle.

The world has never seen such a bloody future history.

Conclusion

Once again, this is not an event where you have to be on the losing side! Repent, trust Christ, and confess Him as Savior and Lord.